Time to instil a love of learning and hard work

The ability to learn is based on much more than just “well-equipped” schools, argues a Howrah resident. PLUS more in today’s Letters to the Editor.

In your Letters to the Editor today: More to education than schools, switch to electric vehicles and doing business during a pandemic.

>> WRITE YOUR OWN LETTER TO THE EDITOR HERE

HARD WORK GIVES YOU WINGS

ON the subject of home schooling, do you think famous people such as Charles Darwin, Mark Twain and Albert Einstein had “well-equipped” schools, either private or public, or did they just have a love for learning? There are even Australian examples of inventors working from backyard sheds or books and assembling such things as microwave ovens. Another example is Ben Lexcen. So push on kids. A good work ethic also helps.

Maureen Newman, Howrah

Charge for empty shacks

YES folks, we’re all in this together. Well, nearly. Since March 30, us shack owners have been banned from sleeping overnight in our weekend dwellings. I have been sticking to this rule. As we are all aware Aurora Energy charge power users a daily rental charge on our power and hot water meters. In our case this amounts to about $111 a quarter. Considering we are not permitted to use our shack for some time, it is hardly fair for Aurora to keep charging this fee. Thanks for the goodwill.

Graham Roberts, West Hobart

Australia II keel designer Ben Lexcen, right, on board the America’s Cup-winning vessel in 1983 with businessman Alan Bond, centre, and skipper John Bertrand at the helm.

Odd RSPCA appointment

FORMER Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association chief executive Jan Davis has been appointed CEO of RSPCA Tasmania. As former head of the TFGA, Ms Davis has had a wealth of experience denying the institutionalised violence and cruelty of animal agribusiness. The RSPCA acknowledge the cruelty but, due to laws designed to protect the industry, cannot prosecute. According to the RSPCA website, “Intensive farming methods involve removing animals from their natural environments and keeping them housed or confined for all, or a large part, of their lives. They are raised in large numbers under controlled conditions, commonly involving use of hormones, antibiotics and vaccines.”

And “for many animals, housing is not necessary for animal welfare reasons, but is used … to increase productivity and/or reduce production costs. In such cases, intensive farming practices can adversely affect welfare by failing to provide animals with their basic needs, such as adequate space and the freedom to express essential natural behaviours.” Furthermore, “the RSPCA cannot prosecute them for using intensive farming practices, even when these practices are opposed by the RSPCA because they are inhumane and cruel.”

This appointment is odd and highlights the sham of agribusiness animal “welfare”.

K. McLaren, Lenah Valley

NEW RSPCA BOSS ASKS FOR A FAIR GO

Our lives depend on it

I AM alarmed reader David Legro should find Peter Boyer an “entertaining read” (Letters, May 7) and his quote that Chief Scientist Alan Finkel says it may take decades to decarbonise the planet. By then the planet may be unliveable. Scientists warned us 30 years ago rising greenhouse gas levels would cause increasingly serious problems for habitation on planet Earth, warnings largely ignored but now being proved absolutely correct. Anyone who can’t acknowledge the start of the alarming consequences of climate change is a danger to the rest of us, and if serious action is not taken, about half the planet may be uninhabitable by the end of the century, with the remaining half in chaos.

When COVID-19 hit us, governments listened to scientists and the more enlightened ones followed their advice. Because we still live in relative comfort (and we are the lucky ones, millions don’t), climate change is still not seen as our major problem. COVID-19 may be over and forgotten in a few years. Devastation of the planet will continue rapidly if warnings from the scientists go unheeded. Future generations, if there are any, will curse us.

John Sale, Battery Point

ADVISORY COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN HELP REBUILD OUR FUTURE

Nursing home love

DURING these difficult and uncertain times it is most comforting for us elderly folk in being so well cared for in our Swansea Nursing Home. Doctors, nurses, CEO and the whole staff cheerfully tending to our every need. Food is more than ample and nourishing, there is excellent hygiene and many activities for mental and physical stimulation. And now through Skype we are visually able to keep in touch with our families, an added bonus. Love you all.

Ninki Wynne, Swansea

SWITCH TO ELECTRIC FOR JOBS AND FARMING

WITH our fuel reserves limited to a few weeks, the high cost of increasing storage, and looming global instability, I’m amazed we don’t have a plan to reduce our dependence on vast quantities of imported oil.

Australia may have a theoretical abundance of food, but our farming is highly mechanised — without diesel for tractors and trucks and we’d soon face major shortages.

We have an excess of home-produced electrical energy, to the extent that South Australia wants to control rooftop solar.

A planned switch to electric transportation could generate jobs, save billions of dollars in imported oil, and reduce our reliance on precarious supply chains and other nations.

It’s working for Norway, where seven out of 10 new cars are electric.

With the right infrastructure, the Australian distance problem could be eliminated.

Richard Upton, New Town

Australia needs to start using more electric vehicles. Picture: Jasper Juinen/Bloomberg

HOT TOPIC: DOING BUSINESS IN A PANDEMIC

Go back to school on racing

IT is crazy to delay racing in Tasmania when it is OK for children to go back to school. The risk of spreading the coronavirus from the racing industry must be much lower than that of children and staff. If racing requires another risk assessment so too should schools. Perhaps the State Government wants to kill the industry. After all, the state sold off the profitable part of a self-funding industry where no taxpayer money was required in the past.

