It tells a story that's familiar to tens of thousands of Australians, including myself and my wife, Jill. Like the central character of the movie, we travel the country (in our case Australia, not America) and live in our caravan.

Unlike the movie's main character, we are not house-less and work and travel as a lifestyle choice, rather than of necessity. Regular readers would be familiar with many of the places we've put down temporary roots to work in casual jobs or just enjoy the local life. Places like Braidwood and Milton, where we joined the BlazeAid cause as volunteers, Derby in the WA Kimberley region, Tumut, and most recently Mirrool in the NSW Riverina.

Even in our late 60s it hasn't been difficult picking up casual work when we felt so inclined.

We love the life and have met many like-minded nomads along the way. Nor are all nomads grey. We meet a great many young couples who are educating their kids on the road while enjoying the most amazing times of their lives. We haven't yet seen Nomadland, but we're looking forward to it. It should make for some interesting conversations around the campfires as we travel the country.

Our Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, tells us that on Anzac Day "we remind ourselves of the sacrifices, courage and selflessness which helped make our country what it is today".

That is what we Australians all strive to do. But what is it that his government strives to do for those very living veterans in need of Australia's support?

The Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA) has been stripped bare of any realistic budget to meet its responsibility for ensuring the welfare of our veterans.

Over 40 per cent of its staff come from private labour hire and veterans have to wait on average over one-and-a-half years to have their claims settled. DVA staff are reduced to begging the PM for more resources.

Australians lined up to vote in a government of tax cuts. Tax cuts lead to less government services and support. This is demonstrated by the state of DVA. Yes, that's the reality of mindlessly pursuing tax cuts and damn the consequences.

It is shameful for our PM to stand up on Anzac Day to tell us about "the bravest of this generation" (Iraq/Afghanistan deployment) when his government is the architect of this appalling disregard for veterans ongoing needs.

Next federal voting cycle I for one will remember the sacrifices our serving men and women have made and I won't forget how their service is "remembered" by this government.

If Rohan Goyne (Letters, April 26) thinks the Seat of Government Act contains provisions that limit the capacity of the ACT Legislative Assembly to make law on assisted dying he might need to explain the logic to the rest of us.

That Act says no more than the ACT will be in the Yass-Canberra district, it will be at least nine times larger than described in the Australian Constitution, its boundary may be surveyed, and any damage done by the surveyor will be compensated for.

The limiting provisions are in the ACT Self-Government Act, which can be changed by the Commonwealth government any time it sees fit.

Rohan is perhaps suggesting a future Labor federal government would do that. However, one might ask why it didn't between 2007 and 2013 when in power, or why in 1988 federal Labor didn't give the ACT all the rights of a state when establishing self government.

Re: "Ben Roberts-Smith stands aside during case" (canberratimes.com.au, April 26).

Having read Ben Roberts-Smiths words in your paper, I cannot but agree entirely. I am extremely pleased to have left the military when I did, after 25-years-plus service. I could not have kept working under the current crop of clowns wearing red tabs.

My last letter advised young people not to join the military, l now advise serving members to leave before they are stepped on by incompetent brass.

You can shine brass with Brasso, but on the high-ups the only shine is on the seats of their pants.

Anyone thinking of joining the rudderless ADF should think long and hard. Then do not.

Steve Ellis and Eric Hunter (Letters, April 24) amongst others, love to parade their humanity when asking that the Biloela family be granted asylum here but are unwilling to say why we shouldn't offer the same level of compassion to all the estimated 79.5 million people have been forcibly displaced round the world.

Please tell us where you would draw the line, and how you would enforce our borders.

I note your edition of April 27 found space on page 13 for news of the tragic loss of 53 Indonesian submariners.

This was underneath a much larger article about the Oscars.

While this might represent the priorities of the Murdoch Press and its readership, I do not think that I am alone in expecting a little better from The Canberra Times.

On April 26 I read a letter in your paper by Rajend Naidu regarding the NSW Police minister's response to the school kids paintings on racism and police brutality.

I agree entirely. The minister has his head buried in the sand. He also said children should be taught to respect policemen. Until police treat us "underlings" as human beings and equal, they will never earn respect.

Perhaps during police training it should be mandatory for them to read Dale Carnegie's book How to win friends and influence people.

Crispin Hull ("Don't listen to the alarmists on jabs", Forum, April 24, p29) reminds me why I trust only the quality press for information and not the unreliable social media or the Murdoch propaganda sheets.

I have had my first shot of the AstraZeneca vaccine and I am in a high-risk group due to age. What immunity do I have pending my second shot? Can I go out or not?

Nowhere could I find the percentage immunity figure for first injection. When is the best time for second injection? Am I still shedding virus? I am sure I am not the only person wondering.

For those who haven't read your April 24, Forum section the figure is "at least 65 percent effective" for the first shot and "25 percent on top of that for the second". The optimum time between the two injections is 12 weeks. My immunity does not stop virus-shedding.

I trust your paper and Mr Hull for the above figures.

Keep it up, ACM. I know your feature articles are based on due diligence and I applaud your practice of using former editors as high-status commentators.

D Shirley (Letters, April 25) protested against Canberrans who claim that ACT government spending deficiencies were due to the tram expenditure.

ACT government ministers have said various projects and promises have been delayed due to the cost of the light rail.

Minister Berry said in March 2017 that the proposed Civic stadium was to be delayed while the government pushed through with its light rail priorities. It is logical spending in one area would affect spending on another.

Dave Roberts (Letters, April 24) spoke powerfully for me, in these two sentences of his recent letter: "I do not want to finish up as a drooling idiot in an under-funded aged care facility, being fed by a spoon, nor do I want palliative care at the end of a terminal illness" and "My biggest nightmare is going from being an active thinking being, to a vegetable in one instant due to a stroke. Then, voluntary assisted dying would be out of my hands in all the current legislation."

There is now plenty of experience, both internationally and interstate in making voluntary assisted dying legal. It is surely unthinkable that the constraints imposed against legislation in The Northern Territory and the ACT by 1997 federal legislation will not be overturned very soon.

Now is the time for us to be having the conversations about the precise legislation we want here to help allay the concerns of us all as we approach our final days.

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IFRAME

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Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

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Keep your letter to 250 or fewer words. References to The Canberra Times reports should include date and page number. Letters may be edited. Provide phone number and full home address (suburb only published).