Letters

Rangebow will return

Dear Editor,

Our 60 volunteers have handed back their vests and we have started packing away the costumes from The Rangebow Festival events over August. We are all exhausted but exhilarated by the response to the program that we were able to deliver to The Range communities of Maleny, Montville, Flaxton and Mapleton.

Having listened and responded to the feedback last year, we saw a 23 per cent increase in ticket sales and the uplifting mood of the festival clearly swept its way through the festival localities. So many events were sold out or were close to capacity – visitors from interstate and the region embraced the diverse range of experiences on offer, and told us they would return next year.

Our festival, operated by a registered charity, will be back next year 1 – 4 August 2024 with a program of tweaked favourites, as well as some new events to surprise and delight everyone.

This letter is to say a bi thank you to our sponsors, supporters, performers, volunteers and patrons for enabling us to bring an exciting program of experiences of taste, arts, film, theatre, culture, music and nature to the hinterland.

If anyone has feedback for us, or if would like to volunteer, perform or be a sponsor, please use the contact form on the website: therangebowfestival.org

Warm wishes

Wayne Parcell, Festival Director,

‘Trump’ style tactics

‘If you don’t know, vote no’ is a hugely cynical and insulting tactic that the opposition leader Peter Dutton and the ‘no’ campaign have employed to try to derail the First Nations effort to enshrine an ‘Indigenous voice to parliament’. Mr Dutton has done everything to politicise and muddy the waters of the referendum in a Trump-style misinformation campaign.

Given many Australians are stretched financially and distracted by day-to-day pressures such advice might be appealing, but it is disingenuous and works against this oncein-a-generation opportunity that our First Nations people have proposed to us. If you don’t know, seek information from a

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.

trusted source, as this is too important a moment in Australian history, at least it could be.

The truth is this is a very simple and clear proposition to the Australian community - that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders be recognised in our constitution as the first peoples of Australia and that there should be a body called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice which may make representations to parliament on matters relating to them.

It is an advisory body only, with no veto powers (not dissimilar to numerous other bodies that lobby our parliament such as the Business Council of Australia, Australian Hotels Association and Clubs NSW).

The detail that Dutton and others keep asking for does not exist, and he knows it, as this comes later through the process of parliamentary debate by our elected representatives.

More and more prominent and respected Australians are stepping up to add their backing to the ‘yes’ campaign for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. One of the most recent being the previous deputy leader of the Liberal Party, Julie Bishop.

In her address to the National Press Club she spoke of the importance of giving Indigenous people the power to make decisions to implement policies, rather than politicians, citing a recent review of government funded programs that identified those with successful outcomes were the ones that involved close consultation with the Indigenous community. “We’ve got to give it a chance,” Bishop implored.

A tangible example where a ‘voice’ would have been desirable was when Indigenous communities in Qld and NT had their alcohol restrictions lifted early last year, much to the dismay of community leaders. This then led to a sharp spike in alcohol-fuelled violence.

The prospect of waking up the morning after the referendum to see the likes of Pauline Hanson and Peter Dutton gloating over a smashed result is enough to make me do everything I can to support the ‘Yes’ campaign.

I would encourage others to do the same and join the largest ever grassroots volunteer movement in Australian history #yes23. Standing up for our First Nations people and their right to self-determine in matters that directly affect them is fair and is right.

The alternative is just plain mean.

Judith Sinnamon, Balmoral Ridge

Bad Jokes of the Month

Why did the frog make fun of the toad? To rib it

I could tell you a joke about reverse psychology, but you wouldn’t want me to do it.

Why did the man quit his job at the doughnut factory? He was fed up with the hole business.

Quick Quotes

Plastic is not fantastic

Good morning,

As a Flaxton local who also shops and dines regularly in the Montville area, I find it extremely upsetting that some of the stores in the Montville Village area are still continuing to use plastic bags.

As a beautiful Hinterland tourist destination, I believe we should be leading the way environmentally and have some type of overseeing or regulation of the banning of plastic bags in the Montville village.

I have many personal visitors throughout the year from interstate, who of course always visit the village and they too have commented on their concern that plastic bags were freely given out at some of the stores.

They have also commented on the vast positive difference with store owners who are obviously trying their hardest to follow the plastic bag ban and single use plastic ban, and other shop owners who seem dedicated to the environment and the beauty of the area.

Thank you so much for taking this into consideration.

Warm regards

Adrienne Lavater, Flaxton

The ‘so called’ referendum

Dear Editor

I would like to reply to 1- Mr Barracough in his column and Name and Address Supplied in the "Letters to the Editor"about their comments on the "So Called" referendum and 2- Mr Barraclough and his ideology beliefs.

Firstly, to Mr Barracough and "Name and address Supplied". I would like to think that the majority of the Australian public, be they White, Asian, Aboriginal, whatever background, are good and decent human beings and are interested in Australia moving forward as one to the benefit of everyone.

However, Mr Barraclough and "Name and Address Supplied" seem hell bent on pushing the divisive referendum. The worst part I think these people seem to be missing is that this referendum is being set and pushed by the sub-class of human beings called politicians, known for regularly lying and manipulating the system to their advantage and not the people.

Even worse than pushing this divisive agenda is the fact that these two individuals are prepared to vote yes for something that has not been clearly put out there, as far as what is actually going to change in the constitution and how it will affect Australia going forward. No wonder so many people are concerned and rightfully wary.

Regards Shane Daly

Ed note: Dear Shane, if you would like to read page 3 of this HT, you will find information busting myths and misconceptions about the Voice, and presenting facts. We hope this is helpful for those who are unsure how to vote at present.

“Don’t wait to be successful at some future point. Have a successful relationship with the present moment and be fully present in whatever you are doing. That is success.”

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