Oh, for a life where every day is the best day ever
In a world of turmoil, how peaceful you look. Curled up in your spot on the couch as the rain beats down on the tin roof, eyes clamped shut, dreaming of ball games and bones, perhaps the echidna you encountered on your walk the other day.
Oh, for a dog's life.
During Friday's torrent of bad news - planes crashes, airstrikes, Donald Trump - you slept through it all, warm and dry and happy.
You're fed regularly and your happiness is ensured by regular outings and activity, not to mention the occasional pizza crust as a treat. The simple joy you get from the drive to the shops, even though you've done it a hundred times, from the walk you do every morning and afternoon, surely carries a lesson for us humans.
Somehow, for you, every day is the best day ever. Whatever it is you're taking that gives you that enthusiasm, I want a double serve. I've wanted it ever since you barrelled into our lives as a hyperactive puppy with needle-sharp teeth and boundless energy.
As you've matured, I come to envy your lust for life. Yes, it's the same walk you've done every day for the past four years but you never grow tired of it.
You take it all in, from the molecular discoveries you make with your nose to the tiny specks of aircraft you spot with your sharp eyes high above.
The game of ball us humans find so repetitive never ceases to delight you. You'll bark until you're hoarse to keep it going.
Some might mistakenly think your love of simple pleasures a bit daft, even stupid. But I know you're intelligent. Over the years, I've marvelled at your vocabulary. You quickly learned all the dog words - "sit", "car", "walk" - and picked up on others like "grandpa", "baker", "PetO" (your favourite store) and "Garcon" (your favourite cafe) and "Bindi", "Mack" and "Charlie" (your favourite pooches). But you really stunned me when you cocked your ears to "orecchiette" (the leftover pasta you were fed once and absolutely loved).
You're an incredibly handsome chocolate border collie; complete strangers stop you in the street to compliment your looks. But there's not a hint of vanity about you. In fact, I doubt you ever think about how you look. What's important to you is how you live.
You can imagine how thrilled I was when I chanced upon a book exploring this very subject. The Happiness of Dogs by Mark Rowlands examines the lessons we can learn from the way dogs embrace life. He's convinced they can teach us what's important about life and how to live it.
"Philosophers think hard about these questions and do their best to answer them, with limited success," he writes in his preface. "But dogs answer them effortlessly and decisively."
And you're providing a pretty strong clue as I write these words. It's that time of the afternoon again and you're looking at me expecting action. Your expression says, "Don't worry about what's on your screen, let's walk and enjoy life. Who knows? Maybe we'll see that echidna again."
It makes me realise that just as much as I've trained you, you've trained me.
HAVE YOUR SAY: What can we learn from our dogs? Is there a lesson in a dog's joy with simple things? How important is the companionship of pets? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A final call on Woodside's massive gas project has been delayed with the energy giant granted more time to consider federal conditions on cultural heritage and air quality.
- The theme music, the poster, the blood-curdling screams of the opening scenes ... as Jaws turns 50, take a dive deep into the making of the original Hollywood blockbuster.
- The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has commenced legal action in the Federal Court against well-known caravan manufacturer Jayco for allegedly misleading ads for some of its RV models.
THEY SAID IT: "Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honour as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born." - Mary Oliver
YOU SAID IT: Garry fell out of love with Sydney some time ago. Recently returning for a visit, he found the city had become worse.
Dale leaps to its defence: "Let me share a few words of defence of the old tart. I have been living in the inner city since the 1960s and am proud of being in protests, supporting the Green bans and stopping the bulldozers knocking down the Rocks, Glebe and Ultimo. Everything you need is conveniently in walking distance or via a variety of public transport. From theatres, hospitals to shopping and community centres it doesn't take long to be there. There are lots of activities from choirs to tai chi groups where everyone is welcoming and supporting, especially in discussions over coffee."
Jennifer writes: "I love Sydney, to visit. I love the buzz of the city, the harbour, Opera House, Botanical Gardens, Manly ferry and northern beaches. I prefer the cool nights and dry sun of Canberra's spring, summer and autumn to sweaty Sydney. It's cold here in winter, but beautiful. It's more expensive than Sydney with exorbitant rates and taxes, a limited range of shops, dental and medical services, so train trips to Sydney are enjoyed, especially the restaurants and cafes that stay open late."
Phil, however, agrees with Garry: "Left Sydney eight years ago and haven't looked back. None of its attractions were accessible to western Sydney. All of its downside cost a fortune. Stale, dank little outpost pretending to be a world city but stuck in 1950."
Wendy writes: "Not having been to Sydney, I can't comment on her, but I am here to defend mutton. Double the flavour, half the price (in the saleyards), and still tender eating, mutton outperforms any lamb I've tried. Given the rising cost of living, we should be promoting mutton and finding it in every butcher shop instead of sending nearly all of it overseas, but unfortunately, the name still has negative connotations for some."
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to theechidna.com.au
In a world of turmoil, how peaceful you look. Curled up in your spot on the couch as the rain beats down on the tin roof, eyes clamped shut, dreaming of ball games and bones, perhaps the echidna you encountered on your walk the other day.
Oh, for a dog's life.
During Friday's torrent of bad news - planes crashes, airstrikes, Donald Trump - you slept through it all, warm and dry and happy.
You're fed regularly and your happiness is ensured by regular outings and activity, not to mention the occasional pizza crust as a treat. The simple joy you get from the drive to the shops, even though you've done it a hundred times, from the walk you do every morning and afternoon, surely carries a lesson for us humans.
Somehow, for you, every day is the best day ever. Whatever it is you're taking that gives you that enthusiasm, I want a double serve. I've wanted it ever since you barrelled into our lives as a hyperactive puppy with needle-sharp teeth and boundless energy.
As you've matured, I come to envy your lust for life. Yes, it's the same walk you've done every day for the past four years but you never grow tired of it.
You take it all in, from the molecular discoveries you make with your nose to the tiny specks of aircraft you spot with your sharp eyes high above.
The game of ball us humans find so repetitive never ceases to delight you. You'll bark until you're hoarse to keep it going.
Some might mistakenly think your love of simple pleasures a bit daft, even stupid. But I know you're intelligent. Over the years, I've marvelled at your vocabulary. You quickly learned all the dog words - "sit", "car", "walk" - and picked up on others like "grandpa", "baker", "PetO" (your favourite store) and "Garcon" (your favourite cafe) and "Bindi", "Mack" and "Charlie" (your favourite pooches). But you really stunned me when you cocked your ears to "orecchiette" (the leftover pasta you were fed once and absolutely loved).
You're an incredibly handsome chocolate border collie; complete strangers stop you in the street to compliment your looks. But there's not a hint of vanity about you. In fact, I doubt you ever think about how you look. What's important to you is how you live.
You can imagine how thrilled I was when I chanced upon a book exploring this very subject. The Happiness of Dogs by Mark Rowlands examines the lessons we can learn from the way dogs embrace life. He's convinced they can teach us what's important about life and how to live it.
"Philosophers think hard about these questions and do their best to answer them, with limited success," he writes in his preface. "But dogs answer them effortlessly and decisively."
And you're providing a pretty strong clue as I write these words. It's that time of the afternoon again and you're looking at me expecting action. Your expression says, "Don't worry about what's on your screen, let's walk and enjoy life. Who knows? Maybe we'll see that echidna again."
It makes me realise that just as much as I've trained you, you've trained me.
HAVE YOUR SAY: What can we learn from our dogs? Is there a lesson in a dog's joy with simple things? How important is the companionship of pets? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A final call on Woodside's massive gas project has been delayed with the energy giant granted more time to consider federal conditions on cultural heritage and air quality.
- The theme music, the poster, the blood-curdling screams of the opening scenes ... as Jaws turns 50, take a dive deep into the making of the original Hollywood blockbuster.
- The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has commenced legal action in the Federal Court against well-known caravan manufacturer Jayco for allegedly misleading ads for some of its RV models.
THEY SAID IT: "Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honour as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born." - Mary Oliver
YOU SAID IT: Garry fell out of love with Sydney some time ago. Recently returning for a visit, he found the city had become worse.
Dale leaps to its defence: "Let me share a few words of defence of the old tart. I have been living in the inner city since the 1960s and am proud of being in protests, supporting the Green bans and stopping the bulldozers knocking down the Rocks, Glebe and Ultimo. Everything you need is conveniently in walking distance or via a variety of public transport. From theatres, hospitals to shopping and community centres it doesn't take long to be there. There are lots of activities from choirs to tai chi groups where everyone is welcoming and supporting, especially in discussions over coffee."
