I have so many stories of delight such as flying through the Katherine Gorge. But I also dream of the many frightening episodes. One, not the worst, was when the engine suddenly stopped just as we were about to cross the water from the Tiwi Islands to the Australian mainland with a medical evacuation patient.

But of more concern was a bearing failure in Vietnam which made a terrible noise and caused lots of vibration. We did not know what had happened but we continued to fly to a secure area. It turned out that the problem could have resulted in complete failure of the tail rotor shaft entangling that in the main rotor and curtains for us. No wonder we called these helicopters "angry palm trees".

I think the Orroral Valley ADF crew did the wrong thing. If it had been me, I would have abandoned the helicopter on the ground and run for my life (yes I know I am a coward). What they did was very brave, flying to a safe area not knowing what damage the helicopter had incurred. Did any of those condemning this crew look at the photo of the bottom of the helicopter?

The crew did not know of that damage until they landed in a safe area and, I suggest, spent the flight home trouble shooting and flying from one clear, emergency landing place to another.

Instead of condemnation, it would be nice to hear people make useful suggestions.

Secrecy and a refusal to admit error is the nature of modern government. Why Andrew Barr would join in, with his claims of a "witch hunt" over the military's 45-min delay in advice after starting the Namadgi fire, is anyone's guess.

Who knows who had his ear? We all lose from this. No-one accuses the helicopter crew of wishing this. But an error, then poor communications, let a fire get out of control at the very time fires were widespread and deadly.

Such stubborn secrecy means nothing is learned and government is denigrated. Openness, an apology, and some compensation would settle the issue, support improvements and allow us to move on.

Think of Kevin Rudd and his apology and how it united Australia and created pride. We need more days like that to re-enliven democracy and government in Australia and allow space to create a future.

It is to be devoutly hoped that the Chief Minister is feigning idiocy, presumably for some obscure political reason, in his comment "it was an accident" ("Barr attacks witch hunt", January 22, pp4-5). The alternative is too frightening.

His statements, such as that the incident had "absolutely nothing to do with the ACT government" defies logic. If such a catastrophic event is not government business, I wonder what he imagines would be.

His repeated referral to "witch hunts" sadly reeks of Trumpian overtones. Defence's justification for the lack of warning, that safety of crew was paramount, rings very hollow.

Mr Barr's statements that "I wasn't on board, I don't know what happened" and "I don't think it was deliberate" add nothing to the debate, but sound awfully like obfuscation for its own sake.

The alarming number of officials who are vocal in their wish for everyone to stop talking about the incident suggests it might not be so straightforward. That said, I do not wish to start, nor engage in, conspiracy theories.

Further to Don Sephton's letter (January 24), the military helicopter with its hot landing lights should never have landed in the Orroral Valley in the first place. Any farmer will warn against driving a vehicle with a hot exhaust pipe through long, dry grass, as was the case where the Orroral bushfire was ignited.

During my many years involved in geological survey work, one golden rule was to avoid if possible driving our Land Rovers or Landcruisers through the dry grasslands of northern Australia, and certainly not to leave a vehicle parked in them. I clearly recall an incident that drove home the importance of this message.

A group of geologist colleagues working in north-western Queensland left their vehicle parked in tall, dry grass while they walked to an area of outcrop accessible only by foot. When they returned, all that was left of their Land Rover, their water and food supplies, and their camping equipment was a smouldering ruin.

It was an oversight that could have cost them their lives.

I'm sorry Mr Barr, but if the ACT government and the ESA is going to continue to utilise Defence assets in bushfire emergencies; your government needs assurances from Defence protocols for landing rotary winged aircraft in similar conditions reflect the lessons that should be learnt from this event.

That the ACT government has pursued compensation from the Commonwealth for the fire's destruction tells me your statement that this incident and its ongoing public scrutiny has "absolutely nothing to do with the ACT government" is incorrect.

I was astonished at reports of Chief Minister Barr's opposition to investigating last year's Orroral Valley bushfire. His accusation that media scrutiny of the Defence Force's role in starting the fire was a witch hunt approached Trumpian levels of mendacity.

Then to declare that the fire had "absolutely nothing to do with the ACT government", was even more astonishing. How could the ACT government have no interest in a fire that destroyed 35 per cent of the ACT?

