While we are of course grateful for the support (much more than other cities across the globe) I question the true intent of the ACT government's investment. The two million dollars allocated to the program was spent out in less than 24 hours. This amount is a mere rounding error, compared to the total General Government Sector Revenue of $5,768,309,000 announced in the 2020-21 ACT Budget (p138).

If this government truly wishes to support Canberra residents with such innovative programs, might I suggest they allocate at least $1 for every Canberran? Multiply that by ten (at least), for good measure. Then, perhaps they would see a city, truly, at its best. Food for thought, amidst unsettling times.

I refer to AWU Secretary David Walton's comments ("New farm visa promised this year", Business, June 17). He states that "under this abhorrent proposal, exploitation and abuse of [of SE Asian workers] on Australian farms will explode". I disagree.

This new visa proposal should be encouraged and a quick look around at south-east Asian countries at the moment will confirm why. Take the Philippines. For decades Filipinos have worked around the world in low paid, menial jobs, more often than not to support struggling families back home.

Money sent back from one OFW (Overseas Filipino Worker) can support multiple relatives living otherwise in total poverty. Right now the devastating impact of the pandemic on the country, Duterte's almost total Covid lockdown, and not enough vaccines has resulted in millions of Filipinos starving. Can you imagine the effect these visas would have to help relieve at least some of this suffering and inject critical currency into their economy?

David should resist parroting stock union rhetoric from the comfort of his air conditioned office and take a closer look at the plight of comrade workers around the globe.

Perhaps the glass negatives and other photographs in the Rose Stereograph Company Collection do not include items that "may even change the course of history", as the auctioneer claims ('Iconic pictures of capital up for sale', June 17, p14). Even so, the collection, now being auctioned online, might contain many items of historical importance. If the federal government can toss $500 million to the war memorial, would it be too much to ask that a couple of million be used to assess the Rose holdings and purchase anything worthwhile? Pieces acquired could be held by the Film and Sound Archive, the National Archives or the National Library. Not all of Australia's history is contained in the building at the top of Anzac Parade.

The Australian government, through its agency the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, has as part of its remit responsibility for protocols for the appropriate use and the flying of the National flag. They even have a booklet - "Australian flags".

Why then, has nobody apparently brought the publication to the attention of the Prime Minister? That can be the only reason why he is showing so much disrespect to the flag by wearing it on his face. Flags belong up flagpoles, not on people's faces. There are other places they can be appropriately used, for example, on coffins. But nowhere in the protocol issued by PM&C does it extend to being used the way the Prime Minister is using it.

So it seems that Australia is entering a trading agreement with the UK. Details are scant but there are dangers for Australian families. UK wages under-cut Australian wages, so any imports from the UK will destroy opportunities for Australians. Our minimum wage is $772 per week, the UK minimum wage is just $580 per week.

But it is worse. UK minimum wages apply to workers aged 23 and over. In Australia you only have to be 21. In short, after years of Thatcherite impositions, the UK is now a relatively low wage economy and could use its artificial competitive advantage to harm Australian workers.

Now we are encouraging overseas under-35s to come and work on our farms are we morally obliged to give them some advice? Should they be told that they will not receive award wages, will have their wages stolen, will be charged outrageous prices for sub-standard accommodation, will be racially vilified and run a good chance of being bullied and/or sexually harassed? That's what great trade agreements are for, now we have done away with Ministerial duty of care and responsibility as antiquated values.

I read that the Fair Work Commission, after considering submissions and various options, has awarded low-paid workers $18.80 per week. Business screams blue murder that this is going to destroy businesses and jobs. The ACTU, Labor and the Greens scream the increase is manifestly inadequate. Then things settle down, and life goes on in this great, and egalitarian, country.

John Hewson's well-documented claim that "Another housing crisis is in the offing" (June 18, p64) lacks the creativity we need in "the management of the housing sector". This is despite his admission that such management has been seen as the 'main mechanism' for 'smoothing our economy'.

But, I would ask him, what is the main mechanism for ensuring young people and the homeless who beg on our streets can find a place to live?

I would argue that the unremitting claim by our politicians that the Australian dream is 'owning your own home' has been effective but destructive propaganda. As a result it has denied us the opportunity to think of even the possibility of appropriate and flexible lifelong housing being available to everyone at reasonable and regulated rents, as in many beautiful European cities which we regularly pay enormous sums to visit.

