Creating ugliness

I totally agree with John Lawrence regarding ‘Shameful Northbourne Avenue’ (CW 24 August 2023, p18). However, the problem extends further than this once pleasant approach to our city. I will not venture along this thoroughfare any more but find that I also do not want to visit other areas where there were once attractive homes sheltered by lovely tree-lined streets. Remember Torrens Street in Braddon? These have been erased to make way for more boxes on boxes on boxes in the same style as those in the new outer suburbs and they are popping up all over with barely enough space between buildings to breathe let alone have play areas for children and a decent garden. Beautiful? No. Charming? No. This present government is endeavouring to strip Canberra of its once unique personality and create ugliness en masse where once was charm and individuality. Even the once-maligned government housing was much more appealing.

• Daphne Harding, Farrer

The Referendum is not extreme

According to opinion polls, I am in a category expected to vote no in the referendum. A white, septuagenarian male living a comfortable suburban life, my demographic is apparently opposed to people who are not me seeking recognition that I don’t have.

I don’t know why. The Voice will open opportunities for Indigenous Australians without taking anything away from the rest of us. Life as we know it for the rest of us will not change. We will continue to live, work and play as we did before.

We have to get away from thinking one person’s gain is another person’s loss, more so when those who might gain are in the most disadvantaged group in the country. With this important decision we can do something to improve their lives, which must benefit our nation.

The referendum is a simple request for two things: recognition that Aboriginal people lived here before 1788, and setting up an advisory Voice to Parliament and the Government to address the disadvantage they have faced for generations. It is not about budgets and structures. That will be decided by the Government of the day, as it should be.

This is not an extreme proposal. We have nothing to lose and so much to gain by voting yes. If the referendum fails, I fear we will be seen as a country that does not want to listen to its first people. That would be a loss for all of us.

• Brett Gray, Monash

Feral animal control options

I have been following many letters for and against feral animal control options, seeing commendable passion being displayed both sides of the argument. In the midst, much is lost in the heat of the moment. The reality is there’s a problem that needs to be fixed, in a tight timeframe in a professionally sound manner. I suggest, firstly, we hand responsibility to Indigenous experts on a “performance proven” reduction-per-head-fee basis, and secondly, as a failsafe, through our tourism organisation, we establish a visit to Australia hunters program, boosting tourism numbers and generating much valuable dollars. The concept could better enhance the reduction in the numbers of kangaroos, buffalo, camel, pigs, goats and horses presently destroying our environment, and kick-start a newly devised eradication of the cane toad through a search and destroy family bonding program.

Local sportsmen could set up new guiding ventures to support the tourists, similar to what’s already occurring in Africa.

The tourism improved control option at minimal cost to the taxpayer would be beneficial. However, we need to be responsible by banning them from bringing unsuitable weapons into this country for the program, such as the Glock18, MAC 10, AR 15 and 50 calibre sniper rifle with a one-kilometre kill range, or similar military rated weapons. Our preference would be for visitors, un-armed, to travel with Indigenous Australians to see close up the unique professional way Australia handles its problems.

• John Lawrence, Flynn

Voice Referendum

With the referendum upon us, one has to worry how, despite the best of intentions, people will respond. A tragic negative outcome may see the blame falling on the instigators for failing to engage in appropriate discussion, preferring instead to assume you all think like us so get on with it. Registered voters are astute and need good information upon which to make intelligent judgment and less likely to react emotionally in isolation. The idea of voting on important issues without all the facts may see some citizens not wish to travel that route, leaving important change faltering because of dismal planning.

I fear this may end up a lesson in what can go wrong when change is contemplated outside the formality of the Parliamentary System because elected members seem to have raised the white flag of surrender on generational problems and are of the belief much can be resolved by deferring issues to the general population via a referendum. These issues are very complex and need the firm hand of an in-house, caring, professional, proactive government.

• John Lawrence, Flynn

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