Your readers may well express an opinion on the qualifications and suitability of the newly announced director of the War Memorial, as Robyn Lewis has done (Letters, December 17). Personally, I think Mr Anderson is well qualified for the job, but these are just personal opinions.
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![Smoke shrouds the Australian War Memorial on Tuesday. Picture: Jamila Toderas Smoke shrouds the Australian War Memorial on Tuesday. Picture: Jamila Toderas](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/fdcx/doc78fx4hobdua1kqe09jma.jpg/r0_256_5000_3078_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
But where Ms Lewis is quite wrong is to then go on to assume that Charles Bean would not be impressed by the proposed developed because "it is, after all a war memorial".
Bean was quite clear, as early as 1917, that there should be a memorial and a museum. This was so the sacrifices could be commemorated and the story of the ANZACs could be told to those who visited.
Bean was also responsible for the establishment of a War Records Section even before the war had ended. This had the specific function of ensuring that relics, mementos, papers etc should be gathered for display in the museum. He argued strongly to ensure that Australia got its share of those relics and they didn't just go to the (British) Imperial War Museum as was initially proposed.
This was the start of the display of uniforms, tanks, aircraft, weapons, paintings and other documents which we see today. The dual role of museum and memorial was central to the design competition in 1927.
Given this, it's hard to see how, and contrary to Ms Lewis's assertions, that Bean could be anything other than happy with how his vision is being delivered.
Kym MacMillan, O'Malley
Why Mr Morrison? Why?
Re: "APS overhaul: 18 departments down to 14", (December 5, p1).
Is it not extraordinary that not one fair and balanced academic, journalist, public servant or the man in the street has been able to proffer a commonsense reason for Morrison's decision to downsize departments and sack five secretaries?
Only Morrison himself knows the true answer. But I very much suspect it may have been influenced by his being sacked as the managing director of Tourism Australia.
Morrison is the polar opposite to Mr Mike Mrdak.
I had the honour and privilege to work in the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development when Mr Mrdak was Secretary.
Mr Mrdak was highly intelligent and absolutely knew his stuff, a fact many a minister, and senator that sat on Estimate Committees, and his peers would attest to.
He was super professional in all aspects of his working life and a team player who provided the government with frank and fearless advice.
Malcolm Turnbull did not like Mr Mrdak's frank advice that his wife Lucy's vision of "cities" was not a good fit for the department. Turnbull benched one of his best players to Communications. Cities went to infrastructure but was a nightmare and an unnatural fit.
Mr Mrdak was an outstanding leader of people who demonstrated decency, empathy, good will, honesty, integrity, principles and he collectively used these attributes for the common good of his staff, the public service in general and the Australian people. Mr Mrdak is one very decent human being.
Mr Mrdak was known for openly stating that the department should have a view on policy, should express that view and also share the department's experience, expertise and knowledge.
My personal view is Morrison has never demonstrated any of these of these qualities. In fact, he is autocratic and callous and can come across as evasive and untrustworthy.
Mark Lynch, Gordon
Deane ill advised
Bill Deane (Letters, December 17) could be better advised regarding the Indigenous deportation case. The High Court's decision will rest on purely legal issues (incidentally, based on laws enacted by mainly white men) and supported by any relevant precedents. That's what the High Court does.
As for his comment about a "special Indigenous voice in Parliament", why does he, like others who for some reason feel threatened by the Uluru Statement, persist in misinterpreting it. The statement called for a Voice to Parliament, not a voice in parliament - a totally different proposition.
This issue has been clarified numerous times by a range of constitutional experts, including two former High Court Chief Justices, so why do the Chicken Littles like Bill Deane persist in peddling their falsehoods?
Eric Hunter, Cook
Greta on Sproat's goat
Your correspondent Mark Sproat (Letters, December 16) is in very rarefied company as he joins Donald Trump in pouring scorn on Greta Thunberg for being chosen as Time Magazine's Person of the Year 2019.
The Don was himself Person of the Year for 2016.
It may be of interest to Mr Sproat and other Thunberg detractors, who from my casual attention to this phenomenon, seem exclusively to be men, that Time Magazine chooses to profile a person, a group, an idea or an object that "for better or for worse...has done the most to influence the events of the year".
That little slip of a girl that is Greta Thunberg seems to fit Time Magazine's criteria quite well independent of one's views on the message she is championing. Enough of the abuse already.
- Ann Darbyshire, Hughes
Since its inception by Time Magazine in 1927 there have been some interesting choices including Wallis Simpson (1936), Adolph Hitler (1938), Ruhollah Khomeini (1979), Angela Merkel (2015) and virtually every US President at least once. More recent nominations have included The Whistleblowers (2005 re the Enron scandal), The Silence Breakers (2017 re revelations of sexual abuse and harassment including the Me Too movement) and The Guardians (2018 re journalists persecuted for doing their job).
That little slip of a girl that is Greta Thunberg seems to fit Time Magazine's criteria quite well independent of one's views on the message she is championing.
Enough of the abuse already.
Ann Darbyshire, Hughes
An embarrassment
How shameful and embarrassing it is for Australia to be represented at an international climate change summit by an inept operator such as Angus Taylor?
