Canberra Times Letters to the Editor: Rank is not a reward

Monash was knighted "in the field" by the king, which had not happened for centuries.

The new ACT MHR may attract the nickname "Mr Bean" though.

Other worthy generals not recognised so far by the AEC are Chauvel, Desert Mounted Corps in WWI Palestine and Moreshead at Tobruk in WWII.

Major-General Sir Robert Risson, who also gave Melbourne trams, is worth it too.

The "furphy" about Monash and field marshal rank has been discussed extensively in the recent past. It was not called for and won't happen.

Lieutenant-General Monash was a corps commander, usually three divisions, but in the last few months of WWI the Australian Corps had five divisions. However, nine divisions are needed to form an army, which is commanded by a general.

A field marshal commands three armies and no Australian has ever commanded such a force, not even in WWI or WWII.

Yes, I know Blamey was promoted to that rank on his deathbed, but why?

Rank is about the force you command; it is not a reward like a medal.

Adrian Jackson (infantry officer, retired), Middle Park, Victoria

Villain exposed

Digby Habel is too late ("Electorate should commemorate Monash, not his detractor Bean", Letters, April10). It is already proposed that the electorate of McMillan in Victoria have its name changed to Monash.

Angus McMillan, after whom the electorate is named, is at long last now recognised as a murderer and a leader of massacres against the Aboriginal people of mid-19th century Gippsland.

Perhaps the people of Gippsland might reconsider their history and decide what to do with the many local memorials to McMillan, and change his image from heroic pioneer to genocidal murderer.

Peter White, Flynn

Key skills denied

The NAPLAN website asks the question: "How can I best prepare my child to compete NAPLAN in an online setting?"

It gives the answer: "Ensuring students are familiar with using devices, typing on them and navigating through programs is a part of students (sic) everyday learning and a requirement of the Australian Curriculum."

So, from day one in primary school, teachers are anxiously conscious that by grade 3 each child has to be able to type.

What is happening to time spent on ensuring each child can hold a pencil so it points over the shoulder and fingers are comfortably placed? What is happening to legible handwriting? Denying our children these skills is cruel and short-sighted.

Thoughtful educators are aware that slower learning allows more depth of understanding and enables students to make connections between ideas.

There is space on a page for writing, pictures and diagrams and the pages can be spread on the desk, the floor or pinned to the wall.

Limiting our students to screens is akin to going back to tightly rolled paper scrolls.

So let's take the pressure away from our early childhood teachers so that they can teach our children skills for lifelong learning rather than typing skills for a NAPLAN test in grade 3.

Of course teachers will assess each child's progress – they know how.

Robin McCallum, Higgins

Only one poll counts

Malcolm Turnbull's unconvincing leadership dances to the vacillating tune of public opinion and Coalition party allegiances, rather than steer the right course for the Good Ship Australia.

Social media and regular polling such as that which condemns him to 30 poll losses in a row consigns the Coalition to being a lost cause. However, let's not lose sight of the fact that the only poll that matters is the winning horse that gallops home on election day.

Incessant polling holds a greater sting in its tail in that hosting a feedback loop that allows canvassed voters to dictate policy decisions based on popular demand and short-term gain corrodes stable and ethical civic engagement.

"Will-o'-the-wisp" poll-driven government distracts from the brave considered leadership needed for Australia's long-haul welfare.

We risk falling into the moral abyss if voter self-interest foregrounded by polls dominates national discourse to bend it to the majority's fickle will.

Joseph Ting, Carina

On wing and prayer

Qantas says if a flight (out of Canberra) is cancelled "for operational reasons then the wait time is minimal".

Our experience on Friday, March 23, when QF1428 to Sydney was cancelled was far from that.

The next available flight for us despite our pleas that we had an international connection, was three flights later at 19.15, almost three hours later, giving us no choice other than to purchase two economy tickets with another airline at a cost of $1116 to get to Sydney in time to connect with our international flight to the Cook Islands.

Allowing almost four hours between scheduled landing and departure was not enough.

