In my opinion, a personal and corporate value such as 'Respect for Self and Others' is still clearly in abundant evidence amongst the many volunteers and local business supporters who choose to make ongoing positive differences to community life in Mount Isa.

Especially during this past traumatic 2020 virus pandemic year.

I perceive that we are all part of the story of our community - regardless of religion, perceived power, politics, gender, age or ethnic background.

So volunteer contributions should be highly valued and celebrated, led of course by our 'Community Leaders'!

Alison Dowling

Mount Isa

I doubt the Kalkatunga warriors would approve of you mining the crap out of their lands so they remain dead for eternity (North West Star editorial, January 15).

'Defeated in battle' you also mention but slaughtered by greed would be more precise, as is the history of the Aboriginal people at the hands of the 'White European Invasion'.

There were no battles but slaughter, rape and slavery.

Praise your Mine but do not try to believe you are benefiting the memory of our Ancestors or our current people who live in squalor, our Ancestors would not agree.

The Aboriginal people of Mount Isa live a very poor life and have not benefited from the Mine.

Education is poor, health is poor, facilities inadequate, the lifestyle is poor from a lack of direction, and any funding you may like to think gets to the Aboriginal Community appears to be misused thorough administrators as is again the history of this Country.

Cheryl Clements

via email

Editor's note: The editorial suggested only that warriors would approve of the memorial to the dead miners. It made no comment on whether Aboriginal people - past, present or future - would approve of mining.

Social media provides for issues hitherto "taboo" to be anonymously, or otherwise, aired in a secure environment with a global audience.

Not every topic is "comfortable".

With almost nothing that cannot be part of the conversation, a more open and healthy discourse is, in the third millennium, now evident in popular films such as blockbusters: "Grease", "Muriel's Wedding" and "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert".

But, movies revealing our cultural dark side are now targets for "politically correct" culture police.

These and similar films may be classed as sexist or offensive, but reveal the often covert prejudices towards women, gender inequality and race, global cultural anomalies even in western societies.

Sets of attitudes towards "difference", justifying exclusion of inferiors, their being denied respect on the basis of immutable physical characteristics, disregard individuality.

Open dialogue through social media, breathes new perspectives on human issues.

It is a healthy way to expose societies predicated on double standards, leading to revolutionary change.

"We are all part of the continent" (John Donne)

Eloise Rowe,

Tannum Sands