Devils
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TWO Tasmanian devils released in Narawntapu National Park last week have fallen victim to road-kill (The Examiner, October 1).
Wouldn’t you reckon they would have released them a lot further away from any roads.
— A. R. TROUNSON, Needles.
Abbott
DON Davey (Letters, October 3) should google Amanda Vanstone's article 'True Treachery is Putting Mateship Ahead of The Team' and maybe he might develop a more balanced view of Tony Abbott's demise.
Mr Abbott inflicted a great deal of damage on his party while he was Prime Minister and seems intent on continuing to do so.
His team lost confidence in him and therefore their direction.
What happened had to happen.
You got it in one Amanda.
— SUSAN HUNTER, Launceston.
Gyms
ONCE again I am appealing to the Launceston City Councillors to act on behalf of, and not in opposition to, the local gym owners.
These people have spent a great deal of money in setting up and purchasing a business for which they pay rates to the Launceston City Council..
If indeed the aldermen truly believe they are doing the right thing by these ratepayers, let them buy shares in or even purchase one of these businesses.
I found my gym membership too expensive as a dependant on a pension, unless one used it fairly frequently. But I refuse to allow myself to keep silent on this subject; knowing the hardships some are facing.
This reminds me of the fiasco with the Silverdome. A great addition to the city and a wonderful training facility. One of a group of volunteers that ran a kiosk there on training nights to help with the rent, we found the council wanted to charge us to hold the kiosk on the premises.
You have to laugh or you'd cry.
— I. MEEK, South Launceston.
Singh
IN HER article of Saturday, October 3 "20 back demoted Senator" I suggest that Georgie Burgess has made the forgivable error of labelling Senator Singh's position "unwindable".
Whilst much will depend on actual votes, preference flows and so on the simple maths shows that Lisa Singh does have a real chance.
The Tasmanian votes over the last five Senate elections suggest a likely ALP vote in 2016 of 35-40 per cent. A quota is just under 14.3 per cent.
If the ALP vote is 35 per cent, then after electing two candidates they will have 6.4 per cent left.
If Lisa Singh has 3.3 per cent she'll be the last ALP in the count, but admittedly is unlikely to gain enough preferences from other groups to be elected.
If the ALP vote is 40 per cent then after electing two, they will have 11.4 per cent left.
Lisa Singh would need to have 5.8 per cent to then be the one to fight for the last seat and would have an excellent chance.
If the ALP secured a very low vote of, say, 25 per cent because of a combination of factors like the large number of parties, the popularity of Malcolm Turnbull and the perceived ability of the ALP team, then after one was elected, if Lisa Singh secured 5.4 per cent she would be neck and neck with the ALP No 2 and issues like their respective relationships with their staff and use of taxpayer travel may sway some voters.
It will be difficult Georgie, but concerned, thinking, Tasmanians can make Australian political history next year.
— A. R. JACOBS, Re-elect Lisa Group, Hobart.
Politics
NO sniping from the sidelines, no destabilisation, all the statements from Tony Abbott.
And yes like all other things he has said over the years, he has simply no intention of keeping his word.
— PETER TAYLOR, Midway Point.
Cyclists
I AGREE with everything that Isabel Bird wrote in her article (The Examiner, September 2).
Last week, about 5 30pm coming back from the city, I carefully passed a cyclist on Elphin Rd. When I reached the intersection at Cypress St, I stopped at the red light and the cyclist came up on the inside, using his green cycle zone lane and went straight through the intersection.
Cyclists often ignore the red light at this intersection when heading to town. They think hugging the kerb makes it ok to go straight through, it doesn’t.
Cyclists should be identifiable and accountable like other road users.
— A. STACEY, Newstead.
Devils
WHY would the devils be released near a main road. Wouldn’t you think it would be much more sensible to release them in an isolated area away from roads and traffic.
— DENIS WEST, Newstead.
Rugby
I ENJOYED reading the article "Aussies caught in war with Roses" in the Sunday Examiner.
I particularly refer to the comments by Clive Wood that Australians "weren't the brightest" and Danny Cipriani's that "no Australian would get in the English team".
Following the Wallabies' 33-13 drubbing of the host nation that put them out of the contest I think that, if the Australians aren't the brightest that doesn't say much for the Poms, and I don't think any Wallaby worth his salt would lower his standards to play for England in a fit.
— RICHARD HILL, Newstead.
Waterhouse Is
HOW would we as Tasmanians feel about Waterhouse Island falling into the hands of foreign ownership?
I wonder if the state government recognises the unique opportunity to show leadership here.
As custodians of this land, Tasmanians could oversee the creation of a national park and possibly develop a sanctuary for the Tasmanian Devil, free from illness and the horrors of road-kill.
— DR GARETH KOCH, West Launceston.
Football
WHAT a great grand-final in the AFL again, but the AFL-Channel 7-Southern Cross needs to look at their coverage.
Two poor points need fixing ASAP before next season’s coverage.
1. When commentators speak, crowd noise muffs it out. Crowd noise needs to be lower.
2. The worst is an ad every time there is a goal. Can’t we have no ad’s in the game but have them at quarter, half-time and three quarter time. That would improve coverage.
— A. CLARK, West Launceston.
Anzac
THOSE that missed the recent ``Spirit of Anzac Centenary Experience” at the Silverdome have overlooked what certainly was a moving, poignant tribute to Australias’ sons and daughters courage, and sacrifice, during conflict over the last 100 years.
I came away from this world class, interactive experience after my second visit (so much to take in with just one visit), with an incredible sense of honour for our fallen and those who served.
A sentence spoken by a digger in WWI that was written on one of the display walls really hit home to me.
``When I found that a bullet really does hurt, it was then I realized the meaning of fear”.
Lest We Forget.
— ROBERT LEE, Summerhill.
Walking
IT MUST be a galling revelation to Matthew Groom and the tourism talking head that there has been opposition to the exclusivity of the Three Capes Walking Track. I can well imagine the horror.
The fact that these mere garden type Tasmanians would want to walk in their national park, on the walking tracks their taxes have helped pay for.
How can they want to undermine the “experience” we are trying to sell for top tourism dollars to overseas visitors by local walkers doing what they have done for decades, and for free.
— PETER M. TAYLOR, Midway Point.