ALP's commitment to light rail put us on the road to ruin

The decision to build light rail instead of high-speed, priority buses has locked the ACT into a future that cannot be financially sustained with our small population.

The Canberra Liberals' announcement that they will expand Canberra's bus service, including express buses between the City and Woden ("Libs back Woden busway", April 3, p1, 7) is very welcome.

Apart from the proposed busway to Woden replacing the ACT government's narrow-minded fixation on light rail, the cost will be little more that a tenth of the Barr government's planned $4 billion spending spree, using ratepayers' money.

The ACT Opposition could make its plan even more attractive if it were to replace all diesel-powered buses with emissions-free electric versions, which are ideal for urban passenger transport.

What is the future for bus travel between Woden and Civic?

Construction of Stage 2 of light rail is expected to cause delays along the Woden-Civic bus route for the next nine years.

Those delays can be countered by providing more T2 transit lanes, on the approaches to congested intersections along the route.

Unless light rail Stage 2 is completed by 2033, the T2 lanes will become congested unless we convert them to T3 lanes.

In the absence of light rail stage 2, T3 lanes will be able to cater for traffic demand along the route until at least 2046. T3 lanes can provide faster travel for five per cent more people than can light rail or bus rapid transit, because they also carry cars (with three or more occupants), taxis and motorcycles.

If light rail Stage 2 is completed by 2033 and bus services continue on the Civic-Woden route many commuters will prefer a 20 minute bus trip to a 30 minute light rail trip. Light rail passenger numbers will fall short of projections.

If Woden-Civic bus services end, many public transport passengers will switch to faster travel by car. That would cause more traffic congestion, and would add to transport emissions.

In response to Albert M White's letter (April 2) listing his social justice demands for Christians, I have two things to say.

"For you have the poor with you always, and whensoever you will you may do them good, but me you have not always." Mark 14:7 and "Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Mark 22:21.

Do not confuse Christianity and Communism. Feel free to consult a bible for greater context.

Mike Quirk says Israel's response to the Hamas massacre is "disproportionate" (Letters, April 2). That term has a specific meaning in international law.

It doesn't mean each side should cause the other the same number of deaths. It means, in this case, that Israel should use only the proportionate level of force necessary to achieve its legitimate military aims - in this case, to ultimately defeat Hamas.

If Hamas uses civilian buildings for military purposes, those buildings become legitimate military targets and there is nothing "disproportionate" about this.

Hamas murdered more than 1200 people on October 7 last year.

I was both disappointed and disgusted to read that the number of public housing properties fell from 11,848 to 11,612 between 2012 and 2023 - a fall of 2 per cent ("Govt has sold off $1b of public housing", April 2).

Meanwhile the 2012 territory population of 411,000 increased by 14 per cent to 469,000 in 2023.

This means that the number of housing properties per 100,000 of population has fallen from 2,882 in 2012 to 2,476 in 2023.

One of the principal reasons I voted for the Labor party in past elections is because I saw them as being more concerned for the disadvantaged in our community than were the Liberals.

Well the public housing story certainly doesn't justify my voting behaviour.

I will only gently allude to the tram and the alternative uses that its funding could have supported.

Mr Barr, you are really challenging my faith.

I found Cameron Mee's analysis of the factors driving women rugby players' choices between League and Union ("'Union is better': ACT code hopper's dream", March 30, p.57) interesting. But I was left wondering what happened to the previous practice whereby many didn't choose but played both codes (the respective seasons not overlapping).

Has something arisen to disrupt this practice? Was Brumbies star Grace Kemp prevented from returning for the 2024 Super Rugby Women's season?

I am writing to highlight a pressing issue that affects countless Canberra travellers passing through Sydney Airport: the lack of a modern public transport system connecting the international and domestic terminals.

Sydney Airport's failure to invest in a seamless public transport system is a significant oversight. Unlike airports such as Singapore Changi and Dallas/Fort Worth International, where modern transport models enhance the travel experience, Sydney Airport's current transportation options are outdated and inadequate, causing unnecessary delays and inconvenience.

