Monty Python’s Bruce summed it up perfectly: “This here’s the wattle, the emblem of our land./You can stick it in a bottle or you can hold it in your hand.” Wattle Day is a natural choice for this country’s arbitrary birthday bash (“Celebrate on a day we can all feel pride in our nation”, January 25). The golden wattle is already our national floral emblem, giving us the green and gold. With more than 1000 species, the wattle is Australia’s largest genus of flowering plants. It’s found pretty well in every nook and cranny of this wide brown and green and gold land: its blossom, a floral burst of sunshine, signifies the arrival of spring and with spring, eternal hope. Let’s look at Mother Nature to give us the classic Australian celebration. Steve Dillon, Thirroul
Before we can say for certain what the majority wants, perhaps we should separate the idea of “Australia Day” from the public holiday at the end of the Christmas break. I suspect most want to keep the holiday, but as to whether it is the right date for “Australia Day”, some might give a different answer if assured that the holiday would stay but the nature of the celebration change. Isabella Jeans, Tuross Head
All the fun of Australia Day on a sunny SundayCredit: Oscar Colman
Perhaps we should wait patiently until we become a republic. This would be a whole new chapter in Australian history. By the time this comes, most will have stopped mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth, and it will be made clear we will not have the American system with a president at the helm. Life will carry on as usual with a head of state similar to the role of our present governor-general. Meanwhile, January 26 is fine, and who does not like a public holiday in the middle of summer? Robyn Lewis, Raglan
Many countries celebrate their nationhood under the name of independence day: the anniversary of the day when the yoke or apron strings of another country were cast aside. Australia did that on January 1, 1901. Shouldn’t that be our Australia Day? Those who wish can still hopefully enjoy a public holiday on January 26 as Anniversary Day. Brian Roach, Westleigh
Obviously, letter writers to the SMH do not constitute a random sample of the population but the proportion of relevant letters on Saturday supporting a change to the date of Australia Day is a real eye-opener. Proclamation of a republic will surely allow for a less divisive choice of date for a national day. Mike Bush, Port Macquarie
For Australia Day, we can reflect on our good fortune to be Aussies and feel a little smug that, as we look abroad, we’re too clever to be fooled into voting for people telling obvious lies. Let’s not forget, however, that we had a choice between voting to have a head of state picked by politicians and owing their first loyalty to Australia, or one being picked by a single politician and owing their loyalty to a foreign head of state. We didn’t fall for that, or did we? Ron Polglaze, Hazelbrook
By chance, Australia Day this year has created the Australia Day weekend and thus has returned it to what it was once and what it should be. What is more Australian than a long weekend, so much so that Ronald Conway wrote a book about it? A weekend also allows the opportunity for those to celebrate how they wish and here’s a possible model. Saturday given over to First Nations people, Sunday to the British Colonisation and Monday to Multicultural Day when citizenship ceremonies take place. This would avoid the clashes of culture that have created disunity and it would recognise and restore dignity to all the aspects of Australian society. Max Redmayne, Drummoyne
Congratulations to all recipients of Australia Day awards for your contributions to make the lives of fellow citizens better. Such a contrast to the presidential celebration in the US, where the theme was self-aggrandisement and blaming others for shortcomings. Ferdo Mathews, Robina (Qld)
The current news environment is awash with hate, fear and plain head-scratching moments, which can feel overwhelming. I have found the perfect antidote, the Australians of the Year. Every nominee showed such hope, courage and selflessness. These people, along with many others, are a great example of how we can take small steps towards making things better for all. Judy Stringer, Merewether
