Every opportunity to demean teaching was taken as a distraction to solving problems. For example, last year the education minister Stuart Robert was calling for a cull of the worst government teachers (some real irony there) and blaming teachers for any issue regarding teenage behaviour.

Why would any self-respecting person want to work in a profession that is so frequently used as a punching bag to excuse society's problems?

Secondly, it is interesting to note that there is no shortage of teachers in private schools, one should consider why that is the case. Teacher student ratios are much lower in private institutions than in government schools meaning that the workload in government schools is spread over fewer people.

One short-term solution might be to encourage teachers from private schools to move to government schools by reducing the funding to private schools. Of course that would mean the education ministers would have to cut funding to the schools their families attend. Doubt that will happen so crisis will continue.

Facilities for office workers are to improve ("Better bike facilities an office requirement", August 11). Teachers in our public schools would like to have the facilities currently available to office workers. As society expectations of the work environment have improved, the teacher's workplace has if anything gone backwards. No other workers would put up with conditions that teachers endure each day. Staff facilities are almost none existent and design briefs allow very much less space in staff rooms than office workers enjoy.

The overall workplace provided to teachers is no better today than 50 years ago. No one need wonder why young people find other employment more attractive.

What a tragedy that the ACT government has committed $422,000 in its latest budget for yet another round of kangaroo killing and sterilisation. These funds would be far better spent on tackling the invasive weed problem throughout Canberra Nature Park and other reserves which, without doubt impacts on the survival of many native animals, insects and native plants.

Or seriously tackling the problems facing another marsupial in crisis, our wombats - currently drowning in flooded burrows and suffering from mange. Any number of other priorities spring to mind ... but no, we must keep making kangaroos the scapegoats for the environmental ills of the bush capital.

The Commonwealth Bank has declared its profits for the financial year were nearly $10 billion. I consider that to be immoral.

I rang the bank a couple of weeks ago and asked when can we expect the rates on deposits to increase seeing they have no hesitation in increasing the loan rate. Their reply was that rates need to increase further first as they can't afford to increase deposit rates at this time. Did the Royal Commission into banks a few years ago ever achieve anything, but cost the taxpayer a lot of money.

There is speculation that Australian golfer, Cameron Smith, is being offered a very substantial amount of money to play in the LIV Golf Series. Now, I don't know much about golf, or big money, but it seems to me that no one needs (say) $100 million.

It seems to me that a solution might be for golfers, such as Mr Smith, to accept the gig, and the big money, and give a bunch of the money away to some worthy causes. So, a player could, hypothetically, accept $100m, keep, say, $5m, and give the rest away.

Possible worthy recipients could include those suffering in Yemen, or Afghanistan, or Ukraine etc. (Maybe Jamal Khashoggi's fiancee also needs some financial assistance?) I think $95m could do a lot of good, if properly re-directed, and using it to help those in need might take some heat out of the reaction to the prospect of high-profile players joining the LIV.

If correct, it was reported (Ausgust 11) that our previous home affairs minister, Karen Andrews, interviewed on Sky News, stated "if anything our relationship with China is worse" than when she was Minister.

Surely Karen Andrews is not living on a parallel planet? As reported for the last couple of years, we had no dialogue with China, our previous Ministers calls to their China cohorts went unanswered.

Truly, Ms Andrews you cannot believe your own words. China is at least talking with the current government.

John Painter ("Prayer doesn't belong", August 11) raises the issue once again of the suitability of the Lord's Prayer for the opening of each parliamentary session. He implies that, being a Christian prayer, it conflicts with other religions. A careful reading shows that it refers to the creation of this amazing world (God) and the perfect version possible (heaven).

It recognises the vulnerability of humans, their weaknesses and need for encouragement and forgiveness, as well as the importance of cooperation and mutual respect. I think it is ideal for the opening of parliament, if only our elected representatives would pay attention to the words, especially those in the middle.

Chinese Ambassador Xiao Qian's bold pronouncement that China will accept "absolutely no compromise" on the future status of Taiwan, effectively places the US and the entire democratic world on a direct collision course with a nuclear-armed China ("'Absolutely no compromise' on Taiwan: ambassador", August 11).

