Gas is neither clean nor renewable; it is a fossil fuel barely better than coal. Moving from coal to gas will do virtually nothing to reduce emissions.

Does Treasurer Josh Frydenberg not understand the urgency of the situation? Just recently 17 former Australian defence leaders said: "Our earth is already too hot and climate change is already dangerous. Fossil fuel emissions must be reduced to zero at emergency speed".

If he doesn't believe them, how about the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)? Its report on Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability was released a month ago and noted "Widespread, pervasive impacts to ecosystems, people, settlements, and infrastructure have resulted from observed increases in the frequency and intensity of climate and weather extremes, including hot extremes on land and in the ocean, heavy precipitation events, drought and fire weather".

These extreme weather events are already costing us in social, economic and environmental terms. Think the Black Summer of two years ago. Think Lismore for the past month.

We have to get on a war footing to mitigate climate change. That means money needs to be spent. Lots of money. Taking money away from CEFC and ARENA, two highly successful entities that have helped the transition to renewables, is unforgivable.

We live in a small street which currently has 61 per cent public housing. Over many years we have experienced appalling behaviour from a large proportion of these tenants in terms both of property management and their general behaviour.

When two of the street's semi-detached public housing properties became vacant we were hopeful the ACT government would sell these off to improve the balance in the street.

To our dismay we learned the ACT government now planned to re-develop these properties into five or six supportive housing dwellings, thus increasing our street's public housing representation to 70 per cent and risking a significant criminal presence.

We found this hard to understand as a nearby street, much larger with only two public housing properties on much larger adjacent blocks, would appear more suitable for the project. Imagine our surprise when we realised senior government officials apparently lived there and could not possibly have large amounts of public housing near them.

That says all you need to know about this government. On the one hand, they and their supporters judge us with that tired old label NIMBY, but then show themselves to be the greatest NIMBYs of all. Our life may become a living nightmare but, to our great relief, at least our government officials will never have to endure such privations.

If the Morrison government had shown more concern about climate change and the effects that rising ocean levels will have on the Pacific Islands I might have more sympathy for the federal government's concern about China negotiating with the Solomons regarding a possible military base.

Despite what the Morrison government thinks, we do not own the Pacific Ocean.

Indeed we have shown little concern about their future so why should they think about us?

Billions in public money is being wasted on a temporary petrol price fix which will take quite a while to translate down to pump level anyway.

It is a bad use of money and a gamble as there is no guarantee it will make the amount of difference it is intended to, just like the JobSeeker money given to companies who then made a roaring profit. That money couldn't be clawed back.

Throwing money at a wall to see what sticks is the worst economic policy there is.

Those criticising the LNP for a too generous budget have very short memories.

I remember during Tony Abbott's administration when Joe Hockey brought in a very sensible, if rather frugal budget, which would have led to a surplus and set us up for future financial head winds.

Remember the reaction to that? The ALP, the ABC, and every journalist who could get near a microphone, crucified Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey. They gave that administration the most incredibly negative press.

Josh and Scott we're very wise not to repeat that and hand the election to Albo on a plate.

The point at this stage is to get re-elected.

Josh and Scott have the financial experience and the security expertise we need at this time.

It was a great budget, particularly as coal, iron ore and gas are bringing top prices. People need a lift after the disastrous effects of the pandemic.

As recent visitors to Tidbinbilla, we didn't recognise the negative description in a letter in The Canberra Times (Letters, March 31).

We had the opposite experience; a pleasant, well maintained space where we had lunch at a picnic table and wonderful walks. Tidbinbilla is an ACT gem.

Senator Fierravanti-Wells has reportedly been a Liberal party and NSW-right factional member since the 1990s.

She was apparently happy to use the party system and the factional numbers game in her successful move to unseat a sitting senator (John Tierney) to gain her own pre-selection.

I do not recall the then Senator Tierney using his final speech in the Senate to unleash on the leader and the party system which had led to his downfall.

It seems that some are happy to use party factional machinations when it helps them get ahead, but cry foul when that same system goes against them.

It's time to move on Senator and relinquish your seat to someone more deserving.

I found John Daly's discussion on conservative voters (Letters, Monday 28) interesting.

Like John, I too am a long term conservative voter. I will be sticking to that pattern for the forthcoming federal election.

Interestingly, and irrespective of their voting intentions, like any number of acquaintances I am relatively underwhelmed by the voting options being presented to the electorate nationally from across the political spectrum.

The Sydney to Newcastle rail upgrade gets $1 billion funding. Hello Zed ... listening?

What about the Sydney to Canberra rail upgrade?

It would suffice, at least temporarily, to upgrade the rail between Queanbeyan and Goulburn, a service that many of your constituents use regularly.

In all the noise of an imminent federal election, the noise on rail from Canberra to Sydney is quiet to say the least, and from you, Zed, the silence is deafening.

Have you ever been to the restaurant strip in Gartside Street, Erindale; a block away from Vikings Park? Have you ever tried to find a parking spot?

Even when the games are on at Vikings Park the carpark nearby is chock a block. That's with a 1500 seat facility.

Putting a 10,000 seat stadium on Viking Park is nonsensical. Perhaps Zed ought to come out if his bubble and visit his own backyard to see the folly.

To all those complaining there are road potholes aplenty around Canberra, the good news is that virtually all of this city's cycle paths are pothole free.

So, please, try getting on the saddle as much as possible (or on a supremely comfy seat if you pedal a recumbent trike) and join us on an exhilarating, stress-free journey.

After nine years of steadfast inaction the Coalition now quickly promises a three-year process to resettle 450 asylum seekers in New Zealand. This is a timely reminder that NZ still stands much taller than Australia regarding treatment of these refugees.

To have your city destroyed by a one-in-500 year flood is unfortunate. To have your city destroyed twice by one-in-500 year floods in less than a month is climate change. We have known this kind of thing was going to happen for at least 30 years. It's happening now and our government is still trapped in denial.

We can be sure the residents of northern NSW and southern Queensland who lost everything in the recent record floods will see the budget pork barrelling for what it is and identify the climate change reality of the Morrison government's fossil fuel disaster.

The $4 billion dollar pork-barrelling for the Hellsgate Dam would surely be better spent on building housing for the displaced people of Lismore. The misplaced priorities of the ten gallon Hat Club (the Nationals) are obvious. Why anyone continues to vote for them remains a mystery.

By hitting Chris Rock, Will Smith has taught his kids that violence is okay as a first response to taking umbrage at something someone has said.

And the audience, by being appalled by Will Smith one moment, and enthusiastically supportive of him the next, has shown how fickle, and shallow, human beings are. A most illustrative Oscars.

In an attempt to draw our attention away from his government's appalling record on climate change, destruction of native habitats and traditional lands for fossil fuel fuel expansion, inhuman treatment of people who have every right to seek asylum, tax-payer subsidies for big business, etc, etc, the PM is handing out all manner of financial enticements in the pre-election budget.

How short will our memories prove to be come election day?

Aren't we lucky to have an empathetic, big C Christian and humanitarian neighbour. How will history judge us all?

The government is crowing about the low unemployment rate. The unemployment rate is unusually low because there are tens of thousands of overseas workers who are not here because of COVID-19. Why is the media ignoring this obvious fact?

Economic policies based on Australia's low unemployment rate are inherently flawed. Those statistics are largely seen as fudged.

Many ask "who would want to invade Australia?". The answer, it seems, is anybody who feels like it.

To sum up Ukrainian President Zelensky's speeches in a nutshell: "I do hold a hose, mate."