“Among Trump’s demands [are] that the global community purchase shoddier American-made products in preference to superior European items under threat of severe tariffs on foreign-made goods,” says letter writer JOHN MURRAY, of Fadden.

How appropriate that the second coming of DJ Trump coincides with the Pompeii exhibition at the National Museum detailing the utter destruction of that sophisticated city, its surrounds and populace. 

In lieu of the smoke and tremors of 79 BC, portents of economic and social ruination are among his demands that the global community purchase shoddier American made products in preference to superior European items under threat of severe tariffs on foreign-made goods.

Such policy would allow free rein for US manufacturers to further minimise quality control mechanisms thus placing vehicles of lesser reliability and prestige on international motorways and, with Airbus shackled by punitive imposts, permit Boeing to assemble more aircraft that have engines and doors falling off in flight, if not nose-diving into the ocean. 

There is hypocrisy also in aspects of the planned immigration and birthright restrictions, for in the marriage stakes neither Trump nor his vice-president chose all-American spouses. Melania is pure European and while Usha Vance was born in California, as her parents were Indian immigrants, under planned amendments she would not have been deemed a US citizen.

Coupled with his release and pardoning of the braying and felonious deplorables who invaded the Capitol Building when their king-without-clothes was defeated, this nascent political quadrennial may well warrant an additional verse to the US national anthem concluding with words elsewhere attributed to Stephen Sondheim: “Send in the clowns, don’t bother, they’re here”. 

John Murray, Fadden 

Let us think and behave kindly

I refer to Antonio Di Dio’s Kindness column (CN January 23). Thank you, Antonio, I always appreciate reading your column, and thank you for your observations this week regarding kindness. 

As you said: “Next time you watch ugly anger and rage on the news, try standing in their shoes first.” Before we judge, we need to do this.

Like Antonio’s family, and like most of us, I have had rough experiences in my life. But do we advance in any way if we simply judge and dismiss people as cheating, wicked, violent – as lesser beings? 

I too have learned how judging negatively often creates more harm than good. It even diminishes our own wellbeing. So, let us think kindly. Let us understand what it would have been like in different eras, different circumstances. Let us behave kindly. And also a huge personal thank you to Dr Di Dio, who long ago used to be my GP!

Jane Allen, Fisher

Sensible, excellent crop of letters

I have to congratulate City News on an excellent crop of letters in its edition of January 23.

All well written, sensible, to the point and of topical interest, I particularly liked BM Bodart-Bailey and Dr Jenny Stewart’s contributions and look forward to more such letters in the future.

Ric Hingee, Duffy 

Teasing apart truth from a belief

The average Australian consumes about two hours of social media “news” every day. Given the widely varying sources and accuracy of this information, it is clear people don’t possess the time or resources to verify if they are being presented with the truth.

However, there is a difference between being accidentally misinformed and being willfully ignorant. Even when presented with fact-checked information from reputable sources, people still believe what they want to believe.

I have long felt that people struggle to tease apart an objective truth from a belief, and now there’s a podcast tailored to suit and reinforce every opinion. 

It seems that the quest for information is not to be informed, but to justify what people want to believe.

Liana Sangster, Griffith

Another nail in the coffin of good governance 

The start of light rail stage 2a this week is another nail in the coffin of good governance in the territory.

The government has not justified its adoption of light rail. The alternative of bus rapid transport was analysed for Stage 1 (Civic to Gungahlin) and found to deliver similar benefits at half the cost. 

It has contemptuously dismissed or ignored calls to provide evidence for the decision, an attitude framed in the context of an unelectable opposition, a disinterested electorate and a compliant bureaucracy.

How did it determine light rail should be a higher priority than housing, health and education? 

• Did it examine whether extending the coverage and frequency of the bus network could be more effective in reducing car use than light rail? 
• Has it deliberately overstated the city shaping benefits of light rail given the strong demand for higher density housing in areas not served by light rail? 
• Has it assessed the risk to light rail from the likely future widespread adoption of driverless cars? 
• Has it considered the impact of increased working from home and improved electric bus technology on the need for light rail?

The inability of the government to provide such information suggests the decision was an act of faith, which is increasingly revealing itself to be a poor use of funds and detrimental to the welfare of the community. 

Its opaque and inadequate governance is a betrayal of the trust placed in it by the community. A responsible government would review the project as part of a comprehensive evaluation of the territory’s planning and transport strategies.

Mike Quirk, Garran

Dutton not genuine about combating climate

Mike Quirk asks: “Is Peter Dutton a genuine addressor of energy needs and climate change or Gina Rinehart’s and the fossil-fuel lobby’s toyboy?” (Letters, CN January 23). 

