TASMANIAN AFL TEAM
I WRITE to commend Adam Daunt for his excellent opinion piece (The Sunday Examiner, June 12) addressing the issues surrounding Tasmania's entry to the AFL.
The proposals to spend one-off amounts of $750 million (at least) to build a stadium and $50 million to build a high-performance centre defy belief.
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Those politicians who will ultimately make the decisions to approve (or otherwise) these proposals would do well to put themselves in the places of those thousands of Tasmanians on the waiting list for public housing and reflect on how the spending of taxpayers' money really should be prioritised.
I suggest they look (figuratively) into the eyes of those living in cars or tents, roughing it on streets or couch surfing and then try to justify the expenditure of these magnitudes for a sporting purpose as opposed to addressing the needs of people in desperate circumstances.
It is time for the government to end this folly and to concentrate on those issues that are, in fact, important.
Selwyn Church, Perth.
AFL LICENCE? NO THANKS
THANKS, but no thanks to a 19th AFL licence if you impose the requirement for a new stadium. This requirement was not asked of GWS or Gold Coast on their entry to the AFL. To point to the stadiums in Adelaide and Perth (populations many times greater than Tasmania) as shining lights is a clear indication the AFL is not committed to the inclusion of Tasmania into the AFL. Bring on soccer, rugby and netball.
Jennifer Styles, Launceston.
MASKS WORK IN SCHOOLS
IF the government wants children to return to school during ongoing COVID 19, they need to feel safe.
A recent US study showed school districts with optional masking had about 3.6 times the rate of in-school COVID-19 cases when compared to schools with mandatory masks.
This data also shows that mandatory masking was associated with a 72 per cent reduction of in-school COVID-19 cases, compared to districts with optional masking.
Mandatory masking in schools protects most children. Optional masking does not.
Parents want their children to be safe. Some will object to masks and some will be unable to comply.
However, COVID 19 is an airborne virus. Masks work.
Kathryn Barnsley, Kingston.
TO ED STAFF, THANK YOU
AFTER attending Launceston General Hospital twice in four days in pain I would like to say a big thank you to all the hardworking dedicated staff in the Emergency Department. You are all very valued.
