When people are passionate, they take to the internet, and one very effective way they can voice their opinions is through self-started campaigns and petitions.
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Tasmanians launched a number of movements on petition websites in 2016.
They were created on sites like change.org and CommunityRun.org, and shone a light on some of the issues Tasmanians cared about.
From calling on greyhound racing to be banned in the state, to campaigning for big chain retailers to open stores on the island, the petitions were wide and varying.
A petition was started to fund palliative care in Tasmania, while another called on the government to introduce harsher penalties for repeat offenders.
Then there was a petition to bring Krispy Kreme Doughnuts to Tasmania, and another to open up an Aldi here.
Someone wanted a fence built along the East Derwent Highway to minimize roadkill by keeping animals off the road. And another petitioned the government to ensure Tasmania remained GMO-free.
Greyhound racing in Tasmania
One protest on change.org called on Tasmania to end greyhound racing, receiving more than 1700 signatures, while another called on supporters of greyhound racing, gaining around 400 signatures.
The online petition to end greyhound racing was launched by Fran Chambers, after a petition with nearly 3000 handwritten signatures was tabled in Parliament in June 2016.
“Last year, the lid was lifted off the cruel industry where hundreds of dogs die every year in Tasmania alone,” Ms Chambers said.
“A national rally was held in major cities around Australia in February to call for an end to greyhound racing. More than 350 people attended the rally in Hobart and supporters came from all around the state.”
She began the petition after NSW Premier Mike Baird announced his government would ban greyhound racing in his state.
That was before the backflip.
It followed a NSW state enquiry after an ABC Four Corners expose on cruelty, including live baiting, in the industry.
“We were gutted [about the backflip]. It showed, yet again, that politicians are not their own masters, but are puppets in a game where they prefer to save their own necks than do the right thing,” Ms Chambers said.
Mr Baird said he “got it wrong”, and announced that instead of banning greyhound racing in NSW, the government would impose stricter regulations on the industry.
Tasmanian Racing Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the state government was taking action to make the necessary reforms to greyhound racing.
“Following the 31 recommendations outlined by the Joint Select Committee on greyhound racing in Tasmania, we recently announced $320,000 funding for the appointment of a regulatory vet and a stipendiary steward.”
The change.org petition to support greyhound racing in Tasmania stated that there was support for the continuation of the industry.
“Greyhound racing in Tasmania is a heavily regulated industry and there has been no evidence of live baiting in the state,” it said.
Krispy Kreme Doughnuts
If you have ever been on a Sydney or Melbourne to Launceston, Devonport or Hobart flight, you have probably seen people stocked to the max with Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.
Does the inability to purchase them on our island state make them that much more appealing, or are they really that good?
“Tasmanians are always going to Melbourne and stocking up boxes upon boxes of these delicious Krispy Kreme doughnuts just to take them home and [then they’re] gone in a week,” the petition stated.
“Why should mainlanders be the only ones to enjoy this heavenly treat?
“Tasmania has been left behind in so many things but we are still part of Australia so let Krispy Kremes unite all of Australia and we can stand together stronger than ever.”
Palliative care
Another campaign was started in 2016, calling on the Commonwealth to fund palliative care in Tasmania. That received more than 450 online signatures.
“Despite 70 per cent of Australians wanting to die at home, only 14 per cent do so,” the petition read. “More than half die in hospitals and a third in nursing homes.
“The Better Access to Palliative Care Program in Tasmania has been an outstanding success, delivering end of life care education to more than 6,000 Tasmanians. A further 7,600 Tasmanians have been reached through the facilitation of more than $1 million in community funding.”
While greyhound racing has not been banned and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts is not shopping for real estate in Tasmania yet, there were online petitions started in Australia that have made a political difference.
