The British invasion of this country was premised on a lie and claimed for Britain under the guise of Terra Nullius. Terra Nullius meaning nobodies land or belonging to nobody was how the British claimed this land. On the 22nd of August 1770 Captain Cook planted a flag and claimed all of eastern Australia for Britain. This premise was overturned by the High Court as a myth for claiming Terra Nullius in the Mabo case on 3 June 1992.

Archaeological evidence estimates 750000 Aboriginal people inhabited Australia in the 1770s with their own knowledge, traditions, survival, kinship and social laws as well as a total respect for country (only take what you need to survive, share and regenerate all food sources).

Surely this very recent addition to the national calendar could be changed to another date. This date is an embarrassment and a blight on this country. But hey it did take until 1967 for Aboriginal people to be counted in the census (obviously flora and fauna previously) so please act now. No-one is anti Australia Day, but many of us are anti this date.

Any politician who endorses this date as a day for all Australians is misguided.

Gavin Arnott, Allansford

I was shocked to read in The Standard (Monday, January 8, 2024) that some of our city councillors have flagged the sum of $6.2 million to turn Lake Pertobe into a motorised water sports complex.

This is an echo of proposals quite a few years ago for Lake Pertobe, which was then a smelly swamp. At the time I was on council staff and it was planned to increase the depth of water to the drownable depth of 2.1m and make it a haven for motorised boats.

Fortunately, sense prevailed and it was developed with a children's play area, a place for paddle boats and a clear passage for city drainage.

No motors were permitted on the lake where the noise would have been amplified and played to the whole city.

Graham Keith, Warrnambool

Consistency needed on planning decisions

Tanya Plibersek's veto of the proposed offshore wind project at Port Hastings has been the source of some controversy. It is the minister's job to carefully consider the environmental impacts of new and existing energy projects.

But this due diligence needs to be applied across the board. The W A Burrup Hub gas project if approved, will have a negative effect on marine life in the area. A large number of gas wells will be drilled around Scott Reef, which is home to endangered pygmy blue whales and green turtles.

It is also set to create billions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, fuelling the very weather disasters that threaten our natural environment. Consistency is needed when considering these projects

Anne O'Hara, Wanniassa, ACT

As Premier Jacinta Allan marks her 100th day in office, there is no cause for celebration in regional Victoria.

Recent budget projections paint a distressing picture, forecasting Victoria's net debt will surge to a staggering $177.8 billion by mid-2027.

While Melbourne projects enjoy unlimited funding, regional Victoria grapples with escalating homelessness and challenges in accessing medical care.

The Labor Government's relentless focus on city-centric initiatives exposes a disregard for the pressing issues plaguing regional communities.

The list of concerns is lengthy: Hospital waitlists soaring, GP clinics on the brink of closure due to Labor's Health Tax, many paediatricians unable to see children for up to a year, regional roads further deteriorating, and a housing crisis so dire there is a community of families camping in tents in Bendigo.

It is imperative that Labor redirects taxpayers' hard-earned money responsibly. On top of this, Labor's decision to shut-down the native timber industry, ban gas in new homes, and contribute to skyrocketing energy prices due to an unprepared transition to renewable energy has dire consequences. The Energy Minister's refusal to rule out power outages this summer further undermines confidence in the government's competence.

Despite regional Victoria constituting 25 per cent of the state's population, the funding it receives equates to half of that. Yet regional Victoria is obligated to contribute to the escalating debt resulting from imprudent decisions on city projects.

The Allan Labor Government's prolonged neglect of regional Victoria is evident. Instead of investing in statewide housing or implementing measures like a new round of the Power Saving Bonus to alleviate financial pressure on Victorians, Ms Allan seems determined to squander billions on city projects that offer little benefit to the majority of the state.

Peter Walsh MP, Leader of The Nationals