National Party senator Matt Canavan doesn’t think Dutton is genuine. In an August appearance on the National Conservative Institute podcast, Canavan said the Coalition was “not serious” about nuclear power, that it was a “political fix” and “ain’t the cheapest form of power”. 

Dutton is also not genuine about combating climate change. He wants to scrap the 2030 emissions target and has no policies to reduce emissions in the transport and agriculture sectors. 

He is beholden to the fossil-fuel lobby and last month, mining magnate Gina Rinehart hosted two private political fundraisers at her private homes in Queensland to directly support Dutton’s campaign. 

As journalist for the Australian Financial Review, Mark Di Stefano, puts it: “There may be a time when he [Dutton] needs to make a decision in the national interest that directly goes against Rinehart. Will he do it?”

Ray Peck, Hawthorn, Victoria

Abandon tram extensions… like yesterday!

Light rail has some benefits, but there are many more downsides. Financials aside, the aim of any public transport system is to move travellers quickly to their destinations.

Canberra has never been able to do that. Even replacing buses with light rail will not improve travel time. 

I’ve compared travel time now to 20 years ago and travel times have not improved in that time – that’s why only seven per cent of the travelling public use it. Hardly marketable is it?

We could have a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) like Brisbane Metro, which is a light rail lookalike. Using its own busway, it was faster than a car by the same route. It is spacious, comfortable and will take 170 passengers.

Its 21-kilometre route cost was $1.55 billion as compared to Stage 2a’s 1.7 kilometres for $1.32 billion and we expect the route to Woden to cost no less than $4 billion.

I believe 2a and 2b should be abandoned like yesterday. It is too expensive, does nothing to kill emissions, diverts much-needed funds from other significant needs in favour of BRT or electric buses with dedicated busways.

Investing in projects that make money eg a convention centre will earn $4 for every $1 invested, compared to our tram which earns 49 cents for every dollar invested, makes sense. High-capacity electric buses or BRT could be delivered quickly with little disruption.

Russ Morison, co-author of 21st Century Public Transport Solutions for Canberra

I was there when Bradman played at Manuka

How appropriate that the large recent crowds in Melbourne and Sydney at the Test matches are being compared by the media to the “Bradman era”. 

It was in February 1963, at Canberra’s Manuka Oval, that Don Bradman, then in his early fifties, made the most famous comeback and played his last game. 

It was for the Prime Minister’s XI against England and, as the anniversary of that looms large, it may be worth recalling that day through the eyes of a 12-year-old, new to this country, “fresh off the boat”, not too good in English, but already under cricket’s spell. 

When the announcement about Bradman was made, the Canberra of that day went into overdrive. Red Hill Primary was buzzing, teachers were more than a little excited and our neighbours in downtown Narrabundah were initially speechless and then couldn’t talk about anything else. It’s doubtful if this country’s ever produced a more significant sports person. 

How things have changed, back then Menzies was in charge, “climate change” simply meant a new season and the Western Bulldogs were still Footscray. In Canberra, it snowed regularly and, for those of us from Europe, a near religious experience.

So cometh the day, off we went, all 10,000 of us, to attend the “Twilight of the Gods”. An absolute full house, you couldn’t move. The old expression “batting after Bradman” is well known, but batting before him must have been beyond nerve racking. People wanting to see the back of you so Bradman could bat would have been quite character building.

Then, almost thankfully, a wicket fell and Bradman enters. Quite small, light of build, it was difficult to imagine how this bloke could have so terrorised the opposition.

His first and, from memory. only scoring shot was a crisp boundary, with so little effort that he may as well have been shelling peas. 

Then the almost unthinkable, he was bowled! It wasn’t clean, he played on and that bloody bail dropped. The groan of the crowd would have registered on the Richter scale, but that was only to be expected. 

The enduring memory for me was the reaction of the England players. Complete and utter despair. Hands on heads, bent over in anguish and this was an England team not to be trifled with, containing some of their best ever players. Captained by Dexter, it included future captains, May, Cowdrey and I think Graveney.

The reaction to Bradman’s dismissal was the thing. It took years for me to figure out that the England players were also there to witness and enjoy a long Bradman innings, thus providing the opportunity to dine out on having played against him for the rest of their lives. 

The last thing they wanted was his early dismissal. How unfortunate that Bradman didn’t follow the example of the legendary Dr WG Grace. The story goes that when a young county bowler clipped his off bail, the good Doctor simply replaced it and explained to the startled youngster that “they’re here to watch me bat, lad, and not thee bowl”. We’d have all looked the other way had Bradman done something similar.

