Land SALE
IT’S CONCERNING that yet again a significant parcel of prime Australian land may be sold to a foreign company. One welcomes the interim order by the federal treasurer Scott Morrison, preventing the $370 million sale to a Chinese company of Australia’s largest landholder S. Kidam And Co, stating he is considering an independent external review on the sale as to whether the deal satisfies the national interest test.
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Surely it cannot be in the nation’s interest to be selling great swads of Aussie real estate to overseas investors. It is understood the Chinese bidder just pipped several Australian bidders.
I say, for the sake of keeping things locally owned which would certainly be in the national interest - sell it to the Aussies.
Robert Lee, Summerhill.
Electricity
LIBERAL MHR Eric Hutchinson says another BassLink cable will allow Tasmania to capitalize on its natural assets (The Examiner, April 19), I’m not sure how that works. Does Mr Hutchinson consider that importing more electricity from Brown Coal Fired Power Stations on the mainland as part of our natural assets?
It would of course enable us to dispense with diesel powered generators next time we have a water shortage and there will be a next time. I understand that had the Lower Gordon power scheme been completed, it would have produced 3018 mw of power, almost equal to 11 power stations the size of Poatina.
Todd Hills of Mowbray (The Examiner, April 16) has suggested a conversation re nuclear power. Given that hundreds of these plants are operating worldwide, that could be an interesting conversation.
Ron Baines, Kings Meadows.
AMBROSE COMMENTS
THE comments by Marcos Ambrose (The Examiner, April 25) are indeed refreshing. That is what we all are seeking, someone who has the courage to put their hand up for Launceston.
We do not need another report, it is just so obvious to all who live here. One candidate for Bass is waiting on a report, the other recognises the problem. I simply ask, you both have the potential political clout to fix the problem, make it your priority in this election to remedy this problem. $300 million is a reasonable amount of money, but in the context of gross domestic output, it is a minor amount. Please stand up and be counted.
Ted Sands, Ald LCC.
Burn-offs
IT IS pleasing to see the state Fire Service active in fire reduction burns (The Examiner, April 25). Now with the cooler, calmer weather it is an ideal time to undertake this and it is good to note the co-operation of Forestry, Parks and Wildlife and farmers.
Of course it means smoke haze, but this must be accepted as a necessary corollary. People generally have little patience with the complainers who cannot look ahead to see the ultimate benefit of these burn-offs. Far better a little discomfort for some than a totally out-of-control summer fire storm as recently experienced.