Icy Winter
ON THE television, there was a mention of the winter being the warmest for decades. They were definitely not talking about Tasmania. I personally think it has been a very cold winter here. Even the snow is hanging about longer.
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Cecil Neil Guy, Youngtown.
Marriage Equality
PERHAPS IF those responsible for the recent “No” vote pamphlet, recently dropped into my letterbox, had spent more time on delivering it, and less on creating the bile-ridden document, then they might have expected more success in the forthcoming survey. I had posted my vote several days before the thing arrived.
Dave Robinson, Newstead.
Phonics testing
FEDERAL Education Minister Simon Birmingham clearly expects the states to fund his desired phonics test for grade 1 pupils. Allowing one hour per child for preparation, testing and recording of the results a class of 25 would require a week’s relief for the testing teacher. There are about 5500 grade 1 pupils in our state schools. This equates to 220 classes and therefore 220 weeks of relief. With a 40-week year the equivalent of 5.5 relief teachers in total will be needed equating to $500,000 per year. Who’s paying? Under Gonski 2, the federal government now demands that our states provide the greater share in seeing our public schools resourced to 95 per cent of the school resource standard. When thought bubbles are announced by attention seeking ministers, information detailing required expenditure and the benefits are also needed.
Terry Polglase, Lindisfarne.
Re-use items
RE-USE is simply the act of using again (The Examiner, September 11). Charity and opportunity shops have long enabled the re-use of pre-loved clothing and household items. Really, then did the donors of such items throw them away in the first place? Recycling and re-selling someone’s waste is not as good for the environment as it may sound. I had to use a diesel-powered bus to get to the op shop.