Is this the Australia wars were fought over?

I think not.

At last a sportsperson we can be proud of, take a bow Ash Barty. Gracious and humble in victory. A real role model so unlike the two sullen and spoilt male players that sully our name.

With the Fourth Estate under intimidation from the Australian Federal Police, under instruction from relevant government agencies desperately trying to close down any information that is so-called not in the "national interest", meaning it is not in the interest of the Australian Defence Ministry being investigated and exposed for possible war crimes in Afghanistan, or possible surveillance of Australian citizens by the Australian Signals Directorate being discussed by the Defence and Home Affairs ministries.

Recent amendments to the Crimes Act and increase of powers to security agencies were given bipartisan support in a political paradigm of security and anti-terrorism hysteria, has created a concern for press freedom in the public interest, and to the very democracy that the aforementioned amendments were supposed to protect.

With Prime Minister Scott Morrison's retort that he is in favour of the AFP enforcing the rule of law, of which Labor and the Coalition created, it may seem leadership in this very complex matter may exceed the short-termism that has enshrined contemporary Australian politics?

A family living in a sea container is expected to find thousands of dollars for compliance with building regulations. If they had the money they would not be living there in the first place. House after house being burnt down, presumed to be vacant state housing properties.

Raids by Federal Police on a journalist's home and the ABC to coerce or silence investigative journalists into silence, so as to shield the political apparatus from proper scrutiny.

If democracy is not crumbling, its well on its way; with well intending but misguided legislation that does not allow for cases of extreme hardship, and has fallen far short of any semblance of fair play.

I guess that the old quotation of "bugger you, Jack, I'm OK" comes to mind.

In his letter "Dodged a bullet" (The Examiner, June 6) Ian Macpherson is someone with a 1950's mindset trying to make sense of life in the 21st century.

To many of us, he is struggling with this it but it is obvious that he finds comfort in his outdated worldview by reference to the shallow groupthink of those right-wing ideologies that infest The Australian newspaper, Sydney shock jock radio and the IPA.

One could make an exception to much of what Ian Macpherson has written but it is his comments about the public education system that are particularly ignorant.

When he states that the public system "is widely acknowledged as being dominated by left-wing philosophy" he is sprouting patent nonsense.

By the way, in which schools are structured they are inherently conservative.

The everyday operation of a school demands conformity none more so than that of teachers. Public school teachers are public servants and this is a major factor in ensuring a balanced perspective.

Being small communities schools teach socially acceptable values as demanded by the wider community.

Much criticism of the public school curriculum comes from religious zealots and their unhealthy obsession with inclusive programs such as Safe Schools which deal with human sexuality.

Their objections emanate from the non-acceptance of the LGBTI community. In closing, I wonder how many of the strident critics of public schools have actually set foot in them?

I have to go back 80 years when I was first introduced to the placement of the ball in kicking a "drop kick" and the importance of placing the ball with a relaxed body.

The distance from ground level to the pointed end of the ball, less the better.

The body bent over with arms extended low to place the ball correctly. Today's players to kick a drop punt should mimic this action. The higher the ball from ground level to contact, there is more chance of a misdirected kick.

The planted foot pointing towards the target. Being more crouched than vertical gives better balance and less chance of being crunched. I learnt the hard way after being crunched at an early age.

Just like golf, don't look up to see where the ball goes until the swing is completed.