I do recall reading that a recent development in Canberra is being built solely for renters. I like to think that this could mean that the developer would be required to remain a landlord of the units for say a decade, and hence that there would be extra pressure on the developer to ensure the long-term viability and desirability of such flats.

I would like to ask Hewson why such an arrangement does not seem to be considered in discussions of our housing crisis.

People who accompanied the Prime Minister overseas to the G7 and France are to quarantine in ANU student accommodation (or at home). The student accommodation has already been decided to be inadequate for this purpose, and accordingly the ANU is allowed a proportion of the places offered by NSW to overseas students. Surely the ACT community is being put at risk by the decision to quarantine the returnees at ANU.

John Hewson suggests another housing crisis is on its way (Opinion, June 18) with banks willingly lending more to potential home buyers than they can afford.

It is worrying that house prices have remained high despite the Covid-induced drop-off in net overseas migration and the consequent drop in demand from that quarter. It is clearly evident that the government must address both negative gearing and whether non-residents should be allowed to buy property. It must also increase supply, especially in social housing. It needs to look at banks' lending policies.

The population figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS 3101.0) for the year ending 31 December 2020 reveal that population growth has fallen from two and a half times the OECD average, to about average. Let us hope, post-Covid, we do not return to very high figures of net migration (well over 200,000), otherwise, without the above reforms, housing really will be out of reach for the majority of residents. That will have severe implications for society.

Three nearby neighbours regularly poison our air with wood smoke. And we are wary of pointing this out to them since they might feel trespassed on their rights. What about our right to breathe without choking?

Previous attempts from Canberra authorities at educating on how to burn more cleanly have proven fruitless overall. This seriously unhealthy practice must for once be legislated out in the shortest possible term.

"When you can't breathe, nothing else matters".

FROM ABC TO MPS

Leigh Sales and Laura Tingle ought to consider becoming federal politicians. Along with Penny Wong they could bring this country back to being the wonderful caring country it was 25 years ago.

G Gillespie, Scullin

A WAR FOR LITTLE GAIN

Again it is in the news that the Taliban is on verge to retaking Afghan province after withdrawal of foreign forces, which leads me to ask what change has the 20-year war against terrorism in Afghanistan accomplished in real terms for the people of Afghanistan? That the military industrial complex profited hugely from the deployment of foreign forces is well known.

Rajend Naidu, Glenfield, Sydney

EXTRA PASSENGERS

Welcome home, Scotty! I was just wondering how many stranded Australians you brought home with you?

Gay von Ess, Aranda

THE WAY PUBS USED TO BE

Steve Evans denigrates as "fusty" the all-male clubs he has visited in London and the US, and the relief of escaping them to the nearest pub. When I was a girl (not all that long ago in light-years) pub bars were "men only". Women had to sip their port and lemons or shandies in the "Ladies Lounge".

Barbara Fisher, Cook

ANONYMOUS HONOURS

With regard to the recent Queen's Birthday Honours list, we're accustomed to the identities of Special Forces recipients being concealed. I couldn't help wondering if those worthy folk awarded Public Service Medals for their work on trying to make the response coherent and workable wouldn't have minded the same sort of anonymity, and would have preferred to have been referred to as 'Ms X, Dr Y, Mr Z,' etc.

Dallas Stow, O'Connor

OBJECTION TO CARTOON

Was I alone in condemning the Broelman cartoon on June 16 as unfunny and in poor taste?

Colin Blair, Curtin

NEVER A RIDE FOR ME

The light rail has been running for a while now but I will never need to take a ride, even if it miraculously crossed the lake, continued on its merry way to Woden and finally meandered to Tuggeranong, sometime in the next century. So why am I paying through my taxes for this white elephant?

Michael Lucas, Conder

IS IT A BIRD (DOG)?

Perhaps the mysterious pooping "fowl dog" of Scullin is a cockapoo (Letters, June 19)?

Frank Marris, Forrest

SAFE FROM WOKE CROWD

A men-only club has caused public uproar. No one has considered that this might be a safe place for men of a certain age and attitudes to relax away from the woke crowd.

Yuri Shukost, Isabella Plains

A REFLECTIVE MOMENT

As a result of his action in bringing a solar panel into Parliament, Chris Bowen has earned that great Australian nickname "sunshine".

Peter Baskett, Murrumbateman, NSW

P.M. ACCOUNTABILITY

Scomo calls in the Defence to assist with Covid, another 'no hose' moment. What's next 'I don't eat Chinese'.

Linus Cole, Palmerston