Vietnam Memorial War
WALKING through town, I met a gentleman wearing about five medals. He had been to a Vietnam memorial service. How different to the reception the servicemen received on returning from that completely useless war.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Today, we honour them for the bravery they displayed fighting in a country where we had no right to be. Today we smile and wave to them on Anzac Day rather than spit on them as people did when they came home.
Let's hope that all returned servicemen who have been sent to fight in countries that don't belong to us receive support and honour for what they have gone through.
Glennis Sleurink, Launceston.
Census Debacle
WHAT a mess, one of the most sensitive collection of personal information handled so extraordinarily badly. If it is compulsory then it should have the highest classified unquestionable protection.
There has already been an inquiry into the Australian Bureau of Statistics and it was found not to be properly ready “to maximise the values of all government held information”. And I was gobsmacked when it was disclosed that the head of ABS David Kalisch was on a remuneration package of $705,000 a year.
That’s $13,500 a week. Who signs off on these exorbitant wages? No wonder Australia has such a huge debt. Poor execution, failed attempt, safeguards not in place. The Australian taxpayer deserves better return for its outlay for government members and public service salaries.
Peter Doddy, Trevallyn.
University profile
THE University of Tasmania has a low profile and this is partly due to the media, especially television, and we wonder why relatively few Tasmanian students want to embark on study there.
The mid-year graduation in Hobart got 20 seconds on Win and 10 seconds on Southern Cross, none of the ABC, sport especially with the Olympics occupied at least half the news. There is nothing wrong with sport.
Why can’t television show the magnificent academic procession into the venue, show several students having their degrees conferred and have brief interviews with a couple of graduates in their gown and hood? The academic dress of UTAS degrees are Oxford style and some of the colours for the academic hoods are magnificent. Dark blue: arts; purple: medical science; blue-green: nursing; and crimson for law.
Why doesn’t the university make a five to 10 minute video of a conferring of degrees ceremony, with procession in accompanied by thunderous organ music and the staff in their splendid academic gear? The video could be shown on television and in schools and colleges. Cost of production almost nil. To be honest, part of my motivation for reading for a degree was to wear the gown and hood. My parents saved up and bought it for me and in which I am to be buried. I am so very proud of my degree, a humble BA.
Malcolm Scott, Newstead.
Liberal government
THE Hodgman Liberal government has got to get a lot smarter if it is going to save office in the 2018 state election. The state Liberal government was swept into office on the coattails of the federal government 2013. The people of Australia were promised jobs and that has not happened.
This is why Tony Abbott and the three amigos in Northern Tasmania have been replaced. To get smart the state government would be very wise to go national and see if it can find a suitable candidate to run out of the Department of State Growth office in Launceston. You cannot provide jobs if there are no jobs. It is up to the government to create this. Only the right person with the business skill can be suitable for this position in Northern Tasmania where there is an abundance of scope for development.