Dennis Chapman, Nicholls

Games to celebrate

Both M. Moore and Tony Falla (Letters, April 6 and 9l) should concentrate on the main highlight of these Commonwealth Games, which is the complete integration of the para athletes.

They have demonstrated an ability to overcome hurdles which others would find insurmountable and a desire to succeed in the face of adversity.

John Reaney, Queanbeyan

Pedestrians the losers in battle with cyclists for road access

The report 'Pedestrian, cyclist both negligent in accident' (canberratimes.com.au, April 5) is of concern.

It would appear that if you stroll up Red Hill Drive on the right-hand side of the ascending lane and get knocked over by a cyclist, it is primarily your own fault.

Why? Because you, the pedestrian, should not be on the road. Cyclists should know that pedestrians could be on the same road at the same time and, as Elkaim J observed in this particular case, they should be hyper-vigilant. Yet it appears that in the event of a collision, even if a cyclist does not keep a proper lookout, does not exercise reasonable care, does not sound his or her bell, and does not slow down to avoid a collision, the pedestrian is the one who is most in the wrong.

That can't be right. Red Hill Drive has always been a shared road.

Pedestrians have habitually ascended Red Hill using the right-hand side of the road.

It is not easy for them to get off the road because the verge is a rubble-strewn goat track.

The likelihood of an accident arose because cyclists started using Red Hill Drive as a velodrome for time trials.

Roads ACT assessed the safety of the Red Hill road in 2011. This resulted, years later, in warning signs for cyclists and pedestrians at critical points indicating a shared road. The speed limit was also reduced from 60 to 50 km/h.

There is an ongoing risk of a serious accident because pedestrians still use the road and many cyclists are intent only on speed.

If cyclists continue to have an unimpeded right of way the signs need to be changed.

A decent pedestrian path should also be constructed.

Gary Klintworth, Griffith

Simple solution

Reports of Richard Di Natale espousing a fixed income for every Australian are welcome.

The huge cost involved would be offset by the huge cost involved in:

(1) Having desperate people doing desperate things to alleviate poverty;

(2) The huge cost involved in government bodies monitoring dole cheats;

(3) The huge social costs of children growing up in a deprived environment;

(4) The huge cost of desperate people becoming drug addicts and in turn flogging drugs to others;

(5) The cost to the health services of keeping alive undernourished children.

The simple solution in a very self-sufficient Australia is to have food and housing subsidised by taxing the extremely wealthy and subsidising the needy. They do it in Scandinavia; we can do it here.

Howard Carew, Isaacs

Abhorrent situation

The most horrific example of Australians' tolerance of cruelty is the latest scandal of the so-called "live" sheep exports.

Who is not sickened by this disgusting trade? Doubtless, the staff responsible for covering up this terrible cruelty and the Minister for Agriculture will deny their responsibility. Once again, no heads will roll for this cover-up brought to light by one brave worker.

Carelessness for animals extends to carelessness for our fellow human beings. In Australia, the huge lack of compassion for the least fortunate in society prompts the government to turn the screws ever tighter on the poor. People with mental illness (often inadequately treated or untreated) refugees, former prisoners and homeless people often have nowhere to turn.

Funding for justice such as legal aid and refuges for people fleeing domestic violence seems to be dwindling despite increasing need.

It is hard to avoid the conclusion that the majority of people just want the "have-nots", to disappear altogether. Meanwhile, those at the top smugly kid themselves that they earn their money and that this state of things is just, if not actually ordained by God. Their claims that their warped economic practices will benefit all (eventually) is to hide their naked greed.

Eventually we are all dead like the sheep. But what are we doing in the interval?

Louisa Holesgrove, O'Connor

Let's dump live trade

The live sheep export trade from Australia to the Middle East should cease after reasonable notice, subject to markedly improved conditions, and no more exports should be allowed during the warmer months.

Apart from the horrendous conditions known to be experienced by live animals in transit, it's probable that their treatment on arrival still leaves a lot to be desired: witness past TV images of live sheep being thrown into the closed boots of the vehicles of private customers waiting at the wharves..

