COVID-19 has impacted the demand for apartments across the ACT, especially for those close to Civic and ANU. In May ACT apartment approvals fell to an eight-year low, according to ABS statistics.

There are fewer international students and a major development has been postponed, leaving a big hole in the ground. As well, Australians in isolation are now indicating in recent research that they have different requirements for where and how they live ("Virus may yet remodel our homes", July 10, p19).

They want more space and less crowding. In our current "unprecedented circumstances", Canberra residents, whether apartment dwellers or not, are finding refuge in our green spaces for exercise, de-stressing, and general maintenance of good mental health. Thus, the planned development of West Basin seems to be misguided for many reasons.

As well, it leaves existing nearby residents, city workers, bicycle riders and runners with little access to trees and nature. Finally, we don't need more developments like Henry Rolland Park. It has been a failure. It is in a very inhospitable spot, subject to high westerly winds, and the bike path through it is dangerous with poorly placed bollards and mixing between cars and bikes.

The release of the "Palace letters" surrounding the dismissal of the Whitlam government on November 11, 1975, reveals our Constitution is lacking. It allows for an aristocratic British private secretary to the Queen to conspire with an Australian Governor-General on the sacking of a democratically elected Australian government, without even advising the Queen.

The Palace then had the letters secured for 45 years to conceal the conspiracy.

This can never be allowed to happen again. It is time we had the Australian Constitution amended to eliminate any influence by the Palace on Australia's head of state, and to replace it with an Australian who is only beholden to Australia.

Republicans will not find any solace in the Palace letters as they clearly show the Queen was not informed in advance, or was party to the decision before it happened.

It was all about Sir John Kerr doing what he thought was his duty.

Supply had been blocked and the Whitlam government did not have sufficient money to pay the next Federal Public Service payroll.

Any talk of a half-Senate election was meaningless as the government would run out of money before it could be held.

The Labor party still resents "The Dismissal" despite the fact the Australian people totally agreed with Sir John's decision, as per the election results in 1975 and 1977. It was democracy at work.

The "conspiracy" was hatched at Yarralumla, not Buckingham Palace. John Kerr was a better poker player than Whitlam. Either one could have sacked the other. It came down to who acted first.

What this detail really exposes is the myth we need to be a republic.

Any president would have the same powers as the existing Governor-General. It is hypothetically possible we could have another crisis similar to 1975 under a republican model.

The existing Governor-General is always (these days) an Australian citizen. We all clearly understand the powers he or she can wield.

Any effort to reduce or codify these powers would involve years of constitutional conferences and tens of millions of dollars. That's assuming any Prime Minister would allow a referendum involving a new Governor-General/President that involved a popular vote.

Professor Jenny Hocking's work to release the Palace letters has helped us better understand our democracy, even though there (of course) was no smoking gun.

It has always been clear that responsibility sits with the Queen's representatives; that they are obliged to act constitutionally, not politically; and that Australians are in charge of our own destiny.

The letters confirmed what we already knew.

For years we have heard that the monarch assiduously follows political, social, and cultural developments.

What was perhaps a surprise was that this was not puffery, but the truth.

Whether John Kerr behaved rightly or not, it is now clearer than ever that our system is one that - by design - is stable, practical, and follows the rule of law. We are lucky indeed to have it.

M McClusky (Letters, July 17) is mystified as to whether his car was used or petrol siphoned off as the petrol level in his tank was lower than when he put in his car for repairs.

He also adds that a plastic funnel of unknown origin was left in the boot of the car. As funnels are used to pour liquids in, and not to siphon liquids out, the mystery deepens.

I see Mr Salmon (Letters, July 15) studies history. He claims the Chinese government has done more good for more people than any other government in history.

Ignoring the obviously misleading nature of this statement, numbers after all being a relative measure and that "good" is not clearly defined contextually, I take issue with his next claim that we are meddling in another country's laws by offering asylum to the people of Hong Kong who wish to leave its "new order". He's right, of course. I just wish there had been more "meddling" by people throughout history to stop similar episodes of countries being left to persecute their "own" people.

