But we did feel sorry for those who took their kids, or just themselves, up the ramp from the car park, read all the entry prices, stood in front of the door waiting for it to open and then eventually found the little A4 printed "closed" sign camouflaged behind darkened entrance glass.

Not quite a Walley World disappointment, but almost. This problem is compounded by the fact that many websites providing information on the Telstra Tower don't mention the closure or, as in the case of the official website, mention it in a very insignificant way while still espousing the wonderful views to be had from the tower. While the trip up is certainly still worthwhile, surely we can treat not just our local visitors but particularly tourists much better than that by providing more informative signage well before the last hurdle to their entry.

"Many of them don't have teeth" was the part explanation given by a manager of my mother's "aged care facility" for the tasteless pap that was routinely served at mealtime. My father, in a different facility, developed severe pneumonia, unrecognised by staff, until my sister, an experienced RN visited and within minutes had him hospitalised.

The "personal is the political" was the catch-cry of the feminists of the last century as they struggled for equality. This sentiment is applicable today to the situation we all face in relation to health care and aged care.

The terrible deficiencies in aged care must be urgently addressed. No one should face a dismal and malnourished end in institutions that are understaffed and operated by underpaid and under skilled casual workers in a profit-centred system.

Universal health care was a pipedream until Whitlam, and millions suffered. Opposed from the start, the LNP have been white-anting it ever since. We are now very close to a grossly unfair two-tier system. Free, universal, and timely public health care must be restored. It must also be extended to include dental care.

We are at a crossroads after a decade of mismanagement, political cronyism, incompetence, waste and selfishness that has benefited the rich and powerful to the detriment of the nation. An exasperated electorate will show the door to this cosplaying mob that only pretends to govern, not govern for us all.

The article about the ridiculous rise in the cost of newsprint is very worrying. It makes one wonder what is behind such an outrageous imposition. Is it sheer greed because the suppliers know the newspapers have no other option? And if not, who are they and why else are they doing it?

Getting the news through TV is all very well, but we need to see it discussed in reasonable detail, and to have time to absorb it. It is a positively dangerous situation and I very much hope that the press companies will be able to find a way around it.

Noting the indignant protests about David Pocock being called Green I read the relevant policy statements and concluded that he is a hybrid of Green and Labor.

Everyone knows what a disaster that combination has been for Canberra and now we are threatened with 15,800 more high density dwellings between Parliament House and Woden (South side light rail corridor has space for double the number of homes, ACT government told, canberratimes.com.au, May5).

I am concerned by reports ACT taxpayers have paid $3.5 million to police protesters who came to Canberra to demonstrate about federal issues.

I feel very strongly that the federal government should be contributing something towards the cost of managing the protests. This cost should not be borne solely by ratepayers of ACT. With the protests directed at the federal government not local, this is a cause that Zed Seselja should be representing us on.

So Zed, that well known promoter of the public service efficiency dividend, worries that under Albo (and Katy), the use of consultants will be reduced in the PS. If all the consultants he refers to actually lived permanently in Canberra, he might have a point.

But most are, at best, temporarily stationed in the ACT, remoting in from the large capitals. Or more likely visiting via the internet. The big consultancy firms and health service providers know a good thing when they see one.

A quick examination of the electoral office political donations register confirms most are heavy donors to the Liberal Party. And why not? Their return on "investment" could be up to 20 times if some recent disclosures in Senate Committees are accurate.

Those "donations" to the Liberals are likely to dry up with a change of government. Now that would be a disaster for the Liberals, even more so than losing Zed.

Jenny Goldie (Letters, April 30) recommends those who care about climate change put "the Greens or Climate 200 candidates ahead of both major parties". Even better though is to vote for the Greens and Climate 200 candidates (and any other candidates you trust to support action on climate change) ahead of both major parties.

Putting all pro-climate candidates ahead of Labor and Liberal candidates maximises the chance one of the former is elected.

Whether or not that eventuates will depend, essentially, on whether the total number of votes for pro-climate candidates reaches a quota (in the case of the election for the Senate) or a majority (in the case of the election for the House of Representatives).

