In the closing chapter as she stands on Boo Radley's porch and looks across at her house she finally understands how he felt when watching over her and her brother Jem. It also explores the effect of racism and the miserable life of a woman, cowered and abused by her father, and who is too frightened to stand up in court and tell the truth.

Until men take the time to empathically listen to and understand the lived experiences of those around them, we will continue to have women sexually abused, harassed and treated poorly not only in our workplaces, but in our homes.

Giving respect to others does not mean a lessening of power to the giver. It invokes a strength of character.

The Prime Minister's cabinet reshuffle fails women once again. It does remove from cabinet a man accused of rape. It does not deliver a senior woman cabinet minister responsible for women's equality and justice. Instead the former Attorney General stays in cabinet and three women get random 'women-related' issues - such as women's economic security, women's safety and 'women's portfolios' - whatever that means?

Prime Minister - again we say this is not about our safety or our economic security. It is about our equality. It is about sharing power equally with us. It is about men giving up power so that women can share it.

Your cabinet reshuffle does nothing to support this. Nor does your allowing Andrew Laming to remain in power. Prime Minister - keep listening, because we will continue to roar until you get it.

The article by Anne Cahill Lambert (CT March 24th 2021) on the 'evisceration', of the ANU Medical School should concern Canberra residents, the consequences will be disastrous.

The pandemic has had a significant impact on many institutions, recovery will be long and painful.

Canberra has long been regarded as a 'medical backwater,' making it difficult to attract healthcare workers. The last 40 years have seen an influx of professionals who have developed a quality healthcare system, including the establishment of the Clinical School, affiliated with Sydney University. The natural progression was the establishment of the ANU Medical School in 2002.

The initial teaching load is shared between clinicians and academics. This program is at risk, as many academics face retrenchment, with little hope of further employment, but are afraid to speak out.

I do not have a deep understanding of the impact of the pandemic on ANU, I am just a retired clinician. However, I have an understanding of the profession and how necessary it is to train, and maintain, our own doctors. If ANUMS is downgraded, Canberra will become a medical backwater. All concerned Canberrans should contact the University and speak to their local member, because, we are all in this together, we are all potential patients.

How much of my JobKeeper allowance does Andrew Leigh ("BillionaireKeeper," March 29) think I should repay? JobKeeper was paid to employees like me, by firms that then sought reimbursement from the government.

Leigh makes the potentially libelous claim that firms in which billionaires hold significant shares used JobKeeper to pay dividends. That generalisation applies only to the few firms that obtained more money for 'reimbursements' than they actually paid to their staff. The income I received from my casual job went up dramatically when I went onto JobKeeper. With or without JobKeeper, I would have had less than three days of paid work from April through to September of last year.

If it is reasonable for Andrew Leigh to demand that my employer repay part of the reimbursements that it received, for the JobKeeper allowance that it paid to me, then it is equally reasonable for him to demand that I contribute towards that repayment.

Just a quick note on my experience as a 1b applicant for the COVID-19 vaccine. Tried to contact the first option by phone, as requested by them, only to be told by a recorded message that they weren't taking bookings at the moment and to call back "on Monday". The second option would take a booking, but the earliest available appointment was for 1 July, admittedly this year. So it seems that there is no real urgency about administering the first jab. Or are there supply problems?

Canberrans over 70 jostling for their COVID vaccination perplexes me. I would understand if they needed to travel overseas or had other good reason, but I would much rather my dose went to a health or community worker or vulnerable person in PNG. I can wait.

I am ashamed that our government is being a dog in the manger, corralling many more doses than our total population needs, while in the World Trade Organisation voting against freeing intellectual property barriers that would allow many other countries, such as Bangladesh, to manufacture vaccination doses.

The political establishment adores Alexander Hamilton (and hates Thomas Jefferson) because Hamilton was a consummate statist.

To repudiate Hamilton's political agenda is, according Hamilton biographer Ron Chernow, "to repudiate the modern world itself".

