Thank you to Crispin Hull for articulating (''Leading all roads to Civic is dense policy down fiasco drive,'' July 26, pB7) so clearly what I and, hopefully, many others think about Canberra planning since self-government. Our politicians, local and federal, seem incapable of balancing pressure from developers and other interests against the hard realities of the landscape in which we live. The Aboriginal people learnt to live within the limits of Australia's environment but we still think we can overcome it by brute force and technology.
Our two main problems are water and transport. The Y-plan allowed Canberra to grow without suffering from the blocks to transport posed by Lake Burley Griffin and the various hills. Ultimately, rapid transport along the Y would increase movement without destroying the urban amenity as the GDE does. Canberra's water supply is limited and unreliable. We also have high evaporation, so water storage is inefficient, especially in wide, shallow reservoirs like Googong with a large surface area exposed to the sun.
There is a limit to how efficiently we can use water so as to reduce our overall consumption. At what point will our politicians recognise that Canberra can no longer absorb more people?
Most likely not until after we already have too many people and life has become uncomfortable even for the rich and powerful. By then it will be too late. Oh, for some intelligent, far-seeing politicians with the charisma to win over vested interests. Where's Bob Menzies when you need him?
R.I.Boxall, Hawker
Thank you, Crispin Hull, for so neatly highlighting a peculiar characteristic of Australian policy-making. The plea that governments have got to stop listening to people who make large amounts of money out of rising property prices, brought about by rising population and rising density, illustrates the fact that someone whose financial interests constitute what would be considered, in just about any other part of the developed world, to be a conflict of interest is, in Australia, considered to be a key stakeholder.
Karina Morris, Weetangera
Hats off to Crispin Hull for his excellent review of the Gungahlin Drive Extension fiasco. His linking of the GDE to issues of population policy is very perceptive, particularly concerning the proposed Molonglo development. Canberra is a microcosm of global environmental issues of water, land and energy outlined by Shahbaz Khan in the same paper . It is past time to address these issues locally or the Molonglo Drive Extension will indeed come to pass.
David Pfanner, Hughes
Costello's future
Perhaps the answer to the apparent reluctance of Peter Costello (''Clash of Coalition Titans'' July 26, pB7) to share with colleagues and journalists his plans for his future is to be found on page E2 of Saturday's edition of The Canberra Times where the Treasury advertised a job vacancy for alternate executive director of the International Monetary Fund.
Based in Washington, the two-year appointment could be followed if the Australian Government's intentions are realised by a further two-year appointment as executive director.
Among the criteria for the position, Costello would need to demonstrate his extensive public policy background in Australian government, a good understanding of government processes, and the capacity to engage in debate on complex economic and financial issues.
He could confidently call on Brendan Nelson and Malcolm Turnbull and probably Kevin Rudd as well to support his application with glowing references.
Ian Mathews, Garran