I agree with C Williams (Letters, February 27) about closing the AMC and shipping our convicts back across the border.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Since day one it has not been fit for purpose, as evidenced by the near full capacity on opening and the immediate need to provide more cells.
Then there is the poor security record as evidenced by drones dropping drugs in and inmates going through or over the perimeter fence.
Drugs swamp the jail. The notion that it is OK to have every category of inmate in one place is foolhardy. I worked in a maximum security jail in the UK. That's not something you would do.
![The Alexander Maconochie Centre. Picture Canberra Times The Alexander Maconochie Centre. Picture Canberra Times](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-ct-migration/85f8e08a-9cde-4ac1-acef-32d125a23abc.jpg/r0_0_729_410_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Let's not get into low staff morale and retention and the poor availability of prisoner activities. All has been sacrificed on the altar of a "human rights jail". That is why recidivism is rife.
We could save millions by shipping our problems back to NSW.
I'm not an armchair warrior, either. I worked there as a drug counsellor for two years and saw the problems from the coalface, not a government office in Civic.
Ian Jannaway, Monash
Proof of the pudding
Last year (Letters, September 2) I defended NAPLAN's use of real-world problems to test numeracy.
The Australian newspaper has recently shown how right I was. Journalists divided the number of litres of water the Commonwealth is buying back by the total cost and concluded that the government was paying $129 per litre. Any year 5 student should know that this calculation in fact showed that the government is getting 129 litres per dollar (paying 0.79 cents per litre).
Even this ignores the fact that the payment is a one-off, while the water savings happen every year.
Paul Pentony, Hackett
Big SUVs are dangerous
I am unhappy when an SUV stops alongside me and I cannot see. I hold up traffic as I await vision.
When I see an SUV in a spot for disabled parking I suspect the driver just cannot manoeuvre into a more usual place. Imagine redrawing all carparks to accommodate larger vehicles. Or special permits for supersized car spaces?
I am sad for a young friend who has discovered the car he bought (not sure exact type) is a bit big for him to comfortably drive.
Who was the salesperson? Is my friend safe? In this new big vehicle world should drivers be tested, measured, warned?
Should there be a set of driver size requirements for some vehicles?
When an SUV is behind me I worry. If you drive one please allow lots of space in front of your vehicle.
SUV vehicles are resource-expensive, and not known for fuel-efficiency. They can be difficult to drive, tricky to park and dangerous to other road users. Are SUVs a huge mistake?
R McCallum, Higgins
Thank you, walkers
I extend my heartfelt thanks and congratulations to the people of Canberra for their efforts in the 2024 Memory Walk and Jog on Sunday, February 25, at Barrine Drive, Lake Burley Griffin.
It was wonderful to see the community of Canberra rally in support of people living with dementia, their families and carers with 950 locals and visitors turning up to walk, jog and run the course.
It would not have been possible without your support!
The community helped to raise an impressive $110,000 which will help us provide invaluable support services, education and resources for those impacted by dementia.
Maree McCabe AM, CEO,
Dementia Australia
There's profit and profit
I was surprised to see Peter Martin ("Simple solution for price gouging", February 28) writing that Coles had a profit margin of 8.7 per cent and Woolworths 9.6 per cent. Profit is reckoned on the cost price, not the selling price. Taking costs as being the difference between sales and earnings, and using the figures he supplied, Coles made 9.6 per cent and Woolworths made 10.6 per cent.
Bronis Dudek, Farrer
Send us a letter to the editor
- Letters to the editor should be kept to 250 or fewer words. To the Point letters should not exceed 50 words. Reference to The Canberra Times reports should include a date and page number. Provide a phone number and address (only your suburb will be published). 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.