Give us a date we all want to celebrate

Just abolish it. Bruce Graham, Waitara

Australia Day should be moved to the 12th of Never. George Fishman, Vaucluse

I avoid nationalistic celebratory day fervour with all its public hand-on-heart anthem singing, flag-draping antics and award-recipient judgments. February 30 would suit me well. James Laukka, Epping

I cannot let the assertions of your correspondent (Letters, January 27) go unchallenged. The British people still refer to the “Norman Conquest” because that is what it was. William, Duke of Normandy, led an army to invade England and claim the throne, which he thought had been promised to him (by birth-right). The First Fleet was not an army or an armada. The majority of the people were convicts England wanted to “get rid of”. There is a case to mount the people who lived around Sydney were disposed of their lands and this needs to be recognised in the constitution, not by some arbitrary “change of date”. Michael Hayden, Kiama Downs

Hope for first-time buyers

If the move to abolish stamp duty on house purchases is deemed too expensive (“Time to axe stamp duty: Treasurer”, January 29), perhaps the money could be collected at the point of sale rather than at purchase? This might allow struggling first-home buyers into the market a lot earlier. Ric Baxter, Umina Beach

The suggestion by the Treasurer to remove stamp duty to assist first-home buyers into the market has to be welcomed. A word of caution though to the state government: such a move may, in fact, encourage first-time investors into a competing market. Low interest rates, cash reserves and now an option to pay an annual property tax (immediately tax deductible), rather than an upfront lump sum, is the perfect mix for property investors. Michael Blissenden, Dural

In addition to the upfront cost burden for first-home buyers, stamp duty as a transaction tax creates a huge disincentive for home owners to relocate to better jobs and opportunities and thus makes the economy less efficient. A switch to annual property tax is long overdue. Han Yang, North Turramurra

Dominic Perrottet is trying to make it sound as if he is doing everyone a favour by giving us a choice with land tax. He isn’t. If you opt to pay the yearly tax, down the track, you may not be able to sell because you have locked your property into the payment. Also, there is no guarantee that the yearly payment won’t creep up as the land value rises. Sue Durman, Pyrmont

No government ever makes changes to taxation laws that give them less revenue. Knowing Dominic Perrottet’s track record, I would be very wary indeed. Peter Miniutti, Ashbury

Golden breed

In the immortal words of Norman May “Gold, gold for Australia … gold!” (“Epic tiebreaker sees 1991 Wallabies jersey voted as colour of the future”, smh.com.au, January 29). Angela Miller, Bondi Junction

There have been some very important meetings to determine what colour the Wallabies will wear. Will the Australian Rugby woes be over now? Bernie Carberry, Connells Point

Farewell, farewell

Rather than be on the awful ″⁣primrose path to eternal damnation″⁣ (Letters, January 29), I would prefer ″⁣gone home″⁣ to my heavenly abode. Nan Howard, Camden

Forget the euphemisms – as I approach old age, I’m more concerned about the saying “only the good die young”. Peter Mahoney, Oatley

Not only do I not intend to “pass”, but I have given carte blanche to my wife to deal in any way she deems appropriate with anyone who mouths the Americanism “sorry for your loss”. David Calvey, Gosford

Whatever the standing of being deceased, passed or lost, the only qualification attained is a Death Certificate. Mustafa Erem, Terrigal

I think I’ll just die. Pam Dougherty, Grafton

Doug Anthony no all star when it came to decency

Douglas Anthony may, as Tony Wright suggests, have had “the horsepower to face down a Liberal Prime Minister” (“Farewell to a Nationals leader who could stare down a PM”, January 29), but he did not employ it in November 1975 when the Coalition gained so much from the sordid events of The Dismissal. As he said himself, “I was fully behind Malcolm [Fraser]“. Wright was, therefore, correct to report that one of Anthony’s major objectives “had been to ensure the Coalition remained in power”. Honour and integrity hardly came into it. In behaving as he did, he ignored the advice of his distinguished Country Party predecessor, Sir Earle Page, who in April 1939 had – without any political or press challenge – told the federal Parliament the only person constitutionally competent to give advice to the governor-general was the prime minister. For some , therefore, Anthony’s “decency” remains an open question. John Carmody, Roseville

Doug Anthony ran the country every January from a caravan and a coin-operated payphone. That’s the country I want to live in. John Dinan, Cheltenham

From Abbott to Albo

For Scott Morrison, having Anthony Albanese as opposition leader has to be the gift that keeps on giving (“Albanese dumps Butler in reshuffle restart on emissions”, smh.com.au, January 28). He has been virtually silent on many issues where Morrison has fallen short. Tony Abbott wrote the book on how to be an effective opposition leader. Be loud and abrasive in grabbing the headlines. Albanese should not acquiesce meekly on the Coalition’s claim to be better economic managers, as there’s plenty of material to say otherwise. It worked for Abbott so, Albo, make it work for you. Chris Danckwerts, South Turramurra

Anthony Albanese needs to reassure voters that, along with the ALP’s strong stance on climate change, there will also be similar support for environmental protection (‴⁣⁣Urgent’ reforms needed to tame extinction crisis”, January 29). The NSW and federal governments do not inspire much confidence when there is conflict between native habitat/wildlife protection and opportunities for development. The intention by Gladys Berejiklian to increase the height of the Warragamba dam wall, despite the devastating consequences, is a strong warning that when money is involved, the conservatives have no hesitation in ignoring the possibilities of irreversible environmental degradation and the destruction of ancient and irreplaceable Indigenous history. Nola Tucker, Kiama

