LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS Every spy in the country must be angling for hospitality jobs in the pubs, clubs and restaurants in and around Parliament House given information about AUKUS is casually exchanged and needs to be committed to paper in the wee hours of the morning. David Perkins, Reid WE NEED PEOPLE The birth rate is well below replacement level, an existential crisis that barely rates a mention. Yet Jenna Price thinks humanity has to fix a few things before women start having more babies. But what's the point in fixing things if there are no humans around in the first place? Vasily Martin, Queanbeyan TIME TO MOVE ON I am sick of post-mortems about The Voice. I voted "yes" and it grieves me, for our First Nations people, that I was not in the majority, but that's democracy. Throwing insults and endless analysis does not change the result. Let's get over it and move on. Barbara Bankovsky, Kaleen WEATHER IS VARIABLE A week ago the climate change brigade were forecasting a long hot and dry summer with bushfires. Eastern Australia has now been drenched. Mother Nature has reminded us the weather is variable. Ian Morison, Forrest DEATH TOLL TOO HIGH If Israel is trying to avoid killing civilians why have there been more than 15,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza alone since October 7, including 6,150 children (accounting for 41 per cent of the Palestinian fatalities)? Why does the death toll include at least 198 Palestinian medics, 112 UN staff and 70 journalists and media workers? J Brooks, Holt DUTOON NO SILK PURSE News Ltd is using Simon Benson and Denis Shanahan to reinvent Dutton. Unfortunately, as everybody knows, you cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Jon Jovanovic, Lenah Valley, Tas CUTS BOTH WAYS Palestine also has a right to exist. (Letters, December 1). Kenneth Griffiths, O'Connor THE HURLEY BURLEY'S DONE You've published more letters commenting on the Voice. Maaate. It's all over red rover. Done and dusted. Correct weight has been declared. Vincent Komorovskaya, Chiang Mai, Thailand CLAIMIS FALSE Peter Marshall says Israel is taking Palestinian hostages on the West Bank (Letters, December 3). That's not true. Palestinian terrorist activity and other violence has ramped up since the war started. Israel is detaining more people in response. Sharon Wilson, Uriarra Village JUST BLAME GOVERNMENT Mario Stivala (Letters, December 4) is right. The government erred in putting two issues into the referendum question. It should have realised most Australians (mainly males) aren't capable of understanding more than one thing at a time. It's always easier to blame the government. Eric Hunter, Cook WE ARE DOOMED Mark Sproat ("The tide is rising", Letters, December 4) don't worry, be happy, it's all too late. Climate feedback loops are in place and so strong that it doesn't matter what we do, catastrophe is inevitable. Kenneth Griffiths, O'Connor ON CLIMATE DENIAL I've long wondered what the climate deniers, who have prevented serious countermeasures for 30 years, would say when they finally have to take their fingers out of their ears. I think Mark Sproat (Letters, December 4) said it all. Peter Dutton, on the other hand, is still claiming to be able to tell the real threats from fake ones. S W Davey, Torrens HOSPITAL CRISIS Anthony Bruce (Letters, December 4) says patients go to hospital "to get better". Many Japanese, reflecting on how they hear us pronounce "day", think Australians say they're "going to hospital to die". Given the state of some of our hospitals that might not be far from reality. Keith Hill, Canberra City Olympic gold medalist swimmer Klete Keller who joined the mob who stormed the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 to mount an " attack on the seat of American democracy " was sentenced to six months home detention, 3 year probation and 360 hours of community service. Keller told the judge " I have no excuse for why I am in front of you today. I understand my actions were criminal and that I am fully responsible for my conduct " ( AP/FT 4/12/23 ). Trump should do the same and man up and take full responsibility for his role in instigating that abhorrent attack. But Trump is not renown for admitting any wrong doing even when there is clear evidence of it! Rajend Naidu 36 Atlantic blvd Glenfield Car makers are not fudging fuel consumption figures on new cars ("Tests reveal how car makers fudge on economy, emissions" 3/12 p7). Australian vehicle design rules require consumption to be tested in a specified manner and the result to be printed on a sticker attached to new cars. If people have a problem with the figures being incorrect, their ire should be directed at the regulators. Yours faithfully Stephen Jones 38/63 Hurtle Avenue Bonython SHORTS XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX Claim was ill-informed Mr White of Queanbeyan, in his letter "Too cynical for words" does total injustice to the efforts of the IDF in helping with the dire circumstances at the Al-Shifa Hospital. It is well known that Hamas was using that hospital, along with others, as a storage facility and a launching place for attacks on Israel. They knew that they were deliberately breaking international law to