Jennifer writes: "I love Sydney, to visit. I love the buzz of the city, the harbour, Opera House, Botanical Gardens, Manly ferry and northern beaches. I prefer the cool nights and dry sun of Canberra's spring, summer and autumn to sweaty Sydney. It's cold here in winter, but beautiful. It's more expensive than Sydney with exorbitant rates and taxes, a limited range of shops, dental and medical services, so train trips to Sydney are enjoyed, especially the restaurants and cafes that stay open late."
Phil, however, agrees with Garry: "Left Sydney eight years ago and haven't looked back. None of its attractions were accessible to western Sydney. All of its downside cost a fortune. Stale, dank little outpost pretending to be a world city but stuck in 1950."
Wendy writes: "Not having been to Sydney, I can't comment on her, but I am here to defend mutton. Double the flavour, half the price (in the saleyards), and still tender eating, mutton outperforms any lamb I've tried. Given the rising cost of living, we should be promoting mutton and finding it in every butcher shop instead of sending nearly all of it overseas, but unfortunately, the name still has negative connotations for some."
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to theechidna.com.au
In a world of turmoil, how peaceful you look. Curled up in your spot on the couch as the rain beats down on the tin roof, eyes clamped shut, dreaming of ball games and bones, perhaps the echidna you encountered on your walk the other day.
Oh, for a dog's life.
During Friday's torrent of bad news - planes crashes, airstrikes, Donald Trump - you slept through it all, warm and dry and happy.
You're fed regularly and your happiness is ensured by regular outings and activity, not to mention the occasional pizza crust as a treat. The simple joy you get from the drive to the shops, even though you've done it a hundred times, from the walk you do every morning and afternoon, surely carries a lesson for us humans.
Somehow, for you, every day is the best day ever. Whatever it is you're taking that gives you that enthusiasm, I want a double serve. I've wanted it ever since you barrelled into our lives as a hyperactive puppy with needle-sharp teeth and boundless energy.
As you've matured, I come to envy your lust for life. Yes, it's the same walk you've done every day for the past four years but you never grow tired of it.
You take it all in, from the molecular discoveries you make with your nose to the tiny specks of aircraft you spot with your sharp eyes high above.
The game of ball us humans find so repetitive never ceases to delight you. You'll bark until you're hoarse to keep it going.
Some might mistakenly think your love of simple pleasures a bit daft, even stupid. But I know you're intelligent. Over the years, I've marvelled at your vocabulary. You quickly learned all the dog words - "sit", "car", "walk" - and picked up on others like "grandpa", "baker", "PetO" (your favourite store) and "Garcon" (your favourite cafe) and "Bindi", "Mack" and "Charlie" (your favourite pooches). But you really stunned me when you cocked your ears to "orecchiette" (the leftover pasta you were fed once and absolutely loved).
You're an incredibly handsome chocolate border collie; complete strangers stop you in the street to compliment your looks. But there's not a hint of vanity about you. In fact, I doubt you ever think about how you look. What's important to you is how you live.
You can imagine how thrilled I was when I chanced upon a book exploring this very subject. The Happiness of Dogs by Mark Rowlands examines the lessons we can learn from the way dogs embrace life. He's convinced they can teach us what's important about life and how to live it.
"Philosophers think hard about these questions and do their best to answer them, with limited success," he writes in his preface. "But dogs answer them effortlessly and decisively."
And you're providing a pretty strong clue as I write these words. It's that time of the afternoon again and you're looking at me expecting action. Your expression says, "Don't worry about what's on your screen, let's walk and enjoy life. Who knows? Maybe we'll see that echidna again."
It makes me realise that just as much as I've trained you, you've trained me.
HAVE YOUR SAY: What can we learn from our dogs? Is there a lesson in a dog's joy with simple things? How important is the companionship of pets? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A final call on Woodside's massive gas project has been delayed with the energy giant granted more time to consider federal conditions on cultural heritage and air quality.
- The theme music, the poster, the blood-curdling screams of the opening scenes ... as Jaws turns 50, take a dive deep into the making of the original Hollywood blockbuster.
- The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has commenced legal action in the Federal Court against well-known caravan manufacturer Jayco for allegedly misleading ads for some of its RV models.
THEY SAID IT: "Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honour as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born." - Mary Oliver
YOU SAID IT: Garry fell out of love with Sydney some time ago. Recently returning for a visit, he found the city had become worse.
Dale leaps to its defence: "Let me share a few words of defence of the old tart. I have been living in the inner city since the 1960s and am proud of being in protests, supporting the Green bans and stopping the bulldozers knocking down the Rocks, Glebe and Ultimo. Everything you need is conveniently in walking distance or via a variety of public transport. From theatres, hospitals to shopping and community centres it doesn't take long to be there. There are lots of activities from choirs to tai chi groups where everyone is welcoming and supporting, especially in discussions over coffee."
Jennifer writes: "I love Sydney, to visit. I love the buzz of the city, the harbour, Opera House, Botanical Gardens, Manly ferry and northern beaches. I prefer the cool nights and dry sun of Canberra's spring, summer and autumn to sweaty Sydney. It's cold here in winter, but beautiful. It's more expensive than Sydney with exorbitant rates and taxes, a limited range of shops, dental and medical services, so train trips to Sydney are enjoyed, especially the restaurants and cafes that stay open late."
Phil, however, agrees with Garry: "Left Sydney eight years ago and haven't looked back. None of its attractions were accessible to western Sydney. All of its downside cost a fortune. Stale, dank little outpost pretending to be a world city but stuck in 1950."
Wendy writes: "Not having been to Sydney, I can't comment on her, but I am here to defend mutton. Double the flavour, half the price (in the saleyards), and still tender eating, mutton outperforms any lamb I've tried. Given the rising cost of living, we should be promoting mutton and finding it in every butcher shop instead of sending nearly all of it overseas, but unfortunately, the name still has negative connotations for some."
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to theechidna.com.au
In a world of turmoil, how peaceful you look. Curled up in your spot on the couch as the rain beats down on the tin roof, eyes clamped shut, dreaming of ball games and bones, perhaps the echidna you encountered on your walk the other day.
Oh, for a dog's life.
During Friday's torrent of bad news - planes crashes, airstrikes, Donald Trump - you slept through it all, warm and dry and happy.
You're fed regularly and your happiness is ensured by regular outings and activity, not to mention the occasional pizza crust as a treat. The simple joy you get from the drive to the shops, even though you've done it a hundred times, from the walk you do every morning and afternoon, surely carries a lesson for us humans.
Somehow, for you, every day is the best day ever. Whatever it is you're taking that gives you that enthusiasm, I want a double serve. I've wanted it ever since you barrelled into our lives as a hyperactive puppy with needle-sharp teeth and boundless energy.
As you've matured, I come to envy your lust for life. Yes, it's the same walk you've done every day for the past four years but you never grow tired of it.
You take it all in, from the molecular discoveries you make with your nose to the tiny specks of aircraft you spot with your sharp eyes high above.
The game of ball us humans find so repetitive never ceases to delight you. You'll bark until you're hoarse to keep it going.
Some might mistakenly think your love of simple pleasures a bit daft, even stupid. But I know you're intelligent. Over the years, I've marvelled at your vocabulary. You quickly learned all the dog words - "sit", "car", "walk" - and picked up on others like "grandpa", "baker", "PetO" (your favourite store) and "Garcon" (your favourite cafe) and "Bindi", "Mack" and "Charlie" (your favourite pooches). But you really stunned me when you cocked your ears to "orecchiette" (the leftover pasta you were fed once and absolutely loved).
You're an incredibly handsome chocolate border collie; complete strangers stop you in the street to compliment your looks. But there's not a hint of vanity about you. In fact, I doubt you ever think about how you look. What's important to you is how you live.
You can imagine how thrilled I was when I chanced upon a book exploring this very subject. The Happiness of Dogs by Mark Rowlands examines the lessons we can learn from the way dogs embrace life. He's convinced they can teach us what's important about life and how to live it.
"Philosophers think hard about these questions and do their best to answer them, with limited success," he writes in his preface. "But dogs answer them effortlessly and decisively."
And you're providing a pretty strong clue as I write these words. It's that time of the afternoon again and you're looking at me expecting action. Your expression says, "Don't worry about what's on your screen, let's walk and enjoy life. Who knows? Maybe we'll see that echidna again."
It makes me realise that just as much as I've trained you, you've trained me.
HAVE YOUR SAY: What can we learn from our dogs? Is there a lesson in a dog's joy with simple things? How important is the companionship of pets? Email us: echidna@theechidna.com.au
SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
- A final call on Woodside's massive gas project has been delayed with the energy giant granted more time to consider federal conditions on cultural heritage and air quality.
