Canberra Times Letters to the Editor: Charles on right track

What I find disturbing is the lack of refunds by either Medicare or the private health funds for MRIs. An MRI can save invasive investigative surgery and time in hospital. An MRI can also detect abnormalities quickly and effectively.

An MRI is expensive but they save time in hospitals and can be performed in a radiology surgery or by opthalmologists in their surgeries. By not going to hospital this is a considerable saving on hospital beds which are funded by Medicare or private funds.

I am keen to know why MRIs are not funded and look forward to an explanation from somebody who can explain why this is so.

Robyn Lewis, Raglan, NSW

Aid cutbacks unwise

Yes Matt Wade (Letters, April 4), Australia's attitude to aid has changed, even though we know aid saves lives.

Since 2000, along with other wealthy nations, Australian aid has achieved some of the UN Millennium Development Goals: poverty and women dying during childbirth was halved; access to clean water doubled; instead of 30,000 children dying each day from preventable illnesses that number is now 16,000.

And even though Australia endorsed the 2015 UN Sustainable Development Goal to eradicate global poverty by 2030, we have seen a 30 per cent reduction in aid funds over the past five years – counterproductive and mean.

With further cuts muted, Reverend Tim Costello's Easter reflection is timely: "Our sense of our responsibility is even to distant strangers, not just our own." Australia's aid budget decisions must support the agreed global effort to consign poverty to the history books — an attitudinal change that would help make the world a safer place.

Sue Packham, Woolamai, Vic

No reason to trim bans

I read with surprise ("Call for ban conditions to be reviewed", April 2, p52) that there are those considering appealing the length of the bans for Australian cricketers caught cheating.

April Fool's Day was on Sunday wasn't it? If not a joke, do those responsible for cheating or its toleration really think that some graceless, self-pitying, calculated tears will make up for the harm that's been done?

Surely everyone from James Sutherland on down should be falling on their rusty swords! They all conspired in the steady lowering of standards to finally get to rock bottom.

Is it so yesterday to think that? And is it sufficient just to pretend you've learnt a lesson, when the lesson you've learnt might be not to get caught again?

There should be even tougher punishment foreshadowed to encourage the others to do the right thing.

Get new players. Now is the time to get a fresh breed of batsmen who will raise the standard back to where it should be. There's plenty of potential to explore.

Roy Darling, Florey

Forming watercourses

Erosion on farms is actually a water course without water. The water comes and goes quickly. It is wasted and takes with it beneficial silt. It gouges the eroded area even further.

When this eroded area (which is often miles long ) is sufficiently filled with debris such as trees and branches etc, it become like a giant coffee filter. The debris slows the flow and produces a consistent trickle all year round of excellent quality water for stock and especially for native fish. It becomes, in fact, a stream.

Scientists around the world are saying that Peter Andrews, (who developed methods for creating permanent watercourses) has got it right. His Aussie ingenuity is truly remarkable.

Margot Sirr, Gowrie

Annoyance unwarranted

The fit of pique by the Russian ambassador, Grigory Logvinov, over his treatment by journalists just doesn't cut the mustard.

Mr Logvinov is living in Australia and while he is here he needs to abide by the culture and sensibilities of Australian society and laws, including how the Australian press conducts itself.

If Mr Logvinov doesn't like the way we do things here, then perhaps he should consider returning home pronto.

Don Sephton, Greenway

Not going anywhere

I would respectfully draw the attention of Mr Adrian Jackson (Letters, April 3) "Like battleships, manned combat aeroplanes are a thing of the past" to an article in the London Times in 1963.

It stated: "The manned aircraft will disappear by 1972 and with it the need for the Royal Air Force as a separate strategic arm."

The Royal Air Force has recently celebrated its 100th anniversary, and, in March 2021, the Royal Australian Air Force will do the same.

