Lapoinya
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IMAGINE the Gorge was being destroyed.
Now you have a sense of how the people of Lapoinya feel about its destruction.
— ANDREA DAWKINS, Bass Greens MHA.
Quit Ad
I HAVE just returned from NYC, Jersey City and Union City in the US where I witnessed the wonderfully healthy result of the US’s responsible stance to quit smoking successfully and totally.
It was a pleasure to be around everybody there.
It is clear the mighty US have pulled together to quit the poison smokes, so why can’t Tasmania?
There was no diabetes 2 either, just people walking, eating well and enjoying life.
Great citizens.
They didn’t speed or crash their cars either, not where I was and it’s hugely populated. So what’s wrong here, folks?
— PAMELA KENDRICK, Hadspen.
Republic
AT LEAST the Prime Minister of Australia Malcolm Turnbull has rebuked the ranting of Peter Fitzsimmons chairman of the Australian Republic Movement.
Definitely not the right time.
You would have to be an absolute air head to contemplate a Republic with the pressing problems now facing Australia.
Australia’s huge debt crisis, waiting’s lists at hospitals, public housing, addressing terrorism, unemployment, drug abuse.
If the people of Australia want a Republic then so be it, but not now.
Sometimes opulent people with too much time on their hands are insulated from the real problems.
Come on Mr. Fitzsimmons do something useful.
— PETER DODDY, Trevallyn.
Tennis
WHAT an interesting mix the 16 quarter finalists in the Australian Open produced.
Fourteen different nations, with only Spain and yes, Great Britain, with dual representation.
Despite all the hype our young guns seem more concerned with their own egos rather than knuckling down and realising the full potential of their talents.
Perhaps it’s time that the media stopped treating them as “stars” and criticised their boorish behaviour.
We were quick enough to criticize the demise of West Indian cricket and Tennis Australia should realise that tennis here is in a similar state.
— A. CARTER, Mowbray.
Water
THE WATER shortage issue is more like a grey matter issue.
By that I mean who decided to empty storage facilities to use to generate "environmental power" and is now hiding?
This was caused by the greedy power corporations to gain as much in carbon credits as they could.
Tasmania is now paying for it by the pollution problems in the west Tasmanian Macquarie Harbor and energy requirements.
Where river flow was steady in the harbor, the Greens are now clamoring about the salmon industry there now polluting the area.
It was not a problem before.
I suggest the Greens put a sock in it for the next few centuries.
They destroy the very environments which they wish to save with their political nonsense.
— JOHN VANCE, Wangaratta, Victoria.
Penalty Rates
I WAS working for a company and did not receive weekend penalty rates, I was constantly being called in on what was to be my day to spend time with my then young children, as the other staff members refused to work when it was a public holiday and it was easier to just call in sick even when I was well aware that they just did not want to work for a flat rate.
I was a senior member of staff and often worked weekends, every weekend, public holidays and this really had an effect on my home life.
If I was already signed on for work, I would often work long hours and short staffed.
I eventually found other employment that paid penalty rates and I must say I would never take another job that did not pay the penalty rates as why shouldn’t people that are working so that most of the public can have the day off.
If all the public holidays were taken away, I wonder how many would jump up and down or if employers decided that everyone will work weekends, again i'm sure everyone would jump up and down, so get up and support the protection of the penalty rates or it may be your weekends, public holidays etc next.
— KAY FERGUSON, Hobart.
Penalty Rates
WHO gives anyone the right to decide what rate of pay we should have when 99 per cent of the companies, departments and government agencies do not work on weekends, after hours or any other time that is required of 99 per cent of the workers.
We as workers require this incentive to work the hours you require so you may go out and enjoy yourselves.
Not happy?
Then let the bosses’ work the hours we do for the payment that they want to pay us and see how they get along.
I know men who currently often work from 2300hrs/11pm to 0800/1000hrs/8am-10am. Let’s see a boss do this for a small sum of money and lose the sleep that we do.
Without the award rate of pay, I and my family along with other working families would be out on the street with nothing as most of us are still paying off a mortgage.
During the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s the unions fought very hard for what we have now, even back then the bosses were crying poor.
Just remember that sleep deprivation is a medical problem which affects most workers who have to operate during these inequitable hours.
— RUSSELL MITCHELL, Crabtree.
Cyclists
MY WIFE and I have an enjoyable time walking the tracks of the Trevallyn Reserve with our dog every day, but we are often startled by the sudden arrival of cyclists on mountain bikes.
On one occasion we thought we heard something, but didn’t turn around until about 50 metres further when we heard a more distinct noise, and realised a bike had been silently stalking us and listening to our conversation.
On other occasions we have been suddenly confronted by a bike racing past us less than one metre away.
Our dog generally springs aside in fright and could easily be run over despite always being on a lead.
We often ask why they don’t ring a bell or announce their presence verbally.
The response is usually quite civil and they agree with our suggestion.
But once or twice the rider has been rude, with one even claiming “I am in the bush so I don’t have to use the bell”.
Would it be possible for any clubs, associations or groups of cycling friends to discuss this issue and resolve to alert pedestrians to their presence in future?
Otherwise a collision or a heart attack could be the result.
— A. FRELLEK, Trevallyn.
Dreaming
‘REWRITING History" proclaims Andrea Dawkins MHA as she in turn attempts to re-write the sad history of Green mythology.
Is it not interesting that they who accuse others of re-writing history are usually found to be at great pains to re-write it themselves; and yet the more curious that facts must play no part in their accounting.
It was not the "voice of the people" that prevented the logical progress she describes but the voice of the "over vocal minority".
Let us also pause to realise that the voice of the over vocal minority has rarely if ever, served humanity for it invariably turns out to be the voice of stagnation lacking economic reality, moderation and compromise.
Fairy floss policies melt in the light of reason and we had best sweep them away before they do away with us.
No accusation has been laid at the feet of the Greens that is undeserved and the loss of employment for many stands in witness against them as our economy struggles to recover from their irrational political naivety and their disastrous marriage of self-serving convenience to the Tasmanian Labor Party.
— LEN W. LANGAN, Longford.
Ratepayers
IT appears that amalgamations is pushed by the Launceston City Council, for what reason?
Is it because of their size of pay packet will increase or more power and become bureaucratic.
I have yet to see the benefits for the ratepayers, there is none.
I fully support West Tamar Council mayor Chistina Holmdahl as her council said " no benefits to ratepayers".
I support sharing of services as this benefits councils and ultimately the ratepayers.
— JULIAN OOSTERLOO, Riverside.