Feed the beast.Credit: Cathy Wilcox
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It’s the little things
It is the little things that restore my faith in human nature. At Woolworths this week the young checkout guy noticed a ladybird on the conveyor belt. He was trying hard to save it and in that moment, as both of us were entirely focused on saving the tiny creature, everything else that is happening in the world fell away. He struggled to persuade the ladybird onto a piece of paper and then took it outside where it would be safe.
When I thanked him, he said “these things matter” proving that little acts of compassion show the kind of person you are. It made for a nice Christmas story when there is so much darkness around.
Judy Hungerford, Kew
Age of appreciation
People of any age behave oddly at Christmas for a variety of reasons. It is a great blessing to have the company of the oldest of family members and friends at Christmas. It is not a time to be on the lookout for faults, suspicion or judgment, but a time of appreciation.
Ruth Farr, Blackburn South
How to measure sorrow?
I find it unfair for Sussan Ley to castigate Penny Wong for not crying in response to the Bondi massacre. Not everyone cries when tragic things happen, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have those same feelings of someone who sheds tears.
Also not all tears are sincere, but can be there for show. Lindy Chamberlain was crucified for not bursting into tears when she lost her baby. I think it’s too facile to measure someone’s sorrow by the tears they shed.
Frances McKay, Kensington
Commission pressure
Anthony Albanese clearly hopes that making it to Christmas will mean calls for a royal commission into the Bondi terror attack might evaporate. Thankfully people like the Dawsons are keeping the pressure on him, calling out the absurdity of his position (“Family of Lindt Cafe victim call for royal commission”, 24/12). Let’s hope that when the Christmas break is over the pressure on him to hold a much needed royal commission only continues.
Andrew Laird, McKellar, ACT
No partisan politics
The people who complained that Anthony Albanese was too slow to act on the Jillian Segal report now want him to wait three years for a royal commission report before he acts decisively on the Bondi massacre. Such contradictions are only possible when people play politics rather than strive to deal with the serious issues contributing to Bondi. Now is not the time for partisan politics.
Frank Jones, Melbourne
Look sharp
How sad that even the English are now misusing the English language (″Fundamental looseness″, 24/12.)
I am used to former cricketers who pass as commentators regularly saying that the bowler is ″honing in″ on the stumps, when we know that ″to hone″ is to sharpen; whereas ″to home in″ has an entirely different meaning. But responsible journalists!
The worst of it is that many other people, some outside the cricket world, are starting to misuse ″hone″ as well so that it’s almost commonplace.
How can we put a stop to this jarring practice?
Peter McGregor, Hampton
Relative calibres
What a demeaning statement by One Nation powerbroker James Ashby, having issue with ″the calibre of people coming into the country″ (″The rise of One Nation″, 24/12). Celebrating recently a weekend in Melbourne for our 50th wedding anniversary, we criss-crossed the city on numerous tram trips. While comfortably able to stand in crowded trams, on every journey we were offered a seat by a citizen of the Australian migrant community. I have no issue with the calibre of migrants coming into the country. My huge issue is with the calibre of people who would like to run the country.
Ian Whitehead, Traralgon
Fund education
For many years now, state government schools have been underfunded, not just “in the years leading up to 2023” (“More than 200 Victorian public schools urgently need repair”, 21/12). This compares with the expensive art precincts and sports complexes of private schools, most with some federal government funds. This discrepancy leads to differential outcomes in education, careers and life opportunities, resulting in social inequality and disharmony.
Unless factors like this are addressed, social cohesion is damaged. Young people become alienated and more easily radicalised. This factor has not been considered in analysis of such tragedies as the Bondi massacre, where the younger of the two gunmen, Naveed Akram, was an isolated, unemployed, radicalised young man.
Jan Marshall, Brighton