Len Bowen, RAF/RAAF retired, Chisholm

Autumn burn-offs are a health risk and they need to be stopped

We must bring an end to the annual autumn burn-offs under which the ACT suffers under every year.

As someone who lost their home in the 2003 fires, I am well aware of the potential impact of bushfire, however I am also well aware of the serious and well-established negative health effects of repeated and relentless exposure to toxic and carcinogenic bushfire smoke, year after year. As someone with a young family, I am deeply concerned about the effects this practice is having on my children, and all residents of the ACT.

I strongly resent having this choice made for me and my family by whichever bureaucrat is initiating these burns each year. I expect that as an understanding of the effects of this practice comes to light, it will result in substantial public impacts and costs — imagine a class action from every resident of Weston Creek, or Tuggeranong.

Every resident of the ACT is suffering the health consequences of the autumn burn-offs, every year. The hypothetical protection of material property in no way offsets the definite degradation of health and life-quality for every ACT resident.

The autumn burn-offs around the ACT must be stopped immediately, please help all of us to achieve this.

Jon Smillie, Duffy

Struggle for safety

The National Gallery of Australia appears to be struggling to provide basic safety in and around its building. In addition to Rohan Goyne's reportedly unsuccessful efforts to have the NGA rectify deficient yellow reflective markings ("Exhibiting ignorance", p18, April 4), for at least 12 months I have been asking the NGA and the National Capital Authority to install lighting between the NGA and Lake Burley Griffin. In marked contrast to the rest of the very well patronised shared path around the Central Basin, the area adjacent to the NGA is unlit – creating a safety hazard for people walking, cycling etc.

Given the well documented detrimental impact of reduced funding on the national institutions, perhaps the NCA can find a few dollars in its budget allocation of around $50 million to install around six light poles (a job that should have been done when they constructed the Bowen Place underpass)?

Or perhaps Federal politicians could shorten or even stop their winter jaunts to warmer climes, and hence free up some of our dollars to provide basic lighting?

Bruce Paine, Red Hill

Wasteful McMansions

I agree with Caroline le Couteur's article ("Throwing shade at McMansions", canberratimes.com.au, March 31 and Derek Wigley's supporting letter (Letters, April 3).

McMansions are totally inappropriate in the context of climate change. These homes are wasteful in terms of energy usage and maintenance with no space for gardens. New suburbs like Lawson are not only an eyesore but the type of housing appears to be the antithesis of what is required to deal with climate change. It is surprising that the Act Government with its claims to be a leader in dealing with climate change and reducing CO2 emissions has presided over these kinds of developments.

Robyn Vincent, McKellar

Coal dissidents

The reports "PM shuns Abbott-led efforts to fire up coal" (April 4, p8) and "hardliners hurl a lump of coal at Turnbull" (April 4, p8 and p9) discuss the breakaway group of dissidents in the federal Coalition who want to keep the coal fires burning.

The dissidents have formed the Monash Forum, which consists of about 20 members, including Liberals Tony Abbott, Eric Abetz, Kevin Andrews, Craig Kelly and Ian Goodenough, and the Nationals' George Christensen. They have in common a "love" of coal, a devotion to coal-fired power, the rejection of climate change, and, apparently, a wish to make life hard for Malcolm Turnbull.

The faith of the group in coal-fired power extends to a "call for federal investment in a coal-fired power station" — perhaps Liddell.

AGL has made a pragmatic business decision to shut down Liddell in 2022 because it will by then have reached the end of its economic and practical life. Investing taxpayers' money in it would be throwing good money after bad.

There may also be some competition for the Liddell plant. Chinese company Shandong Ruyi, which controls the enormous Cubbie Station cotton farm in southern Queensland, has shown an interest in purchasing Liddell, and wishes to invest in "clean-coal" technology and enter the Australian energy market.

Faced with those two alternatives, wouldn't it be more sensible to let AGL go ahead with its plan to replace Liddell with a combination of renewable energy and battery storage?

