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Credit: Cathy Wilcox
After making some great strides in reconciling with Nicky Winmar, Collingwood supporters seemed to take a retrograde step last weekend by booing a great of the game in Buddy Franklin for no apparent reason. Unfortunately, they are not alone in this behaviour, with supporters of most teams choosing to relentlessly boo some opposition players, for example Jason Horne-Francis from Port Adelaide. This practice is a blight on our game and it is really unnecessary and abusive.
It is high time for the AFL clubs to call it out and encourage or even demand that their supporters desist. Perhaps as a starting point, the captains of all the clubs should jointly make this appeal to their fans. The game will be much better for it.
Graeme Gardner, Reservoir
Apologies are owed to two champions
I’m writing from Sydney, where, like Swans coach John Longmire, I’m bemused as to why Collingwood supporters booed Buddy Franklin. As Longmire stated and repeated, ″Why would you boo a 36-year-old champion of the game?″ What the Collingwood followers did to Franklin, they previously did to Adam Goodes. What is the link between these two men other than being ″champions of the game″? Perhaps some Collingwood supporters are simply ignorant or some are racist? More likely they are both. Strange to say, but I admire the Collingwood players far more than I do Collingwood supporters, who owe Buddy Franklin an apology. Oh yes, they have owed Adam Goodes an apology for about 10 years now.
Michael Davis, Balmain East, NSW
Team’s good form doesn’t mirror the supporters
Collingwood supporters instigated the booing of Adam Goodes, booed Joel Selwood on the night he surpassed Stephen Kernahan as the AFL’s longest-serving captain, were the first to boo Jason Horne-Francis even though their favourite son Nathan Buckley did exactly the same thing to Brisbane, and most recently constantly booed AFL great Lance Franklin.
The Collingwood footy team is in good form, many of its supporters are not.
Phil Alexander, Eltham
Stop the physical abuse, too
The biffo and occasional brutality I saw at VFL and AFL matches for a few decades from the early 1950s is fortunately now rare. Players naturally expect and enjoy the combative nature of football, but I doubt they accept being targeted with nasty, spiteful physical abuse to try to put them off their game. As a proud Collingwood supporter I believe treatment such as that dished out to Nick Daicos should be stamped out. Naturally his team mates come to his defence, which unfortunately resulted in a brawl in Sunday’s match with Sydney. Apart from the battering and bruising endured by a targeted player, there may be damaging mental health issues to deal with. I suggest umpires award a free kick immediately they see a player being unduly roughed up rather than accept it’s just part of the game.
David Wilson, Port Fairy
Coming in a few years, an ump for every player
In the 1960s, Australian rules with 36 players was controlled by one umpire. Was the umpire always right in his control of the game? Apparently not. In 1976, a second umpire was introduced to the game. On average, one ump to 18 players. In 1994, three umpires, on average one ump to 12 players. In 2023, four umpires, on average one ump to nine players. Coaches are still questioning decisions. So where to next? Perhaps each player brings his own umpire.
Dick van Teulingen, Torquay
Booing is abuse. Stop it
Why do people boo? Some say it’s part of the game – I think it’s abuse. Don’t do it, and don’t let others do it.
Belinda Burke, Hawthorn
Note: Late yesterday, Collingwood captain Darcy Moore and coach Craig McRae apologised for Magpie fans’ treatment of Lance Franklin.
FORUM
Kudos for apology
The formal apology to the Aboriginal community by Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton before the Yoorrook Justice Commission is significant in more ways than one.
Over and above the commissioner’s acknowledgment of the part that police played in meting out egregious harm in the past “and ongoing injustices towards First Peoples in Victoria”, his admission is on the public record. There’s no going back.
Moreover, Patton’s insight that the uniform he dons is a powerful “symbol of fear” goes to the core of a much deeper issue of mistrust due to repeated systemic abuse of power that is not likely to be readily overcome by the Aboriginal community in Victoria.
Indeed, Patton will know that he has transformed his workforce into achieving “true partnership” with every Aboriginal person when he facilitates the elimination of unconscious bias based on racism and sexism from within its ranks.
Kudos for stepping up to the plate and to the herculean challenge in front of him.
