Your Say: Letters to the Editor, February 27, 2020

In your Letters to the Editor today: North Hobart parking, hazards for mariners China, and increasing size of parliament.

North Hobart residents (L-R) Dean Bassam, Robyn Mathison, Veronica McShane holding dog Juno, Sandra Bassam and Jenny Smith are sharing their perspective on the Vision Plan council are undertaking for the area Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

In your Letters to the Editor today: North Hobart parking, China, voluntary assisted dying, carbon emissions and WikiLeaks.

Less traffic good for business

IN reference to the article about North Hobart (“We want a piazza, not a new carpark,” Mercury, February 21), research around the world shows less traffic and parking in an area actually increases trade to local business. I commend Hobart City Council for its intelligent approach in seeking consultation about the vision for North Hobart and hope it will realise how the local community is keen for Condell Place to remain public land.

A beautiful, garden piazza and all that it could entail will enhance the vibrancy of the precinct, bring more people and align with heritage values. This is what we should be looking to for the future, definitely not a multistorey carpark!

Julia Gibson, North Hobart

Losing control of food

WHY, oh, why is the Federal Government not satisfied with selling so much of our food-producing land to China that they now have to sell our value-adding companies too (Mercury, February 22)? When the crunch comes and our milk products all are being sent to China and there is none left for Australians do they think the Chinese will think, poor Australians, we’ve left them with nothing? Once our food production and value-adding plants are gone we will have no control. The foreign nationals buying up Australia are so much smarter than we are.

Anne Griffiths, Huonville

Allowing agony is wrong

I SUPPORT Mike Gaffney and his efforts to get a well-considered voluntary assisted dying bill through the Tasmanian parliament. I also congratulate Dying with Dignity Tasmania and its epic efforts in this cause, especially Margaret Sing who has been the tireless standard-bearer for VAD.

Objectors point to palliative care as the answer, but it isn’t always and people end up no longer able to express their wish to end their lives when everyone knows there is no way back and the way ahead is only more pain. When death becomes inevitable it is morally wrong it should be allowed to occur in a state of agony. Doctors swear to prolong life, but they should not presume they must allow a dying person to be tortured by disease when it is in their power to alleviate that suffering. They should have mercy and be adequately protected when they are merciful.

In this cosseted, over-protected, highly technological society of ours, the desire to be let to die, freely expressed by a sane person, must come to be regarded as a basic human right. Religious groups (many of which now lack moral integrity themselves) and religious law-makers should not presume they can tell others what to do with their own lives, provided that what they do does not harm others. Politicians are there to ensure that what should be a basic human right is not abused. They are not elected to deny that right. It is all about the freedom of the individual to choose.

Brian Stafford, Sandy Bay

Tassie emissions rising

IT is unfortunate that, in an otherwise excellent article, Richard Eccleston trots out an old chestnut by claiming that “Tasmania is already well on the way to achieving a net zero status (on emissions) due the work of successive governments over almost two decades” (“Cash in on low-carbon economy,” Talking Point, February 26).

I’d be hard pressed to think of any substantial action by Tasmanian governments that has led to our current low emission status, which is due to a roughly two-thirds reduction in native forestry between 2009 and 2014 driven almost entirely by commercial decisions.

In crude terms, if you trash native forest for decades and then stop doing it, the forests rebound temporarily by sucking up carbon dioxide; we are in that temporary phase now. If we ignore forestry, our emissions are currently within a few per cent of where they were 30 years ago. Emissions from all sectors of the Tasmanian economy (including forestry) increased from 2016 to 2017 (the latest data). The picture is therefore not quite as rosy as painted by Richard Eccleston. Our low emission status depends firstly on not returning to large scale logging of native forests, and secondly on starting to make real reductions in emissions from all other sectors.

John Hunter, West Hobart

WikiLeaks evidence

SIMON Fraser should get his facts straight (“Wilkie’s whistling in the wind,” Letters, February 21). Yes WikiLeaks exposed American war crimes, but there is no evidence these revelations endangered national security or got anyone killed. Indeed during the Chelsea Manning court martial, US officials stated under oath the US was not aware of any person being killed as a result of the WikiLeaks publications. And 10 years on, the US still hasn’t produced evidence anyone has been seriously harmed as a result of the 2010-2011 revelations which are the basis for Julian Assange’s possible extradition to the US.

An Australian Department of Defence review of WikiLeaks found “the leaked documents are unlikely to have an adverse impact on Australia’s national interests”.

Andrew Wilkie, federal independent MP for Clark

Where are the warnings to mariners?

ON Tuesday I was advised by a friend to take great care navigating the water around Rheban due to the presence of a very large plastic pipe floating at a nearly-impossible-to-see angle on the surface. He had struck the pipe and sustained damage to hull and possibly motors.

On Wednesday I read that a large piece of fish farm junk had washed up on Rebounds beach on Sunday (“Fish farm debris on beach,” Mercury, February 26). Where were the Notices to Mariners to warn of these hazards?

Are the fish farm operators not required to notify MAST of such equipment losses immediately?

We do not want to have to navigate our waterways under the constant fear of hitting one of these plastic icebergs.

