Credit: Cathy Wilcox
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How sad to read “keep it on field″ (Letters, 7/3). Shane Warne was an absolute hero in the cricket world and needs to be honoured as such. His behaviour off field is another thing and needs not to be judged by an attitude of self-righteousness. None of us are perfect, and Warne is not honoured for his lifestyle but for his excellence. Yes, he was a larrikin, but he was also open and honest about himself, which is to be admired. To deny Warne a state funeral would not only be sad but pathetic. Those who have been honoured by state funerals are honoured for their contribution to the Australian community in their field and in Warne’s case for his contribution to cricket throughout the world.
Julie Ottobre, Forest Hill
The little things speak volumes
When Shane Warne lived in Brighton some years back, my cousin Marilena told me she would regularly see him at the local supermarket and he would often usher those behind him through, ahead of him. No big deal but the little things speak volumes.
Peter Russo, West Brunswick
We need to reform priorities
So Shane Warne gets a state funeral for being able to throw a ball really well but Moss Cass, strong supporter of abortion reform, strong supporter of the decriminalisation of homosexuality, enabled the cancellation of sand mining on Fraser Island, Australia’s first minister for the environment and conservation, fought but failed to stop the flooding of Lake Pedder, spoke out about people smuggling and attempted to advise governments on measures to stop desperate asylum seekers from frequent drownings and a medical doctor, does not get a state funeral. God help Australia.
Esther Cukier, Caulfield, Victoria
The age of the larrikin is over
I am over the worship of the Aussie larrikin. The pinnacle of this blind adoration has to be Shane Warne. I understand that “Warnie” is a legend in the world of cricket, but honestly, two front pages and 22 pages of adoration sidelining the crisis in Ukraine. Why do we put these blokes on a pedestal?
OK, he was fun, we loved his entertaining, crazy devil-may-care attitude and his crazy antics, and we are forgiving of his controversial lifestyle, but he is no role model of the 21st-century man and surely not worthy of a state funeral.
Christina Foo, Wahroonga
Different arena for female stars
What would the media and other (typically but not exclusively male) commentators have said about a major female sports star who acted as Shane Warne did in her personal life?
Larrikin? No chance. Something quite a bit less complimentary, I expect.
I’m not criticising Shane Warne, and I’m no wowser. He was entitled to the accolades due to him as a major sports star, and equally entitled (as are we all) to live his personal life as he wished. But can the media honestly say that they would have reported in exactly the same way about a woman of similar stature in sport or any other high-profile position, who acted as Warne did off the field?
I think, sadly, we all know the answer to that.
Tim Shirley, Benalla
Let’s make a stand and ditch the initials
It’s wonderful news that the MCG’s Great Southern Stand will be named after our beloved world-class bowler, tragically lost to the world far too early. But an earnest request: could we please call it The Shane Warne Stand? Who will remember this champion larrikin spin bowler as S.K.? Warne always called it like it is. Let’s do the same, in his honour.
Margery Joan, Lower Templestowe
FORUM
Giving in no answer
If large armies always defeat small armies, as one correspondent says, and Ukraine should simply surrender to Russia to save lives as another correspondent says, where does that leave the world? Any country with a large army can simply invade any other country with a small army because logically the smaller country has to surrender to save lives.
Think if it were Australia – we are by that logic susceptible to invasion by any of our neighbours (and indeed further afield) – who have a larger army, and that is most of them. Do your correspondents think they would be happy to live under Indonesian or Indian or Chinese or Russian rule because our army is always going to be smaller than those countries’ armies and we could never prevail? Giving in to a superior invading force is a wicked problem with no easy solution.
Louise Kloot, Doncaster
It is untenable
The dreadful scenes of death, suffering and destruction in Ukraine are heart-wrenchingly sad to watch. And no sane person wants a wider war in Europe or it to spread further. But how long can the world continue to witness Ukraine being devastated by missile attacks from Russia? This saturation bombing is killing innocent civilians and reducing Ukraine’s cities and villages to rubble and violating the human rights of all Ukrainians.
