Turn up to the National Gallery of Australia carrying much more than a purse or camera on your shoulder, and since the beginning of November and for some indefinite period now you'll be turned away at the door.

Not only - unlike the AGNSW - is there no longer any money or enthusiasm for a manned cloaking desk, but mysteriously the nice DIY cloaking lockers in use for the last year are no longer available - unlike identical ones at the State Library of NSW.

COVID is obviously more rampant - and vaccine take-up less impressive - in the ACT compared to NSW.

On making inquiries, it turns out the NGA's DIY lockers are off-bounds due to (ACT) "government regulations". There being no money or, rightly, enthusiasm to constantly clean them after each user, presumably.

Such infection control concerns obviously not applying instead to supermarkets, greengrocers and any shops - from department stores to op shops and new and second-hand bookshops - where goods and trolleys are constantly handled by everyone.

As usual, the already desperately underfunded arts sector cops it from all sides, even an evidently clueless ACT government. And the illogicalities and inconsistencies of C19 "management" continue to amaze.

It seems that nowadays no transaction is possible without an app. Some businesses and government departments are accessible only on websites.

A few years ago a film 'I, Daniel Blake' showed the frustration and despair of a British man trying to access social services without owning or using a computer.

The situation in Australia is sadly similar. Some of us older citizens have, as far as possible, embraced modern technology but are limited by badly designed websites and apps.

The IT people who design them may be extremely clever at their craft but fail to recognise we are not all IT specialists. It is frustrating and dispiriting to spend a couple of hours trying to grapple with the vagaries of different systems.

I have reached a stage when I'll scream if I'm required to put another app on my phone. Where have the real people gone?

Try making an appointment on the phone these days. I was recently in a phone queue of three people for over an hour! Meanwhile, a recorded voice told me to try booking online, which required my postcode details. When I entered a Canberra postcode, Wagga Wagga was suggested as my nearest option!

Prime Minister, we are fed up with your sloganeering and the tired excuses you pedal out while stalling Australia's move away from fossil fuels.

With the bright minds and renewable resources available in this country today, we could be a leader in the industry and a shining example for others to follow.

We could be a large employer of Australians in this sector and a generator of export markets not yet realised, markets attractive to us as well as other countries.

It is disturbing to see the ongoing influence the fossil fuel industry has over this Coalition. It would be a comedy if it wasn't so serious. Australia desperately needs forward-thinkers and visionaries who will accept and embrace our renewable future.

Mike Cannon-Brookes, "Twiggy" Forrest and Simon Holmes a Court are examples of those already on board. Like thousands of Australians, they already see a bright future in addressing climate change and the wonderful opportunities we can harness for the future. Australia needs a federal government who also recognises this, Australia needs a new government.

Sean Kelly's article "How and why Morrison invented ScoMo" (November 5) on how Prime Minister Morrison made himself was interesting. One thing Kelly didn't cover is what does Morrison believe in for the good of the country? Even Tony Abbot believed in something, although not for my cup of tea. Mr Morrison seems to believe in nothing. When has he articulated a vision and goals and policies for the nation? He is an empty vessel only interested in power for power's sake.

I hope the 'new' definition of anti-semitism outlined by Jeremy Jones (November 2) will make it more productive for the voices of Palestinians to be heard more clearly without being dismissed as anti-semitic.

A recent talk by Jean Zaru, a prominent Palestinian Christian in Ramallah, expressed alarm at Israel becoming a 'gigantic prison' that continues to tighten restrictions on those who speak out against oppression. She says the attempts to use non-violent approaches are largely undermined by violent responses from authorities. I look to our political leaders to help turn things around and bring justice to all the people of the region.

Watching COP26, it occurs to me our Prime Minister's policies are merely continuing his proclaimed faith God will save us without any effort on our part when it comes to climate change.

A word of warning, though, from Proverbs13.4 - 'Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labour'. I suggest the PM gets diligent in the battle to remedy climate change.

