Letters: How to put Brisbane Broncos back on top of their game

Today readers have their say on how to put the Broncos back on top, improving kids’ education and proposed penalties for leaving pets in cars.

Anthony Milford of the Broncos. Picture: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

EMMANUEL Alexion (Letters, Sep 18) suggests that the Broncos’ record loss to Parramatta could put a damper on the creation of a second NRL in Brisbane.

What he overlooks, however, is that five Sydney-based teams somehow had no trouble making their way through to the finals.

Where the Broncos went wrong this year is, through arrogance or complacency, or most likely a combination of both, their lack of succession planning over the last few years was finally exposed.

That is why Brisbane needs another NRL club, and it should have happened yesterday.

As another letter writer, Peter Pak says, the club has the advantage of having no competition in the highly lucrative Brisbane market.

Having been in the NRL since 1988 the Broncos simply have become “too comfortable”, unlike Parramatta, Cronulla and Manly who have to fight tooth and nail for any sponsorship dollar they can get.

Make the Broncos less comfortable and I’m sure you will find a change of attitude with an improved performance fairly quickly.

Frank Edwards, Sandgate

I AM amused by some of the ramblings by sports reporters regarding what the Broncos

should do to become a force in the NRL again.

As far as I can see, the Broncos have not been a coherent team for two games on the trot all season, and some of the players are only there because of reputation, not performance.

The Broncos should bite the bullet, clear out the deadwood and develop a competitive team from players who are still young, with ability and that drive that we see in some of the southern teams’ newcomers.

The coaching needs some serious attention too, especially in defence.

The omens have been there for a few years, but the dollars have been thrown around just to keep big names. Not good enough.

Peter Corran, Wakerley

ANTHONY Milford has been singled out by some critics as the player most blameworthy for the Broncos’ shameful display in the knockout semi-final against Parramatta.

Rugby league is a team game and while players may have some lapse here and there, to heap the blame on one player is outrageous.

There are many reasons why the Broncos were thrashed and a book could be written about that.

The most glaring I thought was the very poor defence and the lack of commitment in general by the team.

Some I thought tried their utmost, like Kotoni Staggs. The more experienced players did not step up to lead the way.

From the start of the season many criticised the team as being inexperienced without playmakers to lead them.

That was so evident in last Sunday’s embarrassing game.

A player of the likes of James Maloney was needed out there to lead the way, an inspirational winger like Blake Ferguson, and a fearless forward like Felise Kaufusi.

And yes, the Broncos’ brains trust needs an overhaul.

Stephen Kazoullis, South Brisbane

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Corporal punishment was used to keep discipline in the classroom.

DRAW ON THE PAST TO IMPROVE EDUCATION

AS A state primary school teacher and principal (1967-2006), I have observed a remarkable deterioration in school discipline since.

As John Quinn (Letters, Sep 18) wrote, Education Queensland made an executive decision (about 25 years ago) to cease the use of corporal punishment in state schools.

He wrote that he is not “an advocate for corporal punishment”. Well, I am.

It was mainly the thought of the cane, more than its use, which was very effective.

Whereas previously indiscipline in schools was dealt with effectively and immediately, today’s behaviour modification programs cannot cope because they are too slow and in too much demand.

Backchat needs to be silenced immediately.

When the decision was made to abandon corporal punishment, those making the decision thought they knew better than the Bible, which says, “Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child: but the rod of correction shall drive it for from him” (Proverbs 22:15).

It is right, in my 40 years of teaching experience, to punish the recalcitrant boys who lead the majority of the class astray. They will respect you for it.

When I started teacher training in 1965, schools were largely happy places where good behaviour was normal and misbehaviour was dealt with quickly and effectively.

Children sat up straight in class and generally listened to the teacher.

There were no assignments in my school experience at Morningside State School and Balmoral State High School until tertiary level, just straight teaching from the blackboard.

By the time I finished primary teaching in 2006, state schools were largely unhappy places, where misbehaviour was talked about and caused a lot of ineffective argument.

Clive Greensill, Newtown

AS A qualified teacher who graduated in 1979, I am among those who agree that past educational practices provided superior results.

For starters, when I completed my secondary schooling my peers and I were all able to spell, had a good working knowledge of English grammar, and had a sound grasp of basic mathematics.