Norman Cook, Carlton River

New Zealand flight coup

SIMON Bevilacqua’s story about inviting the NZ Prime Minister on an inaugural flight from New Zealand to Tasmania would indeed be a coup (Mercury, May 9). Anyone who has visited New Zealand says how beautiful it is, and while being vastly different to Tasmania in many ways, it has a lot of similarities. New Zealanders say how fantastic Tasmania is. If 20,000 Kiwis normally visit Tasmania, it should be easy to far exceed that number if we have direct flights from north and south islands. Flights from Auckland as well as Christchurch must be included for the venture to succeed, and to give Tasmanian travellers a choice of which island to visit first.

Paul Merhulik, Blackmans Bay

GET JACNIDA TO TASSIE TO PROMOTE THE BUBBLE

Kiwi Cripps queen

I TOTALLY agree with Simon Bevilacqua (“Invite Kiwi PM to Tassie,” Mercury, May 9). But there’s a bigger issue, and no time to waste. The Cripps Ambassador should be dispatched immediately to sail to the New Zealand capital on the Spirit of Tasmania to seal a historic “Mt Wellington — Wellington Tourism and Trade Accord”. Then comes the tricky bit — the Ambassador needs to secretly spirit the adored Kiwi PM back to the Apple Isle on the return voyage to be rightly crowned the Queen of Tasmania!

Stephen Jeffery, Sandy Bay

Under-25s in business

AS we start to turn into the corner of recovery I see an opportunity for those empty shops where old businesses haven’t or won’t re-open. A fund should encourage under-25s to start their own businesses in these vacant spaces. It should provide seed capital and mentoring advice, because I do foresee a generational change. Many business operators in the over-55 age bracket will see the task of re-establishing their business just too daunting, so we should encourage the youngest to take their place. Anybody have any suggestions as to how to make this a reality?

Colin Corney, Beaumaris

Why the rush to reopen state borders, return to work and restart the racing industry? Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Health ahead of money

WHY is we have to witness these people clamouring to open borders straight away? We have David O’Byrne arguing for the racing to resume immediately and some business expert clamouring for rushing everyone back to work irrespective of the virus. When sensationalising people advocate like this on TV don’t they realise the damage that can be caused? There will be second and even third waves if we insist on rushing. It is all about money and not the health of the nation. Wake up, take a chill pill and wait it out for everyone’s sake.

Scott White, Sorell

Australia Post all wrong

DON’T you think it a bit ironic that the same day the Prime Minister informs us of lessening of restrictions on the population and business, Australia Post notifies us it is increasing delivery days and expanding processing capabilities. Why is Australia Post doing this now, when the virus curve is well and truly heading down and businesses are opening, and not a month ago when the curve was going up and businesses were closed? I hope those in charge give up their bonuses this year because common sense has eluded them.

David Markham, Sorell

China trade imbalance

FREE trade with China is a misnomer. Who said “There’s no such thing as a free lunch”? China undercuts Australian products producing goods cheaper than those items made in Australia. This is dumping. And now China openly threatens trade sanctions. It’s taken a crisis like COVID-19 to make Australians aware of this unbalance of power, politically and economically. But it’s never too late. Stand up Australia and remember the Anzacs.

Margaret Nicol-Smith, Blackmans Bay

QUICK VIEWS

Cartela shipshape for Mona

I HAVE been watching with interest the latest chapter of the grand old lady the Cartela. Who will have the vision to bring her back? In my opinion, David Walsh. She would make a great floating museum carrying tourists and locals to and from Mona and beyond.

Rob Hooper, Ranelagh

108-YEAR-OLD TASMANIAN STEAMSHIP LISTED FOR SALE

The historic steamship Cartela.

Self-traders left out

INTERESTING times. Times are tough. Let’s take the unemployed. Nice little payout and double the dose. Good stuff. Now the poor old self-trader. Presumably some money available, but it seems to me it’s only available to the chosen few in the know. Every person on unemployment got a handout, but not the unwise self-trader. Back to the coal face.

Michael Eastwood, Otago Bay

Pick up poo please

GREAT to see lots more people walking their dogs along my street due to the shutdown, but please pick up the droppings as you make responsible dog owners angry. Please be responsible.

Ian Grantham, Taroona

Thank God for the Allies

I WAS born in Germany three years after WWII. The Nazi virus had been contained and defeated. Thank God for the Allies. Thank you!

Wolf Ebert, Sandy Bay

Prepare to duck

DODGED a bullet? Watch out for the ricochet!

Bob Holderness-Roddam, Austins Ferry

Sports fanatics well served

CONGRATULATIONS must go to Fox Footy for providing us sports fanatics with their coverage, replays, etc, of our great game in this time of sports lockdown! Apart from the horse racing, of which I am a fan, there is nothing else sporting wise to keep us occupied in these hard times. Keep up the great work until life returns to normal.

Bill Sorell, Dynnyrne

Where’s health minister?

CONSTANT TV news coverage of COVID-19 by health ministers from mainland states. In Tasmania we do not have a health minister. What happened?

Paul Samootin, Kingston

Debit cards fee-free

A GOOD point about cash being legal tender in Australia, Christine Burke (Letters, May 9). But you don’t have to use a credit card with its irritating fees. Get a debit card instead. It has no fees and if you get your bank’s app on your phone, you know exactly your balance. But cash is still legal tender.

Jorgen Jorgensen, Moonah