Grassroots leading date debate
I AM so proud the City of Hobart lead the historic debate encouraging other Australian councils to consult with their communities about the date of recognition of Australia Day. Along with fellow Alderman Helen Burnet, who first introduced the notice of motion to encourage this discussion, we have managed to convince the Australian Local Government National Assembly that this debate should occur.
Councils are the closest sphere of government to their communities and communities have every right to be heard on this issue. It is communities and councils who have led the debate on social issues, including same-sex marriage and family violence. Why should they not lead the debate on Australia Day.
We are talking about one day of the year — one of 365 days — and the appropriateness of celebrating Australia Day on a day that is not embraced by all Australians. What harm can be done by having the conversation? If we do not have these debates, things will stay the same forever and we will not move with social norms.
Councils and other levels of government acknowledge the Aboriginal communities at meetings and gatherings on public land as the “original owners of this land”. Surely this is pure tokenism if we are not prepared to have a civil discussion on changing the day to one that is more inclusive.
Let’s have this debate in the absence of bigotry and political grandstanding. All Australians have the right to freedom of speech, to express opinions and to discuss issues of concern to the community. It is the cornerstone of our society.
I will call on fellow mayors, aldermen and councillors to support this concept when we gather at the Local Government Association of Tasmania meeting in July. and that’s our clean and green image. Trash the environment like our major party’s continue to do and we’ll have nothing. To date our major parties are only thinking short term and their own jobs, trashing future jobs in the long term.
Yesterday’s heroes
IT now seems obvious the real “residues” problem for Tasmania is government ministers who refuse to let go of their 20th century visions and values (“LegCo rejects forestry changes”, Mercury, June 23). The big question is who will be the Look Back in Anger Minister after the 2018 election?
Hanson shame
IT was bad enough hearing Pauline Hanson attempt to divide Australians on the basis of race, skin colour and religious beliefs. Yet now she has stooped to a new and despicable low in suggesting that children with autism be segregated in schools.
I have two suggestions to Ms Hanson, come to Tasmania and visit the wonderful people at Lend A Hand To Hugo to see the work they do for kids with autism and why keeping them in mainstream classes is for their benefit. Secondly, if she won’t do that, do the whole of Australia a favour and resign with immediate effect.
Tunnel solution
AS a Professor of Planning and Urban Policy, I read with interest the article “Tunnel vision” by your excellent journalist Jenny Crawley ( Mercury, June 20).
Without wanting to comment on the details of the scheme, I just wanted to say that the problem of the Hobart city being disconnected from the waterfront by the A6 is a major urban design problem for Hobart, particularly as the city launches its new Macquarie Point initiative. This problem is shared by many cities, including Perth.
The use of short pedestrian tunnels to help deal with this problem has been shown to be a common strategy in many successful cities and these have proved to be incredibly popular with pedestrians as a way of avoiding time delays, traffic fumes and inclement weather.