The same applied to some of my friends who left school when they were 15 years old.

Yet our student teachers today have to sit a literacy and numeracy test before being allowed to graduate and after a minimum of four years’ study at university.

If they are not literate by then, how in God’s name have they managed to survive four years at uni?

However, I am sure they are an absolute wiz when it comes to designing websites or computer coding.

Also the claim is being made that there’s an increasing number of students with social or learning problems which makes classroom teaching a challenge.

Are we trying to suggest that in the past all children lived in happy, harmonious families?

Past educational practices involved the concept of respectful behaviour which was inculcated via good discipline and occasionally involved corporal punishment.

Although I agree that giving free rein to all teachers to whack kids is unwise, I once worked in a school where the only person who was permitted to use the cane was the headmaster.

He rarely used it but it certainly was a very effective deterrent.

And for all those who are outraged by this, I have known many men in particular who were no stranger to the strap back in the day but not one of them has turned into a perpetrator of family violence.

Because as John Quinn pointed out, the Education Department’s lack of support and inadequate resourcing of schools to deal with recalcitrant students at times makes teaching nigh on impossible.

Carol da Costa-Roque, Annerley

IT WAS interesting to read about the testing times in schools (C-M, Sep 16) with the low teacher-to-pupil ratio and the teachers saying they can’t handle it.

What is needed is one hell of a shake-up by people who know what to do and not by any of the ones there now, from the minister down to the tea lady, including the unions.

When I went to school one teacher taught two classes in each room. There were five long desks and five long stools with no backs on them each side of the room and each desk had five pupils which meant each teacher was in charge of about 50 kids to teach us. There were two blackboards with plenty of chalk and dusters which often came flying across the room with deadly accuracy.

One of the big problems today is that the teachers can’t chastise the brats. If they tried, mummy or daddy would be up there threatening the teacher with court action or decking them because their little angels wouldn’t misbehave.

I have news for these parents. I don`t believe there is a kid born that hasn’t or doesn’t misbehave.

Another problem is there is too much interference in the education system by government, unions and left-wing/green trouble makers, trying to push their agendas into the heads of young, immature schoolkids through too many brainwashed young teachers who should be teaching them spelling, writing and maths without a calculator.

Kids can make up their own minds after they have finished their schooling on all this unnecessary rubbish that is being preached to them within the education system.

Ray Evans, Beenleigh South

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FINE DISPARITY

FROM the Government known for doing nothing comes the announcement that anyone who leaves an animal in a hot vehicle will be fined $40,000 and/or a year in jail ( C-M , Sep 16).

Yet the Adani protesters only receive a fine of $1 at times for blocking roads and putting humans at risk in hot vehicles and frozen goods going off.

Brian Doherty, Beenleigh

I AGREE that fines should be imposed on owners who leave their pooch in the car.

I’m not too sure about the proposed penalty however.

I would like to see a fine of $40,000 for those irresponsible owners who allow their pooch to yap incessantly.

Daryl Davis, Greenslopes

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AIRPORTS’ HYPOCRISY

I CAN’T believe the hypocrisy of the Australian Airports Association (C-M, Sep 16).

We read on page 2 how they are critical of airlines’ fares in regional areas, then three pages later we read how airports are shamelessly ripping off those who park at Australian airports.

Patrick F. Whalen, Brookwater

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FAMILY OR POLITICS

DEPUTY Premier Jackie Trad is correct when states: “As many women in this House would know, having a career and raising a family makes for a very busy life.”

This implies that they cannot do justice to both jobs.

Most men would also agree.

So why allow their families or constituents to suffer?

It should be either one or the other.

L.F. Pietsch, Bayview Heights

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TEACH FINANCIAL LITERACY

MIKE O’Connor’s column (C-M, Sep 18) about Australian household debt hit the nail on the head.

The amount of personal credit card debt at over $50 billion is eye-watering.

There is a serious lack of financial literacy in this country and there will be major ramifications if we are ever to slip into recession.

The Government must bring in compulsory financial literacy classes to every Australian school as a matter of urgency.

I realise that the curriculum is overcrowded, but as so many adults are obviously struggling with their own finances, the burden must fall to schools. The age of entitlement has to end.

Venetia Vernon, Burbank

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