Letters to the Editor, April 3, 2020

In your Letters to the Editor today: Supermarket food limits, heroes on shop battle lines and money.

RESTRICTIONS: Hard to get everything at the regular fortnightly shop. Picture: AP

In your Letters to the Editor today: Supermarket food limits, heroes on shop battle lines and money.

FOOD RULES MEAN REPEAT TRIPS

WHO thought up the idea of extreme restrictions on food items at supermarkets? We tried to buy our normal fortnightly shop and were not allowed for instance to buy three items in total from the frozen vegetable section or from the long-life and condensed milk selection. This was not three of the one item, it was three in total across the range. You can’t buy one packet of caster sugar, one packet of icing sugar and one of another type of sugar because you are over the two-pack limit.

The two-pack limit should apply to each individual item not the whole group but maybe a total of six over the range would be a solution They are individual products not the same product.

These rules are only necessitating more shopping trips to get what you could not get the first time. We are asked to stay home and only go out when necessary but the restrictions mean we have to go out at least twice as much as we should. This only gets people frustrated and defeats the stay-at-home rule we all try to adhere to.

Scott and Sue White, Sorell

Everything but the sink

WELL done to PM Scott Morrison and his government for the leadership they have shown over a difficult six months or so. Fires, floods, drought and now COVID-19, everything has been thrown at them but the kitchen sink. Apart from the Depression, WWI and WWII and the GFC, has a PM and his government had a more tumultuous time. They have guided the nation well. There has been criticism from the Opposition and others but that is part and parcel of being the PM and government. They have done their very best, no one could have done any better.

In Tasmania we have our own man of resolve in Premier Gutwein. He has put the strictest conditions in place of any state or territory and has not taken a backward step in ensuring the safety of all Tasmanians. He has shown strong leadership at a time of international crisis and come through with flying colours, showing both strength of character and empathy.

Alan Leitch, Austins Ferry

Home quarantine better

THE Premier strongly makes no apologies for placing returning Tasmanians into hotels or other accommodation for 14 days when the equally responsible alternative of home quarantining remains the reasonable and safe approach that should be re-adopted. Monitor compliance if needs be.

The Premier in turn needs to be strongly reminded that even in this COVID-19 crisis, he must be vigilant that the decisions he and the Executive make do not overstep the mark, and that any measures are reviewed in reasonable time frames. Tasmanians are demonstrating willing co-operation and compliance with the necessary measures to battle this virus. Please review the need to lock returning Tasmanians in hotel rooms, and require home quarantine. Request that they test for the virus if the need to isolate them in hotels is so overwhelming.

Gerard Velnaar, Glaziers Bay

Law changes everything

TIME is running out to lodge submissions for the Major Projects legislation. With the closing date of April 9 fast upon us, members of our community are facing a World War III crisis and living through unprecedented times. Now is not the time to consider such critical legislation.

It gives unlimited power to government to override community and council concerns. Cambria Green, high-rise, cable car, wilderness tourism, could all become a reality if the legislation is passed. No consultation with community required. This will affect every Tasmanian now and in future.

We as a Tasmanian community are working with you to fight this pandemic Mr Gutwein. We ask you extend the date of our submissions on Major Projects legislation until the COVID-19 nightmare is over and we can resume some normal life, regroup and re-examine this serious legislation in detail.

Chris Needham, Kingston

Australian bargains

SO COVID-19 is ravaging the world thanks to the Chinese communist government. The next thing that will happen is that the almighty Chinese economy will “bail” out the rest of the world financially but at what cost to nations like Australia. After the virus has decimated the economy as we know it, there will be plenty of “bargains” such as power companies, water supplies, food production, agricultural land etc to pick up for a song. The Prime Minister and company need to legislate quickly to prevent foreign nationals from grabbing what is left of Australian assets. They could even go one step further and dispossess them of assets acquired during the past 10 years.

Gus Steinbauer, Howrah

Children of 1967

AFTER acknowledging the devastation of the mainland fires, I remembered the southern Tasmanian fires of February, 1967. On that day there were fires, not too threatening, surrounding Hobart on both sides of the river. By midmorning, the fires had swept into suburban streets and nothing could be done except wait. My lasting memory was of schoolchildren wandering dazed through the streets of Hobart, past still-burning houses because the fire had come on the first day back at school and schools and parents had been unable to work out a response plan because the fires had come so quickly.

I don’t think I read of any memories of these children and often wondered how they coped. More than 60 people died, our rented cottage in Fern Tree was burnt and I can’t remember anyone expecting sympathy from the world or politician’s hugs, we all got on with our lives.

Sally Duncan, Kingston

SALUTE THE HEROES ON SHOP BATTLE LINES

WE have talked a lot about Australian heroes of late. At the beginning of the year we had the fire fighters and now we have the frontline troops in the battle against COVID-19.

The nation has reason to salute those doctors and nurses dealing with those unfortunate enough to contract the virus. Some have become ill because of it. My thoughts go out particularly to those shop assistants who keep the shelves stocked and their customers served.

They cannot tell if their customers have the virus or not, if the cash they handle is contaminated or clean, but they invariably greet us with a smile.

Willingness to serve others where danger abides is the hallmark of true courage, and lots of our fellow Aussies set a wonderful example for the rest of us to follow.

Rick Giddings, Pontville

HOT TOPIC: THE MONEY

What’s in store for retirees?