This week marks the 72nd anniversary of the enacting of the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948. We were all then officially Australian citizens and not British subjects.

Unfortunately this date, probably due to the government's 1988 celebration of the bicentennial of the settlement at Sydney Cove, has become the subject of controversy and misleading statements.

Lieutenant James Cook landed in Botany Bay on April 28, 1770. Captain Arthur Phillip arrived in Botany Bay on January 18, 1788. Finding it unsuitable he proceeded to Port Jackson. The rest is history.

The 1949 Act overtook the Nationality Act of 1920 which gave all Australians, including aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders born after January 1, 1921, the status of British subjects.

On January 26, 1949, we all became Australian citizens.

Perhaps January 26 should not be thought of as "invasion day" by some, but as "Australia day" due to the historical fact we all became Australians that day.

Jack Waterford ("Patriotic ins and outs and unity jamboree", January 23, p26) errs in claiming Australia Day is a "recent invention", and therefore not worthy of any particular reverence or respect.

He is right in saying that it has only been a gazetted national holiday since the 1990s, but January 26 has been marked since the earliest days of the colony "usually with drinking and merriment" according to Manning Clark. It was declared a public holiday by Governor Macquarie in 1818.

By the time of the Centenary in 1888 the day was seen as worthy of celebration in all the colonies. January 26 has been on the nation's calendar from its earliest days. This may not change the argument, but at least get the facts right.

Yet again, Scott Morrison picks and chooses which parts of the truth he will refer to when claiming that the Australia Day honours are made independent of government.

While that is technically true, the seven community members of the Council for the Order of Australia as well as the chair of the body are appointed by the Prime Minister. The chair is a former Country Liberal Party Chief Minister of the Northern Territory and the council includes, as ex-officio members, a senior official from the Prime Minister's own department as well as government minister Simon Birmingham.

The council may make decisions independent of government, but it is far from independent of government when so many of the appointees are handpicked by the PM.

The Prime Minister should acknowledge that he and his government do actually influence the decisions made by the council by virtue of their capacity to appoint most of its members. When there are controversial appointments the PM might explain more clearly what he means by the term "independence" and be more open about his own role in the appointments.

As far as I recall Margaret Court did not initiate a public statement about same-sex marriage of her own volition. An interviewer explicitly asked for her opinion, and she answered candidly. While not sharing her view, I cannot see justice in demonizing her ever since for having been honest.

For the original inhabitants of this land the holding of our national day on January 26 is the same as if the Japanese had conquered Australia during World War II and then decided to hold an annual day of celebration on the date they arrived. A few of us, I believe, would struggle to celebrate.

In civil society, trying to justify nasty, derogatory public behaviour with a claim or excuse akin to "the Bible made me say it" should be as effective as "the dog ate my homework" ("GP returns medal over Court honour", canberratimes.com.au, January 24).

Why has the ABC had to back down from its "Australia Day/Invasion Day 2021 events guide" banner? The two events do exist, they are real and they should both be recognised.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews doesn't support Margaret Court's receiving an AC because she has views the majority of people, particularly the LGBTQ community, disagree with. God forbid that honours will only be awarded irrespective of significant achievement if an awardee's personal opinions don't upset virtue-signalling "sanctimoniacs".

Surely the Australia Day Council must have known awarding an AC to Margaret Court would open Pandora's box. If not, this shows a stunning lack of foresight. They should have let sleeping dogs lie with Margaret Court's AO previously awarded.

"Companions" Reverend Margaret Court and Rabbi John Simon Levi top the honours list as ACs. Fair enough: both draw faith from the Old Testament to ground their good works and idiosyncratic views.

One is publicly pilloried by others with differing idiosyncratic views, the other is apparently unremarked although from a group persecuted for millennia for its idiosyncratic views. Long live the difference: live and let live.

I can sum up in one word the reason for a decline in public support for an Australian republic: Trump.

Now another Australia Day is over, with its associated questioning, angst, hurt and division, can we now please celebrate all those things which we have achieved and are proud of over the past 60,000 years. In doing that, we must strive to love, accept and respect each other no matter who we are, where we are and how long we have been here.