A foghorn for our ferries

How many more times must Sydney’s soul suffer a stab in the back? I refer to the latest outrage perpetrated by Andrew Constance in the axing of the Freshwater class of Many ferries (“Your echoes die, the tide is over you, poor ferries”, January 29). It’s always the old economic rationalist argument yet, ironically, such a move is a backward step for Sydney’s economy. Sydney’s tourist industry must be aghast at such a crude and ham-fisted proposal. As Jane Richards points out, if this was about a Melbourne tram, there would be protests in the streets. It’s time to protest, loud and hard. David Catchlove, Newport

The new Sydney ferries are being fitted out on Newcastle harbour. Sadly, they look like floating aluminium and perspex cans. Certainly unworthy aesthetics to replace the grand ladies presently gracing Sydney Harbour. Martin Frohlich, Adamstown Heights (Awabakal Land)

Contagion optional

The NSW government’s shifting policy on masks continues to defy logic (Letters, January 29). The transmission of COVID-19 between two people, one with and the other without the disease, is greatly reduced if one is wearing a mask, and hugely reduced if both are. Mandatory mask-wearing beats optional hands down. Norman Carter, Roseville Chase

Easy image rebuild

Here is a radical idea for Rio Tinto to contemplate (“New Rio Tinto boss targets image restoration”, January 29). Respecting Indigenous owners and their sacred sites and protecting other environmental values might be all it has to do to restore its image. Who’d have thought? Paul Parramore, Sawtell

BBL fan 80 not out

The Big Bash League cricket finals this weekend remind me of my original opinion of the game. When Twenty20 cricket was introduced, I was appalled by the reverse sweeps, lap shots and other novelties that forced great changes to bowling strategies. While there is still a lot of excitement in Test cricket, as evidenced by the recent series against India, the Big Bash seems more in line with modern society: A result is obtained within four hours and fireworks are displayed on and off the field. I now derive a lot of enjoyment from Big Bash cricket, which proves that octogenarians can still learn new tricks. James Moore, Kogarah

A real howler

Please don’t call them a ″⁣lone-wolf″⁣ (″⁣Cross burning spurs fear over right-wing extremism threat″⁣, January 29). Wolves are magnificent creatures, highly intelligent, family-loving, now reintroduced into some European forests. For too long we have used animals’ names for the worst of human behaviour. Call them a lone threat, a lone terrorist, a lone killer. Betsy Brennan, Wahroonga

Taken for granted

In the list of hospitals to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine, Hornsby is the only one between the harbour bridge and Newcastle. Is the government so sure we will vote Liberal anyway that we don’t matter? Stephanie Edwards, Roseville

Right-wing threat ignored

Greg Barton’s article (“Let’s stem a rising tide of toxic extremism”, January 29) accurately identifies the potential danger of right wing, neo-Nazi extremist behaviour on Australian soil, as our political leaders continue to downplay or ignore the obvious domestic threat. Our government ministers and police are quick to perceive threats from foreign nationals or Black Lives Matter protesters, but ignore the real growing threat, which is fed by racism, hate speech and conspiracy propaganda. Mark Berg, Caringbah South

Your correspondents’ remarks (Letters, January 29) about the behaviour of the neo-Nazi thugs at the Grampians perfectly illustrates Samuel Johnson’s statement: “Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel.” It should have come as no surprise that Donald Trump proposed forming a new political party called the Patriot Party. All are tarred with the same brush. Rodney Crute, Hunters Hill

In the 1990s, I visited the former concentration/transit camp at Terezin, just out from Prague. There was a room full of art by children at the camp. Attached to each drawing was the child’s name, birthdate and the date of death in bigger camps. Is that what the Halls Gap hoodlums are advocating? Garry Donnelly, Repton

Postscript

″⁣I particularly enjoyed the Australia Day letters. Among other things, they echoed the larrikin spirit Australians have been renowned for. Creativity and lateral thinking were also to the fore,″⁣ wrote Meg Mangan of Tamworth. Many were impressed by their fellow correspondents’ suggestions on how to change the day from one of angst for some, to a day that represents an ″⁣inclusive future for all″⁣.
The Australia Day awards, especially the one awarded to Margaret Court, was also a point of contention. ″⁣It must be a rather singular committee with a special kind of competence that gives the nation’s highest award citing work as a ‘mentor of young sports persons’ to someone who has publicly vilified young LGBTQI sports persons for at least 30 years because it fixes a perceived gender issue,″⁣ wrote Peter Fyfe of Enmore, reflecting the views of many.
A special mention to Steve Cornelius of Brookvale, who received his own award, or reward: an outstanding positive reaction to a letter published on Wednesday. In the words of Tony Ilott of East Hills, the letter ″⁣laid bare the breathtaking hypocrisy displayed by our own fearless leader in relation to the recent Australian of the Year awards″⁣. He received accolades from our correspondents, and many others online and on Twitter, who declared it ″⁣brilliant″⁣ and an early contender for letter of the year. Congratulations, Steve.
Which leaves us little option but to officially call for nominations for the Letter Writer of the Year. The winner will be announced in December, giving everyone plenty of time to give Steve – and others who have already been nominated – some serious competition.
Pat Stringa, Letters editor