Catholics have an obligation to observe all the lockdown laws

I am a practicing Catholic and read this article in stunned disbelief.

We Catholics, while being part of our church community, are also members of the Canberra community. As such we have a moral obligation to obey the law.

Everyone in Canberra is suffering under the stay-at-home orders, but they are necessary to control the Delta strain of the virus.

Religious groups generally have cancelled their services. Being Catholic does not entitle us to any different arrangements, nor does it bestow on us special privileges such as attending mass.

At a time when the Catholic Church is struggling to claim respect and relevance in the eyes of the world, I am particularly distressed that one of our leaders should speak out in this way.

Father Percy should leave Andrew Barr to continue his excellent work in controlling the virus and stick to matters of faith and doctrine.

As a local resident I am fully in support of Mrs Liangis's hotel complex (Letters, September 23).

Manuka needs the smart and elegant-looking building she has commenced.

Manuka needs the good business the hotel complex will bring.

Manuka also needs its cinemas back.

The Coalition government has failed to deliver a climate policy. It was shamefully slow in its response to the bushfires. It has been delinquent in its stewardship of women's safety and economic equality and it was too slow off the mark in evacuating Afghan employees from Taliban control.

Its implementation of robodebt was callous in the extreme, and its provision for the elderly and the disabled leaves much to be desired. It dropped the ball in both the acquisition and the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and mismanaged large defence procurement programs costing Australian taxpayers billions.

We have waited for years for its public integrity program, while it condones blind trusts and dishes out the pork for sport and parking in marginal electorates.

Its pursuit of alleged war criminals continues at a glacial pace, while it energetically and speedily pursues journalists and public service whistle blowers who expose government blunders.

Having offended China, with a predictable impact on trade relations, the Coalition government has now damaged our relations with France and with other European states, as well as making our regional neighbours anxious about an Asia-Pacific arms race.

Of course, the Prime Minister bears no responsibility for any of the above. How unlucky is Australia?

I understand Wayne Harris's frustration ("Double-vaccinated families are suffering under lockdown", Letters, September 23) however it is not the case that "the rest of the population is not far behind" the high vaccination rate of Canberrans over 60.

Wednesday's The Canberra Times showed vaccination by age groups in the ACT and there is a marked decrease for people aged under 40.

The key reasons for this were the decision to prioritise vaccinations for older people, the constrained supply of Pfzier and the messaging around AstraZeneca.

While it would be nice for family members to be able to assist each other to a greater extent, vaccinated people can still spread COVID-19.

In the current situation it is important to maintain community solidarity - as shown by events in Melbourne.

Relaxing lockdown rules for (older) people who were vaccinated earlier would essentially be giving them "two bites at the cherry" while (younger) people still are waiting. That wouldn't be fair, and would be unlikely to encourage compliance with the lockdown rules by people still awaiting vaccination.

Bravo for Matt Kean, a voice in the LNP wilderness ("NSW Liberal minister wants AUKUS to lead climate fight", canberratimes.com.au, September 23).

And finally, a hint of movement from the Australian government on a net-zero emissions target.

Speaking in the US, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has stated Australia is "seeking to get to the same place" on an emissions target as the US.

This would be a big shift, because the US 2030 emissions target is to reduce its net greenhouse gas emissions by 50 to 52 per cent below 2005 levels.

Perhaps Barnaby Joyce has been rolled. This is surely good news for farmers who stand to gain as demand for carbon offsets grow and the value of Australian Carbon Credit Units rises to record levels.

"Feeding the chooks" (Letters, September 22) was certainly an expression former Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen used when referring to his speaking to the press, but he was not the first Australian politician to use it.

Prime Minister John Curtin also spoke of "feeding the chooks" when speaking of his briefings to journalists on his deep concerns about Australia's security during World War II.

This is not to suggest the morals of Curtin were similar to those of Bjelke-Petersen, or indeed to Barnaby Joyce.

