Too little from Seselja

Accepting millions of dollars from coal, oil and gas companies in return for giving billions of dollars in taxpayers' money as subsidies is extremely corrupt.

Promising before an election to not cut health and education funding, then cutting billions of dollars from those services once in power is extremely dishonest.

Ian Morland, Kaleen

Hendy a no-show

Many people in Eden-Monaro would share the frustration Queanbeyan community groups have felt over Peter Hendy's disinterest in appearing at community meetings ("Queanbeyan residents frustrated by lack of contact from local member", June 19, p3).

Unfortunately, this has been a problem for some time. The crowd who attended a Community Association meeting in Wamboin last week certainly share the frustration.

Peter Hendy was the only candidate who didn't show up although others thought the meeting was important enough to attend – one even drove from the South Coast after work to attend the meeting. Why doesn't Hendy attend these meetings, one wonders.

Perhaps he's nervous about meeting voters face-to-face and trying to explain such issues as why the government is intent on undermining our public health and education systems, our public institutions and not willing to tackle climate change seriously. Or perhaps he just had to wash his hair on those nights.

Colleen Foster, Bywong, NSW

Need to work together

Christopher Knaus's article on the CSIRO land in Ginninderra ("Barr tips backlash over land project", June 21, p1) uses an interview I gave back in August last year to indicate that I don't have a problem with the CSIRO proposal.

There is a risk readers could infer from the way the article reads that I am supportive of the specific development that the CSIRO is pursuing. This is not the case.

My comments last August were responding to an announcement by CSIRO that they were investigating the sale of the Ginninderra field station. At the time I urged them to work with the ACT government.

This has been standard practice when the Commonwealth looks to divest land here in the Territory. The new suburb of Lawson is an example of where co-operation between the Department of Defence and the ACT government worked well.

I have not been briefed on the extent of the CSIRO's current plans but it appears from the Chief Minister's comments this week that there has not been a close working partnership established with the ACT government. If this is the case it's a real shame as the best outcome for Canberra relies on the Commonwealth and the ACT governments working together, observing good community consultation and planning processes to ensure any outcome is in the long-term interests of the people of the ACT.

Senator Katy Gallagher, Parliament House

Andrew Barr must surely be joking when he claims that "most planning changes in Canberra go through a significant process" when referring to the likely development of CSIRO's Ginninderra field station (" Barr tips backlash over land project", June21, p1). The usual planning processes, if not by call-in powers or lack of consultation, are known about only when construction actually commences.

Regardless of his hypocrisy in this matter one has to have some sympathy for him in this case. This particular tract of land should not be developed.

Our food bowls are at serious risk from encroaching urban development, and could soon be lost entirely unless their value in maintaining a resilient food supply was recognised in the local planning policies. It is therefore extremely disturbing to read that the CSIRO of all people are proposing to develop and urbanise their field station.

Too much of our non-urban or concession-zoned land in the ACT is being rezoned, at the behest of the development lobby, for private profit. The opportunity to use this Ginninderra land for market-garden type food production would seem to be too good to pass up. It could lead to the ACT having a more sustainable future.

Murray Upton, Belconnen

Pets a pricey passion

It is all well and good for veterinarian Dr Chris Brown to promote dogs and cats as beneficial to the health of people ("Vet's pet project: making cities friendly to dogs and cats", June 21, p5). Unfortunately, elderly people can't afford the ever-increasing costs of obtaining and giving cats and dogs a good and healthy life. As a senior instructor with the ACT Companion Dog Club, I agree with Dr Brown that we need to embrace the wonders of pets and educate people of all ages about them as our club does with dogs.

Janne Blunden, Hughes

Labor exclusivism on same-sex marriage 'silly and insulting'

During the current election campaign, there has been much talk of traditional Labor voters defecting to the Greens. Has anyone considered the likelihood of lifelong Labor voters – like me – defecting to more conservative groups?

