A CAUTION to other political parties, an embarrassment to Minister Rattenbury, but congratulations to TAMS rangers who removed the Greens’ signs from the Adelaide Avenue nature strip last week.

A worry, however, that a group that wishes to represent Canberra in the Senate knows so little about our laws.

Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla

 Make Canberra marginal

IT would appear from the Superannuation/Defence pension indexation meeting of August 6 that the pollies are still paying lip-service to any suggestion for equitable treatment in this respect. Kate Lundy in particular shows just how the Senate has become a useless relic of the past. It was designed to represent the States, but Lundy made it clear that she only supports the party machine, not her constituents. This time-serving Senator of nearly 20 years needs to be replaced, especially after what can only be called her “brown-nosing” approach to her recent performances under Julia Gillard.

And Mike Kelly is not much better. When are Canberrans going to realise that the only way they are going to be properly represented is when they turn the ACT into a marginal State?

Ric Hingee, Duffy

Lessons unlearnt

IF politicians, over recent years, had tried to demolish the previous policy of ordered entry of refugees they could not have done better. Processing teams, including selection officers and doctors, were sent in the mid/late ‘70s to countries bordering Vietnam after that war ended and, in co-operation with the UNHCR, refugees were flown here to new lives.

Then the role of overseas selection officers was virtually abandoned.

If immigration had understood six years ago that early intervention meant going to the start of the problem, i.e. source and transit countries, 1000 plus people would not have died.

Experts tell us it has cost $5 billion so far for nearly 50,000 arrivals – or $100,000 per person. For that amount we could have sent an army of selection officers and doctors to repeat the successful Vietnam experience. Why do we have history, if not to learn from?

Colliss Parrett, Barton

 Breathtaking cynicism

THE astonishingly cynical ALP campaign about tobacco industry donations suggests the US Democrats recruited by the ALP are at work. They are “slimemasters”.

Anyone that has followed US politics will know the style of ads, and politics. It is not about policy but pure negativity (ironically from the ALP who has, apparently, criticised such tactics).

For the record, I am no friend of the tobacco industry and would not touch them, but the ALP in government is happy to take money from the tobacco industry in the form of excise and company tax revenue.

Apparently, tobacco is so offensive that it is still perfectly legal. It is a great revenue source, so good that the Government is happy to increase its revenue from it. The cynicism is breathtaking, just like tobacco!

Martin Gordon, Flynn