I refer to the recent article ("ACT Court of Appeal almost halves time in custody for Richard Cater's killer", canberratimes.com.au, September 18) reporting upon a successful criminal appeal.

This resulted in what I consider to be a totally inappropriate reduction in the perpetrator's sentence.

The crime involved the brutal slaying of 82-year old Richard Cater, causing serious injuries to two of Mr Cater's elderly friends, and the untimely creation of a widow,

The issue of young offenders needs serious legal review.

Sentencing rebates applied to youth could perhaps be formularised, with full commutation at age 10 - being reduced by 1 per cent per month until the offender attains 18 years.

In a similar vein, we might suggest that elder abuse is taken more seriously by the courts and that a sentencing surcharge be applied.

Whatever the outcome, this case should not be allowed to pass without further scrutiny.

The victims deserve better.

I regularly walk around Lake Burley Griffin where the main dog turd problem is caused by dogs attached to running owners.

The dogs are obliged to defecate on the run, leaving a trail of turds behind them. The usually fixated runners seem oblivious to what their dogs are doing.

Clearly, they don't have much concern for their dogs' welfare.

Given the choice, dogs like to savour smells, make their marks, interact with other dogs and, when they are ready, take their time to do their business.

Being attached to a running human would seem low on a dog's scale of preferences.

Of course Stephen Byron ("Airport head blasts ACT Chief Minister over lockdown", canberratimes.com.au, September 15) was cranky that the ACT lockdown was extended.

It meant that, like a lot of others, he couldn't get his own way.

Yes, it is tough, but the way out of these lockdowns is for everyone, especially the self-absorbed among us, to observe the rules: get vaccinated, wear a mask, distance, stay at home and stop selfish behaviour.

And wouldn't it be nice if, instead of continually complaining, local business leaders like Mr Byron would equally loudly call out those who flout the simple rules designed to protect the community? Won't happen: they are too busy being selfish.

There was a graphic in The Canberra Times on Wednesday (September 22) which showed the incredible take-up of the COVID-19 vaccine across all eligible age ranges.

I am so incredibly grateful to the Canberra community for their support and concern for each other.

We have individually got the vax to protect everyone - the elderly, the vulnerable, and now the children. Go Ken Behrens.

You should never change white elephants in midstream.

How can it be acceptable for a backbencher to receive anonymously donated funds, but not a minister? Porter should resign from Parliament.

Mr Barr, good leaders manage risk; they don't kowtow to it.

When politicians depart the ministry, the term "resigned" is very misleading. To let down the Prime Minister is one thing, but to continue to represent an electorate of 120,000 lesser folk is obscene. Perhaps the term "defrocked" is appropriate for those merely moving on from the ministry in disgrace.

Silly me. I thought "blind trust" is the trust we gave to the Americans after war games in Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

How farcical. According to the PM, Christian Porter is upholding ministerial standards by resigning when he didn't meet them. Spin in overdrive.

Scott Morrison might think he is a bit of a marvel for borrowing Pfizer doses from Singapore and now the UK, but does he realise that these "deals" are just further evidence that he stuffed up the ordering of vaccines in the first place?

Joyce apparently wants Porter to spend some time in Coventry. As a person born and bred in Coventry, I wouldn't want him anywhere near the place.

Sorry to disappoint John Murray (Letters, September 20) but the Royal Australian Navy will be using 18th-century technology. The submarines are steam-powered using nuclear fuel. Ask any engineer (remember steam powered locomotives?).

A note from Team Pedantry: Media mates, please be aware that the new-age "AUKUS" is not an acronym, it is an initialism. And broadcast buddies, even if the Prime Minister can't say "nuclear" instead of "nuc-ular", you can. It isn't too hard.

So the pro-Putin party won the Russian election. The win was predictable following the sweeping crackdown on critics and the jailing of the most popular opposition leader, Alexei Navalny, as part of Putin's Machiavellian election ploy. No wonder critics have called it fraudulent.

It appears ravens in Canberra have more sense than the Civil Aviation Authority regulators.

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