What has happened?
ONE of the highlights of the year for many people is the RACT sponsored TSO free concert in the park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
My husband and I travel some distance as do others who can not afford to see the TSO at other times.
Not this year.
I understand that city park has a limited capacity but to offer six free tickets per person that sell out on the day of release is very disappointing.
There had better not be scalpers selling their spare tickets outside.
So who is going to check that doesn't happen?
More security and first come first seated as before, please.
Wendy Taylor-Smith, Deviot.
Change, not for the best
SYMPHONY Under the Stars used to be a fabulous, free, relaxing turn-up event.
Now tickets are required to attend.
As I work I called at 11.30am on February 3, the day the tickets became available, to be told all allocated tickets had gone.
This means that not only will I not be attending with friends as we have done for several years but many people who are unable to take the time to apply for tickets or the many tourists in town at this time of year will also miss out.
I fail to understand why this has become a ticketed event.
The park is massive and there has always been enough space previously.
Elisa Bessell, Launceston.
'Flawed booking system'
WELL done the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra booking system.
Having attended Symphony Under the Stars since its inception, we were looking forward to another year of enjoyment as we proceeded to book our place in our lovely Launceston City Park for February 22.
We checked with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra web page and noted that booking would commence at 10am on Monday, February 3.
We waited with bated breath for 10am to arrive and jumped onto the TSO web page to discover that, lo and behold, all the seats had already been sold.
Consternation ensued.
What was going on?
On relating our experience to a friend who also regularly attends this event, she revealed that she had obtained her two tickets at 7.10 am that morning.
Please explain TSO.
What a stuff up. Not happy.
P and H Lundie, Hadspen.
Political Behaviour
THE US has its Ukraine aid for dirt, and we have our sports grants, for political advantage process, all normal in the world of political behaviour. Pork-barreling in Australia is a totally normal political practice, ask Barnaby Joyce. Government departments are moved all over the country for "strategic" government reasons.
Poor Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who was clearly overseeing Bridget McKenzie's decisions, was just the victim of a misunderstanding; he was using normal government political practice rules, but Sports Australia was using, fairness-based and needs-based, practice rules.
It looks like the government just didn't get the memo, and so proceeded with its Canberra bubble-based rules of political engagement. These rules 'things'' must really be quite confusing for Mr Morrison who is more used to telling people what is going to happen, because after all, he is the boss; just ask the public service.
Makes me think more of dictatorship than a human-rights based, integrity-based, socially focused, democracy though.
M. Fyfe, Riverside.
Metro Bus Stop
FOR seven weeks now, Metro Bus Stop 16 on the corner of Georgetown Road and Hume Street, has been roped off.
There is a notice there saying that it would be closed from December 16 to 19.
It is now still closed off. The reason?
A narrow section of tarmac a few metres long needs to be replaced. The preparatory work was done and the section roped off.
I've called Metro Tasmania twice and have been informed that the job is waiting on council approval to be done.
I've called the council and got no result as the person I spoke to did not bother calling back. In the meantime, we bus users are being inconvenienced on a daily basis.
It's all very well to say that there is another stop further down the road.
It's an extra five minutes of walking, and I have back problems and walk with a stick.
When will we have our bus stop back?
A. Myers, Mayfield.
Civil Defence Corps
NOT since the Vietnam War has there occasioned to be an opportunity for the government to introduce a compulsory scheme of National Service. A scheme for the provision of Civil Defence.
Civil defence against fires, floods, droughts and any other disaster.
Applicable to all physically fit young men and women who would be required to register upon turning 18 years of age (between the end of secondary school and the commencement of tertiary education).
The voluntary services in existence (RFS, CFA, CFS) could remain intact much as do our military Reserves Units in support of our ADF.
The Civil Defence Corps members would be required to serve, full-time, for at least a year or possibly two years, just as those comprising the National Service (Regular Army Supplement) scheme did from 1965 until 1972.
What a great opportunity such as compulsory training and service would provide the nation's youth to acquire all manner of skills otherwise not available to them.
What a great resource, trained and ready for deployment whenever and wherever, including deployment to our immediate neighbouring nations.