I am not unusual in resenting statements by Bill Shorten, Tanya Plibersek et al to the effect that there is no place within the modern Labor movement for socially conservative views on such matters as same-sex marriage – even among people who might at the same time hold left-of-centre views on issues relating to defence, foreign affairs and redistribution of income.

The most recent example of this scenario was at Labor's campaign launch on Sunday, when Bill Shorten described the proposed plebiscite on marriage as "a taxpayer-funded platform for homophobia". Such assertions are as silly as they are insulting to many thoughtful voters.

One of Australia's most admired parliamentarians was Kim Beazley snr.

He famously said that the "cream of the working class" within Labor had been replaced by members of the middle class who saw the party as their "spiritual spittoon".

These remarks are more relevant than ever.

Heather Nash, Kingston

Shallow support

I am dismayed by Peter Hartcher's article "Hostility abroad is a warning" (Times2, June 21, p1). It is another example of media giving shallow and unquestioning support to Australia's major political parties which give unquestioning support for continued high population growth.

Hartcher implies any resistance to immigration as being racist or culturally confining without considering the broader impacts of increased population. He even suggest in his penultimate paragraph that the economy of heavily populated Japan would be rescued by an injection of youthful vigour. How delightfully simplistic. Australia has and will continue to benefit from immigration.

We have indeed often plundered the brightest and best skilled from often overpopulated and poorer countries. These people have contributed mightily towards our cultural, business and professional development.

However, the equation is far more complex and we need to be giving greater consideration to the level of city spread into prime agricultural land. To the outlook for a drier continent that now requires expensive energy hungry desalination plants in most of our capital cities.

To the fact that the poor old River Murray is increasingly relied upon to provide town water for not only Adelaide but Port Augusta and beyond to Port Lincoln, and now we hear via a new pipeline to Broken Hill – because of failing supplies from the Darling River.

We need to consider the infrastructure spending that is clearly not keeping up with the education, health and transport requirements of our expanding cities.

Yes, Peter, immigration is wonderful, but please write about it in a more considered context.

Geoff Rohan, Kambah

Peter Hartcher writes that being a multicultural society and immigrant nation is not a choice for Australia. So why is it a choice for Japan, which he claims is dying slowly?

If Japan cherishes its culture and keeps its population in balance with nature while finding an economic modus vivendi that is truly sustainable it will have the last laugh.

In Australia 'sustainability' is just an over-worked bad joke.

P. Edwards, Holder

No cover-up here

Rather than being "in the firing line", Jennifer Saunders (Letters, June 22) is out of line in her comments regarding the shooting in Sydney. Her final line of "but already police were covering up and giving excuses" is a wonderful insight into her psyche. What is there to cover up, Ms Saunders? The incident took place in full view of many witnesses. It was even caught on camera, with sound. How much more accountable could the police be? In relation to the police comments on the male's apparent mental issues, it beggars belief that a person of your intellect cannot see the bigger picture and why these are relevant.

Perhaps you can't see them because you don't want to. I shall go and soothe my brain with a glass of pinot.

T.J. Farqahar, Ainslie

Empty game

Michael Lane (Letters, June 20) defends the tax deductibility of interest expenses on rent-yielding property investments as consistent with established taxation principles. But these principles are not sacrosanct.

They are nothing more than arrangements for ordering human affairs that should be open to regulated exception to avoid adverse consequences, and in a way that protects those who made commitments under previous rules.

At present (and particularly since the last budget curbed superannuation tax shelters) the perceived wealth-building advantages of negative gearing into real estate, combined with the current capital gains tax arrangements, are driving excessive household borrowing for property investment. Most of this borrowing is sourced from overseas capital, worsening Australia's sizeable current account deficit and to minimal productive effect.

This is especially so for investment in existing housing, where the sale proceeds are often recycled into the purchase of other existing housing, as part of an empty, escalating game. Mr Lane shuts his eyes to research demonstrating the low productivity of our overseas borrowing, choosing instead to impugn the motives of the messenger.

Perhaps he thinks that anyone proposing tax incentives to influence the direction of private investment is either self-interested or foolish.

