Australia Day
"Australia Day: take a fresh look at our past" (Comment, 21/1) by Susan Boyer gives heart to those who lament the sugar-coating with which Australians conceal the truth about our occupation of this country. There is ample evidence of massacres of natives by settlers as they cleared the land to make way for legal title to be granted, first to squatters and then to settlers. Free grants for grazing licences were not enough (and ceased in New South Wales in 1831, to be replaced by auction sales at five shillings an acre) with pressure for upgrading to leaseholds and ultimately to freehold title.
Each stage of this increasing alienation of the land was accompanied by complaints (by the new occupiers) of interference from natives who would gather in groups at the fringes of the now-fenced land, mystified by what was happening in their ancient hunting-grounds.
Illustration: Bruce Petty.
So began the process of "dispersing", to use the cynical word then current and acceptable in official reports. It was the weasel-way of dodging the truth for it was understood to mean: slaughter, assassination, massacre, butchery. The frequent use of the word "dispersal" in police reports gives an idea of the scale of this carnage. That is the truth which has been swept under the carpet for too long.
Malcolm Ronan, North Balwyn
Credit: Luis Enrique
Celebrate our lucky, democratic nation
I enjoyed Susan Boyer's reflections on what it means to be Australian. The nub of it is that we are lucky to live in a prosperous democracy. So why do we celebrate the date which started human rights abuses of convicts and indigenous Australians, what many Aboriginal people call Invasion Day? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to celebrate a date connected with federation, the founding of our lucky democratic nation?
Jane Miller, Carlton North
The day we voted for equality for Aborigines
David Hunt ("Who the bloody hell are we?", Spectrum, 24/1) argues for a different day from January 26 to become our national day. It was not so long ago that the holiday was set for the closest Monday to January 26 (if it did not already land on that day). Having a long weekend and not knowing why, what could be more Australian than that?
Hunt suggests several dates for our national day but I would like to suggest May 27, "Referendum Day" (it would replace the Queen's Birthday, which is not celebrated on her birthday).
On that day in 1967, 90.77 per cent of Australians voted to change the constitution. Provisions which prevented the federal government from making laws for Aborigines, and excluded them from being counted in the census, were removed from the constitution. Voters wanted their indigenous brethren to be equal Australians too.
Tony Miller, Ulverstone, Tas
Let's sing together – but at different times
Hmm. So under this plan to show we are united, today we will have a nationwide rendition of the national anthem at noon (The Age, 16/1). Patriotic Aussies in three states will sing at noon Eastern Daylight Time, followed half an hour later by South Australia (and outback Broken Hill), Queensland an hour later, Western Australia three hours later, Cocos and Christmas islands four hours later, then Mawson Station in Antarctica six hours later. Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island will have missed it because their clocks are ahead of us. Or the alternative is to synchronise and get lots of westerly people up singing early on their day off. Yep, good one ...
John Boyce, Richmond
Where's the humanity?
On Australia Day, our children sing: "For those who've come across the seas, we've boundless plains to share". But we know, and they suspect, that it is a lie.
Yet, after World War II, we welcomed generations of people who were fleeing war, starvation, ethnic and religious violence. The wealthy country we are so lucky to live in has been built to a great extent by refugees.
John Howard's Tampa "crisis" showed, however, there were votes in cruelty to asylum seekers arriving by boat. Hundreds of young men have been locked up indefinitely on Manus, left ignorant of when their claim for asylum will be processed, and told they will never set foot here. Surely it is time to demand, and vote for, humane treatment for all asylum seekers, so that our children can be justly proud to call themselves Australian.
Brendan Doyle, Wentworth Falls, NSW
Our vital services
The Prime Minister has said that if you do not want to work on weekends, then you should not. This mean that critical-care nurses, ambulance paramedics and many other highly trained professionals can now enjoy their weekends free from the stress of work. Apparently, there are plenty of students who are ready and willing to take over.
By the way, Mr Abbott, if you need to go to hospital, make sure you avoid the weekends.
Alan Stevenson, Noble Park
Start cutting at top
Why is it that when business wants to cut costs, it always focuses on the workers? If ridiculously overpaid chief executive officers who are earning millions of dollars a year took a 10 per cent pay cut, the savings might be greater than cutting the penalty rates of many low-paid workers and fewer people would be left struggling.
Come on, Mr Abbott, be honest about where the costs lie: in the obscene remuneration for those at the top.
Mardie Townsend, McKinnon
Their right to live
Artist Ben Quilty's article about his friend, Myuran Sukumaran (Comment, 23/1) indicates a person who has rehabilitated himself over years in Kerobokan Prison, someone who has become a talented, compassionate artist whose efforts to teach and rehabilitate his fellow prisoners should not go without reward – the opportunity to continue his life.
Why is Indonesian President Joko Widodo so merciless? Tony Abbott should be outraged. Is he really making strenuous claims on behalf of Sukumaran and Andrew Chan?
It is cruel that these two men should be put to death, despite their striving to reform.
Carolyn Ilsley, Brunswick East
Criminals, not victims
While the death penalty cannot be condoned, even for a crime that feeds off the misery and suffering of others, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan are not innocents. They knowingly committed a crime for profit – the smuggling of an illegal substance. This may not merit their execution but it does not make them martyrs or hapless victims. Drug smuggling is not a victimless crime, and the victims are not those who attempt to make money out of something that causes so much damage and heartache here.
Peta Hawker, Musk
The AFP's role
Well may one ask "how many lives would have been lost or destroyed if the Bali Nine had got their drugs into Australia" (Letters, 24/1). And well may one ask why the Australian Federal Police tipped off the Indonesian authorities about them, rather than picking them up in Sydney, where a long jail sentence would have been the result. Not death by firing squad, which is, frankly, mediaeval and inhuman.
