This is a misconception of the road rules that has been repeated in articles in this masthead and is in desperate need of a correction so that further misinformation is not spread.

Under the ACT's road rules there is no requirement for cyclists on a shared path to sound a bell before overtaking a pedestrian. Article 250 of Part 15 in the legislation states:

"The rider of a bicycle riding on a footpath or shared path must-

(a) keep to the left of the footpath or shared path unless it is impracticable to do so; and

(b) give way to any pedestrian on the footpath or shared path"

This implies that the general, quite restrictive, road rules around use of a horn or warning device apply.

We must disregard Bradbury's conclusion that "cyclists treat walkers far, far worse than drivers treat cyclists" until we have something valid to compare.

I'm livid after watching a recent ABC News program. I could hardly believe it when what seemed like minutes were spent on a report about a US "star's" dogs being stolen! So what? Then, just a few minutes later, there was another fluff piece about a car catching on fire in Sydney. What on Earth is happening at the ABC? Whoever approved these items going to air should be shown the door. How can the national broadcaster waste resources on what is bread and butter to the ambulance chasing commercial channels?

Sadly Barrie Smillie, a frequently published writer of letters to The Canberra Times, has passed away. I thought I should let you know.

After years of reading his letters to the editor I was lucky enough to join his U3A French class. He was a great teacher and kept going with his lessons until very recently. The class will miss him very much. Adieu Barrie.

G. Gillespie (Letters, March 1) correctly complains about slow drivers using the right lane but misquotes the rule. It is not "keep left unless doing the speed limit" but "keep left unless overtaking". Those who claim that they are "doing the speed limit" are almost invariably wrong as most speedometers read faster than the true speed.

Blocking the right, or overtaking, lane is a dangerous practice as it causes frustration and leads to risky "undertaking". Unfortunately the emphasis by our authorities on numerical speed limits leads to non enforcement of this serious safety issue. The Germans regard the equivalent of this behaviour as being aggressive dangerous driving and the penalty can be three months' imprisonment and cancellation (not suspension) of the driving licence.

Dr Sue Wareham's analysis of the AWM's appropriation of a role that its legislation does not sanction ("Let's not allow the Australian War Memorial to become something much uglier", canberratimes.com.au, February 27) raises many issues.

Dr Wareham noted the AWM has ignored the overwhelming opposition to the $500,000 repurposing project and "in reality, the views of the public have never really been wanted".

The memorial treats opposition as not just "not wanted", but not even acknowledged other than by off-handed deprecation by ad hominem attacks upon persons with great credibility and public respect.

The memorial is being repurposed to suit the ambitions of a very few against the wishes of a large majority of Australian society.

G. Gillespie (Letters, February 25) stated that the half life of thorium was 500 years. He was then corrected by A Parkinson. It is the radioactivity of thorium's nuclear waste products, that have short half lives of 500 years, that makes it a valuable fissile material, as well as the fact that it produces no usable weapons material other than the waste itself. It is also five times more abundant than uranium.

Moreover, if it is used in a liquid salt reactor, most of the waste material is burned to stable products while running, leaving only a small amount of material to be processed.

This material can be chemically removed if necessary when replenishing the thorium salt but, in most cases, only non-radioactive elements need to be removed.

John Mungoven (Letters, February 26) is on the money when he points out the impact of the ACT's land tax on rented residential properties.

In the 10 years pre-COVID-19, due to rising land values - especially in older suburbs, land tax has risen disproportionately to rents.

Land tax is an inequitable, unfair tax mostly passed onto tenants. It is not a charge paid by people who own their own homes.

This was recognised in the government's 2012 tax review.

I have raised this over the years with ACT Labor and also Green members of the Assembly.

The response from most was, sadly, an uninformed view that landlords can afford to pay as they are negatively geared or, if it is too dear, they can sell and then there is one more home for a renter to buy.

They refuse to understand that renters usually can't buy and that many ACT landlords are not big investors, just people trying to fund their retirement.

Unlike John, I did own an investment property.

However, due to rising land values, the land tax and rates were approximately $200 a week. That was far more than what was paid in Sydney for a higher value property. I had to sell.

This meant one less house for low income tenants in a very tight - unaffordable for many - rental market.

By the way, the government did abolish land tax for commercial properties.

The Yarralumla dog park has been closed since October last year. At the time the communication was that the park was "expected to reopen in early November 2020".

As we head into March the park is yet to reopen. An important facility to give dogs much needed exercise in a safe environment is still unavailable.

I'm struggling to understand how this tree removal in a public facility could have blown out by around four months, and how the public could be so poorly updated on it.

The aged care royal commission has identified the need for additional resources in the aged care sector. The time has clearly come for the government to abandon its stage 3 tax cuts, delivering a flat marginal tax rate of 30 per cent on tax incomes from $45,000 to $200,000 and costing $46 billion.

A fairer society would be produced if the funds were used in aged and health care, to increase social housing and JobSeeker payments.

Psephologists should now be returning to their ouija boards to divine the future of the re-animated Frankenstein's monster who nominally ruled the USA over an administratively chaotic four years.

Trump's CPAC resurrection last week, and the rapturous welcome garnered from his cloned deplorables, must be equated with the masses jubilantly worshipping the Golden Calf during Moses' absence on Mount Sinai.

Are we to be visually and aurally assailed by another four years of inane worship of a vindictively dangerous clown who refuses to accept his defeat and provoke civil disobedience or will some knights appear to rid us of this turbulent beast?

I'm sure we will all have to listen to the Morrison government, while paying lip service to the hideous findings of the royal commission into aged care, will say Australia can't afford to do much.

Hundreds of companies are earning billions here, paying their CEOs millions, while paying minimal taxes.

There are many financial mechanisms that allow them to get away with it. The Morrison government could force them to pay taxes or pay a percentage of sales. These billions would go some way towards paying for quality aged care, mental health and disability care, as well as improved education and so on. This unethical behaviour by the very big end of town should not be tolerated.

I have yet to meet a heterosexual man who doesn't understand the meaning of consent when propositioned by a gay man. So why do so many men fail in relation to women?

Mr Porter has had his say. Now it is time to hear from those who were in Sydney with the alleged victim in 1988 and others who can cast light on the truth. It's a pity the Prime Minister won't give them a microphone or inquiry to help the now deceased alleged victim tell her story.

The conduct of cabinet ministers has plumbed new depths when a woman who displeases them is derided as a "lying cow".

Your editorial ("Porter rape claims must be tested", March 4, p24) suggests "an independent investigation [be] commissioned to sift through what is known, and to make a determination on the balance of probabilities". Surely you can't be serious.

I wonder how the "review" of Australia's military ties with the rogue Myanmar military is progressing? Perhaps the killing of 38 protesters will help expedite the process.

Angus Campbell is telling female cadets to avoid being prey. Where is the message to predators that their conduct must stop, to bystanders about the positive role they can play, and to those threatened, harassed or assaulted about how Defence will support them?

The member of the electorate of Fenner, Dr Andrew Leigh, shows a pragmatic approach to handling our economy. It's a pity that he is in the opposition.

Instead of spending millions of dollars on the Australian War Memorial, shouldn't we be providing homes and services for our many homeless and suffering veterans? They need help now.

Scott Morrison says that we can not allow the "mob" to dictate our rule of law. In parliamentary democracies, the "mob" elects the Parliament, the highest law-making authority in the country.

Linda Reynolds went under the bus first. Now it is Christian Porter. Who's next?

What a pity Porter didn't apply the "presumption of innocence" to the victims of robodebt when he was the responsible minister. People suicided as a result.

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