Is the ACT government playing for time over the CIT debacle?

The release of only first findings means the public will still be uninformed about many aspects of associated multi-level administrative and management systems failures outside CIT, including poor ministerial oversight, inadequate transparency and accountability across a number of directorates, and what seems to be insufficient skilled investigatory resourcing and support from the Labor-Greens government. All these factors have probably also worked to impede a more efficient and coordinated handling of the integrity and other inquiries into the suspected negligence emanating from CIT.

Between now and that first announcement a large number of people with any responsibility linked to this incredibly drawn-out saga will be spending more ratepayer-funded time prepping madly, if not planning how to run for cover.

I refer to Michelle Grattan's opinion article ("The Nationals can't 'move on' until Barnaby does", February 17) about the troubles for the Nationals with former leaders hanging around.

I noted the often quoted observation by Barnaby Joyce that he was the greatest retail politician, whatever that actually ever meant? The media seemed to often repeat that tag without much in the way of analysis of it.

Was there ever any polling on the term retail politician? And then its association with the former leader of the Nationals or was it just more self-publicity in substitution for substance.

I'm all for colour and movement in our federal politicians. I just don't drink the self-promotional cool aid being sold by the ten-gallon hat club.

For years, people who care for kangaroos and other wildlife have observed a very disturbing phenomena in Canberra. As part of the ACT government's cull, kangaroos have been slaughtered in their thousands under the guise of protecting the habitat of endangered species.

Adjacent areas are then subsequently developed as new suburbs. Examples include the suburbs of Lawson, Whitlam and Throsby amongst others.

The proposed crematorium development is an example where a commercial enterprise is slated for construction on land adjacent to Callum Brae nature reserve. Kangaroos have been slaughtered year after year on this reserve.

The killing of 1400 kangaroos and joeys on Red Hill over the past two years seems similarly suspicious in the light of a proposal for 125 luxury dwellings to be constructed on the Federal Golf Course.

Meanwhile, the ACT government continues to mislead the public on the true rationale for the kangaroo massacres by hiding behind the so-called "science" that has been used to justify the ongoing cruelty and killing of kangaroos, our national icon.

It seems that protecting endangered species and their habitat is no longer a priority, if it ever was, if there is money to be made.

The annual slaughter of our bush capital native kangaroos has no scientific, ecological or moral base. The Labor-Greens government sees itself as being above public scrutiny or ethical standards.

They tell you it's all based on "conservation" science (which doesn't stand up to independent scrutiny) as they squeeze the roos into smaller and smaller spaces by greedily developing, then shoot what they haven't already slaughtered to make the land available.

We need alternatives to this government. Let's hope teals, independents or another party has better ethics, compassion and humility.

Your report "Axing terrorists' citizenship 'ineffective'" (February 20) raised a more important issue.

Shouldn't we deport back to their countries of origin those who break our laws for serious crimes like murder, rape, drugs?

If they are children of migrants their parents could stay but the offender should go.

If their lives are threatened in their original country why should this weigh against the threat they pose to our own citizens?

The Reserve Bank should advise CEOs of highly profitable companies to stop their "price gouging" as exposed by Allan Fells' ACTU enquiry ("The funny business of inflation", February 17).

MPs should recognise their conflict of interest as landlords in dealing with negative gearing as it is "cementing inter-generational inequality" and the government should change our measures of well-being to take account of the way the true experience of increased income for poor people far exceeds its effect on the very wealthy ("Time to broaden the tax horizon", February 20).

As Crispin Hull writes: "Politicians need to act, in spite of unpopularity and scare campaigns". I'm sure that many thoughtful Australians agree with him, but how can we make a big enough space in the national conversation for a government to lay out its plans for these changes in all their complexity?

Could we beg the decision-makers to collaborate with any other interested parties to commit to and implement such a plan before the next election?

I believe that popularity would inevitably follow such a far-sighted and courageous step.

It's fitting that Australia's biggest greenhouse gas emitters should be taxed for polluting the planet. ("Bring on a new carbon tax debate", February 19).

We are now being hit by more frequent and intense weather events fuelled by emissions rises caused by the very product these companies are selling.

