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Bevan Shields writes of an alternative to burial and cremation in his excellent article (“Dead but not quite buried”, June 21). I have already informed the family that I would like a cardboard coffin. After reading the article I am now sure that this method is by far the best option for me, particularly as I am an avid gardener. My remains could fertilise all the gardens that I tend: on the balcony, in the common garden below and in the neighbourhood street garden. Alison Stewart, Waitara
Hopefully Alex Greenwich and Teresa Russell will be successful with their bill to allow human composting. I, for one, would love to push up the daisies when the time comes. Perhaps my new hip could be recycled, too. Rose Peel, Lilyfield
It may come as a surprise, but there’s another benefit of composting one’s remains, namely, reincarnation. Taken collectively, the religions of India that espouse reincarnation amount to 1.6 billion people. And that’s just India. By not disturbing the body using composting as a means of burial, you avoid using the carcinogenic formaldehyde, increasingly scarce hardwoods for coffins and an unbelievable 160 kilograms of carbon dioxide from the 1000-degree temperature necessary to cremate a body. For people like me, there is another important factor. Not disturbing a body for three days after death facilitates the transition of the dead person to the realm from which we came. Larry Woldenberg, Forest Lodge
Caring Kate
As a Republican who had enormous admiration for the diplomatic skills of Queen Elizabeth II, I was surprised to see and curious to consider the Princess of Wales’ essay on children, authored following her visit to Italy’s Reggio Emilia (“On a recent trip to Italy, I was reminded of what’s important in life”, June 21). She was unmistakably inspired by the town’s children. And she’s no Marie Antoinette whose irksome ivory tower mindset fired up republicanism, but rather engaged and analytical: “What we recognise in them (children) is a way of being in which mind, body and spirit exist quietly together”, and like me, values childhood experiences “to ensure they are not lost” but carried “into adulthood”. If my offspring are to continue to live under a royal head of state, best she has substance, empathy and insight into the essence of humanity’s wellbeing. Andrew Cohen, Glebe
Justice delayed
My heart goes out to “Mel” and the many other victims of domestic violence who suffer or have suffered under the coercive or other DV forms of control (“Mel survived a campaign of terror from her partner. It took her years to find justice”, June 21). It is deeply troubling to read that even after leaving the relationship and reporting her partner’s crimes to police, Mel had to wait four years for the court case to finally begin. While waiting for the trial Mel continued to be in fear for her life because Nick was given bail after charges were laid. I’m assuming this is not the only time women such as Mel have had to wait so long for a trial for their ex-partner. Ex-partners should not be allowed to use delay tactics such as Nick did in the case described. There are glaring problems in a legal system when it takes years for an abuser to face trial. It’s almost as though the victims are continuing to live under coercive control. As former British PM William Gladstone said 160 years ago: “Justice delayed is justice denied.” Margot Vaccari, Berowra
Home help
At last, someone more articulate than me has put my thoughts into words. Thank you, Saul Eslake (“Five minutes with Fitz”, June 21) It has seemed obvious to me for a long time that people whingeing about the price of housing aren’t offering their own houses for sale at less than the maximum they can get for them. No one’s looking around to find a buyer they think deserves a bit of a hand up and giving them a discount, are they? As a Boomer with investment properties, I still think the budget was a fair one if you want to help balance the wealth scales a bit. And as someone who probably managed to get ahead by working overseas years ago, I’d recommend it to anyone who has the job skills to give it a go. Patricia Elkins, Kangaroo Point (Qld)
Experts only
Parnell Palme McGuinness criticises the government for rebuffing her request to examine the assumptions underpinning the federal budget (“Landmines still lurking in the budget”, June 21). Her opinion piece then proceeds to demonstrate why this is a very sensible policy. She fails to understand how difficult and complex it would be to understand Treasury modelling. One needs excellent qualifications combined with years of solid economic research and experience – like Alan Kohler of Eureka Report fame, for example – to understand budgetary analysis. McGuinness is an excellent example of why the “budget lock-up” is necessary, which excludes journalists from looking at budget documents before they are published. Bill Johnstone, Blackheath
Hard to swallow
The one sign for which I was exceedingly grateful was an English menu translation in an Athens taverna window in the 1970s. It read: “Bowels in Sauce” (“Signs of the times: Danger, nanny state at work”, June 21). Alison Stewart, Riverview
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