"The Gadfly" columnist ROBERT MACKLIN remembers his glory days of playing footy for Queensland at 14 and why he still gets a quiver of pride every time he sees a maroon jumper.
"The three elements of the campaign were in the wrong order – it should have been hearts first, heads second... before the treaty, of which the Voice is part," writes ROBERT MACKLIN.
"In the absence of a government Denticare Program there’s a perfect opportunity for dentists themselves to volunteer their services to transform Aboriginal lives," writes "Gadfly" columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.
"I remember long ago when I looked forward to collapsing into the sack, reading a chapter of a good book, then just before my eyes closed, flicking off the light and surrendering to the lovely dark," writes columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.
"I would much rather share an affectionate hug with a human than a pet animal, but other people have a different view, which deserves respect," writes ROBERT MACKLIN.
"As Australia’s second prime minister, Alfred Deakin celebrated a White Australia Policy and declared the Aboriginals a dying race, a victim of social Darwinism," writes "The Gadfly" columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.
"When the housing market went nuts the value of Tuross passed the threshold that prevented even a part pension. And just because we can’t live in two places at once, we’re suddenly the bad guys," bemoans columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.
"There are better systems available than the adversarial one, but the lawyers are presently having such a fine time – and have infiltrated all levels of government and stations of the elite – so we’re stuck with it," writes ROBERT MACKLIN.
"The ladies looked at me as though I’d gone nuts. "Sam Kerr?” said their pleasant spokesperson. "She’s got a life too, you know. She’ll be back in Chelsea earning a living,'" writes columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.
"Somehow, the little nerves and muscles around his coccyx knitted themselves back together and he was up and running like a whippet off the leash. And that was just the first two minutes." ROBERT MACKLIN's been watching the soccer.
Columnist ROBERT MACKLIN finds himself disempowered and struggling with the condescension bordering on contempt from staff amid the daily chaos that is Canberra Hospital's emergency department. Until he makes a break for it…
"While ever there’s a captain like Pat Cummins there’s hope for the future," but is the Ashes series really that important anymore, asks "The Gadfly" columnist ROBERT MACKLIN.