After having to listen to the recalled French ambassador make the ridiculous claim at a Press Club function that Scott Morrison stabbed France in the back and then watch on the ABC failed and sacked ex-PM Malcolm Turnbull suggesting, seriously, that Scott Morrison had somehow sullied Australia's international reputation and integrity, the PM would have been quite entitled to claim the contract, signed by Malcolm Turnbull with the French government, was a dud. The 12 diesel subs, if they had been finished in 25 years' time, would have been by then dinosaurs and fit only for a museum of lemons rather than ready to seriously defend Australia.

To the French ambassador, Scott Morrison should have said: "Eat cake." And to a sourpuss and vindictive Malcolm Turnbull: "Et tu, Brute."

That China emits more greenhouse gases than any other country doesn't necessarily mean China should reduce its emissions more than any other country. Where benefits are shared by all concerned (as mitigation of global warming would be), all concerned still need to do what they can.

But more importantly, the whole debate about reducing emissions needs to be balanced by consideration of how greenhouse gases can be removed from the atmosphere. On that front, it's clear every country can and should do its best. Who cares if a lot of the CO2 removed by, say, planting trees here originates from China?

Again, the benefits of global warming mitigation achieved by removal are shared by all.

So instead of ranting about China's emissions, let's become leaders in reforestation. Our emissions may be comparatively small, but our gas removal performance is potentially huge.

George Wilson of Animal Wildlife Services is at it again ("Could kangaroo meat be the next beef?", Canberra Times, November 4) in advocating that it would improve kangaroo welfare to domesticate them on farms where they can be shot for consumption.

As a simple geologist I would have thought kangaroos have adapted very well over millions of years to the harshness of Australian climate cycles through survival of the fittest. I would not think they need a bunch of rogues with guns to do the Darwinism for them.

Humane killing? On what planet is Wilson living? Thursday's 7.30 Report on the ABC shows otherwise. Spare us your double speak on welfare, George, if you just want to make a buck from an Australian icon.

After the PM's submarine performances we do not need a further lowering of our world image by cruelly slaughtering our national heritage.

Kangaroos are the world's heritage, too. The G20 and COP26 meetings show that the rest of the world can bite back.

Your editor's note under Terry Birtles' letter ("What's in a motto?", November 5, 2021) tells only half the story.

Yes, as you note, "to serve the national city" has been part of the newspaper's motto for 93 years.

But it used to say, "To serve the national city, and through it the nation". Terry Birtles is correct. The Canberra Times seems to have lowered its ambition.

During the current low between France and Australia I can't imagine too many French diplomats wanting to come Down Under. Whereas Australian diplomats wanting to go to France and be centrally located to the rest of Europe, I reckon there'd be more starters than for the Melbourne Cup.

The past two weeks of underwhelming national plan-making and world stage participation and dialogue simply confirm how good Scott Morrison is at fiddling, fibbing and flitting.

The several letters claiming French President Emmanuel Macron insulted only the PM and not Australia, in respect of cancellation of the submarine contract, is pure woke sophistry. After all, like it or not, the PM represents Australia. I dare say also, that these woke folk would not dare criticise ex-PM Malcolm Turnbull for siding with another nation against Australia (there is a word for that behaviour, which in the past would incur terminal penalties).

Malcolm Turnbull, the only bloke able to slide under a snake's belly!

Given that ScoMo may have leaked a confidential email/message in order to embarrass a foreign leader can we expect (even hope) to see him spending the next seven years hiding out in an embassy somewhere followed by two years in prison awaiting possible extradition to France?

To avoid culling of our brumbies we could maybe offer them as compensation to the French for their loss of sub sales as many of them as they wish. I believe "horse meat" is still a delicacy there.

The cowboy's friends in cabinet should be pleased to know that pork barrelling for the next election at least releases less methane than beef barrelling. It's a noble greenhouse gas reduction.

Thank you very much but please don't transfer unvaccinated Department of Education staff from primary schools to high schools. That is not fair to high school staff or students. Not getting COVID vaccinations is a choice. A choice of get vaccinated or get on your bike.

For those who don't know; we are an island nation surrounded by aggressors. A nuclear submarine can circumnavigate the globe 20 times without refuelling. So, whatever Scott Morrison is doing in the name of our national security is justified. However, let's hope he does it better next time.

Aptonym: a personal name aptly or peculiarly suited to its owner.

Scotosis: intellectual blindness: a hardening of the mind against unwanted wisdom.