False claims
IT looks like the conservatives scare campaign is ramping up for the next state election. Recently we’ve had Guy Barnett (Talking Point, August 8) and now Jan Smith (Letters, August 21) warning of the Greens wanting to “lock up” more of the state. The only time I or anyone else have seen any of the state “locked up” in this context, is when it’s a mining lease or a logging coup — complete with gates and authorised vehicle signs. The rest of the state including the 52 per cent alluded to by Jan Smith is free and open to all Tasmanians and, especially, visitors.
Our community can well do without such divisive language and disingenuous attitudes. Perhaps they should look over the fence where the grass is definitely greener.
Kindness needed
HAVING heard that a refugee has been found dead on Manus Island I’m wondering what the threshold is for our government’s barbaric offshore detention policies, all justified by the hollow deterrence argument of stopping deaths at sea. We knew that once Manus Island was closed the refugees would be exposed to threats of attack in a very violent society. Now with the first fatality since closure of the camp, will the Turnbull Government find it in their hearts to bring the refugees here?
It’s surely time they did the right thing and they are resettled here.
Air pollution
YES, you are allowed to poison your neighbours in Tasmania, provided you do it via their lungs.
As each wood heater can emit as much in the way of tar particles and carbon monoxide and other gases as tens of thousands of cigarettes, Tasmanians are doing it very effectively with rather predictable health outcomes. It is not unknown by authorities, numerous doctors and other concerned people have tried for decades to get authorities to act responsively with a result that the regulations for how many minutes people are allowed to emit visible smoke have been curtailed some what. But as there is no record of previous policing or prosecution, don’t hold your breath or at least filter it, while hoping for some responsible actions from all those involved.
Make vote compulsory
DON White (Letters, August 21) is correct concerning Ireland having a referendum (binding) and not a plebiscite (non binding) on same sex marriage. However the misinformation re this referendum having a “majority” vote, is misleading. At the time there were 3.2 million eligible voters. There was only a 60.5 per cent voter turnout of which 62.5 per cent voted “yes”. This means that only 1.2 million of the eligible voters voted “yes”. Hardly a “majority”, which certain interest groups love to run with. Statistics sometimes don’t lie. We need a compulsory referendum here in Australia.