It is not Australia Day per se that is socially offensive and morally unjustifiable: it is the arrogant and disrespectful rubbing in the face of Aborigines of the events associated with January 26.
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That white people came to Aboriginal lands is a fact, as are the killings, dispossession and destruction of Aboriginal society. Those events are hardly worth celebrating unless you are arrogant and couldn't care less about the effect on those who suffered.
The purpose of a national day is one of celebration of good. Choosing a racially divisive date - when one race prevailed over another with rape, murder and discrimination - is a bad choice. Of all days of the year, why stick with one that is divisive? Why not hold a competition to find a more appropriate day?
The decision by Woolworths and Aldi to avoid Australia Day bric-a-brac and related merchandise is a socially responsible action.
![Veteran Indigenous rights campaigner Michael Mansell says January 26 is the wrong date on which to celebrate Australia's national day. Picture by Paul Scambler Veteran Indigenous rights campaigner Michael Mansell says January 26 is the wrong date on which to celebrate Australia's national day. Picture by Paul Scambler](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/LLBstgPA4H8EG9DTTGcXBL/35030779-5a81-480a-aed4-e3d04a4d94df.JPG/r0_0_6016_4011_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
What does Peter Dutton care about acting as a socially responsible leader?
When all of this type of merchandise was being peddled as part of Australia Day celebrations governments around the country were encouraging it.
Much has changed since then thanks to moral leadership by local councils, schools, political leaders, unions, and more and more members of the public.
The media have played a well-balanced role in the debate with lots of coverage for those who want to retain January 26 but who, in every single case, are not able to explain why they are determined to stick to an immoral day for national celebration.
On the other hand the swelling number of people arguing for change are sympathetic and compassionate, and it is their views that will prevail.
Michael Mansell, chairman, Aboriginal Land Council Tasmania, Launceston, Tas
What a waste of money
A very good article on the enormous and costly project to build the mere 1.7 kilometres of light rail stage 2a, hoped to finally be operating in 2028 (January 13).
The pity of it is this could have all been much more easily and cheaply done with an electric bus based system.
This would also be much easier to extend to other parts of Canberra.
Richard Johnston, Kingston
Hoons can kill
On the evening of December 15 I was walking home with my husband and granddaughter after enjoying some Christmas lights displays.
On approaching our street we were terrified by the sight and sound of a car burning out on the road a few metres in front of us.
I counted myself lucky that night that my family and I were not the victims of this ongoing foolhardy and irresponsible behaviour. Or, in the words of the angry and frustrated acting Inspector Mark Richardson, "innocent bystanders smashed by a spinning car".
For years the residents of our street have been subjected to the dangers of noisy high speed driving and burnouts. Our complaints to ACT police have been ineffectual.
Is it going to cost a human life before measures are taken to break up and remove these organised burnout gangs from our Canberra suburbs and surrounding highways?
Faye Grant, Rivett
Water? What water?
Driving past Lake George it angers me to think that each and every year exactly the same amount of water that is held in Lake George will be taken from irrigators (water currently used to feed this nation) to be sent to the ocean via the Murray.
In 2023 the Albanese government passed legislation legalising the buybacks.
What angers me is that in dry years it is common for the Darling River to stop flowing. It has done so 45 times between 1885 and 1960.
When the Darling River stops flowing the additional 500 gigalitres which was bought back, a volume the size of Lake George, will be required to be delivered to South Australia solely from the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers.
While the legislation that the Commonwealth approved may work well in times of plenty, like has been the for the past four to five years while the Darling River flows, I dread what will happen when the dry years return.
I believe we are about to witness a total collapse of the majority of Australia's fresh food production system because of a poorly planned policy which will see irrigators left high and dry.
Greg Adamson, Griffith, NSW
Queen Priscilla next?
We are and have been "doffing our caps" to King Charles and Queen Camilla for some time now. We are also practicing for the future King William and Queen Kate.
Now we apparently have to do the same for King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark. What is next for us serfs and plebs? Our own king and queen of Australia?
G W Potts, Holder
Language does matter
I refer to your edition of January 16.
The front page article ("Violence defies trend") reports on the upward trend in "family violence". The fact is that it's overwhelmingly male violence against women and should be reported as such.
Geert Wilders is labelled a "firebrand" ("A quiet Dutch village suggests a continental drift to the right"). He would be more accurately described as a "far right racist".
Your correspondents Bill Stefaniak and Bill Deane seek to justify the slaughter in Gaza and denial of food, water, medicine, communication and wholesale destruction of homes and public infrastructure in a manner utterly disproportionate to any threat.
Gandhi was once asked what he thought of Western civilisation. He responded: "I think it would be a good idea".
Wouldn't it be "good idea" if we framed our language accurately, in a historical context with an underlying moral stance.
David Perkins, Reid
In defence of VAD
I have been trying to keep out of the VAD debate of late but after reading the letter from Denise Cameron (Letters, January 16) I feel I need to make the case in favour.
