Dictatorial
IT is difficult to understand how the State Government thinks it can be re-elected by pursuing anti-democratic and largely dictatorial policies, such as the takeover of TasWater, fish farms at Okehampton Bay, sacking of councils and failing to implement inquiries into why those councils are rotten, the Mt Wellington cable-car project and, now, threatening to take control of the processing of the application for the Fragrance Tower skyscraper in Davey St. These policies smack of an authoritarian attitude. The combination of an ineffective Premier and a Planning and Local Government Minister ready to barge through irrespective of what people think is a recipe for more second-rate government and failure at the next election.
Bob Hawkins Petcheys Bay
Our Government lied to us by saying the refugees are not under the control of Australia. In the Prime Minister’s conversation with President Trump, he made it clear they are our responsibility. He also made it clear the President is under no obligation to accept any of the refugees, which leaves them in continuing limbo.
The Government has tried to justify these crimes with the excuse that it is the only way of stopping the boats, an excuse that is absolute nonsense. An amnesty for those on Manus and Nauru does not prevent it making clear that any further arrivals by boat would be subject to the same treatment. Some of the vast sums spent on detention could be diverted to increase navy surveillance of boat crossings.
Sadly, the Opposition has gone along with the crimes and the fiction. It has been left to minor parties and independents to stand up for honourable treatment of these refugees. There is a move to bring the horror to an end and we all need to support it. Bill Godfrey New Town Doug Plaister visited Yaizu in the ’70s and formalised the friendship on February 7, 1977, making the agreement Australia’s sixth-oldest sister-city relationship with Japan. Since this date, hundreds of students from Yaizu have lived and studied in Hobart, 13 students arrived several weeks ago. In February, a delegation from Yaizu comprising 30 delegates visited Hobart to mark the 40th anniversary of this friendship. Included in their delegation were the adult sons of the gardeners that established the Japanese gardens in Hobart’s botanical gardens. It was a moving ceremony as they planted a tree in recognition of this relationship. After receiving an invitation from Yaizu, it was discussed at length by council and agreed to reciprocate and send five aldermen including our Lord Mayor, a student from St Mary’s College, former lord mayor and now MLC Rob Valentine, who funded his own trip, and former lady mayoress Fumiko Plaister. Our relationship with Yaizu and other cities is crucial to develop economic, cultural and educational links.
Mr Seewang can be assured, thanks to this newspaper’s Right to Know investigation of council expenses, that all information relating to the Lord Mayor, Deputy Lord Mayor and aldermen’s expenses have been budgeted and will be published on the council’s website on return of the delegation. Mr Seewang asks how many aldermen will travel to Italy next year in celebration of the 20-year sister-city relationship with L’Aquila. This will depend on the delegation that will arrive from L’Aquila.
Alderman Ron Christie Acting Lord Mayor of Hobart