I am surprised and dismayed to hear that the accommodation services at Canberra Hospital may be removed entirely. Other hospitals, in contrast, have been responding to this need by creating new accommodation.

My husband had kidney cancer last year and we needed to use the accommodation several times. It is difficult and expensive to rely on motels, Canberra can be booked out. The IPTAAS program is helpful but does not solve the problem, indeed it is another bureaucratic process to manage when patient and family are extremely stressed.

Anther friend needed the accommodation for weeks while undergoing radiotherapy.

Please do not remove the accommodation. Indeed, if necessary, an upgrade would be appropriate and welcome!

I had to have radiation for six weeks in 2009, this is where I stayed. It was great, I felt comfortable. Where would I stay if this accommodation was not available? It was a three-and-a-half-hour drive to home. Cancer is a big business.

Things are tough enough for farmers in drought without misinformation being spread by the media and Mike Kelly.

I do note that as of today, I have not seen this misinformation in your papers. Thank you for that.

Regardless of what Mike and the media say, the Bega Valley Shire Council is one of the councils included under the Drought Community Program. The recent announcement was for inclusion of an additional 13 councils - Bega was already included. Check it out for yourself on www.business.gov.au/assistance/drought-communities-programme

The $1m available to each eligible council is for the council to invest in local infrastructure and other drought-relief activities that provide short-term support, including a boost to local employment and procurement.

In Bega, the council spent most of the funds on upgrading the saleyards to help increase economic activity for farmers. A very appropriate investment in the future of our farmers. We haven't missed out.

I was pleased to read the article about swift parrots on their annual migration to Tasmania, stopping off in your neck of the woods.

I can report that, this week, swifties have been observed in the suburbs of Hobart and at Adventure Bay on Bruny Island. Blue gums are in full flower right across southern Tasmania, so hopefully this will be a good year for breeding success.

The Tasmanian forest industry takes the protection of swift parrots and their breeding habitat very seriously.

The Forest Practices Authority has been working with industry, government, environmental groups and experts to protect the species and their habitat.

Unfortunately our best efforts are compromised by sugar glider predation of nests where eggs, chicks and even brooding adults are killed. Studies have commenced to address this issue, including the use of nest boxes that close at night.