Society's disenfranchised backbone of mandate protest

The rally outside parliament was remarkable for its disorganisation, confused messaging, conspiracy focus, intolerance and rank stupidity.

The modest crowd of vulnerable unvaccinated people was not wearing masks and were abusive to the few who were. There were flags of many nations, the Red Ensign, chants of "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, oi, oi, oi", tribal drumming, and chants of "freedom".

Many of the people I spoke to were casual, part-time, unemployed or running failing small businesses.

The issues people raised ranged from a wish to "hang all the pedos in government", a concern with the "high treason" by politicians and health officials, public health measures equated to "communism", claims that ,"the blood of Christ" granted immunity, claims that "big pharma" were drug pushers, concern for the spread of "worldwide government", belief that vaccination compromised their "pure blood" and claims that they had a God given right to "defend" themselves against "tyrannical government and police".

My assessment is that many are "losers" in a complicated, modern world and easy prey to darker political manipulation.

Years of bipartisan neoliberalism has stripped them of work, dignity and security.

They have fallen back on faux patriotism and irrational fears, sourcing much of their thinking from the US.

Clearly, they should not be abandoned to the far right.

The economic, social and educational disadvantage needs to be addressed. We ignore them at our peril as they are angry and really quite unbalanced.

I read with interest Monica Murfett's letter (Letters, February 9) in which she describes her chats to the demonstrators.

She is sympathetic to their cause but the really telling phrase in her letter is "I met people who were very careful about their health".

They may be very careful about their own health but their anti-vaccination stance endangers the health of others.

Now more than ever, people need to act with others' interests and health in mind.

We are in the midst of a pandemic which will surely be with us until we can vaccinate not just the populations of wealthy nations but the populations of the developing world.

We are all members of a wider community which we, as individuals, have a responsibility to protect.

It is poetic justice when convoy idiots are caught out by Civic's infamous 40km/h speed limit.

Now how about the AFP giving them tickets for inappropriately honking horns?

A quick internet search shows the only legal uses are to warn road users or animals of the approach or position of the vehicle or as part of an anti-theft device.

All other uses, such as anti-vax convoys annoying law-abiding Canberrans, are illegal and may attract up to a $3200 fine.

What a perfect way to boost the budget.

As an occasional visitor to Canberra I am dismayed at the poor traffic signage on the Northbourne Avenue 40km/h zone.

While it is meritorious that the motor authority has reduced the accident rate from Daley Road to London Circuit what's the good if it alienates the driving public.

The role of the authority is to emphasise a reduction in speed for drivers, not with static signage but with flashing 40km/h lights.

As an interstate driver I believe Northbourne Avenue is an arterial road.

I am busy concentrating on not impeding traffic.

It is bad enough to get into the mental confusion of which turnoff or lane is required on the multiple circles in Canberra.

This is the equivalent of placing a speed meter at the bottom of a hill and listening to the accumulated revenue filling the tin.

I agree with Pauline Westwood's assertion (Letters, February 7) that local authorities need to re-examine their policies on trees on household blocks in light of rapidly changing weather patterns.

The January storms and very strong winds which brought down many trees in Belconnen, damaging houses and cars are consistent with predictions from climate change science. Trees falling on powerlines also resulted in outages lasting for days.

The ACT tree protection legislation, however, is weak on safety, with its prime concern being the protection of trees, rather than the people and property below them.

One of the criteria for removal of a tree is "the tree represents an unacceptable risk to public or private safety". In practice, this is very difficult to achieve. The tree would almost need to be ready to fall to meet this criterion.

Other criteria for approval to remove a tree are likely easier to achieve. Examples include "the location of the tree is inappropriate given its potential size and growth habit" and "the tree is substantially affecting solar access to the lessees lease". These criteria at least pay some attention to foresight and potential consequences.

If the tree protection legislation and associated policies are to get to grips with an increasing damage bill from falling trees across Canberra from more intense storms, one good model to provide guidance is the ACT's Work Health and Safety Act.

This takes a much more sophisticated approach to safety and accords prevention a much higher priority.

