For the past fortnight I have been subjected to intolerable noise.
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Beside me, from 7am, work on a house extension is ongoing. Behind me, also from 7am, two houses are being demolished to be replaced by five townhouses. None of these workmen have been wearing masks.
Meanwhile, I am confined to my house unless I need to venture out for "essential services", or timed exercise, and must be masked at all times. On a car journey for an 'essential service' I was stopped by many road and building works.
I can't escape as I am in lockdown. I cannot travel away to a quieter spot, nor fly overseas to see a son and his family I have not seen in two-and-a-half years.
It seems construction at all costs continues to rule in the ACT. The disparities in this lockdown are inescapable. Perhaps I should venture outside without a mask, be arrested and sent to jail. I am sure it would be quieter than the jail I am now in.
Kathryn Spurling, Chifley
Turnbull is wrong
Malcolm Turnbull has been accusing Scott Morrison of double-crossing the French because he didn't purchase their submarines.
Scott Morrison is just where Australia needs him, in close ties with America and Great Britain.
History has shown that in World War I and World War II Australia, the US, and Great Britain successfully worked together.
Anne Prendergast, Braddon
Discriminatory and wrong
Gordon Plath's letter about vaccines is not just discriminatory, but wrong as well (Letters, September 30).
Just because he is vaccinated, this does not guarantee that he will not be infectious and pass on the virus to someone else.
Thus, for example, if he follows a very social life when things open up, he may actually be a greater risk to others than an unvaccinated person following careful public health measures such as wearing an N95 mask and observing low social contact.
Murray May, Cook
The reason why
John Webster complains about people not using the Check In CBR app (Letters, September 30). Certainly, there are many people who should use the app but don't. Although there would be plenty of people falling into that category some of us don't have smart phones and check in with a staff member.
Gordon Fyfe, Kambah
Pool anomaly
Could the chief health officer reconsider current plans to open ACT pools for only swimming lessons.
Why can't fully vaxxed lap swimmers (at say a maximum of two per lane) be allowed to swim laps (equal to about 16 people in a 50m pool at one time)?
This approach was well managed last year, and lap swimming is far less "close contact" than swimming lessons. Lap swimming is a valued form of exercise for many adults. The Queanbeyan outdoor pool opened on Saturday but ACT residents will not be able to access this facility.
ACT outdoor pools do not open until the end of October. I have a done a few swims in the lake and I know where I would rather be.
Cary Humphries, Mawson
Disastrous decision?
Three former prime ministers and retired senior diplomats have made well-argued criticisms of the government's submarine decision and the way it was handled.
Ministers have failed to address the many substantive issues raised, focusing instead on personal abuse. Has the government made one of the most disastrous defence and foreign policy decisions in Australian history?
Ernst Willheim, Campbell
Buses make more sense
Jack Kershaw's suggested route for Light rail Stage 2A (Letters, September 30) is one that makes more sense than that being pursued by the Greens/Labor government but still grossly uneconomic with trams. By all means build a corridor but trams are not needed on it to promote development. Fast electric buses would meet all objectives at an acceptable cost.