Geoff Mallows is right to challenge Stan Grant’s argument in complaining about British colonisation of Australia, blaming the institution of monarchy and believing the Queen’s death accordingly ought not have been mourned. (Letters, 26/4). That this occurred on Anzac Day exposed a momentous vacuum in Grant’s argument. From across a distant empire, those once intent on our colonisation were later to be focused on our defence. The finger-pointing idealists alleging that Australia was invaded by “white Europeans” in 1788 cannot ignore the evidence of “our” sacrifice in defence of this wonderful country in two world wars, the Korean and Vietnam wars and more recently Afghanistan and Iraq. Turning back the clock and claiming ownership of this country after such bloody sacrifice in war is surely a nebulous claim. Alan Sexton, North Parramatta. 27Apr2023.