Jelena Rosic, Mornington
Unemployed meaning
I agree completely when your correspondent (Letters, 8/5) suggests a definition of what type of vacancy casual, temporary, full time etc could be refined if we are to have a clear picture of unemployment.
Governments have “adjusted″ the definition of (un)employment for years mainly to suit political purposes. It would be nice if a definition agreed across the board could be found possibly set by a panel independent of government and reviewed on a regular basis.
Jack Morris, Kennington
Who benefits?
There has been much comment on the $20 billion-plus for ″economic wizards″ that the former Coalition government spent on consultants. The Coalition is now bemoaning the 8000 extra public servants this government has employed. To put some perspective on the numbers, the $20 billion spent on consultants could have been used to employ more than 200,000 extra public servants. Which spend was more likely to produce a benefit for society?
Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Reverse priorities
Your correspondent (Letters, 8/5) compares the parking debate to the toilet paper debate. Being in a sedan parked nose in, between two SUV vehicles, in a busy shopping centre car park and attempting to reverse out with the inevitable minimal clear sight and the sudden appearance of a speeding vehicle at the rear, might clarify the priorities.
Brian Kidd, Mount Waverley
Rethink needed
John Pesutto may very well succeed in having Moira Deeming expelled from his parliamentary team. However, if the Liberal Party is ever to become relevant again in Victoria, it is going to have to address a much deeper problem: what to do about the kind of members who chose her to lead their ticket for the Western Metropolitan Region and who appear to be more interested in fringe issues than in winning elections.
Ivan Glynn, Vermont
Face reality
I note that many people complained about the pre-coronation coverage on the ABC saying now is not the time to debate the role of the monarchy in Australia. I say, now is absolutely the time to raise and discuss the monarchy and its role in modern Australia and the Indigenous experience. ″Now is not the time″ was the same cry many made when attempts were made to discuss the role of climate change in the major statewide fires recently. Believing in and propping up fairytale stories by avoiding reality will not move this country to proper representation for everyone, nor solve our greatest environmental challenge. The time to face up to reality could not be more now.
Roan Plotz, Preston
Not so stable
A number of your correspondents have argued that a constitutional monarchy has served Australia very well and provided us with a stable political system.
Rather, we have a stable political system because of a fair and democratic voting regime overseen by an independent bureaucracy, the Australian Electoral Commission.
The 1975 dismissal of the Whitlam government by the governor-general, I would have thought, negates the argument about the stability of the constitutional monarchy in Australia.
David Fry, Moonee Ponds
Clash of symbols
Hugh Riminton makes a fair case for the likely decline of the global relevance of the British monarchy (Comment, 8/5). But was it really necessary for him to introduce his article by mocking the symbolism expressed in the coronation? Perhaps all religious and cultural symbolism could be viewed as a bit weird, but I doubt Riminton would make scornful jokes about Indigenous smoking ceremonies or sacred birthing trees. In my opinion, either all cultural symbols are worthy of respect or none of them are.
David Francis, Ivanhoe
Royal cheers
I am so proud to be an Australian and have King Charles as our king. Despite what people are writing, it was a wonderful weekend and the world should look on with great respect to the royal family.
Diana Goetz, Mornington
Here’s to the pomp
As an avowed republican I have to admit that the British do pomp and ceremony better than anyone. I cannot help but admire the whole coronation event with all its history, pageantry and symbolism. But for King Charles to say beforehand that in these difficult financial times the whole event was to be “scaled back”, really? How so?
Tony Healy, Balwyn North
Time to reflect
It took me decades to realise that there actually is a serious intellectual and philosophical case for monarchy, blinded as I was by my (still active) republican fervour. Perhaps with a greater collective reflection on the many advantages of monarchy we’d be better placed to think about what might be even better.
William Hennessy, Clifton Hill
Go easy on the Boomers
I am also irritated, as your correspondent is (Letters, 5/5), over misinformation in relation to Baby Boomers.
My mother, who was very deaf, was widowed at 36. Getting a job was very difficult. We managed by being very careful with spending and received no government help.
