I understand that spy work in Australia is overseen by an ethics and inspector, the Inspector General of Intelligence and Security, however given that Australian spies were likely involved with politics, I want an investigation overseen by a trusted board familiar with spycraft and politics to determine if Australians democratic principles were undermined in the investigation.

I believe it would be totally unacceptable if an ASIO officer was also employed as a politician.

Would this politician be overly aligned ASIO, allowing ASIO to indirectly influence public policy?

Would such an agent be upholding their party values and representing their constituents or would their priorities be to the agency.

Or worst still, would the agent be working to gather intelligence by aligning themselves with high risk targets to developing trust, potentially supporting causes they don't believe with the motivations of gathering intelligence?

I want to be assured that ASIO in their investigation hasn't overstepped their boundaries. I want to be sure the agents they have employed acted in accordance with democratic principles.

I'm starting to feel like I like ASIO may have made Australia a police state.

The problem of Julian Assange would have been solved long ago if he had just faced the music all those years ago.

He was charged with releasing classified military information.

Had he gone to trial then he may have been declared innocent. On the other hand if he had been found guilty it is quite possible he would have served his time long ago and been an free man by now

Instead, Julian decided to run for it and made himself self-exiled.

He has been running and hiding like a mongrel dog for almost 12 years, mostly in an Ecuadorian embassy.

I have not known that time spent evading the law counts as credit against time that might be spent in gaol.

Like him or not, Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest does know a thing or two about energy and the environment ("Twiggy backs levy on fossil fuels", dailyadvertiser.com.au, February 26).

Imagine, for just a minute, that Australia did place a levy on fossil fuel extraction and imports, earning us $100bn a year that was spent on supporting the cost-of-living challenges facing everyday Aussies and assisting the rollout of the sustainable renewable infrastructure we need. Wouldn't that be something?

Norway has taxed their gas companies like this for decades, and now boasts a $2 trillion sovereign wealth fund that benefits current and future generations.

Meanwhile, the Australian public has pittance to show for the public resources large corporations have exploited at the expense of our environment.

It's high time we used their profits to build better, cleaner systems that will create jobs and assist our future prosperity.

Country pubs need tourists and locals and ways to keep pace with what gets drinkers and diners into the pub.

Country pubs need sports bars and well-run TABs where old fashioned punters like a drink and a bet at the TAB, not at home on the phone.

Every motel should have a two for one drink card to the local for visitors and regional produce on menus with a glass of local wine with daily specials.

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