Letters

Making roads or inroads?

I’d like to congratulate Andrew Powell on finally getting results in his passionate 15 year battle to get some sections of the Maleny-Kenilworth road fixed up, and how exciting it is that he’ll be able to have a commemorative event to celebrate his win.

I’m also hoping this experience of a long battle might warm him up to getting involved in supporting the 200 year battle that many Indigenous people have been fighting to get recognition and support for the genocide involved in settling this country, and the continuing racism that Indigenous people are up against.

On the 26th January, a friend of mine on her way to the Indigenous Commemorative ceremony at the Neighborhood Centre, had to wait for horses with riders in uniform with guns slung at their side, parading down the main street of Maleny to go by before she could cross the road to come down to the Neighborhood Centre. She was struck by the irony of having to wait for men on horses with guns before she could attend this ceremony that acknowledges the murder of Indigenous people in this region, and areas all over Australia, by men on horseback with guns.

At the entrance to the Neighbourhood Centre where the ceremony was held, there was a gazebo with Andrew Powell’s name emblazoned on it. Someone commented to me how great it was that he supports this event. I beg to differ.

That gazebo, and in fact many gazebos with the names of politicians printed on them are seen at many a public event. Advertising at the taxpayers expense.

I appreciate that Andrew Powell's office allowed the committee who runs this event to photocopy the booklets that are painstakingly put together with true historical accounts of our hidden and confronting history, but it is in fact his job to support groups that make important contributions to the community.

Best wishes Andrew Powell for your commemorative event celebrating your 15 year wait to improve the road between Maleny and Kenilworth. I look forward to the time

Crossword

LETTERS, LEUNIG AND LIGHT RELIEF

Relax, read a few letters, enjoy a crossword and cartoon, and maybe put pen to paper (finger to keyboard) yourself! We would love you to share your thoughts and experiences with us and HT readers. Email: editor@hinterlandtimes.com.au, and please include your name, email/address and location. Letters may be edited a little if space is tight. As we are a monthly, please be aware we are unable to print date-sensitive letters.

when you respond with your presence, and not just your gazebo, at the important commemorative event on the 26th January. You have been invited many times, and sadly, not yet found it important enough to prioritise on this special day.

Jacinta Foale

The history of Australia Day

The first Commonwealth of Australia Parliament was opened by HRH the Duke of York and Cornwall in Melbourne on the 9th May, 1901. In a constitutional sense, this date marks the formation of Australia as an independent, democratic country.

At that time, each state celebrated its beginnings with a holiday: in New South Wales, Foundation Day was on 26th January; in Victoria, it was on 30th August; in Tasmania, Regatta Day was on the 24th November; in South Australia, Proclamation Day was on 28th December; in Western Australia, Foundation Day was on the first Monday in June; while in Queensland, Queensland Day was on the 6th June. There had been an attempt to declare a country wide Anniversary Day on the 26th January in 1888 but not all states adopted this.

Leading up to federation, there was debate on the need for a national ‘Australia Day’ holiday but there was considerable disagreement over its date. The ‘newer’ states were reluctant to celebrate the convict origins of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania and even the ‘Father of Federation’ and long-term Premier of New South Wales, Sir Henry Parkes, expressed concern that the 26th January would not be acceptable to Aboriginal People for obvious reasons. For whatever reasons, the first Australia Day holiday in 1915 was declared for the 30th July.

It wasn’t until 1935 that all the states agreed to celebrate Australia Day on the 26th January with the public holiday being gazetted for the Monday closest to that date, although, in many places, it was still locally called Foundation Day. It wasn’t until 1949 that the 26th January became politically significant with the recognition of Australian Citizenship on that day. (Until then Australians were British Nationals with a British Passport.)

Massive bicentennial celebrations on the 1988 Australia

Trivia Time

with Allan Blackburn

1. What was the name of the royal charter signed by King John of England in 1215?

2. In commerce, what does “RRP” stand for?

3. Which chocolate product used the slogan, “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand”?

4. What reptile is often called a “saltie”?

5. What secondary colour are mint leaves?

6. What word is closest in meaning to “indolent”: rude, sad, lazy?

7. In basketball, what is the highest score from a single throw?

8. What kind of living thing is a coleus?

9. On what ocean does Chile have a coastline?

10. Which nursery rhyme character fell off a wall and could not be repaired?

Day attracted international attention and Indigenous peoples around the world questioned anew the appropriateness of celebrating nationhood on this date.

This challenge has grown to a degree that it can no longer be ignored. The 26th January is an important date in our history but it should never be a day of celebration. There are much more appropriate dates to celebrate our nationhood with, for me, the most obvious being the 9th May when we became the Commonwealth of Australia.

Doug Patterson

Tick of approval for new page

Congrats HT for introducing Look Beyond the Label (February HT Holistic section). We have three family members with ADHD, and it was so good to see some content devoted to creating awareness about having ADHD and what it’s like supporting someone with ADHD.

We all laughed at the quote about a drunk elf in your head trying to be helpful!

And myself and my wife recognised the process the ‘Diverse-Thinking Mum’ had to go through to get a diagnosis and slowly learn how to navigate the ups and downs.

So thank you for recognising that not everyone out here is neurotypical, and giving us a platform and voice.

R. Norman, Buderim

Learning for greater understanding

What a useful piece by Lizzie Vaughan from All About Autism, and in fact, the whole Look Beyond the Label section in your February paper.

I had no idea that 1 in 100 Australians are on the autism spectrum, and your piece showed how tough it can be for those who feel they have to hide their autism daily. How stressful and exhausting.

I do not have autism, but it is good to expand my understanding, as a couple of my friends’ kids are on the spectrum and it will be useful for me to learn how to communicate with them in the best way possible.

I look forward to the next Look Beyond the Label in May.

Name and address supplied

Bad Joke of the Month

A woman got a pet parrot, but she was horrified to discover that all it did was say mean things and insult her. Nothing she did could stop it. She was especially worried because her whole family was coming over for Christmas dinner. But when the dinner finally came, the parrot didn’t say a word the entire time. After the meal the parrot turned to its owner and said, “Please forgive my behaviour from before. I was entirely out of line.”

“Wow,” the woman said, “glad to hear it.”

“If I may ask,” said the parrot, “what on Earth did that turkey say to you?”

Large woody plant (4)

27. Mental state induced by suggestion (8)

Down

1. Ridicule (8)

2. Still legally acceptable (5) 3.

An extreme attainment (6) 5. Alarm (5)

6. Facilitate (4)

7. Order of business (6)

9. Outstanding (5)

13. Famished (8)

15. Empty (6)

17. Confronted (5)

18. Seldom (6)

20. Ski run (5)

22. Public transport (5)

23. Immense (4)

Trivia answers:

Quick Quote

Sudoku