Really? Is it beyond us as Australians on January 26 to understand and empathise with those for whom this is a painful day of mourning? Would it really be so terrible to change the date so we can actually celebrate together and get rid of some of the division in our country? As for entrenching this date in law, it seems like something a petulant child would do. Kerrie Wehbe, Blacktown
Show us the policies
Peter Dutton has consistently called for more details from the government in relation to legislation and policy, and yet he refuses to release details for any Coalition policy, conflating obstinacy and arrogance for “strength” (“In a corner, Albanese aims sharp jabs at ‘scared’ Dutton”, January 25). As Anthony Albanese said, Dutton refuses to face questioning, preferring to throw criticism at everything from afar, with no detailed or costed policies to show that will bear scrutiny. The Morrison years clearly showed the dangers of electing a secretive, obstinate, bulldozing, aloof and disdainful leader who doesn’t believe in being held accountable. Alan Marel, North Curl Curl
Peter Dutton, trying hard
Dutton can make all the changes to his front bench he likes, but the question remains, how are voters going to judge his nuclear energy policy? I predict that from now until the election, he will put it on the back burner and hope voters forget about it. If he gets elected, he will condemn this country to becoming an energy desert, with all the economic pain that comes with it. Ian Adair, Hunters Hill
Dutton claims his priority as prime minister would be to develop and encourage a sense of “national pride”. Sounds very Trumpian. One has to wonder what the Coalition was doing in its previous nine years of government, because hate and division seemed to be the only cards it had to play, with Dutton as dealer. A few actual policies might be more useful. Ross Hudson, Mount Martha (Vic)
It is clear that Dutton wants to be prime minister. What is not clear is what he wants for Australia. If he is successful, my guess is that he will struggle to fill the role. Scattering a few of his electioneering slogans on the desks of his newly minted ministers and hoping their unqualified efforts to implement them will make Australia great again is delusional. Dave Watts, Avalon
Grace notes
No matter that I’m 77, I’ve always been impressed with the ability of Grace Tame to get her message across. She’s excelled with her T-shirt. John Nelson, Mudgee
Grace Tame and that t-shirtCredit: Alex Ellinghausen
Grace Tame has represented us as the 2021 Australian of the year. Now she represents the view of many Australians with her clear message to Rupert Murdoch, although it was blurry on my TV. Dennis Fitzgerald, Box Hill (Vic)
Grace Tame can be admired for so many things she has accomplished over the years, but why did she feel the need to hijack the PM’S annual awards to make it all about her opinion instead of the focus being on the wonderful nominees? Viv Polyblank, Botany
Care is not in Trump’s vocabulary
It is one thing for Donald Trump to flog golden sneakers and his own Bible, but quite another to understand the latter’s contents (“Finally, Trump gets a Bible bashing”, January 25). The courageous Episcopalian bishop who correctly drew his attention to its many paradoxes, such as the last being first and the poor and disenfranchised being blessed, used language as foreign to Trump as Mandarin. There is nothing he feels contempt for more than losers. The one on whom the New Testament is based, died alone, abandoned and considered a failure. If Trump believes God spared him for a reason, the reason may even be at odds with his own unenlightened understanding of the Bible. Bernard Moylan, Bronte
What, this old thing? It means nothing to me.Credit: AP
In common with the Episcopalian bishop and Julia Baird, we feel terribly concerned with the fate of the illegal migrants. Americans, on polling evidence, largely support Trump’s drive. The major global worry should be with a president beholden to a coterie of oligarchs who have found a position in the White House. Views from the pulpit are fairly much wasted on a nation that just proved, by electing Trump for a second term, that self-interest is the predominant public cause as it is with Trump himself. There’s no point in appealing to his religious sensibilities given his total inability to respond to any emotional, spiritual or aesthetic influences. Trevor Somerville, Illawong
I think Trump’s “God bless the USA” Bible could always be used as a good, if rather expensive, door stop or flower press. Julie Robinson, Cardiff
