Notwithstanding the role of the Governor General’s office in deciding who among all nominees is awarded an Australian Honour, the Queen surely has no role in approving them.
The Australian honours are an important expression of the achievements of many Australians and the contributions they have made to many communities and across many fields. The announcement of honours on January 26 is marred by the divisiveness of that day, and instead all the Australian honours should be announced on a fitting day to celebrate these achievements across the nation.
Such a day is May 9, the day our first parliament met in the Exhibition Building in Melbourne in 1901, the day the ‘‘provisional’’ Parliament House was opened in 1927 and the day the new Parliament House opened in 1988.
Making May 9 Australia Day would enable the Australian honours to be celebrated as part of an Australia Day that focuses on the strengths of our parliamentary democracy and the inclusiveness of our society.
Anna Howe, Hackett

When is the government going to end the farce known as the Queen’s Birthday holiday? The Queen’s birthday is actually April 21, but the majority of states and territories wait nearly two months to celebrate it on the second Monday of June. In Western Australia, the ‘‘celebration’’ is not until around the last Monday of September, depending on school holidays and the date of the Royal Perth Show, and in Queensland they wait longer until the first Monday of October to coincide, if possible, the holiday long weekend with the AFL and NRL grand finals. Why bother with this birthday? I suspect the vast majority of the population don’t give a passing thought to the Queen, but simply enjoy one more day off work, school etc.
Worse still, to my mind, the federal government instituted a system of Australian honours to replace the British system, but announces them on the Queens’ birthday weekend in June when the British awards used to be released.
I much prefer to hear about our Australian award winners on Australia Day, when we are celebrating our achievements as a nation.
Bill Bowron, Farrer

According to your report (‘‘Adani shuns water trigger’’, June 13, p9) Indian mining giant Adani wants to pump up to 12.5 billion litres of water a year from the Suttor River in a 61km pipeline to its proposed mega coal mine.
As if the direct and indirect effects of the proposed mine on the climate and the Great Barrier Reef aren’t bad enough, now the company wants to rob Queensland farmers of much needed water in a time of drought.
The website ReNew Economy, tells us that in the last two months India has seen 2.5 gigawatts (GW) of wind tenders completed at record low US$36-37/MWh tariffs.
Adani’s Mundra facility, the largest coal import plant in India, is idle, unable to compete. Why on earth would Adani want to dig up coal in Australia when it cannot compete economically with renewable energy?
Please, would the ALP just tell us it will not allow Adani’s Carmichael mine to go ahead, should it be elected at the next federal election?
Jenny Goldie, Cooma

Brian Klowss seeks to put a human face to live sheep export (‘A case for live exports in ‘tough times’, June 12, p4).
He implies that sheep can be transported humanely if recent changes are enforced.
However, the evidence from decades of the live sheep trade suggest that sheep cannot be transported humanely and rules are not enforced.
Other industries in Australia and people reliant on them as a source of income have had to change and adapt with the times.
The agricultural sector should not be exempt from having to adapt to the norms of a civilised society.
Farmers should note that the majority of Australians want this abhorrent trade to end. The governments and those involved in the trade should stop trying to convince people that it can be operated humanely.
They should stop feigning shock and horror when the latest footage appears.
Robyn Vincent, McKellar

In 1995, Mark Waugh was fined by the Australian Cricket Board for his involvement in providing match information to an Indian bookmaker.
Subsequently Waugh became a media commentator and an Australian cricket selector.
In accepting a commentary role with Channel Nine, it would appear that David Warner has embarked on what could be a similar path to redemption.
In Waugh’s case, the timing was more subtle and his approach to cricket certainly involved less foaming at the mouth.
Peter Crossing, Glengowrie, SA