The Sydney premiere of the musical Hamilton was attended by New South Wales premier Gladys Berejiklian, Opposition leader Anthony Albanese, former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and his wife Lucy, former Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce, ABC presenters Leigh Sales and Fran Kelly, Lisa Wilkinson and other financially secure leftists and woke capitalists.

Is there any wonder why the political class are so worshipful of Hamilton and big government and big debt? As the government grows, the rich get richer.

Ironically, despite its message of diversity and equality tickets for Hamilton are outrageously too expensive for most families.

Spot on James Blackwell ('More to the NGA than Van Gogh', Forum, 27 March). Not only the thought provoking and truly magnificent indigenous collection, but also the standing display of art and artefacts representing Australia's colonial history.

Whilst European art is quite spectacular, nothing surpasses Australian art, indigenous and non-indigenous, which we can enjoy, free of charge and unimpeded. On the other hand, the experience of enjoying the Botticelli to Van Gogh exhibition was marred by the environment in which it is exhibited - crowded (and inconsiderate attendees), poor lighting (this I can understand), navigation around, and positioning of, the artworks. By all means go and experience it, but only after you put 'Australia first'.

I am an avid fan of the ABC and their news coverage, but I find it hard to understand why their coverage of COVID and the vaccination program regularly includes so many shots of people getting injections.

In one recent report I counted 12 such images, with most stories having at least 3 images. Often the shots are close up and graphic, and some clearly show the recipient in obvious discomfort.

I am pro-vaccination, however, many people do get distressed by this, with some feeling nauseous or faint at the sight of a needle, let alone the sight of someone being injected.

It may be that the ABC's use of so many images is designed to de-sensitise viewers. Even if that is the case, I think it would be reasonable for them to advise viewers that the following contains images of this type.

As March draws to a close Australia has only managed to vaccinate about 400,000 people. On January 7th this year Morrison said there would be four million vaccinations by the end of March. The government has achieved a miserable 10 per cent of this target which, when vaccinations was the only job they left themselves, is a failure of epic proportions. As Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, said with fingers pinched, "Well Chief, missed it by thaaat much". This lot couldn't organise a booze-up in a brewery.

How is it appropriate that the back page the April 29 print edition of your paper has a graphic picture of a Canberra Raiders player vomiting? A great 'advert' for the game?

Graeme Rankin, Holder

The Prime Minister has ordered Andrew Laming to undergo "empathy training". It's a pity Morrison doesn't also undergo empathy training to help him understand the tragic impact of his cruel and inhumane treatment of refugees and asylum seekers.

I congratulate Dr. Andrew Leigh for his article ("BillionaireKeeper mismanagement", March 29, p16). As I have said many times over in the past, the government should consider the point he is making. Taxpayers' money should go for the welfare of the taxpayers and the needy in society.

Sincerely, I feel sorry for ScoMo. Everyone is having a go at him, from television presenters to probably his kids at home. I think he needs to stand up for himself and return fire.

I just cannot understand the complaints about the Nortbourne Avenue median strip (Page 3, March 29). To have a median strip planted with native grasses and Eucalyptus is a wonderful entrance to the national capital. What do these complainers want? Boring lawn, fake grass, concrete? Does the anti-native grass view reflect the view of these people regarding the natural environment generally?

And where around the tramlines, the reed-beds sweep and sway, to the breezes, and the rolling stock beside, the tram from the Molonglo River is a household word today, and the passengers tell the story of their ride. (apologies to ABP).

So the PM sets up a group of government women to "fix" a problem caused by men?

Who would have thought. On top of all of their other evil aspects, trams apparently cause the growth of weeds and feral grasses next to their tracks? Can we adopt the Roman chariot idea and have blades fixed to the outside of the wheels? Just a thought.

On merit-based appointments, I recall Ita Buttrose's ironic comment many years ago, that Australian women would finally have arrived when there were as many second-rate women in senior positions as there currently are second-rate men.

Every time I drive up Northbourne Avenue I admire the native grasses on the median strip next to the light rail. It is 2021! Time for Australian gardeners to appreciate Australian plants, rather than pining for the "English look" which now has no place here (and, if we are honest, never did).