Letters to the Editor, March 16, 2019

In your Letters to the Editor today: Students’ climate strike, student suspensions and the anti-everything brigade.

Amity Cruickshank 13 in grade 8 at St Michael's Collegiate. Students Against Climate Change rally on the Hobart waterfront. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

In your Letters to the Editor today: Students’ climate strike, student suspensions and the anti-everything brigade.

STILL FORMING THEIR OWN IDEAS

WE bring up our children to listen to what we say without challenge when they are young. That is how we keep them safe and introduce them to our culture. As they get older and reach their teen years, they start to take on influences outside the family unit and begin to form their own personal view on the world and thus opinions. It’s also the start of their critical thinking. This is why I find encouraging young people who are still forming their own ideas of the world so terribly wrong. We are not seeing anything more than a reflection of the adults who guide them into what to and how to think. More to the point, with Tasmania’s reading/writing results being some of the worst in Australia, it’s shameful to think that it’s OK to strip them of yet more resources (time) where they could be strengthening the very skills they will need later in life. Yesterday’s strike action is yet another virtue-signalling exercise at our children’s educative expense.

Louise Bloomfield, Hobart

Ignore fuddy-duddies

CONGRATULATIONS to the forward-thinking students engaged in the strike for climate change action. It’s good young people are thinking not just about themselves, but the future of the planet. They should take no notice of the fuddy-duddies against them. The establishment wants children to grow up to be good little worker bees, and keep their mouths shut. Well, I say good on the kids for having the gumption to stage a political protest.

Tom Nilsson, Lutana

Cold, drizzly bus stops

READER Eddy Steenbergen remarks on the expense of an efficient public transport system (Letters, March 15). Might it be more cost-effective for Metro to run buses on a more frequent schedule, than for other branches of our government (ultimately the same money bag) to spend enormous amounts of money building tunnels and extra lanes? Standing at an unsheltered bus stop on a cold, drizzly night for a seeming eternity is not conducive to deciding to leave the car at home and rely on Metro to get one home safely.

Ro Dallow, West Hobart

British psychiatric staff

A RECRUITMENT drive by Mental Health Services for British psychiatric personnel will only succeed if the culture of the service changes. Already a predominant number of British qualified workers make up the present team and the philosophy is not to address the complete needs of the client. Physical health issues, no matter how serious, are sidelined, and one can make submissions to all members of the team including heads of departments on behalf of family members and they will always fail. The Tasmanian mental health policy appears to be that physical health issues are not in any way the responsibility of Mental Health Services despite the Royal College of Psychiatrists stating that people with long-term mental illness and associated issues such as chronic physical ill-health will have a lifespan 25 to 30 years less than the general public.

Janet Nankivell, New Town

Stand with New Zealand

THE heinous attack on the mosques in New Zealand is a terrible reminder that there is no place for automatic weapons in any country that values the lives of its citizens. The Government’s decision to change the state’s gun laws before the election resulted in a public backlash fuelled by the long shadow of memories from the Port Arthur massacre.

Tasmanians are in the unenviable position to understand something of what our New Zealand cousins are experiencing. A tremendous mixture of emotions arises when the full import is revealed. That this latest carnage is fuelled by a hatred of people who follow the Islamic tradition is appalling. New Zealand is renowned for its tolerance of other religious traditions and those with none. However, there are people whose values are twisted and who act out of hatred towards anyone different to themselves. Every effort must be made to ensure potential killers are not given opportunity for mass killings with a hand-held weapon.

Meanwhile, everyone in Tasmania will wish to wrap their arms around everyone affected by this massacre and to offer prayers, comfort and support.

Ed Sianski, West Moonah

Difficult home lives

EDUCATION is a human right for all children. Withdrawal of education is not an effective response to lateness. This appears to be a punishment delivered in frustration rather than good pedagogy. Perhaps a factor is under-resourcing the support needs of students. Many face difficult circumstances which affect the ability to engage with school. A high proportion of the most disadvantaged students have care responsibilities at home, for siblings, parents and grandparents. Students struggling to engage deserve support. Schools need more social workers, psychologists and teacher aides, which will also take pressure off teachers.

Meg Webb, independent candidate for Nelson

All in the timing

INSTEAD of stating if students are five minutes late they will be suspended for a day, simply schedule class start time five minutes earlier. Everyone can be five minutes late and class will start on time.

Stewart Edwards, Mt Stuart

PUTTING VALUES INTO PRACTICE AT SCHOOL

IT’S rare to see a new school policy making front page headlines and labelled as “ludicrous and draconian ... 1970s style discipline which will achieve nothing” (“Late to school? You’re suspended,” Mercury, March 15).

Wrong. This policy has highlighted many aspects of education which are written in policies but may be difficult to enact in practice, such as developing values of respect and responsibility, not only for students but for educators too. Surely a principal has a responsibility to maximise opportunities and resources in their school? That includes ensuring the enthusiasm and energy of the staff are not frittered away chasing students who are out of class without reason.

A school has a legal responsibility to know the whereabouts of each student. What sanctions should be in place for students who arrive in good time, perhaps on a school bus, but then make a choice to be late to class or even play truant? Policy-makers from the Education Department would undoubtedly see that as the responsibility of the principal. Principal Andy Bennett has drawn a line in the sand and explained the school’s new zero-tolerance policies and consequences. He has asked for support from parents. Yet we read, “the rule at Sorell High has shocked both parents and the Education Department which says its policies do not support such sanctions”. And so we go full circle. Where does the responsibility lie?