Italy’s interior minister, Matteo Salvini, apparently admires Australia’s present hardline ‘‘stop the boats’’ policy.
This is at least partly because he doesn’t want Italy to be ‘‘overrun by migrants (‘‘Australia an inspiration for boat halt’’, June 14, p21).
Mr Salvini has this attitude despite the fact that, according to the article, the just over four million migrants, mostly from Africa, now make up 8.5 per cent of Italy’s population but produce almost nine per cent of its GDP.
These migrants are also reportedly ‘‘crucial’’ to Italy’s welfare system, and make up for its low birth rate.
However, perhaps unsurprisingly, migrants reportedly compete with the poorest Italians for housing.
Italy has apparently ‘‘done little for the the refugees on (their) arrival’’.
Some undocumented migrants are recruited as drug pushers and some who work as farm labourers are ‘‘treated no better than slaves’’. Italy has tried, without success, to resettle some of these migrants in other countries.
However, it has not emulated the Australian practice of locking refugees away in detention and cruel conditions on remote islands such as Manus and Nauru.
Australia appears to be alone in that inhumane practice.
Douglas Mackenzie, Deakin

The NGA is short of cash? Why not hold a garage sale? Should get a few bob for the Jackson Pollock.
N. Ellis, Belconnen

Peter Hartcher (‘‘Soaring rhetoric but lack of detail’’, June 13, p7) doubts the reality of the alleged (denuclearisation) agreement.
If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck it’s probably a duck.
In the case of the Donald Trump/Kim Jong-un ‘‘agreement’’, like Hartcher I am calling BS.
It looks like a stage-managed media event, smells like a stage-managed media event, and, like the claims of Trump’s vast fortune, is bereft of details or hard facts.
Like Trump, I have no facts to back this statement up, I just got a vibe in the first 30 seconds.
Watch for calls for Trump, Dennis Rodman and Kim to get nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Wait for the results of the Robert Mueller probe and the cries of: ‘‘How can you impeach the man who saved the world from the evil empire of the Little Rocket Man?’’
Another spectacular event brought to you by Putin Productions for the Fake News Network.
Fantastic ratings, biggest ever audience numbers ever.
Rory McElligott, Nicholls

President Trump might well be criticised for many things, but I do not agree that his use of simple language (Phyllis Vespucci, Letters, June 13) should be one of them.
These days, no one talks to anyone anymore. Instead they have a ‘‘conversation’’. People don’t do anything these days. Instead they ‘‘go on a journey’’.
I find it refreshing that the President uses words like ‘‘bad’’, ‘‘good’’, ‘‘big’’, ‘‘small’’. He is in good company too. Who can ever forget the scalp-tingling speech Winston Churchill broadcast as France fell in 1940, the one that begins: ‘‘The news from France is very bad.’’
Phyllis Vespucci takes Trump to task for speaking of Russia rejoining the G7 thus: ‘‘I think it would be good for the world. I think it would be good for Russia. I think it would be good for the United States ...’’
Does this pack any less of a punch than ‘‘We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills ...’’?
I am not suggesting that President Trump is equal to Sir Winston as an orator. I do, however, dispute the fact that it is his use of plain and simple English that ‘‘heralds his relinquishment of any claim to world leadership’’.
His introduction of new words to our lexicon is another matter. That leaves me stunned – bigly.
Virginia Berger, Barton

I’m American by birth. Throughout my many years and travels, I’ve done my share of cringing at ‘‘Ugly Americans’’ (typically tourists).
I never could imagine an American president being an Ugly American ... and ... tragically for most Americans, the current President exemplifies the worst.
A broad collection of behaviours and adjectives defines an Ugly American: behaves in ways offensive to people of another country while there; acts brash, like an insensitive philistine, like a spoiled brat; is obnoxious, uncouth, boastful, materialistic, duplicitous, loud, arrogant, demeaning, thoughtless, rude, ignorant, voracious, preachy, mercenary, and bombastically chauvinist; is often ignorant or dismissive of local culture and standards, is ethnocentric and imperialist, lacks cultural sensitivity; gives the United States a bad reputation by acting in an offensive way.
‘‘Americans when they go to a foreign land ... They isolate themselves socially. They live pretentiously. They’re loud and ostentatious.’’ (The Ugly American, Burdick and Lederer, 1958).
The President models the epitome of an Ugly American; many of his aides follow closely.
Please don’t judge all Americans by the low standard set by the President.
Judy Bamberger, O’Connor

