I think Rosemary Walters (Letters, November 5) has misunderstood how a bus rapid transport (BRT) system works. Electric buses run on dedicated roads with priority signalling, just as the tram does. BRT has the same carrying capacity as a tram, something that can be easily altered to suit off-peak travelling times.
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BRT is faster than a tram and is flexible in that it can leave the dedicated route to service suburbs. BRT can be developed at a fraction of the cost and does not require hundreds of millions of dollars to reduce gradients in the roadway. Dedicated BRT roads have no tracks or overhead power lines, so emergency services can use these same roads as necessary. BRT electric buses have a range of about 240km for a full charge.
Lee Welling, Nicholls
Poor planning at stops
When the ACT government upgraded bus stops on Athlon Drive, they added pull-in spaces at the stops so buses could stop with minimal blocking of other traffic. However, a short while later, an upgrade to Yamba Drive outside the busy hospital included no such facility and dangerous situations and disruption are common.
Similarly, with the changes on Callum street, one lane of Neptune Street has been unnecessarily closed for almost two years although unaffected by that work. With Christmas approaching, the queues to leave the multi-storey carpark will only get worse. Clearly this tin-pot local government is out to make car use even more inconvenient. And I didn't even mention the tram.
Peter Haddon, Jerrabomberra
Why most Jews are Zionists
Caroline Fitzwarryne (Letters, November 6) clearly knows very little about Jews and Zionists. No-one says anyone who supports Palestinians is anti-Semitic, although those who are viciously anti-Israel and chant "From the River to the Sea" can be suspect.
Caroline makes it clear that she has no problems with Jews, it's just those pesky Zionists. A Zionist is someone who believes Jews have the right to a state in Israel, the Ancient Jewish homeland, where they can defend themselves from another Holocaust or pogrom from happening. It's the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, so the vast majority of Jews are Zionists, even those who don't live in Israel.
It is hardly surprising then that the Israeli government is full of Zionists. Contrary to her claim, very few Israeli Jews support a shared country, because that would end Jewish self-determination.
She asks how to bring about a just peace. Next time the Israeli government offers the Palestinians a state, they should agree, or at least negotiate, rather than refusing as they have every other time.
Eleanor Miles, Queanbeyan East, NSW
Terrible history on repeat
It began with genocide (as most colonising ventures do) largely out of sight of a distracted world in 1947-48. Britain, broke and busted after WWII, couldn't keep the rivals apart. It had made promises to both parties. A utopian body made a settlement but neither side was satisfied.
Forward to October 7. A heinous crime against humanity. A month of vengeance. Another genocide with the world watching. There is no going back, the status quo is over. What happens next will determine if we really do have a rules-based international order.
My feeling is that the political class is estranged from the public on this one. The 1950s Sunday school view of a David vs Goliath conflict cannot be sustained. Sympathy for Israel is slipping. A consequence is the US's inability to garner wider support for Ukraine in its war against Russia.
Would Europe be facing waves of migration which undermine its political cohesion if the Middle East and North Africa were stable and prosperous?
Mike Buckley, Barton
Flabby, sycophantic reasoning
Anthony Albanese (or someone writing in his name) offers a flabby defence of Australia's alliance with the United States (Opinion, November 2).
He claimed that it has been "tried, tested, and has thrived", but nowhere acknowledged the disasters of the US-led conflicts in Vietnam, Iraq or Afghanistan: a lot of testing but not much thriving there.
He devoted the rest of his article to praising co-operation in disaster response. Great, but that's not the point of the ANZUS alliance - which he did not mention.
Who is persuaded by this pathetic, evasive rhetoric? Why is Albanese so sycophantic? Why did he not explain why he either failed to raise the US pursuit of Julian Assange, or failed to induce his new mate to release a man who has been persecuted at US instigation?
Peter Stanley, Dickson
Don't depend on alliances
The adoption of AUKUS by Anthony Albanese's Labor government seems to be coming back into favour with The Canberra Times, after some initial qualms and some very good Pope anti-AUKUS cartoons. On November 4 there was not only a pro-AUKUS article but even a comment in the editorial approving Albanese's "strongly backing AUKUS and the submarine deal".
Yet military pacts (local equivalent gangs) have a poor track record - improved security until other adversarial pacts are formed. They are meant to improve security, but that is not how they are viewed from outside. The defence pact of France with Russia was enlarged in 1904 when Britain made it a triple alliance, which the German/Prussian alliance saw as threatening, and is considered a major factor in precipitating the first of the world wars and all that followed from it (Hitler, WWII).
Security is of supreme importance, especially today when the general attention must be focussed on preventing a climate catastrophe. Yet there must be a better way to security than the formation of military pacts.
Harry Davis, Campbell
Playing safe in polls
Don Sephton (Letters, November 3) is quite right to pick up on the 1 per cent of readers who ticked the box 'Unsure' in response to the question "Do you own an electric vehicle", (Insiders Readers Panel, October 28).
As one of the possible four to nine people who did so, I should explain. I felt the question was quite ambiguous in that both "electric" and "vehicle" were not well defined. There was a distinct lack of detail precluding me from making an informed decision. I was also wary of entrenching in The Canberra Times archives, results that we may wish to change in the future.
