How can a non-local present radio, even if they have talent?

I'm surprised though that Ross will be in Canberra for only four days each week in order to spend some time with his family in Sydney. Broadcasting from somewhere else isn't quite the same as living full time on the spot.

If Ross's family couldn't come to Canberra, surely the ABC could have fitted him into a worthy slot in Sydney and find someone equally as capable to be here full time to help lift local standards.

I also know the stress on families as I was in a similar situation during my final months with the ABC (I was based in Sydney, getting home only at weekends to see my family in Canberra). It was the key motivator behind my decision to leave the ABC after 20 years. I hope the same doesn't happen to Ross but nonetheless, I welcome him "home".

Has the management of ABC Canberra Radio gone mad with their latest shake-up? Life won't be the same without our delightful and engaging Lish Fejer on air.

And Ross Solly is good of course, but he doesn't live in Canberra and hasn't for 10 years. How can a non-local present local radio?

Rajend Naidu (Letters, November 1), I realise your question is probably rhetorical, but in these times one can never know what historical knowledge is common to all and what is not.

The region which contains Gaza is called the Holy Land by Christians because that is the region, known in Roman times, as Judaea, is where Jesus of Nazareth was born, lived, and preached. Jesus did, in fact, walk in Gaza. Western and eastern Christians designated this geographical area "The Holy Land" on account of its association with Jesus. It was popular in the 19th and 20th centuries for biblical tourism.

Whatever would Jesus think if he saw it today?

It was a troublesome province for the Romans, who had extended their empire to include it. The threat of rebellion against their colonial rule was ever present.

One atrocity never justifies another, morally or in international law. If you turn off food, water, power, fuel, medicine and communication to a population of over 2 million and bomb, kill and mutilate them at your leisure you are a war criminal.

The failure of the Australian government to support the UN resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine is a shameful failure of epic proportions.

I enjoyed reading Jack Waterford's article on Israel in Saturday's CT. He made some good points, but seemed to miss one important one. What is Israel meant to do after Hamas's murderous barbaric rampage that killed 1400 Jewish men, women, children and even babies on October 7, plus its avowed aim of effectively killing all the Jews of Israel?

If a hostile terrorist state (which Hamas in Gaza effectively is , with a downtrodden population living under a brutal dictatorship,) were to rampage through say Ainslie, Turner and O'Connor and kill in the most brutal way 1400 innocent Canberrans living there, I'm sure we would want to extract punishment and take steps to ensure that organisation was destroyed.

Hamas actually wants as many of its civilians to be killed as possible to use as a propaganda tool against Israel. There are reports of Hamas fighters shooting citizens who try to flee. I would remind readers that in defeating Nazi Germany the allies bombed Berlin into oblivion as well as Dresden and even in Normandy in 1944 over 12,000 French civilians perished as a result of allied bombardment. Israel has encouraged Gaza civilians to leave and is cautiously advancing to minimise civilian casualties. Hamas could surrender tomorrow or at the very least encourage all civilians to get out to South Gaza.

I think once this is over, a group of UN sponsored countries, ideally countries such as Egypt and Jordan, should supervise the running of Gaza until it can get back on its feet.

R Webb enjoins the global south to confront its own hypocrisy in relation to terrorism and war crimes. Benjamin Netanyahu claims the high ground in response to the hideous murder of 1400 plus Israeli men, women and children and abduction of some 240 more yet the Israeli state itself is rooted in terrorism.

The bombing of the King David hotel killing 91 British, Arabs and Jews; massacres of Palestinians; and the driving of Palestinians from their homes at gun-point by the Irgun were all terrorist actions intended to convince the British to relinquish authority in Palestine, and to force Palestinians from their land.

And the terror goes on - the shooting of Palestinians in the West Bank by illegal Israeli settlers with no attempt to bring them to justice, and bombing of hospitals and residential quarters in Gaza. If I was a young Palestinian whose family had been killed by the IDF, my home reduced to rubble and my livelihood destroyed, I would offer strong support to Hamas.

As in Australia, the indigenous inhabitants of Palestine were dispossessed and murdered, and the survivors left in despair until they saw no option but desperate violent resistance. I think there will be no peace in Israel or Palestine until there are meaningful negotiations towards two states but is that even possible now? As the dominant power, only Israel can extend the olive branch.