use it in such a way. The administrative staff of the hospital knew what was going on, they weren't ignorant of Hamas' use of it. Hamas used it as one of their many underground and above ground bases as a front, knowing that the buildings, staff and patients were their "shield". Hamas knew beforehand that an attack would be great propaganda for themselves and bad for Israel. There are many other things that the IDF has done to help the people in Gaza that haven't been reported. Irwin Ross, Higgins Population figures questioned The recently released ABS Population Projections (medium series) project an ACT population substantially lower than projected in the ACT government's medium projection. The ACT government's projection resulted in a 2030 population of 547,300, a 2050 population of 695,700 and a 2060 population of 784,000. The corresponding figures in the ABS projection are 516,500, 638,000 and 689,100. A reduction in the level of overseas migration, to address housing and infrastructure shortfalls, could reduce ACT growth expectations. The ACT government needs to ensure its infrastructure and planning strategies have sufficient flexibility to respond not only to potential population volatility but also to social, economic, technological and behavioural changes. Its refusal to reconsider the need for the high-cost light rail, despite increased working from home and improvements in electric bus technology, suggests it does not possess the necessary agility. Mike Quirk, Garran Dental care essential I agree with Annie Lang that the RBA's Michele Bullock made a big mistake when she suggested that people give up dental or hair care in order to help reduce inflation. Whilst hair care does have a replacement option of doing it at home, dental care is a very important part of our health care. Not only should we all do whatever it takes to preserve our teeth, but dental neglect can lead to tooth loss, gum disease, bad breath and serious illnesses including heart and kidney diseases. I find it very irresponsible of Ms Bullock to suggest giving up on dental care. Marianne Pietersen, Birkdale Red in tooth and claw So, Alex Wallensky (Letters, Nov 29), nature seems now to be behaving in a way that fits with your preferences. That's wonderful for you. But you, and all humans, need to realise that your specist preferences are simply anthropocentric irrelevancies. Animals will behave as animals behave. The magpie will eat the cute skink. Currawongs will harvest lovable baby silvereyes from their nest. Many birds will eat insects. Some species will abandon the runt of the brood to starve in order to give the others, and their own genes, the best chance of survival. We all need to leave animals alone, stop culling, controlling and confining them. By the way, as there are still wattlebirds in Alex's yard, they have clearly been successfully breeding all the time. Nature balances. Mike O'Shaughnessy, Spence XXXXX Don Sephton's letter about Medicare hanging onto claimants' benefits (Letters, December 1) reminded me of a not dissimilar incident relating to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) some years ago. I had inadvertently paid my tax bill twice. Not only did the ATO not alert me to the double payment, but it did not offset that amount against my future tax bills. It was only when my accountant later stumbled across the double payment that we were able to do something about retrieving it. Of course, if a private company held onto money belonging to members of the public, politicians would be quick to condemn the practice. However, because Medicare and ATO are Australian Government entities, they are able to get away with such unconscionable conduct, presumably on the basis that the money is better in their pockets than ours. Gordon Fyfe 10 Faithfull Circuit Kambah David Perkins (November 30) commented on the article "Wilders vote sends a chill across Europe" (November 24) and made some valid points. I was also aware of Dutch people not making much effort to resist the movement of Jewish people targeted for internment and death during WWII. My mother told me many Jews were transferred to trains bound for Germany from Amersfoort and that the station was very busy. I understand there was some resistance from local citizens, especially initially, but it was swiftly put down. The Dutch had experienced WWI. Jews are good in business - another reason why some Dutch people did not like them. However, this is not a merely Dutch phenomenon. In the years after 1975, the new Vietnamese government asked Chinese businesses to close; many moved to the US, leaving a large entrepreneurial hole. Australians generally do not look up to successful people. To make himself more electable Geert Wilders had already clipped his wings when the Dutch went to the polls. Let us hope that his eventual coalition partners will clip them further. We must never forget, nor allow these events to be erased from the history curriculum. At the same time, we must move on and encourage and support people who build bridges, not walls. Yours sincerely Herman van de Brug 42/158 Starke St Holt James Coats (Letters, December 1) refers to gum trees as "awful"; "ugly and sprawling, needlessly high, and poisoning everything beneath them". He