Why isn't there a road to Tumut through the Namadgi National Park?

The remarkable thing about this anniversary is that Canberra's situation is exactly the same now as it was then. There is not one road out of Canberra to the west, into the national parks where fires come from. No-one is allowed to drive into them.

Yet a road through the national parks to Tumut and then down to the Hume Freeway would have extraordinarily good effects. Canberrans and other Australians could actually get into the national parks and enjoy them. Bushfires could be fought from both sides, and such a road would unify a country region holding over 600,000 people and stimulating its commerce. The extra taxes from the stimulation would pay for the road in no time flat.

Yet not even the National Party has ever considered building it.

It doesn't help that the Greens also won't think about allowing people to drive to and through national parks.

So, 20 years on, the situation is as bad as ever. Perhaps no Australian government will do anything until Canberra's next fires roar right into the city and burn down the US Embassy. In 2003, fanned by 120 km/h winds, they came just a few kilometres short.

Whilst it appears prudent that a public inquiry is conducted regarding the Bruce Lehrmann debacle it would also be sensible for those allegedly involved (and subject to investigation) to be stood down whilst the inquiry is completed.

It would be refreshing to witness an open, honest and transparent process for the inquiry; something the ACT government does not seem to endorse on a regular basis.

Thirty years ago in June 1992 I was a senior member of the Australian delegation to the UN Earth Conference in Rio de Janeiro.

Heads of state at Rio agreed to Agenda 21, an ambitious plan to save the planet along with signing the new conventions on biodiversity and climate change.

Ros Kelly signed both conventions on Australia's behalf.

Unfortunately countries have not lived up to commitments.

WWF reports this year that about 70 per cent on average of wild animals have been lost since 1970. The "father of climate change" James Hansen, and others, in a recent scientific paper in arxiv.org predicts a temperature rise of 10 degrees. We will all be cooked well before that.

As 2022 draws to a close there are slivers of hope in actions to reverse catastrophic change in, for example, Europe, the US and Australia. Lets hope that in 2023 and beyond we can move decisively to save our future.

Re: "Wong's long and winding road to China", canberratimes.com.au, December 23).

This editorial displayed bias against China and towards the US.

It stated "China's decision to wind back its wolf warrior diplomacy will make it possible for the two countries to work together". It was Australia which used wolf warrior diplomacy.

Its requesting an international investigation into the COVID outbreak was not intended to assist anyone: it was made, at the behest of the US, to throw mud (which sticks) at China. It was extraordinary offensive. If I was strongly insulted by a vendor's staff I would shop elsewhere for a while. That is what China did.

Also, at the demand of the US, Australia refused to buy from Huawei. The reason given was that buying from China had security implications. Wouldn't buying from the US have similar implications?

This action was a clear breach of free trade policy.

The editorial stated "[China and Australia working together] can only be achieved if Australia continues to resist any attempts at bullying or coercion". It was Australia which, on behalf of the US, stupidly attempted to bully China.

Further, buying submarines to use against China, and allowing US bombers to train to attack China from Australia, is certainly not "working with China". Australia should stop being a vassal of the US and begin cooperating with China.

The Director-General of ASIO cited conspiracy theorists as the jointly greatest risk to our democracy at this time.

Given this it is pleasing to see the AFP talking about moving to end the illegal camp at the National Rock Garden. The law enforcement agencies should be green lighted by all levels of government to utilise the domestic terrorism laws to take action against these individuals.

It is also incumbent on the fringe political elements which have been pandering to these domestic terrorists to surrender their seats in their respective parliaments for emboldening these misguided nut jobs.

John Templeton (Letters, December 21) is technically correct to say that in a democracy people with views different from mainstream should be entitled to air their views. But it misses the point.

The issue with the so called "cookers" is not their expression of particular views, rational or otherwise. It is their occupation of public land for illegal camping without proper provision of sanitation, and their harassing of a legitimate trader so that he no longer felt safe conducting his business in that location that has caused authorities to exert legitimate pressure to move them on.

The editorial "Albanese must stand firm on security" (canberratimes.com.au, December 28) speaks of rising tensions in the Pacific, explains AUKUS as a purely defensive measure provoked by these rising tensions, and advises Albanese to "stay the course".

