Canberra was rated as having the best quality of life in the world in the Oxford Economics Global Cities Index which assessed 1000 cities. Its ranking was determined by its high performance in relation to income equality, life expectancy, housing and wages, access to parks and open space.

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After assessment against economic, human capital, environment and governance criteria, its overall ranking fell to 45th, still great, but lower than Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

The high ranking of Australian cities reflects our high standard of living and a national ethos oriented more than many other countries towards equality as reflected in the minimum wage and the social security safety net.

Our cities can't rest on their laurels, given major challenges including increasing inequality, climate change, modified transport demands arising from changing technology and home-work relationships, funding constraints and increased housing costs.

It's not sufficient to base decisions on superficial statements of how a policy promotes sustainability, resilience, choice, competitiveness, healthy and connected communities. Alternative strategies need to be evaluated to demonstrate how and by how much they improve housing choice and affordability, reduce travel times, improve transport outcomes, make the best use of limited infrastructure funds and enhance the environment.

Canberra's quality environment, largely a legacy of planning before self-government, is being eroded. A commitment to well-informed policy could enable it to escape its planning malaise, maximise outcomes for its residents and in doing so become an exemplar of how to manage city development.

Stolen children of Ukraine

It's outrageous that the world just watches as Russia is using stolen children from the areas in eastern Ukraine that Russia has occupied to brainwash them into hating Ukrainians.

They are also waiting for them to turn 18 when they are conscripted into the Russian army to return to Ukraine as Russians to kill innocent Ukrainians.

It is for this reason that Russian President Putin has been indicted as a war criminal, and an arrest warrant is out for his arrest. Two other Russian bureaucrats have also been indicted for the same reason.

Coke Tomyn, Camberwell, Vic

One Nation protest votes

Keith Hill (Letters, September 30) writes that he is flabbergasted how any rational individual could support Pauline Hanson. His implication that anyone who votes for One Nation is irrational echoes Hillary Clinton's disastrous "basket of deplorables" moment about Trump supporters.

Many people who say they support One Nation do not necessarily enthusiastically endorse Hanson or her policies, but are casting a protest vote against political parties that they consider have stopped listening to them. Describing these people as irrational helps Hanson to keep harvesting protest votes from those fed up with the major parties.

Support Dementia Action Week

On behalf of the estimated 446,500 Australians living with dementia and 1.7 million people involved in their care, thank you to the community for showing your support this Dementia Action Week.

Across Australia, individuals and organisations supported Dementia........

© Canberra Times