Credit: Illustration: Alan Moir
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AUSTRALIA DAY
It is concerning that Peter Dutton is adopting a hardline policy of mandating January 26 as Australia Day and therefore forcing local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on this date.
Has he forgotten the mantra ″If it ain’t broke don’t fix it″ that the monarchists used so effectively during the Republic referendum?
Australia is a pluralist society and Australians value freedom of speech. Councils are democratically elected and represent their constituents. Shouldn’t they be free to decide the most appropriate date for these ceremonies?
Mandating the date is also likely to lead to more protests and division that would further diminish a national day.
Polling indicates a decline in support for changing the date, but did the pollsters ask if the date should be mandated and forced on councils? I suspect that many Australians are preoccupied with cost of living pressures and are not much concerned about making changes. They just want a holiday!
Leonie McCormack, Northcote
Celebrate Australia Day on May 9
Re “Change the date? No, say an increasing majority of Australians”, 24/1). Australia Day should be celebrated on a date that does not create conflict, a date that is historically significant for all Australians, a date where public celebrations and private gatherings can be held across diverse climates, and when we don’t lose a public holiday.
The date that ticks all those boxes is May 9. On that day, the Australian Parliament first met in the Exhibition Building in Melbourne in 1901. And in the Old Parliament House in Canberra in 1927. And on that date in 1988, the Queen opened the new Parliament House.
Bruce Hartnett, former chair, Australia Day Committee (Victoria)
Albanese lets Dutton steam roll him, again
Support for changing the day to celebrate Australia Day has collapsed for precisely the same reason as support for the Voice collapsed: this cause received no leadership from the prime minister, while the argument against change has been vigorously advocated by Peter Dutton.
This issue is important to both First Nations’ people and many others. Whether or no t the Albanese supports the idea of change, he should surely make a stand to show some empathy for those who do, rather than let Peter Dutton steamroller him yet again.
Chris Young, Surrey Hills
Australia Day on any day is unnecessary
The poll question: “If we are to have a national day, what is your preference for the date of Australia Day?” reported in “Change the date? No, say an increasing majority of Australians”, 24/1) is the wrong question. The opening clause presupposes that we have a national day, but surely the first two questions to be asked - far more important than the date - are “Do we need a national day?” and “Why?“
A mature, confident nation should not need the self- aggrandisement and the national chest beating “Look at me! Look at me!” of the braggart or the international bully.
Australia Day is little more than an excuse for a public holiday and, frequently, public boorishness. It is unnecessary.
Julie Moffat, St Leonards
Three national days
Re “Don’t change the date, says Australia day poll”, 24/1). Any national day that alienates a significant portion of citizens and divides more than unites is a clear failure. Unlike 142 United Nations countries that celebrate their national day on the anniversary of their people’s liberation from oppression or colonial rule, we mark the date we were colonised by a foreign power.
I support Noel Pearson’s concept of a three-pronged celebration of our historic Indigenous civilisation, British settlement and our rich multicultural heritage. We could adapt the US tradition of Columbus Day, Independence Day and Thanksgiving celebrations and have a three-day celebration, around January 1 (Federation day), May 9 (when federal parliament first sat at Melbourne’s Exhibition Building), or May 27 (when in Australians voted in 1967 to include “People of Aboriginal race” in the constitution). We could abolish the fictional royal birthday of June 9.
Kevin Burke, Sandringham
THE FORUM
Allan’s lows
Re “Allan government votes plunges to historic low”, 24/1). Premier Allan’s record low vote is no surprise to Heatherton residents. She reputedly only listens to people who agree with her and is known for never changing her mind. And, she hands out the bad news on Christmas Eve.
As infrastructure minister, she refused to speak with our community representatives before or after we received news in our letterboxes just before Christmas 2020 that she would take our long-promised parkland for a huge rail stabling and maintenance yard for the Suburban Rail Loop.
She refused to hear our case that the train yard would be better, safer and cheaper located in the nearby Moorabbin industry zone instead of on green wedge land designated as the centrepiece of the regional “Chain of Parks”.
Her infrastructure minister successors, likewise, have refused to discuss our proposal to move the train yard away from the old unlined putrescible landfills to the industry zone on a direct line between Cheltenham and Clayton stations.
Supporters of the Lost Dogs Home and other popular community assets including parkland to be taken for government projects might have similar stories to tell. The federal Labor government should worry that Allan’s intransigence might rub off on them.
Andrew Dawson, Heatherton
Because she’s a woman
Re “Allan government votes plunges to historic low”, 24/1). Australians don’t like female leaders. Julia Gillard was actually a very good prime minister, never properly appreciated for her many achievements. Anna Bligh was inspirational during Queensland floods 15 years ago, but was booted out of office after five years, replaced by a man. Lara Giddings in Tasmania lost her next election attempt. Kristina Kennealy, Carmen Lawrence, Joan Kirner; none of them were re-elected. Only Annastacia Palaszczuk won consecutive elections.
Is Jacinta Allan is considered a very poor premier due to her performance, or due to being a woman? I fear it is the latter. (I also think that the reason Americans elected Trump was about Harris being a woman).
I know this view will get howls of protest, but misogyny is alive and well in the world in which I live.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster
Send in the clowns
Premier Jacinta Allan is a boring professional when what we need is entertainment, and “more”.
News as entertainment pays: Disasters like LA fires are the blockbusters. At media conferences, if Premier Allan gave us a dance, mocked those she disagreed with, and promised to protect Victorians from Queenslanders with their cane toads entering our state, her approval ratings might improve.
