Autumn
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HOW beautiful are the autumn tree colours at the moment in Launceston.
The trees planted by Rotary a few years ago on the roadside near Breadalbane are taking shape and will only continue to make a colourful display as they grow.
— VICKI SIMM, Perth.
Whinger
I SEE that a NSW town has beaten us to a statue of the big bogan but, fear not, all is not lost.
Tasmania could make a giant hot air balloon in the shape of Leo Schofield and tether it at appropriate sites around the state for festivities.
It should be christened “The Big Whinger”.
— D. N. Calvert, Nunamara.
Jesser
CONGRATULATIONS to The Examiner photographer Mark Jesser on winning Best News Image at the Tasmanian Media awards in Hobart (The Examiner, April 18).
While Jesser received the award for his photograph of the wards at the Launceston General Hospital being closed due to a gastro outbreak last year, I think his photograph of Launceston BMX riders (The Examiner, April 15) is a “finely measured shot”.
You only have to look at how precisely Jesser has aligned the two riders front wheels in the foreground with the centre wheel hubs of the riders wheels in the background.
— A. R. TROUNSON, Needles.
GST
THERE are lots of similarities between the GST and climate change.
Most of their supporters have vested interests, use models which don't stand up to scrutiny (how did the ACT qualify as a mendicant state?), use consensus as their main justification and quell any doubtful thoughts by using numbers to a high degree of unjustifiable accuracy.
If they can't get a satisfactory model for GST what hope is there for getting one for our planet's climate?
— GORDON THURLOW, Launceston.
Zombie walk
UPON reading The Examiner, (April 18) I was amazed at how people find a zombie walk starting at City Park acceptable.
Other than the fact that these people need to grow up, how scary must it be for young children who's parents take them to the park to play on the equipment?
The organiser even states in the article that it scares children.
What is wrong with society?
— WILLIAM CAMERON, Winkleigh.
Computers
YESTERDAY I was asked why, with all the technological advances, our pollies etc still have to go overseas or interstate when there is such a thing as Skype.
I guess that they would hate to have to give up their taxpayer funded trips when they could sit in a comfortable chair and solve the world's problems via the computer.
There is also the fact that a certain Senator from our Northern parts has to fly to Hobart and back for meetings when she has a car at her disposal.
If she can't use a computer, at least she could save us some money by using the Midland Highway rather than fly at great expense each year.
Think of all the dollars we could save if Skype was used rather than trips for all and sundry.
Nothing seems resolved anyway which ever way and where ever they go.
— GLENNIS SLEURINK, Launceston.
Gallipoli
Upon this coast I rest my cheek
across this place I paint my blood
as fresh, black heels race away
I extend my fingers out to say - has time no use for me now
school to boat to a brand-new war
from a far-off land to a distant shore
such brevity from my mother's gleam
to have no future at seventeen
as this morning begins to fail
it's twice today I shall set sail
I feel another against my chest
in this cold, damp grave - in my place of rest
beneath my body, the grains of sand
are all dead soldiers upon this land
and I close my eyes, and will without sorrow
to pray in my steps, that others not follow.
— PAUL MACLAINE, Trevallyn.
Tamar
SO WE now have firm evidence, as shown by official testing, that the Tamar is Tasmania’s most polluted river.
Faecal coliforms are greater than 6000/100 ml, Enterococci 1850 / 100 ml and E.coli at 2419.6 / 100 ml, way above Australian standards of 150 /100 ml, 35 / 100 ml and 126 / 100 ml respectively.
All those years of seeing the Tamar as a repository for the city’s human waste has led to this abysmal result.
It is a situation that cannot continue and we must address the problem with high urgency.
This will cost serious money, but the days of cheap expedients are gone.
Our aim must be to have a river fit to swim in and open for a wide range of water sports.
TasWater, the unfortunate inheritors of local government neglect, our city council, whose past actions over many years largely caused this parlous mess, and state and federal governments must step up.
— DICK JAMES, Launceston.
Asylum seekers
REGARDLESS of who is to blame it is necessary that a humane solution is achieved without delay.
Attempts to return Iranians to Iran was always fraught with danger and, in any event, that country is unwilling to accept them.
Cambodia was to have received its first intake this week but now we understand that, not surprisingly, no one wants to go there.
So where to now?
Nauru and PNG cannot possibly absorb the numbers involved.
The Immigration Minister says it will take three years to process those detained at present, and at the end of this period many will be refused refugee status and the only option is for them to be detained indefinitely, despite having committed no crime against Australia.
Time to shelve the present macho stance and do what we are urging Indonesia to do; show compassion to these people, especially where children are involved, and allow them to settle into the community and have a chance to contribute to the country they believed would give them shelter from oppression.
— A. CARTER, Mowbray.
Violence
AUSTRALIA’S political leaders are to be congratulated for agreeing to a $30 million public awareness campaign aimed at curbing violence against women and children at last week’s Council of Australian Government meeting.
Also welcomed is a commitment by all states and territory leaders to ensure domestic violence orders are recognised across borders and to encourage courts to share information.
While the GST carve-up debate dominated the headlines from the meeting, the outcome in relation to domestic violence should be applauded.
Violence against women is a serious problem in Australia.
On average one woman is killed every week as a result of intimate partner violence, domestic and family violence is the main cause of homelessness for women and their children, one in four children are exposed to domestic violence and one in three women have been subject to physical and/or sexual violence by someone known to them.
Violence against women costs Australia more than $15 billion a year.
Victorian premier Daniel Andrews is right when he described violence against women and children as “a national emergency’’.
While the actions taken last week are a step in the right direction, the campaign must be much broader than simply focusing on physical violence.
It is about a bigger issue, one of how women are viewed within society.
Replacing the current disrespectful attitude towards women displayed by too many men with respect will go a long way to helping reduce the problem
— LINDY O’NEILLl, UnitingCare Tasmania chief executive.