then claims that eucalypts "endanger life and limb with their habit treacherous habit of dropping limbs" and that "their shade is pathetic". There are numerous eucalypts in and near my neighbourhood that seem to me quite beautiful, and drop very few, if any limbs, even in gale-force winds. They also throw a deep shadow that is very welcome in the sunnier months. As a bonus, they are frequented, or home to abundant birds of many species. The flammability of eucalypts, which is matched by some fir trees, can be countered by keeping them well clear of buildings. Gum trees will always be identified with Australia, and a welcome part of Australian life. ------------------------------------------------ Dr Douglas Mackenzie 108/67 Macgregor Street Deakin, ACT, 2600 Australia The citizens of Palestine elected Hamas as their Government. Hamas is blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by most countries around the world. Recently, Hamas launched a surprise terrorist attack into Israel, a country with the only democratically elected Government in the Middle East, where they shot, murdered, butchered, decapitated and incinerated 1,200 innocent Israeli citizens and took 239 hostages who are still imprisoned. Israel declared war against Hamas and stated it must destroy Hamas in order to live in peace. Shortly after this some people around Australia held loud and violent demonstrations, encouraged by hate preachers, in support of this infamous, dastardly Hamas terrorist attack against Israel. As your demonstrations clearly showed, your support for the Hamas terrorists, your values and belief systems differ markedly from the majority of Australians. I suggest that if you feel so strongly about the Hamas terrorists you should feel free, at your earliest convenience, to return to your countries of origin in the Middle East where you can provide your direct support to the terrorists. Given your demonstrated violence, hate-filled hearts, and your radical value and belief systems, you will never become true blue Australian citizens. From a very concerned senior citizen and war veteran, Kenneth J Mitchell 10 Adelines Way COFFS HARBOUR NSW Is anyone having the same problem as I have been subjected to by the ACT government. They have planted trees so close to my boundary that mowers can't mow the areas which will create a fire hazard. They have also planted in front of my kitchen window blocking my view to the mountains. They have also planted in front of my back gate blocking access for garden deliveries. Would be interested to know if other residents are having these issues Tony Cook, Kambah Does anybody dispute that the Elgin Marbles are the Greeks' to take back? After all, if Jews felt entitled just post WW2 to forcefully grab lands back that they had last controlled two millennia before, which they've since only insisted ever more are theirs and theirs alone, surely anyone can lay claim to anything they historically possessed, however they came to lose it. Russians and Australian Aboriginals excepted, of course. Regards, Alex Mattea 181 Clarence St Sydney I was very saddened reading Sara Hijazi's heartfelt article "My family's homeland under siege is a daily heartbreak" (November 30), not because I think what she wrote is true, but because she no doubt believes it. Her letter is reflective of how Palestinian youth feel, in Australia, the West Bank and Gaza. Sara writes that she dreams of a world where Palestinians aren't experiencing ethnic cleansing and genocide. She doesn't need to dream it, because it is the world we live in. The Palestinian population of the West Bank and Gaza have increased five times since Israel took those areas in 1967, and all quality-of-life indicators, including life expectancy, infant mortality, literacy, access to education, and access to electricity, have improved exponentially since then, comfortably outstripping surrounding Arab countries. Sara may not even know that Jews are indigenous to Israel, or of the many Israeli offers of a Palestinian state. What hope is there for peace when Palestinian youth are taught and incited to believe such misinformation about Israel? Douglas Randell 182 Temperley Street Nicholls I recently criticized the ACT government for closing one lane of Neptune Street in Woden for the past two years for no reason. Recently. It has been reopened and cleaned up. Whether coincidence or not, they deserve a pat on the back. Rarely given, but deserved in this case! Well done! Peter Haddon 10 Acacia Drive, JERRABOMBERRA NSW David Bates claims (letters 27 Nov) that all Israeli citizens have equal rights. That is patently untrue. Palestinian Israelis have many restrictions which apply only to them, for example, there is discrimination in education, on where they can live, what jobs they can do. British Jewish author Susan Nathan details this inequality in her book, 'The Other Side of Israel'. I urge him to read it and become better informed. Israel is an apartheid state, not only for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza, but also for Palestinian citizens in Israel, who make up around 20% of the population. Kathryn Kelly Chifley XXX David Perkins (November 30) commented on the article "Wilders vote sends a chill across Europe" (November 