Errol’s Grand Plans
IT’S EXCITING to read of Errol Stewart’s plans for further development at Inveresk.
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Business leaders such as Errol and others who came before him, Roger Smith, Robert Hoskins and Joe Chromy (fortunately still active) are so significant in developing valuable additions to our city’s built structures, particularly on the accommodation side.
And our city council must be delighted that the $60 million-plus it spent on flood levees is paying off so handsomely.
But I guess the naysayers will come out of the woodwork talking once more about flood plains and put forward the same puerile arguments they used to oppose the university’s relocation.
Personally I’d like to congratulate all involved.
Dick James, Launceston.
Service about Self
IN AN age where it is a challenge to find someone to serve you how I remember, years ago, when going into FitzGerald’s Hobart Store (one of seven) to buy a pair of shoes, Mr Peter FitzGerald, chairman and managing director (who usually called me Michael) walked past and said “Good morning Mr Scott – how can I help”?
I explained that as the assistant on duty was busy I was just waiting to buy a pair of shoes.
Much to my embarrassment, Mr FitzGerald said “What size do you take?” and returned with a selection of shoes for me to try on and, once I had selected a pair he, while kneeling, proceeded to fit them. He was, without doubt Tasmania’s finest retailer and that day I learned two things – the meaning of service and the fact that, despite his position, the most important person in the store was the customer.
I always believed that unnecessarily changing the name from FitzGeralds to the horrible sounding Harris Scarfe defied logic.
Michael Scott, South Hobart.
Asylum Seekers
I RECENTLY wrote a letter to the editor expressing the view that the Australian government has behaved with cruelty to to refugees, and that the current policies of locking people up when they have committed no crime are unacceptable.
A reader out there has taken exception to what I wrote and sent an anonymous letter accusing me of writing with a "pen dipped in the slime of sentimental rhetoric" and not paying attention to the difficulties of Australians who are homeless or old or unemployed.
Odd, isn't it, that this person does not even have the courage to sign their name to their letter, whereas I stand up for my beliefs by naming myself?
I have never said these are easy issues, or that I had answers to every aspect of the asylum seeker story, or answers to global poverty or any other huge issue.
We live in complex, difficult times.
But I do know that it is wrong to lock people up in appalling conditions for years and years, because they came to Australia seeking help and asylum.
I do know that it is wrong to dump asylum seekers who came to Australia for help on Papua New Guinea and try to walk away from our responsibilities.
I do know that there are approximately 600-700 men on Manus to whom we could extend a practical helping hand, and that there are many Australians keen to do that.
I stand by my comments that what has been happening to refugees in Australia's care, particularly on Manus Island, is a disgrace.
Anne Brelsford, Legana.
Road Fatalities
NO WONDER there is high fatalities and accidents on Tasmanian roads.
The majority of drivers do not know the basic road rules or are too ignorant and have no respect for other drivers using the roads.
So much for zero tolerance.
K. Nunn, Newnham.
Trump
I SAW A fabulous slogan on a “wicked” campervan featuring Trump.
“Elect a clown, expect a circus”.
Elsa de Ruyter, St Helens.
Time to Go
IT IS obvious to all Tasmanians that Senator Eric Abetz is so out of touch with the realities of modern Australia that it is time to retire, and perhaps for Sam McQuestion, too.
They both need to take responsibility for a failed federal campaign, failed Pembroke bi-election and the same-sex marriage ‘no’ campaign.
Micheal Robinson, Beauty Point.
Holding back progress
IF HOLLY Hughes is ineligible to take a seat in the Senate because she was receiving money from the taxpayer, aren’t all candidates seeking re- election guilty of the same offence?
I suggest a major priority of all those concerned about how unreasonably hard it is to change the Constitution would be to campaign in a bipartisan manner to change the conditions of referenda.
Rod Fenner, Launceston.
Same-sex marriage
WHAT IS going on here?
I voted "yes" for same sex marriage on a form that had only two choices, both relating to same sex marriage.
Now we have politicians wanting to introduce other issues such as religious freedom etc.
The $100 million postal vote did not ask us for our opinions on any other issues.
Let Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull now have the guts to make the decision to pass this simple Bill which he did not have the courage to make himself .
R. Parker, Summerhill.
Soccer
GREAT soccer news for Australia with the Socceroos fine win over Honduras, but I see that the Italian “diving” team failed to get through for the first time since 1958.
Richard Hill, Newstead.