Letter writer PETER TAIT says that to get better decisions about how we want Canberra to be, we need two things…

COLUMNIST Paul Costigan asks (CN, May 14) can’t we do better than this lot of local politicians?

The answer is: that’s up to us.

To get better decisions about how we want Canberra to be, we need two things. Firstly, we need MLAs who will work with the voters using (with some improvements) the type of community deliberations that the government used in 2018.

Secondly, we need to vote strategically in this year’s election to select candidates who can show that they will work with us, the people, on creating ways to listen and involve us.

Choosing those candidates (beyond the party policy line) will be made easier by the Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy. 

Again for this year’s election, they are inviting all candidates to tell voters: what qualifies them to be an MLA, how they intend to involve the community and what they are committing to do to strengthen democracy in the ACT. They will publish candidates’ responses on their website to help voters to choose the candidates who will work with and for us, the people.

Peter Tait, secretary, Canberra Alliance for Participatory Democracy

Where’s Jack when you need him?

WHAT the ACT badly needs these days is someone like Jack Mundey. Someone who can stand up to the Barr government and put a stop to the way it is ruining this beautiful bush capital with its ad hoc planning. 

The Barr government and Malcolm Snow are hell bent on “transforming” the Acton waterfront precinct. 

If only we had a Jack Mundey to fight for us to keep their grubby hands off our beautiful lake. We love the lake just the way it is. It just needs a bit of maintenance to keep it neat and tidy, not 2000 apartments.

Ann Cooper, Wanniassa

Well done, Michael Moore

WELL done, political columnist Michael Moore on a great article about bullying billionaires and the Chinese Communist Party. I also enjoyed John Lawrence’s letter . I hate to disagree, John, but while the Green Hornet might make an excellent candidate for the ACT Legislative Assembly, unfortunately, apart from not being an Australian citizen he also is not real.

John might find some consolation in the knowledge that the current ACT government seems to be getting a lot of its economic advice from the Tooth Fairy. 

Bill Stefaniak, candidate, Belco Party