Here's the problem: "Currently", says the government website, "about a third of residential rubbish bin content is food waste".

That means two-thirds of your bin's content isn't food waste. It's the other stuff you usually put in your bin. If you have a full garbage bin now, you'll have an overflowing one when collections are made fortnightly.

You can bet the government know this. They are offering a second bin each fortnight to take away the garbage you already dispose of weekly in one bin.

But you'll have to keep an extra bin and you'll have to pay over seven dollars a month for collection. To be clear, in order to get the same service you do right now, you'll have to pay an extra $87 a year.

The minister, Chris Steel, thinks this is all good. "There's been a lot of support for it", he says. Seriously? I think he needs to get out more and talk to real people: Canberrans with diminished garbage service and higher costs, and maybe new parents, who will have used nappies sitting in sun-drenched garbage bins during mid-summer for two weeks until they're collected.

Minister Steel's government has become good at telling people what they need and bad at asking them what they want.

The TV ratings from budget night might reflect what people think about the budget and politics in general.

The ABC coverage came in at 12th; well behind Married at First Sight at no 1. That is a very sad reflection on the general public's range of interests. It was also just one behind The Dog House at 11th, a fun family show where nearly everyone is a winner.

Maybe it's an indication that the politicians have gone to the dogs and there will be a divorce soon.

Anne Prendergast (Letters, March 30) is perfectly entitled to vote for Zed Seselja because he, like her is a "good Catholic" with "good family values". Does that make him the "best candidate", able to serve the interests of other Canberrans as well as the ACT's good Catholics? After all, serving all of us without prejudice is what a senator is supposed to do.

What I don't like though is Anne's narrow and ultra conservative view that those who don't agree with her "can move".

Would Anne accept that the same injunction might apply to her.

Would she like it if other people suggested that she is the one who should move (and maybe take Zed with her)?

Anne Prendergast (Letters, March 30) submits various arguments to support the re-election of Zed Seselja, including Zed's opposition to euthanasia.

Well Anne, Zed's opposition to euthanasia is the reason I could not vote for him.

I will vote instead for a candidate who is prepared to show compassion for those suffering extreme pain and misery during their dying days and can be given the option of a more peaceful and earlier death under voluntary assisted dying laws, such as those passed in five Australian states.

I am never surprised by the views expressed in Anne Prendergast's letters (Letters, March 30). And why wouldn't she be happy with Zed ?

He's elected by a 33 per cent or so primary vote, and his conservative position on euthanasia (inter alia) is probably supported by only a minority of that modest primary vote.

Ms Prendergast is clearly celebrating the fact that she is part of that conservative minority.

So what we have is a minority in our community overruling a majority opinion.

This is not my understanding of how democracies are supposed to work.

I am putting Zed last not because of the party he represents, but because he puts his personal views and the minority view of our community well before the majority opinion of the electorate he is supposed to represent.

There has been a recent flurry of letters rightly criticising members of the Barr/Greens government flowing from proposals relating to changes to bin collections, riding bikes (without helmets), car free days, heritage listings as a tourism boost and extending the tram to Woden.

The money for the Woden spur could be better utilised towards building a new sports stadium, convention centre and affordable housing.

As for attracting tourists, apart from the Arboretum, all other national institutions are owned and administered by the Commonwealth.

Until such time as the ACT Liberals present themselves as a viable alternative government and succeed in winning office the at-times dubious quality of ACT Labor/Greens government decision making will roll on unabated.

People shouldn't complain.

You get the government you vote for.

P McCracken (Letters, March 24) can be reassured that I did not frustrate any drivers when conducting my fuel efficiency tests.

I chose a period when the Kings Highway was closed at the Clyde Mountain for repairs.

I needed to do this so that I would not be held up by "resolutely slow drivers" when undergoing the 100 km/h runs and would not frustrate other drivers when undergoing the 80 km/h runs.

