ON-STREET DISABILITY PARKING
I HAVE MS and now struggle to walk short distances even with assistance.
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Simply the greater distance you need to cover the greater the risk of falls and injury.
I was required to attend Launceston's Service Tasmania in person recently.
This was my first visit to their new premises at the C. H Smith re-development and, to my frustration, there are no on-street disabled parking spaces in the immediate vicinity. I had to park away and when after really struggling I finally got inside, I complained to staff and was told that disabled spaces right outside in Charles Street were originally planned but the Launceston council had decided the slope was non-conforming to standards and they had simply not delivered them.
It seems I was not the first person to complain. Surely the right and sensible thing to do is make these parking spaces compliant rather than ignore and discriminate against those with disabilities special needs.
I was also advised by Service Tasmania staff once inside that there is some disabled parking downstairs, but is in my opinion further away than the proposed Charles Street sites. This is accessed by a lift and free after 3.30pm so I thought this may be useful information for other readers who are unaware as I was. The Launceston Council is good at enforcing requirements on others but on this matter, they need to take a closer look at themselves.
Peter Bushby, Prospect Vale.
RECYCLING CENTRE INVERMAY
WITH the Northern Transformation project for UTAS well under way in which a vibrant city-based campus will exist, it staggers me that the next development to go ahead is a waste transfer station, just metres away. Does this really need to occur?
UTAS is in the process of rehabilitation plans for the soils which have been highly contaminated over many years of railway use - an appropriate use at the time.
With that in mind is the location of a waste transfer station, which only has a levee bank between it and the North Esk River, an appropriate location?
Could the council and Veolia find a more suitable solution and not rush this through because there is a site available?
Grant Todd, Invermay.
NATIVE FOREST PROTEST
READING Adam Holmes' story (The Examiner, February 23) after seeing the excellent Australian story on the work of Veena Sahajwalla in creating fuel out of tyres and tiles out of clothing and glass waste, I was struck by the discrepancy in her work in solving waste problems, and the decisions of governments to harvest "ancient eucalypts".
Our times have created massive waste; scientists and engineers such as Veena are working towards recreating products out of waste; and valuable tracts of nature are dwindling.
Hemp is a viable building product and is easy to grow; surely both houses of parliament could start to think of how Tasmania has a history of innovation and could once again excel in this regard, by re-employing people and resources to more modern sustainable decisions regarding the "jobs and regional economies" Guy Barnett is desperate to protect.
Please save the forests.
Ruth Williams, South Launceston.
IN THE article, "A Tasmanian survivor's story on conversion practices," (The Examiner, February 22) our church was referenced as a body that admits to having "carried out SOGI conversion practices." To clarify, our church does not provide exorcisms, electroshock therapy, or aversion therapy.
We only hold out the same hope God offers to all people: forgiveness through Jesus Christ and grace to change.
Let me further clarify by quoting my submission to the Tasmania Law Reform Institute: "our church preaches and teaches what the Bible says, including what it says about sexual orientation and gender identity. We do this out of our ultimate commitment to God, our love for him, and out of love for the people around us. We counsel accordingly.
We pray, publicly and privately, accordingly. According to the working definition the Issues Paper provides, we are involved in SOGI conversion practices. We make no apologies for that.
Moreover, as stated above, this is non-negotiable for our church since we believe what the Bible says.
For us to do otherwise would be unloving and disingenuous.
Reverend Dr Wes Bredenhof, Free Reformed Church of Launceston.
CONVERSION PRACTICES
I WAS disappointed at the article from Isobel Cootes (The Examiner, February 22) regarding conversion practices.
It was based on the opinion of one man who allegedly experienced trauma at the hands of a church attempting to cure him of his SOGI symptoms.
I feel the article was one-sided, unfairly portraying Christian organisations as though they were green-vomiting, head-rotating evil satanic exorcists. Mr Dudman who claimed to be Christian (LGBTQIA+ advocate) said "faith-based organisations should not worry about 'fixing' LGBTQIA people because we ain't broke".
Mr Dudman, as a Christian you should know we are all "broke". Everyone is broken with a disease called sin. Faith-based organisations care and only want to help others deal with their struggles because we are all struggling.
So please don't paint Christians out to be the evil ones. Let's give both sides equal and fair representation.