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WHAT a stunning photograph by Scott Gelston - Sunset on the North Esk River off Henry Street (The Examiner, May 26).
— A. R. TROUNSON, Needles.
Same sex marriage
EACH and every day we are constantly monstered by media that the majority (polls) are in favour of same sex marriage.
Personally I couldn’t give zilch in either direction, however, should it be put to the people in a referendum, my tip is that the vote would be strongly against the proposal.
Certainly put an end to the constant bickering once and for all.
So let's do it.
— DON DAVEY, Launceston.
Health
THE Tasmanian Health System has been `broken’ for many years.
Health Minister Michael Ferguson is to be commended for the work he has done in a very short time - considering these problems have been ongoing for more than 30 years (as long as I’ve been in Tasmania and working within and outside of the system).
Both Mr Ferguson and Bass Liberal MHR Andrew Nikolic are managing their portfolios with par excellence - and the community is benefiting.
The John L. Grove Centre is an example.
— LOUISE POTENSKY, Norwood.
Marriage
IT IS a sad day for society's morals, when Ireland joined New Zealand and supported same-sex marriage.
Unfortunately some of the Christian churches have deviated to support same sex marriage, by pretending that such marriage is equal recognition.
Irrespective of this gross misunderstanding of marriage by these churches, marriage in biblical terms remains a union between a man and women.
It’s time all people stood up for marriage between a man and woman and rejected the constant pressure to change.
— JIM CAMPBELL, Ulverstone.
Royal Baby
Last month Launceston City Council Aldermen refused to recognise marriage equality largely on the grounds that it was not appropriate local government business.
Can someone explain therefore how recognising the birth of a privileged girl into the British monarchy 20,000 kilometres away is an appropriate issue to devote council time and resources to?
Marriage equality has everything to do with Launceston promoting itself as a community that supports diversity and equality for all – an important foundation for attracting future investment and population.
On the other hand, I’m mystified as to what relevance whatsoever the British Royal family has to the future of Launceston.
— MALCOLM REID, Trevallyn.
Depp
THE saga of the Johnny Depp's two dogs has been totally misrepresented.
Yes his minders are at fault, but more of a problem is our border security.
To date we do not know how they (dogs) got into the country through Customs, AQIS etc.
Where is our biosecurity that we spend millions on?
This has been a total failure of the border protection/biosecurity services and it would be good to know who takes on the responsibility.
The verbal tirade of out Agriculture Minister was just an embarrassing smoke screen to point the finger at others, whilst he should be pointing at his own department.
— M. FRYDRYCH, Mole Creek.
Referendum
THE recent referendum in favour of same-sex marriage in Ireland has understandably provided new oxygen for those in favour of same-sex marriage in Australia.
However, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has rejected the idea of a referendum, stating that the issue has to be dealt with by Federal Parliament.
He's got be kidding.
In the Reader's Digest 2014 survey (1206 people) on the most trusted professions in Australia, from 1 to 50, politicians came in at 49.
The institution of marriage, exclusively between a man and a woman, is the very foundation of our society.
It belongs to the Australian people and only they should decide if it should be changed to include same-sex relationships.
To let politicians, whom, history has proved time and time again, can buckle to pressure to serve their own interests, decide such an important issue, would be outrageous and an insult to the people of Australia.
— IAN MACPHERSON, Newstead.
Pensions
IT WAS surreal to read Julie Yates’ call (Letters, May 19) to "abolish the huge pensions that politicians receive for the rest of their lives”.
The idea is based on a fantasy.
In Tasmania, the generous "defined benefit” superannuation scheme was closed off in 1999 and now includes only four out of 40 State MPs, plus thousands of public servants.
The other 36 MPs are on a 9.5 per cent employer super contribution, just like most Australian workers.
No Tasmanian MPs are entitled to any parliamentary pension, when they depart from political life.
The same goes for Federal MPs elected since 2004 (that’s most of them), who are on a 15.4 per cent government contribution.
Those who rant about politicians’ pensions should take a stiff dose of the facts.
— GREG HALL, MLC, Legislative Council Deputy President.
Water
APPALLING though it is that the opportunity to access $350 million to upgrade Tasmania’s water and sewage infrastructure was lost in 2008, nothing is achieved by looking back and apportioning blame for the sorry mess our rivers and waterways are now in through archaic and totally inadequate infrastructure (The Examiner, May 25).
Instead we should be looking forward.
At least, and at long last, the problem has now been recognised and, to their credit, with the 'Launceston Sewage Improvement Project', TasWater has identified the means to resolve the problem of disposal of Launceston’s, and surrounding districts, sewage into our rivers and waterways.
The construction of this essential utility is completely beyond the financial wherewithal of TasWater consequently, as a matter of extreme urgency, they should be provided with the appropriate funding to fulfil this essential project from local, state and federal government coffers in addition to their own resources.
— JIM COLLIER, Legana.
Refugees
THE humanitarian response to the plight of people starving on boats is to appeal to Governments to help them.
But what are these people escaping from?
Some might be trying to elude persecution but most are fleeing poverty and are looking to improve their situation for themselves and family.
For that they cannot be blamed but the irony is that these people have paid the smugglers thousands of dollars so are not the poorest.
They have more entrepreneurial skills than most and so the country they are escaping is made even poorer by their absence.
Welcoming these people in other countries is not only immoral but creates all sorts of social problems due to cultural differences.
The genuinely poor people cannot afford the people smuggling fees so are left behind, some might be picked up by immigration but most are forgotten and ignored.
The media concentrates on those in boats at sea.
Throwing millions of dollars around in the form of aid might create a warm fuzzy feeling but is achieving little because it is so poorly managed with much of it disappearing under corruption.
Two basic approaches are needed.
First, use the aid money more wisely to seed small businesses and improve the economy of these poor countries.
Second, bring more pressure to bear on the autocratic regimes who persecute certain minority groups.
Do something genuinely positive to assist the poorer countries.
The Western countries cannot possibly absorb all the refugees but they can help them in better ways than are now evident.
— JOHN COULSON, Dilston.
Hospice need
THE article by Jodie Stephens regarding ‘saving of John L Grove Centre’ (The Examiner, May 26) shows how ‘people power’ can twist the arms of politicians.
The sub-acute facility in Kings Meadows referred to in the article, was the site of Philip Oakden Hospice, closed by the operator in 2007, vacant for two years before ‘re-opening’ as a Transitional Care Unit, only to be closed again last year.
The article about the Emergency Department in The Examiner (Wednesday, May 27) states that ‘one of the patients is dying and their treatment is palliative’.
Not good enough.
Why is it that we are still being told by the politicians and health bureaucrats that ‘the current services for palliative and end of life care are adequate?
How much better would it be for the dying patient (and their family) if they were able to be admitted directly to a ground-floor, home-like dedicated facility (hospice) rather than to the busy hub of an ED where they will most likely undergo costly and unnecessary tests and investigations.
The staff do their very best under difficult circumstances but the ED is not set up to cater for end of life care, nor should it be.
Patients who are at the end of their life do not need admission to an acute hospital.
The battle to re-establish a Hospice in Launceston is now into its ninth year.
The need is obviously still there.
— BARB BAKER, Friends of Northern Hospice.