Having subsequently had the great privilege of playing cricket and football on that Manuka Oval a hundred times over, the bigger buzz for me is to tell anyone still silly enough to listen, that I was there when Bradman returned. Say no more

Frank Breglec, Fadden

Content to enjoy wine I can afford

In his Wine column (“There’s wine people and normal people”, CN January 30), Richard Calver reviewed a book titled Wine for Normal People. 

Its author, American Elizabeth Schneider, wrote that “Australia is all at sea in terms of identity”. She is partly right and, in my view, partly wrong.

The vast bulk of Australian wine, including the ultra-successful Yellow Tail brand, comes from large irrigated vineyards in the NSW Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (around Griffith and Yenda) and SA’s  Riverland (around Renmark and Berri). Most of the rest is the result of bottling blends from selected high-production, undistinguished sites in SA’s Barossa Valley, Limestone Coast, Coonawarra and Wrattonbully; with a little from the renowned McLaren Vale. Even Penfolds Grange is a blend of cabernet sauvignon and shiraz from several carefully selected SA vineyards.

My association with a professional wine-judging group ended 24 years ago, but I have never forgotten the art of wine appreciation, judgment and recognition of vineyard site (“terroir”). 

This has led to my finding favourites among the bewildering selection of labels on wine merchants’ racks. These include McLaren Vale shiraz, Clare Valley riesling and most single-vineyard, single-variety wines from the Adelaide Hills. Henschke Hill of Grace shiraz is in the last category. Alas, like Grange, with its four-figure price, I can no longer afford it. I am content to drink enjoyable wine that I can afford.

Dr Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

Hokey pokey’s what it’s all about

Happy New Year to all, even to those who fail to recognise my innate profundity. Speaking of which, columnist Clive Williams (CN, January 2), is becoming even more whimsically profound as we move into 2025.

His entertaining list really stimulated my memories and intellectual juices.

Starting in my comics period, I too puzzled over why no one recognised Clark Kent was Superman with glasses (not even in the movies). Then came puberty and I began searching for the tiniest hint of whiskery growth, but never connected it with the puzzle of why Tarzan never had a beard despite being a jungle dweller. Still, the answer was obvious: Tarzan’s alter ego would never have missed his daily scrape when he visited his English roots as the sartorially immaculate Viscount Greystoke.

But please don’t mention Barbie. As a young father with three daughters, not only did I have to buy separate sets of Barbie’s friends for each of them, but they insisted I shell out for the most expensive accessory of the time – a Barbie campervan. Thank heavens they settled for just one into which they jammed the entire Barbie/mates menagerie.

Finally, the answer to whether the hokey cokey really is what it’s all about is dead easy. For us dinkum Aussies it ain’t; only the Poms are “cokeyed” up. In our love of all things septic tank, we’ve always known that the US-based hokey pokey (sic) is definitely what it’s all about. End of discussion.

Eric Hunter, Cook

It takes a brave man to admit he was wrong

Robert Macklin cannot resist having a go at Christianity (Now for the main bout where truth versus fantasy, CN January 2). 

He has similar qualities to Peter Dutton who, although he has heard many arguments against his nuclear power policy, doggedly persists in promoting it.

Both men are likely to blindly persist in their follies. It takes a brave man to admit he was wrong or even to tweak his main arguments.

Bill Shorten would’ve won the 2019 election if he had modified Labor’s negative gearing and franking credits policy in light of information gained during the election campaign. It also would’ve shown he was listening to the electorate.

Herman van de Brug, Holt 

Keep CityNews and The Canberra Times!

Bill Brown believes that the Canberra Times is on a “journey of obliteration” (letters, December 19). 

I for one hope he is not right. I need my local newspaper. If the support of businesses that operate in the ACT is necessary to keep the paper financially viable, which I understand to be the case from what has been published in the CT over recent years, then we should thank those businesses for their ongoing support. I imagine the same can be said for CityNews! We have the choice not to read the advertisements.

I have been a loyal supporter of The Canberra Times since I arrived in Canberra nearly 60 years ago. Certainly, it is not the paper it used to be, in particular with significantly less local news than used to be the case. 

I am not interested in relying on my phone or computer to read about what is happening in our local area. 

I also look forward to the weekly edition of CityNews to provide valuable and interesting alternative commentary on issues relevant to the ACT. There is a place for both papers. 

I should add that I have no personal interest in either publication and that I will send a copy of this letter to the Canberra Times, as Mr Brown says he did.

Peter Forster, Curtin