Piece rates
IF THE unions' bid to have all fruit pickers paid at least minimum wage is successful, poor pickers won't be getting a pay rise; they'll be fired. It will make, like most jobs these days, more competitive and harder for new workers to get a foothold into employment.
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Jacob Dean-Whatley, Launceston.
Bass Strait ferries
THE state government would be well advised to listen to the words of Bob Clifford (The Examiner, December 12). No better authority exists in the world than Mr Clifford with his extensive knowledge of ferry transport. After all, he has successfully built ferries that now ply routes in every continent. What Mr Clifford is saying is that we should separate night time and daylight sailings as passenger needs differ greatly between the two.
I believe a four-hour daylight journey would attract the majority of passengers, with night sailings for the heavier freight component. Fewer cabins equals more vehicle space and greater economies.
Those who make the decisions, please listen to the voice of experience and deliver ferries to meet our needs.
Dick James, Launceston.
Access to CBD oil
AFTER years using strong pain relievers I obtained medicinal cannabis (CBD) on a trip to Mexico and within two days was able to stop all medication.
It was so good to finally understand what life without pain was like. Back in Australia I am back on opioids to survive.
Access to 150mg level CBD will be good, but higher doses must also be more easily available for those in need for whom it works. Surely CBD is better than opioids.
Specialists should step back from playing god and let people decide from their own experience what works for them.
Kay Thompson, Evandale.
CO2 emissions
We read and see on television every day the Greens telling us that Australia must reduce its carbon dioxide emissions or the planet will die.
I have been reading a very interesting article on CO2 emissions from China. There are some sobering statistics in this report that show how small Australia's CO2 emissions really are compare to the large nations.
For example Australia emitted 382.9 megatonnes of CO2 in 2018 China emitted 9809.2 megatonnes in the same year. North America 5934.8 megatonnes.
Some quotes taken from the article by Richard Smith an author and US-based expert in Chinese history and economics:
"What's uniquely dangerous about the Chinese case is that its emissions are ... growing so fast that scientists tell us they could eventually doom the climate on their own regardless of what the rest of the world does,"
"The atmosphere doesn't care about per capita emissions - only total atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
"In the most optimistic Chinese Government scenario, coal and other fossil fuels will still provide at least two-thirds of China's electricity until as late as 2050, by which time it will be too late to matter."
So as you can see what Australia does/will not make one iota of difference to global warming.
P. Wilson, Newstead.
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