Canberrans would benefit greatly by stopping Light Rail Stage2B at Albert Hall. Money saved could be used to reduce debt and prioritise construction of much needed community projects,” says letter writer RON SAIT, of Richardson.

Authorities could consider stopping construction of Light Rail Stage2B at Albert Hall.

The benefits could include: 

1. Stopping Stage 2B at Albert Hall until Stage 1 is repaid in 2039 would defer about $2 billion of costs 
2. Avoids ACT Government debt repayments becoming around 20 per cent of the ACT Budget 
3. Avoiding a possible downgrading of ACT’s S&P Global Rating.
4. Providing access for northside passengers to the Parliamentary Triangle.
5. Some of $2 billion deferred could reduce debt and construct much needed community infrastructure like those deferred in the 2026-27 ACT Budget including Casey Police Station, Molonglo Valley SES Building and the Kingston Arts Precinct.
6. Providing more work for local businesses by bringing forward projects such as playground revamps, sportsground and changeroom improvements.
7. Allowing more government homes to be built, renovated and repaired
8. Deferring about nine kilometres of Stage2B construction saves around 50,000 tonnes of CO2 being emitted into the atmosphere and allows researchers more time to develop green steel and concrete.
9. A Woden indoor 50m pool and dive tower could be built earlier for the forecast 150,000 residents.

Canberrans would benefit greatly by stopping Light Rail Stage2B at Albert Hall. Money saved could be used to reduce debt and prioritise construction of much needed community projects.

Ron Sait, Richardson

Special treatment Israel wants to end

Herman van de Brug says that all countries should be treated equally, but Israel receives special treatment (letters, CN August 13).

He’s absolutely right, but not the way he means. 

Every year the UN passes more motions condemning Israel than every other country combined. Israel is the only country that has a standing agenda item at the UN Human Rights Council, while many genuinely human rights-abusing regimes are all but ignored.

Palestinian refugees have a UN body devoted to them – UNRWA – while all other refugees come under one other body – the UNHCR.

Israel would love the special treatment to end.

Herman complains Ed Husic wasn’t given the chance to speak at the ALP National Conference. Ed Husic wanted the ALP’s platform to accuse Israel of genocide. 

Military experts say Israel takes unprecedented steps to avoid civilian casualties, including warning through leaflet drops, phone calls and text messages of impending attacks and setting up humanitarian corridors, achieving a better civilian-to-combatant casualty ratio than in any other recent urban war. And this is despite the Hamas human-shield strategy.

No other country acting this way would be accused of genocide. Just more special treatment for Israel.

Alan Shroot, Forrest

Media mute on alleged debauchery

The Sydney Swans sexual assault incident has taken the attention of the nation. Immediately it is being addressed by the mainstem media according to the values of woke culture, its therapeutic idea of truth and language of victimhood, privilege, oppression and blame.

The context is that a group of high-profile male sports stars are alleged to have arranged for a small number of women to join them in a hotel room at 4am for “adult entertainment” of some type.

I believe both parties are arguably guilty of serious wrongful behaviour in creating the occasion and far more significantly in the underlying debauchery. Yet the media does not think it is worth a comment.

If society is to survive it must conform to the objective truths about our human nature centred on the sacredness of our sexuality and its role in marriage and the family, the institution that has made Western civilisation possible.

John L Smith, Farrer

Queensland is starting to look good! 

Errol MacGregor’s letter (CN August 13) on whether we are getting value for our money from self government is accurate, but overly polite.

Please allow me to pick up Errol’s theme in more direct language.

The Legislative Assembly does not pass the pub test. Its collective presence falls short in enhancing the tax/rate payers of this place.

Some of this is attributable to the voters who keep legging this lot into office; a shame they don’t look more closely at competence, efficiency and proven records, with less focus on popularity, thus spending less time complaining afterwards.

The horse has bolted and its too late to slam the gate. We can now only moan about it and hopefully correct our failings at the next election. That said, Queensland is starting to look good! 

John Lawrence via email

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