Imported food
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CONTAMINATED imported foods, ill consumers, welcome to the world of global markets where cheap is taking precedent over healthy.
We grow some of the best foods in the world and we get cheap, sometimes suspect goods, dumped on us. What a bargain.
— MAX WELLS, Sorell.
Kerry Foley
KERRY Foley seems to have missed some very vital facts in the attacks on federal ALP and Bill Shorten.
It would seem that all and sundry have quickly forgotten the negativity of Tony Abbott in Opposition.
In this he was very good.
However, having followed politics for many a year I can also quantify that traditionally Liberals in Opposition rarely release any policy initiatives until the last minute, if at all.
Why should Mr Shorten do so?
Look at the raft of things Mr Abbott introduced once elected, all unpopular, punitive and unfair.
— PETER TAYLOR, Midway Point.
Hypocrisy
WHILE there has been much talk recently about freedom of speech there has been nothing said on the flipside of the topic – hypocrisy.
Talk is cheap, but walking the walk takes courage.
There is always much self-righteous concern over what is spoken, much posturing, and huffing and puffing, but how many ‘righteous’ men walk the walk of righteousness, a life of perfection, and if not why not?
Should we cry from the rooftops at every appearance of self-righteousness as we so readily do at what we declare as unrighteousness?
Perhaps we ought to conclude that a man should only speak what he lives, proclaim what he knows, and does not point the finger at stumbling but rather seeks to lift a stumbling man to life.
— GREG MANSELL, Ulverstone.
University
THE ROLE of disorganisation in university life should be left to students, as we do it well and there is a certain charm in it.
There is no such charm, however, when that disorganisation comes from the establishment.
In an article on the new eStudent system (February 19), David Sadler, deputy vice-chancellor, University of Tasmania said that "the majority of students using the system had not experienced disruption".
However, I have it from an inside source that an enormous proportion of students had to seek assistance to manually enrol and otherwise deal with the new system, as did I myself on two occasions.
In Professor Sadler's defence, it is possible that he was not aware of this due to people not leaving formal feedback on the new system.
Why, if the system is so difficult, would few people lodge complaints?
Well, judging from the rest of the system it could be inferred that the feedback section would be a rigmarole in itself, meaning that students left well alone, as I did.
Professor Sadler also stated that "the new system was integral to the future of the university", and whilst it may seem astonishing and absurd that a system that clearly does not work could be integral to the university's future, I (sarcastically) whole-heartedly agree.
— CODY HANDLEY, Hadspen.
Drugs
NO ONE wants to see convicted Bali nine pair Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran executed for drug smuggling in Indonesia, yet they knew that was a real possibility if they were caught; and they were.
What I’m not sure of is the right Australia has in condemning the sovereign right Indonesia has in fulfilling its laws against those who deal in drugs within its borders.
In Australia’s attempt to intervene in Indonesian affairs I ask, is it because we disagree with the death penalty as a whole, or is it only because Australians are involved?
For there was very little mentioned of the six Indonesian nationals executed some four weeks ago in the Australian press.
On the other hand, Indonesians must think it crazy when the Australian justice system hands out a jail sentence for a certain crime, then in the next breath wholly suspend it.
— ROBERT LEE, Summerhill.
Wilderness
TASMANIA needs to promote the wilderness experience.
What tends to happen though, is that the 'enhanced' experience becomes exclusive - it becomes limited to those who can afford it.
Consider walking the Overland Track during the warmer months and the fee is a substantial $160 plus an additional $30 for a pass.
Even if you support Parks and Wildlife through the annual $96 subscription, you still need to pay the track fee.
Gustav Weindorfer's vision of "a park for the people for all time" has become "a park for those who can afford it", and the developments within World Heritage Areas that the state is considering has the very real prospect of further limiting our access.
Tasmanians are following in the tracks of tigers and our pristine areas are being encroached upon.
— STEVEN JURGEIT, Hobart.
Rehab Unit
I WAS shocked to read of the possible closure, due to withdrawal of federal funding, of the John L Grove rehabilitation unit (The Examiner, February 20).
Northern Tasmania needs this facility.
The importance of successful rehabilitation to, the individual and the greater community cannot be underestimated.
The cycle of government funding, with all the associated fanfare, followed by subsequent withdrawal and then moving onto the next politically expedient project must stop.
It leads to false expectations within local communities.
It is also an enormous waste of public money and resources.
I urge our politicians, local, state and federal to argue rigorously for the permanent retention of this vital facility.
— OLIVIA WILLIAMS, Hagley.
Children in detention
RECENT correspondents to The Examiner have made heartfelt pleas for there to be no children in detention.
I strongly share their aspiration.
Since the 2013 Election, the Coalition has reduced the number of children in detention by over 90 percent.
That effort continues as quickly as possible.
Having stopped the boats and dismantled the people smuggler’s trade, the flow of thousands of children into our immigration system has thankfully stopped.
We are also dealing with an unprocessed caseload of tens of thousands who arrived on 800 unseaworthy vessels carrying approximately 8,000 children.
More than 1,200 people, including scores of children, were drowned at sea during transit.
But our efforts are not helped by false claims that children in detention have no schools or capacity for play, which reinforces the emotional manipulation employed by some advocacy groups.
The Government has acted swiftly and creditably to reduce the number of children in detention; to clean up a human tragedy bequeathed us by the Labor-Green Government.
— ANDREW NIKOLIC, Bass Liberal MHR.
Indonesia
PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has made comments in regard to aid provided to Indonesia, on light of the impending execution of Australian drug smugglers.
This has brought out every racist and bigot in the country who have essentially said they are happy to throw the money back in our face and keep on killing Australians.
In light of this and other incidents such as the Balibo murders, I highly encourage a boycott of Indonesia.
If this is how they act, why should we support them?
— DAVIS SEECAMP, Launceston.
Employment
THE Federal government could save money on unemployment benefits and reduce the number of people working for Centrelink and Job Service Providers by introducing a four day working week.
Employers would employ more staff if they had to pay penalty rates to those who have worked more than 32 hour per week.
This would create a healthier nation, reduce crime and increase the number of people paying income tax.
— LEON COOPER, St Leonards.