"The stark reality is that our nation has a truly appalling record of species extinctions, particularly of mammals".

While literally true and regularly stated, the "shock/horror" implicit in such statements ignores that our continent was predisposed to such a risk. This is because we had an ecosystem that developed in isolation from the rest of the world. Introduce foxes, rabbits, carp, feral cats etc. and the devastation of some vulnerable native species becomes guaranteed. One positive is that the huge expansion of watering points by farmers has greatly assisted some native species such as kangaroos.

"When we present ourselves to the world, we use animals to help us". This is true to some extent but may exaggerate. The reality is that, despite its geographic size, Australia's population is overwhelmingly urban, and the importance of immigration means that a low percentage can trace their roots to rural areas. The end result is that, even though most of our population may have a high awareness of our native animals, few outside of regional Australia regularly have contact with them, excepting species like possums that encroach into major urban areas.

Was this whole piece just to get to the last paragraph, or was the last paragraph just added in as a grant application, to the left, whiteman hating committees that make such grants?

What ever, as Bren points out it is a pile of you know what.

Australia was the last place closely settled by productive people. It was the only place on earth still populated with incompetent species that had only survived because there were no efficient largish predators. Those immigrants who preceded the white man had seen to that.

Thus, unlike every large bit of land anywhere, such as Europe, where less competent species were long gone, Australia had many with a rather poor hold on their existence, at white settlement. Of course some were bound to fail. What is surprising is that it was so few that did.

I personally am becoming very sick of academics who sit on their fat you know what, criticising for all they are worth, those who have, & still do, make their privileged existence possible.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if these people, we keep in such comfort, actually did something useful occasionally.

A most important animal to the Australian identity is the humble mossie. Hats with swinging corks, the sweeping salute in front of the face and the bats and birds which feed upon them attest to its importance. I recommend the mossie as our Official National Insect.

If this bloke is training the tourist industry no wonder we are falling behind.
I am with the other poster good for nothing academics spouting rubbish and saying we need more money for education. Rubbish we should start reducing the education budget starting with salaries. Upper limits to apply, Vice Chancellors no more than $200k professors $150k and lecturers no more than $100k. Oh yes and they pay their own super to the providers we are obliged to use.
Lets dump PS super completely! We would have a surplus immediately.

The 'Australian identity!' What is it? Where can it be found? Does it still exist?

Our 'identity' was firstly located in London. Now it can be found in parts of New York or Washington.

Fortunately, each morning kangaroos gather across the road so I know I have not been taken to another place, not yet anyway!

I wonder how long it will be, the re-location of the Self-loving White Man who came from the north bearing guns and hate.

The Australian identity. Beats me. Struth, we are such a cocktail, a bilious color, harsh taste, largely unintelligent, prone to addictions, easily led, artistically impoverished, whimsical, lazy, careless, uncaring about truth, narrow of vision.

We don't belong here, never did!

Truth is that we don't belong anywhere.

This is not unique to Australia.
The Kiwis have a similar situation.