From the Editors Notes from The Conversation newsroom

Published: January 18, 2026 3:07pm EST

Graeme Thomas/Facebook, Sophie Lee/Pexels, Vladimir Srajber/Pexels, The Conversation

Every day, we publish a selection of your emails in our newsletter. We’d love to hear from you, you can email us at yoursay@theconversation.edu.au.

First Nations knowledge

“I’m wondering how much the government departments are listening to and working with our First Nations peoples on what we are facing with fire and flood events. Their ancient knowledge of land management and climate changes over 60,000 years or more must be heard and acted upon. We ignore them at the peril of us all.”

Kim Sami, Bradbury, NSW

Swim between the flags, OK?

“Whether beach flags remain coloured red and yellow or are changed to green will make no difference to the two options available to beachgoers – to either swim between them or beyond them. The red and yellow flags have operated in Australia since 1935 and are an iconic and well understood symbol of beachgoing to the Australian population.”

Dr Phil Plummer, Adelaide SA

Driving profits

“Governments love to make up rules for us all to abide by, especially when driving. It brings in a lot of revenue for them. Just touching your device when driving is an expensive lesson to be learnt if you’re caught. However, it’s quite alright to look at an advertising board strung up over a freeway while travelling at 110km/h, eyes completely off the road to see what they’re flogging this week.”

Peter Miley

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