Most families had one car; one bathroom and dining out was a luxury a couple of times a year. Holidays were usually at home or with relatives. Our house was a $25,000 land and package deal. A relationship with the bank was necessary to apply for a loan and the process was involved. A $10,000 deposit was required, a large proportion of the total cost. Credit cards were not available so if you didn’t have the money, you went without. There was layby, full payment then take home.
The age pension was for the poor and needy who didn’t have enough for their old age. Nowadays not just Baby Boomers, but many others think they are entitled to government help for all their needs, which puts a strain on all government services, to the detriment of us all.
Every generation has its advantages and disadvantages; let’s learn from each other and stop the blame game.
Sandra Ashton, Beaumaris
All that remains
Dementia follows a different and unpredictable progression for each person afflicted by it. (″Dementia sufferers deserve dignified death″, 8/5). Our society’s mistake is to focus on what the person has lost, rather than all that still remains. Our loved one afflicted by dementia for the duration of the last decade of her life was still the person we had always loved – every day of her life, despite dementia, she wanted us and we wanted her.
We accepted the process of ageing as a part of life and travelled alongside, but the unexpected grief and horror lay in the fact that, despite Australia’s prosperity and high potential for healthcare expertise, the separated health and aged care systems both demonstrated minimal value of the person we cherished, from the onset of ageing-related disability.
Ruth Farr, Blackburn South
A dignified exit
The article ″Dementia sufferers deserve dignified death″ (8/5) puts the case for dementia to be added to the list of accepted conditions for voluntary assisted dying.
One only needs to spend a day visiting aged care homes and speak to relatives, staff, doctors and residents to have your questions answered. I believe you would have overwhelming support as most in aged care are so saddened by the plight of end-stage dementia and would welcome a dignified exit for their loved ones, patients or clients.
I know that I would absolutely sign the paperwork now that would permit others to provide it for me in that situation.
Dr Kim Alexander, Richmond
Counselling not a cover-up
As a counsellor with many years experience in providing employee assistance, I and many other of my colleagues take offence, if the option of counselling is used as a cover-up for inhuman working conditions.
In the article ″Legal advice ignored on smart phone home checks″ (8/5), the question is raised, if the workload for building inspectors was not set out in a way, that every inspector trying to do a good job and not using short cuts, would not be able to tackle the work load. When one of them brought this to management, the response, was to suggest the offer of an employee assistant program. Counselling is an option to create different perspectives and become aware of choices made and others possible. It should not and ethically cannot be an option for workplaces to cover up unrealistic expectations.
Angelika von Sanden,
Port Melbourne
AND ANOTHER THING
Royal family
It seems that, for Harry, to borrow a phrase from Dame Edna, they couldn’t find him a better seat after all.
Julian Robertson, Mt Eliza
Dame Edna would have been in her element, and no doubt have something to say about the ABC’s mean-spirited, agenda-driven coverage.
Deborah Morrison, Malvern East
I have my own glory right here. My bird of paradise plants are about to bloom. Such grandeur.
Tris Raouf, Hadfield
OK, I’m officially coronated out.
Ian Macdonald, Traralgon
Las Vegas couldn’t have done any better.
Ross Barker, Lakes Entrance
Anti-monarchy protesters arrested in Britain. Where’s Oliver Cromwell when you need him?
George Djoneff, Mitcham
Footy
What’s happening with football jumpers? When I was a kid, Essendon was a red jumper with a black diagonal stripe. Now I wonder what’s it going to be this week. Leave it alone.
Michael Kerr, Boneo
It would appear Collingwood have a monopoly on get out of jail cards.
Francis Bainbridge, Fitzroy North
David Cayzer’s early season swooping magpies (Letters, 8/5) have historically been grounded by the arrival of their arch enemy, the early crow.
Peter Loney, Drumcondra
Furthermore
As Stuart Robert retires with few regrets, I bet there are thousands of people with few regrets that he is retiring.
Lindsay Zoch, Mildura
Guess there will be more prayers and tears coming to the US population but no changes to the gun laws.
Marie Nash, Balwyn
Even if democracy disappears globally, the idea of voting and free speech will never die.
Rod Matthews, Fairfield
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