Fortunately for the rest of us, Stan Grant, Michael McCarthy et al, will run out of toys to throw out of the cot.

The reason the "no" vote attracted almost 61 per cent of all votes is that the referendum was a silly idea. Pushed forward by silly people who refused to explain why their silliness deserved any consideration.

I sympathise strongly with your correspondent, Helen Goddard, (Letters, November 4) concerning the treatment meted out to her by security personnel at Australian airports. I, as a 70-year-old woman with two knee replacements and a disability (I am hearing impaired), nearly always find myself taken aside for a pat down. In some cases this "pat down " has seemed to be a little more enthusiastic than absolutely necessary. My worst experience however occurred at Lyon airport, France. There the security person directed me to take off my shoes (nobody else in the vicinity was asked to), and during the pat down process put her hands down the waistband of my jeans! I don't know what that action was meant to achieve apart from embarrassing me.

I always declare my knee replacements when travelling by air. I should also add that the security personnel at Canberra Airport have taken a common-sense approach, realising that the knee replacements are just that and not required any additional manual search of my person.

In the end all air travellers would benefit from the universal introduction of screening processes that were "hands off".

The Lyneham wetland has long been a beautiful water feature, adding immeasurably to the suburb's attractiveness. It was recently drained, leaving a stinking, muddy wasteland. No doubt this is a result of the multiple objectives the government had for the wetland when it was constructed.

The time has come to reconsider that policy. The wetland needs to be allowed to function as part of the natural environment and not as a reservoir to be emptied from time to time for other purposes.

There has been criticism of our health system in the media for quite some time. Whilst the Barr government deserves disdain for delaying the improvements to our hospital by many years, the frontline health staff have battled on to provide all of the necessary help to those in genuine emergency need.

In the past 20 months I have been in a position of needing an ambulance three times for serious injuries or situations. The emergency services and doctors, specialists and nurses, scan operators, ward staff and orderlies at both our major hospitals have all been careful, competent and caring. I could not have asked for better care. To all of these people and their co-workers I am truly grateful and say a big thank you and your peers for your care and help through difficult times.

Canberra police must shudder every time Jack Wighton's birthday comes around.

Well done Peter Marshall for pointing out that being woke is actually something worth aspiring to (Letters, November 2). In its original form it meant to be awake to racial prejudice and discrimination. It follows then that those who are anti woke are racists.

Re Rita Cor's letter (November 2), I did qualify using public transport by suggesting only whenever possible. Instead of free parking for EV drivers, perhaps public transport could be free for all healthcare card holders to increase usage and give assistance during these difficult financial times.

We should all recall the previous decade of the Coalition's climate denial: PM Abbott described climate change as crap and PM Morrison went on a secret Pentecostal Church holiday to Hawaii whilst volunteers were losing their lives fighting extreme bushfires and returned to tell us all he did not hold a hose mate. As we are all facing another extreme bushfire season we should all reflect that the nation cannot afford another Coalition government for the next decade at least.

Without justice, there can be no peace. There is no justice.

Melbourne Cup. That time of year where the trifecta of animal cruelty, gambling addiction and drunken debauchery are a guaranteed winner.

Re "PM challenges Australia to 'wipe out' domestic violence" (November 4). Let's do it like our best friend America would do it and declare a "War on Domestic Violence".

The Rev Robert Wilson (Letters, November 5) asks correspondent Eric Hunter why atheists claim Jesus was telling lies about God and a life after death. I'll save Eric the effort of a reply: the answer is that atheists also allege the Easter Bunny doesn't exist either. How could you trust such people?

Approximately 50 12- and 13-year-olds may commit crimes in the ACT in 2024. They will be denied the protection a handful of 10- and 11-yearolds now enjoy. As regular CT readers they should quote the "justice delayed is justice denied' defence when they appear in court.

Dear Qantas, I need to visit South Africa, and your Sydney to Johannesburg flight would be ideal. Unfortunately it seems you don't sell tickets to the flight. I can only buy "a bundle of rights" which boil down to the right to be ripped off.

Welcome to my exclusive "Airline of Last Resort Club".

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