- The theme music, the poster, the blood-curdling screams of the opening scenes ... as Jaws turns 50, take a dive deep into the making of the original Hollywood blockbuster.
- The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has commenced legal action in the Federal Court against well-known caravan manufacturer Jayco for allegedly misleading ads for some of its RV models.
THEY SAID IT: "Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honour as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born." - Mary Oliver
YOU SAID IT: Garry fell out of love with Sydney some time ago. Recently returning for a visit, he found the city had become worse.
Dale leaps to its defence: "Let me share a few words of defence of the old tart. I have been living in the inner city since the 1960s and am proud of being in protests, supporting the Green bans and stopping the bulldozers knocking down the Rocks, Glebe and Ultimo. Everything you need is conveniently in walking distance or via a variety of public transport. From theatres, hospitals to shopping and community centres it doesn't take long to be there. There are lots of activities from choirs to tai chi groups where everyone is welcoming and supporting, especially in discussions over coffee."
Jennifer writes: "I love Sydney, to visit. I love the buzz of the city, the harbour, Opera House, Botanical Gardens, Manly ferry and northern beaches. I prefer the cool nights and dry sun of Canberra's spring, summer and autumn to sweaty Sydney. It's cold here in winter, but beautiful. It's more expensive than Sydney with exorbitant rates and taxes, a limited range of shops, dental and medical services, so train trips to Sydney are enjoyed, especially the restaurants and cafes that stay open late."
Phil, however, agrees with Garry: "Left Sydney eight years ago and haven't looked back. None of its attractions were accessible to western Sydney. All of its downside cost a fortune. Stale, dank little outpost pretending to be a world city but stuck in 1950."
Wendy writes: "Not having been to Sydney, I can't comment on her, but I am here to defend mutton. Double the flavour, half the price (in the saleyards), and still tender eating, mutton outperforms any lamb I've tried. Given the rising cost of living, we should be promoting mutton and finding it in every butcher shop instead of sending nearly all of it overseas, but unfortunately, the name still has negative connotations for some."
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ABC News
2 days ago
- ABC News
Once 'America's best idea', National Parks are reaching their breaking point
US national parks are being forced to stay open despite operating on a "bare-bones" crew after cuts to staff and funding. Rangers say they can't sustain it. From the towering sandstone canyons in Zion, to the Rocky Mountain ranges at Grand Teton and the bubbling, rainbow geysers at Yellowstone — there's a reason millions flock to America's national parks every year, including 726,000 Australians in 2024 alone. Famously coined "America's best idea" by Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist and environmentalist Wallace Stegner, the parks are "absolutely American, absolutely democratic … they reflect us at our best rather than our worst", he wrote. But what happens when the "best" of America starts to fall apart? Valentine's Day 'massacre' To the untrained eye, Yosemite National Park hasn't changed a bit. Neither has Glacier National Park, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park and America's other 59 national parks and 433 park units spanning 85 million acres. But just six months into the Trump administration, the parks are dangerously understaffed and dangerously underfunded, all the while being forced by the government to remain open. At least 1,000 probationary NPS workers were abruptly dismissed in February in what is known as the "Valentine's Day massacre" — part of US President Donald Trump and Elon Musk's DOGE efforts to shrink the federal government workforce. An additional approximately 3,400 people from the US Forest Service (USFS), who were responsible for the preservation and health of America's forests and grasslands in conjunction with the NPS, were also fired. Weeks later, a court ordered their reinstatement, but the damage had already begun. Since January 2025, the NPS has lost 24 per cent of its permanent staff — 4,000 people — according to a report in July from watchdog-advocacy group National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), a "staggering reduction" that has left parks across the country "scrambling to operate with bare-bones crews" during peak visitation. The Trump administration has initiated the most damaging budget cuts in Park Service history: in May, he proposed cutting more than $US1 billion ($1.5 billion) from the Park Service budget in fiscal 2026, stating there was an "urgent need to streamline staff". His "Big Beautiful Bill" gutted the $US267 million of previously committed funding for staffing, and the NPS is set to take another $US176 million cut in budget for the 2026 fiscal year. There are fewer rangers to educate and protect the public, slower emergency response times, reduced hours at visitor centres, delayed maintenance and conservation of the parks, and more strain on already overburdened staff who remain, according to the report. People demonstrate during a protest against federal employee lay-offs at Yosemite National Park in March. ( AFP: Laure Andrillon ) Bryce Canyon National Park is renowned for its distinctive hoodoos. ( Reutesr: Kaylee Greenlee ) The NPS has lost older rangers with years of experience in the parks. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) The National Park Service operates 433 park units across 85 million acres. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Kristen Brengel, senior vice-president of government affairs at the NPCA, told the ABC that thousands of Park Service staff have been pushed out since January. The losses were driven by an ongoing hiring freeze delaying seasonal hiring, terminations, early retirement buyouts, deferred resignations and pressured buyouts like the administration's "Fork in the Road" — an email sent to over 2 million federal employees by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offering staff their full salary until September 2025 if they resigned. And it's not sustainable, Ms Brengel said. "They may have to close down some of the parks because they just don't have enough staff," she said. "Park superintendents across the country are saying we can't do this long-term. "We can't have this few staff, it's not going to be good for parks, especially with visitation so high." The NPS recorded its highest summer visitor numbers on record in 2024, with a record-breaking 331.9 million recreation visits, according to data released in March. Yellowstone National Park reported that May was its busiest on record with 566,363 recreational visits, an 8 per cent increase from a year ago and a nearly 20 per cent increase from May 2021. Australian travellers were among the top five visiting US national parks, accounting for 726,000 recreational visits across the country in 2024, according to new figures from the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). "So many stories are told through our national parks," Ms Brengel said. "Our national identity is wrapped in them." Yellowstone National Park reported this May was its busiest on record, with 566,363 recreational visits. ( AP: Jacquelyn Martin ) Even while slashing budgets, the Trump administration is pushing for parks to stay open. In April this year, Security of Interior Doug Burgum — a billionaire with ties to the oil and gas industry whose pick promoted backlash from environmental advocacy groups — ordered all parks to remain "open and accessible" and to ensure that the NPS provided "the best customer service experience for all visitors". But past and present park rangers, advocacy groups and experts say the decisions across the past six months have left staff morale at an all-time low and devastated the agency's ability to ensure visitor safety, deliver basic services and protect park resources. Alex Wild, a park ranger of 13 years who lost his job in the Valentines Day Massacre, said to imagine the park as a "human body" that had sustained a "major injury". "It's doing what is called compensation, where it works extra hard to maintain basic functions," said Mr Wild, who was reinstated as Wilderness Park Ranger at Yosemite National Park in March. "You can only sustain that for so long before things start to fall apart." Yellowstone holds the largest bison population on public lands with approximately 5,450 of the mammals. ( Reuters: Go Nakamura ) A play on "Smokey Bear", the advertising icon of the US Forest Service in the Wildfire Prevention Campaign. ( Reuters: Craig Hudson ) The NPS recorded a record-breaking 331.9 million recreation visits to the national parks in 2024. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) A park ranger leads a program at the Fountain Paint Pot geothermal area in Yellowstone National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Becoming 'almost impossible' to do the job Phil Francis was earning $US1.65 an hour at a textile mill in 1972 when a friend working as a seasonal ranger in the NPS encouraged him to apply to become a park ranger. "After a summer of giving programmes, hiking trails and interacting with the public, I sort of fell in love with it," he said, going on to serve for 41 years in the NPS as a ranger and superintendent in parks across the country, including Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Yosemite, Shenandoah and Kings Mountain National Military Park. He said park staff had "a great mission and a great purpose". "As they say, our breath starts turning green because we love the job so much." Phil Francis said the parks' mission and purpose made it easy for rangers to "love their job so much". ( Supplied: Phil Francis via the National Park Service ) Mr Francis was the deputy superintendent of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for 11 years. ( AFP: Patrick Gorski ) The NPS staff have "an array of responsibilities to protect and preserve", says Mr Francis, who serves as the executive council chair of the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks after retiring in 2013. "Whether it's maintenance of parks, design of buildings, law enforcement responsibilities, administrative responsibilities or safety of employees and visitors — we need the whole team to be present," he said. "And when you're trying to do it with fewer and fewer people, it becomes almost impossible to do the same job we once