AFL Stadium feeds the north versus south rivalry in Tasmania

It is the politicians of the past who have fed-off and exacerbated the North-South rivalry in Tasmania and have held us back, not the least in our own Tasmanian AFL Team and Stadium, but in many other respects as well.

It is time to get behind the Believe Tasmania Team and the AFL and Tasmanian and Federal Governments and to build something we can be proud of.

My Granddaughter will be joining Jack Riewoldt at York Park in January for his clinic.

David Champ, Newnham

THEO Bakker (The Examiner, December 3) offers some criticism of Extinction Rebellions activities, suggesting other options are more effective. He suggests that there are better ways to achieve change. Perhaps so, but he also should provide the evidence to support his assertions, rather than provide an armchair critique from the sidelines, snapping at the heels of those who are willing to step up to the mark, speak out on behalf of their community, risk their reputations, accept fines and bail conditions and convictions, and do all this willingly by way of Nonviolent Direct Action.

Extinction Rebellion activists in Launceston have written letters to newspapers, including this paper, met with politicians, met with various Council members, spoken at events, provided public information handouts , written to politicians both state and federal - we have undertaken all the actions I hope Mr Bakker has done. These are the "moderate" but ineffective actions he suggests are "highly effective". But with global temperatures increasing, emission levels rising, and our politicians still endorsing the development of new gas and coal ventures, obviously more needs to be done.

Extinction Rebellion does not encourage more extremist actions, as Mr Bakker suggests. But we will not sit back and hope that magic will occur, or that the extractive industries will decide profit and growth are no longer necessary drivers of change. You are welcome to join us, Mr Bakker. We will not go silently into the night.

Dr Scott Bell, Trevallyn

This week the Albanese Government struck a deal with Premiers at National Cabinet to introduce a national gun register.

Tasmania changed on 28 April, 1996 at Port Arthur. Gun reform was necessary then and a national gun register has been on the national agenda since.

It has taken 27 years to get to this point but the Albanese Government welcomes this historic reform which will ideally keep more Tasmanians and Australians safe.

The register will address significant inconsistencies in the way firearms information is managed across jurisdictions. It will mean a federal model with a central hub connecting state and territory data, allowing up to date information sharing.

The database will ensure details regarding firearm owners, the type of firearm they own and the location of where the gun(s) are registered.

This reform by the Albanese Government represents the most significant improvement in Australia's firearms management system in almost 30 years and will keep more of Australia's first responders and the community safe. As a proud Tasmanian I welcome this reform 27 years since Port Arthur.

Senator Helen Polley, Labor Senator for Tasmania

IF THE State Government is keen on amalgamation why not start by amalgamating Hydro, Aurora, TasWater, Transend and Tas Irrigation? Who knows we might not oversell our water.

Geoff Lyons, Riverside

AS A member of the ALP and union movement for more years than Rebecca White can dream of, I am appalled of her treatment of David O'Byrne to shore up the dying leadership of the Tas ALP and selecting candidates who are just more of the same with no life experience except working for politicians e.g. Stuart Benson. It's time to go Ms White.

Michael Robinson, Beauty Point

I CAN'T help but wonder if the decline in our childrens school results could possibly be because the standards of teachers have declined dramatically in the last decade. When we see on TV and hear the teacher screeching at a small girl and telling her to shut up, maybe if the HECS was scrapped we would get better quality people teaching. Perhaps those who really care and not so many of those who can afford to pay for a well paid job.

Doreen Baker, West Launceston