Belconnen storm power outage hard to fix

I fully sympathise with Grahame and everyone else impacted by this major storm event.

I, and many others in Canberra, also suffered power outages for a very long time during and after the big bushfire event that destroyed hundreds of homes (with a sad loss of lives as well) almost two decades ago.

Then, as after the most recent storm, the real issue in restoring power to everyone impacted was a logistical one. It's not just a simple case of hooking up a few wires onto poles. In this storm many poles were badly damaged; as were the arms and insulators which carry the wires. Long sections of electricity cable also need to be either repaired or replaced.

And, on top of that, the hundreds of trees and tree branches that have fallen on the power lines - and also on houses - have to be cleared away as well. The power can't be switched back on until it is safe to do so.

The staff at EVOEnergy, and all the others involved, are working absolutely as hard as they can. They should be given credit for their efforts.

What more could Novak Djokovic have done to prove his medical exemption asked Judge Anthony Kelly before overturning the cancellation of Djokovic's visa.

This observation might have brought a wry smile to the face of Katy Gallagher in relation to her disqualification from Parliament by the High Court because of her dual citizenship despite her best efforts to rid herself of her British citizenship.

The article "Serb serves government humiliating legal defeat" (January 11, p.4) seems to contradict itself: the opening paragraph describes the decision to cancel Djokovic's visa as "the Morrison government's" (rather than one of "government" in general), but the Judge Kelly's finding is said to be in relation to the "decision of Border Force officials".

Or is The Canberra Times implying that the officials' decision was influenced by pressure from the minister?

Djokovic's mother is quoted as saying her son was subject to "torture" after four days in a detention hotel.

Imagine what she would say about the plight of asylum seekers who have been in detention for up to nine years in conditions much less comfy than a hotel.

As for all those shedding tears over the court decision to allow the joker to stay, really?

It's time to get a life; it's just a game. People are getting sick and potentially dying from the uncaring, rapidly spreading disease.

I will boycott the Australian Open if he plays. "No-vax" go home.

Novak Djokovic's court victory in overturning the federal government's decision to cancel his visa without giving him " procedural fairness" exposes the arbitrary exercise of state power by the mob in power in Australia.

Djokovic had the means and the international high profile to successfully challenge the Australian government decision.

Many refugees locked up and languishing in limbo (some for eight and nine years) in Australia's detention facilities don't have Djokovic's clout.

Their predicament is an indictment on the Australian government's cruel, unfair and inhumane treatment of people who sought our protection from the political persecution they suffered in their home countries. It's a crying shame.

How is it that a foreign national is able to sue the Australian government which now has to pay his legal costs?

I am furious that the law has been used to circumvent justice for the people of Australia in favour of a Serbian tennis player.

Why are Australians not allowed to do what they want without vaccination, but an alien tennis player is? How would it be if we tried to sue the Serbian government? One can only imagine.

You nearly got it right Anne Prendegast (Letters, January 10).

"Late again" Scomo was right to point out "rules are rules".

But you are personalising the whole nonsense by implying that our PM will deport him.

Scomo should have pointed out that "rules are rules" and not issued this guy with a visa in the first place.

That would have avoided a huge cost, major disruption to an international sporting event, and national embarrassment.

In his latest piece of war peddling "Plenty of defence talk from Peter Dutton and Scott Morrison, but not enough action", canberratimes.com.au, January 9) Bradley Perrett quotes words of alarm from former defence minister and now WA governor Kim Beazley.

He omitted to state however that before becoming WA governor, Beazley was on the board of Lockheed Martin Australia, Lockheed Martin being the world's biggest weapons maker. Furthermore, Beazley carried his support for the weapons business into his vice-regal role. In 2019, he secured an extra $1.4 million from the state budget to expand his role to "strategic advocacy", significantly to attract the weapons industry to the state.

Perrett is surely aware of this? If so, why did he not state it, along with the fact that the global weapons industry would profit on a vast scale if we sleepwalk into a war with China?

