Friendly Launceston
BEING in my 80th year and having cardiovascular disease, I need to keep active so, as well as being active around the house and our large garden, I take a brisk walk on most days, weather permitting, for 30 to 40 minutes.
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One of the most pleasurable aspects of which is the amount of people who greet you with a cheery "good morning", "G'day" or "how's it going?".
Having lived in Melbourne where, if you collapsed in the street, people would step over you or walk around you, as my Tasmanian wife used to say, it is just so nice to live in a place where people are friendly and welcoming. It's just one of the many things I love about living in Tasmania.
Richard Hill, Newstead.
Coal and Gas Exploration
THOSE banning gas exploration and new coal mines are our greatest climate change deniers.
Do they really believe the world won't use dirty coal if our cleaner stuff is unavailable and that we shouldn't even search for gas (much cleaner than coal) let alone be able to use it like Europe and the USA do?
These actions surely belong to persons hellbent on increasing global CO2.
Gordon Thurlow, Launceston.
Too many Roadworks
I AM so over roadworks.
It seems they have been going for years, and before they have finished one bit, it's being resealed. The landscape has been destroyed and trees removed so there are no natural sun shades while driving.
All for the saving of a couple of minutes and encouraging more cars to go faster to arrive at a city traffic jam quicker.
Even our local road between Longford and Perth is going to be removed so we are forced to use the highway. So much for community connections. There are no traffic solutions in massive road projects.
Dee Alty, Longford.
A big Thank you
SINCERE thanks are expressed to the kind gentleman who phoned me about a lost mobile phone he picked up at the Gorge last week.
He called me because my number was in the phone.
At that stage, the owner of the phone could not be identified, so I suggested that the phone be handed to police.
I am pleased to report that the owner of the phone was subsequently identified and the phone claimed from the police.
The owner was most grateful for the kind and honest actions of the finder.
Ian Smith, Riverside.
Tasmanian Irrigation
IN response to Brain Mitchell's letter (The Examiner, April 12).
As a newcomer to Tasmania Mr Mitchell, like Labor, clearly struggles with facts.
Yes, state Labor did start the concept of new irrigation schemes for Tasmania but the actual $500m investment came from Liberal and Coalition governments in partnership with farmers.
Tranche 3 is estimated to cost a further $496m and the Hodgman Liberal government currently has it as a priority project before Infrastructure Australia - Labor's unfunded promise of $100m clearly will not build it and no-one really believes anything Labor says about money because they have a track record of squandering it, breaking promises and simultaneously wrecking the economy.
John Tucker, Liberal MHA for Lyons.
Aussie Language
THE archaic conservative definition is so different from the "true blues" I grew up with.
True blue: A respectfully honest person, often a battler, regardless of faith, culture or gender identity.
My beloved British-born mother Anne was a true blue maverick.
A diplomatic campaigner for equality, for our planet, who battled against conservative delusions of superiority within church and state, and within our community.
She celebrated her Anglican faith and believed in the freedom to celebrate the diversity of humanity.
With no wish to ever be a diplomat I am saddened and appalled by how conservative hate speech is often defined as free speech.
Where delusions of superiority seriously disrespect - demonise anyone who does not fit their definition of true blue.
Today "true blue", "fair dinkum", "mate" are often regarded as passe and I understand why, but for me, the respectful definitions of Australian colloquial language will live forever in the Australian psyche; our soul.
Deb Johnston-Andrews, Newnham.
Eastern Bypass
IN reference to Andrew Bennett's statement (The Examiner, April 9) concerning property prices at Scottsdale, the same cannot be said for Bridport 20 minutes down the road and its consistent building activity.
Andrew should refer to Hansard, June 13, 2007, part 2 pages 26-99, where Peter Gutwein actively questions then minister Jim Cox over an Eastern Bypass.
Question by Peter Gutwein 6.56pm, October 18, 200, last sentence: "Is it true that you have told people within your department that an eastern ring road will not be built in Launceston whilst your backside points to the ground?". I understand that now Mr Cox is a Launceston city councillor he has had a change of heart and now supports the Eastern Bypass.
Sue Napier, October 12, 1994, in Hansard strongly supports the Eastern Bypass.
Surely that is why Lester's Lane was built at Scottsdale to link with an Eastern Bypass.