24) and made some valid points. I was also aware of Dutch people not making much effort to resist the movement of Jewish people targeted for internment and death during WWII. My mother told me many Jews were transferred to trains bound for Germany from Amersfoort and that the station was very busy. I understand there was some resistance from local citizens, especially initially, but it was swiftly put down. While the Netherlands remained neutral in WWI, it ended up experiencing severe supply chain disruptions and food shortages, some of which led to riots and deaths. Jews are also good in business - another reason why some Dutch people did not like them. However, this is not a merely Dutch phenomenon. In the years after 1975, the new Vietnamese government asked Chinese businesses to close; many moved to the US, leaving a large entrepreneurial hole. Australians generally do not look up to successful people. To make himself more electable Geert Wilders had already clipped his wings when the Dutch went to the polls. Let us hope that his eventual coalition partners will clip them further. We must never forget, nor allow these events to be erased from the history curriculum. At the same time, we must move on and encourage and support people who build bridges, not walls. Yours sincerely Herman van de Brug 42/158 Starke St Holt XXXXX XXXXXX The observations on gum trees by James Coats (Letters, December 1) are in agreement with the findings of a Legislative Assembly committee inquiry into the West Belconnen supercell thunderstorm that occurred in January 2022. Extensive property damage was reported, including from fallen trees, and Evoenergy reported thousands of homes being left without electricity, due to extensive damage to power lines. On the other hand, the ACT government Tree Protection Unit responsible for the tree protection legislation sticks to its goals with a religious zeal, permitting large gums to be inappropriately located too close to houses. It seems to be strangely out of touch with the fact that storm events linked to climate change are becoming more frequent and damaging, and that storms have high social, emotional and financial costs. During site visits and on reviewing submissions, the inquiry committee noted the prominence of large mature eucalyptus trees in suburbia as a specific issue. These trees are shallow rooted, making them more likely to fall during storms, and are prone to dropping limbs. They are also tall growing, often overshadowing power lines. Submitters, included Evoenergy, commented that it would be more appropriate to plant smaller, less hazardous trees in Canberra's suburbs than the commonly found eucalyptus or pine trees. The committee recommended that the ACT Government consider the appropriateness of tree species as part of future urban planting with regard to risk of damage from severe weather events. Murray May 20 Wybalena Grove Cook I am writing to voice protest at the annual public nuisance that is the Marist College Year 12 formal arrivals parade at the Hotel Realm in Burbury close. When I say arrival parade I mean parody of TV show Upper Middle Bogun, where youngsters, enabled by guardian and parents, pretentiously arrive at a red carpet imitation celebrity "arrival" in a noisy cavalcade of revving and hooning and skidding and sliding replete with smoke from burning tyres filling the evening air for an hour. What on earth makes any accountable adult think this is appropriate? For three years in a row now I have witnessed this shit show and been silent. I and other residents have had enough. Today I am seeking a written apology to residents and confirmation that this approach will never be repeated. The skid marks on the road today are evidence of reckless conduct by a vehicle in your event. The Police have been notified, as have the Canberra Times. If approached, I and other residents will provide quotes, photos and videos. Peter Lloyd Resident We need to stay the course on Light Rail. A fully integrated light rail system across the territory, interlinked with regular, efficient and decent local bus networks will create a better Canberra for all public transit and road users. However, some are suggesting that we use these things called 'trackless trams.' In reality they are just fancy and expensive buses that are not fit for long distance public transport like actual rail is. The weight of the very heavy bi-articulated bus / so called trackless tram means that they cant use standard roads anyway. So they would need their own dedicated, strengthened lanes on our already full strodes. The city of Stirling in WA has already seen its test roads get worn away with only a month of testing done. Citing PTCBR "Australia's first Trackless Tram system is expected to be significantly more expensive than stage one of Canberra's light rail." So not even the 'economic benefits' exist in actual reality. Trackless trams are simply the wrong way to do mass public transport. Light Rail is a tried and tested Public Transport system which in Canberra now takes upto 20% of all boarding across the network (TCCS Q1 2023) Trackless Trams can have their place in Canberra, but lets call them what they actually are... they are buses and they should never replace or substitute the light