ACT government should consider the future of wood heating carefully

The European Union focuses on reducing pollution from wood heating, noting that it is a sustainable source of energy. Australia is in a different position but there are still no guarantees that electric heating will not be affected by blackouts.

The EU has a staged system of heater assessment, and an option to improve removal of particulates if feasible.

To date the ACT has followed a less draconian policy than the one proposed in the recent commissioner's report; namely incentives to remove wood heating and a ban on the installation of heaters in new suburbs.

There are also downsides to so-called "clean electricity". Air-conditioning units require regular cleaning of filters or they can become a trigger for asthma.

While I congratulate the ACT Commissioner for Sustainability and Environment on her report, I note that a number of key references do not account for exposure levels. Levels may be high in the environment as measured by ACT Health testing stations, for example, but exposure levels will vary enormously depending on lifestyle and filtering of particulates by air-conditioners and other means.

The heavy-handed removal of wood heating before the sale of a home needs to be balanced against assessments of the actual pollution being caused.

Any action on wood fires needs to consider a wide range of factors, as well as the commissioner's report.

According to the latest New Scientist "Australian cities shelter more endangered species per square kilometre than non-urban areas".

This supports a policy for new suburbs in Canberra with more approximately 800 square metre building blocks.

Jenny Goldie (Letters, April 10) is right.

Landscape plot ratios need to be introduced, not only for larger blocks but for all developments.

I'm surprised that John Purcell (Letters, April 9) would be puzzled over how the APS might consult with the Voice.

Since before federation all jurisdictions have had consultative processes with external advisory groups, generally via ministers and departmental administrations.

What I can't understand is why some of us are making such a meal of the Voice advisory process when one of the many already in place may be adopted or, if necessary, easily adapted.

Constitutional recognition is a complementary necessity - to obligate listening on the part of the Parliament and the executive government.

Being obliged to listen - for the first time in hundreds of years - is surely well within both our capability and sense of national fairness.

We've just had Easter and some time off.

Why not grant employees two days additional annual leave in lieu of Good Friday and Easter Monday?

The last census had us at 35.9 per cent with no religion, 3.2 per cent Muslim, 2.7 per cent Hindu and 2.4 per cent Buddhist.

This proposal would let those with religion and none please themselves as to when they take their leave. The Christians need not miss out on their holy days.

Freedom of religion would be respected.

I was profoundly moved by Tom McLuckie's contribution "We must change the prison system that is failing us", canberratimes.com.au, April 9).

Most people would not nominate Friedrich Nietzsche as a proponent of progressive thought, but when he wrote in Also Sprach Zarathustra, "Mistrust all those in whom the desire to punish is strong", he was addressing the prison system.

Mr McLuckie has every right to seek punishment for the person who deprived him of his son. But he, a truly wise and good man, realises that punishment won't solve any problems.

I worked years ago in a maximum security prison which specialised in punishing criminals who then went on to commit more crimes.

The prison employed a first rate diesel mechanic as a teacher. He taught one of my boys to repair heavy trucks. When this inmate left the prison he quickly became one of the most sought-out mechanics in the Rocky Mountain West.

Truckers came from all over Canada and the US to get him to work on their rigs. Why not spend money on teachers, instead of walls and locks and guards? Let's fix the problem, not punish.

Why is it so hard for Barr to understand that it is his government that is one of the reasons that low income people in the ACT have difficulty with surviving the high cost of living.

He increased rates, land tax, licences, registration fees, the cost of taking rubbish to the tip and other charges we are not aware of.

His push for renewables also increased the cost of electricity. I don't think one has to be very intelligent to work this out.

It has been suggested charities need only "light-touch regulation that leaves final sanctions to the volunteers themselves".

It's not that simple. In effect every citizen is a part shareholder in charities with deductible gift recipient (DGR) status. They are funded by money that we would otherwise decide how to spend as a community.

It is entirely appropriate for the charities commission to do what is necessary to monitor the use of those funds for us so they are properly accounted for.

For overseas aid charities the Australian Council for International Development's code of conduct gives extra confidence that funds are spent appropriately.

It is beyond the commission's remit, but some of our revenue forgone does seem to go to purposes for which ordinary taxpayers would not collectively decide to use it.

Many of us would not regard as charity funding of high-level facilities for wealthy schools, exclusive golf clubs or support for think tanks which seem to focus on special interests.

Many of us want the foregone revenue to be spent on the underprivileged in the world, not the privileged. At the very least we need more transparency on the sources of funding for charitable organisations.

I rocked up to a well known retail outlet for a new ride-on mower battery. They readily accepted the old one: it had plenty of recyclable lead.

When I held up a paint can of small batteries accumulated over three or so years and asked for their disposal bin I was told they would handle the disposal at a cost of $7 a kilogram of batteries.

A senior US lawmaker recently said he was doing everything possible to speed up the delivery of weapons to Taiwan.

He also suggested other countries that have the arms to sell could sell them to Taiwan with US government permission.

Does that sound like American officials are preparing for peace? It certainly must sound like music for the ears of global arm dealers.

What a shame that humanity has come to this after its evolution as the highest intelligence on planet earth!

I've followed politics for decades and have seen some appalling things. But without a doubt the lowest form of politics I've seen is the despicable One Nation video trashing and making fun of the NDIS and the people accessing it. It describes the NDIS as a massive rort. It's done in cartoon form and is listed under the title Please Explain NDIS.

People accessing the NDIS and their families have been given some financial stability and the support they need. Sure it has problems and the cost blowouts need to be fixed. A minority of people try to get away with what they can, even politicians, but it's a fundamentally excellent policy.

After the disgraceful comments recently by Mark Latham and this appalling video someone needs to please explain to One Nation what morality and decency are.

One Nation virtually always votes in support of the LNP and often exchanges preferences with them. (That's something John Howard refused to do).

It would be refreshing to hear the LNP condemn Latham's comments and this video.

Surely Australia is better than this. Hopefully at the next federal election One Nation will go the way of dinosaurs and become extinct. I'm not surprised by their tactics in any way. I'm surprised people still vote for them.