were able to do." At the time Mr Wild was fired, he was the park's only EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). "I honestly can't imagine how the parks will operate without my position, I mean, they just can't," he said. Mr Francis said park employees had saved people's lives with their training and commitment. "So, it's a political decision to try and keep the public happy, but they're also putting the parks and the public at risk," he said. He warned the effects were already beginning to manifest: beaches left unpatrolled, interpretive programming reduced, historic buildings shut down, campgrounds closed and higher-graded staff being redirected. "National parks cannot properly function at the staffing levels this administration has reduced them to," said NPCA's president and CEO, Theresa Pierno. "And it's only getting worse." Staff stretched thin A park ranger at Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) The secretary of the interior pledged in February to add nearly 8,000 additional seasonal positions to the NPS, but halfway through the summer, only about 4,500 have been filled. It came too little, too late, says Ms Brengel, accusing the secretary of the interior of "band-aiding the situation". She said that the order from Mr Burgum to keep the parks open, combined with the seasonal hiring process beginning too late, meant that staff were being pulled from their specialised projects. "So instead of trail maintenance or revegetation, staff are being placed on visitor centres because they don't have enough people," she said. An NPS seasonal interpretation ranger leads a natural and cultural history discussion about the park in Glacier National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Rangers move dirt and unearth beaver tracks near an information exhibit in Glacier National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Invasive oxeye daisies are pulled from the shores of Lake McDonald at Glacier National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) An NPS seasonal interpretation ranger leads a fossil walk program in the Grand Canyon National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) It also means law enforcement staff are being moved to work in the visitor centre and forgoing other functions, she added. Mr Francis also pointed to the dangers of losing the more experienced park rangers. "Everybody is trying to be an asset — but it's not the same as someone who's been working there for 20 years." The NPCA said the loss of older rangers to early retirement buyouts represented "not just a staffing shortage, but also the loss of decades of institutional knowledge and specialised experience". In July, multiple fast-spreading wildfires forced evacuations in parts of the Grand Canyon. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Impact on economy and tourists America's National Park System exists as less than one-fifteenth of 1 per cent of the federal budget — despite contributing over $US55 billion to the nation's economy. The local economy in Utah had grown from "frozen burritos at the gas station" to a world-class food and dining economy that relied on the millions of tourists who streamed into the parks every year, Ms Brengel said. "Even the smallest park unit in America benefits the gateway community, the community just outside of it," she said. "If the visitation ever comes down, even in the next year or so, it would hurt so many people's business model," she added. "The price to pay for making bad decisions on the parks is pretty high." In July, Mr Trump signed an executive order called Making America Beautiful Again by Improving Our National Parks, calling on the NPS to charge foreign visitors an increased entrance fee. According to the order, the price hikes will only occur in parks that already charge admission, which is only about 100 of the 433 park units across the country. "The increased fee revenue from foreign tourists will raise hundreds of millions for conservation projects that improve our national parks," the White House wrote. Mr Francis said the fees wouldn't be enough to compensate for cuts to staffing and budget, though he wasn't opposed to the idea as long as it didn't turn off visitors. "Parks are for everyone," he said. The parks "preserve the full spectrum of our national identity", says NPS. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) A National Park Service ranger conducts a walking tour in the Everglades National Park in Florida. ( AFP: Joe Raedle ) Visitors ride horses near the Teton Range of the Rocky Mountains in Grand Teton National Park. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Yellowstone is most famous for its scorching-hot geysers. ( Reuters: Kaylee Greenlee ) Those with green breath can't look away Ms Brengel said that current staffing levels could not be maintained. "We can get away with it for this summer, but people will start to notice by next summer," she said. And while many would turn and run from such a problem, those with "green breath" can't look away. Protests have broken out across the country, while advocacy groups and rangers alike — dubbed Park Protectors —say Congress needs to "step in to reject these ideas of both understaffing and underfunding the parks". On August 23, Park Protectors across the country will take part in a nationwide one-day event organised by the NPCA, which they say will be a "national moment to show love for our parks and demand accountability for the devastating impacts threatening them". Demonstrations broke out across the country. ( Reuters: Yuri Avila ) "Something nature has taught me resonates in this moment: creatures together accomplish what lone ones can't," said Mr Wild.
The Advertiser
13-07-2025
- The Advertiser
There's enough to put people off volunteering as it is
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Got a partner? Got kids? Chances are that you are a volunteer. About one third of couples who have children volunteer. I can tell you exactly what they are doing. They are blowing whistles on some frozen tundra near Lithgow. They are washing jerseys in the motel sink. They are in WhatsApp groups the nation over, chivvying as they go, making sure everyone's got a lift to the game, even if the game is far from home. I loved being a team manager. So much fun (until the local rep body dumped me for asking too many questions about what participation was costing 400 bucks for a short season. Apparently, you are just meant to hand over your hard-earned money without detail. Anyhow, now the ACT government has decided to impose an $11 charge on working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards. It's baffling. As Mainul Haique wrote, it is an "outrageous and unjust penalty on those who give so much to keep our community strong". Plus don't you love any government which talks about a new cost being modest? What would they know about the impacts on people's budgets? Why it has decided to do this is beyond me. There is already enough to put people off volunteering. First, we are all pretty short of time. Second, some organisations have people in them who behave as if they are the repository of all knowledge and refuse to pass it on. There's the same array of bad behaviour among volunteer groups as there is among those in regular workplaces. The guidelines are usually a mess, passed from one to the other. Plus, some organisations seem to imagine that all volunteers are the same (not that I have tickets on myself or anything). I arrived on my first day of volunteering at one particular organisation and was asked to open the mail. That was it. Just open the mail. Fortunately, that particular form of boring torture was short - I ended up being able to write the responses, which I loved. Is that snotty of me to expect to be able to engage my brain while volunteering? Maybe, but it turns out that some of us don't volunteer because what we do while we volunteer is boring - and we already have to do enough boring stuff (is laundry the worst or is unstacking the dishwasher the worst? You be the judge). And why anyone would place another hurdle in front of volunteers is baffling to me. We are already short of volunteers. As the lovely people at Volunteering Australia (VA) put it, "Many people find it difficult to prioritise volunteering, or to afford the costs that can be associated with volunteering, such as transport or fuel. Financial pressures are a significant barrier to volunteering, especially among younger people." They've even done the figures. About a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 years gave "financial reasons" as a reason they did not volunteer in 2022. And I think we are all feeling the cost-of-living crisis much more now than three years ago. Volunteer Australia also points out that volunteer-involving organisations are also feeling the pinch. That "affects their capacity to deliver services and safely and effectively engage their volunteers". Turns out, according to VA, that just over half (54 per cent) of volunteers incur out-of-pocket expenses through their volunteering role. So it already costs money, and adding another fee is just another hurdle. Also, I had no idea that you are more likely to volunteer in retirement if you've done it before you retired. And you have no idea how much volunteers are needed. I truly admire those people who are out there caring for our sand dunes and our wetlands, out there organising the kids to run on to fields everywhere, visiting aged care homes and sometimes even taking the biographies of the people who live there. We can't be without them. Let's clear the hurdles and smooth the way. Jenna Price is a guest Echidna and a regular columnist. HAVE YOUR SAY: What's your experience of volunteering, the good and the bad? Do you encourage or discourage others to volunteer? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Conservation and Biodiversity Research Center at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia Australia has found some black rats living in Australian cities have developed a genetic mutation that potentially increases their resistance to the most popular poisons used to kill them. - Two inmates have been accused of breaking into multiple unauthorised areas at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT and stealing personal property, including sensitive documents. - Australians are so good at finding lost people. First, we found surfer Darcy Deefholts who'd drifted 13 kilometres off the coast. Then Caroline Wilga, the 26-year-old German backpacker who'd been missing for nearly two weeks. All down to everyone pitching in. Want to nominate someone to be an Australian of the Year? Answer the call of the National Australia Day Council. THEY SAID IT: "Volunteers are at the heart of the Australian story. Volunteers coach kids' sport and plant trees. Volunteers visit people in prison and provide support to people who are sleeping rough. Volunteers assist our veterans and help run arts organisations. An Australia without volunteers would be a much diminished nation." - Andrew Leigh YOU SAID IT: Garry said men should be banned from working in childcare centres. Louise agrees: I work as a registered nurse, and when male doctors are undertaking gynaecological procedures, a female nurse is always in attendance for safety precautions. Sue doesn't agree: Men should not be banned from working in childcare centres ... cruel and dangerous PEOPLE should be banned from working with children. The childcare system isn't working as it should, guidelines haven't been followed and in some cases avoided to save money. Petrina would like to expand the idea: How can we expand that to protect the 1 in 7 Australian children being sexually abused by men in homes, schools, and other institutions? How about the 1 in 5 Australian women who are victims of sexual violence by men in workplaces, shopping centres, public places and homes? Can we ban men from all those places, too? Or how about men just stop this abhorrent behaviour so women and children can be free to live their lives. Peter comes full circle from Louise's suggestion: The evidence points to the need for a better system in child care to protect children. But male positive role modelling is important. Perhaps a "four eyes" system as used in other sectors might work; males have to have a pair of female eyes present when working with children. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Got a partner? Got kids? Chances are that you are a volunteer. About one third of couples who have children volunteer. I can tell you exactly what they are doing. They are blowing whistles on some frozen tundra near Lithgow. They are washing jerseys in the motel sink. They are in WhatsApp groups the nation over, chivvying as they go, making sure everyone's got a lift to the game, even if the game is far from home. I loved being a team manager. So much fun (until the local rep body dumped me for asking too many questions about what participation was costing 400 bucks for a short season. Apparently, you are just meant to hand over your hard-earned money without detail. Anyhow, now the ACT government has decided to impose an $11 charge on working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards. It's baffling. As Mainul Haique wrote, it is an "outrageous and unjust penalty on those who give so much to keep our community strong". Plus don't you love any government which talks about a new cost being modest? What would they know about the impacts on people's budgets? Why it has decided to do this is beyond me. There is already enough to put people off volunteering. First, we are all pretty short of time. Second, some organisations have people in them who behave as if they are the repository of all knowledge and refuse to pass it on. There's the same array of bad behaviour among volunteer groups as there is among those in regular workplaces. The guidelines are usually a mess, passed from one to the other. Plus, some organisations seem to imagine that all volunteers are the same (not that I have tickets on myself or anything). I arrived on my first day of volunteering at one particular organisation and was asked to open the mail. That was it. Just open the mail. Fortunately, that particular form of boring torture was short - I ended up being able to write the responses, which I loved. Is that snotty of me to expect to be able to engage my brain while volunteering? Maybe, but it turns out that some of us don't volunteer because what we do while we volunteer is boring - and we already have to do enough boring stuff (is laundry the worst or is unstacking the dishwasher the worst? You be the judge). And why anyone would place another hurdle in front of volunteers is baffling to me. We are already short of volunteers. As the lovely people at Volunteering Australia (VA) put it, "Many people find it difficult to prioritise volunteering, or to afford the costs that can be associated with volunteering, such as transport or fuel. Financial pressures are a significant barrier to volunteering, especially among younger people." They've even done the figures. About a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 years gave "financial reasons" as a reason they did not volunteer in 2022. And I think we are all feeling the cost-of-living crisis much more now than three years ago. Volunteer Australia also points out that volunteer-involving organisations are also feeling the pinch. That "affects their capacity to deliver services and safely and effectively engage their volunteers". Turns out, according to VA, that just over half (54 per cent) of volunteers incur out-of-pocket expenses through their volunteering role. So it already costs money, and adding another fee is just another hurdle. Also, I had no idea that you are more likely to volunteer in retirement if you've done it before you retired. And you have no idea how much volunteers are needed. I truly admire those people who are out there caring for our sand dunes and our wetlands, out there organising the kids to run on to fields everywhere, visiting aged care homes and sometimes even taking the biographies of the people who live there. We can't be without them. Let's clear the hurdles and smooth the way. Jenna Price is a guest Echidna and a regular columnist. HAVE YOUR SAY: What's your experience of volunteering, the good and the bad? Do you encourage or discourage others to volunteer? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Conservation and Biodiversity Research Center at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia Australia has found some black rats living in Australian cities have developed a genetic mutation that potentially increases their resistance to the most popular poisons used to kill them. - Two inmates have been accused of breaking into multiple unauthorised areas at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT and stealing personal property, including sensitive documents. - Australians are so good at finding lost people. First, we found surfer Darcy Deefholts who'd drifted 13 kilometres off the coast. Then Caroline Wilga, the 26-year-old German backpacker who'd been missing for nearly two weeks. All down to everyone pitching in. Want to nominate someone to be an Australian of the Year? Answer the call of the National Australia Day Council. THEY SAID IT: "Volunteers are at the heart of the Australian story. Volunteers coach kids' sport and plant trees. Volunteers visit people in prison and provide support to people who are sleeping rough. Volunteers assist our veterans and help run arts organisations. An Australia without volunteers would be a much diminished nation." - Andrew Leigh YOU SAID IT: Garry said men should be banned from working in childcare centres. Louise agrees: I work as a registered nurse, and when male doctors are undertaking gynaecological procedures, a female nurse is always in attendance for safety precautions. Sue doesn't agree: Men should not be banned from working in childcare centres ... cruel and dangerous PEOPLE should be banned from working with children. The childcare system isn't working as it should, guidelines haven't been followed and in some cases avoided to save money. Petrina would like to expand the idea: How can we expand that to protect the 1 in 7 Australian children being sexually abused by men in homes, schools, and other institutions? How about the 1 in 5 Australian women who are victims of sexual violence by men in workplaces, shopping centres, public places and homes? Can we ban men from all those places, too? Or how about men just stop this abhorrent behaviour so women and children can be free to live their lives. Peter comes full circle from Louise's suggestion: The evidence points to the need for a better system in child care to protect children. But male positive role modelling is important. Perhaps a "four eyes" system as used in other sectors might work; males have to have a pair of female eyes present when working with children. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Got a partner? Got kids? Chances are that you are a volunteer. About one third of couples who have children volunteer. I can tell you exactly what they are doing. They are blowing whistles on some frozen tundra near Lithgow. They are washing jerseys in the motel sink. They are in WhatsApp groups the nation over, chivvying as they go, making sure everyone's got a lift to the game, even if the game is far from home. I loved being a team manager. So much fun (until the local rep body dumped me for asking too many questions about what participation was costing 400 bucks for a short season. Apparently, you are just meant to hand over your hard-earned money without detail. Anyhow, now the ACT government has decided to impose an $11 charge on working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards. It's baffling. As Mainul Haique wrote, it is an "outrageous and unjust penalty on those who give so much to keep our community strong". Plus don't you love any government which talks about a new cost being modest? What would they know about the impacts on people's budgets? Why it has decided to do this is beyond me. There is already enough to put people off volunteering. First, we are all pretty short of time. Second, some organisations have people in them who behave as if they are the repository of all knowledge and refuse to pass it on. There's the same array of bad behaviour among volunteer groups as there is among those in regular workplaces. The guidelines are usually a mess, passed from one to the other. Plus, some organisations seem to imagine that all volunteers are the same (not that I have tickets on myself or anything). I arrived on my first day of volunteering at one particular organisation and was asked to open the mail. That was it. Just open the mail. Fortunately, that particular form of boring torture was short - I ended up being able to write the responses, which I loved. Is that snotty of me to expect to be able to engage my brain while volunteering? Maybe, but it turns out that some of us don't volunteer because what we do while we volunteer is boring - and we already have to do enough boring stuff (is laundry the worst or is unstacking the dishwasher the worst? You be the judge). And why anyone would place another hurdle in front of volunteers is baffling to me. We are already short of volunteers. As the lovely people at Volunteering Australia (VA) put it, "Many people find it difficult to prioritise volunteering, or to afford the costs that can be associated with volunteering, such as transport or fuel. Financial pressures are a significant barrier to volunteering, especially among younger people." They've even done the figures. About a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 years gave "financial reasons" as a reason they did not volunteer in 2022. And I think we are all feeling the cost-of-living crisis much more now than three years ago. Volunteer Australia also points out that volunteer-involving organisations are also feeling the pinch. That "affects their capacity to deliver services and safely and effectively engage their volunteers". Turns out, according to VA, that just over half (54 per cent) of volunteers incur out-of-pocket expenses through their volunteering role. So it already costs money, and adding another fee is just another hurdle. Also, I had no idea that you are more likely to volunteer in retirement if you've done it before you retired. And you have no idea how much volunteers are needed. I truly admire those people who are out there caring for our sand dunes and our wetlands, out there organising the kids to run on to fields everywhere, visiting aged care homes and sometimes even taking the biographies of the people who live there. We can't be without them. Let's clear the hurdles and smooth the way. Jenna Price is a guest Echidna and a regular columnist. HAVE YOUR SAY: What's your experience of volunteering, the good and the bad? Do you encourage or discourage others to volunteer? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Conservation and Biodiversity Research Center at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia Australia has found some black rats living in Australian cities have developed a genetic mutation that potentially increases their resistance to the most popular poisons used to kill them. - Two inmates have been accused of breaking into multiple unauthorised areas at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT and stealing personal property, including sensitive documents. - Australians are so good at finding lost people. First, we found surfer Darcy Deefholts who'd drifted 13 kilometres off the coast. Then Caroline Wilga, the 26-year-old German backpacker who'd been missing for nearly two weeks. All down to everyone pitching in. Want to nominate someone to be an Australian of the Year? Answer the call of the National Australia Day Council. THEY SAID IT: "Volunteers are at the heart of the Australian story. Volunteers coach kids' sport and plant trees. Volunteers visit people in prison and provide support to people who are sleeping rough. Volunteers assist our veterans and help run arts organisations. An Australia without volunteers would be a much diminished nation." - Andrew Leigh YOU SAID IT: Garry said men should be banned from working in childcare centres. Louise agrees: I work as a registered nurse, and when male doctors are undertaking gynaecological procedures, a female nurse is always in attendance for safety precautions. Sue doesn't agree: Men should not be banned from working in childcare centres ... cruel and dangerous PEOPLE should be banned from working with children. The childcare system isn't working as it should, guidelines haven't been followed and in some cases avoided to save money. Petrina would like to expand the idea: How can we expand that to protect the 1 in 7 Australian children being sexually abused by men in homes, schools, and other institutions? How about the 1 in 5 Australian women who are victims of sexual violence by men in workplaces, shopping centres, public places and homes? Can we ban men from all those places, too? Or how about men just stop this abhorrent behaviour so women and children can be free to live their lives. Peter comes full circle from Louise's suggestion: The evidence points to the need for a better system in child care to protect children. But male positive role modelling is important. Perhaps a "four eyes" system as used in other sectors might work; males have to have a pair of female eyes present when working with children. This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to Got a partner? Got kids? Chances are that you are a volunteer. About one third of couples who have children volunteer. I can tell you exactly what they are doing. They are blowing whistles on some frozen tundra near Lithgow. They are washing jerseys in the motel sink. They are in WhatsApp groups the nation over, chivvying as they go, making sure everyone's got a lift to the game, even if the game is far from home. I loved being a team manager. So much fun (until the local rep body dumped me for asking too many questions about what participation was costing 400 bucks for a short season. Apparently, you are just meant to hand over your hard-earned money without detail. Anyhow, now the ACT government has decided to impose an $11 charge on working with vulnerable people (WWVP) cards. It's baffling. As Mainul Haique wrote, it is an "outrageous and unjust penalty on those who give so much to keep our community strong". Plus don't you love any government which talks about a new cost being modest? What would they know about the impacts on people's budgets? Why it has decided to do this is beyond me. There is already enough to put people off volunteering. First, we are all pretty short of time. Second, some organisations have people in them who behave as if they are the repository of all knowledge and refuse to pass it on. There's the same array of bad behaviour among volunteer groups as there is among those in regular workplaces. The guidelines are usually a mess, passed from one to the other. Plus, some organisations seem to imagine that all volunteers are the same (not that I have tickets on myself or anything). I arrived on my first day of volunteering at one particular organisation and was asked to open the mail. That was it. Just open the mail. Fortunately, that particular form of boring torture was short - I ended up being able to write the responses, which I loved. Is that snotty of me to expect to be able to engage my brain while volunteering? Maybe, but it turns out that some of us don't volunteer because what we do while we volunteer is boring - and we already have to do enough boring stuff (is laundry the worst or is unstacking the dishwasher the worst? You be the judge). And why anyone would place another hurdle in front of volunteers is baffling to me. We are already short of volunteers. As the lovely people at Volunteering Australia (VA) put it, "Many people find it difficult to prioritise volunteering, or to afford the costs that can be associated with volunteering, such as transport or fuel. Financial pressures are a significant barrier to volunteering, especially among younger people." They've even done the figures. About a quarter of people aged 18 to 34 years gave "financial reasons" as a reason they did not volunteer in 2022. And I think we are all feeling the cost-of-living crisis much more now than three years ago. Volunteer Australia also points out that volunteer-involving organisations are also feeling the pinch. That "affects their capacity to deliver services and safely and effectively engage their volunteers". Turns out, according to VA, that just over half (54 per cent) of volunteers incur out-of-pocket expenses through their volunteering role. So it already costs money, and adding another fee is just another hurdle. Also, I had no idea that you are more likely to volunteer in retirement if you've done it before you retired. And you have no idea how much volunteers are needed. I truly admire those people who are out there caring for our sand dunes and our wetlands, out there organising the kids to run on to fields everywhere, visiting aged care homes and sometimes even taking the biographies of the people who live there. We can't be without them. Let's clear the hurdles and smooth the way. Jenna Price is a guest Echidna and a regular columnist. HAVE YOUR SAY: What's your experience of volunteering, the good and the bad? Do you encourage or discourage others to volunteer? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - The Conservation and Biodiversity Research Center at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia Australia has found some black rats living in Australian cities have developed a genetic mutation that potentially increases their resistance to the most popular poisons used to kill them. - Two inmates have been accused of breaking into multiple unauthorised areas at the Alexander Maconochie Centre in the ACT and stealing personal property, including sensitive documents. - Australians are so good at finding lost people. First, we found surfer Darcy Deefholts who'd drifted 13 kilometres off the coast. Then Caroline Wilga, the 26-year-old German backpacker who'd been missing for nearly two weeks. All down to everyone pitching in. Want to nominate someone to be an Australian of the Year? Answer the call of the National Australia Day Council. THEY SAID IT: "Volunteers are at the heart of the Australian story. Volunteers coach kids' sport and plant trees. Volunteers visit people in prison and provide support to people who are sleeping rough. Volunteers assist our veterans and help run arts organisations. An Australia without volunteers would be a much diminished nation." - Andrew Leigh YOU SAID IT: Garry said men should be banned from working in childcare centres. Louise agrees: I work as a registered nurse, and when male doctors are undertaking gynaecological procedures, a female nurse is always in attendance for safety precautions. Sue doesn't agree: Men should not be banned from working in childcare centres ... cruel and dangerous PEOPLE should be banned from working with children. The childcare system isn't working as it should, guidelines haven't been followed and in some cases avoided to save money. Petrina would like to expand the idea: How can we expand that to protect the 1 in 7 Australian children being sexually abused by men in homes, schools, and other institutions? How about the 1 in 5 Australian women who are victims of sexual violence by men in workplaces, shopping centres, public places and homes? Can we ban men from all those places, too? Or how about men just stop this abhorrent behaviour so women and children can be free to live their lives. Peter comes full circle from Louise's suggestion: The evidence points to the need for a better system in child care to protect children. But male positive role modelling is important. Perhaps a "four eyes" system as used in other sectors might work; males have to have a pair of female eyes present when working with children.
