NOT THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE
MICHAEL Ferguson recently placed an advertisement thanking Bass voters for their support in the recent elections.
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Michael, they didn't support you. You only got 3806 primary votes, 5.65 per cent of formal votes, compared to 13,640 (20.99 per cent) in 2018. It's a message from voters for the state of Tasmania's roads and the significant underspend of the infrastructure budget.
The same applies to Sarah Courtney, with 2227 (3.30 per cent) primary votes compared to 5992 (9.22 per cent) in 2018, due to her total mismanagement of Tasmania's health system.
Both members were only elected on the preferences of the Premier, who was popular due to the good COVID work of Tasmania's Public Health Service. Greens Jack Davenport got 2952 (4.38 per cent). The election result is not the will of the people.
Stephen Coombs, Trevallyn.
QUESTIONS OVER SPENDING
THE government is spending big time.
Apparently it doesn't matter how much money we owe. I wonder what will happen to Australia if China stops paying record prices for our iron ore? Or if the interest rate rises and we have to pay much more to service our debt. I wish we had a government with more foresight.
Horst Schroeder, Devonport.
SENDING A CLEAR MESSAGE
BRIAN Wightman's opinion piece (The Sunday Examiner, May 8) asks the question: Is a salmon war really necessary?
I think the term "war" is a little violent, excessive and inflammatory. However, we do need to speak out until our government takes the responsibility of ensuring Tasmania's vital industries remain clean, ethical and responsible.
Penning thousands of animals into battery hen type situations and believing that the rain of faeces and ammonia through several stories of fish pens is OK, simply highlights how toxic the Tasmanian aquaculture industry has become.
The truth is that in collusion with our government the Tasmanian aquaculture industry is amongst other things responsible for devastating pollution, intolerable levels of animal cruelty which in any other farming situation would have the RSPCA taking court action, and the systematic obliteration of natural marine ecologies as seen in Macquarie Harbour.
The push to boycott the aquaculture industry will send a clear message to the government and the industry that Tasmanians demand honesty in government and food that is ethically and sustainably produced.
Robert Henley, Western Junction.
A POLITICAL LOVE LETTER
I WAS reading (The Sunday Examiner, May 9) over the weekend and came across a piece by Liberal Senator Wendy Askew. It was a love letter, commending Peter Gutwein on his popularity.
While this article addressed the obvious, it did not acknowledge that Peter Gutwein manufactured a Sue Hickey dilemma and held this election 12 months early to capitalise on the COVID-19 effect.
Peter Gutwein closed Tasmania's borders - something any premier would have done and did do across Australia. The real heroes of Tasmania are our frontline healthcare workers, retail staff and truckies that kept our state safe and functioning.
This state election was a presidential style campaign, but Mr Gutwein kept many of his ministers and candidates in witness protection, except for Adam Brooks.
Tasmanians voted like Western Australia, Queensland, the ACT and the Northern Territory. They returned an incumbent government. Mr Gutwein is no Robinson Crusoe.
However, the 42,600 Tasmanians who don't have a job or who need more hours, the vulnerable older Tasmanians waiting too long for surgery or to see a specialist to receive the treatment that they need, Tasmanian businesses who are constrained by a skills shortage, or the underemployed youth who find it too difficult to enrol in TAFE or university.
These Tasmanians don't share Senator Askew's affection for Peter Gutwein. I will always respect the will of the voters and history will judge this government for its failures.