Green Tree Frog
THERE SEEMS to be a lot of 'hoo hah' about the biosecurity threat of a green tree frog coming into Tasmania. The chytrid fungus identified as a risk to Tasmanian frogs has been in the state for about 30 years and has been been isolated even in pristine areas. Most likely it arrived with migratory water birds. Endemic Tasmanian snakes, lizards, birds and even household chooks often carry salmonella and other bacteria. I don't hear people labeling them a biosecurity hazard. Fortunately we do not kill people for having the flu or a gastro just because it might be transmitted to other people.
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The little frog could have had a simple culture done of a swab of its skin to identify any organisms it might carry and it otherwise could have been rehabilitated to a responsible carer. It would be naive to believe there have not be other frog incursions into the state in the past. In enlightened times there are many more options beyond destruction.
Paul Swiatkowski, Invermay.
Wood Heater smoke
YES, YOU are allowed to poison your neighbours in Tasmania, provided you do it via your lungs. As each wood heater can emit as much in the way of tar particles and carbon monoxide and other gases as tens of thousands of cigarettes, Tasmanians are doing it very effectively with rather predictable health outcomes. It is unknown by authorities, numerous doctors and other concerned people have tried for decades to get authorities to act responsively with a result that the regulations for how many minutes people are allowed to emit visible smoke have been curtailed somewhat. But as there is no record of previous policing or persecution, don’t hold your breath or at least filter it, while hoping for some responsible actions from all those involved.
F. Groenier, Don.
Special needs
OUR high school educators and all families of students with special needs in our compulsory years of schooling should demand that Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff explains why he made a decision to boost the early childhood and care sector by the $4.9 million a year allocated to the compulsory education sector without any consultation.
This is within two days of him finding out 76 per cent of Tasmanians oppose any lowering of the voluntary school starting age. Many would like to know what his new plan is to see our students start compulsory schooling six months earlier at the age of those in other states.
Terry Polglase, Lindisfarne.
Sad for Tony Abbott
HOW SAD it was to read that the former prime minister Tony Abbott is “worried about bullying from Yes voters” for marriage equality. He even says that he ‘fears’ the possibility of “much moral bullying”. Poor man, I’m guessing that his particular ‘phobia’ is actually quite minimal compared to what non-heterosexual people have endured for more centuries than we could count. It’s time to respect each other’s humanity; time to respect marriage as the commitment of human love more than as a mere license to procreate; time to respect that children need homes full of love and care more than they need two parents of opposite genders; time to let go of unjustified privileges.
Rev J.R. Huggett, Windermere.
Forestry agreement
MUST WE have another 20 years of a forest agreement that was designed for commercial exploitation? We Tasmanians need to stand up to these governments who think that short-term exploitation of our unique forests is better than long term conservation. Right now old growth forests are being ripped up for very little gain, instead of careful management for future use. One day people will ask ‘what did you do when you found out that the politicians lied and wasted our heritage?’.