The current debate concerning whether it is appropriate for the Australian War Memorial to accept and recognise private or company donations is a worthy one.
Whatever the original intention(s), the institution has evolved into holding a dual role – firstly, a place to honour and respect war deaths and casualties (a memorial) but secondly, a place to exhibit equipment and records associated with wars and conflicts in which Australia has been involved (a museum).
I suspect most people do not have a problem with a museum accepting private sector donations (even from companies who profit from war or defence activities) if it helps pay the bills.
But I also suspect many feel it is a bit ‘‘off’’ if companies want recognition in the form of a plaque or notice, however discrete, in the areas specially dedicated to remembrance.
Solutions could include a name change to ‘‘The Australian National War Museum’’ as well as a change in policy about the manner in which recognition for company contributions is displayed.
Hugh Major, Forrest

The impact of rates rises on the hip pocket is terrifying pensioners, low- and middle- income earners and people on fixed incomes forced to pay more and more each each year with no idea where they will find the money.
Many seniors and low-income earners may have no choice but to leave Canberra altogether because they cannot live with the uncertainty of arbitrary rates rises.
Years ago people would celebrate when they had paid off the mortgages. At last they owned their house free and clear.
They now literally fear losing their homes because of rising property taxes.
The appetite for tax dollars – whether at the federal, state, territory or local level – will continue to grow unless we rethink the proper role of government in our lives.
Victor Diskordia, McKellar

Megan Doherty’s story ‘‘Residents urge government to act on Coombs shops’’ (June 14, p8) is not before time. The absence of a shopping centre at Coombs means it is now becoming almost impossible to find a parking spot at Cooleman Court during shopping hours. The communities now await Mr Gentleman’s response to the issue.
John Milne, Chapman

Between 80,000 and 130,000 children, women and men are thought to be held in the North Korean gulags at present.
Political torture, murders and executions are common, this is a ‘‘Rogue State’’ that makes income by selling weapons and drugs illegally around the world.
I can remember a time when the political line was ‘‘We do not negotiate with terrorists’’.
I guess the opportunity for good PR footage outweighs that.
Doug Steley, Heyfield, Vic

With trust there is respect; with respect there are values. Without values there is nothing! Donald Trump has spent his life investing in (thus, valuing) a nation he now leads. He trusts, he respects and he values, freedom. His stance, is gathering traction ... worldwide.
Howard Hutchins, Chirnside Pk, Vic

With the loss of fertile arable land to our demand for housing the CSIRO’s land at Ginninderra is not the place for further development. Erin Clarke (Letters, June 13) is in error when suggesting it be commercialised. It is an indictment of the CSIRO’s management that it proposes covering this area with housing. Australia is desperately short of land close to areas of population where foodcrops could be grown. Government should take steps to use this land for that purpose.
Murray Upton, Belconnen

ANU researcher Robert Bruenig claims that a flat tax rate of 32.5 per cent for incomes from $40,000 to $200,000 would ‘‘create a fairer tax system’’. It doesn’t seem fair to me.
(‘‘Flat income taxes will limit system gaming’’, June 13, p9).
Rod Holesgrove, O’Connor, ACT

Contrary to the assertion by George Thompson, (Letters, June 14) Katy Gallagher would not get a pension after two terms.
That all changed in 2004 when all new senators and MPs since then join a standard super scheme designed in the same way as the current accumulation scheme for Commonwealth public servants. Aside from being wrong on that, anyone who knows what drives Katy Gallagher knows money is not even in her top 10 motives.
Steve Blume, Chapman

Oliver Wendell Homes said (1904): ‘‘Taxes are what we pay for a civilised society.’’ With inequality increasing those fortunate enough to access negatively geared tax subsidies should consider those without a roof.
Albert M. White, Queanbeyan, NSW

It’s good we don’t judge the Anzacs by the politically correct standards imposed on today’s diggers.
M. Moore, Bonython