If Perrett is to persist with his weekly call to arms, he should at least complete the picture by listing - corporation by corporation - those who stand to profit from war with China. Then he should list all the millions - the dead, the mangled bodies and minds, the displaced, the tortured, the orphans - who stand to lose. Only then can we talk about "freedom", and for whom.

It should be noted also that when Beazley left the Lockheed Martin Australia board he was replaced by your latest regular columnist, Amanda Vanstone. If and when she turns to the subject of war with China, we won't hold our breaths waiting for a declaration of conflict of interests.

There will be no need for Scomo to dig into his election "treasure chest" and falsely promise all manner of electoral bribes for the forthcoming federal election.

This election will be won by the candidates that guarantee, when elected, they will ensure the following six actions are taken: appoint a federal anti-corruption commission; totally ban political donations; bring in fixed-term elections; depoliticise the APS; ensure that any deployment of Australian Defence Forces overseas has to be approved by parliament; and for good measure, release the refugees who have been incarcerated for many years.

Not one of these actions will be of any significant cost to the country; in fact there will be substantial savings, and the possibility of a return to a more ethical, moral and trustworthy government.

Far from being a "farce", M Jackson (Letters, January 10), the Pistol and Boo episode was important in protecting Australia's national herd from potential exposure to exotic disease.

Our quarantine system is so strict because we do not have rabies, mad cow disease, or many other diseases which, if introduced, would devastate our sheep, cattle and pet populations. Mr Joyce may not be everyone's favourite politician, but he was correct in his approach.

That is despite the tendency to poke fun at him; most recently with Amber Heard's ludicrous naming of a pet Barnaby Joyce. Djokovic is an example of our cultural cringe towards anyone who comes here, especially if they are a sports star or "celebrity."

I empathise with Pistol and Boo, not with Novak Djokovic. The two canines were innocent bystanders whereas Novak has a history of deliberately and arrogantly flouting COVID-19 restriction rules in force.

Novak and Tennis Australia appear to be the instigators in this instance; Novak for his ongoing evasiveness, and Tennis Australia for their incompetence in issuing erroneous advice.

I, amongst I believe many others, am looking forward to the day when we will be able to give "the world's greatest sportsman" a farewell befitting his stature by collectively giving him the world's biggest "two fingered au revoir" - hopefully quite soon.

On Monday Judge Anthony Kelly of the Federal Circuit Court asked "what more could this man have done?" The short answer? Just get vaccinated like every other sensible person.

Mr Morrison expected Djokovic to be his Tampa. Whatever way he jumps now, after an independent judicial review, he is a political cadaver; known as a liar since Macron, and now outed as an incompetent.

Thanking his mum for the appellation, the Serbian Messiah has risen from immigration detention after three days.

"Rules are rules" asserts our Prime Minister; but only sometimes. Clearly not when last Fathers' Day he broke them to make an illicit, tax-payer funded trip to Sydney to see his family. Adaptable or a hypocrite? The voters will decide.

And in the final game between Scott Morrison and Novak Djokovic the on court decision was an ace to Djokovic. Game, set and match.

"No-vax" is released, insulting all of us who do the right thing, while blameless refugees remain in detention. Could I be more disgusted with Morrison's government? Absolutely not.

If there's ever to be a Bill of Rights in this country it needs to have a sub-clause stating that sports stars of any code can do what they like.

Have we totally lost the plot? The detention of a tennis player causes a diplomatic incident while we ignore the countless people being locked up illegally and those who are sleeping rough. The only plus is Scomo can't support the Djokovic appeal as it would go directly against his own policy. Who said there was no such thing as kismet.

It would seem, from recent experience, that "can do capitalism" is no substitute for competent government.

Handing out free RAT's at PCR testing sites is magnanimous at best (and probably would annoy Scomo). Requiring RAT results at border entry or for travel is pointless unless it can be reliably shown that the person claiming the result is the person who actually took the test. But it's good for self satisfaction. I guess that that must be of some benefit.

When I read the letter from Michael Dillon ("Renaming Aspen Island Morrison's greatest achievement" (January 5) I nearly choked on my Weet-Bix and had to check the date to see it wasn't April fool's day.