Reader JOHN BONE takes umbrage at an “inconsiderate ignoramus” who reverse parks a smelly 4WD at Fyshwick Market and ruins a blueberry-muffin morning tea in the sunshine. 

MY partner and I recently headed out to Fyshwick Markets for our weekly fruit and veggie supplies. 

While there, we thought we would take advantage of the many lovely and inviting eateries to avail us of our mid-morning pangs. 

After finding a spot in the lovely winter sunshine and with our beverages and tasty treats, we were just about to tuck in when this inconsiderate, ignoramus turd in their dirty exhaust-choofing 4WD decides to reverse park right into the very car space adjacent to where we (and others) were sitting! 

So much for enjoying our lovely sunshine and morning tea! Nothing like a diesel-fume-infused blueberry muffin! Are our fellow Canberrans really this inconsiderate? 

Come on, people; the parking requirements are quite clearly signposted throughout the main car parking area for this exact reason; to inform drivers to park “Front End Only”.

Maybe someone from the market authority could pop a reminder of the parking rules on these people’s windscreens, as it surely must affect some of the adjacent businesses as well. 

John Bone, via email

There are other ways to manage mynas

THE article “Bill’s petition to spark action on myna birds” (CN July 20) may be, in my opinion, a bit one sided.

Instead of us trying to destroy every living creature that we cannot control, we should look at alternatives. 

There are more humane ways to reduce Indian Mynas’ numbers by local government. Instead of trapping and euthanising them, a more compassionate approach could be implementing non-lethal methods such as:

• Providing nesting alternatives: Encourage the installation of nesting boxes for native birds, diverting Indian Mynas away from their preferred nesting sites.
• Public awareness and education: Educate the public about the impact of Indian Mynas on local ecosystems and how they can discourage their presence through responsible waste management and not feeding them.
• Habitat modification: Create or enhance habitats that support native bird species, making it less attractive for Indian Mynas to establish themselves.
• Encouraging natural predators: Promote natural predators of Indian Mynas, such as birds of prey, to help control their population.
• Trapping and relocation: If trapping is necessary, consider capturing and relocating Indian Mynas to areas where their presence may be less disruptive to native wildlife.

By focusing on these humane approaches, local governments can strike a balance between managing invasive species and respecting the principles of kindness and compassion towards all living creatures.

Errol Good, Macgregor

The minister’s performance was ‘pitiful’

Recently Environment Minister Rebecca Vassarotti appeared before the Select Committee on Estimates, where Liberal Mark Parton posed questions regarding the treatment of kangaroos during the annual kangaroo cull.

The minister’s performance was pitiful. She deferred answering questions to the conservator and refused to take any responsibility for the ongoing killing of kangaroos.

The minister claims that the cull is humane, respectful and accords with the national code of practice for the shooting of kangaroos and wallabies.

Her claim is disingenuous. The minister is aware of instances in the 2022 cull where two fully furred joeys were found decapitated. This is in breach of the code.

One joey was discarded in a bush, the other on the side of the road. This is not a respectful end to an animal’s life.

The minister admitted joeys may be hit on the head with a mallet as part of normal culling practice.

The majority of culls are not supervised, as claimed by the minister.

There is no vet present to protect the welfare of the animals. A vet/supervisor may attend on one or two occasions only.

Minister Vassarotti is abdicating responsibility to protect the safety of kangaroos to the shooters, turning a blind eye to rate payer funded cruelty.

Rebecca Marks, Palmerston

Government arrogance is ‘mind-blowing’

SO, the ACT government has published its usual misleading information for public digestion. 

The supposed 1041 kangaroos to be culled and now claimed to have been achieved, was in fact 1403. But as usual, the 362 unfortunate joeys hauled out of pouches and bludgeoned to death do not count. 

And the fact that 68 per cent of the 533 females killed were carrying those 362 joeys, puts lie to the fact that the minister says the cull is carried out at a time of the year when there are fewer joeys in pouches!

And we know for a fact that a large number of those joeys killed were not tiny “pinkies”, but in fact furred joeys, making their death even more appalling and cruel. 

As most Canberrans will now observe, the nature reserves are now denuded of most of their macropod populations, and the appalling state of the reserves with fence-high dead grass is a potentially disastrous situation, not only for homes, but for all those creatures the minister says the cull is designed to help protect. 

When will this government listen to the science that seriously challenges the very bases of the supposed conservation cull, and listen to concerned citizens whose properties are now at enormous risk in any conflagration in the coming summer. 

As for the small endangered species, their fate will be sealed as well.

The sheer arrogance and lack of accountability of this Labor Greens government is mind-blowing.

Jennifer Macdougall, via email

Make this the last kill Minister Vassarotti

THE 2023 kangaroo killing season has ended and people who actually care for our wildlife will be mourning those that have had their lives brutally cut short. 

The alpha males who were killed and now their mobs are left in disarray. The mums who were shot and their little joeys ripped from the pouch and also killed. 

The now orphaned at-foot joeys who will be searching for their dead mothers’ comfort and love and will never find it again. 

We will remember them, and we will not stop fighting for them. Make this the last kill, Minister Vassarotti.

Aisha Bottrill, via email

It took a while to work Vegemite out

RE “Love it or hate it, Vegemite is here to stay” (CN July 20), in 1948,  when still overseas and receiving food parcels from relatives in Oz, amongst the tins of Golden Churn (canned butter), fruit, jam and a fancy school blazer was a jar of Vegemite.

It took my mother a while to work out that it was an extract. Once that was clear, it was mixed in sauces when leftovers were reheated and some was added to soups.  

I landed in Oz in 1951 already as a Vegemite Kid!

Ben Gershon, via email 

Without details, Voice doomed to fail

WILL someone please inform “Airbus Albo” that unless he makes the minutiae of the Voice proposal available to the public, instead of insisting that they will be laid out by the parliament should the referendum succeed, he is effectively dooming an already moribund Voice to fail. 

Is there a “Plan B” in case the referendum fails?

Without a plan, surely the quickest, cheapest and most practical fall-back option would be to simply legislate, give the Voice  a “test run “, then if it works it can be enshrined in the constitution by referendum. If it doesn’t, it can be removed. I believe this is what should have been done in the first place, instead of wasting an estimated $82 million on a referendum that has little to no chance of succeeding.

Mario Stivala, Belconnen

It is ‘Thy will be done on earth’!

I refer to the letter from Paul Myers, of  Karabar (CN July 20). 

Paul is bothered by the wording of the “Lord’s Prayer” which, he says, is “Thy will be done ‘in’ earth.”

I find this confusing, as an internet search will clearly show: “Thy will be done “on” earth.” 

This is aside from my view on daily prayers in parliament, which I’d prefer a brief period of reflection, suitable for all faiths or none.  

Patricia Roberts via email