According to computer-simulated war games conducted by the Washington-based Centre for International and Strategic Studies, a US-China war over Taiwan would have no winners and both sides would suffer devastating losses.

But of far greater consequence is that in the event of this reaching such a stalemate, the risk of it escalating into a nuclear war could rise dramatically.

In response, Australia should open all diplomatic channels with China to help it negotiate a peaceful reunification with Taiwan, otherwise an absolute lack of compromise could spell the end of human civilisation.

I welcome the proposal to install big electricity generating windmills at several Australian locations out to sea, as these will provide a pleasant and healthy outdoor environment for the carbon dusted few who continue to joust against the inevitable giants of renewable and sustainable energy.

But for those who would rather burn coal, and government subsidies, these windmills do have some other benefits, in that if they are run backwards they can push back against bad weather, or if they are run a little faster, adjust the length of the day so that clocks and calendars no longer need constant adjusting by adding leap seconds and milliseconds as the Earth's rotation slows or speeds up.

There is reference to research (''Indigenous homeless rates spiral'' August 11) which concludes with statements of reasons including poor literacy education, economic disadvantage, criminal history and domestic violence. The article does not mention that the research was on urban areas and did not include any remote communities. I can add reports on the latter as well as direct knowledge of particular cases where Indigenous homelessness is linked to trashing and destruction of property by the local fighting clans.

In all of this we should note the well documented amazingly high expenditures per head by governments on Indigenous people compared to other Australians and all of the bureaucratic activity and failures of ''closing the gaps'' over many years. Let us have specific actions and outcomes lead by responsible people such as Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, of Indigenous heritage, who also identifies as a proud Australian.

I doubt whether a separate ''Voice'' to Parliament will help beyond empty symbolism. There are the legitimate concerns of millions of other Australian voices including women, the disabled and the poor who have to rely on normal parliamentary processes.

Of course we need a Treaty at some stage but only after real ''truth-telling'' by all parties.

How fortunate have the residents of Hughes been over the last couple of years? It has been a frustrating and difficult time for everyone. However, at the Hughes Shopping Centre, we have been blessed, as we have had Harry at the Priceline Pharmacy to keep us healthy, and Rob at Family Ground to keep us happy. Those two, and their kind and helpful staff have made Hughes the happiest and healthiest suburb.

Confucius wouldn't be impressed by the leadership in China 2022. China used to play the measured long game, without need for threats and intimidation.

Apparently oil and coal barges will no longer be able to ply the Rhine because of low water levels. Looks like the chickens have come home to roost.

China is totally reliant on coal-powered electricity to heat, cool and power its huge population, power its electric vehicles, manufacture its weapons of war, and manufacture all the renewables it exports to Australia. When Australia closes its coal mines and stops exporting coal to appease the idealists, an obvious solution will occur - China will come and take our coal from the ground. Use your imagination.

"'Earthy' Canberra water safe to drink" (August 12). In a recent letter to the editor Gordon Fyfe advises add whisky, however, Earl Grey also does a pretty good job. A close household contact swears by Lemongrass and Ginger. This does make me more than a little nostalgic for Adelaide, where we tried everything, including boiling, standing and straining (the water).

I was surprised to hear an IQAir report named sleepy old Armidale the most polluted city in Australia until I read it was from wood fires in homes. Anyone who exercises in Canberra's inner north could testify to how polluted it is from that same source. I do wonder a bit about the ACT's plans to eliminate gas while the sale of wood heater continues to grow at an alarming rate.

If the CovidSafe App cost $21 million and detected two cases, its a very good thing indeed it didn't detect five or six cases.

Jenna Price has got it right ("We need to talk about taxes", August 11), stage three tax cuts need a rethink. We can't afford them. The billions which will go to high income earners are needed for our health, education, disability, aged care, etc.

With the sad passing of Judith Durham, I have found myself watching lots of YouTube clips of the Seekers. It quickly became clear to me that their 2014 farewell rendition of "I am Australian" is a masterpiece. The song eclipses even their great hits from the 1960s. To have it as our national anthem, beginning as it does with the sound of a didgeridoo, would be fantastic.