Furthermore, the quality of airport infrastructure at Sydney Airport falls short compared to Canberra Airport, despite the latter being a smaller facility. Canberra sets a commendable example for Sydney to follow.

Investing in modern transportation infrastructure at Sydney Airport is essential not only for improving the travel experience but also for showcasing Australia as a leader in infrastructure development. As the country's premier gateway (and the path that many visitors to Canberra will follow), Sydney Airport has a responsibility to prioritise the needs of travellers and ensure their journey is as seamless as possible.

I urge the relevant authorities and stakeholders to address this issue promptly.

It is hard to take Mr Albanese's concern about the killing of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom in an Israeli airstrike seriously.

"Completely unacceptable"?

Where has been his concern over the ongoing slaughter by Israel of tens of thousands of innocent Palestinians, nearly 200 other aid workers and over 100 journalists?

Why didn't the Albanese government months ago, along with other countries, seriously pressure Israel to stop the killing.

And why, at the outset, didn't it call for the two state solution, the absence of which is at root of this conflict?

Re: 'High Outrage' PR sought (April1)

I am appalled that the media, including The Canberra Times, continues to use the emotive term "nuclear waste dump". It sounds terrible, suggesting clumps of rusty steel drums scattered randomly around an otherwise pristine piece of bush!

There is a very urgent need to establish a radioactive waste storage and management facility. The government has the authority and responsibility to get on and build it.

It seems the government has given up on the APS. However a good project management team with the right terms of reference and resources should be able to analyse "the problem", identify a range of solutions, and deliver a business case comparing them. That should be made public and be all that is needed to address the concerns of the community.

My understanding is that most radioactive waste comes from hospitals and other medical facilities. This waste needs to be stored and regularly checked for a number of years until its radioactivity decays to the point it can be safely incinerated or placed in landfill.

A Machiavellian approach by government would be to ban all procedures that use radioactive material until a waste storage facility is established. That would mean no x-rays, no CT scans, no radiotherapy for cancer and cancellation of a wide range of other medical imaging tests and procedures. I don't think the public would want this, so waste management is essential.

Please, can we have 21st century management of our nation's radioactive wastes now.

The attack on the aid workers came soon after the US approved another shipment of bombs to Israel. This has given Israel a green light to act with impunity and ignore UN resolutions. Israel will continue acting as a law unto itself. We need to call out America as well.

Waves of condemnation from almost the whole world over the death from Israel bombing of several non-violent volunteer helpers in Palestine. And somewhere Hamas fighters are joyously high-fiving each other.

We have been repeatedly told the IDF doesn't target civilians and only makes precision military strikes. Is that how it managed to kill seven clearly identified international aid workers?

30,000 innocents, including 10,000 children, slaughtered in Gaza and our government is "not entirely comfortable". Now an Australian has been killed and it is "completely outraged" and is making that crystal clear. I have to ask "what does that say about us as a nation?" Surely nothing good.

It seems the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment is not truly independent having been appointed by the Environment Minister and supported by EPSDD staff. Kangaroos being upgraded from a native controlled species to pests justifies this year's slaughter.

Robyn Soxsmith repeats an urban myth that eastern grey kangaroos limit population during food shortages. There is absolutely no scientific evidence for this statement. There is some very limited evidence for red kangaroos in the red centre. As for foxes hunting kangaroos, I would put my money on the kangaroo.

With the Liberals announcing their policy about no light rail to Woden I can hear a touch of William Shakespeare ringing in my ears as we near the ACT election: "2B or not 2B: that is the question".

The Libs think they can revolutionise public transport with new buses, better stops and some bus lanes. Makes me wonder why we didn't do that back in the seventies. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure we did.

Although Easter may seem to be smothered under pagan bunnies it continues to be observed religiously both in Australia and around the world.

Utopia exists only in the dictionary Stewart May (Letters, April 3). Albo got the message loud and clear, 60/40 and six states to nil. He at least got over it and moved on. My list of what is great about our nation is a lot longer than that of what is not.