EMPLOYMENT AND THE ECONOMY
IN claiming 31,000 more Tasmanians are in work under the Morrison government Senator Wendy Askew fails to put that employment figure in context (The Examiner, May 5).
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Coalition MPs have been known to make favourable but questionable employment statements before, presumably to serve the equally questionable claim the Liberals are better at managing the economy.
Look a little closer at that inflated employment claim though and it's quickly apparent that Senator Askew is repeating a Liberal line that considers a person employed if they work just two or three hours a week.
Few people would seriously consider two hours of work a week as being adequately employed since those hours are rarely regular or reliable, never mind enough. They certainly aren't enough to cover the rent or put food on the table. They also do nothing to help increasing cost of living pressures too many in our community are facing.
So Senator Askew's claims of a ''stronger economy and an even stronger future'' under a Morrison government can only be regarded as both highly questionable, and extremely optimistic.
Anne Layton-Bennett, Swan Bay.
OUR CHAMELEON-LIKE PM
HAVING had Scott Morrison as Prime Minister for a full term, we can now assess both his leadership and his personal values. ScoMo has proved himself to be the chameleon that many suspected he was.
As immigration minister, he deserted any form of humanitarianism to prove how hard and cruel he could be to meet his hard-right supporters' expectations.
From the beginning of his term Morrison has lied to us, deflected and dodged. It began at the start of his term when he failed to implement any reforms to workplace bullying in the Parliament.
He deflected Macron's statement that called him a liar to make it seem like a reflection on Australia rather than himself. The vaccination "stroll-out" was "not a race" (it certainly was). "I don't hold a hose" meant "it's not my responsibility".
His abject failure to act on climate change has meant we have lost critical time to act. All this lying and denial is a threat to our democracy and undermines our trust in the political process.
Democracy is more than just the ability to vote every three years.
Malcolm Cowan, West Launceston.
WHAT'S REALLY BELOW SURFACE
GEOFF Lyons hit the nail on the head with his letter published in (The Examiner, May 11)
The problem with the Tamar River is that the mud is the result of more than 150 years of human excrement being dumped in it. Not one government has guts and money to build a modern sewage treatment plant.
It is a Third World country. If you don't believe me, just break the surface of the so-called mud, and the septic stench will make you retch. I have a large waterfront and know this from experience. This is so unacceptable in this day and age.
No-one has the guts to bite the bullet and fix this problem.
Suzanne Robinson, Blackwall.
STRONG COMMUNITY FOCUS
THE Examiner is the best regional newspaper. A strong voice representing the North and North-West people's prosperity, calling out injustice, highlighting issues that affect the most disadvantaged.
The Examiner is a community-based newspaper extending its journalism to a wide audience. The opinion column is a very popular voice for the community, a showplace for events. They recognise those whose kindness restores some faith where trust has collapsed, a far more superior business advertising path than commercial TV.
Commercial TV has never been, or will be a community-based service, it is only open to the highest bidder.
A bipartisan political rescue should now be done with direct grants. I hope its supporters make the effort to inform the parties that financial support is needed now.
The community should buy and subscribe to this important newspaper.
William Ovenell, Grindelwald.
GENUINE PROMISES OR SPIEL?
WITH the division of Bass being a main indicator electorate for the politicians, it amazes me of all the politicians of every party and their promises to the electors of the region.
It would be worthwhile just to list every one of the statements and promises, and compare what happens say a year after the election date and see how many of the promises have been committed to, or on the drawing board, or just forgotten as election spiel.