Having now learnt how little time one saves by travelling at the speed limit I have stopped being frustrated by slower drivers.

I happily stay behind them in the knowledge that we are all using much less fuel.

The COVID-19 pandemic slammed Australia's doors shut and choked off the supply of vulnerable workers whose wages could be stolen with impunity.

As the pandemic progressed unemployment fell below five per cent and is now predicted to fall below four per cent.

Only silly people and free-market economists believe these two issues are not causally related.

I have no sympathy for Chris Rock and applaud Will Smith for standing up to him.

Too many comics use other people's miseries and misfortune as part of their routine to get a laugh; but it would not be funny to their targets.

In this case Rock was having a shot at Smith's wife's medical condition.

There have probably been a lot of cases where comedians have gone too far without provoking a reaction.

In this case Smith has said enough is enough and supported his wife.

Maybe now comedians may think twice before being hurtful about to people's personal issues in their routines.

It seems the ACT's long suffering residents may be in for a reprieve from the skeleton rattling, suspension destroying potholes on seemingly all ACT's roads ("Budget to show $50m boost for ACT roads", canberratimes.com.au, March 28).

Although it appears that the bulk of the funds will be allocated to major arterial roads I hope that our smaller suburban streets will also benefit.

New, and poorly repaired and recurring, potholes have become a defining feature of our rapidly deteriorating infrastructure, and hence appearance, of the nation's capital.

Whilst it is hard not to be cynical, with an imminent election, I do hope that this largesse is the beginning of concerted effort to continue to maintain this important community infrastructure.

John Daly (Letters, March 28) sums up our feelings as fellow, ageing conservatives.

We are disillusioned in respect of the three points that John raises; honesty, competence and leadership to the extent that we have not renewed our Liberal Party memberships. We've had enough of the moral vacuum that is now the Liberal Party.

As conservatives we could never vote red or green; we distrust them, and the so-called independents in this burg will probably channel their preferences in that direction. So where can we go?

For the first time in our lives we are likely to vote "informal."

Did anyone else notice that during the budget speech all members had a non-reusable bottle of water? To demonstrate their undoubted concern for the environment surely MPs should be using refillable metal bottles that will last them at least their term in parliament.

Hell hath no fury like a senator dumped to an unwinnable position on the ticket

Much as I like our ABC, especially for their rural programs, they were badly upstaged on budget coverage by Foxtel who had a rolling printed list of the announcements made alongside the vision of the Treasurer making his speech. This allowed these announcements to be considered by sight and sound.

Wow. There is a one-off payment of $250 to pensioners and other welfare recipients to assist in their living costs. Federal MPs receive a $288-a-day travel allowance for living away from home as well as their salary. What a perk. They are a law unto themselves. Methinks politics is a racket.

Re your budget front page. David Pope has nailed it yet again. Long may he reign as number one.

The Morrison/Frydenberg budget isn't designed to save ordinary Australians. The whole focus of the budget is to try and save the LNP from electoral oblivion.

I listened to the budget delivered by a tense looking Treasurer. A word that rhymes with "clap" and "trap" sprang to mind; the one Tony Abbott used to describe climate change when he was Prime Minister in the almost 10-year-old Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison government.

The Treasurer predicts it will take up to two weeks for drivers to see the effect of the 22 cent cut in the fuel excise. I predict the effect drivers will feel when the excise is reinstated in six months time will be immediate.

And from out of one budget top hat the ever so calculating Prime Minister and his just as accommodating Treasurer delivered a treasure trove of carrots on sticks. They now expect the electorate will forget all their failures during the past three years and re-elect them. Yeah, right.

The leader of the Solomon Islands' opposition warned Australia last August China would likely establish a military pact with the islands. Now there is a draft agreement. Scott Morrison ignored warnings from fire chiefs before the disastrous 2019-2020 bushfires. He also ignored warnings there was a prospect of massive flooding this year. He says keeping Australians safe is his top priority. Does anyone believe him?