Unsung Heroes
I JUST wanted to thank our Tasmanian police force and our firefighters for the amazing work that they do.
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I had the pleasure recently of watching the helicopters do their magic near Deloraine. It was a hot and steamy day, but there they were – protecting our world. We saw them at noon and they were still at it by 3pm.
I know a lot of the firefighters are doing volunteering work while their own families fret about them, as we go about our own lives. A big thank you and I am sure many of us would love to say it in person, so I will do it this way.
I am proud to be an Australian because we all care about each other.
Felicity O’Neill, Deloraine.
Greens’ pledge
IT IS no headline that Tasmania attracts countless tourists annually to its places of vast and varied scenic beauty.
While it will always be challenging to maintain an effective balance between allowing access to these areas and protecting them, recent government decisions have made it difficult to ensure that adequate protections can be maintained.
It is vital that viable management plans are restored, numbers of park rangers are boosted and that significant investment is made to upgrade and maintain visitor infrastructure, to ensure that safe and rewarding access to our beautiful places is maintained.
The Tasmanian Greens have a clear policy for ensuring these and other measures, so that our island remains a tourist drawcard.
Such measures, in the end, will profit everyone.
C. Hindrum, Launceston.
Poker Machines
SINCE many people seem to think that poker machines are all about having fun rather than being addictive, the obvious answer is to allow them anywhere at all, with no license fees.
However, they are only allowed if they are free to operate.
Prizes can be at the venue owner's discretion but cannot have any 'membership' or other requirement to play them.
I assume the prizes would then be quite small and would cater for those who just enjoy playing them (with very occasional, very small payout that they wouldn't see very often) and for the addicted, they could play as long as they liked without losing any money at all.
The venue would have provided 'entertainment' and thus presumably benefit from the players buying food and drink while they are there, from the money they have not put through the pokies.
Now why does this seem to be too good to be true?
Jan Horton, West Launceston.
Righteous and Tired
I MUST confess to being a member of the righteous few (Ted Horlock, Letters, The Examiner, January 28) using the same old tired arguments (Veronica Jill Davies, Letters, The Examiner, January 28).
For 204 years since January 26, 1788, we denied that Aborigines were here first and it was their land.
It is only 26 short years ago that we finally acknowledged that we had been lying to ourselves.
We want our children to grow into adults who admit their shortcomings and make amends where possible.
To want Australia to stand up in this way is no different.
We have much to be proud of and we can celebrate this together.
Moving the date seems such a small sacrifice compared to what our Indigenous people have been denied.
Let me ask you this: Is there is nothing more righteous than saying they were lucky it was the British and not some other nation that colonised Australia - and is there is nothing more tired than saying they should just get over it?
Tony Newport, Hillwood.
Volunteering
MY WIFE and I had a lovely time visiting the Evandale Market on Sunday.
We were very impressed with a small group of volunteers who were manning a stall selling a huge variety of secondhand goods as well as some home produce, which included some tomatoes that had just been picked.
I believe all the proceeds were going to StGiles disability services in Launceston.
Well done to you all, keep up the good work and I hope it continues.
Stephen McCarthy, Invermay.
Statement
THE Premier has adamantly stated publicly that a majority Liberal party government only will govern this state or not at all.
Therefore, this obviously rules out any deals. It will have to be something he will have to abide by otherwise his statement would be one that would be a misleading of the public and therefore be an issue for the ombudsman.
Ian Fitch, George Town.
Hospital parking
I SUPPOSE l will be very lucky to see the new co-private hospital built in my lifetime.
I hope for the future of the state, I do, but I wish someone would do something about all the employees who park outside my house 12 hours a day, five days a week.
It makes it impossible to organise for trades people or visitors or just to park outside the front door to unload groceries.
Council just don’t seem able or just don’t care.
A time limit for parking would help.
Doreen Baker, West Launceston.
Festivale
IT SEEMS The Choirboys are Never Gonna Die, since their original line-up was re-established in 2010, after an approximate hiatus of 20 years.
Lead singer Mark Gable was on song at Launceston’s Festivale last Saturday, before a well-attended and appreciative, welcoming audience, blessed with magnificent weather, encapsulated City Park as the perfect settin.
Kenneth Gregson, Swansea.