Is a long bike ride a sure thing?
Suppose DORSET Mayor Greg Howard is such a proponent of tourism in his district as he claims. Why does he steadfastly refuse to understand that he's promoting the least tourism effective solution in his entrenched myopic views on the bike trail?
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Just because the Blue Tier trails has been successful (and long may they be so) is no proof that a long and arduous bike trail would be favoured to anyone other than the hardiest and dedicated cyclist, it's certainly not a family-friendly proposition.
In any case, to advocate for the removal of valuable public infrastructure for a private company is beyond arrogance.
Tourists the world over flock in significant numbers to any form of passenger rail, even more so when it has additional cultural and historical significance, there's plenty of proof of that. A bike path has none of that appeal and will be significantly less economically viable as a result. Further, the train to Scottsdale will accommodate cyclists and their bikes, but a bike trail will only serve one small market segment, on that basis alone the track fails the common sense test.
Valuable time, money and emotional resources are being wasted by specious arguments being promoted by the Dorset mayor and his minority interests.
The whole community would be better served (as would cyclists themselves) if all efforts were directed to getting this valuable and unique rail service underway as soon as possible. Cycling in the rain? Hardly a fun family day out.
Dale Newman, Relbia.
What is Australia Coming To?
WHEN I see reports of police arresting and handcuffing a pregnant Ballarat woman, in her home, in front of her children for allegedly inciting a protest rally against lockdown laws (a rally that didn't even take place) and commentators declaring "We can't blame the police, they are only following orders", I say to myself "where have I heard that before?"
Oh yes, it was following the end of World War II when the Nazis, at their trial, used that excuse for their atrocious crimes against humanity. "We were only following orders".
There are times, and the arrest of this pregnant woman was one of them when human decency should outrank orders from above. Those police officers should have refused to carry out the order to arrest the woman and had they been disciplined for doing so; the police union should have backed them to the hilt.
While this incident could be easily played down and soon forgotten, history has shown us what can happen when you start with a tin pot political dictator and then down through the chain of command; conscience is tossed, as everyone follows orders.
Ian Macpherson, Newstead.
Scraping the barrel on NBL team
SO 10,000 suggestions put forward to name the new Tasmanian basketball team. Tridents, Timbers, Pride, Jack Jumpers and Mountaineers are the five to choose from. Gee whizz, the other 9,995 must have been absolute shockers then.
John Collins, Perth.
Please support VAD bill
MEMBERS of the Tasmanian Parliament - we implore you to support the passage of the End-of-Life Choices (Voluntary Assisted Dying) legislation presented by the MLC for Mersey, Mike Gaffney.
The right to choose the manner and timing of death, if the alternative is pain, suffering and the loss of independence, is personal freedom about which our family is passionate.
Both of us have experienced the death of elderly parents who were provided with excellent palliative care, and we are sure this is the option that most Tasmanians would continue to take.
But our parents had no choice at the end. Regardless of the quality of the care offered in the face of a life-ending illness, we firmly believe that the government has no right to deny individual choice, supported by appropriate medical guidance, on the pathway to death.
We have read widely on the topic, we attended an overwhelmingly supportive public forum organised by Mr Gaffney, and we have scrutinised the draft legislation.
We urge MPs to reject the argument that the Voluntary Assisted Dying bill offends religious, moral or ethical principles.
Those who hold dear to these views are free to ignore the availability of this option to manage their death - it is certainly not compulsory. But please allow us both the right, in consultation with our families and supported by appropriate medical advice, to choose the manner and timing of our death.
Adrian Wild, Shearwater.
Our time is in God's hands
I believe our times are in God's hands, just as the Bible says, and taking dying into our hands, or the hands of others is planned suicide. We spend many dollars trying to save others from doing this and when it happens, think it is sad, and it is.
To allow this is to directly defy the creator of this universe, who is eternal and made us with an eternal spirit. Please consider God's love and mercy and what you may not know about what comes after death.
Ken How, Launceston.
Fear rules instead of facts
ANOTHER case of the anti-voluntary assisted dying minority using FUD (fear, uncertainty and doubt) instead of facts to scare those Tasmanians. They have not been able to read the whole bill and therefore see for themselves what a safe and compassionate law is. It's almost as good as the Canadian Law, which has operated successfully for years now.