Australian Livestock Exporters' Council CEO Simon Westaway has said 600,000 live sheep are transported from Australia to Qatar each year, along with an equal number of frozen, sheep carcasses. The only reason for the need to export live sheep, therefore, seems to be the unavailability of adequate refrigeration or, perhaps, a preference for local slaughtering in accordance with Islamic rites.

The choice for Qatar is simple: increase its cold storage facilities and forgo any preference for the slaughter of Australian sheep locally; or, go without.

D. N. Callaghan, Kingston

Concern very sudden

It's astonishing to witness the federal Coalition not just feign such sudden concern for the eternal agony of livestock exported live, but pretend that it's all a new issue for its attention now. It must have been in a coma most years in the last decade, including when a government vet aboard these ships spoke out, two years ago, and was sacked for her trouble.

It's all the more remarkable now, even with Barnaby Joyce gone.

Could there be a federal election in the next year, and could Coalition desperation to sound mainstream be in the air?

Alex Mattea, Kingston

Better use for funds

Brendan Nelson's inference that spending $500 million on a bunker to house ageing military equipment is a crucial part of "completing the loop" for returned service people on an "emotional and psychological level" is absolute rubbish.

If he hasn't seen Australian Story covering the experience of Michael Bainbridge he should do so and immediately cease and desist seeking funds for housing inanimate objects, funds that should be spent on people. Michael would be one of many who have suffered significant trauma as a result of government decisions and they all deserve much more than they are getting.

Mary-Anne Ellis, Bruce

Good Friday footy

Is Jeff Bradley (Letters, April 6) trying to say that people who attend the AFL on Good Friday have no respect for Catholics and their beliefs? He's probably right. After all the child sexual abuse scandals I'm sure many more will agree. The better the teams, the bigger the crowd.

Riggan Thomson, Richardson

TO THE POINT

GENDER CLARIFICATION

Susan Ryan is not the ANU's alumni (a masculine plural noun in Latin) of the year. Since she is known as the architect of the nation's sex discrimination laws, Ms Ryan may not wish to be called an alumna (feminine singular noun) so she must be an alumnum (neuter singular). Or she could be the ANU's graduate of the year – which everyone would welcome.

Dr John Doherty, Vienna, Austria

FROM LOSER TO WINNER

Malcolm Turnbull, having equalled Tony Abbott's 30 Newspoll losses, should give Mr Abbott a meaningful portfolio.

Z. Williams, Lyneham

SEEING RED ON GREEN

Although the Batman byelection is over, the Greens, those proponents of environmental purity, haven't bothered to remove many of their posters, which are still littering the Batman electorate. Isn't it one's actions, rather than empty words, that carry the most weight?

Phyllis Vespucci, Reservoir, Vic

TAXING TIMES

One standout recollection from my UNSW studies in taxation is a senior lecturer commenting the "ATO will only be able to keep their extraordinary powers so long as they don't use them".

Catherine Thorp, Macgregor

ARGUMENT RENEWED

Alan Barron asserts renewables can't meet Australia's future energy demands (Letters, April 7). Yet ANU researchers, in an article in The Conversation on Friday, and in their published papers, show how this can be achieved, at reasonable cost.

Jon Glanville, Curtin

HUMANITY FOR ALL

"No fear, no pain" seems a reasonable standard to demand regarding the conditions for livestock in Australia's live export trade.

Likewise for the men, women and children subject to our immigration detention system.

Eileen O'Brien, Kambah

LONG RUN TO LONG DROP

I should think the Libs have greater concerns than simply conjecturing about their recent 30 consecutive negative News polls for the current Prime Minister.

Add those to the previous 30 negative polls for the previous PM, and they have a continuous run of 60 bad scores.

Not a good look for this swinging voter.

Peter Hyland, Swinger Hill

IN THE ECHO CHAMBER

Ask 10 friends: Why have you got tattoos? Five out of 10 say, "Thought I'd better." The other five? "Seems the thing to do." Now ask: Why are you on Facebook?

Same results.

Is this what they call original thinking?

Percival Vere, Dickson

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