If it does not, that suggests, unfortunately in my view, that climate change is not the pre-eminent concern of enough voters.

Your editorial emphasising the importance of integrity in politics ("We need truth in electoral advertising legislation", canberratimes.com.au, April 30) recommends that "whoever wins office next month needs to commit to implement an integrity commission with the power to hold thorough investigations" and also with the teeth needed to hold individuals to account.

In the coming election we might do worse than to follow the example of the Lilliputians who looked primarily for integrity in their representatives.

In Gulliver's Travels they are said to have "more regard for good morals than for great abilities, for, since government is necessary to mankind, they believe ... that Providence never intended to make management of public affairs a mystery, to be comprehended only by a few persons of sublime genius ..."

After analysing notable blunders of the past in her The March of Folly, the American historian Barbara Tuchman concludes that "the problem may be not so much a matter of educating officials for government as educating the electorate to recognise and reward integrity of character and to reject the ersatz".

Bruce Hambour (Letters, May 2) wants to know where will the money come from if we don't have mining revenue. Of course not all mining will cease so there'll still be substantial income, but if Bruce had been paying attention and wasn't just looking to promote a "gotcha" argument he'd know that the ALP in government intends to go after multinationals and others that aren't paying tax in Australia.

According to Guardian Australia research based on ATO information, 168 companies operating in this country have paid no tax since 2013 despite earnings of $9.856 billion. The plan is one all honest taxpayers should support and the potential field is rich.

In uncertain times and with possibly the most consequential election of a generation, Zed Seselja's pitch to voters that he is "an ordinary suburban bloke" doesn't cut it ("Peacemaker or powerbroker: who is Zed Seselja?, May 4, pp. 8-9). I for one want my representatives in the senate to be exceptional. We are privileged to have so many outstanding candidates here in the ACT when we go to the ballot box in a few weeks. Here's hoping when the final votes are counted, we get the representation we deserve.

Scott Morrison says "... you may not like me that much, but... you know what our plan is." It brings to mind, "Let them hate me, provided they respect my conduct", a favourite saying of the emperor Tiberius (Suetonius, Tiberius, chapter 39). It didn't end well.

I am disgusted with the announcement that Morrison has gifted a large amount of money to a Tasmanian businessman to prop up his whisky distillery. Taxpayers money is being used as a personal slush-fund. This is an utter disgrace. And for the record I have no political party affiliation or leaning.

Listening to Josh Frydenberg after the interest rate rise you get the impression all bad economic factors are created by global influences and all good economic figures are a result of his good economic management. Take the unemployment rate for example; nothing about the low figure has been attributed to global factors such as closed borders.

James Mahoney (Letters, May 4) suggests forming an Apostrophe Protection Society. Excellent idea James, but it's been tried before. Unfortunately, there weren't enough potential members who knew where the dear little creature is really located.

The massive clamour over interest rates going from minuscule to tiny is absurd to those of us who paid far more in the past. If this is the worst thing that happens to the majority they will have a fortunate life. Some counting of blessings would seem in order here.

The Big Four have quickly passed on the cash rate increase for existing mortgagors, many of whom will struggle to meet increased repayments (and we're told there are more rises coming). How else can the banks maintain their annual multi billion dollar profitability? Will Scomo or Albo mention this in the current election campaign? Given they accept donations from the banks, unlikely.

A few days ago I drove past the Australian War Memorial. Later that day I found myself humming a Paul Kelly song. A song that contains the lyrics: "The circus is in town, and I no longer can go down there, down to that sacred ground".

Net Zero by 2050? I'd like to see that. What are the chances? I'm 81 years old. How about "by 2030"? That's in the realms of possibility. Just get your political fingers out of you-know-where.

There is only one decision everyone needs to make on voting day. This decision can be determined for you and distributed early on the day by 8am social media voters. Which booth has the best sausages? Paper voting is incidental.

As prices go up Clive Palmer is claiming that the government's payment of $250 to pensioners amounts to only $1.60 a week over three years (to the 2025 election). This claim is wrong. So on behalf of Scott Morrison, Josh Frydenberg and Barnaby Joyce, I must point out that it's not $1.60 a week, but $1.61. Credit where it's due.