Firearms
THE EDITORIAL (The Examiner, April 5) about the Liberal Party’s timing of the release of their policy for sensible reform of our Firearms Act 1996, again suggests that that information was not available until the day before the election.
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While I agree that a public announcement by the Liberals may have been desirable, the proposed changes were released weeks before that date.
Indeed, on February 20, 2018, the Media Officer of the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party sent an open letter to every media outlet on their database about the then Police Minister Rene Hidding’s release of the Liberal Party’s commitment.
So I trust that publication of this information will stop the frenzy about secrecy on the part of the Liberal Party and firearm interest groups.
And as it was Liberal Prime Minister John Howard who enacted the sweeping changes to firearm laws in this country in 1996, the state Liberal Party would not ever contemplate weakening our laws.
To suggest that is quite laughable.
And The Examiner must be congratulated for publishing Matt Maloney’s explanation (The Examiner, April 5) of many of the proposed changes which hopefully will educate those whom have been alarmed by the emotive nonsense subsequently disseminated.
I did not appreciate the phone call from the Tassie Greens the day before the election suggesting gun laws will be weakened and Tasmanians will be placed at risk.
Jeffrey Blackmore, South Launceston.
Tourism Figures
TWO WEEKS ago the Tasmanian Tourism Snapshot for the year ending December 2017 was released and it is interesting what did not get mentioned by Will Hodgman or Tourism Tasmania.
Not reported was that the total number of visitors to Tasmania for the December quarter decreased 6 per cent compared with the previous year. This is a big thing given there had been five straight years of growth in the December quarter.
Also not reported was that total nights spent by all visitors in Tasmania in 2017 increased by just 1 per cent on the previous year and there was no increase in the number of nights spent by those holidaying (tourists) in Tasmania. Total visitors for calendar year 2017 was 1.26 million but for the financial year 2016-17 was 1.27 million.
The tourist boom has clearly slowed and we are now facing a probable downturn. Is the industry ready?
Peter McGlone, Director Tasmanian Conservation Trust.
Cricket
THURSDAY THOUGHTS (The Examiner, April 5) “Majoring minors” - Father Brendan Lee, who regards cricket ball tampering as a “so what shoulder shrugging minor”.
Ball tampering in cricket is cheating. Cheating is never minor, it’s a major in any abuse of power, be it in the game of cricket or in life.
Abuse of power is a major in regard to a suicidal person of any age, let alone a 10 year-old boy, be they a refugee or in the congregation of a church.
I agree, Malcolm Turnbull and his powers that be need to seriously express their concerns and compassion regarding the treatment of refugees by Malcolm Turnbull and his powers that be.
We all have our demons, the idea is to face them, not hide from them.
Our government’s demons are their lack of humanity and their lack of humanity and justice.
The people of Australia express our concerns and compassion regarding this horrendous treatment of refugees, highlighting the countless other abuses of power, church and state Australia need to take responsibility for here at home, because ball tampering is definitely not cricket.