Letters

Spiteful, Michael
HAVING been personally involved in the development of Canberra’s on-road cycle lane network, I am saddened by Michael Moore’s public display of ignorance in his column (“CityNews”, November 20). After spitefully welcoming magpie attacks on bicycle riders (which have caused serious injuries), Moore claims cycle lanes are dangerous, but without presenting a shred of evidence to back the claim.
He is doubtless unaware that Canberra cycling fatalities have fallen to just two in the past decade (neither of them in cycle lanes), a massive drop from 13 in the preceding decade; and this despite (or perhaps because of) more people cycling, and more of them on roads, than ever before.
Moore would like us to return to those high-fatality times, for example, by removing the safe cycle lanes on Commonwealth Avenue and forcing bicycle riders on to sub-standard paths that lose priority every few hundred metres, each crossing a potential accident site.
He clearly has no understanding of road-design standards, either. On major arterial roads like Yarra Glen those standards require a shoulder of some kind be constructed regardless of cycling needs; so why not also use it as a cycle lane and get maximum value for taxpayer dollars? 
If Moore hasn’t noticed, the cycle lane debate is long over; the lanes are spreading rapidly, as evidence based policy and road design (conducted by professional engineers and planners) has won out over the miserable whining and fear-mongering of petrol-heads, grumpy old men and ill-informed ex-politicians.
Terry George, Kingston

Poisoning cyclists 
MICHAEL Moore raises the question of whether an occupational health and safety assessment was done in relation to Canberra’s “cycle path system” (“City News”, November 20). The safety aspect is well addressed in his article, however health issues are another matter altogether and require clarification.
People riding bicycles along Canberra Avenue and Northbourne Avenue and probably other avenues, particularly in winter when the air hangs low, are exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide, which is a colourless, odourless and poisonous gas that is present in the exhaust fumes of petrol engines. It is also produced in domestic heating appliances.
Continuous inhalation of this gas may lead to permanent brain damage or death. It would be interesting to know if the Government considered the impact of carbon monoxide poisoning of cyclists in developing its cycle path policy and if future claims by affected/afflicted cyclists will become a charge on the Chief Minister’s political party or on the citizens of the ACT.
Les Brennan, Calwell

There’s life in this city!
I WOULD like to congratulate and commend the organisers of Foreshore [music festival]. We can have every possible campaign promoting Canberra as a place to live and work, however there is far more value in keeping young talented people here in Canberra wanting to make this place home for the longer term through events like Foreshore, SkyFire and Australia Day Live. These events show “tomorrow’s future” that there is life in this city and that it is a city.
James Willson, Campbell

Spin cycle
IN February, there was a 42-page, 100-day report card, now there is a 86-page, 366-day one. Yes, Kevin and Co. have been busy, but most are actions rather than achievements. How many actual school trade-training centres, actual computers have materialised? The report conceals those inconvenient truths.
There are plenty of appointments, committees, reviews, etcetera. But I like the one about Ningaloo Reef which, from my holiday there recently, is genuinely impressive.
Both the 100-day and the 366-day reports are identical and read as follows: “The Government is working to accelerate the processes necessary to nominate the Ningaloo Reef in WA for World Heritage Listing.”
Apart from the fact the reef is already protected and the bureaucratic puffery, I think the “accelerated processes” has actually stalled!
Given the expectations Kevin and Co. have raised by their never-ending spin cycle, they may want to turn to substance rather than spin.
M. Gordon, Flynn

Blunderbuss approach
Jannette K Phillips, senior Ngunnawal woman, writes in response to a letter from Shane Mortimer, who argues that the local indigenous people should be known as Ngambri and not Ngunnawal.
Dear Shane,
Re your letter in “CityNews” (November 20), I notice that you are, once more, back again with your usual diatribe.
I am almost convinced you think you are who you say you are; for someone who only in the last 20 years has discovered they are of possible indigenous descent you, sir, are managing to get an awful lot of indigenous people off-side with your spurious claims and blunderbuss approach.
Like me, [the Chief Minister] Mr Stanhope has said: “You may call yourself anything you may so desire”. In fact, have you noticed in the last few weeks Ms Matilda House has begun calling herself Ngunnawal again?
Get with the program, Shane. Go back and check your supposed ancestor Mr James Ainslie a bit more closely; the maths don’t fit.