rail network we have started to create. Its time for Canberra to grow up as a city. We cant just rely on buses. Timothy Mott, Bruce Penleigh Boyd (Letters, December 4) tells us that a trackless battery powered tram has been demonstrated in Perth. A 'trackless tram' is an articulated vehicle that can automatically follow a pre-determined route. Canberra has battery powered buses. We have been travelling in articulated buses since 2012. Adelaide has had buses, since 1986, that can automatically follow pre-determined routes. Any technology that is used in a 'trackless tram' can equally be used in a 'trackless bus.' Leon Arundell, Downer James Coats (letters 1 Dec) argues against planting eucalypts in urban areas. I believe local authorities should consider the suitability of all types of trees, and how to maintain them, as part of planning urban landscaping. In discussions with removalists, trees rate, along with steep slopes and weather, as the bane of their lives. Australian heavy vehicles can legally be 4.3 metres high, 2.5 metres wide and 12.5 metres long (for a rigid). As they carry whole households of furniture and effects, many removal vehicle are this big. They are forced to zig-zag down the middle of many suburban streets to avoid tree branches, if that is even possible. Damage to vans is common and, unless immediately repaired, risk of rain damage to the next cargo is high. When this happens, many vehicles are far from their bases. Perhaps residents should campaign more loudly to their local authorities. Shady tree-lined streets are visually attractive but even local garbage trucks under 4.3 metres have problems in some areas. Don't park under gum trees. Even if they don't drop branches, the sap they drop can mess up windows and spoil paintwork. Peter Haddon 10 Acacia Drive, Jerrabomberra NSW Your editorial to mark the death of Henry Kissinger (Friday 1/12/23) was largely even-handed in its assessment of a complex legacy. The notion that Cambodia was 'a neutral country' when bombings were ordered of the Ho Chi Minh Trail is, however, not correct. The very fact that the North Vietnamese were supplying their guerilla forces in South Vietnam via these roads and tracks using the non-combatant status of Laos and Cambodia as cover is proof that it was the North Vietnamese, and not the Americans, who were the ones violating those countries neutrality. One does not have to necessarily support the bombings to point this out. Anyone who pretends the Vietnam War was some kind of morality lesson is doing just that - pretending. Bede North Unit 24A Northgate Gardens 52 Forbes Street TURNER De mortuis nil nisi bonum does not apply to leaders whose decisions affect the lives of millions. To say in your editorial (Dr Kissinger a controversial diplomat, Dec 1) 'Kissinger may have saved the lives of millions' is far too generous. Nixon was elected on the promise to end the war in Vietnam by an electorate ready to clutch at such straws. After almost thirty years the public pressure to end US involvement and bring the boys home was becoming explosive. But far from ending the war, Nixon and his advisor Kissinger escalated the bombing and invaded Cambodia. The war ended by a combination of a powerful Northern offensive and growing public US protest which finally persuaded Congress to cut off funds to the military. To give Kissinger and Nixon any credit for ending the debacle in Vietnam is quite wrong. Harry Davis, 19 Truscott Street, Campbell My thanks to Mr White (Letters CT 29/11/23). Confirming the massacre of POWs took place in the Rabaul area. The 1945 Occupying Force no doubt located the list of transported POWs (on the Montevideo) as a result of it own initiative. Highly unlikely that Japan volunteered it. The copies made by the Allies may have been deficient and inaccurate. The original list document was finally provided by Japan in 2012. The strategic military decisions made by Japan from mid 1942 onwards (to fight on, and its targets for ongoing doomed military attacks and defences) give Australia reason to be highly concerned about Japan Self Defence Force decisions and competence today. Japan's WW2 brutality (millions dying, enslaved, raped, transported) likewise should give us concern. What civilian casualty level would be regarded by the JSDF as acceptable? The ADF should not be exposed to the risk of joint War engagement. And never under JSDF command. Finally. When attacked by sonar, HMAS Toowoomba was inside Japan's exclusive economic zone, and not in contested waters (as China has claimed). It is very telling that Japan has not come out publicly and supported Australia in this important fact. Yours faithfully Christopher Ryan , Watson The St John's Schoolhouse Museum Board was very pleased to see our historic little building featured in "Times Past" ( page 2) on November 30. On this date in 1967 the newspaper made reference to the building's imminent restoration and future reopening as a Museum. We are happy to report that 54 years after that CT article the St John's Schoolhouse Museum is a much loved storehouse of early education and local history. Our former school and schoolmaster's residence is in very good condition for its age, and we look forward to celebrating its 180th birthday with the