Anne Walker, Carlton
Silence the extremists
Martin Flanagan's article, "Civility is a currency we must value" (Forum, 24/1), hit the nail on the head. I am also a strong believer in liberal Western values, and a secularist and an atheist. The fundamentalist mindset that seems to have infected Islam, Christianity and Judaism truly confounds and frightens me. It only means we get to hear from the noisy extremists at either end of the spectrum. Can we do better as a species, or am I wrong?
Glenn Lynch, Keilor
Praise where it's due
The Asian Cup is drawing to a close and, so far, we have seen nothing but excitement and fun, on and off the pitch. Many Middle Eastern teams, some with a long history of political rivalries and wars, and often associated with negative news, have been competing. Each nation has very colourful crowds, often sitting together, behaving well and enjoying soccer. This is not common in soccer overseas. Some recognition of these crowds and their good behaviour by authorities would help to promote dialogue and trust in our country.
Sedat Mulayim, Brunswick West
A dangerous decline
Various articles in the past few years have described concern about Australia's declining status in international testing of school students for maths and literacy, whereas once we were in the top 10 countries. Academics and politicians, including federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne, agree that improving teacher quality is one school-based way to improve student performance. So, why are ATAR scores continuing to fall for university courses that train teachers – according to your article (The Age, 22/1) from an average of 61.9 last year to 58.3 this year? This is even more concerning because it was above 70 in 2006.
Kiya Murman, Box Hill
Will Howard apologise?
David Hicks' ordeal is nearing an end. The admission of the United States government that he is innocent of war crimes (The Saturday Age, 24/1) raises many questions for the former Howard government. The statements by Mr Howard and his ministers, as quoted in the article, demonstrate their complicity in the false imprisonment of Mr Hicks.
Their declining to comment on his innocence demonstrates a cowardly arrogance, especially given the advice offered to the Howard government – that charging Mr Hicks went against the US constitution, international law and fundamental principles of criminal law. They betrayed him. Also worrying is our deference to the US, especially with concern to issues such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
Judith Morrison, Mount Waverley
Sign of the times
Adam Mason (Letters, 24/1) asks why the CBD, and particularly the State Library, have so few public lockers. Has he considered that their removal might have been because they could facilitate the storage of explosives, drugs, weapons and so on? The same reason waste bins have been removed and, no doubt, led to the closure of toilets on railway stations.
Bill Payne, Rosebud
Unnecessary cruelty
"The modern dairy cow commonly suffers from mastitis, lameness, metabolic disorders, mutilation procedures and the inevitability of repeatedly losing her calf", according to a report by animal welfare group Voiceless (The Saturday Age, 25/1). The increasingly intensive farming of cows to satisfy growing demand at home and in Asia is subjecting millions to a sad life.
It is distressing and unnatural for cows to have their newborn calves taken from them every year, so that people can drink their milk, before being impregnated again, until they can no longer produce. Humans do not need to drink animals' milk. We only began around 8000 years ago, and some societies still consume no dairy products. There are many alternative sources of dietary nutrition. Treating cows this way should be phased out.
Danny Crossman, Hawthorn East
A matter of hygiene
What an alarmist article ("Are your pets killing you?", Insight, 24/1). While Andrew Masterson mentions that people can reduce their risk by hand washing, he fails to mention that these zoonoses (diseases that can be transmitted to humans from animals) can be caught by simply gardening, not washing your vegies and not cleaning your chopping board adequately after handling raw chicken. Simple hygiene can protect us all from these diseases and many others.
Dr Kerry Bail, veterinarian, Endeavour Hills
The real prison issues
While "Fakeup" (Online, 20/1) highlights the ingenious cosmetics methods utilised by women in American prisons, their Australian counterparts experience pressing health issues. In Victoria, these include unacceptable waiting lists for medical care in the privatised prison system. Also, lack of access to specialised services such as hepatitis C treatment and mental health care. Strip searches are also problematic. Women in prison have high rates of past physical and sexual abuse. I would love The Age to tackle these issues.
Trish Hayes, Women's Health West, Footscray
AND ANOTHER THING
Politics
Wanted: a new occupant for the Lodge. Current lease running out.
Nola Price, Mornington
Mathias Cormann thinks the government "is on the right track". That captures the problem nicely.
James Ogilvie, Kew
It's time to step up, Malcolm, so we can regain our humanity and others their dignity.
Frank Bolton, Canterbury
"Turnbull to take charge of (th)e-government" (24/1). If only.
Malcolm Cameron, Camberwell
When Tony Abbott loses his job, will he also lose his prime ministerial "penalty rate"?
John Wolstenholme, Balnarring
"David Hicks terrorism charges: US admits he is innocent" (23/1). And John Howard admits ...
David Wright, Evanston, SA
Next, an apology from Howard?
Barbara Morley, Donvale
If they can hit, kick or catch a ball, then they are welcome across our sovereign borders.
Leanne McKenry, Broome, WA
Furthermore
Australians are opposed to the death penalty. Stand up and be heard.
Barbara Hatton, Lower Templestowe
If Indonesia executes the prisoners, will Australians rethink their holidays to Bali? Probably not.
Michael Dalton, Yarraville
Bruce McAvaney and Jim Courier, please listen to the umpire to learn how to pronounce Djokovic.
Derek Shepherd, Woodend
I couldn't open an email account as I don't have a mobile phone. It seems the landline is all but defunct.
Paul Murchison, Kingsbury
Sledging is just not cricket.
Susan Munday, Bentleigh East