IT is over 10 years since I helped set up the Community Alliance Party, now called the Community Action Party (CAP).

“CityNews” carried a front page article on the formation of the party in its March 6, 2008 issue and the launch of CAP was held at the Albert Hall and addressed by Prof Jenny Stewart and ex-National Capital Development Commission head, Tony Powell.

The CAP was set up to help redress problems resulting from majority government and its lack of consultation, and to promote more attention being paid to social justice issues. With an election coming up it is time to address the problems of a Labor Government, apparently held hostage by developers and big business interests, and an insipid opposition.

My major in political science from the ANU would suggest that we need a non-aligned party or independents who can hold the balance of power and who are then able to force the major parties to recognise the importance of catering to the needs of many ordinary people such as the low paid, the homeless, those coping with mental health issues, the young and those confronted by ever increasing rate rises, extra charges and levies.

In other words, all those not benefiting from the promotion of unfettered population growth in the ACT; a policy designed to address increased rate requirements and the demands of developers and big business.

So I urge those who understand my sentiments to join the CAP or any other party with a social justice conscience or support an independent with similar views. Those interested in joining CAP can express an interest to communityactionpartycap@gmail.com

Ric Hingee, Duffy

‘Completely ignored’ by bureaucracy

I WOULD like to lend our support to columnist Paul Costigan’s citynews.com.au article on Section 72 at Dickson (“Crunch time looms for Dickson parklands”),

We are the proprietors and operators of the Parklands Apartments, which are on the eastern end of Section 72, off Hawdon Place.

We are based in Brisbane and only found out about the proposals when we noticed a piece in your magazine about a year ago, on Homeground.

We have made various submissions, which have all been met with responses that indicate that we are all hugely in favour of community housing, which we are not.

We have enjoyed our nice quiet position since 2005 when we bought the property, even though our immediate surrounds consist of derelict buildings or a vacant lot where the planetarium was. We now understand that a new road is to cut in beside our hotel on an east-west axis. Having seen the plans and made submissions as to what we would like to see next door we have been completely ignored, other than for standard PR blurbs.

John Gates, Newstead, Queensland

Do your research, Yvonne

LETTER writer Yvonne Dickson states: “It makes me crazy when I see old men stating” about climate change (CN, letters, June 13). Why pick on old men? This is a sexist and ageist comment.

It is not only men, old or otherwise, that don’t believe in the climate-change scare.

Yvonne isn’t on her own about being made crazy, except what makes me crazy is the people who will not accept that climate change on earth has been going on in both directions for millions of years.

She – like a lot of other people – needs to do her research just like I have, instead of blindly following the rhetoric from the people who have a vested interest in selling the renewables.

Even Patrick Moore (former president of Greenpeace International) has now stated that the world needs carbon dioxide and without it this would be a dead planet. He says the crops and trees will not grow and we will have no food. Maybe there is too much carbon dioxide produced in some countries, but that is not the case in Australia.

Vi Evans via email

Wrong target, Mr Dorin

I HAVE found the “Dose of Dorin” cartoons quirky over the years, some amusing and some so-so (and so it was on penalty rates, CN, June 13). I am sure the PM would like to take credit for a lot of stuff, and there is plenty he could. But changing penalty rates is definitely not one.

The responsibility for simplifying award penalty rates in hospitality was an action of the Fair Work Commission (FWC) headed by Iain Ross.

Iain was appointed by the previous Labor government, and formerly was a senior official at the ACTU. The same man presided over the recent 3 per cent rise in the minimum wage, which has been well received (including by the government) in addressing low wage growth (which is actually a global problem).

I have a labour market economics background, and have been pleasantly surprised by some of Iain Ross’ decisions (given his background might suggest certain outcomes). He appears to have found the common ground, delivering decisions that try to make workplace relations work, simpler and sustainable.

I don’t know what dose Paul Dorin was on, but I’ll just assume it was the flu.

Martin Gordon, Dunlop