Council amalgamation
NO ONE should be surprised that the amalgamation of West Tamar and George Town councils has fallen through.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A similar result with all the talk about doing something down south, and earlier ther East Coast aborted efforts.
Council amalgamations will never succeed while the decision is to be made by those most impacted mayors, aldermen and CEOs. Amalgamation means half these people would lose their jobs, and whoever voted themselves out of a job?
I would suggest to the state government that scope for amalgamations be broadened and that ratepayers (the real winners with amalgamation) initiate the moves.
The lower Tamar amalgamation, we are told, would save $1.3 million annually with a $70 or so reduction in rates - a real carrot for ratepayers.
Dick James, Launceston.
Budget 2018
I CANNOT even begin to state how I feel about this farce. I was fine until I read about some politician wanting to raise the retiring age to 70 and I stopped being interested.
Politicians are retiring aged 48 to 58, with no worries at all about their futures. We are left to think, do I really have to do this until I am 70?
Working in an office is hard and a mental mess up with one’s mind. Working as a farmer since the age of 12, must make each and every one think – you have got to be kidding. Nurse or an aged-care work is told – hey, keep this up, and good on you, hope you can still walk at 70.
Thank goodness for volunteers, they can leave when tired. Wait, no you cannot because you are beholden to Centrelink until age 70.
I cannot believe that an educated person that we actually voted into public office has the audacity to even begin to believe this is a “fair go” to all Australians, and even permanent residents that have devoted their lives to this country. I can so see 70-year-old waitress trying to keep up with the flow. Makes me sick to my stomach.
Felicity O’Neill, Deloraine.
Live Export
I AGREE whole heartedly with Paul Murphy’s summation of the live sheep export (Letters, The Examiner, May 6) - absolutely appalling to all Australians.
This ticks every box on premeditated extreme cruelty of live stock from all CEOs involved in live overseas trade.
Standing room only for weeks on a thick carpet of their own excrement, many dying. Restricted breathing due to heat, poor ventilation and ammonia stench arising from their own urination.
Numerous lambs dying at birth under the feet of their mothers, crushing each other in appalling conditions. Why live exports? Is it because of religious requirements, that they must slaughter their own meat?
After numerous warnings and constant breaches, it seems impossible to control, so ban live exports, expand the frozen meat trade. The greed of trusted executives have ignored protocol or humane decency, it may even reflect on the prices Australians have to pay for local lamb.
Peter Doddy, Trevallyn.
Royal Wedding
THE Queen’s wedding in 1947 brought a very welcome ray of sunshine to the world after World War II.
With the forthcoming royal wedding, for a few brief hours we will be able to forget about the troubles of the world and be transported to a world of fairy tale, romance, glamour, history and pageantry.
As a team Harry and Meghan will have the opportunity to improve the world through its young people, with Harry being made Commonwealth Youth Ambassador by the Queen. The youth of today are the people who will make or break the world of the future, it is an awesome responsibility. I wish them well.
Malcolm Scott, Newstead.
Homeless
TRANSPORT all our homeless souls who are camping out and facing a long, cold winter to Naroo and let them live in the lovely camps and have all the benefits the boat people have. I’ll guarantee you won’t hear any complaints from them.
M. Brooks, Kings Meadows.
Pedestrian Lights
FURTHER to N R Burdon’s letter (The Examiner, May 5), I think the ambulatory citizens of Kings Meadows are delighted with the new pedestrian lights in Hobart Road. Since their installation, there is plenty of choice for crossing in between the banked-up cars, which are regularly stretched out along the road during daylight hours.
Val Clarke, Kings Meadows.
Roadworks
LOTS of roadworks all over the state means varying road speeds, which is necessary for the safety of the road workers.
However, would it be possible to have those limits apply only during the hours of actual working, say, 7.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday?
It seems a bit pointless to be beetling along at 40km/h on a weekend with nary a worker in sight. Any changes in road surface already have warning signs so we could take responsibility for ourselves to drive safely and to the conditions, as we should always. Just a thought.
Dianne Scetrine, East Launceston.
Bikie Laws
POLICE Minister Michael Ferguson has told us that "no law abiding citizen will be targeted under anti-bikie laws”.
I suggest that we are not that easily fooled by Mr Ferguson’s smooth talking.
How an earth are the police to tell the difference from an outlaw motorcyclist and a law abiding motorcyclist if the outlaw motorcyclist is not wearing club colours?
The police won’t be able to tell the difference and hence all motorcyclists will be pulled over and searched under the pretext that they may be an outlaw motorcyclist.
Another nail in the coffin for Australian freedom. It’s ironic that these proposed laws were brought to our attention the day after Anzac Day.
Colin Viney, Legana.