Roaming Tassie Cats
THE Tasmanian government is expected to discuss further amendments to the Cat Management Act soon, but, despite some good things proposed in the legislation, it is sad to note that the government still has not confronted the issue of roaming cats.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Until there is legislation about confining domestic cats to the owners' premises, we will still have a huge cat/kitten problem, and a feral cat problem.
We are in kitten season now and shelters are being inundated with unwanted kittens.
Cats left to roam kill wildlife at a ferocious rate. Responsible owners will want to ensure that their cats are safely at home, but some owners are still a bit "free and easy" about their cat care responsibilities, and need the guidance of legislation to adopt good cat care habits. Please let your member of parliament know if you support legislation to manage roaming cats.
Anne Brelsford, Legana.
Kookaburras and things
IN response to Kyl Eastley's letter (The Examiner, January 11), now here's a suggestion to die for if one was running for president in Tasmania. Quite apart from "plating up" our avian friends, kookaburras et al, there are some things to think about.
Creativity, as we know, is tantamount to life, art, policy and it's delivery. Let's have an artist deployment project. It might be a win-win regarding illegal immigrants of the feathered variety coming to Tassie by air and/or as stowaway boat birds.
Why not use drone sentinel bald eagle scarecrows wearing a reverse Donald Duck US presidential wig for aerodynamic efficiency to process the interlopers into detention aviary centres?
They could be located at prominent entry points along the north coast of the Apple Isle. They could even be arranged for "sustainable" consumption via GPS navigation interface and genetically selected for suitability as gourmet wild poultry.
These interlopers could be live exports to the motherland and the Northern Hemisphere generally to supplement the laughing stock so rampant in their forlorn palaces of political worship and reverse plughole flow of leadership ideology. Just a thought from afar this week as we burn.
John Ley, Trevallyn.
Electric Cars Big Tick
I HAVE been driving an electric vehicle for 12 months and would never go back to an internal combustion engine.
Electric cars are far more fun to drive and much more economical to run.
The initial investment is higher than ice cars at present but that will not continue for long, the overall cost of ownership is virtually the same already. We do not get anxious about range, we plan our trips.
The range of new EVs is extending very quickly and as charging stations open even older EVs will have no problems.
Catriona Hall, Hobart.
Fish Farm Fireworks
ROBERT Flanagan of the AWU does his members no favours when he dismisses critics of Tasmania's industrial salmon producers as "zealots", nor is he protecting their jobs. The way to protect (and increase) jobs in the industry is to implement sustainable practices along with transparent operations that protect Tasmania's brand and justify the claim of "world's best practice".
To do otherwise courts a collapse of reputation and consumer confidence.
The groups represented by the Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection support fish farming. They wish to see it grow - but not at any cost.
As long as the companies are focused on the bottom line of corporate profit the cost will be borne by our marine life, our waterways and, eventually, our reputation.
TAMP supports Environment Tasmania's campaign - what Mr Flanagan describes as an "appalling stunt" - because it attempts to drive the companies towards sustainability that could see a healthy industry flourish and increase employment while protecting Tasmania's brand. Both the AWU and The Examiner attack ET's approach and its ethics. TAMP urges readers to look at ET's methodology, its engagement with the companies themselves before the campaign was launched and then to judge the "red light" conclusion for themselves.
Peter George, Tasmanian Alliance for Marine Protection interim chair.
Unfair PM Criticism
IT IS a shame that in this hour of crisis when peoples' properties are being burnt to the ground and lives are being lost, some find it easy to blame and criticise.
I am positive Prime Minister Scott Morrison's holiday to Hawaii would have been planned months before the fires happened, and who in their wildest dreams imagined the devastation and heartache that would eventuate?
However, he returned immediately to face another barrage of criticism on his actions, he was dammed if he did and damned if he did not.
For heaven's sake we are in uncharted waters, devastation, heartache and losses beyond belief and unimaginable pain, suffering and shattered lives.
I believe our Prime Minister has shown incredible compassion and acted immediately on advice given, showing true leadership, some protocols may have been accidentally bypassed and mistakes made but this is a version of apocalyptic times, no format no rules to follow.
Australia now face a huge rebuild of property and shattered lives, plus a gigantic effort to stop it from ever happening again.
Under extremely difficult circumstances, our Prime Minister did a good job.
Peter Doddy, Trevallyn.
Pill Testing Debate
GARY Christian (The Examiner, January 11) has outlined accurately for us all, the reasons why politicians refuse to sanction pill testing at festivals. There is no better way of demonstrating the reasons for this than good reliable research which is indisputable.
