Our thanks, Michael Wholley (Letters, June 22), for asking how others might feel regarding the Australian flag that Adam Bandt finds so repugnant.
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Many blokes of my age ended up subject to military conscription, some serving in Vietnam under the flag he seems to despise. But it is a much older lady nearby who has only a few 1940 childhood memories of the seafarer dad who never came home for whom I really feel.
I am sure her numerous great grandchildren have little sympathy for Mr Bandt.
Nor would the multitudes who have arrived here seeking the sanctuary of that flag, its peace, the democracy it stands for, and a better life.
Division and retribution will not remedy the undoubted injustices perpetrated upon this land's Indigenous people.
Isn't it best that we preserve that which unites us, Adam?
Ronald Elliott, Sandringham, Vic
Bandt's actions divisive
How exactly does the Greens leader's actions in regard to the flag unite Australians or promote any hope of a referendum on recognising the first Australians in the constitution being passed?
First Australia Day on January 26 was attacked by a minority. Now the Australian flag is being set apart from the Aboriginal flag by a minority.
What's next? Will it be separating history from reality, compensation with no limits for "pains and troubles" as if one race of people has a monopoly on being treated poorly?
The Greens' actions will lead to even further division in this country.
How on earth could anybody have voted for the Greens?
Greg Jarosch, Queanbeyan, NSW
An urgent need
Re the letter on gynaecological oncology (Letters, June 22). I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in September 2019. This condition is asymptomatic for most people until the disease has reached stage 3, thus the treatment is long and difficult.
I was faced with three sessions of chemotherapy, a five hour surgery, and then another three sessions of chemotherapy.
At the moment, women in Canberra have to find a surgeon in a hospital outside the ACT. I was lucky I have a son in Newcastle where there is a team of qualified doctors.
My surgeon was very considerate and we had video consultations before the surgery so I didn't have to travel. But I didn't meet him in person until I was going into theatre.
After five days in hospital I was discharged to the care of my son and his family, who nurtured me for another five days until I was well enough to go home.
Again I was lucky, because I could afford return flights between Canberra and Newcastle.
The diagnosis and treatment are bad enough, but having to go to a hospital in another city makes it even harder. If you have no alternative you might have to travel back to Canberra as soon as you are discharged.
I couldn't imagine facing this so soon after surgery.
Surely Canberra has grown enough to make a gynaecological oncology unit a high priority for the Canberra hospital.
Peggy Spratt, Ainslie
A clear anomaly
As reported in these pages on June 21, a "driver 'running late' when caught" incurred a $700 fine for driving at 39km/h over the limit. After the flat $60 contribution to victims of crime is subtracted, the balance equals $16.41 per km/h.
Thousands of our seven-or-so-km/h-over-the-limit drivers in Northbourne Avenue's 40km/h zone have been fined $34.42 per km/h over the limit.
Someone, who displayed a blatant disregard for the law and was manifestly more likely to cause carnage seems to have gained "more bang for his buck".
This is dangerously disproportionate.
Anthony Bruce, Gordon
Come clean on tram costs
In the light of NSW budget, the Barr government should update the community on the cost and justification of it's infrastructure projects, including the contentious light rail.
In these challenging economic conditions, the Barr government should be using public funds on projects that deliver the greatest benefit to the community.
- Mike Quirk, Garran
The NSW budget revealed the cost of the metro rail line under Sydney Harbour and the central city had blown out by $6 billion as a result of an overheated construction market, the pandemic and surging building costs. Furthermore, it revealed the cost of the Parramatta light rail stage 1 had increased by $475 million and the deferral of several mega projects, including the Northern Beaches Link motorway and the extension of the M6 toll road in Sydney's south.
In the current challenging economic conditions, the Barr government should be using public funds on projects that deliver the greatest benefit to the community.
There is no evidence it is doing so.
Mike Quirk, Garran
Grace under pressure
Bill Deane (Letters, June 22), Grace Tame's reaction to Scott Morrison was perfectly understandable given his behaviour towards her on previous occasions.
She was naturally wary of being near him, and was more honest than those who fawn over him.
Two-faced behaviour is more reprehensible, being deceptive and dishonest. But it does seem more acceptable to some people.
J. Manson, Griffith
Jack should retract
Shortly before the 2020 US presidential election, on October 14, Jack Kershaw's letter Kiss of death opined that: "Trump's gonna win again. I know because Malcolm Mackerras predicts otherwise."
I'm sure Malcolm Mackerras is a patient man, but perhaps by now he might have reasonably expected a retraction of this slur on his professional judgement - unless, along with Donald Trump, Jack Kershaw is the only other person who still thinks that Trump won in November 2020.
It's still not too late for a gracious retraction.
Ian Pearson, Barton
A better comparison
Comparing the relative efforts of Sweden and United Kingdom in combating COVID-19 (John Coochey, Letters, June 20) highlights that both countries did poorly in protecting their communities.
