Automobile Museum
I LOOK from my balcony with great sadness, looking at the supposed new home being built for the National Automobile Museum of Tasmania in Launceston.
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The council and its cohorts have placed one of Launceston’s major icons in jeopardy by taking the museum’s Cimitiere Street site on the rouse it is needed by the University of Tasmania.
I believe there are many sites that would do justice to the museum’s needs, but the one chosen would have to rate as the bottom of the barrel. A less ideal siting would be difficult to find, a swamp with all its dampness.
Another cruelty council has thought up is to build the new premises backing onto Boral’s new cement plant, obviously in the knowledge that cement dust and valuable cars and other exhibits are extremely allergic to cement dust and regardless of these denials from the good Samaritans, these dangers will start at day one.
That area is far from a culture/museum area, where the river odours constantly lay, huge Bunnings agricultural-like shed with smaller unattractive commercial businesses have been placed there, which can only remain an eyesore and it seems the powers that be realise their past blunders and trying to dress the area up and the museum is their early victim.
Geoff Smedley, Trevallyn.
Art
I ENCOURAGE art lovers to visit the Launceston General Hospital.
There is a life-size horse made from barbwire, sculptured by Nick Adams and a collection of 42 oil paintings, painted by Raymond Arnold between 1987 and 1989.
The ARTrium Gallery has work for sale. Patrons can have refreshments at the café and view art work made.
Leon Cooper, St Leonards.
Aged Care
PUT bluntly, the growing aged-care crisis will deteriorate. The structure is defective. There’s a need to build an alternative base.
The powerful lobbyists have convinced the federal government you can have a total private high profit aged care system without a public sector. A senior investment executive said the government continues to hand over its aged care responsibilities to the private sector. It’s a boom for investors.
Aged care is closely related to the hospital system, where it is impossible not to have public hospitals and private hospitals coexist, and rightly so.
When planning for low income elderly the issue that needs correcting is the shortage of affordable aged care public homes and the federal funds to build and operate them. Meaningful reform is urgent.
William Overnell, Grindelwald.
Scammers
THE telephone scammers claiming to be from my "internet broadband" provider have a new strategy.
I recently received a call with an automated recording stating that I am having technical issues with my broadband connection. The recording gave options of press one to fix the issue, or press two to disconnect.
I am connected to the NBN and a customer of Telstra, which does not make calls like this. Please hang up and do not press any numbers on your phone if you get a call like this.
Shane Parker, Mowbray.
Moral standing
Used car dealers of Australia rejoice. The moral standing of your profession is soaring high above clergy, finance executives and politicians.
Ross Warren, Devonport.
National Leadership
MY TAKE on recent changes (the cynical version):
There once was a man named Dutton,
not quite as bright as a button;
but you get what you gets
with the mates of Abetz
and seek power like a mad glutton.
David Hunnerup, West Launceston.
Politicians
WITH all the politics in Canberra the last few days, it seems that if the politicians put as much effort and vigour into running the country as they do trying to elect the leader of the governing party. Imagine how good the country would be and the average person wouldn't dislike having to vote, and put up with all the political garbage that comes with having a compulsory voting system.
Anthony Galvin, Launceston.
Leadership Spill
I DO a fair bit of work with people around emotions. Recognising emotions, understanding where they’ve come from, accepting them.
I can’t help looking at our politicians and thinking these people have never learned to recognise or manage themselves when their emotions are stirred up.
So here they are, looking down the barrel of election loss and they can’t deal with the feels. So they start (theoretically) bopping each other on the head so they can feel stronger, braver, safer.
I want new leaders and I want them now, but not just a new one selected from the sorry bunch we already have. Really new ones. Freshly elected leaders who are well rounded, emotionally intelligent, self aware and secure. Leaders who can cope when the chips are down and deal with the feels while still being able to do their job of leading.
This political game is a waste of the time, energy and resources we need for taking action on real problems. I’m on the hunt for emotionally stable, insightful and self aware candidates because I’m over this bun fighting.
Cecily Rosol, Launceston.
Grown-ups
“IT’S time to put the grown-ups back in charge” - the Liberal Party of Australia, circa 2013. Well, take a good long hard look at “the grown-ups”.