Canberra Times Letters to the Editor: Let’s cut Abdel-Magied a little slack, she is a fine Australian

Yassmin has embraced Australia – its opportunities and peculiarities – with extraordinary enthusiasm while retaining family connections with Sudan and her religion – Islam – seeing no conflicts between these connections.

She has been professionally successful and become a celebrity, anxious to contribute to Australia as a thinker and advocate, not just a settler.

She cops it for commenting on a "sensitive topic". But was it what she said that gave offence or the fact that it was said by a brown person wearing a headscarf?

There is a whole range of views about how we commemorate the Anzac story. Books have been written about it; some suggesting it has been over-hyped.

A play called The One Day of the Year satirised the activities that had grown up around Anzac Day as long ago as 1958.

The story has survived all this and will no doubt survive Yassmin's tweet.

Amanda says we are too protective of our minorities.

Yassmin, in her autobiography, reflects ruefully that, as a Muslim migrant of "colour", she is constantly asked to explain herself. I doubt Amanda has such a problem.

Let's cut Yassmin a little slack. She is a fine Australian and I look forward to her future comments on whatever topic.

Peter Dawson, Hughes

While I have little sympathy for people who use the 140 character-limited Twitter platform for social commentary, Zed Seselja's response to Yassmin Abdel-Magied's Anzac Day tweet was both hyperbolic and puerile. Her tweet "Lest. We. Forget. (Manus, Nauru, Syria, Palestine)" was not — as those great upholders of truth and reason the Murdoch media would have us believe — "vile", disrespectful" and "anti-Digger", but simply suggested (to me) that as we contemplate the great sacrifices of previous generations we might also think about those caught up in and displaced by current conflict.

The notion that Anzac Day should be sacrosanct from respectful discussion about war and conflict is immature nonsense but it's no surprise that the same noisy mob who railed about free speech and the right to offend have remained silent.

Jon Stirzaker, Latham

How refreshing to read Mike Reddy's "What is despicable?" (letters, May 8).

What a shame all too many Australians have been sold the myth that Anzac Day was a sacred day on our calendar.

Anyone who has the audacity to suggest that we should be taking a long hard look at how this day is sold would be drawn and quartered if many of those misguided Australians had their way.

D. J. Fraser, Currumbin, Qld

Santos chief executive Kevin Gallagher has proven himself remarkably honest. Of natural gas, he declared, "The current domestic supply issue ... is the result of ... actions by state and territory governments to ban or restrict exploration and production." ("Blame governments for gas supply failures, says Santos", May 5, p32).

I guess it's all up to Malcolm Turnbull, now. Either he will exercise the Commonwealth's prerogative as stated or he will, once again, cave. It is time for Australia to start retrieving what is left of its sovereignty.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

In his article on the possibility of Australia being involved in another war ("War is too big a thing...", May 8, p12), Julian Cribb makes the astonishing claim, in the penultimate paragraph, that the "executive" is "unelected".

I invite Mr Cribb to read the Australian constitution – particularly Sections 2, 51(vi), 51 (xxix) and 61 to 64 – after which he might wish to withdraw that claim and rewrite the paragraph.

Paul E. Bowler, Holder

Bill Anderson's protest over Indonesia's hosting of World Press Freedom Day (letters, May 4) is a sad example of an Australian habit of trying to rally support for a cause by demonising unfamiliar neighbours.

Bringing up Balibo in 1975 is like damning us for the White Australia Policy. Shouldn't we deserve some credit for moving on over the past 50 years?

Like most post-colonial, wannabe, nation-states Indonesia had its share of military-backed dictatorship. Against the odds, it dumped General Suharto in 1998, allowed a referendum in East Timor, and managed a democratic transition that has so far delivered three free and fair presidential and legislative elections, and five presidents representing four different parties.

Its robust press and NGO sectors are a striking beacon for the region.

Where else in this part of the world would Mr Anderson like to see World Press Freedom Day?

One or one-and-a-half party Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and China, with their government-owned and controlled press?

Thailand's military dictatorship? Duterte's murderous regime in the Philippines?

Or perhaps our own bland duopoly of the Murdoch and Fairfax empires?

Anthony Reid, Civic

As one of the most inspiring pro-democracy campaigners the world has ever known, Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi is facing a far greater challenge than the one that saw her stare down a military junta ("Suu Kyi's Rohingya dilemma", May 4, p13).

Her resistance towards even allowing a United Nations fact-finding mission to investigate atrocities committed against Rohingya Muslims sadly reflects on the hatred and extremism that the most deeply Buddhist nation on earth holds towards this despised religious minority.

For by declaring herself to be "just a politician" who is required to make "principled compromises", Suu Kyi seriously brings into question whether these fundamentalist elements within her own Buddhist faith of non-violence have infected her with the same prejudice that bitterly divides a newly democratic and free Myanmar.

Vincent Zankin, Rivett

The courage shown by Professor Laurie Brown in telling her story ("Addicted poker machine user wants stronger controls to stop out-of-control gambling" CT, May 5) is to be commended.

Her loss of $230,000 is indicative of the failure of so-called protections for problem gamblers.

That anyone could lose $200,000 over 17 months with apparently no response by anyone in authority at Raiders Belconnen suggests gambling addicts have little or no protection there.

Chief executive Simon Hawkins is quoted as saying the club would not refund any money because it was Brown's choice to spend the money.

While this is correct, she is an addict and clubs are supposed to protect addicts. That they do not is illustrated by Australia's Productivity Commission report which says of the about 600,000 people who play the machines weekly, more than 15 per cent lose an average of $21,000 annually.

