Speed limits are political
WHY political? Well, imagine the pushback from the travelling public towards their local member if some of our below-standard roads were speed-limited reduced from 100km/h to 80km/h? I read recently that the death toll from vehicle accidents is rising in Tasmania.
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Most of these deaths are on the 100km/h roads.
What few people realise is that although we feel acceleration, we don't feel speed in the same way. How often do you have to look at the speedo to check? A speed limit sign saying 100km/h with an additional sign beneath warning of changing road conditions, is a paradox.
It is my view, what the extra sign is saying is "ee must have this allowable speed because of political reasons, as the government can't afford to bring this road up to the standard of safety to allow this high speed, so be careful."
Road speed signs in Australia should be set independent of state governments. If this was the case, 90 per cent of the above-mentioned roads would be limited to 80km/h.
Nev Rodman, Hobart.
Elwick postponement shambles
I CAME down from Melbourne to watch my horse (part owner) run in the Tasmanian Guineas on Sunday.
What a joke! I witnessed a comedy hour, it is disgraceful a track in that condition could be presented on race day.
Tasracing is a repeat offender with Launceston postponed weeks ago due to track conditions.
Sadly I'm out. I will no longer attend or invest in horses in Tasmania with a lack of confidence in Tasracing forcing me to make this decision.
I have absolutely loved my involvement, friendships and joy racing horses in Tasmania. But the debacle on Sunday was unfortunately the last straw.
I am lost to Tassie racing but not Tassie, just love the place.
Chris Tierney, Ferntree Gully, Victoria.
Domestic violence concern
MEMBERS of Tasmanian Parliament are rightly concerned about the alarming rate of domestic violence in the community, and the equally alarming rate of cyberbullying among adolescents. A number of enquiries have been held but there has been no apparent improvement to either of these aggressive community trends.
However, the role model example set by the Parliament itself displays a culture that is diametrically opposed to the needs of the community. In the case of aggressive behaviour and lack of respect, it is the Parliament that sets a pattern giving justification to others in the community to be equally aggressive and dis-respectful.
It's a classic case of "do as I say, not as I do".
If Parliamentary representatives genuinely want a better outcome in the community the starting point must be with their own institutional conduct.
It may be claimed the Westminster system is based on adversarial aggression. However, such a claim is way out of line with community expectations.
If Parliamentary processes are based on such an out-dated culture, it is high time we had a wide-ranging public debate on changing the procedures to a model capable of leading the community into a more peaceful and harmonious future.
Max Burr, Scottsdale.
Welfare changes required
THERE is no need to bring in international seasonal workers to help on farms, orchards and so on.
There are plenty of Australians who are able to do the jobs but the federal government has made it too easy for them to sit back, not work and live off the public purse being on JobSeeker and other welfare payments.
It is a disgrace and those who are able to work should get off their collective bums and join the workforce instead of waiting for their fortnightly "payday".
The sad part about this situation is that no federal government, present or future, will change this because it would cost them an election. Generations of families have been on welfare of some sort because it is easier than working.
Time for a change but who has the courage.
Alan Leitch, Austins Ferry.
Where are the incentives?
I WAS disappointed to hear Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein state that unemployment benefits were too high and then Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the end to extra income support in the New Year. They are only preaching to the choir in their elite tunnel vision ideological paradigm.
After 25 years since an increase in the dole, and despite 20 odd years of growth, how can we reduce unemployment for the sidelined bottom 10 per cent of the working class when both parties promote immigration and importing labourers for jam (strawberry) before doing everything to remedy the plight of the unwashed and voiceless? Where are all the busses to mobilise the workforce or caravan communities set up by the federal government to assist people in moving to the areas where they are needed? This alone would generate the mass production of new stock to replace the acquired inventory.
