Our ship has withstood many storms over its last 30 years, without needing any repairs.

Captain Cook, two centuries ago, managed to repair the Endeavour after she was holed off the east coast of Queensland, isolated and without today's technology. 

We look forward to the return of our pirate ship before the school holidays, or sooner, if possible.

Lots of our friends will be visiting us over the tourist season. They were disappointed to hear our pirate ship had been taken away. 

In relation to the article published on October 30, “Funeral announcements website“, I have received many comments of appreciation.

However, it may be useful to your readers that I clarify a misconception held by many, that my webpage funeralannouncements.com.au does not allow for information from all funeral directors.

This facility has always been available and accessible to all funeral directors, and I would hope that all directors are offering this facility to their clients along with all other services that I know are offered at the time of arranging funerals.

Thank you to members of the public for your appreciation of the service I provide.

It was reportedly stated in the early 1900s that the “problem with Australia today is that people are too concerned with their rights and too little concerned with their responsibilities”. It seems not much has changed.

There are many in our country able to cite chapter and verse exactly what their “rights” are and how these should be fulfilled. But how many can also cite their responsibilities, what they owe for what they receive and where the precedence lies – in the taking or in the giving.

There is an increasing tribalising of our society. “Tribes” isolating themselves and claiming only they can know and understand their concerns. If you are not one of “them”, you cannot comment on their position and must meet their demands.

Of course these tribes appear to have no responsibility to the rest of society – they are takers, not givers. We are becoming less seen as Australians and more identified by the subcultures of these tribes.

Equality as and for Australians appears to no longer suffice, we must have tribal specific equalities - for the sexes, the homosexual, the ethnic, the religious etc. We are in danger of the “whole” becoming less than the sum of the parts.

The associated implementation of anti-discriminatory laws has led to a more discriminatory and divided society. The nation is distracted by the bleating of these tribes, wasting an inordinate amount of resources on what are peripheral issues at the expense of the real concerns facing Australia.

We need one set of laws for all Australians, one identity as Australians and one Australia with equal rights and responsibilities that are well understood and accepted.

We need to think first about our country and our culture and second about ourselves - the concept of an Australian state, based on rights and responsibilities, within a framework of the rule of law, equality for all and a national identity. This is the country we should want now and into the future.

We have responsibilities to this great nation in the first and second instance – then we might think about what we may have a right to expect, not demand.