If the federal government were to insist on building a power station, wouldn't it be smarter to also invest in renewables (with battery storage), seeing that this path is now significantly less expensive than the coal-fired one?

Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Underestimating 'lefties'

Mr Dutton publicly stated, that "the crazy lefties ... who express concern and draw mean cartoons"... about him don't realise how completely dead they are to him. Mr Dutton may not realise how alive and numerous they are, and how they look forward to voting at the next elections.

Sandor Siro, Ainslie

Respect the day

The AFL should follow its Anzac Day protocol if it must have a game on Good Friday and programme the game after the sacred 3.00pm service. Don't blame the teams for poor attendance, but rather, acknowledge the respect that people have for the day.

Jeff Bradley, Isaacs

Analysis massacre

Imagine if the mainstream media in Australia had spent as much time reporting on and analysing the Gaza massacre as they have on the Youtube shooter.

John Passant, Kambah

Greed will triumph

I derive much personal solace, and hope for the climate, pollution and greenhouse-gas ravaged earth, from the news that renewable electricity sources are now cheaper than dirty fossil fuels, particularly coal, as is so often proclaimed on these pages.

That will save politicians having to make and enforce contentious, punitive laws to destroy old and poisonous technologies. Free enterprise's unrestricted competition can be relied on to follow the path of greatest profit and, of its own accord, establish new, clean and green technologies.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

Barr a bargain?

So what does $345,000 get you in 2018? Andrew Barr as our fearless leader, that's what. Still, when you compare it to what Turnbull costs he's a bargain.

N. Ellis, Belconnen

TO THE POINT

IRONY IN MONASH NAME

Your article "PM shuns Abbott-led efforts..." (April 4, p8) lists some of the historical facts about General John Monash. I have heard another, being that Monash was not recognised for his military achievements at the time – and was even ignored in the aftermath – because he was Jewish. I imagine it was the social class represented by today's "Monash Forum" which did the anti-Semitic ostracising. Funny how things turn out, sometimes.

S. W. Davey, Torrens

NOTHING FOR SPEED FANS

The Canberra Times headline said there was "Something for "everyone" at the National Folk Festival. Incorrect. There was no sign of competitive drag racing or a speedway anywhere.

Michael Attwell, Dunlop

PEACE STILL ELUSIVE

Recently Malala, the youngest Nobel Peace winner, returned home to Pakistan but didn't find the peace that she promotes. For a person who left as a gunshot victim and returned as a Nobel laureate the biggest change was in her and what she has achieved but until it is safe for everyone to go to school in Pakistan and many other countries the world has a long way to go.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Box Hill, Vic

HERE'S A LIDDELL IDEA

If Coalition dinosaurs Abbott, Abetz, Andrews and good old Barnaby Joyce want to keep the equally ancient Liddell coal power station operating why don't they move it to Armidale?

Rory McElligott, Nicholls

WE SHOULD BE UP IN ARMS

If seeds for food crops now need blank spraying for fungicides, etc. (proposed to be mandatory) it certainly calls into question the sustainability of free trade agreements and the increasing level of imported food. It also threatens our organic food industry. It only looks like a little thing but we should be up in arms about this one.

Linda Vij, Mascot, NSW

THOUGHT BUBBLE FAIL

I've heard of governments trying to pick winners – but picking losers? What will Prime Minister Turnbull's next thought bubble be.

Hazelwood 2.0?

Nigel Thompson, Queanbeyan East, NSW

STATE FUNERAL ODD

Winnie Mandela is getting a state funeral despite her involvement in burning tyre necklace killings and jail time for fraud. Meanwhile Steve Smith is ostracised and shamed for knowing about a man rubbing a ball with sandpaper. I don't get it.

Rosemary Matley, Reid

VIEWING LOWLIGHTS

I spent Wednesday night channel switching between SBS's September 11 special and the games opening. Not sure which was the greatest disaster.

M. Moore, Bonython

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