Centrelink
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LETTERS from Malcolm Scott - I fully support Mr Scott in his comments regarding wording of Centrelink documents.
I also taught business communications for many years and am astonished that such misleading documents are threatening millions of pensioners who have provided for their retirement.
— SHIRLEY THOMAS, Northdown.
Remembrance day
THERE must be one very proud Australian in George Town after Remembrance Day when they stole our brand new Australian flag.
I suppose they will proudly show off this new Australian flag to their mates and tell them what a brave soul they are.
How despicable to steal the Australian flag on a day we all gather to remember our fallen and returned heroes.
— ALEX DUSTAN OAM, Vice president George Town RSL sub branch.
Tyres
THE stockpile of tyres at Longford appears to be the classic case of NIMBY (not in my back yard) unless there is something not being reported or stated on record.
If it is a planning dispute, this should be settled because Tasmania has to have a recycling plant if there is a price on old tyres when purchasing new tread for you vehicle, someone has to shred or use the items disposed of and therefore stockpile the offending tyres before properly disposing of them.
If a company is willing to commit money into a plant that accomplishes this, all well and good and obstacles put in its way to achieve an outcome has to be better for the community and Tasmania on the whole.
— ANTHONY GALVIN, Mayfield.
Rates
ONCE again the well off complain about paying more for services, but if if you can afford to live in the expensive part of Launceston you should pay more because the council certainly doesn’t spend the same money on infrastructure in the poorer suburbs.
With the forced property boom of old, the wealthier areas certainly came off a lot better.
The ones that could, just bought up the poorer areas and just made people pay inflated rents for places that are still substandard.
For example, just drive around look at the state of patched roads, dangerous footpaths and overgrown parks.
To me it just sounds like the well off want more and the battlers mean nothing.
Instead of moaning about what you pay, stand up and make the council and state government more accountable for the huge amount of money they waste on themselves.
Don't know of any aldermen or well off living in the poorest northern suburbs.
— S. HANSON, Ravenswood.
Thanks
I AM writing to say how fortunate we are to have so many caring residents of our City of Launceston.
On Monday, November 9, I drove my wife to the CBD, parked in the council car park, crossed George Street to go into Yorktown Square to do some shopping.
At the entrance to Yorktown Square, my wife tripped and fell on an area of uneven pavers.
She received several facial injuries resulting in a bloodied appearance.
We are both ‘seniors’.
We were amazed at the response of several concerned onlookers offering assistance.
One very concerned young lady kindly offered to ring for assistance on her mobile.
Another male onlooker assisted me to get my wife to her feet.
We were assisted across George Street by a bystander, in order that we could get to our car quickly.
I thanked these people personally, but we both feel others should know that we have so many people prepared to assist those of us that need a hand.
My wife and I extend our thanks to everyone involved in assisting us.
Apart from looking as though she has gone a couple of rounds, my wife is feeling much better.
Note to Launceston City Council: perhaps we should check the footpaths before concentrating on the laneways.
— WILLIAM GARDNER, Newstead.
Biosecurity Tas
BIOSECURITY Tasmania continues to receive $500,000 a year from the federal government to track and eradicate the `phantom’ fox within our state.
With nothing to show for the funding, Windermere MLC Ivan Dean, is right in his push into where Biosecurity Tasmania has spent the money.
Let’s face it, Tasmanians (I for one) were gobsmacked at the $50 million spent over 13 years of the controversial `Fox Eradication Program’.
Every dollar allocated to the sly `ol’ fox program from now on, should be open and transparent in where it is spent, for the only fox in Tasmania at the moment is `Foxtel’ and only a few of us get to see that one.
— ROBERT LEE, Summerhill.
Private health
THE Federal Health Minister made a statement that Australians are paying too much for their private health insurance.
Hooray, there is a review underway.
Last year over half a million left it or downgraded.
I am considering getting out, it is just too expensive and premiums increase by three times the rate of inflation each year.
Except for elective surgery, it is of little use in Launceston as for any thing major you go to the Launceston General Hospital.
Three case studies:
1. I broke my arm badly in Melbourne and was admitted as a private patient and needed two weeks convalescence, my status had to be changed to public to be admitted to their luxurious convalescent unit.
On return to Launceston I had to go the public fracture clinic at the LGH, wonderful care and the use of the hospital’s physiotherapy unit led to a fantastic result.
2. Friend had hip replacement carried out privately - gap $2500.
3. Had colonoscopy in private endoscopy unit - cost was $125 more than my excess with the health fund.
— MALCOLM SCOTT, Newstead.
Retention
WHAT a surprise.
The federal and state governments are now understanding what any mature age teacher could have told them if anyone bothered to ask them.
The simple truth, that good quality outcomes in education depend on good quality teaching from good quality teachers.
Two of the greatest enemies of children's education, are university faculties of education which allow unsuitable people to enter teaching courses with the barest of pre-tertiary qualifications and often because they cannot get into their first choice course and governments of every hue which fiddle with education, chop and change courses and performance requirements and use the school system as a political issue more than a human need.
The result is that by the time many children get to the end of grade 10 they are disenchanted with a system which offers few challenges and little stimulation.
If students feel like this, imagine how teachers feel if they are trying to work in a system which meddles without expertise and changes the system repeatedly.
If governments had done nothing for the last 20 years we would be better off.
— PETER GODFREY, Kelso.
Van Diemen Co
I HOPE that OnCard International Limited (who are in negotiations to purchase the Van Diemen’s Land Company) chairman Rob Woolley takes into consideration the history of the area when his company purchases the business.
It is a place that the Tasmanian Aborigines community today wants ongoing access to that area so we can teach our youth the true history of what happened to our people.
We encourage Rob Woolley to negotiate and speak with us to have that area of land returned to our control. We are spiritually connected to the land in that area.
We encourage OnCard International limited and their shareholders to consider returning the Cape Grim parcel of land back to us, creating good relations with the first owners of the land.
Don’t allow history to repeat itself with bad relationships and unjust measures.
— TRUDY MALUGA, State secretary Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.