A great article by Julia Baird in praise of Bishop Budde. However, that photo is worth a thousand words. A congregation that doesn’t know which way to look and an angelic child looking over the shoulder of a menacing Trump. Bishop Budde is truly brave. Sue Dellit, Austinmer
I’ve never stayed in a Trump hotel, and in view of the bishop’s gospel-inspired plea from her pulpit, I wonder if the Gideons have been allowed to place Bibles in rooms there. If there are Bibles in the bedside drawers, my guess is they would be the Trump version as amended to reflect the 47th POTUS’s ever-changing narrative. In reality, the words from Job 3:14 “with kings and rulers of the earth, who built for themselves places now lying in ruins”, sound a prophetic warning for those who ignore the Great Commandment. Allan Gibson, Cherrybrook
Bishop Mariann Budde speaking truth to powerCredit: AP
Thank you, Julia Baird, for recounting what I felt was a heart-stopping moment in Trump’s avalanche of hate. Bishop Budde spoke up for the compassion that all human beings deserve. For a moment, I felt that all was not lost. Mark Paskal, Austinmer
Thank you, Julia Baird for reminding us what Jesus was on about – compassion for the poor, the needy and those shunned by society, and thank you for defending Bishop Budde, who had the courage to remind Donald Trump of this at the prayer meeting before the inauguration. Andrew Macintosh, Cromer
“Off with her head,” Donald “Queen of Hearts” Trump must have longed to squawk as a woman pointed out an awkward truth. Sickening that so many evangelicals are clearly fans of another Lewis Carroll character from Through the Looking-Glass, Humpty Dumpty, in their rush to apply his petulant “when I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean” to change the meaning of words unsuited to their agenda. Christine McNeil, Ballina
Julia Baird was right on the ball when she wrote “you know things are bonkers when a biblically based sermon is dismissed as woke”. After the Bishop of Washington preached a sermon that could be described as Christianity 101, Trump called her “a radical left hard-line Trump-hater”. The bishop referred to the Christian teaching on compassion and the dignity of every human being, while the Pope recently said that Trump’s plans for mass deportation were a disgrace. James Moore, Kogarah
Julie Baird’s insightful article commending Bishop Mariann Budde’s challenging words that seemed to fall on Trump’s deaf ears reminded me of a different but parallel phenomenon in Australia. At federal and state levels, two powerful politicians, Peter Dutton and David Chrisafulli, have publicly rejected “truth-telling” as regards facing Indigenous history in this country. The Bible endorses truth-telling. Indeed, Jesus is depicted in John’s gospel as stating that he came, “to testify to the truth” (John 18:37). Surely by now the evangelical Christians in Australia (who claim to believe the Bible) would be publicly voicing their concern over opposition to truth-telling. It seems, too, that the mega-churches are not committed to public truth-telling. Why are they so silent? What is there to hide? Rev Dr Ray Barraclough, Currimundi (Qld)
Cryptic currency
Well done to Victoria Devine for calling out the dangers of cryptocurrency (“Trump’s ridiculous ‘meme’ coin lays bare crypto’s rotten underbelly”, smh.com.au, January 26). It is highly volatile, lacks regulation, is susceptible to scams, is associated with illegal activity, can be used to avoid tax, is not readily accepted by retailers, is vulnerable to hackers, and its details are little understood by users. Early developers and adopters will make money, while late adopters risk losing the lot. Until you can walk into the pub and pay for a few schooners with $Trump (or any other cryptocurrency), you would be wise to steer clear. Malcolm Freak, Armidale
Friends of Fauci
Donald Trump has told the US government to stop paying for Anthony Fauci’s security. I think Australia should offer Dr Fauci citizenship on the spot and I would welcome him to live in my house if he needs to. Mokhles Sidden, South Strathfield
Draw up a date
May I be the first to second a 2026 Cathy Wilcox calendar? Kay Abrahams, Freshwater
Cathy Wilcox, a woman in demandCredit: Alex Ellinghausen
Letter perfect
Alas, no letters again this year – not even an OAM – to put after my name. But, happy to settle for my name in Letters today instead. Edward Loong, Milsons Point
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