I hope very soon the international and internal pressure, sanctions and Ukrainian resistance bears results on the Putin regime and halts the terrible carnage. Otherwise, more must be done to stop Russia’s callous invasion. Tolerating these atrocities in Ukraine much longer is a totally untenable situation. If this agony continues we will reach a point where almost everyone will say enough. And we’ll have to act by whatever means and whatever the cost to stop the slaughter. Putin’s attempt at greatness and restoring Russia’s empire is being built over the dead bodies of so many children, women and men. In the name of justice and humanity, just end this war.
Steven Katsineris, Hurstbridge
No-flight zone
In its invasion of Ukraine, Putin’s army has demonstrably committed war crimes. To give them any chance at all, the Ukrainians need a no-flight zone over their country. Could that be achieved by other European countries donating warplanes to Ukraine to be repainted with Ukrainian insignia and flown by Ukrainian pilots?
Henry Haszler, Eltham
Call his bluff
This is like watching someone get kicked to death in the street. Putin thinks he can have the world over a barrel with his threats of catastrophic consequences for the world. If there’s any decency, someone will call his bluff.
Roger Hyland, Richmond
Obscene subs
How obscene that Defence spends $120 billion on submarines, while we rely on the ″mud army″ and people’s private boats to rescue people during floods. Go figure.
Tony Danino, Wheelers Hill
Nature’s reclamation
In the future, older Australians looking out the car window as they drive along will tell their children, ″I remember when all this land was covered in houses.″
This will be a direct reversal of earlier generations who lamented the loss of valuable farmland and beautiful native bush to ever-encroaching housing.
Any site that has ever been inundated should be ruled out for building or rebuilding. Let the plants and animals have it back.
Rod Wise, Surrey Hills
Conditional approval
It is refreshing to see the call for reinvigorated emphasis on teaching history in our universities (Comment, 7/3), less so that it comes from within a faith-based institution that carries its mission in its name. Religions should not be state-sponsored in a 21st-century public institution.
Tony Haydon, Springvale
Work to be done
Let me make it perfectly clear. All mothers work. In fact, all women work. In fact, all people work. Many people work for money. Some work for love but while people live there is work to be done. What is meant when the phrase “working mothers” is used, is mothers in paid employment. Denigrating “working mothers” however denigrates everyone.
Ann Ritchie, Bellfield
Don’t blame ADF
Your correspondent (Letters, 7/3) criticises the ADF for turning up late to the floods in Lismore. Defence forces that make their own decisions are those of military dictatorships, not those of democracies. Our ADF (of which I am a proud retiree) is, and rightly so, under the control of a civilian government. If the civilian government is too inept to despatch them promptly, the ADF is not to blame.
Ian Usman Lewis, Kentucky, NSW
Empty-headed ads
The United Australia Party’s ″Stop Repression″ and ″Freedom Forever″ ads are empty, ignorant and offensive slogans here. Yet they have real meaning in Ukraine, where people are fighting for freedom against the Russian invasion and repression. Does the UAP really understand the meaning of repression? Or freedom?
Jennie Irving, Camberwell
Grant you, it’s awkward
Jenny Callaghan (Letters, 6/3) is spot on. On Q&A last week, we could see how host Stan Grant was struggling with what to do with the “rogue” question from Putin sympathiser Sasha Gillies-Lekakis in the audience. That Grant decided to remove Gillies-Lekakis on the grounds that his question was ″promoting violence″ sets an awkward precedent for an ABC program. Q&A prides itself on the openness of the forum and the eclectic range of guests. Are some questions now off limits, depending on the context of their content?
Nick Toovey, Beaumaris
No long-term vision
In response to Australia’s floods, the PM said: “If you closed down every coal mine in Australia, would that have stopped these floods? The answer is no” (“After another deluge”, The Age, 5/3). Although this statement is technically correct, it is abysmally shortsighted, and could even be considered immoral. What Morrison still fails to appreciate, is that action that reduces emissions now will be counted in crops, homes, businesses, ecosystems, species, and human lives saved into the future. The federal government’s inability to see beyond immediate dangers and success at the next election will severely impact the wellbeing of Australians.
