Finally a good opinion editorial about the current Albanese government. ("Is the Albanese government the most out-of-touch in recent years?", October 30)

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As someone with an ANU degree in economics and politics, and having worked with numerous Commonwealth ministers for many years, it is good to see an article pointing out faults in the current government.

These faults date back to when Albanese was first elected and tried to have a referendum on the Voice, based simply on his own ego. It failed miserably and set back Indigenous rights at least a decade.

Then there were delays in addressing HECS/HELP debt, immigration, refugee policy, illegal immigrants, ISIS brides, gambling advertising, bullying by China, government transparency, ministerial use of public funds for private purposes, lack of action on corrupt behaviour and ingratiating performances with Narendra Modi to name a few.

Now we see errors occurring with him, the Treasurer and the finance minister in respect of the budget and tax policy such as the "widows tax" and the impact changes to capital gains tax (CGT) would have on smaller companies and start-ups.

As an economist, I could see these problems straight away, so why couldn't our elected finance officials?

As far as I am concerned Albo needs to be replaced as Prime Minister and perhaps be given a roving international affairs position to enable him and his almost invisible wife a chance to shine. As a usual ALP voter, I for one will not vote Labor while he is Prime Minister and will vote independent.

As a grandparent and regular visitor to the Early Learning Centre at Canberra Girls Grammar School in Grey Street, Deakin, I am concerned by the apparent approval for a residential development to fence off a substantial section of the adjacent nature strip. The fenced area now appears to occupy most, if not all, of a nature strip more than two metres wide. Photographs taken after the fencing was extended on October 29 show that even a utility pole now falls within the enclosed area.

As a result, parents, grandparents and young children who would normally use this space are being forced closer to the roadway during some of the busiest school traffic periods of the day. This is particularly concerning during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times, when the area is already congested with vehicles, parents, prams and young children. The loss of this pedestrian buffer appears to have created an unnecessary safety risk in a school zone.

When I raised the matter with the site's foreman, I was advised that the occupation of the nature strip had been approved by the ACT government. If so, it raises important questions about how the safety assessment was conducted and whether sufficient consideration was given to the needs of families and young children using the area each day. What makes this difficult to understand is that members of the public can be penalised for unauthorised use of public land.

Last year, my husband received a $190 parking fine for stopping on a nature strip while collecting our grandson after school. Yet a private development has apparently been permitted to occupy the same public space for an extended period. I urge the ACT government to review this arrangement and explain publicly what assessment was undertaken and whether safer alternatives were considered.

The Canberra Times and local media outlets have shone a clear light on the problem of tobacco shops and their link to organised crime. Canberrans have complained about the........

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