The network would have looked and operated just like a "tram", and could have been largely built by modifying the existing road network.

During the "campaign" a former ACT Urban Services Minister visited Europe (with our assistance) to see guided busways in operation.

That Minister returned to Canberra convinced guided busways were the way to proceed; no doubt influenced by the cost to build such a network being "considerably cheaper" than light rail and, most importantly, the ACTION bus system could have evolved into an integrated "guided busway" network.

Guided busways look and operate just like a tram. The key was marketing that network as a new transport alternative.

The legacy of the "tram decision" is a "forever" financial burden for almost all Canberrans that cannot access the tram, and a bus system in decline.

If only that Urban Services Minister had remained in Canberra to implement what he observed in France, Canberra would have able to spend scarce funds on education, health and community benefits - rather than a very, very expensive tram system that goes to places where most people do not live.

The tram going south has the potential to bankrupt the territory.

I am struck by the juxtaposition of the death of a cyclist on Wednesday afternoon on Lady Denman Drive with comments on a The Canberra Times story about cyclist safety saying cyclists should not complain if they are hit by a car when they can't keep up with traffic.

Public streets should be safe for all. Sadly one Canberran and her family seem to have been failed.

The media has enthusiastically reported Trump's comments that Kevin Rudd is "not the brightest bulb" in an interview with Nigel Farage, the man who brought us Brexit.

Brexit was going to "take Britain back".

Mr Farage never explained who had actually taken hold of Britain so that it needed to be taken back.

Sixty three per cent of Brits now admit that Brexit was a disaster.

Has Mr Farage accepted responsibility for the lie of Brexit?

Why Trump's comments are noteworthy is beyond me.

If Rudd's not the brightest bulb Trump possesses the illumination of a six volt Volkswagen at the bottom of a coal mine.

Some would argue that being insulted by Trump is a badge of courage.

Surely there are more important stories to cover than recycling Donald Trump's latest insult.

Your March 21 editorial "Global heating is an existential threat" omitted to mention that the ACT's per capita carbon footprint is four times the world average, that Scope 3 emissions account for 94 per cent of the ACT's carbon footprint.

The ACT government's only strategy to deal with Scope 3 emissions is "working in partnership across state, territory and national governments and will discuss scope 3 emissions through existing arrangements and sub-national policy forums".

To say that I was surprised that Cris Kennedy only gave the movie Cabrini (Panorama, March 9) two stars, would be an understatement. Given the praise he lavished on the movie, I thought he would have given it at least three, if not four, stars. Here are some examples:

It "accurately" depicted "the sub-human conditions the US allowed its immigrant population to live in, and the vile way women are thought of, spoken about and to";

"[I]t is a spectacular work of art, achingly beautiful at times";

"There is magnificent camera work employing exquisite framing";

"It is an impressive film, a rich old school historical work commandingly directed".

In what was an otherwise very good review there was one factual error that I noticed; The Pope in 1887 was Leo XIII, not Leo VIII. Instead of calling her "nun Cabrini" Cris should have given her her title which was "Mother". He also talks about her "secular" body slowly succumbing to tuberculosis; just simply body would have been better.

I have never seen a member of our Parliament seek to undermine the standing of one of Australia's representatives overseas in the way the Opposition's Paul Fletcher did on Wednesday in Parliament with a question over Kevin Rudd's diplomatic appointment to Washington.

The question by the Opposition was a shameful one and is to be condemned.

Trump's comments about Rudd were the result of Murdoch's Sky News providing Nigel Farage (of Brexit fame) with a question to which they knew what the reaction would be.

Trump duly obliged. The Murdoch organisation is undermining the Australian government and the Australian people. The Opposition is doing the same thing in Parliament.

Congratulations to Senator David Pocock and Liberal MP Bridget Archer on their deserved Political Leader of the Year Awards ('I'll just crack on with what I've been doing': Pocock to seek second term", March 19).

These fine leaders both demonstrate the courage and conviction to represent the needs and views of their constituents and act for the greater good.

Sadly, these are rare attributes in Australian political circles. May the 2025 election offer another wave of candidates who place people over profit and personal gain.