Presumably the fools include the present Coalition government, who have introduced an investor taxation incentive program modelled on the successful UK Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme. As for the suggestion of self-interest, this might also apply to those who argue for no change to the present taxation rules on property investment.

Paul Feldman, Macquarie

Strung along

It appears that Tony Abbott will be seated in the audience as Malcolm Turnbull launches the Liberal Party campaign.

Just how will they hide thestrings?

Tony Judge, Woolgoolga, NSW

Let's spend money where it counts

Engineering advice for bridging and tunnelling of Parkes Way for the City to the Lake project has found cost outweighs cost benefits. Surprise surprise.

With this new-found wisdom why not seriously upgrade the Civic Pool to continue to cater for tourists, apartment dwellers, workers, water polo players, and other users already in the area.

Also, delete the proposed stadium, which was to replace the pool, from Constitution Avenue. US experts note that massive public investments in new permanent structures (eg, stadiums) are bad deals. They are bad policy for urban economic development resulting in cities being saddled with millions in debt.

More constructively the ACT government could upgrade existing pedestrian crossings of Parkes Way, delete infilling of West Basin between the Museum and Commonwealth Avenue Bridge, and halt sale of public parkland for apartments.

When money does becomes available, popular ideas for lake shore use such as coffee shops etc could go ahead along with many other community proposals.

Lesley Band, Campbell

Project doesn't rate

If the ACT government bothered to consult the Canberra community about the desirability and/or wisdom of spending millions of dollars of ratepayers funds on the City to Lake project (which dismally fails any objective cost-benefit analysis), it would very quickly discover that the project doesn't even rate as a spending priority among the government's most rusted-on supporters.

However, the ACT government has repeatedly shown that it is all too easily beguiled by the siren song of well-heeled "Labor mates" acting as facilitators for property developer cronies and completely deaf to the concerns of ordinary Canberrans.

Bruce Taggart, Aranda

TO THE POINT

THAT'S NO JOKE, MAN

When one man a week is killed by his female partner, a "joke" about killing a man will be just as offensive as Eddie's unfunny one. Now does Alan McNeil (Letters, June 22) get it?

Maria Greene, Curtin

That's a dangerous question, Alan McNeil (Letters, June 22), asking what would happen if Eddie McGuire's joke had been about a man. He should know by now that women, Aborigines and the Sons of the Prophet are all above reproach. The dedicated Prodnoses at the Human Rights Commission are probably hunting for an excuse to slap a Section 18C writ on him.

Bill Deane, Chapman

WORDS SANITISE KILLING

Thank you, Jan Darby (Letters, June 21), for bringing up the overuse of the term "humane slaughter". These two words don't seem companionable.

L. Wallington, Yarralumla

WHO'S THE BIGOT?

Am I a bigot because I do not agree with Labor's policies on the safe schools coalition and same-sex marriage?

Are they looking at redefining "bigot" along with marriage? According to the dictionary definition: "Bigot /noun a person who is intolerant towards those holding different opinions". Bill Shorten – you have three fingers pointing back at you.

Dr Sarah Leitch, Spence

SIGNS POINT TO LIBS

Peter Adamson (Letters, June 21) notes that signs promoting particular candidates for the coming election are disappearing from roadsides. I have noted the same thing. In the past two days every poster advertising "Sustainable Australia" on the roads that I drive in South Canberra has simply vanished. The only signs remaining are almost all Liberal Party stuff.

Daryl Powell, Griffith

IT'S INFANTICIDE

I was horrified at the revelation given in Q&A about how living babies from late term abortions are abandoned.

Why don't we name it as it is – infanticide – and admit that we are back to the pre-Christian morals of ancient Rome?

Ruth Edwards, Deakin

AIRPORT MISSES BUS

With Uber now permitted to pick up at the airport ("Airport welcomes Uber riders with open arms – and a new lounge area", June 21, p3), and international flights about to start, isn't it time to allow ACTION to also pick up and deliver to the airport terminal? We must be the only capital city in the world without a proper public transport connection.

Chris Emery, Reid

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