Canberra community in 2025. The Museum is open on Wednesday mornings from 10am-12pm and Saturday and Sunday from 2-4pm. Jennifer Garden, Downer Declan McGrath calls an ANU study of what Voice referendum voters thought about indigenous issues 'ridiculous'. Politicians of various stripes are trumpeting about what else the vote meant. At the extreme, some are saying that all indigenous consultation at any level is now treason because the Voice vote was No; that there may be no truth-telling or scrutiny of history anywhere; and that all measures for closing the gap must stop. At the other extreme, some are saying that the vote only meant a Constitutional mechanism was the wrong way to go. It isn't 'ridiculous' to try to find out what voters wanted on a range of indigenous policy questions. And if the results of a study suggest 'growing dissatisfaction with Australian democracy' that isn't a mere characterisation of No vote outcome. You want to know more? You enquire. I recommend it to McGrath: who has no criticism of how the study was done, but wishes we didn't know. Christopher Hood Queanbeyan Letter writers Jones and Schnapp ( Canberra Times 1 December) seem to ignore the key tragedy regarding the history of the creation of Israel, and in the case of the latter writer, uses personal abuse against me in inferring I wish Jews to be wiped out. I only wish for a long-term peaceful solution for the area. Clearly there is fault on both sides. But the modern-day tragedy is that the creation of the State of Israel has been one of dispossession, colonialisation and disproportionate killing taking place before our eyes. I agree that after the end of the Second World War there was the mighty injustice and horror of the Holocaust that needed to be overcome but not at the cost for the Palestinian people who had no part in the European crimes. And if Jones and Schnapp want to quote historical numbers, what was the justice in the UN decision of 1947 that allocated 55% of the land to the Jewish people and 42 % to the Arab people who were the inhabitants. Roderick Holesgrove 119/20 Galore st Crace Many sports are changing their rules, in an effort to reduce head contact and to reduce the consequential brain damage. The latest of these being Rugby League. Boxing, though, stands out in not discouraging the targeting of an opponent's head. Australia could set a new standard by not having boxing events at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics unless the sport changes its rules. For instance, just as blows below the belt are penalised, blows above the neck could be likewise penalised. Maurice Hermann, Kambah A federal government surplus, hurrah! Or so you'd think according to the grave mistake perpetuated by so many commentators. This includes today's Canberra Times editorial "Surplus aside, families need help now" (4 Dec 2023). Elsewhere we've seen headlines telling us that the government "is heaving with debt". The word "surplus" sounds a bit like "profit", which surely must be a good thing. "Deficit" sounds like "loss", a thing to be avoided. The problem is, the federal government is not a business; its job is not to make a "profit". Its job is to create money that drives the economy. A surplus actually means sucking more money out of the economy than it puts in. The only significant period in Australian history where the federal government has run budget surpluses, was during the Howard/Costello years. The result? It drove the private sector into debt. AR Taylor, 0419 217 293 Giralang The move to electric delivery trucks as proposed by delivery experts Adiona Tech ("Truck shift would speed up reductions", December 4, p2) would be a very welcome development, especially in larger cities, where delivery trucks and vans are most numerous and active. Not only would it help to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, rather than the present trend of increase, it would reduce pollution by hazardous chemicals such as sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide, and carbon monoxide. It would also reduce emissions of fine carbon or carbon-rich particles, which are doubly dangerous because they carry polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that are highly toxic to humans. With the high and increasing cost of fuel, moving from diesel to electric power is a win-win proposition. ------------------------------------------------ Dr Douglas Mackenzie 108/67 Macgregor Street Deakin, I refer to the article "Subs base call delay till 2030" (CT, 2/12) In which Karen Barlow reports that Defence Minister Marles has revealed the location of the east coast nuclear submarine base will not be chosen until the end of the decade. This is not a new announcement; all it does is confirm what has already been announced. In an article in the Defence Review in The Australian newspaper, on 26 October 2023, Defence journalist Kym Bergmann, reported that "Richard Marles has ruled out making a decision on the location of the base until next decade". Also, in a report, on the ABC, on 5 May this year, Assistant Defence Minister Matt Thistlethwaite said "We are looking at close to a decade" before the decision on the location of the East Coast submarine base is made. C. Rule, 2/54 Handasyde St, Conder
