IT’S all very well for columnist John Griffiths (“Why are we listening to the wowsers”, CN June 23) to advocate for the right of grown adults to drink all night and for businesses to make a profit from them.

But why should Canberra’s ratepayers have to provide several million dollars each year for the police presence necessary to manage the consequent violence and disorder?

Is all-night binge drinking really an activity the community should support?

Stephen Brown, Forrest

Griffiths is joking, right?

IS columnist John Griffiths serious or having a joke with us? If he is serious then he has a problem (“Why are we listening to the wowsers”, CN June 23).

He says wearing ugg boots shows a concerning lack of self-respect, yet condones binge drinking because the participants are adults.

Because some of us don’t go out on the town drinking until all hours doesn’t mean we don’t see the problems.

The drinkers may be adults, but they show a remarkable lack of self-discipline and a complete lack of concern for their family, friends, and the emergency services and police who have to live with the carnage that often results from their binge drinking.

I was told by a surgeon that about 75 per cent of admissions in emergency are due directly or indirectly to binge drinking.

John also asks why we are seeking to deny grown adults the right to make their own decisions. Wake up, John, we did that with smokers so why is drinking any different? We also took the revenue from the cigarette shops and manufacturers!

Vi Evans via email

Refugees a long-term gain!

IN response to Don Bach’s letter (” “Refugee intakes a long-term drain”, CN, June 23), I believe the refugee intake is our long-term gain!

We all hope for world stability but this is not the reality of our time. It would be beneficial for Mr Bach to have a look at the Refugee Council of Australia’s Facebook page.

I see families in our city with two expensive cars, more than one house, annual holidays and two good incomes. We are not all doing it tough in comparison to Syria or Iran, for example.

I see and know refugees who are great contributors (actually wanting to help our homeless) and, from first-hand experience, helping the disabled.

I seriously don’t think Mr Bach has much knowledge of refugees when he exhibits such a lack of understanding about persecution in their country of origin; it is no fun leaving behind your family and friends and fleeing.

Margaret Freeman via email

Bad drivers in bad conditions

DRIVING to Sydney from Canberra last weekend, given the extremely bad weather, rain , fog etcetera, I was amazed the number of vehicles either without lights or illegally using so called “fog lights” to dazzle other drivers, either in the opposite direction or from behind.