His claimed emission reductions are contradicted by his own department's statistics. His statements on reducing energy costs are confounded by the dirty deals previously done at both state and federal levels.
The only positive element in the Australian budget currently is renewable energy, which he and his government have made numerous unsuccessful attempts to stifle.
The record of this accident-prone member shows a history of bumbling mistakes in a relatively short period of time.
Gerry Gillespie, Queanbeyan, NSW
Wright, Coombs betrayed
Outraged and betrayed. This is the re-action of the Coombs and Wright communities with ACTPLA's decision to "roll over" at the first sign of contest by a developer.
Their decision to halt the ACAT Hearing with the proposed POD development in Coombs is a failure to defend the community and their own legislation.
In the community's view they have capitulated when they have been tested by the developer. In four and a half pages of reasons why the development request for re-consideration should not be approved, ACTPLA said: "The land is still not considered suitable for a development at the revised scale and density. The cumulative impacts of the inappropriate development for the site results in poor residential amenity within the block, adverse impacts on the streetscape and landscape character of the area. lt significantly departs from the intentions of the EDP and the dwelling restriction in the Crown lease".
Yet we now read that the ACTPLA has "agreed" to the development with some amendments. The community would like to see the detail of these and to measure them against each of the criteria that the development was refused.
This just gives the green light to developers in Molonglo to propose what they like, irrespective of the rules, and ride roughshod over the community and ACTPLA.
If we thought things were bad in Coombs and Wright with virtually no shops or supermarket, this outcome just confirms that our gun-shy government continues to display a distinct lack of leadership in matters involving developers and their "independent" planning authority is rapidly becoming the "unaccountable" planning authority.
Tom Anderson, chair, Weston
Creek community council
Try Bob Brown
I concur with Cynthia Moloney's wish we had either Menzies or Hawke as our political leader (Letters, December 16). Another Bob, Bob Brown, would be even better. He has the advantage of still being with us.
Mike Morriss, Pearce.
Denial predictable
It is understandable why Scott Morrison has been a climate change denier and supporter of a minimal response to lower emissions. However, it has been difficult to understand his half-hearted response to the national bushfire emergency.
Given the numerous heartfelt comments about climate change by those caught up in the fires and those fighting them, perhaps we can understand Morrison's weak response. Anything stronger might signal to his conservative base that he could be shifting his politics around climate change.
Tim Hardy, Florey
TO THE POINT
THUNBERG TRUMPS TRUMP
If statesmanship and diplomacy are judged on fluency of expression (in a foreign language), articulation of ideas and dignity of demeanour, Thunberg trumps Trump.
Roger Quarterman, Campbell
STICK TO YOUR LAST
If the fire chiefs stuck to their day jobs they might get their back-burning strategies right and do less damage to property. These virtue-signallers should just focus on their jobs. If you want to get political, fine, but then resign your position and stand for elections. Otherwise, zip it.
Aert Driessen, McKellar
STAY AWAY SCOMO
The Prime Minister tans while Australia burns. For national security reasons we don't know where he is. For the good of the country, we hope he stays there.
James Sweeney, Casterton
SMOKE REFUGEE
Canberra on the afternoon of December 17 seemed to experience the worst smoke so far. I hope Morrison's thoughts and prayers are with us, the brave firefighters and the millions of animals dying a painful death in the fires. Oh, I forgot, Morrison is on holidays, possibly in Hawaii.
Rod Holesgrove, Crace
AND AGAIN
Our country is on fire, our volunteer firefighters struggle to save land and homes away from their work and families. We are all breathing in choking smoke during unprecedented climatic conditions and our fearless leader apparently takes off to Hawaii on holidays. Scott Morrison, you are no leader.
Alison Chapple, Macquarie
SMOKE FREE BUBBLE
Australia is experiencing a National Disaster. What isn't on fire is choking on smoke. If it wasn't for the exhausted, selfless volunteers backing up paid fire-fighters, the misery would be a thousand-fold. They aren't getting paid and they aren't going overseas for their holidays. But our PM is. His smoke-free, air-conditioned bubble is apparently off to Hawaii.
S Gerrard, Dunlop
COAL FOREVER
When the last forest burns down, all the rivers have run dry and farmland has turned to dust, as least we will have the coal industry.
Robyn Vincent, Mckellar
POOR SHOW
A ministerial level global refugee forum is underway in Geneva with over 2000 delegates but Australia chose not to send a delegate. Is that how Australia demonstrates its commitment to the global effort to address the global refugee crisis?
Rajend Naidu, Glenfield, NSW
DISCIPLE OF DENIAL
Mr Morrison you and your disciples have denied climate change, banks' bad behaviour, a weak economy, barrier reef problems and the suppression of journalistic freedoms. Even Simon Peter only denied the truth three times.
Ed Gaylema, Kiama, NSW
CHANGE CAN KILL
Whether there is action or inaction on climate change there will be a toll, directly or indirectly, in human lives. The Communist changes to agriculture in the last century in the USSR and China saw millions die. How many perished in the Industrial Revolution?
Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla
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