Forget fish farms, there are better ideas

THERE is a better alternative to solve the Okehampton Bay fish farm proposal on the East Coast that will have more jobs protection.

Here on the East Coast, do we really need another golf course when we have a perfectly good golf course at Orford opposite Raspins Beach?

Rather than building the Solis golf course, which can be turned into something better for the future, why not turn the proposed Solis golf course at Louisville Point into a nursing home and retirement village so permanent residents who would like to downsize or want to stay in the area can. This would bring more permanent jobs for locals plus be beneficial for the area.

Why not carry on the walkway from Raspins Beach around Louisville Point then back to the Tasman Highway to Triabunna. This would be more useful for everyone to enjoy seeing our pristine coastline. At the back of Louisville Point towards the Tasman Highway, the area could have a botanical gardens with pathways for everyone to use along with plenty of seating and even a cafe/restaurant.

Even Christmas Carols could be held there, with the great outlook it would have. Then the people in the nursing home and retirement village would be able to enjoy it enormously, as would the people in the area and tourists.

These three ideas would be a boom here for the East Coast. More jobs, along with more activities to do.

As for the fish farm, which will cause huge devastation to our pristine waterways here on the East Coast, one has to wonder what our politicians are doing. Do they really care about our pristine waterways around Tasmania?

Tassal has already devastated Macquarie Harbour on the West Coast and down the Channel, and when you put freshwater with saltwater, which Tassal do, then you have a marine environment disaster, which will mean no more shell fish.

How many more pristine waterways will our politicians let be devastated? If they really cared, then they would not let Tassal put in a fish farm on the East Coast where the residents and ratepayers are not being heard, not even by the council where a ballot should be held for all to speak up.

A ballot must happen. It is the only way. I call on Glamorgan Spring Bay Mayor Michael Kent to hold a ballot to put an end to the divisions within the Orford and Triabunna community.