Letter writer TIM MATHER says any society that elects a government of the same party for 24 years is asking to be subdued and subject to dictatorship.

LIKE Ken Begg (“Seven Days”, June 25), I also received the upsetting letter from the ACT government stating I was a dangerous driver. I immediately realised this was a normal snafu I expect from this dictatorial-becoming-tyrannical, government. 

ACT residents have an opportunity later this year to institute a change in standards of governance which, in the last few years, have dropped substantially.

Canberrans have a reputation for being the most educated of any society in Australia, but any society that elects a government of the same party for 24 years is asking to be subdued and subject to dictatorship. It does not matter the change, any alteration stimulates different thinking and rejuvenates political debate.

Tim Mather, via email

Looking for leadership

I AM starting to wonder just how conservative and asleep-at-the-wheel the federal government is. 

We have a country that is owned in large part by others, some of whom are not our real friends and we have no real control over what they do (e.g. Darwin Port). 

We need some leadership. The government’s recent decision to offer grants to renovate is being given to those who can afford to build bigger homes, and at the expense of others who have less. 

We have homeless people from the fires who are still not getting their help and now we offer grants to those who can afford it most. How are we “all in this together”?

We have people from the bottom of society who could do with a hand up, and now another 6000 Qantas people have lost their jobs. I hope JobSeeker will continue until late next year or until our economy can pick up again. 

To give some credit, the Liberals were elected on good, safe policy against an opposition that stank to high heaven. At a local level, Labor stinks but the Canberra Liberals are very quiet and not throwing punches where needed. Some even ask: “Who is Alistair Coe?” I remember Kate Carnell – always visible.

Russ Morison, Theodore

Some ‘smart’ thinking

WENDY Macklin’s feature (CN, June 25) on a new smart TV in her household prompts questions in relation to anything with the word “smart” in front of it. 

Is it ecologically sound? How much noise does it make? How much energy does it use? Are you exposed to harmful radiofrequency radiation? Does it make your life more complicated? Are you under surveillance with your privacy compromised? Is it addictive? Is it really necessary at all?

Murray May, Cook

Power to the paper!

I WAS delighted to see that Bishop Pat Power had written another article in “CityNews”. His opinions are so uplifting in these difficult times. I also would like to congratulate you on all the wide range of opinions in “City News” – it is a must to pick up on a Thursday. Please continue to encourage Pat Power to keep writing.

Katherine McCarthy, Deakin

Mary has her reasons

I PICK up “CityNews” every week mainly because it is not full of real-estate advertising and because it is useful for current information about Canberra. 

I am a keen gardener and enjoy Cedric Bryant’s articles, too. Thoroughly enjoying the articles by Pat Power, a very inspiring man in our community. Please keep up the good work.

Mary Boyle, via email

When police lose heart

MY letter about US police (“Police may see themselves as aggrieved”, CN, June 18) suggested they may be developing a bunker complex because they feel society is against them. 

On June 26, “The Daily Telegraph” reported through a New York source (“Police sit back as shootings rise”) that NY had 125 shootings in the first three weeks of that month, the worst since 1996. 

A separate report from Chicago was that a text was sent to police saying: “Just answer your calls and back each other up. Other than that, zero”. 

That city and others have reported shootings have risen by a third this year. It seems little different to soldiers losing faith in a war when support from their commanders and folk back home is not detectable.

Colliss Parrett, Barton