THROWING PUBLIC STONES
BURNIE mayor Steve Kons takes umbrage at the recent actions of the Bob Brown Foundation protestors, who locked on at the Burnie wharf (The Examiner, September 11).
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He attempts to denigrate their motives, their social morals, and uses the tired and oft-repeated chant of "get a job".
His implication being these people, who are willing to challenge the influence and power of the corporate world, and its destructive environmental practices, are somehow unworthy and useless and dangerous members of our society.
I seem to recall some pertinent questions raised about Cr Kons' past activities, when a parliamentarian. Wasn't there an issue about paperwork retrieved from a waste bin? Is this just another pathetic example of the pot calling the kettle black? Or maybe people in glass houses shouldn't?
Scott Bell, Esmerelda Enterprises Environmental.
TASSIE'S VACCINATION RATE
TO allay vaccine hesitancy, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation and health experts are backing to make Pfizer shots available to older Australians over the age of 60. In the Northern Territory, South Australia, Western Australia and now Queensland (from this weekend) the over 60 cohort have the choice of Pfizer or AstraZeneca, including walk-ins at Queensland community vaccination hubs.
Does the Tasmanian government languish in an isolated, self-congratulatory vaccination rate paradigm, or does it act in the interests of public health and freedom of choice for every Tasmanian?
Kenneth Gregson, Swansea.
WOMEN'S TENNIS DELIGHT
IN my 70-year involvement in tennis, I can't recall a more exciting time in world women's tennis, with two lowly-ranked, but amazing teenagers in England's Emma Raducanu and Canada's Leylah Fernandez fighting out the US Open women's singles final. OK, the next day, some bloke named Djokovic, would be playing off for the chance to break the record of the most "slam'' men's singles titles won, but who gave a "rats'' about that.
The tournament and the tennis world's focus belonged to these two super young players. Raducanu became the first qualifier, male or female, to win a "slam" singles title and Fernadez, probably the smallest in stature of all the women players in the tournament, made up for that with incredible power on her ground shots and backed it up with superb touch on volley and dropshot.
Only time will tell whether these two incredible players will be little more than "shooting stars" in the game or go on to be "evergreens" like Serena Williams and Margaret Court. Perhaps when they come up against world number one and our own, Ash Barty, in future matches, it could give an indication on that score.
An added bonus for armchair tennis watchers is, they don't need to turn the volume down for Fenandez and Raducanu, as they are both "non-screamers". May they have long careers for that reason alone.
Ian Macpherson, Newstead.
THE MISSING CHRISTIAN QUALITY
I WONDER if Richard Hill was aware of the irony (The Examiner, September 12) headed "Our Christian qualities".
Although I appreciate the worth and value of his description of Christian qualities, his final statement "Scott Morrison is none of these" seems to me to fly in the face of the central and essential Christian quality, judge not.
I am quite sure that, given all the circumstances arising from one's unchosen birth, everyone is doing the best they can, including Richard. Einstein was not a Christian, and he did not believe in free will, except for this one choice, "everyone has two choices".
We're either full of love or full of fear.
Love does not condemn.
Love recognises that we are all the same, except for this single choice located out of sight deep in every heart behind the concealing veil of the ever-present fear-driven ego.
Dr Phil Harker, Deloraine.
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?
AS a Christian I ask myself: "What would Jesus do"?
Personally, I have seen more Jesus (someone who regularly offended the holier than thou), in the words and actions of non-believers, than in onward Christian soldiers.
Regardless of our beliefs, we need to seriously listen to those who serially offend the holier than thou faith within us all.
Only when good and humble holier than thou, onward soldiers (including Christians), stop playing their God will there be any real chance of Peace on Earth.
Thank goodness for Cassy O'Connor.
Deb Johnston-Andrews, Mayfield.
SPORT AND EQUALITY TASMANIA
I AGREE with Senator Claire Chandler.
Transwomen are not women, they are male, and have male physiology.
Medicalisation and surgery does not change this (although according to the legislation none of that is required).
When the Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act was changed in 2013 to include gender identity it is quite clear the intent was never to include males in women's sport as an exemption was specifically included in the Act.
The Commonwealth Sex Discrimination Act clearly does not perceive transwomen to be women, as much as Charlie Burton would like it to be so.
There are ample opportunities for those who identify as another gender to play in social sport (including mixed sex ) without imposing on women's single-sex sport.