Parks
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
SHOWS what a duffer I am when I had the mistaken belief that the people of Tasmania were the custodians of the parks of this state.
If only I had known that private enterprise and their vocal spokesperson were the actual de facto owners, then it would have been much clearer to me why developers were backing the Libs at the elections.
— MAX WELLS, Sorell.
Maintenance
LAUNCESTON is looking very unloved.
Travel along Talbot Road, West Tamar Highway, Elphin Road, Hobart Road, just to mention a few areas where the nature strips are marked by the amount of weeds they produce, the long grass and the tree surrounds that are not maintained.
If gardens are planted on road verges, divider walls and roundabouts there needs to be continual maintenance to present a tidy appearance.
At the moment nothing of any consequence is being done by any of the councils that are responsible for these areas.
Mostly it is a public space that needs urgent attention.
The relevant councils and government bodies should check out the city of Cowra in NSW.
They take pride in keeping their town in the best condition.
I am afraid that this is not happening in the Launceston area.
Maybe some of the money to be spent on future projects needs to be redirected to looking after what is already there.
— HELEN HOWARD, Cressy.
University
THE Federal Government’s unpopular policy to deregulate university fees may be viewed as a shift towards the US’s model for higher education, where the average private university charges $30,000 per year for a four year degree.
Of advanced economies globally, the US ranks as the highest for economic inequality and the lowest for economic mobility, notwithstanding its rhetoric as the land of opportunity.
Nobel Prize recipient for economics, Joseph Stiglitz, has identified education and health as the key domestic policy areas influencing economic inequality and economic mobility.
Tony Abbott has conceded that under deregulation student tuition fees will increase.
The prestigious top-tier universities are likely to be the greatest recipients of deregulation.
Globally, more than 40 countries offer university education free from tuition fees.
They include Germany, Brazil, France and Norway.
These countries recognise the significant economic and social advantages that accessible higher education provides nationally.
— MARK DICKINSON, Riverside.
Budgets
IN THE early ‘60s I was listening to a radio interview with the then Premier and Treasurer Eric Reece. He was asked about the daunting task of framing a state budget.
His reply, “It is just like a household budget only more naughts.”
He went on to explain that a household that spends more money than it has will lose the house.
So what is it about state and federal budgets we don't seem to get?
All the taxes are allocated and the bank account shows zero.
Because we have borrowed from overseas and continue to do so, the interest payments due is money not available for services we are calling for.
The options open to government are to increase taxes and/or cut expenditure.
But it appears, according to commentators and opinion polls, we will accept neither.
And Labor and the Greens call for more.
Rest assured more debt will only end up in tears.
Let’s do – and accept – the hard yards now.
— GRAEME PAGE, Launceston.
Finance
THE Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) Chairman Greg Medcraft has recently appealed to the federal government to introduce national testing of Financial Planners and Advisers.
The existing Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) legislation was enacted by Federal Parliament in 2013. Broadly, it is consumer protection legislation.
Recent attempts to amend that legislation saw it defeated by the Senate’s so called “Coalition of Common Sense”.
Since then Mr Medcraft has added that self-regulation of this industry has failed.
Quote, “It’s absolutely broken my heart to watch what financial advisers have done to people, and what they often continue to do” (AFR, 04/12/2014).
Mr Medcraft wants a national examination introduced that would ensure applicants for financial planning qualifications meet a level of competence equivalent to that of a university degree.
His recommendation is intended to replace the current eight day, online course and open book examination requirement.
Mr Medcraft claims that of the 18,000 financial planners across Australia, less than a third are certified financial planners.
Additionally, more than 80 per cent are employed by one of the four major banks or AMP.
So much for professional and independent financial planning advice.
— ROSS ROBBINS, Trevallyn.
Medicare
BOTH Peter Dutton and Tony Abbott have said in regard to the new $5 Medicare co-payment that it will save money and ensure the sustainability of Medicare but also confirm that the money will be spent on medical research.
If the money is directed to medical research then the total cost is the same, so how are they saving money?
The answer is very simple.
The government already spends money on medical research.
They have no plans to increase this spending but to replace it with the money they save on Medicare.
Once again the government is treating the public like naughty little children who cannot control themselves if something is free.
This is not the first time a new government has gone too far too fast. In the '70s, the Whitlam government tried to take money from the rich and use it for free health and education.
The Abbott government is attempting to do the opposite.
— ROBERT KARL STONJEK, Kings Meadows.
Australia
THE cartoon in The Examiner, December 9 called “How Australia Works” is an absolutely correct interpretation of the political system in this country. Labor opposes anything the Liberals propose and the Liberals oppose anything Labor proposes.
The Australian political system is a total mess.
Almost every day I have to decide who to believe, or, who to trust, when I watch politicians speak on the TV news, or when I read the newspaper.
Tony Abbott and/or any minister may make a policy statement and Bill Shorten and/or his shadow ministers and Christine Milne and her Greens will immediately present opposing views. At no time does Mr Shorten or Ms Milne offer statements about what they would do to fix any issue.
The same scenario exists with our state government. Bryan Green and Kim Booth oppose everything presented by Will Hodgman and his team.
I have reached the stage where I am now unable to believe anything being said by any politician at federal and state level. I now cannot trust any politician to honour election promises.
I expect there are a great many people in the community who have the same feelings as I do about the extremely poor performance of all politicians.
Wake up politicians.
Be honest in your dealings with the people you represent and make all policies and deals in the interests of this great country rather than feeding your own and your party's ego
— JOHN RICH, Prospect.
Exhibitions
I WOULD like to thank the Launceston General Hostpital's Visual Arts Committee for their wonderful monthly exhibitions at the Northern Integated Care Services building.
Visitors, staff and patients are treated to a diverse range of work from local emerging artists.
Traditional etchings and oil paintings are showcased with experimental sculptures and mixed media paintings.
Well done to all those involved.
— LEON COOPER, St Leonards.