Much mixed up confusion on colonoscopy waiting lists in the ACT

The person I spoke to confirmed that I was on the list but then stopped providing any useful information whatsoever.

While I was told there was a long waiting list and they could not tell me where I was on that list. Fair enough, I understand that urgent cases are bumped up the list.

When I asked what I thought was a reasonable question - could I expect a call this year or in 2024 - the answer was "I can't tell you that".

Stunned I asked how big is the waiting list? 100, 200, more? "I can't tell you that" was the reply.

It seems to me there is (pardon the pun) "arse covering" re waiting lists going on here.

So now, rather than jeopardising my health, I am facing the need to spend thousands of dollars for a private check-up for which I will receive a miniscule Medicare rebate.

I will be writing to the Health Minister about this, but am not holding my breath for a reply. If I get one I expect it will say "I can't tell you that".

As a life member of the National Parks Association of the ACT (NPA ACT) whose parents were foundation members of the association, and lobbied for many years with other members for the formation of Namadgi National Park, I find two statements by the current NPA ACT president disturbing ("Brumby cull essential to preserving Kosciuszko National Park", Letters, August 21).

To write that the association has "long advocated reducing feral horse numbers in KNP" is misleading when NPA ACT's policy states that "feral plants and animals should be eradicated from national parks and conservation areas".

Complete eradication isn't always possible but the aim should be for as close as possible to that goal. Another consideration is that Kosciuszko National Park abuts the ACT's Namadgi National Park where there is a zero tolerance policy for feral horses.

This is to protect the fragile natural environment which includes the Cotter Catchment, the source of Canberra's water supply. Ideally, both parks should aim for a zero tolerance policy for feral horses.

To write "keeping a balance between native and introduced animals" runs counter to principles of conservation and to NPA ACT's policy on feral animals.

Mark Kenny ("Israel is skirting the ever-nearing abyss", August 20) describes the reaction of the "Israel lobby" - including me - to the recent federal government change of language on the Middle East as "typically unrestrained". In fact, Kenny mischaracterised the change.

The government did not simply say it would describe the West Bank as "occupied" territory, as Kenny states. It has determined it will describe all of the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza as "occupied Palestinian territories".

While previous Australian governments have casually used the terms "occupied" or "Palestinian", no previous Australian government has adopted this as the official description.

The government has previously stated, correctly, that all final status issues should be determined by negotiation between the parties. Yet it has now contradicted that stance by taking a strong position on the most fundamental final status issue - the eventual borders - by declaring all the areas in dispute to be "occupied Palestinian".

Judaism's holiest sites, which are in east Jerusalem, are labelled "Palestinian" while Gaza, from which Israel completely withdrew in 2005, is incorrectly labelled "occupied".

I appreciate Alex Mattea's ("What a clever idea", Letters, August 22) point that simplistic proposals such as the Greens' call for a rent freeze often have unintended consequences.

Such a freeze would simply be another reason for landlords, many of whom are small investors, to move out of the rental market.

I suggest a more effective and immediate way to reduce rent would be for the ACT government to forgo the unearned land tax that it imposes on properties for rent.

A three-bedroom house in Kambah that would rent for $770 a week attracts a yearly land tax of $5845 (about $112 per week.)

A two-bedroom apartment in Greenway that would rent for $555 per week attracts a yearly land tax of $1893 (about $36 per week).

This land tax is unearned and is in addition to the revenue gained by the ACT government from rates, sewerage, electricity, gas, and the like.

Then there is the money received for selling the land to the developer in the first place.

I am unaware of what the ACT government does with the many millions of dollars it gets each year from land tax. I am pretty certain it isn't dedicated to building affordable public housing.

Well done to the Wallaroos for calling out the ARU on their lies and blatant inequity towards the women's team.

No wonder the sport struggles to attract and retain talent. It is so disappointing to see such misogynist attitudes still exist in what is a great sport for all.

The ARU should be respecting and nurturing it's elite players; all of them.

This is a real set-back for the "game they play in heaven" (but only if you're male, it seems).

Kim Fitzgerald (Letters, August 19) is concerned about the lack of charging locations for EVs on day trips to the coast.

