Australian politics good example of how hereditary rule plays out Australian High Commissioner Alexander Downer with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in 2015.
It is no wonder that there are so many monarchists in the Australian Parliament. After all, monarchy is a form of hereditary rule wherein the rulership is passed down from one member of the family to the next, something that the major parties prefer.
Hereditary rule was apparent when Simon Crean (ALP leader) followed in the footsteps of his Treasurer father, Frank. ALP Leader, Kim Beazley Junior and Kim Senior between them logged up 59 years of service in Canberra. 
Martin and Laurie Ferguson chose a career in politics just like their deputy premier dad, Jack. Larry Anthony, like his father deputy PM, Doug, found the food in the members dining room to his liking. Even Australia's youngest and smallest Parliament has had two generations of the Berry family since it kicked off in 1989.
One of the front runners in Andrew Robb's old seat of Goldstein has the very familiar surname "Downer". If successful, Georgina, will follow her father, Alexander (1984-2008), grandfather, Sir Alick (1949-1963), and great grandfather, Sir John (1901-1903) into federal Parliament. Alexander and his dad also both scored the position of high commissioner in London.
Perhaps it would save electoral costs if the first born Downer was sworn into Parliament on their 21st birthday.
Mike Reddy, Curtin Suffering continues Greg Pinder (Letters,   February 12) raises an interesting moral issue: is Australia's cruel treatment of asylum seekers justified on the basis that it discourages others from embarking on dangerous boat journeys?
It is a valid question and deserves a response. But it is based on the false assumption that our policies are effective because they have stopped the boats.
That our asylum-seeker policies are cruel is not in dispute.
Indeed, the whole point is to make conditions in detention centres so appalling that other asylum seekers will prefer the misery they are currently enduring to the misery of our detention centres. Some asylum seekers who might have considered coming to Australia are almost certainly embarking on dangerous journeys across the Mediterranean instead.
It may be that our asylum- seeker policies have largely stopped the boats coming to Australia but we have certainly not stopped the suffering. We have simply transferred it to other places in the hope that we can ignore it.
Charles Body, Kaleen PM's healthy jog When Richard Denniss wrote about Malcolm Turnbull living in the "city of his dreams" (Opinion p7,   February 13) I think he was confusing the house in Forrest with the one in Point Piper with its proximity to the eastern suburbs railway.
I am sure Simon Corbell would say that the 2km walk from Turnbull's Point Piper digs to Edgecliffe station would make him almost as fit a prime minister as Tony Abbott.
On the contrary, if Denniss did really mean Malcolm to take the even healthier jog from Deakin up to Civic and catch the scenic tram ride out to Gungahlin in 2020, then Malcolm would then realise that his minister for cities had been had.
The Barr government's vision for a battery driven tram on Constitution Avenue had necessitated installing a wind farm on Russell Hill so that the batteries could be recharged before each ascent on foggy mornings. Public holidays were being declared on still foggy days. Meanwhile Russell workers had found that they could jog into Civic faster than the 15 minute tram ride.
A. Smith, Farrer Trap for the unwary Shoppers at the Belconnen Fruit and Vegetable Markets should be aware but not afraid when parking their cars in the new two hour limit zones around the markets, including the gravel area.
Your car is photographed and timed each time you use these zones throughout the day. There are parking condition signs displayed but they are written in legal mumbo jumbo.
We had the distressing experience of receiving a $65 parking fine recently when we made two visits to the markets in one day and was not aware that parking in these zones at different times and locations, is accumulated. We have shopped at these markets for over 30 years, but will be avoiding them in the future.
Clare and Peter Best, Weetangera Clause has a purpose David Smith (Letters,   February 15) suggests that section 59 of the constitution is otiose and therefore serves no practical purpose.
The framers of the constitution surely inserted the clause with an intended purpose. I readily agree that it has never been used. Nevertheless, while it exists it is a fetter on the power of the governor-general.
Albeit, I suggest if used by the monarch, Australia would immediately become a republic.
The section is written in plain, simple English, "The Queen may disallow any law within one year from the governor-general's assent".
I know of no legal ruling which suggests this could not be enforced.
C. J. Johnston, Duffy