Anthony Albanese's refusal to consider an alliance with the Greens leaves the country vulnerable to another term under the LNP, something which we simply cannot afford.

The revelations in the report requested of the Parliamentary Library by the Greens that the 114 new coal, oil and gas projects supported by the LNP would put out 2.5 times our annual carbon emissions are truly frightening.

The Opposition Leader may think that he will gain a few more votes by shunning the Greens, but he would win thousands more if he came out and admitted that a coalition of progressive voices is the only hope of guaranteeing a safe and healthy future for us all.

And another thing. There's no point in expecting the current government to do it, but it's about time the ALP said no to the donations they are continuing to take from the fossil fuel industry.

The Morrison government is going to break an election promise by not establishing a federal ICAC. That is perfectly understandable.

It has been very busy not taking action on climate change, not establishing appropriate quarantine facilities, not ordering the vaccine, not organising the vaccine rollout, not securing rapid antigen tests, not protecting aged care residents, not investigating rorts, not negotiating national COVID-19 guidelines, not investigating bad ministerial behaviour, not telling the French the truth, not doing anything practical to improve workplace culture and not holding a hose.

Thank you Crispin Hull ("Life's good for big business in the donorocracy", February 8, p25) for the new word "donorocracy.

Wiktionary doesn't yet know about it, but it is now part of my vocabulary.

Your article drew attention to a key issue that stands in the way of our future. The funding of political parties and of parliamentarians by donors leaves us hugely vulnerable to corruption; which in turn, helps to explain why our representatives are making such a mess of public policy.

This should be directed to the public good. Instead, our politicians are very often legislating for the good of the donors.

The only way we will fix this problem is by funding parliamentarians and their parties exclusively from the public purse and by having a mechanism in place to ensure that this is their only source of funds

ABC chair Ita Buttrose says that the $3.3 billion in funding by taxpayers over three years will allow the national broadcaster to continue to provide information and entertainment to the public .

Wrong. What the ABC does is to broadcast left-leaning biased reporting designed to bring down the LNP government. Nice try Ita.

Russia, although in the past you dispatched Napoleon and then Hitler, you should now be quaking in your boots.

You did not heed our warning, and now I fear it's too late.

Australia is about to upgrade its travel advisory.

On Friday I was queuing quietly for the Lifeline Bookfair along with hundreds of masked, literate Canberrans. All I could hear was inarticulate jeering from maskless anti-vaxxers. It says it all doesn't it?

After being in office for so long is it not time Scott Morrison takes a leaf from Greg Hunt's book and spends more time with his beloved family?

Has ACT Housing forgotten it owns 25 Moulder Court in Charnwood? It has been vacant for a year.

Peter Dutton's grubby slurs should be condemned. Is this his pitch for leadership? Instead of evidence he doubles down on the slur. We don't need Trumpian scorched-earth tactics we need rigorous debate.

Serious government assistance in preserving koala habitat is mandatory. No other species is permitted to pee on current and future prime ministers. It's a rite of office.

Given that voting is compulsory in Australia lowering the voting age to 16 is a silly idea. It is hard enough to make them tidy their rooms at this age.

One would like to think that freedom from the fear of expulsion would only be the beginning. Discrimination in schools against those who identify as gay is occurring on a daily basis (from fellow students and the hierarchy).

Wow. Thank you Brittany and Grace. Let's hope the pollies fix this stuff and not just ask their partners.

The integrity and courage of Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins' ate political spin and inaction for breakfast at the National Press Club. All politicians seeking election take note: you will be held accountable for everything you say and do from this day forward.

I understand Darren Chester MP was given tickets to the cricket as a guest of Tabcorp. I think any gift or favour to a politician is a very bad idea. Politicians are well paid. We need hard-headed and honest politicians, not grubby favours.

If Belconnen residents could see evidence of cleaning up the mess from the January storm they would not need the large number of recently erected signs saying that it is happening?

"There will be no fossil fuel ban under a government led by me". Hmmm, Mr Albanese, that has a familiar ring to it.