Ian Muldoon, St Kilda
Credit to Pesutto
Under normal circumstances, “Labor’s primary vote slumping to a record low of 22 per cent”, would see a coalition government returned at the next Victorian state election (“Allen government vote plunges to historic low”, 24/1.
It doesn’t seem logical though, that John Pesutto, the Liberal leader who put his colleagues into this happy position, has been deposed by them. The parliamentary leadership vote in December, might in hindsight be seen as a crucial step taken by the Liberals, towards snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
Lawrie Bradly, Surrey Hills
Desperate creatures
Re “Lost Dogs’ Home in limbo as government stonewalls over deal”, 23/1). Forced by attacking magpies to divert from my usual bike commute many years ago, I rode past the Lost Dogs’ Home, and continue to do so today. I am reminded every morning of the homeless dogs howling in desperate unison in the early dawn: It breaks my heart. The Lost Dogs’ Home must stay where it is and continue to provide for these poor creatures.
Michael Carroll, Kensington
CBD protest costs
Your correspondent (Letters, 24/1) believes that to have pro-Palestinian protesters moved from the CBD would be a prevention to freedom of speech. But in other protests elsewhere in Melbourne’s CBD last year, lives were put in danger when emergency services’ access was impeded.
According to Sky News, it cost about $30 million to control protesters at the Land Forces Expo.
Police resources are already stretched, and such protests will be at the expense of every Victorian. Where are my rights to drive, park, and shop in Melbourne’s CBD? How about the costs to traders who are already struggling financially?
Ross Kroger, Barwon Heads
Two thoughts at once
Why is it not possible for people today to be able to hold two truths at once? It is not a competition as to who has it worst. Being taken hostage from your home or a music festival in horrific circumstances and held for over 450 days is terrible. Living through 15 months of war and having your house reduced to rubble during war time is also terrible.
Cathy Wilcox’s cartoon (24/1) seems to imply that one people has it better than the other. Both Israelis and Gaza citizens have been through terrible events. Have respect and empathy for both sides of this situation. There are no winners.
Jacqui Kay, Ormond
Some detail, Dutton
How can Peter Dutton present himself as a strong leader while he lacks the courage to provide any details on how he would go about tackling the cost of living, inflation, housing affordability, the ever-widening gap between richer and poorer, not to mention near term global warming or any ideas on reform of our deficient tax system and structural shortcomings of the budget?
Keith Beamish, Canterbury
Is it really so bad?
All I’m hearing lately is that we’re all struggling. The cost of living is too high, no one can afford to do anything and everyone is miserable. But is any of this really true?
I’m not actually hearing any talk of this at work, out in the street, at the pub; only in the media. My wife and I earn an average wage, and mostly we live pay day to pay day, but I wouldn’t consider that we struggle.
I don’t think we’re missing out, and while more money would be great, I’m not blaming the government for lack of it. Don’t let a media beat-up fool you. Have a hard look at who’s done what over the past few years, rather than listening to all the noise.
David Jeffery East Geelong
Free market lessons
Economics 101 says that the free market creates the best supply of goods and services. But Economics 102 explains how a duopoly like that of Qantas and Virgin is not a free market, allowing price gouging (″Popular flights in price hike as airlines collapse″, 23/1).
Economics 103 gives reasons of equity to mitigate the excesses of a free market, for example by subsidising medical services for poorer people.
And, Economics 104 provides for public interest restrictions on an otherwise free market for products that have costs not borne by the producer or purchaser. This includes the overheads of carbon emissions from burning coal, gas and oil.
Beware of vested interests who claim there is a ‘free market’ in air travel or power generation.
John Hughes, Mentone
AND ANOTHER THING
Sport
The Australian Open seems to have morphed into a theme park complete with the high prices and long queues. Belinda Burke, Hawthorn
Thanasi Kokkinakis supporting a tennis event in Russia legitimises the Putin regime. People’s lives are not a game.
Matt Dunn, Leongatha
While I’m intrigued by the possible “innovations” to next year’s Big Bash League (“Baseball rule pitched for BBL,24/1), let’s stop calling it “cricket”. To do so confuses the sublime with the ridiculous.
Hugh Jones, Newport
Cathy Wilcox cartoon
I thought cartoons are supposed to make you laugh not cry (Opinion, 24/1).
Veronica Paskins, Somers
Absolutely brilliant. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cartoonist more sombrely capture the horrendous situation that is Gaza today. Talk about a picture painting a thousand words.
David West, Essendon
Leaders
To all those correspondents who fear that the opposition leader may seek to emulate Donald Trump, I have just one thing to say: at least Dutton can’t press the button
Ivan Glynn, Vermont
Anti-Trump diatribes clogging up the letters’ page for the next four years should mean less room for anti-Dutton correspondence. I’m sure The Age will find a way to accommodate both.
Greg Hardy, Upper Ferntree Gully
And the prophet said: “There will be only two types of food in America: Meat patties in a bun and fried chicken”. Enrique Kahan, Mt Eliza
Trump’s ‘two-sex’ gender executive order is as rational as legislating that pi is equal to 3. It flies in the face of scientific evidence and promotes belief above facts.
Ken Richards, Elwood
Surrounded by fawning plutocrats, displacing legal verdicts with presidential pardons and promoting patriotic slogans, it could have been Putin, but no, it was Trump.
Kevan Porter, Alphington
Finally
Re ″Trump’s tariff threats don’t worry Solly Lew” 24/1. Clearly, an expert in retail knows how to deal with a bull in a china shop.
Peter Bear, Mitcham
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