Doubtless China also sees her own huge expenditure on the military as a vital defensive measure. The world is spending its capital building up its destructive capacity until any spark could ignite the tinderbox. Not very bright.

The ACT government has many light rail options. Why not a service to Belconnen. There are no major infrastructure obstacles in the way and no need for NCA involvement.

And what about a shorter but planned route along Constitution Avenue. A visionary route south via Edinburgh Avenue, Acton Peninsula, with a dedicated Lake crossing and on to Woden.

Why choose a route with major impediments, significant infrastructure demolition, heritage implications and no end point for at least another decade and major unknown cost issues?

NCA CEO Sally Barnes has boasted that she and her staff are "doers", rather than having been too concerned to date about basic procurement processes ("NCA processes likened to TV episode", canberratimes.com.au, December 15). One formal definition of doers may generate more Utopian eye-rolling in relation to this organisation's handy self-labelling and back-pedalling: doers "do jobs promptly and efficiently, without spending a lot of time thinking about them".

Perhaps Ms Barnes could elaborate on the efficiency and thinking part next time she fronts a parliamentary committee or inquiry, especially in relation to Stage 2B light rail planning and timeframes for preparatory and then construction work in and around the Parliamentary Triangle.

I received this call on December 19:

"Hi dad I've got a new phone and number so you can save this new one. I'm testing my WhatsApp by the way, can you message me on WhatsApp on this new number?"

(Moved to WhatsApp)

"Why have you got a new number?"

"Sourced better deal with Optis (sic). Just a bit stressed out at the moment though."

"Why did you need to change your number? Can I delete the old number?"

"Tes (sic) you can".

"Are you busy right now by the way."

"No. How's Roberta now?" [Roberta doesn't exist].

"Could be doing better and so could I. Been quite stressed out."

"How can I help?".

"Well I don't want to bother you with it but the bank blocked my online banking for 48 hours due to this new number. I've got to make some payments so that's stressing me out. Are you able to help me out by making a payment for me? X"

"Of course".

"Thank you. What bank will you be transferring from? So that I can look up which payment method will be instant."

"First Bank of Nigeria Ltd."

"Ahh nice one m8".

Very good advice from Eric Hunter (Letters, December 27) when he advocates that one should take a step back and try and get the facts right before opening our mouths. Unfortunately Eric does not appear to apply his own sage advice in his letters to the editor regarding the ABC.

The ubiquitous Rod Matthews (Letters, December 27) commented "we've barely entered summer yet the days have just started to get shorter again". Does Mr Matthews not know about the summer solstice, which this year was at 8:47 am on Thursday, December 22, and occurs between December 21 and December 23 every year?

I agree with Ronald Elliott (Letters, December 28) that Ms Donaldson from Tasmania does a sterling job as Crown Princess Mary. However, while I am no fan of Meghan Markle, I think it is unfair to compare her to Mary as Meghan is of mixed race and the media in the UK is still very racist, as are some sections of British society.

Nah, Hellen Goddard (Letters, December 28), a better word for the cops is the old colonial term "Traps".

Several people have written in favour of retaining gas for heating homes despite the fact that we need to phase out fossil fuels. I don't know what is wrong with their heat pump heaters but ours works well on the frostiest of Canberra winter nights and it is very cheap to operate. Perhaps their problems are due to the ducting or insufficient building insulation.

Every summer holidays The Canberra Times is sold out by 7am at the Mollymook newsagency. This summer is no different. This situation certainly has the advantage of getting Canberrans on holiday at Mollymook up early each morning.

Facebook tells me that hot cross buns are already on our supermarket shelves, having muscled aside the tinsel. Oh, the commercialism. Surely, though, it's a case of supply meeting demand?

Is Justine Langdon (Letters, December 28) turning off her heat pump at night. If that happens the whole house comes down to the outside temperature by morning and it is hard to reheat.

Re your editorial "Wong's long and winding road to China" (canberratimes.com.au, December 23). Labour has form on this. Don't be surprised by a proposal for a CAUKUS.

Surely it's time to stop this double dipping when an ex-pollie gets a well-paid government job. Over to you Kevin. You could volunteer to suspend your benefits.

M Moore, Bonython