Energy giant Woodside has only this year vastly expanded its plans for oil and gas exploration. Yet climate reparations are costing our country billions of dollars annually. And who is footing the bill? Australian taxpayers, of course.

A pollution tax could help ordinary Australians cover the cost of living, through reduced energy bills, plus fund much-needed clean energy projects. With extreme weather events set to increase threefold to fourfold, our children are going to bear the brunt of climate change. Why should they be the ones who pay?

It looks like the second attempt to murder Alexei Navalny succeeded after the first attempt to kill him failed.

Putin's KGB fingerprints are all over this murder in the Gulag prison. Putin has become the embodiment of Ivan the Terrible, Rasputin and Stalin all in one. It is now time to seriously help Ukraine fight off this blood thirsty Dracula, Putin.

I commend Jack Waterford for his courageous and balanced analysis of the many issues surrounding the Gaza conflict. ("Hate speech, doxing are different things", February 17). I say courageous because there is a distinct lack of courage on the part of most of our politicians and large sections of the mainstream media when it comes to critical analysis of Israeli actions.

Both are very strident in condemning the actions of Hamas on October 7 and rightly so but very muted when it comes to criticism of the Israeli response. I unreservedly agree that the actions by Hamas are horrific and that they very probably are involved in UNRWA , that they have tunnels under hospitals and so on.

However that in no way vindicates the Israeli response. Any adjectives applied to the actions of Hamas can also be applied to the actions of Israel in response.

The argument seems to be that when a terrorist organisation undertakes such actions it is completely despicable but when a sovereign state responds in kind then it is quite acceptable maybe even laudable.

While we in Canberra express emotions ranging from outrage to amusement at "Giggles" Miles's disparagement of Canberra, of course we have no say in his political future.

However, if history is any guide, and if Queensland voters are as smart as I hope they are, Giggles's political life is about to hit the wall.

Many years ago, comedian Paul Hogan, on-stage at the Sydney Opera House, referred to front-seat audience member, then premier Neville Wran, as "shifty nifty".

The name stuck, and may well have been part of the reason for the demise of Neville Wran's premiership.

Has anyone told Premier Miles how great Queensland is? There are back-to-back cyclones, regular floods, rampant youth crime, murders, domestic violence and the humidity. It's a great place to visit as long as you don't leave the airport.

Tragically but not surprisingly, Navalny died from that well-known condition PESDS (Putin Enemies Sudden Death Syndrome).

The crisis involving asbestos contamination in mulch is an example of governments allowing the entrepreneurial spirits of private enterprise to have free rein without any of that inconvenient red tape or effective enforcement of regulations.

Israel's government approved a declaration February 18 saying it won't recognise a Palestinian state. That has always been the end game for Israel. We will soon see the complete colonisation of all Palestinian lands by Israel.

Mario Stivala (Letters, February 22,) said "With Hamas, as with all dictatorships, might is right". Hamas may be many things: a group of terrorists, freedom fighters, or rebels; or just a gang of thugs. It is certainly not a dictatorship.

Reading about the new memorial sculpture at the war memorial (February 23, p4), spurs me to write to bring attention to a much neglected heartfelt sculpture remembering the Kokoda battles. It is sitting bereft on Canberra Avenue alongside the former site of the Services Club. It needs to be given a home at the war memorial.

David Roth expertly debunked the furphy that renewable energy will take over Australia's prime agricultural land (Letters, February 22). Plenty of rooftops and degenerated land spaces are available to soak up the sun's rays. And, agrivoltaics, combining solar and agriculture, are proving profitable for land owners seeking to diversify income sources.

If Woolworths is replacing its CEO because of his failure to sweet-talk his way out of some hard questions maybe it's found someone now who can play the bard well.

Supporters and opponents of nuclear power should use their time more productively and consider the feasibility of connecting the much vaunted Virginia class power plants to strategically placed wind farms so that power generation can be maintained during calm weather.

I wonder how many of the mob who got themselves multiple Taylor Swift show tickets ever got around to participating in a public demonstration against social injustice, racism, environmental degradation or climate change?