A. Jackson, Sandy Bay

HOT TOPIC: SIZE OF PARLIAMENT

Pester your 34 local pollies

I READ with great interest the debate on increasing the number of members in the House of Assembly (“All agree, size matters,” Mercury, February 26). In the Select Committee Report, much is made of the need for adequate representation of the Tasmanian community and the need to improve democratic governance in Tasmania. I agree that this is essential, but wonder why it is not happening currently.

Do the citizens not realise that within the electorate of Clark, they have the offices of one federal member, four senators, five House of Assembly members and two legislative councillors. Each of these elected representatives have paid staff to assist the 73,621 electors in Clark with all the issues of concern to them and their families.

To make it more bleeding obvious that numbers shouldn’t be increased, there are also 22 paid aldermen in the two municipalities within the boundaries of Clark. Talk about over-representation.

If you’re really worried about how your community and society in general is being governed, go and pester one or all of these 34 elected people!

Harry Quick , Berriedale

Lonely backbenchers

IN the House of Assembly, the reduction of seats increased the quota required for election, in the misguided and undemocratic belief that minor parties and independents would find being elected very difficult, plus a 40 per cent increase in remuneration for this perceived political wisdom bestowed upon themselves for this self-indulgent belief. The parliament of Tasmania now has the ignominy of having a government where nearly every member is a minister, no matter what parliamentary experience has been accrued, and a very lonely backbench!

Kenneth Gregson , Swansea

Risk of neglect

BACK in 1998, Tasmania’s Lower House was reduced from 35 to 25 members. Restoring the House would create a more robust democracy and safer community. This change no doubt is mostly welcomed today by the majority of Tasmanias. Some ministers are clearly overloaded with multiple portfolios creating extra workloads and possible neglect of important areas. Here the ancient proverb is a beacon, “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers” (Proverbs 11:14). The main negative is cost, something in the vicinity of $7 million a year.

Wayne McDonald , Taroona

Aboriginal alienation

OVER the years Aboriginal people have been dispossessed and discriminated against. When it comes to political representation, we have been completely sidelined. Every time there is an election white people are guaranteed to have white representatives. My community is guaranteed the opposite — no representation. Our vote is useless — with only 20,000 people throughout the state, democracy for us equals alienation. Surely, after all that has been done to us, white people can find it in their hearts to give us two representatives out of 35.

Trudy Maluga , Launceston

Advisers stick around

I HAVE never heard so much garbage as that produced by the committee inquiring into political numbers. Mind you, it would be interesting to know who had input other than Ms O’Connor, if she maintained her usual interjection rate. They say if the number is increased they won’t need as many advisers. The only reason they need advisers in the first place is called competence. So does increasing the number make them more competent. I should hardly think so.

Where do all these advisers go if culled? Back to a cushy position in the public service of course, total saving, nil. Extra cost of more politicians, at least $5 million a year. Advantage to taxpayer nil.

J. Pritchard , Claremont

So salary drops too?

THE parliament reduced the House of Assembly to get rid of the Greens. They granted themselves a pay increase because of the increased workload this would involve for honourable members. It follows then that were the numbers restored, the salaries will now be reduced? I can’t wait!

Joyce Burrows, Battery Point

QUICK VIEWS

Take your own fake-news advice

FOR Helen Polley to claim that fake news and disinformation led to the destruction of the forest industry in Tasmania is fake news of the highest order (“Fake news can ruin the friendship,” Talking Point, February 26). Perhaps she should do some homework and find out what really destroyed the forest industry.

Geoff Wells , Battery Point

Virus testing not fail-safe

IN answer to reader Ingrid Walpole (Letters, February 27), testing for the coronavirus by temperature is not fail-safe. Full coronavirus checking is much more involved and one would doubt the Tasmanian Government would have sufficient tests even to test 3000 passengers on one ship. (As was part of the problem on the Diamond Princess in Japan)

Rosemary Yeoland , Rosny

Footy jersey and a bill

IF the number of home games that a Tassie team would get is equal to, or less than, the number of combined games we get now with North Melbourne and Hawthorn, what will we gain besides a jersey and a bill?

Les Strong , Lachlan

Labor favours the North

I SEE Labor is willing to make sure that southern Tasmanians won’t see AFL matches but won’t threaten northern Tasmania with the same. It all right for them to take away the pleasure of football for the South but the chance of hurting the swing seats in the North and the pork-barrelling up there isn’t on. Can see where the Labor priorities are.

Jan Smith , Blackmans Bay

Shut the valve please

I KNOW it’s a tough target, but oh for one day of net zero emissions from the Coalition’s fundamentalist Barnabyst sect.

Stephen Jeffery , Sandy Bay

Flavoured cows

IT’S interesting to see that with the advent of vegan burgers and pies that taste just like beef, no one feels mooved to breed cattle to taste just like broccoli or brussels sprouts!

Norm Adamczewski , New Town

Seeing things

WHILE browsing the Mercury entertainment section I spied a TV series named Pandemics. Goodness, I thought, that was quick, a whole series on the coronavirus. I looked at it again and read Paramedics. Note to self: use your reading glasses.

Tim Beaumont , Battery Point

Term time

I NOTICED, when entering in Liverpool St, that I had arrived at University of Tasmania City. Always thought it was called Hobart. Oh well, what’s in a name …

James Turley, Geilston Bay