Australian Cricket takes a new spin
WITH the appointment of Justin Langer as coach, Australian cricket is set to move out of its ethical doldrums and become invigorated with a culture that is competitive without being overruled by aggression.
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Winning at the cost of a team’s integrity has baleful consequences as the recent ball-tampering incident has shown.
It was good to hear the new coach has kept the door ajar for the return of Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft.
While this is “the ban that they had to have” Langer is prepared to give them another go contingent on their meeting the newly refurbished standards of the Australian cricket team.
Our country will be in for a wonderful season of cricket where players and supporters will be challenged to live up to the ideals inherent in what is a great national sport.
Ed Sianski, West Moonah.
Weir Proposal
I HAVE seen the proposal for building a weir downstream from the Batman Bridge to turn the Tamar estuary into a freshwater lake.
It seemed like a good idea, but Mike Seward who, by the way has an engineering degree in fluid mechanics, puts a convincing argument of the problems it would cause downstream.
I have always thought the only place to build a weir would be upstream from the power station at Tailrace but that may create other problems again.
The only way the problems will ever be solved is if a committee of fully qualified people get together with the determination to find a solution within a set time frame.
It will not be solved by listening to pie in the sky dreamers or naysayers who think it is a crime to change anything.
Malcolm McCulloch, Pipers River.
The predictions were there
I HEARD Barnaby Joyce on the radio crying “no one could have predicted, in 2014, that the banks would abuse the trust of their clients if they were allowed to give their financial advisors kick-backs”.
He and Tony Abbott agreed with the banks to repeal Labor’s client protection laws that stopped financial advisers receiving kick-back-commissions.
Yes, the banks knew even in 2014 how they were going to screw over the Australian public.
Today, Tony Abbott says there is nothing wrong with his law, it is the bad people who must be sacked, what absolute rubbish.
Self-regulation did not work then, nor does it work now. Self-regulation is the kind of disingenuous clap-trap a Liberal, buyer beware ideology spouts, and that always sets the scene for exploitation to flourish.
Well Mr Joyce, I predicted it then, and so too did many informed experts and commentators.
Reality check - Mr Joyce, Mr Abbott and that side of politics showed abysmal, or disingenuous judgement, despite explicit warnings at the time.
The Turnbull government’s recent extreme reluctance; you can see the finger-nail-scratchings in the very floor of Parliament house as they were dragged kicking and screaming into having an inquiry into the banking system, likewise shows its true filiation.
It seems Malcolm Turnbull’s admission from afar of an error of judgement in delaying the royal commission is one of the rare occasions where his conscience has actually surfaced since he came to the leadership.
Our politicians are true experts at self-interest, misrepresentation and manipulation of public opinion.
It is a shame they seem to find it impossible to apply their talents to, honest, fact-based problem solving, in the national interest.
M. Fyfe, Riverside.
Dewhickey
A VERY useful addition for one’s toolbox for those tough situations when the latest pursuit needs a new or fresh approach to the angle you are applying your lever to as it often comes with a spectacular advertising campaign and great references.
The trouble is that they are not guaranteed to be there when you need them the most.
Pardon me, I meant Sue Hickey.
David Brimble, Scottsdale.
Cherry picking
DEPENDING on which direction the wind is blowing, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton proclaims our immigration policy is more than adequate, unbiased and depends on the applicants applying for residence.
Applications are drying up as Mr Dutton now cherry picks “suitable” applicants being white South African farmers.
Will they spend time in Manus or any of the other camps or will they get complimentary passes?
Wally Reynolds, Perth.
Agfest
JUST wanted to say thanks to the Agfest Committee for another great event.
Well done, but I can't quite say the same for Tasmania Police. Very little visible police presence on the roads to/from the event given it's Road Safety Week. Unfortunately a few drivers realised that.
Perhaps senior police management in Launceston could show a bit more leadership and planning next year.
William Burr, Launceston.
Financial greed
ARE financial greed and a lack of moral leadership (or a lack of courage to do the right thing) the reasons why there isn’t the equivalent of a product recall on cigarettes, given that the product harms and kills people?
Continued production and sale of cigarettes represents a failure of ethical reasoning by the management and directors of entities comprising the supply chain.
Special arrangements can be made to help addicted users of tobacco to stop their self-harm in the interests of preventive health care and future budget savings.
Mark Webb, Launceston.