The group has multi-skilled members with expertise in railway operations, as well as the support of significant business people, who can see what a viable and valuable contribution a heritage railway can make to the whole North East region. Mr Clements' self-interest in running a small business near the railway line would also be served by a tourist train which could set down and pick up passengers near his door and not be restricted to stopping only at designated stations. As for his description of the existing line as ugly, beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there are many people who find an old railway line both interesting and attractive. It represents our social and industrial heritage, which is worth preserving. Everyone is welcome to the next public forum at Lilydale Hall on June 29  at 6pm.

THE spokesman for the owners of TasWater,  Northern Midlands mayor David Downie, is quoted (June 19) as saying that Local Government Minister Peter Gutwein offered only 6 cents in the dollar for an asset he valued at $3 billion. An asset paid for by ratepayers. He is accusing the state government of conning the community. As a ratepayer I am feeling conned, not just by the state government but by all those charged with managing our water and sewerage services.

Let us remember that local government does not exist in the Commonwealth constitution and is not really part of society’s governance. It is there to assist the community get fair representation at the state and federal level, a task they have failed at dismally. Now they are attempting to trade in assets that do not belong to them. All local government assets, including roads, bridges, water and sewerage infrastructure have been paid for by ratepayers and are therefore owned by the people of Tasmania. The only argument is, who is best placed and qualified to manage these assets? To me, local government has proven to be completely incapable.

THE Gonski panel believed that differences in educational outcomes must not be the result of differences in wealth, income, power or possessions and parent surveys conducted across Australia overwhelmingly supported this with more than 90 per cent expressing agreement. David Gonski never wanted a dollar figure placed on what was needed, but having done so, a most unedifying spectacle involving political parties, unions and the Catholics is now being played out. The reality is that David Gonski and members of his panel believe Gonski 2.0 is a fairer model than the original 27 agreements that were secretly cobbled together in the lead up to Julia Gillard’s federal election.

The dollars on offer now go nowhere near what was signed off on in 2014 as 60 per cent of the six year commitment was to come to schools in the last two years of the agreements. Now this has been withdrawn another insufficiently funded back-ended decade long deal will see schools once again stagnate. The action of the Greens to see more and hopefully most of the funding delivered in the next six years is logical and if this can be achieved, other stakeholders should openly support it as putting equity above politics is what this landmark report set out to achieve.