The ongoing issue of Australia's reliance on single-use plastics and its littering practices is addressed in an opinion piece by Sue Bailey titled "Don't treat Australia like a rubbish tip" (Sydney Morning Herald, 7/12/17). Bailey contends that Australians should endeavour to be more responsible about their disposal of rubbish, to show pride for their country and on behalf of the next generation - in the hope that they will rethink their habits and change them. Initially, a nostalgic and concerned tone is used, but this later shifts to a hopeful tone as the piece concludes. The article is aimed at all Australians, as well as the Australian state and federal governments.
Bailey establishes Australia as having been pristine in the past, with minimal littering. Her anecdotal evidence of her initial arrival to Australia causes readers to infer that she has both an outsider and an insider's perspective of Australia as a country. Combined with her later statement that "in those days", she thought it was a privilege to live in Australia, readers are caused to feel as though Australia has lost its appeal to outsiders, and this is corroborated by her previous establishment of herself as part of that demographic. Therefore, readers are led to believe that something must be done to change this to preserve Australia's pride as a country due to Bailey's appeal to their sense of patriotism. Her inclusion of an image depicting litter on a beach whilst people walk past nonchalantly is an attempt to cause readers to realise how desensitised Australians have become towards the issue of littering. Hence, she aims to make readers feel the need to take more action and to be more aware about their own habits. Furthermore, through her utilisation of the adjective "dirty" to describe the action of littering, she creates a sense of shame and immorality in readers who have littered, and thus portrays littering as a moral violation. This invokes guilt in her readership and a desire to better themselves by reducing the amount of litter they create. As a result, Bailey sets up a solution that reduces litter as the logical step towards restoring Australia's image to its former glory.
Proposing a series of viable solutions to the issue, Bailey argues that the issue can be reduced by banning single-use plastics and implementing better methods of recycling. Specifically mentioning "state and federal governments", Bailey pinpoints them as the group in her readership with the ability to resolve the issue, holding them accountable. Listing "disposable plastic straws, cups, straws, knives, forks and spoons" as the plastic products in circulation in our society, she places an emphasis on the extensive presence of plastic in our lives. Consequently, she causes readers to feel as though the issue is grave, and to understand the implications of irresponsible handling of such large amounts of plastic. Her suggestion of how governments could cause positive change to occur is paired with an infographic about these solutions, which depicts the information in an easily accessible and simplified manner. This translates onto readers' perception of the solutions, making them view them as also simple, which encourages them to be more active and involved in the resolution process. In a tonal shift to a hopeful tone, Bailey appeals to readers' sense of responsibility for the more vulnerable in society, by urging them to help address the issue on behalf of the "children". Her changed tone and appeal causes readers to infer that she, as well as others, are depending on them to be more responsible about their polluting habits. Bailey presents the issue as easily dealt with by both the Australian public and Australian governments, and stresses the importance of solving it for a brighter future.
Ultimately, Bailey asserts in her opinion piece "Don't treat Australia like a rubbish tip" that the issue of littering is detrimental to Australia's national identity and the future of later generations. As a result, she contends that Australians should be more responsible about their practices with regards to rubbish disposal, and urges readers to think about more sustainable replacements for single-use plastics.