If one is going much further than Batemans Bay, a recharge will probably be necessary somewhere along the journey. Charging points are there, but are not nearly as thick on the ground as petrol stations.

If the trip is planned to account for the necessity of a charge the likelihood of being stranded is tiny. There is lots of easy-to-use software for phones and computers to facilitate the planning process.

Electric cars are a new technology which is coming our way whether we like it or not. Once we become accustomed to a new way of thinking about how we drive our cars, such range anxiety will greatly diminish. If Kim bought an EV the benefits would soon become obvious.

I implore people to use different language when speaking about people who have dependencies on "substances".

Drugs can be either "legal" or "illicit". It is generally believed that legal substances are kosher and illicit substances are often linked to criminal behaviour. This stigmatisation is unfair on those who use illicit substances. This is quite clearly a health issue.

There are many people who are dependent on prescription medication. They are not labelled as "drug addicts". There is no equity for people struggling with the use of illicit substances.

It's time to address the stigmatisation of people who use illicit substances as opposed to those who are dependent on legal substances. Prescription drugs are also often abused, sometimes with tragic consequences.

Further to my letter of a few weeks ago relating to entry visas for Chile I can advise that the papers provided by the local consulate fell short of requirements at the border.

While it was sorted reasonably amicably entering for the first visit by the young woman at the Immigration kiosk - after a lengthy consultation with other officers - the same can't be said for the second entry.

When we presented new papers we had received by email from the consulate the male officer got extremely angry, insisting that our visas weren't in order.

After much deliberation with his colleagues and pointing to me with a loud "you" he indicated I should follow him to another place in the building.

Once there he pointed to a computer screen saying "you should have this". When I insisted that all we had received was what we'd presented we eventually had our passports stamped.

At least we weren't scammed during a taxi ride from the airport: our travelling companions lost $3000 from their credit card account!

Chilling indeed.

Documents recently released under freedom of information revealed the PM has clocked up RAAF VIP flights costing $3.7 million.

That must surely make him the biggest spender on travel in such a short period of any Australian PM. Remember, it doesn't first class travel on commercial international flights. He has well and truly earned his nickname of "Airbus Albo".

Alex Mattea (Letters, August 22) raised some good points in regard to the Greens' idea of a rent-freeze. We need to tackle this, as he suggested, with a freeze on council rates, body corporate fees, and insurance premiums. Otherwise, it will never work.

The Greek government's use of feed bins laced with birth control meds has dramatically reduced their stray cat population. What sad creatures they were in 2019. Now there are still a few but not nearly as wild or manky.

Re the wrong call by the goal umpire in the Swans-Crows game. There were two Swans players right under the ball and beside the goalpost. They must have known the ball cleared the post. How sad they did not speak up. I regard this as cheating.

When discussing anti-money-laundering and anti-terrorism financing the Attorney-General's website states "To enjoy their ill-gotten gains, criminals commonly seek to disguise the illegal source of those profits". Just saying.

It is utter madness to honour the Matildas with a statue in Brisbane for placing fourth in the WWC. Perhaps the Premier should do more for the homeless and the lack of affordable housing instead. Let's reserve honours for winners and stop wasting money on populist gestures.

Congratulations to Frankie Seymour (Letters, August 21) for devising an ecology in which "naturalised animals have picked up the slack from native animals ... no longer present in large enough numbers to contribute the services they evolved here to provide". What were the native animals trashing the KNP anyway?

Garry P Dalrymple ("I'm over soccer", Letters, August 18) has a point. Up to 40 per cent of Australians are not interested in spectator sport. Not enough praise is given to those who do well in their own jobs.

Given Mr Morrison is having difficulty in landing another job he may be staying in Parliament until the next election. Mr Albanese should ask Peter Dutton if the former PM will be given a portfolio if the Coalition is elected.

Paul Handscombe almost got it right (Letters, August 20). Australian rules is the only football code in which a score can only be made with your foot.

Further to Douglas Mackenzie's letter re the heat island effect (Letters, August 23) it will do no good to huddle by an air conditioner. There will be blackouts and power rationing due to the government's rush to renewables without a reliable base load power backstop.

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Responsibility for election comment is taken by John-Paul Moloney of 121 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra. Published by Federal Capital Press of Australia Pty Ltd.