Fires
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OF COURSE we have to protect people’s homes and lives during these catastrophic bush fires (The Examiner Editorial, January 27) but let us not forget these unique wilderness areas are vital to Tasmania’s economic future and booming tourist industry so there has to be more money and manpower available to fight fires in these remote regions.
— ESTELLE ROSS, Riverside.
Smoke
I HAVE noticed very little adverse comment from the recent prolonged smoke from naturally caused fires, imagine if the same smoke was created by controlled planned burns by the very same authorities that are currently fighting the fires, there would be an outcry.
We all should realise that some smoke at the right time might save some of the anguish and stress that many communities have been experiencing.
— BARRY CRAWFORD, Deloraine.
Concert
AS A retired player with over 60 years experience playing in brass bands both in the UK and here in Australia I along with many others was able to sit and listen to the Australia Day Music in the Park concert played by the City of Launceston RSL Band.
This annual concert is sponsored by the Launceston City Council.
I have played with this band in many of these concerts but have never seen such a large appreciative audience in attendance.
Long may it continue.
The band conducted by their musical director Steve English presented a program full of varied music covering traditional march music, Australian themed music and plenty more pieces interspersed with a vocal soloist, cornet soloist, euphonium soloist and a cornet trio.
— TONY ROPER, Riverside.
Road rules
ON Friday, January 29, Troy Patten of Longford wrote referring to a commercial showing motorists `illegally' crossing solid lines to pass cyclists.
I would like to point Mr Patten to this article which is now nearly a year old: `Centrelines'.
From February 25 (2015) new road rules will be introduced on Tasmanian roads to increase the safety of bike riders.
When passing or overtaking a bike rider, a motorist can now straddle or cross a continuous centre line in order to leave a safe space between their vehicle and the bike rider, when it is safe to do so.
A safe space is considered to be 1 metre between the motorist and the bike rider, on roads up to and including 60 km/h and 1.5 metres on roads above 60 km/h.'
In actual fact the corresponding newspaper article elaborates that the lines can be any combination of continuous and broken lines (www.transport.tas.gov.au/centrelines).
— J. EDWARDS, Prospect Vale.
Freedom
MY FATHER fought against dictatorship in World War II and the Korean War.
Dale Leonard (Letters, January 25) says “These people were prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice so you can enjoy the freedom that you do.”
“What freedom?
The very government my father fought for, “forces me” to have to vote and “forces me” to accept foreigners my father fought to keep out.
Conscription was abolished years ago, there’s not a single Australian soldier who was “forced” to go to Syria or Iraq, every one of them “chose” to go.
— A.R. TROUNSON, Needles.
History
IN RESPONSE to Carmen Frelek (The Examiner, January 27).
James Cook arrived in Australia with the help of Dutch and Portuguese maps..
These people were the first Europeans to land on Australia's beaches.
At primary school, we were taught: Who discovered Australia? Answer: Captain James Cook.
This was a lie like so many other history lies we were taught at school.
As this land already had people in it, Britain took it upon itself to once again, use the gun and the point of a bayonet to steal land from others.
Also at school, the Australian Constitution was never mentioned but we did have to learn the Gettysburg address off by heart so that we could recite the first three paragraphs off by heart.
How stupid was that?
History is written by the victors, if it were written by the vanquished, history would be totally different.
— ELIZABETH VERHOEFF, Latrobe.
Child Support
LATE last year I contacted Brett Whiteley MHR ‘s office with a tax form problem.
This question asks the taxpayer how much child support did they pay.
There is no child support information on the group certificate where the Child support payment is being deduced, and the child support people will not supply this information to accountants unless they are authorised by the taxpayer.
Therefore the question either has to be overlooked, or the amount guessed.
Either way the tax return becomes false.
— JIM CAMPBELL, Ulverstone.
Freycinet
THE GOVERNMENT wants to change the boundaries of Freycinet National Park.
It will do this by removing the limits to the constructions of buildings and roadways anywhere in the park.
This allows commercial operators to propose developments outside the limited existing historical leases.
These boundary changes will mean nothing for the protection of the park.
It could lead to removal of protected natural landscapes and the building of permanent cabins anywhere in the park, now prohibited.
To comply with fire regulations much vegetation would be removed from these sites being visible in most tourist photographs taken from the Bay and the top of Mt Amos.
This will damage the very Park the existing management plan is charged to protect.
There are alternatives to using land in the National Park.
These are in the township of Coles Bay on Council reserved land with services and shopping facilities more conveniently located for holidaymakers.
There is a need for more cabin and van accommodation in the peak season.
Providing it outside the park takes pressure off this much loved park.
I'm in favour of developments but not at the cost to our park.
— ADRIAN SULLIVAN, Coles Bay.
Forestry
HAS Forestry Tasmania evolved since Colonial times?
The times where “a tree was there to be cut down”?
Wildlife which depended on living in forests were not considered?
There were probably shot as “pests” in the Colonial mindset.
In the Lapoinya situation, has Forestry Tasmania evolved at all?
— ELSA DE RUYTER, St Helens.
Secret agenda
I NOTE Tony Abbott is seeking reselection at the next election and maybe election after that.
Could it be a secret agenda to become President, if the vote is held when some want it in 2020 and is successful.
He would be young enough, reasonably good looking and articulate and some would do anything to get him out of parliament.
President Tony also sounds okay and more prestigious than High Commissioner to London.
— MALCOLM SCOTT, Newstead.
Together
IMAGINE there is life in outer space?
Imagine there are many more of them than us?
Imagine they have advanced technology and weaponry and in spite of spirited resistance we are overwhelmed?
They let us stay but on their terms.
Their language becomes the dominant language and normal is how they look - not us. We are different, cast as inferior and treated with scant respect.
The titles to our lands are confiscated, crossbreeding is discouraged and children who look more like the new norm are taken from us.
Need I go on?
This could be the year 2178.
Remove the outer space analogy and it is almost certainly 1788.
We have much to celebrate but January 26 can never cut the mustard as a celebratory day for all Australians.
— TONY NEWPORT, Hillwood.
Inveresk
FLASH flood, high tide and Inveresk swimming in stormwater and raw sewerage.
Nothing has changed the last 30 years.
The sewerage and stormwater infrastructure at Inveresk and ti-tree bend has failed once more.
The proposed move by UTAS 10,000 new students 4500 transferred from Newnham and 1000 from Tas-Tafe will certainly require millions of dollars to replace these facilities.
As the council is responsible for separate storm water infrastructure what will be the cost to ratepayers should this grandiose plan continue?
Replacement of ti-tree bend is estimated $200-$300 million.
A bridge over North Esk River from Willis St to campus $8million.
No wonder Launceston City Council rates are $300 to $400 more expensive than those of adjoining councils.
— BASIL FITCH, South Launceston.