In addition I was highly cognisant of a recent public information campaign that stressed "If the answer is No - Vote Don't Know". Well at least I think that was how it went. To be honest I was not paying much attention as I am an out-of-touch Canberran.
So despite my ownership of a 2006 Corolla that clearly runs on petrol, I played it safe and conservative. I would hate readers to think we are making any progress in any regard.
Peter McDonald, Hughes
Hamas should wear the blame
Mark Kenny apportions blame for the failure of the Oslo Accords to achieve a two-state outcome equally to both sides ("This offers the best hope of peace", November 6). However, Israel offered the Palestinians a state three times, withdrew totally from Gaza, stopped building in settlements for 10 months, released convicted Palestinian terrorists from prison and made various other efforts to negotiate peace, and only ever got refusal and terrorism in return.
Kenny castigates Israel for bombing a refugee camp, but it hit a terror headquarters, killing a senior Hamas commander and several of his comrades. He castigates Israel for rocketing "even an ambulance" but it was being used by Hamas to ferry fighters and weapons, a clear war crime.
While Israel warns civilians to flee, Hamas prevents them from doing so, insisting on using them as human shields.
Yes, the death toll is unconscionable, as Kenny says, but the responsibility lies with Hamas.
Douglas Randell, Nicholls
Fewer cars, better outcome
Adrian Rollins (Forum, November 4) suggests that "much to the chagrin of motorists" revenue from fuel excise ends up in consolidated revenue rather than being spent on roads. Thinking motorists are surely not chagrined if fewer cars are clogging up roads and competing for car parking when some of that revenue is spent on public transport and bicycle paths instead of roads.
Robin Brown, Yarralumla
Our monumental challenge
The World Bank-managed international climate fund ("Climate fund moves forward despite divide", November 7) will be of little use unless the world's largest economies and carbon dioxide emitters take serious steps to reduce their burning of fossil fuels.
This was recently shown by financial journalist Alan Kohler, who presented to TV viewers a graph showing the share of emissions from each form of energy generation.
The overall trend was relentlessly upward, led by fossil fuels. Reversing that trend will be an enormous task and, if successful, a monumental achievement.
Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin
TO THE POINT
GETTING IT WRONG
Steve Anderson (Letters, November 7) ignores Eric Hunter's affirmation of the positive teaching of Jesus about peace and love (October 26). Steve Anderson even manages to spell my name incorrectly. He covers his confusion with a reference to the Easter Bunny. His letter should stick to the facts if we are to trust him.
Rev Robert Willson, Deakin
EX-PM'S DESERVE PRAISE
The Canberra Times seems to have cut and pasted government talking points again. This time they appear in précis form in the editorial (November 7). Former national leaders Morrison and Johnson have displayed sympathy towards the embattled and isolated Jewish nation. The newspaper can't even label the Hamas butchers as terrorists, preferring the heroic label "fighters".
Colin Blair, Curtin
IMPORTANT OTHER HALF
Helen Tan (Letters, November 7) says, "Without justice, there can be no peace". The other, equally important, half of that statement is, "And, without peace there can be no justice".
Eric Hunter, Cook
MORE RECOGNITION?
While dripping with po-faced piety, Eric Hunter (Letters, November 8) portentously tells us the war for long-over due recognition of Indigenous people is far from over. If all the time-wasting attention they are now getting isn't "recognition", God save us all.
Bill Deane, Chapman
KEATING'S LOFTY DREAM
Michael James ("Airline of Last Resort", Letters, November 7) failed to pay tribute to the fulfilment of Paul Keating's vision of privatization and deregulation in his letter. Culminating in a "trick or treat" ticketing system worthy of Halloween nightmares. QF63 passes over our area, wave to us Michael - if you are allowed to board.
Ronald Elliott, Sandringhman, Vic
RUDE RATE RISE
Shame on the Reserve Bank. What a cruel, cynical move just before Christmas, putting a downer on the season of celebrations.
Acacia Rose, Eden NSW
DEVELOPER TO AVOID
Seeing the scary black building emerging in Phillip, I wondered who would buy an apartment from Geocon? First the retaining wall collapse, and now they can't heat a pool. Some people trust them enough to invest in one of their apartments. Puzzling.
Maria Greene, Curtin
KEEP TAKING THE MICKEY
I have read Ian Morison's letter (November 8) about Scott Morrison's Israel visit three times now, and I'm convinced that this is a brilliant piece of satire. I particularly enjoyed the line about John Howard's "constructive views" and Tony Abbott's "prescience". Hilarious. Let's hope in our post-Coalition life Ian continues to take the mickey out of our previous Liberal PMs.
David Brudenall, Palmerston
PEOPLE AT THEIR BEST
As I was nearing the end of The Canberra Times Fun Run last Sunday I needed assistance. Thanks to the fellow runners who came to my aid (and essentially finished their own runs). I really appreciated your assistance. Thanks also to the paramedics who took over my care. My overnight stay in North Canberra Hospital was managed again by wonderful people. It is very nice to experience human nature at its very best.