The Advertiser
01-07-2025
- The Advertiser
It's not how much you spend on defence but how well you spend it
This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to It was another ignominious end. Dismantled, cannibalised for spare parts, their bodies were buried in an undisclosed location. They were never very good and were destined to be replaced, but a fatal crash in 2023 saw their demise brought forward. But Defence's jettisoning of the MRH90 Taipan helicopter wasn't the first time it had spent billions on a dud. In October 2008, their rotor blades removed, another terrible decision was shrink-wrapped, loaded onto semi trailers and trucked out of the HMAS Albatross naval air station near Nowra. If the MRH90 decision was a blunder, the decision in 1997 to buy 11 Super Seasprites for our fleet of ANZAC class frigates, was a catastrophe. At least the MRH90 flew. Not a single Super Seasprite became operational. You might as well have piled up in small denominations the $1 billion they cost and set fire to it. Of course, it's not just kit that's meant to fly which has the sour taste of expensive lemon about it. We've had the Collins class subs. Noisy, unreliable and, as discovered last year, corroding in the salt water meant to be their natural habitat. Having already cost about $20 billion, billions more is being spent to keep them going until the AUKUS subs arrive - if they do. The largest ships our navy operates - the two Landing Helicopter Decks, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide - arrived in the middle of the 2010s riddled with defects. HMAS Canberra chalked up 6000 of them. And the cost to keep them is nudging $200 million a year. I could go on. And on. And on some more. When it comes to spending money on defence, our track record on spending it wisely is far from flash. We have a history of spending a lot of buck for little bang. That's why alarm bells ring when there's a clamour for increased defence spending without any detail about how and where that money should be spent. Much of it is political noise, generated by NATO snapping to attention with a sharp "Sir, yessir!" - or a simpering "Yes, Daddy" if you were nauseated by its sycophancy when Trump visited - when it agreed to a US demand to lift its defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP. The Albanese government has batted away the calls from the usual suspects - Pete Hegseth, Karoline Leavitt and their two local parrots, Angus Taylor and Bridget McKenzie, neither of whom have spelled out of what spending they'd cut or taxes they'd raise to meet the extra spending. The government says Australia will decide on the capabilities it needs and spend accordingly. It's read the room and knows we don't like being told what to do - especially by the Trump administration. And we won't take well to extortion via tariffs either. It also knows Australia doesn't need to strike the same war footing as Europe. We don't have a war on our doorstep. There's no Russia imperilling our borders. That's not to say we shouldn't be clear-eyed about the challenges we face. China's military build-up cannot be ignored but also should not be overstated. It's unlikely to be coveting our distant shores because it's far cheaper to buy the resources we have than attempt to seize them. But can we ever know for certain? Probably not. Defence spending is important. But it's less a question how much we spend than how well. HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Australia follow NATO's lead and increase defence spending? Would you be happy to pay more tax to pay for more military hardware? Is China a bigger threat than the US to Australia? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - NSW Premier Chris Minns has refused to condemn the "brutal" actions of police who broke up a pro-Palestine protest that left a one-time federal Greens candidate with a serious eye injury. - A senior public servant who gave a relative's career a leg up while hiding their connection has been found to be corrupt by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. - One of Australia's biggest health insurers admits it incorrectly dealt with loads of claims and left customers thousands of dollars out of pocket. Bupa says it is "deeply sorry" for the conduct Australia's consumer watchdog found to be misleading and deceptive across more than five years. THEY SAID IT: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defence than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." - Martin Luther King jnr. YOU SAID IT: Truth might be the first casualty in war, but language falls soon after in a cacophony of buzzwords and euphemisms. "There also seems to be a great shortage of 'guardrails' in Australia in recent times," writes Ian. "No doubt, we could use some on our off-ramps. The expressions 'ethnic cleansing' and 'collateral damage' may be euphemistic, but they drip with irony and let the imagination run amok. So, they are all the more powerful expressions for it." David writes: "A concomitant aspect of the ongoing Coca-Cola-nisation of Australia is the gradual change of pronunciation of certain syllables/words/emphases adopted by news presenters/commentators: 'progress', where 'prog' rhymes with 'dog', and 'process' where 'proc' rhymes with 'boss'. The 'cig' in cigarette is emphasised instead of the 'ette'. Is it an inferiority problem, insecurity, ignorance? Whatever, it is painful." "The 'buzz phrase' that annoys me most? 'Reaching out' when all I did was make a phone call," writes Judith. "Nothing dramatic. I wasn't in dire straights. I didn't need rescuing. It was just an ordinary, garden variety phone call, probably to make an ordinary, garden variety enquiry about hours of trading. Or something equally mundane." Maggie writes: "Ethnic cleansing' revolts me. There's nothing clean about it; it's genocide. 'Decimate' - not nearly as bad as some people seem to think. 'That's incredible' - I hear, 'I don't believe you'. A diplomatic off-ramp? There's danger of simplistic thinking that might cloud a complex reality." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to It was another ignominious end. Dismantled, cannibalised for spare parts, their bodies were buried in an undisclosed location. They were never very good and were destined to be replaced, but a fatal crash in 2023 saw their demise brought forward. But Defence's jettisoning of the MRH90 Taipan helicopter wasn't the first time it had spent billions on a dud. In October 2008, their rotor blades removed, another terrible decision was shrink-wrapped, loaded onto semi trailers and trucked out of the HMAS Albatross naval air station near Nowra. If the MRH90 decision was a blunder, the decision in 1997 to buy 11 Super Seasprites for our fleet of ANZAC class frigates, was a catastrophe. At least the MRH90 flew. Not a single Super Seasprite became operational. You might as well have piled up in small denominations the $1 billion they cost and set fire to it. Of course, it's not just kit that's meant to fly which has the sour taste of expensive lemon about it. We've had the Collins class subs. Noisy, unreliable and, as discovered last year, corroding in the salt water meant to be their natural habitat. Having already cost about $20 billion, billions more is being spent to keep them going until the AUKUS subs arrive - if they do. The largest ships our navy operates - the two Landing Helicopter Decks, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide - arrived in the middle of the 2010s riddled with defects. HMAS Canberra chalked up 6000 of them. And the cost to keep them is nudging $200 million a year. I could go on. And on. And on some more. When it comes to spending money on defence, our track record on spending it wisely is far from flash. We have a history of spending a lot of buck for little bang. That's why alarm bells ring when there's a clamour for increased defence spending without any detail about how and where that money should be spent. Much of it is political noise, generated by NATO snapping to attention with a sharp "Sir, yessir!" - or a simpering "Yes, Daddy" if you were nauseated by its sycophancy when Trump visited - when it agreed to a US demand to lift its defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP. The Albanese government has batted away the calls from the usual suspects - Pete Hegseth, Karoline Leavitt and their two local parrots, Angus Taylor and Bridget McKenzie, neither of whom have spelled out of what spending they'd cut or taxes they'd raise to meet the extra spending. The government says Australia will decide on the capabilities it needs and spend accordingly. It's read the room and knows we don't like being told what to do - especially by the Trump administration. And we won't take well to extortion via tariffs either. It also knows Australia doesn't need to strike the same war footing as Europe. We don't have a war on our doorstep. There's no Russia imperilling our borders. That's not to say we shouldn't be clear-eyed about the challenges we face. China's military build-up cannot be ignored but also should not be overstated. It's unlikely to be coveting our distant shores because it's far cheaper to buy the resources we have than attempt to seize them. But can we ever know for certain? Probably not. Defence spending is important. But it's less a question how much we spend than how well. HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Australia follow NATO's lead and increase defence spending? Would you be happy to pay more tax to pay for more military hardware? Is China a bigger threat than the US to Australia? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - NSW Premier Chris Minns has refused to condemn the "brutal" actions of police who broke up a pro-Palestine protest that left a one-time federal Greens candidate with a serious eye injury. - A senior public servant who gave a relative's career a leg up while hiding their connection has been found to be corrupt by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. - One of Australia's biggest health insurers admits it incorrectly dealt with loads of claims and left customers thousands of dollars out of pocket. Bupa says it is "deeply sorry" for the conduct Australia's consumer watchdog found to be misleading and deceptive across more than five years. THEY SAID IT: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defence than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." - Martin Luther King jnr. YOU SAID IT: Truth might be the first casualty in war, but language falls soon after in a cacophony of buzzwords and euphemisms. "There also seems to be a great shortage of 'guardrails' in Australia in recent times," writes Ian. "No doubt, we could use some on our off-ramps. The expressions 'ethnic cleansing' and 'collateral damage' may be euphemistic, but they drip with irony and let the imagination run amok. So, they are all the more powerful expressions for it." David writes: "A concomitant aspect of the ongoing Coca-Cola-nisation of Australia is the gradual change of pronunciation of certain syllables/words/emphases adopted by news presenters/commentators: 'progress', where 'prog' rhymes with 'dog', and 'process' where 'proc' rhymes with 'boss'. The 'cig' in cigarette is emphasised instead of the 'ette'. Is it an inferiority problem, insecurity, ignorance? Whatever, it is painful." "The 'buzz phrase' that annoys me most? 'Reaching out' when all I did was make a phone call," writes Judith. "Nothing dramatic. I wasn't in dire straights. I didn't need rescuing. It was just an ordinary, garden variety phone call, probably to make an ordinary, garden variety enquiry about hours of trading. Or something equally mundane." Maggie writes: "Ethnic cleansing' revolts me. There's nothing clean about it; it's genocide. 'Decimate' - not nearly as bad as some people seem to think. 'That's incredible' - I hear, 'I don't believe you'. A diplomatic off-ramp? There's danger of simplistic thinking that might cloud a complex reality." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to It was another ignominious end. Dismantled, cannibalised for spare parts, their bodies were buried in an undisclosed location. They were never very good and were destined to be replaced, but a fatal crash in 2023 saw their demise brought forward. But Defence's jettisoning of the MRH90 Taipan helicopter wasn't the first time it had spent billions on a dud. In October 2008, their rotor blades removed, another terrible decision was shrink-wrapped, loaded onto semi trailers and trucked out of the HMAS Albatross naval air station near Nowra. If the MRH90 decision was a blunder, the decision in 1997 to buy 11 Super Seasprites for our fleet of ANZAC class frigates, was a catastrophe. At least the MRH90 flew. Not a single Super Seasprite became operational. You might as well have piled up in small denominations the $1 billion they cost and set fire to it. Of course, it's not just kit that's meant to fly which has the sour taste of expensive lemon about it. We've had the Collins class subs. Noisy, unreliable and, as discovered last year, corroding in the salt water meant to be their natural habitat. Having already cost about $20 billion, billions more is being spent to keep them going until the AUKUS subs arrive - if they do. The largest ships our navy operates - the two Landing Helicopter Decks, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide - arrived in the middle of the 2010s riddled with defects. HMAS Canberra chalked up 6000 of them. And the cost to keep them is nudging $200 million a year. I could go on. And on. And on some more. When it comes to spending money on defence, our track record on spending it wisely is far from flash. We have a history of spending a lot of buck for little bang. That's why alarm bells ring when there's a clamour for increased defence spending without any detail about how and where that money should be spent. Much of it is political noise, generated by NATO snapping to attention with a sharp "Sir, yessir!" - or a simpering "Yes, Daddy" if you were nauseated by its sycophancy when Trump visited - when it agreed to a US demand to lift its defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP. The Albanese government has batted away the calls from the usual suspects - Pete Hegseth, Karoline Leavitt and their two local parrots, Angus Taylor and Bridget McKenzie, neither of whom have spelled out of what spending they'd cut or taxes they'd raise to meet the extra spending. The government says Australia will decide on the capabilities it needs and spend accordingly. It's read the room and knows we don't like being told what to do - especially by the Trump administration. And we won't take well to extortion via tariffs either. It also knows Australia doesn't need to strike the same war footing as Europe. We don't have a war on our doorstep. There's no Russia imperilling our borders. That's not to say we shouldn't be clear-eyed about the challenges we face. China's military build-up cannot be ignored but also should not be overstated. It's unlikely to be coveting our distant shores because it's far cheaper to buy the resources we have than attempt to seize them. But can we ever know for certain? Probably not. Defence spending is important. But it's less a question how much we spend than how well. HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Australia follow NATO's lead and increase defence spending? Would you be happy to pay more tax to pay for more military hardware? Is China a bigger threat than the US to Australia? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - NSW Premier Chris Minns has refused to condemn the "brutal" actions of police who broke up a pro-Palestine protest that left a one-time federal Greens candidate with a serious eye injury. - A senior public servant who gave a relative's career a leg up while hiding their connection has been found to be corrupt by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. - One of Australia's biggest health insurers admits it incorrectly dealt with loads of claims and left customers thousands of dollars out of pocket. Bupa says it is "deeply sorry" for the conduct Australia's consumer watchdog found to be misleading and deceptive across more than five years. THEY SAID IT: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defence than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." - Martin Luther King jnr. YOU SAID IT: Truth might be the first casualty in war, but language falls soon after in a cacophony of buzzwords and euphemisms. "There also seems to be a great shortage of 'guardrails' in Australia in recent times," writes Ian. "No doubt, we could use some on our off-ramps. The expressions 'ethnic cleansing' and 'collateral damage' may be euphemistic, but they drip with irony and let the imagination run amok. So, they are all the more powerful expressions for it." David writes: "A concomitant aspect of the ongoing Coca-Cola-nisation of Australia is the gradual change of pronunciation of certain syllables/words/emphases adopted by news presenters/commentators: 'progress', where 'prog' rhymes with 'dog', and 'process' where 'proc' rhymes with 'boss'. The 'cig' in cigarette is emphasised instead of the 'ette'. Is it an inferiority problem, insecurity, ignorance? Whatever, it is painful." "The 'buzz phrase' that annoys me most? 'Reaching out' when all I did was make a phone call," writes Judith. "Nothing dramatic. I wasn't in dire straights. I didn't need rescuing. It was just an ordinary, garden variety phone call, probably to make an ordinary, garden variety enquiry about hours of trading. Or something equally mundane." Maggie writes: "Ethnic cleansing' revolts me. There's nothing clean about it; it's genocide. 'Decimate' - not nearly as bad as some people seem to think. 'That's incredible' - I hear, 'I don't believe you'. A diplomatic off-ramp? There's danger of simplistic thinking that might cloud a complex reality." This is a sample of The Echidna newsletter sent out each weekday morning. To sign up for FREE, go to It was another ignominious end. Dismantled, cannibalised for spare parts, their bodies were buried in an undisclosed location. They were never very good and were destined to be replaced, but a fatal crash in 2023 saw their demise brought forward. But Defence's jettisoning of the MRH90 Taipan helicopter wasn't the first time it had spent billions on a dud. In October 2008, their rotor blades removed, another terrible decision was shrink-wrapped, loaded onto semi trailers and trucked out of the HMAS Albatross naval air station near Nowra. If the MRH90 decision was a blunder, the decision in 1997 to buy 11 Super Seasprites for our fleet of ANZAC class frigates, was a catastrophe. At least the MRH90 flew. Not a single Super Seasprite became operational. You might as well have piled up in small denominations the $1 billion they cost and set fire to it. Of course, it's not just kit that's meant to fly which has the sour taste of expensive lemon about it. We've had the Collins class subs. Noisy, unreliable and, as discovered last year, corroding in the salt water meant to be their natural habitat. Having already cost about $20 billion, billions more is being spent to keep them going until the AUKUS subs arrive - if they do. The largest ships our navy operates - the two Landing Helicopter Decks, HMAS Canberra and HMAS Adelaide - arrived in the middle of the 2010s riddled with defects. HMAS Canberra chalked up 6000 of them. And the cost to keep them is nudging $200 million a year. I could go on. And on. And on some more. When it comes to spending money on defence, our track record on spending it wisely is far from flash. We have a history of spending a lot of buck for little bang. That's why alarm bells ring when there's a clamour for increased defence spending without any detail about how and where that money should be spent. Much of it is political noise, generated by NATO snapping to attention with a sharp "Sir, yessir!" - or a simpering "Yes, Daddy" if you were nauseated by its sycophancy when Trump visited - when it agreed to a US demand to lift its defence spending to 5 per cent of GDP. The Albanese government has batted away the calls from the usual suspects - Pete Hegseth, Karoline Leavitt and their two local parrots, Angus Taylor and Bridget McKenzie, neither of whom have spelled out of what spending they'd cut or taxes they'd raise to meet the extra spending. The government says Australia will decide on the capabilities it needs and spend accordingly. It's read the room and knows we don't like being told what to do - especially by the Trump administration. And we won't take well to extortion via tariffs either. It also knows Australia doesn't need to strike the same war footing as Europe. We don't have a war on our doorstep. There's no Russia imperilling our borders. That's not to say we shouldn't be clear-eyed about the challenges we face. China's military build-up cannot be ignored but also should not be overstated. It's unlikely to be coveting our distant shores because it's far cheaper to buy the resources we have than attempt to seize them. But can we ever know for certain? Probably not. Defence spending is important. But it's less a question how much we spend than how well. HAVE YOUR SAY: Should Australia follow NATO's lead and increase defence spending? Would you be happy to pay more tax to pay for more military hardware? Is China a bigger threat than the US to Australia? Email us: echidna@ SHARE THE LOVE: If you enjoy The Echidna, forward it to a friend so they can sign up, too. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: - NSW Premier Chris Minns has refused to condemn the "brutal" actions of police who broke up a pro-Palestine protest that left a one-time federal Greens candidate with a serious eye injury. - A senior public servant who gave a relative's career a leg up while hiding their connection has been found to be corrupt by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. - One of Australia's biggest health insurers admits it incorrectly dealt with loads of claims and left customers thousands of dollars out of pocket. Bupa says it is "deeply sorry" for the conduct Australia's consumer watchdog found to be misleading and deceptive across more than five years. THEY SAID IT: "A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defence than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual doom." - Martin Luther King jnr. YOU SAID IT: Truth might be the first casualty in war, but language falls soon after in a cacophony of buzzwords and euphemisms. "There also seems to be a great shortage of 'guardrails' in Australia in recent times," writes Ian. "No doubt, we could use some on our off-ramps. The expressions 'ethnic cleansing' and 'collateral damage' may be euphemistic, but they drip with irony and let the imagination run amok. So, they are all the more powerful expressions for it." David writes: "A concomitant aspect of the ongoing Coca-Cola-nisation of Australia is the gradual change of pronunciation of certain syllables/words/emphases adopted by news presenters/commentators: 'progress', where 'prog' rhymes with 'dog', and 'process' where 'proc' rhymes with 'boss'. The 'cig' in cigarette is emphasised instead of the 'ette'. Is it an inferiority problem, insecurity, ignorance? Whatever, it is painful." "The 'buzz phrase' that annoys me most? 'Reaching out' when all I did was make a phone call," writes Judith. "Nothing dramatic. I wasn't in dire straights. I didn't need rescuing. It was just an ordinary, garden variety phone call, probably to make an ordinary, garden variety enquiry about hours of trading. Or something equally mundane." Maggie writes: "Ethnic cleansing' revolts me. There's nothing clean about it; it's genocide. 'Decimate' - not nearly as bad as some people seem to think. 'That's incredible' - I hear, 'I don't believe you'. A diplomatic off-ramp? There's danger of simplistic thinking that might cloud a complex reality."
