GST
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JOHN Howard gave us a reasonably fair GST, then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, completely out of touch with the ordinary person, contemplates a complete GST on food and all other essentials, something Tony Abbott would never have contemplated, which is one reason for the disloyalty of his party in his replacement.
It behoves us all to fight this regressive grab for funds.
Let them show us that they can start trimming the budget by first limiting their continuing and excessive perks.
— DON DAVEY, Launceston.
Politics
``POLITICAL power should not be inherited or accumulate in certain families”.
That statement certainly applies in Tasmania.
Instead of looking at what candidates can offer our state and Australia, voters tend to see a name and think ``I know that name” and vote for it.
No wonder our country is in such a shambles.
— COLIN KNOWLES, Devonport.
NBN
WITH earlier delays in the NBN rollout, there now seems to be a spurt of activity all around Tasmania.
I am wondering whether this increased speed has resulted in less than optimal installations.
I have noticed numerous situations where the cable entering the external NBN box is clearly visible and not secured with protective conduit.
Cutting of the cable could easily lead to 'mischievous' phone and internet disconnection or more seriously, in
the case of businesses with security devices attached, their alarm systems becoming inoperative.
— STEPHEN COOMBS, Trevallyn.
Secured load
EVIDENCE lacking in death crash (The Examiner, November 4).
As a truck driver it is my reponsibility to make sure that my load is secured and tied down in the correct way.
It does not matter who loaded it, or who tied it down.
It is up to the driver to make sure the truck is not over loaded.
If the truck is over loaded, you must take it off.
If you don’t and you have an accident then you are liable for the damage you cause.
And if you lose your load, it would be negligent because you knew the truck was over loaded and not tied down the correct way.
So tie down your load, and you might just save a life.
— S. FOON, Ravenswood.
Same-sex marriage
IN SPITE of a recent mention in Federal Parliament the subject of marriage equality has ``gone off the boil”, the plebiscite should have been held before now.
Their cause has not been helped by strident criticism of any opposition.
I could be wrong, but Australia has only ever had one plebiscite, rather than a referendum, and that was in 1916 - a very bitter one over conscription, which was lost.
According to my oxford dictionary, they are the same thing anyway.
I would have thought the procedure would be the same with the Yes and No cases being formally presented in written form.
The result would be a simple majority, rather than a majority of states as well, to be successful.
I still think the possibility of the new Anglican Bishop of Tasmania being a woman is much more interesting and we only have to wait until November 28 to find out.
— MALCOLM SCOTT, Newstead.
Gonski
EVERYONE knows how important education is to the outcomes of the future.
Outcomes not only relating directly to the individual, but outcomes for our economy and the community as a whole.
So, why won’t the Federal Liberal Government fund years five and six of Gonski?
Gonski funding allows schools to target specific literacy and numeracy programs designed for individual school contexts.
It funds targeted support programs to engage with children who are not meeting benchmarks in literacy and numeracy and also helps students with disabilities or behavioural issues.
Furthermore, schools are unable to employ specialist teachers or teacher aids.
Without funding, years five and six of Gonski schools are going to have to make the difficult decision of which specialist staff they are no longer able to provide.
The future is just too important not to invest in education.
I urge Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic to ask the Prime Minister to reverse the $154 million in cuts to Gonski in Bass.
— HELEN POLLEY, Labor Senator for Tasmania.
Unions
UNION leader Ged Kearney's letter in (The Examiner, November 10) explains how bad things are in the union movement.
The China Australia Free Trade Agreement has passed in the Senate with the support of Labor, after getting almost universal community approval.
Yet the unions are demanding Andrew Nikolic participate in their public forum.
These fake debates around the country and automated phone calls are an appalling waste of union members money.
Tasmanians overwhelmingly see the advantages in these free trade agreements in opening up markets for Tasmanian goods and services.
It's time the ACTU started supporting Tasmanian workers and the new opportunities that are going to benefit everyone.
— CHRIS McINDOE, George Town.
Bottle shop
THE recent announcement suggesting Launceston will benefit from Dan Murphy’s bottle shop and 25 new jobs to be offered is in the opinion of many concerned people a great shame for the area.
Maybe 25 jobs, but how many more vulnerable people both young and old will ruin their lives through another easily accessed alcohol outlet.
As it is now State rehabilitation clinics and charitable organisations offering counselling to those influenced by alcohol abuse far out costs 25 wages.
The sadness to families, loss of direction and illness caused by over indulgence is more than many of those advocating the business would ever take time to consider.
For the sake of many families and friends in the Launceston community, let us take on board a lot more intelligent consideration.
— JUANITA MILLER, Trevallyn.