Denise makes the statement "suffering can be alleviated without killing the patient" which is true but she doesn't take into account the "quality of life" aspect.
I don't want to be kept alive by well-intentioned people like Denise when I don't have any quality of life. When I can't feed myself, can't go to the toilet without assistance, can't shower or bathe myself without assistance, am no longer mobile and am confined to a wheelchair or bed, I don't want to be around any longer. Please give me a pill to end my life.
I understand some people don't share my views; that's their choice. My choice is that I don't want to live that way and should be legally able to make that decision.
I watched my mother go through this some years ago and although she was receiving the best of care she had no "quality of life". I don't want to go through what she was forced to suffer.
H Zandbergen, Kingston
Let's just enjoy
Australia Day celebrates the day modern Australia began.
Those who prefer the previous 60,000 plus years of neolithic existence to modern Australia are free to say so.
But on behalf of all those who prefer modern Australia I ask them and there supporters to tone it down just for once and let the rest of us enjoy the day.
Doug Hurst, Chapman
Australia Day rubbish
I wish more businesses would follow the lead set by Woolworths and Aldi in not stocking cheap and nasty Australia Day merchandise. Most of it is just overtly nationalistic kitsch including Aussie flag themed thongs and stubby holders.
It makes me ashamed to be an Australian, not the other way around.
N Ellis, Belconnen
Action on trees needed
A dying street tree marked for removal months ago on a very busy street in Red Hill lost a very large branch during the last severe storm. It landed on the footpath and halfway across the road. Emergency services were called and the branch was cleared.
The next day someone came back to declare the area was safe then left. What a joke, it definitely is not safe and it's only a matter of time before the whole thing collapses.
This tree is a danger to the public as it has been in decay and losing branches for a very long time. Does somebody need to be killed or seriously injured before something is done.
Could someone please tell me what is happening to a once well maintained, proud and beautiful Canberra.
Joseph Italiano, Red Hill
Humidity is a killer
This month, Sydney experienced its muggiest day on record.
Not everyone may be aware of this insidious effect of global warming.
Once the dew point, or humidity level exceeds 24 degrees it is considered to be above safe levels for heat stress, when the body's mechanism to cool itself through sweating becomes ineffective.
It has now hit 25.9 degrees. Humidity is set to become a sticky issue as our planet gets hotter.
Anne O'Hara, Wanniassa
TO THE POINT
OLD FASHIONED HONESTY
Ian Coombes (Letters, January 12) derides Edmund Burke's view that as a parliamentarian he had a responsibility to rise above the common mob. It's a sad day when telling people exactly what one believes is regarded as old-fashioned.
Bill Deane, Chapman
STEADY ON THERE
Police, politicians and all public officials should exercise great wariness when dealing with "morons" or less evolved groups, particularly about setting up "us and them divides". And let's not mention "moronic" right hand turns in front of moving trams by police.
Katy Skinner, Weetangera
ONE DAY FOR ALL OF US
Australia Day is for every Australian, not just white, and not just Aboriginal. I mean all Australians, from all walks of life, together.
Kevin Beavan, Ngunnawal
HERITAGE MEANS NOTHING
I had assumed that heritage listings were to preserve things for future generations. But clearly the news Gus's historic cafe is to close after 57 years shows I was wrong. If in this city a heritage listing can't prevent developers having their way nothing can.
Gordon Fyfe, Kambah
WHERE'S THE PLAN
How could Gus's Place possibly be approved for demolition? We haven't even seen Geocon's plans for the "new" Gus's Cafe' within the new hotel yet. A special site like this belongs to the whole Canberra community, not just the developer.
Danny Corvini, Turner
FIGURES OF SPEECH
Why is everything "coming through" these days ("More severe storms", January 15)? Why can't storms just come from the west?
James Mahoney, McKellar
BUSINESS AS USUAL
Given the real possibility Trump will be the next American President I'd like to be a fly during cabinet discussions about Australia's likely response. Then I realised that we already know: a congratulatory telephone call then business as usual.
Fred Pilcher, Kaleen
QUEEN MARY I
Now an Australian is queen of Denmark our constitution could be amended from our having the British monarch as our head of state to the Danish queen. That way we would have an Australian head of state for the first time in our history.
Bill Ruse, Isaacs
ALTERNATIVE VIEWS
As an antidote to Colin Rubenstein's Israeli government propaganda ("100 days on, the trauma has not dissipated", January 15) sign up to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz for a humane Israeli perspectives on what is happening - including the fact the survival of the Netanyahu government depends on the continuation of war in Gaza.
Jochen Zeil, Hackett
DUTTON A BAD CHOICE
Peter Dutton's attack on Woolworths for a business decision not to sell cheap imported rubbish for Australia Day shows his contempt for political process. His attack encouraged vandalism and thuggery as a tool in political manipulation. It clearly demonstrates the Liberals made a very poor choice for leader when they picked him.
Gerry Gillespie, Queanbeyan, NSW
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