Those defined as problem gamblers contribute about 40 per cent of all losses.

Only 3 per cent of Australians account for about 75 per cent of all losses.

Clubs do not protect problem gamblers but depend on them. So do governments for the taxes they receive, which is why they have taken no effective action to protect vulnerable gamblers.

Hawkins accepts the club had not picked up on Brown's previous exclusion.

Surely this entitles this victim and others let down by the system to at least some financial compensation.

There can be little confidence in Hawkins' assurance Brown's case would not happen now.

Graham Downie, O'Connor

Barrie Abrahams (Letters, May 8) has things the wrong way around.

It is not "thoughtless" pedestrians cutting corners and causing erosion who are the problem but witless government authorities who design footpaths that take no notice of human nature and the rather obvious inclination to find the shortest route.

There seems to be a bizarre expectation that people are incredibly disciplined and prefer to make right-angle turns everywhere when an obvious shorter alternative is available.

I believe some new housing estates in Britain don't build footpaths until after people have moved in and shown planners the routes where they prefer to walk.

Here, governments' conformist mindset prefers to try to bend pedestrians to their will so that they walk in squares. They might yet achieve that any century now.

David Jenkins, Casey

I read Peter Fogarty's letter (letters, April 28) about clearing some paths in Namadgi to enable people with less than superhuman strength to enjoy it.

When people can enjoy nature, they value nature and when they value nature, they want to conserve nature. But of course someone like Judy Kelly was bound to reply (letters, May 4).

Apparently, if we make a path through Namadgi, a Westfield will follow, as surely as night follows day.

A simple dirt walking track is a slippery slope to a four-lane highway. Nature should not be enjoyed by humans, other than youthful ones with superhuman strength.

When a tree falls in the bush, only the wombats and the kangaroos should bear witness to the sound it makes, if any.

D. Zivkovic, Aranda

I would like to question some issues raised by former chief minister Stanhope (letters, May 6).

Firstly, the NSW Premier dealt with the other small states when she called for a broad review of our antiquated Federation. There needs to be amalgamations.

His comment that "her rant raises worrying questions about her understanding of the Australian Federation and basic tenets of our democracy" raises two more questions.

At Federation there was no Canberra and no ACT; that land was part of NSW. What is the NSW Premier misunderstanding about our Federation?

What is the Premier's misunderstanding about "the basic tenets of our democracy".

Approximately 64 per cent of the ACT jurisdiction voted no to self government. And self government was forced on us.

Would the former and current chief ministers like to declare the financial advantage they receive in salary, superannuation and overseas travel out of our undemocratically imposed government?

When the federal government decided it did not want to administer the ACT if it had returned the ACT to from where it came (NSW) we might have saved lives.

If Skye's law had applied as it does in NSW five lives might not have been lost on ACT roads to people on bail for car theft trying to outrun police while committing the same crime.

Glen Torr, Fraser

Couple of ridiculous thought bubbles in The Canberra Times of May 4. First the idea that self-drive cars would obviate the need for the light rail southern extension. Oh I get it; clog up the roads with tiny cars and forget about a public transport system.

Second, the recently installed NSW Premier spouting nonsense about the ACT holding NSW to "ransom" and forcing other states to follow a "lowest common denominator" approach. As Andrew Barr said, the ACT often takes the high road on reform issues. For some reason NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian did not name other jurisdictions with small populations such as Tasmania and the NT.

What really has the ACT done to upset the Premier, or was she just searching for a headline?

Rod Holesgrove, O'Connor

SISTER CITIES

Sydney has over 850 Ultra High Net Worth Individuals ($30 million plus) listed as residents. My research doesn't show any living in Canberra or Blacktown, although I suspect there would be a handful. A gesture of solidarity would be for Mr Barr and Mr Bali to discuss sister city relations between Blacktown and Canberra.

Matt Ford, Crookwell, NSW

A LONG WAIT

I am writing about the treatment received by our Prime Minister in the US. Our Prime Minister was kept waiting for more than three hours by his American host. I am old enough to remember the song "All the way with LBJ". I couldn't sing then. This time somehow I have lost my voice.

Sankar Kumar Chatterjee, Evatt

So Donald Trump "loves Australia". Does he even know where Australia is?

Patricia Saunders, Chapman

TRUE BELIEVERS

When we say 'I am a Buddhist/Muslim/Christian/etc' we are in effect saying 'I am a believer', which is oxymoronic.

Does this not make a Monkee out of ourselves?

Especially given that what is taught today is almost inevitably not the original teaching.

David Collier, Narrabundah

STRANGE TIMES

'Tis a weird epoch indeed when some refuse the poor an opportunity to put a roof over their heads, and others object to the dead finding a place of repose ("Libs on attack over housing", May 8, p.5), ("Community opposes cemetery on their doorstep", May 7, p.8).

Albert M. White, Queanbeyan, NSW

REPUBLIC NO NEARER

Like we needed any convincing about the Libs' commitment to an Australian republic anytime soon. Witness one John Winston Howard shuffling around in the background at a palace function at the same time old Phil is clocking off.

Good luck Malcolm, no time soon I gather.

Linus Cole, Palmerston

PRIORITISE AID

Charity begins close to home. The Middle East is not our problem, it belongs to the other side of the world by far. Prioritise PNG and Indonesia for foreign aid.

Barrie Smillie, Duffy

INVASION ILLEGAL

Simon Mead (letters, May 6) surely is brainwashed. Even the dimmest people on the planet know the invasion of Iraq was illegal and that the ensuing and ongoing hell on earth to get rid of one man was insane.

Marilyn Shepherd, Angaston, SA

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