LIVING in Canberra since 1980, I can’t agree more with the Grumpy column readers who’ve written about the appalling state of neglect our beautiful city has been enduring for a while now regarding rubbish and dirt in public areas.

Another aspect of this neglect is the number of street names and other signs that can’t be read because they’re covered by tree branches. What are our urban/municipal services politicians doing? Can’t they see this shabby state of affairs as they drive around Canberra?

Vivien, Holt

Politicians’ pay jump an ‘insult’

THE latest four per cent pay rise for ACT politicians, taking Chief Minister Andrew Barr’s salary to $299,000, makes it an increase of seven per cent across the board in two years.

What an insult to ACT ratepayers’ intelligence who continually incur many and varied tax and levy increases to support the many and varied agendas.

And from October, the ACT ratepayers will have to humour 25 ACT Assembly members, exciting times ahead.

Michael Attwell, Dunlop

Why the delays?

IN the light of recommendations by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians for governments to reduce alcohol levels for drivers initially to 0.02, some in the community believe education is the answer to Australia’s grog problems.

Education has to play a role, but even more important is what is taught and how. For example, after 30 years of education on illicit drugs the ABS media release of February 24 reported that, at 411,686 in 2014-15, the number of illicit drug offences has increased every year since 2008-09 and are the principal offences nationally.

Some also emphasise we should find out why youngsters drink to excess. Yes, this research should go ahead. But we haven’t waited to know the answer to this question before increasing penalties for drink-driving and coward-punches, so why delay national restrictions on what is a national problem?

Colliss Parrett, Barton