Re "Global heating is an existential threat" (editorial, March 21).

The report from the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) shows that, in 2023, "records were once again broken, and in some cases smashed, for greenhouse gas levels, surface temperatures, ocean heat and acidification, sea level rise, Antarctic sea ice cover and glacier retreat".

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo issued a red alert. Of particular concern is unprecedented ocean warmth, glacier retreat and Antarctic sea-ice loss; ocean heat is "almost irreversible". Heat stored in oceans causes water to expand, which is responsible for one-third to one-half of global sea level rise.

Oceans have absorbed ninety percent of greenhouse gas warming. NASA reports "the effects of ocean warming include sea-level rise due to thermal expansion, coral bleaching, accelerated melting of Earth's major ice sheets, intensified hurricanes, and changes in ocean health and biochemistry".

Governments and Oppositions - are you even listening?

Like the poor unsuspecting frog in the boiling water, we are cooking. But unlike the frog we actually know.

One young girl's (and many others) dream for the re-opening of the Black Mountain Tower (Letters, March 20) would be brought closer to reality by the installation of an all-weather cable car from say, Acton Peninsula, to the tower base.

And, of course, the Civic to Woden tram should go via the peninsula (with a stop near the cable car station) and Griffin's missing lake crossing.

Recently I, and probably many others, received a curt notice from the ATO stating "Your ABN will be cancelled unless you reply to this notice''.

Deep in research and writing for an upcoming book (which has a deadline) I let a few days pass, then, late on a Friday, called the ATO. I then hung on for another half an hour while the recorded message assured me that I had moved up in the queue.

While an ABN for freelance writers may not seem a necessary adjunct for business, I receive regular payments from the Copyright Council (heartfelt thanks, guys) for my earlier book The Island of Singing Fish, a copy of which is available in the National Library.

An upcoming book would probably have an easier genesis if its creator was possessed of an ABN (which seems to reassure foreign publishers, though I'm not quite sure why).

Please dear folk at the ATO I will continue to call and hope to speak to someone eventually. I want to keep my ABN. It's a useful thing to have even when you're not earning a regular pay check.

The ATO seems to have not expected the volume of responses it has received. Could the time to respond please be extended?

Nine months from now: "...and in breaking news, an American prisoner has just sacked the Australian ambassador...". Am I getting old or is the world now full of weird possibilities?

Trump called Kevin Rudd "nasty and not too bright". I never knew that Trump had that much insight.

It's not that Kevin Rudd could be a worse ambassador than Joe Hockey but the looming embarrassment over a possible Rudd recall next year. This may hopefully terminate the sham of Australian ex-politicians being appointed to diplomatic posts. It's so inappropriate that it was the subject of particularly scathing satire in an episode of The Hollowmen.

No, Michael McCarthy (Letters, March 18), I do not think Peter Dutton objects to us accepting Muslims. He is asking why Australia, on the far side of the world from the conflict, is accepting "refugees" who do not have anything in common with Australia when their immediate neighbours, who do share a religion, language and social beliefs, will not.

I can't believe what I'm reading (March 19). With "rising costs", Capital Football is "forced" to reconsider Canberra United. United are the heart and soul of our football. If we gain a men's team and lose the women's you won't see me at the stadium.

I see that electricity bills will now start to go down by as much as $56 next financial year. Gee, I don't know what I'm going to do with all that extra cash.

It seems that Albo is doing his very best to emulate Biden's immigration fiasco, allowing many thousands in to the country without adequate security checks, infrastructure or accommodation. In both cases this adversely impacts existing residents. Is this a concerted effort to harm Western democracies?

Imagine how much would change if all our politicians based their decisions on verifiable evidence instead of ideology, personal benefit, party "donor" benefit, or any of the other irrational reasons on which their decisions are currently based. What a different world it would be.

Once again we are repeatedly swamped with more insignificant news of another royal altering a photograph issued online. For goodness sake Australia. Grow up.

In her letter (March 17) Eleanor Miles claims Israel has built its road across Gaza "to facilitate aid delivery". Nobody believes this. The purpose of the road is to facilitate troop movements. This has been confirmed by the IDF.