I UNDERSTAND why government is providing unemployed and other benefit-holders stimulus packages (excellent to see at such an early stage), but I haven’t seen anything for self-funded retirees. Or investment property owners (who aren’t receiving rental income or are encouraged to rent properties for nothing)?

With the crash of the stockmarket and property market, retirees are no longer able to live off dividend checks, etc, and many of those with rental properties will have tenants unable to pay rent. Accessing superannuation might be an option for some but others have to consider how to make what super they’ve accumulated last until the day they die.

Government seems to have put a lot of resources into helping those already on benefits or newly unemployed, but I’d like to see focus on those who have worked hard, been active members in the economy and proudly have assets to show for their efforts. Maybe for those who have tenants unable to pay rent, a substantial discount on rates, land tax or other charges be put in place and backdated? For retirees who own their home a discount on previously listed expenses based on a percentage of property value? How is the government proposing to assist these people?

Emily Noga, Mt Stuart

Pollies, take a pay cut

WHEN we are all in it together, and when hundreds of thousands of Australians are suffering, should parliamentarians, from the Premier downwards take a 50 per cent pay cut and with no benefits during this time? This is only fair. We have, of course, moved to a police state with our freedoms now drastically taken away from us, some of the measures I believe are quite illegal. This is without any concern expressed by our parliamentarians and the legal profession. Obviously both are lame ducks. Who we really need at a time like this is another Joseph (Joe) Darling, but sadly none exist. Now our freedoms have been taken away will they ever be restored?

R.A. Watson, Geilston Bay

Fuel triple the price

PETER Dutton is quoted as saying the Government was coming down hard on businesses profiteering. Fuel in Tasmania at many service stations sits at $1.43 a litre for standard unleaded and up to $1.70 for premium. In South Australia some servos are selling standard unleaded for under 50 cents per litre. It is time fuel pricing should be set by the government like many things. It is not only disgusting that we are nearly paying three times as much for fuel, I would call it not only unAustralian at the very least, criminal at the most.

Grant Hildyard, Kingston

Pick fruit and be paid

GOVERNMENT has approved $1500 payments fortnightly to businesses in order to maintain their employees? Bearing in mind most of businesses should close due to lack of demand and customers, what should these employees do apart from sitting and have a cup of tea and paid by government? A number of fruit growers and farmers complained of lack of sufficient back packers to do their works. Why do those who queue in Centrelink not help farmers and be paid?

Maty Ghezelayagh, Berriedale

GST for post-CV

PERHAPS it is time to look at increasing GST on non-essential items or imposing a tax levy on above average income earners to reduce the size of the post CV-19 problem, and the impact on future generations. I also hope arrangements for any mass payments the government is making will include an opt-out option for those who may be entitled, but don’t need it.

Geoff Dannock, Blackmans Bay

Scrap the subs

WHEN I see the money the Federal Government seems to produce out of a hat to offset losses caused by coronavirus, I can’t help wondering where it comes from. Then it occurred to me that all we have to do is scrap the orders for the F-35 JSF and the submarines and hey presto, we do have the money …. and what is security really about anyway? These weapons may not even work, they are to combat a threat to national security that doesn’t exist and the money mostly goes to the US and France. As for jobs in Australia, we could make planes for fire fighting and coastguard vessels. I know which I’d prefer.

Peter D. Jones, Lenah Valley

QUICK VIEWS

Send Aurora to pick up Aussies

WITH the retirement of our own Aurora Australis, could it not be used on one final mission to South America to pick up stranded Aussies? Chuck a few camping stretchers on board. Most backpackers will have sleeping bags. It’s a no-brainer.

Ian Baillie, Lenah Valley

Turn cruise ships into hospitals

CRUISE ships are the present-day prison hulks in the Thames. Perhaps consider redeploying the most suitable as hospital ships after the necessary changes are made to their infrastructure. Instead of rusting out, a mobile medical fleet without borders could be utilised worldwide in this and other crises.

Nathan Duhig, South Hobart

Roads still jammed

WELL done to most of our citizens for their adherence to home isolation! Sadly, our highways and principal roads are still jammed with motorists needlessly travelling and seemingly oblivious to the latest rules. One wonders when the police are going to set up roadblocks to weed out and fine these recalcitrant individuals?

Harry Quick, Berriedale

Cracking down on all viruses

I ASSUME that with the drastic measures we are taking to contain the coronavirus we are in fact containing all other viruses too. It will be interesting to see whether we have a flu season at all this year.

Samuel Green, Sandy Bay

Use Future Fund billions

WHAT better use could the Future Fund, with $168 odd billion sitting in it, be used for than to fund the current crisis and save our children and great-grandchildren etc having to pay off the massive amounts being thrown at the problem.

Arthur Orchard, Lindisfarne

MP wage reductions

COVID-19 gave birth to the catchphrase “we’re all in this together”. Wouldn’t it be a fantastic morale booster if all politicians, both state and federal, took a wage cut. Could it really happen?

John Wilson, Magra

No place like home

PETER Boyer’s excellent Talking Point article “Why there’s no place like home” on Tuesday certainly makes me feel very fortunate to be living in such a great state as Tassie under these extenuating circumstances.

Chris Davey, Lindisfarne

Oyster shrinking

THE world was once your oyster. Memories!

Basil Bailey, Zeehan

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