Amy Hiller, Kew
The time to plan is now
Fight or flight? (The Age, 7/3) is just the latest in a long line of articles about Australia’s crumbling shoreline. From Wye River to Inverloch, we’re told coastal erosion is hammering the surf lifesaving facilities, that the Great Ocean Road is under threat, and that coastal councils are begging for funding to storm-proof their shorelines.
After the horrors of Black Summer and the floods in Queensland and NSW, surely it’s time for the major political parties to stop shilly-shallying around global warming and start planning for a future that integrates both serious fossil fuel reduction and urgent preparations for a lifestyle that can cope with some of the changes that we have been warned by the latest IPCC report, are now irreversible.
John Mosig, Kew
Too harsh a view
In response to ″Life, death and cricket″ (Letters, 7/3), nobody is pretending that sportspeople are scientists, doctors, JFK, Elvis or Di. However in this day of political correctness, characters such as Rod Marsh and Shane Warne gave many of us some much-needed respite from a consistent barrage of bad news.
Warne’s talent, work ethic and dedication to the game is well-documented and his everyman gave us confidence that most celebrities regardless of their particular skills are good people. Marsh and Warne gave tirelessly of their time, continued after retirement to give back to the game, founded and donated to endless charitable causes. To suggest that they do not deserve to be mourned and celebrated by the media or their followers I believe is extremely harsh.
Sydney Shadid, Sandringham
Heart of gold
Some years ago a neighbour won a competition where the prize was to have the Victoria cricket team play in your backyard. The biggest star in that team was Shane Warne.
Long after the other cricketers had fulfilled their commitment and left, Warnie was still there downing beers with the dads and tossing down leg breaks to any kid that asked. It was typical of Warnie, the kids adored him and he revelled in the idolatry.
He was no saint even though he barracked for them in the AFL. Those who knew him say he had a heart of gold and that will do me. He certainly left us with some wonderful sporting memories.
Nick Brennan,
Rowville
Unwarranted pics
The coverage of Shane Warne’s death in The Sunday Age was respectful and moving. So it was disappointing that The Age published images yesterday of what appeared to be a covered body being loaded into a vehicle and an unmade bed in a hotel room. All of us know that when a person dies they leave a body behind. We do not need to peer at it any more than we need to fossick in his sock drawer or his medicine cabinet. It was grubby and voyeuristic. Those closest to him deserve better.
Phillip Price, Richmond
It’s new, but not clear
As Scott Morrison and Peter Dutton keep banging on about national security in the lead-up to the election could they please explain how creating a nuclear target here makes us safer. (“PM plans east coast base for nuclear submarines”, The Age, 7/3).
Phil Alexander, Eltham
AND ANOTHER THING
Climate
Let’s get real, and call it what it is – Climate Changed.
Greg Lee, Red Hill
Flood-ravaged residents in NSW and Queensland will be on the edge of their seats waiting on Scott Morrison’s announcement about submarines.
Ian Maddison, Parkdale
War
Peter Dutton seems determined to have a war with someone. I just wish he’d pick someone less powerful than China.
John Walsh, Watsonia
War is not tanks and guns. War is not about the hardware. War is people killing other people.
Terry Malone, Warburton
It looks as if Peter Dutton’s planning a quick dash to Subs ‘R’ Us before the election.
Tim Durbridge, Brunswick
Always remember, when a leader says, ″We will fight ’em on the beaches,″ he means you, not me.
Barry Revill, Moorabbin
Why can’t the frozen Russian billions be spent on providing defensive weapons for Ukraine?
Phil Piesse, Kew
Warne
Somewhere, someone is probably writing a film script or even a ballet called Shane, Warts and All.
Myra Fisher, Brighton East
What a great cricket catch-up there will be ″upstairs″ when Bradman, the ″other″ Keith (Miller), Marsh and Warnie all get together, as our so-revered Aussie champs.
Tris Raouf, Hadfield
No, Vivienne, you are not the only one (Letters, 7/3).
Narelle Richardson, Warrnambool
Vale, Rod Marsh and Shane Warne. Thankfully, God did not attempt a hat-trick.
Peter Thomas, Pascoe Vale
Finally
Josh Frydenberg is returning the pork to pay for the tax cuts.
Peter Randles, Pascoe Vale South