P. Webb, Sandy Bay

HOT TOPIC: ‘ANTI-EVERYTHING BRIGADE’

Anti-that, but in favour of this

THE cable car low-impact and environmentally friendly? (Letters, March 13). I don’t think so. This would be a large affair, not the tiny pretty car seen in hopeful advertisements. And either it would fail because it would be too expensive and people couldn’t afford it, in which case it would be an ugly white elephant; or it would succeed, and South Hobart would be thronged with extra cars when it has enough already; large obtrusive towers would be built; large cars would pass over the Organ Pipes; a huge function centre would disfigure the pinnacle; and hundreds of passengers would be let loose on the fragile ecosystem there. Traffic would not be reduced much, if at all, on the Pinnacle Rd because more tourists would drive to the function centre.

It’s all part of the dangers of mass tourism ruining our beautiful island. No, we are not anti-everything, Will Hodgman: we are in favour of keeping Tasmania beautiful.

Alison Alexander, Dynnyrne

Venice has them too

I WONDER if Mr Hodgman watched ABC’s Foreign Correspondent? I hope so, because it would have given him a glimpse of what the pursuit of tourist money over residents can do to a city. In this instance, the city of Venice, which is being loved to death by tourists. Yes, they have their “anti-everything’’ brigades there too. Cruise ships, Airbnb, short-visit hordes descending upon Venice — all causing a lot of angst. The residents have nowhere to live, ousted from long-term rentals. They are forming groups and are trying to fight back to save their beautiful city. They’re not “anti-everything’’, they simply live there and love their city. Sound familiar? Do cities exist for the people who live in them or for tourism?

Yvonne Trevaskis, Battery Point

Voice for my passion

THANKS to Simon Bevilacqua for voicing my affront at being described as the “anti-everything brigade” in my protest about the proposed cable car on Mt Wellington (Mercury, March 9). The Premier would do well to understand that protest about despoiling kunanyi with a cable car is a deeply held conviction that I, along with many others, feel passionately about. The mountain is the heart and soul of Hobart, and to run a cable car across the face of “The Organ Pipes” is a travesty. Tourist dollars spent on a cable car will never balance the loss of this wild place at our doorstep. Spend the money on a shuttle bus from The Springs instead.

Margaret Beasley, Murdunna

For posterity

ONE of the most oft-repeated and specious phrases is the “anti-everything brigade”. The disingenuous expression sums up those who wish to preserve the vanishing, pristine areas of our beloved planet. Why not save something for posterity? And thus ensure that nature is not yet extinguished. I mean, Mars is not an option!

Margaret Nicol-Smith, Blackmans Bay

Pot … black

PREMIER Hodgman has arrogantly labelled concerned citizens against the proposed Mt Wellington cable car proposal as the “anti-everything brigade”. On the contrary, Mr Hodgman and his Cabinet could equally be labelled as the anti-everything brigade.

Anti-protest laws, anti-protection for Tasmania’s iconic wilderness forests from logging, anti-overdue reasonable wage increases for Tasmania’s overworked health care workers, anti-disclosure of Liberal party donors at the last election, just to name a few.

Paul Mochon, Kingston

Don’t mention it

I’M compiling a list of words people use when they don’t want to engage in actual debate about policies. So far I have: Virtue signalling, politically correct, nanny state, noisy minority, bleeding hearts, snowflake and of course “the anti-everything brigade”. Any I’ve missed?

Beth Warren, Alderman, Clarence City Council

Signing up

READER Shane Lidster makes it sound like everyone who has to put up with noise through the day will sign up to the anti-everything brigade (Letters, March 7). If it weren’t for noise, you wouldn’t have that tower, buildings and the road on the beautiful, pristine, untouched mountain.

Baden Kennedy, Glenorchy

QUICK VIEWS

Please, just do the recycling

I FIND it absolutely bemusing that councils participate in all sorts of political correctness and social engineering when, seriously, one of the few things most ratepayers need them to do is handle their recycling correctly, yet they don’t have any solutions.

Daniel Webb, Glenorchy

Break lateness habit

IF principals are not allowed to set boundaries for behaviour, how can teachers be expected to teach? If not checked, being late becomes common practice, especially in today’s world with preoccupation with social media. One would have expected support from an organisation representing parents.

Mavis Beattie, New Norfolk

Well done Jacinda

JACINDA Ardern’s response to the horrific and mindless acts of violent extremism in New Zealand was truly magnificent.

Michael McCall, Primrose Sands

Expensive success

I READ Alderman Damon Thomas said the Taste was a success and cost the Hobart City Council $1.6 million. Hate to know how much it would’ve cost if it had been a failure.

Stan Forbes, Battery Point

Rally for cable car?

I SEE readers’ letters claiming the majority of Hobartians want a cable car and I see a well-organised public relations campaign — but I don’t see that majority out on the streets yelling “What do we want? A cable car! When do we want it? Now!” Maybe I’ve missed something?

Richard Upton, New Town

Feeling karma

CRITICS of the likely jettisoning of the Premier’s election promise for an underground bus mall near Franklin Square (“Questions surface over promise of underground transit centre”, Mercury, March 14) should hold fire and marvel at the big picture. That promise would have no doubt contributed to delivering the magnificent Sue Hickey to parliament, and ultimately, the Speaker’s chair. To think I once pooh-poohed karma.

Stephen Jeffery, Sandy Bay

Footy boss too pricey

THE Prime Minister of Australia should command a good salary, as should a senior check and training captain with a major airline. But as for AFL CEO Gillon McLaclan’s “package” in the millions of dollars, how can this be justified? (“Clash on Gill deal secrecy”, Mercury, March 8).

Chris Davey, Lindisfarne

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