News location:

Canberra Today 17°/20° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Letters / Off with the blinkers, Andrew

SUSAN Helyar’s article (“Why Barr can do more for Canberra”, CN December 8) was well directed.

quillHowever, I think with Andrew Barr it is not so much a question of how he can do better but how he can direct his efforts better.

His main aims are centralisation and light rail.

In the view of many who think like Susan Helyar, he should change tack and prioritise decentralisation and, most importantly, affordable housing.

Centralisation is already clogging the main arteries into Civic and light rail will not solve that.

Providing more infrastructure such as government offices, courts and any other infrastructure he has planned to the town centres would remove the necessity for light rail.

Affordable housing is essential. Our youth suicide rate is climbing not only in Canberra but Australia-wide. One reason is unemployment opportunities for youth, the other is no prospect of ever owning a home.

Andrew Barr should take off his blinkers and try to act like the leader of a Labor Party.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

Experts should agree

I REJECT the ugly patch which has spread through the quilt of our justice system whereby appeals are consistently lodged on the grounds of mental disorder, many involving self-choice drug use.

At least in more serious cases, including murder, the core consideration must be whether the accused could discern right from wrong at the time of the offence.

Consequently, to safeguard justice, and before any appeal is determined, a majority of two out of three specialists should be required to agree that an accused could not do this.

Colliss Parrett, Barton

 

Who can be trusted?

In a world of spin and confusion, there’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in Canberra.

If you trust our work online and want to enforce the power of independent voices, I invite you to make a small contribution.

Every dollar of support is invested back into our journalism to help keep citynews.com.au strong and free.

Become a supporter

Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

Share this

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

Follow us on Instagram @canberracitynews