Tamar
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IN letters (July 23) B. Wood of Legana castigates Launceston City Council for not following the work of Devonport Council (who dredged the Mersey River) and dredge the Tamar River.
I thought the Tamar River is within the West Tamar municipality, not Launceston.
— BILL CHUGG, Campbell Town.
Mobile phones
I COULD not agree more on the state opposition’s call for a review of penalties on those who use their mobile phones while driving.
I have witnessed regularly drivers texting or talking on their phone and have expressed in no uncertain terms when I can, to them, that the current fine for doing so is $300 plus three demerit points.
— ROBERT LEE, Summerhill.
War
SIR Peter Cosgrove has marked the passing of 99 years since the bloodiest day in Australian military history claimed 5,533 casualties in the Battle of Fromelles during World War I (The Examiner, July 20).
Such an unforgivable loss of life in ``little more than one day”.
A sickening reminder to modern-day Australian Prime Ministers not to get involved in someone else’s war.
— A. R. TROUNSON, Needles.
Speaker
IT IS an absolute disgrace, the Speaker of the house Bronwyn Bishop’s blatant abuse of her entitlements, considering Australia’s financial difficulties.
She has totally lost all appreciation of our dilemma, and does not care, obviously by her refusal to apologise to the Australian taxpayer.
Spending $5000 on a helicopter ride to a Liberal Party fundraiser is bad enough, but to spend a $1000 a day on limousines for over a fortnight on a recent overseas trip is inexcusable.
To keep up appearances by staying at $1000 a night hotel’s is a joke, when back in Australia you are asking people to live on approximately the same amount for a month.
Frankly, her arrogance in claiming it as her entitlement shows her level of thinking and compassion.
Spend our money as if it was your own Ms. Bishop and I am sure the result would be different.
— PETER DODDY, Trevallyn.
Good cartoons
Congratulations to The Examiner for its cartoons on the “Your Say” page.
They give me a good chuckle each morning and with some of the news being so grim I need it.
Also, it is good to have a positive approach being taken to local issues.
I find the court reports depressing, but realize that justice must not only be done, but be seen to be done.
— MALCOLM SCOTT, Newstead.
Government
WHAT a great week for our government and our politicians:
We now have a food labelling system which conveys very little detail of the country of origin of some ingredients, unless they are 100 per cent Australian.
A terrorist alert scale which is much easier to understand.
I could never work out the difference between high and low, much more graphic now.
The Treasurer now understands what is meant by a Pyric victory - sound financial thinking for one charged with running the country’s economy.
Premier Mike Baird coming up with the idea that the government could raise revenue by increasing the GST percentage.
— A. CARTER, Mowbray.
Euthanasia
I AM astounded that the matter of euthanasia is being pursued again in the parliament of Tasmania.
What has changed to bring this previously failed debate back into the house?
I agree with Pat Gartlan (Letters, July 22) that the experience in other countries where euthanasia is legal, is hardly encouraging, and indeed it is “a step too far” to allow medically induced suicide, where people with terminal illnesses, for whatever reason, wish to die.
Doctors are charged with caring for their patients, and continuing that care with all their medical skills, not to kill them.
It has been my experience as a registered nurse, that pain can indeed be greatly controlled with loving and compassionate palliative care.
I have seen many, many deaths from terminal illness, in which the sick and their loved ones have become closer and share the control of fear and pain together, even small children saying loving goodbyes by the bedsides.
That is how death should be, not a rapid “dispatch” when pain and fear get difficult.
We desperately need a ‘stand alone Palliative Care Unit’ where the dying can die with real dignity, in God’s time, loved and respected by all who have any contact with them during their final journey.
— MARY BATES, Exeter.
ALP conference
CONFERENCE over and the kings and captains depart.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has determined that he will turn back the boats, if it’s safe; his ALP led government will bring in same-sex marriage within days of moving into the lodge.
And to cap it off, Mr Shorten will plunge down the road to institute a regime of alternative energy and reduce Australia’s dependency on non-renewable energy.
These are laudable initiatives; don’t you think?
But wait, is it a good program on which to fight the next election?
Are these issues the ones Australians are interested in?
Were you asked your view?
We mustn’t forget that Bill’s gang will will spend over $3 billion dollars on new immigrants and double Australia’s immigrant intake.
Are these the policies Australians want and will you be jumping-for-joy when you hear of them?
Not a word of government spending or over regulation.
Setting the agenda is the game plan of all the political party’s.
If it wasn’t for ‘compulsory’ voting, constituents would boycott the polling booths by the thousands.
— JAY NAUSS, Glen Aplin.
Bishop
I really thought our politicians must justify their trips overseas and all these perks removed for federal, state and council representatives in government.
We can have all three bodies doing what it only takes one person to do and all this needs to be stopped and those made to pay back every last cent.
I am sure we could balance the Budget just cutting our politicians perks.
— WALTER CHRISTY, Shearwater.
Gutwein
Minister Gutwein finally coming out and proactively declaring the importance of local government reform is both welcomed and overdue.
Clearly the efficiencies that the minister alludes to are there and furthermore, a review of the Local Government Act is well and truly overdue.
Let us just get on with a review that will give us a 21st Century Local Government Act that fits the Tasmanian circumstance.
However, why wait?
We all know very well that we have too many councils costing too much with too many administrator achieving far too little.
The flagged “four regional council model” only has the conflicted interests of incumbent councilors, aldermen and bureaucrats to resist it.
The notion that such conflicted self interests should stand in the way of more effective, more equitable and more accountable local governance is unjustified.
Finding the way forward seems to be the inhibitor but bold and decisive action is called for.
In a matter of months four independent commissioners could be appointed and installed to oversee the transition from unsustainability to a new model devised in collaboration with the communities to be served by it.
What we need to do is begin to imagine the more effective service delivery and start work on it immediately.
Let the conversation begin immediately!
— RAY NORMAN, Trevallyn.
Visionary
COURAGEOUS describes the decision taken by Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten in admitting he was wrong and the government’s policy right in regard to their ’stop the boats’ policy.
Visionary describes his intent to significantly increase, if elected to government, Renewable Energy Targets.
Compassion describes his wish to seriously increase refugee intakes.
Foolhardy describes the governments decision to restrict investments in Solar and Wind Power by the Clean Energy Finance Cooperation.
Ridiculous are recent comments by Messrs’s Abbott and Hockey regarding aesthetics of wind farms while hypocritically ignoring the beauty of toxic plumes, full of all sort of nasties, belching out from stacks of Australia’s coal fired power stations.
Shortsighted the approval by Environment Minister Hunt of the NSW Shenhua mega coal mine right in the heart of Australia’s food bowl flying in the face of climate change.
As a politically aware genuine swinging voter, with no political allegiances, I listen to statements and policy decisions emanating from Australia’s political leaders and, after due consideration, I will vote accordingly.
— JIM COLLIER, Legana.
Budget
WE HAVE seen 10 people spend three days at much expense to the taxpayer attempting to find $31 billion to fix the hole in the budget.
My 16-year-old grandchild will tell you and charge nothing for the advice.
Remove John Howard's superannuation tax benefit to the nations most wealthy, saving $35 billion.
Remove the outrageous tax avoidance to negative gearing, saving $18 Billion.
Result from a schoolchild. Hole filled and $22 billion surplus.
Fail to face reality and remove these two flaws then add five per cent to the GST and the problem will remain. Fact.
— WALLY REYNOLDS, Perth.