Tassie AFL Admittance
THE AFL since 2007 have established Australian rules football in at least 18 different countries including Canada, and the United States of America, with 38 teams across the nation. Canada boasts 10 teams in the Canadian province of Ontario alone.
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Most clubs run on a shoestring budget with volunteers and expats with little support from the AFL. This year the AFL provided the USAFL with a cheque amounting to US$71,000. Not enough for one decent administrator.
The lack of will in the AFL stems from an insular approach to its own code the prism of its own 18-team competition.
Tasmanians are hungry for the inclusion into the AFL. The Brisbane (Lions), GWS, the Suns, for example, became members of the AFL with millions of dollars from the AFL to kick start, to help create new clubs. No business case was required.
Tasmania on the other hand is virtually begging, and I believe to no avail. UTAS should be roofed providing an all year round stadium for all forms of entertainment, giving it the same status as Marvel.
Hugh Boyd, Prospectvale.
A capacity to save
I SUGGEST that the Australian government allows an employee to opt out of compulsory employer contributions to superannuation and instead allow the employee to receive a 9.5 per cent pre-tax wage rise.
Benefits of this policy may include greater individual freedom and choice, simplicity of financial affairs and better tailoring to individual circumstances, including stage of life; stimulus to the economy; more taxation revenue and reduced cost of tax concessions to the government; less need to tinker with the system to allow access to funds tied up in superannuation and reduced administration costs paid for by employees/members.
The superannuation industry might also deliver better service/performance if employees can choose to receive higher wages instead. People can still save and invest for the future outside superannuation if they have the capacity to do so.
Not everyone agrees that the significant costs of superannuation tax concessions represent sensible government policy and not everyone is motivated by lurks and perks. Who wants the myriad changing superannuation rules and potentially confusing terminology?
Employees may not want to pay an adviser when much of the complexity could be removed by improved system design.
Mark Webb, Launceston.
Backpacker employment
IT IS difficult to understand the decision of this government to change rules for employment of backpackers.
There must be many locals who are either long term unemployed or as a result of the recent bushfires who may well have the experience to rebuild fences and other farm infrastructures.
Is it that backpackers are prepared to accept much lower rates of pay?
A Carter, Mowbray.
Supporting students
FUNDING for education in Tasmania is based on the principles of fairness and equity. It is important to note that approximately 90 per cent of state education funding goes to public education.
In reference to non-government funding, in 2018 the Tasmanian Liberal government established a new agreement with the Commonwealth that ensures future funding for government schools increases at a higher rate than the non-government sector.
This corrects the previous agreement put in place by the former Labor-Green government that delivered greater funding growth to the non-government sector.
We are very proud of our record investment in the public school system, and we will always support students who require the greatest need.
This equity based principle is reflected in our introduction of literacy coaches, funding to support students with behavioural challenges as a result of trauma and our new needs based funding model for disability.
Jeremy Rockliff, Education and Training Minister.
The art of making a point
FAMOUS St Kilda and Hawthorn coach Alan Jeans once said footballers are like sausages. You can grill them, you can boil them, you can fry them - but they are still sausages.
Well the same logic applies to Gordon Thurlow who constantly spruiks the reliability of fossil fuels over renewables (The Examiner, February 14, 15 and 18).
You can write a letter on Friday, you can write a letter on Saturday, you write a letter on Tuesday - but it is still the same letter. We get it Gordon, we get it.
Tony Newport, Hillwood.
Upgrading Country Roads
WHEN a few years ago, the George Town Council received a grant to upgrade country roads in the area, a decision was made, despite many requests from residents of the Glen Road and years of lobbying from Councillor Heather Barwick to upgrade the less densely populated soldier settlement industry roads.
A consequence of upgrading industry is that it is now used as a shortcut by vehicles travelling from Launceston and the Batman Bridge highway to Bridport and the North-East, completely bypassing George Town.
We are now told that because of this they have given up on upgrading more country roads and we have missed out again.
I would just like to say that if they had upgraded the Glen Road it would have benefited a lot more ratepayers and not just tourists passing through.
Malcolm McCulloch, Pipers River.