Wood fires not the problem
BASHING wood fire users seems to have become popular by those suffering stuffy heat pumps that give no radiant heat at all and fog up all the windows with damp air.
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Asthma deaths have been rising since 2005 at the same time the number of wood fires has been reducing thus destroying any link between asthma deaths and wood fires. NSW has nearly twice as many asthma deaths (152 versus 89 in 2018, 71 per cent more) as Victoria despite having only a 20 per cent larger population, having far fewer wood fires and a much warmer climate.
Properly maintained wood fires are not the problem. A single summer bushfire produces more wood smoke than a winter season of residential fires and burns wet green wood and leaves compared to clean dry firewood from dead trees and yet most asthma deaths are in winter.
Robert Stonjek, Kings Meadows.
Two separate issues
SENATOR Eric Abetz is calling on all Christians to become "political activists" and oppose the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill, which Mike Gaffney hopes to have debated in August (The Examiner, June 28).
He uses highly emotive language to further his cause. To label it "state-sanctioned suicide" is offensive to not only Mr Gaffney, considering all the work he has put into the preparation of his bill, but also to anyone who is living in extreme pain, with no exit available.
VAD will involve medical assessments as well as discussions with family members and professionals in a safe, rational environment. Suicide, on the other hand, is an unreasoned decision made without consultation, and prompted by a desire to escape as quickly as possible.
I was taught that God sacrificed his only son to save the world. Since Jesus didn't resist, this could be viewed as voluntary assisted dying.
Val Clarke, Kings Meadows.
Candidates need firm positions
IT'S been interesting to read the responses by candidates in the upcoming Rosevears Legislative Council elections, and their positions on some key social issues.
The prevarication demonstrated by all but Greens candidate Jack Davenport in respect of the pokies and euthanasia issues was both revealing and disappointing.
Why the evasion on these important issues? If voters don't know what candidates stand for why should people vote for them?
A clearly stated position is particularly important if candidates are standing as an independent. LegCo MPs have a lot of responsibility and while it can be easy to dismiss them as being of lesser importance, in fact they play a vital part in our democracy.
They scrutinise legislation passed by the Lower House, and far from simply rubber stamping it, LegCo MPs must ensure it's fair, equitable, and will benefit all Tasmanians.
So it's important voters know their LegCo representative can articulate firmly held positions on important social and economic issues before the election, so voters can judge who holds the ideas and values that best align with their own. To prevaricate, or avoid stating a position, suggests candidates either don't really have an opinion, or else are content to comply with their party's official line.
In this regard so far the exception is Mr Davenport, and interestingly he's also the only that's been prepared to mention that other dominant issue set to influence every social, economic and environmental government decision, and which governments everywhere can no longer afford to ignore: the impacts of our rapidly changing climate.
Anne Layton-Bennett, Swan Bay.
Furthering Chinese ambitions
LET me get this straight. Post pandemic our deficit level will increase to an amount totally unknown depending on how soon the country's economy can recover. But in true Donald Trump style our government wants to increase spending on defence over the next 10 years?
We already have a large commitment for submarines and fighter aircraft being built by foreign companies and much of this increase will be used to purchase foreign built vessels and armaments.
Of course this is justified, again the same as Trump, creating the fear of imminent danger posed by unnamed countries but of course we are referring to China.
Given the present climate to blame China for so many transgressions, surely we should refuse to supply the raw materials which are being used to further their ambitions.
A Carter, Mowbray.
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