The issue is not whether lockdowns worked, it is how they were employed. Used at the wrong time or place, they are relatively ineffective. Like a scrub fire on a hot windy day, things can quickly get out of control.
In contrast a "fast in, fast out" strategy based on monitoring limits the spread of disease that could otherwise overwhelm health services before vaccinations take effect.
In this regard, Norway, with just 590 deaths per million (compared to Sweden's 1870 deaths per million), demonstrated a more effective strategy. If Sweden had done as well as its neighbour, 13,000 lives could have been saved.
Even more could have been saved if it had done as well as Australia's 360 deaths per million.
Of course no-one deserves to choke to death from a preventable disease, and every unnecessary death is a tragedy. In that respect, limiting the damage of pandemic disease is a test of national character, competence and resolve.
Some countries have done poorly in this regard, but others, including Australia and Norway, have done quite well.
Jim Graham, Carwoola, NSW
A referendum on Zed
Connor Andreatidis ("Canberra Liberals are decidedly worse off without Seselja", canberratimes.com.au, June 21) argues that, "there is much reflection for the Canberra Liberals to do in the wake of Zed's loss" but that they "can't allow for the wrong answers to dominate discussion".
I wonder whether Connor hasn't started this process with a wrong answer of his own. He suggests that the 2022 federal election was not a referendum on Zed and that Zed's values didn't change between 2004 and 2022, whereas the whole of the Liberal Party's brand changed. Thus Zed lost because of wider party-related issues rather than because of his own actions, beliefs and policy positions.
My own assessment is that Senate voting around Zed was for many people - especially those voting for David Pocock and Kim Rubenstein - very much a referendum on Zed personally.
Time and again I spoke with people, some of whom I know have voted Liberal in the past, who to a person simply wanted to see Zed gone. Their attitude was typically that Zed had arrogantly applied his own personal views and beliefs to matters such as the right to life, end-of-life issues and ACT parliamentary representation, and simply ignored the views of the wider Canberra electorate.
John R. Baker, Griffith
Humphries was better
The Senate election in the ACT was a referendum about Zed. Liberal voters only needed a credible alternative candidate (who was not Labor or the Greens) to desert the Liberal Party candidate. If Gary Humphries had been the candidate, instead of Zed, David Pocock would not have stood a chance.
Michael Burton, Lyneham
TO THE POINT
GODZILLA REFERENCE
Insanity Streak in Monday's The Canberra Times, depicting monsters destroying a city, was is in very bad taste in light of the destruction of Ukrainian cities.
Christopher Ryan, Watson
SERIAL WHINGERS
I was hoping that after the election the serial whingers would shut down a bit. But no, they are still there, complaining about climate change, Assange getting his just desserts and the delights of having a lefty government for a change.
David Bowditch, Monash
WE'LL ALL BE ROONED
The question isn't whether there will be a recession, but when there will be a depression. We could get the opinion of RBA governor Lowe, if someone cared for it.
M. F. Horton, Adelaide, SA
NO EXCUSES
Recent reports that the Snowy 2.0 project is behind schedule and over budget have seen excuses made that "with a major project these things are inevitable". The original Snowy Scheme (1949-74) was built on time and on budget. There are no excuses for Snowy 2.0 just because it is big.
Matthew Higgins, Bega, NSW
DYING IN THE ATTEMPT
Ian Warden ("Mountaineering with Marilyn Monroe", canberratimes.com.au, June 18) is looking forward to the tram so he can read Ulysses on it while it wends its leisurely way along. That may be one of the few good reasons for it, but I suspect he'll have either finished the book, or will have died in the attempt, long before it gets anywhere near Garran.
Richard Johnston, Kingston
C.I.T. INQUIRY WELCOME
The media reports of the CIT contract imbroglio raises important questions about the initial and ongoing oversight by the CIT board and by internal audit. Hopefully the newly commissioned independent report will clarify the who, when, why and how of the contract.
Graeme Rankin, Holder
DOWNIE'S HALF-HOUR?
Why does Graham Downie's letter (Letters, June 22) about the source of our little green electrons remind me of Tony Hancock's classic sketch The Blood Donor?
Roy Bray, Ngunnawal
DECISION PREDICTABLE
It comes as no surprise the trial of an accused rapist has been delayed. Public naming and shaming has long been a feature of ACT trials, and is particularly relevant if a person is found not guilty. Name confidentiality should apply until a conviction is secured. Our Attorney-General should change the law.
Greg Cornwell, Yarralumla
SAVE THE FLAG
May I remind those who want to get rid of the flag that hundreds of thousands of men and women, including heroic Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders and Papua New Guineans, fought and died for freedom under our flag with its stars and the Union Jack? Lest we forget.
Penelope Upward, O'Connor
A DARKLING PLAIN
Tuesday was the shortest day of the year. If governments persist with the folly of building intermittent renewables to replace baseload coal and gas generation, it certainly won't be the last.