University move
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IF THE proposed changes to the Australian Shipping Laws go ahead, the University of Tasmania’s proposed move to Inveresk from Newnham won’t have to go ahead as there will be no need for the Australian Maritime College, as all the Australian seafaring jobs would become redundant.
The university would then have all of the AMC campus at Newnham to take over for their proposed additional students.
— BOB SILBERBERG, Beauty Point.
Religion
SADLY Mr Mansell (Letters, November 6) in his criticism of Claire van Ryn’s comments (November 2) reveals his own misunderstanding of Matthew 5:58.
All through Matthew chapter 5, Jesus is speaking to those who believe that by their own efforts they could fulfil the perfect standard of the law and therefore achieve right standing with God.
In order to reveal the impossibility of such an accomplishment, Jesus raised that standard to an even greater height of impossibility and then topped it off with the ultimate requirement - perfection of the highest possible standard, that of God himself.
No one could ever achieve that level of perfection other than the son of God himself.
The whole point of this scripture is to reveal that true perfection can only ever be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ and never by human effort.
— V. SMITH, Summerhill.
Blinky
THE old saying: “It’s a dog’s life,” was obviously written out of jealousy.
While man with all his technology has a life expectancy of around 80 years, his canine best friend isn’t saying much about how they are able to outlive their master by more than 50 years.
Happy 133rd (19th) birthday to Blinky, the border collie kelpie cross (The Examiner, November 12).
— A.R. TROUNSON, Needles.
Consultation
OUR Mayor speaks in glowing terms of how the Launceston City Council consulted extensively with the community in the preparation of the White Paper for the Reimagining of the Cataract Gorge Study.
It is appropriate and gratifying that this consultation took place.
However, despite significant constraints in the city’s budget and problems funding ongoing infrastructure replacement, the LCC has just voted to give away $4.5M worth of Ratepayer's assets to UTas.
Where was the community consultation or input in this decision, a much more significant expenditure of ratepayer’s money?
— ALEX THOMSON, Launceston.
Fuel
JOHN LAWS the great ‘guru’ of everything, recently said that Australia has only the GST and income tax as sources of finance to run the country.
John, and the media, is oblivious to the fact that every cent per litre of fuel raises millions of dollars for the government every day.
So, who is John and the media working for?
Not one politician talks about this fact or how much revenue is raised this way.
It is obvious that we don’t need an increase in GST as the politicians aren’t telling us all the facts.
The media won’t allow Clive Palmer to voice his views publicly; he tells it how it is.
Clive said that the GST benefits few as it is returned to the businesses in rebates.
We need to hear more from Clive and less from the two major parties who work hard to keep us in the dark.
Lets never forget that ex-prime minister Tony Abbott locked in a one cent rise in fuel taxes per year until infinity.
— JAY NAUSS, Glen Aplin, Queensland.
Shipping
WITH the headlong ideological rush to destroy the pitiful remains of the Australian shipping industry, and in particular the Bass Strait trade, all in the name of reform I think questions need to be asked of the member for Bass, Andrew Nikolic and Premier Will Hodgman.
The current line being fed to the people of Tasmania is that when the Bass Strait cargo ships are flagged out to underpaid crews of convenience, and it is the shipping companies intent to do so, the two icons of Tasmanian tourism, 'The Spirits', will remain Australian crewed.
I would like either of the two afore mentioned people to explain how the two 'Spirits' would be able to compete with a seafarer earning $A614 per month, (the current International Transport Federation rate of pay for an adult seafarer), or is it your intention to also flag out the two 'Spirits', or even get rid of them?
Are the people of Tasmania to be left with the sight of two of the state's proudest emblems to be trading with underpaid crews from Heaven knows what basket case country.
— BRIAN LEE, Riverside.
Dicky White
AS much as it pains me to have a go at the good Mayor....or offsider in the City Heart Project Darren Alexander, but ....I read with some expectation Launceston City Council had turned a corner on acknowledging our city's history when reading the Dicky Lane story (The Examiner, November 7).
You know with anecdotal information for tourists and locals alike to understand how we came to be mostly from convict stock etc .
Guess what?
The lanes just off the Quadrant.
That my friends, is it.
No little story board on how it came to be.
No mention of Dicky White being a highwayman and was to be executed.
No mention he was reformed and built the Launceston Hotel in 1822.
No mention he was sent to Norfolk Island initially to be rehabilitated but found his way here to famously have a laneway named after him .
Not a hanging basket in sight, not a flag not even an obligatory mural on the walls.
Basically, "City Heart" has cheapskated on our heritage.
The descendants said they've known the history for 23 years - I'm assuming no-one asked them?
So I would like someone at Town Hall to consider all of the above.
How about a Sheffield like wall mural with a real storyboard that reveals history to be proud of?
All applications please address them to the Mayor for his considerations.
— ROD STONE, Greens Beach.
University Inveresk
THE $220 million mentioned in the Editorial (November 11, 2015) got me thinking.
Are we being treated like mushrooms?
What is this $220 million that is quoted.
Is it based on present costs, actual costs, does it allow for contingencies, blowouts, strikes, inflation, future costs and is the amount sufficient to complete the model we are being shown or will it be downgraded?
We all know the story of the Sydney Opera House budget: $7 million, the actual cost $100 million (had to have lotteries) 1970’s figures.
The same applies to the 10,000 students.
I can’t imagine they will all be banging on the door when and if it is finished seemingly from nowhere.
Is it a year, five-year or 10-year projections?
What is this new facility going to have that Newnham hasn’t got, a lecture theatre is a lecture theatre, except it will be in the zone of Transition.
Inveresk is not the CBD.
I personally think the whole thing is a hypothetical and will never happen, I could be wrong.
— MALCOLM SCOTT, Newstead.
University
THE proposed university relocation to Inveresk is probably a very good move if it will fit.
Bit late down the track, after much hard work, to discover it won’t.
The university must know the existing square meterage of it’s teaching spaces at Newnham.
To fit that into Inveresk on a smaller site area, the buildings will surely need to be four or five storeys high. Is that fit for purpose?
Is expansion possible?
The move is all about the future.
With a flourish of the hand, at the Launceston City Council meeting on Monday, it was stated that 500 cars could be parked under the proposed new buildings.
At the same meeting in a letter from the university to council it was quite blithely put in a one paragraph parking statement, “Substantial car parking will be developed”.
Bear in mind, the huge Bunnings car park just around the corner only holds about 500 cars, and that’s on clear, open ground – not restricted by buildings.
So first thoughts are the move is a brilliant concept, but until at least these two, boring, pragmatic matters are resolved, it’s a no go.
— JIM DICKENSON, Launceston.
Tourists
AFTER a recent visit to Perth, WA, the vast amount of improvements on their river for the locals and tourists was an eye-opener.
With a host of friends making their way to Tasmania for the first time, Launceston will be a short stay.
Our once famous Cataract Gorge walk by the river, which is now down to a trickle, the Tamar Basin and Seaport full of smelly mud will soon send them on their way.
Wake-up Launceston, you are missing the boat.
— BARRY MILNER, Ravenswood.