Re: your article on the joys of the Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Australia ("A garden of treasures in plain sight", July 13, page 33). The designer of the garden is incorrectly accredited. The designer of the gallery sculpture garden was Harry Howard of Harry Howard and Associates, working with Barbara Buchanan from his office, and closely with the gallery architects, Edwards Madigan Torzillo and Briggs, and the gallery's founding director, James Mollison.

So "Australia ends at the Victorian border" David Cummins (Letters, July 14). That reminds me of a Sydneysider speaking to a Dubliner.

Dubliner: "I've got a sister in Australia. She lives in Melbourne."

Sydneysider: "Melbourne isn't part of Australia."

Dubliner: "It is. I've seen it on a map."

Sydneysider: "Put it this way. Is Belfast part of Ireland?"

Dubliner: "Well, now. It is and it isn't."

Sydneysider: "Same with Melbourne."

The COVID-19 lockdowns have drawn attention to those often-maligned 1960s high-rise blocks of public housing flats in inner Melbourne. They have well-designed layouts; and, unlike today's flats, have generous-sized rooms, as well as direct natural light and ventilation for all spaces, including kitchens, bathrooms, and all bedrooms.

They provide high levels of privacy and quietness, quite good solar aspects, and are set in very spacious, well-lit gardens. They are within walking distance of city amenities. They are generally structurally sound, well built, and well managed. And it can even be said that they make valid and distinctive architectural statements (Canberra has lost many such developments from Civic and Northbourne Avenue).

Compare all that (including the efficacy of a health lockdown) with today's typical high (and even medium and low) rise developments, in which greed drives both private and public housing; the latter via exorbitant government land retail prices, and the use of developers to deliver the "product".

What folly. We can find $270 billion to upgrade defence readiness, but at the same time, run down our diplomatic and consular assets. I've no difficulty with ramping up Defence, but am puzzled why we should choose to run down DFAT even further if reports of the loss of 60 staff positions are true. Diplomacy, aid and soft power are key parts of the security equation. If we can spend $500 million redeveloping the AWM surely we could throw a few crumbs in DFAT's direction. It would be an investment in our future security.

With the growing concerns about COVID-19 in Victoria and NSW why is The Canberra Times publishing photos of Canberra people from different suburbs clearly not social distancing ('Wuthering Heights", July 14, p29)? Please everyone, be mindful of the vulnerable people in our community and listen to our health experts.

The team names "Raiders" and "Brumbies" are old hat and in need of spicing up. I suggest the "Tyrannosaurus rexes" and the "Orcinus orcas" as refreshingly new appellations.

Andrew Barr is concerned about a proposed Geocon building overshadowing community space at Kingston.

This is curiously inconsistent with his lack of concern about the overshadowing of Garema Place by another proposed Geocon building.

NSW has a COVID-19 heatmap which advises citizens of the latest testing and results.

The ACT is right in the middle of NSW.

Why hasn't the ACT government partnered with NSW to bring this information to ACT citizens?

As the tumbleweeds gather in Martin Place and Bourke Street due to white collar employees now working remotely, careful urban planning is required nationally. Government incentives are needed for business to relocate to healthier, small-to-medium-sized cities such as Canberra incorporating thoughtful office planning based on four-square-metre health guidelines.

God bless the Constitution. Australia should never suffer an autocracy.

It is curious the very same people who bleated Senator Seselja should not be entitled to become a senator because he didn't have the support of "an overwhelming majority of ACT electors", are now telling us the Labor candidate in Eden-Monaro was validly elected with barely one third of first preference votes.

This is "how it works". Isn't that what these same people were told following Senator Seselja's election?

I must plead guilty to a hand in sacking the Whitlam government. Like millions of my fellow Australians, I voted at the ballot box to throw Labor out. It was not a dismissal, but rather a landslide. Let's call it that from now on. The landslide.

The light rail along Northbourne Avenue seems to be travelling through wild, tall, mixed grasslands, rippling in the wind and with few trees, reminding one of a classical savannah landscape. Is this a brilliant design in keeping with Canberra's status as the bush capital or just a poor choice of unkempt weeds needing a good mow? Where are the Merinos?

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