Court coverage

I CANNOT complain about having my drink-driving court case covered by the Mercury (“Wilderness chief cops driving ban”, September 6). It is an important right of the public and defendants to have court proceedings open to scrutiny by the public and media. I will leave it to others to judge whether it was in the public interest to give this issue such prominence and to include such lengthy details from the police report. But it does concern me that the Mercury incorrectly attributed comments to the presiding magistrate, which just so happen to be his critical concluding advice to me. I think the journalist’s interpretation unnecessarily distorts how the story might be read and the record needs to be corrected.

The Mercury attributed comments to Magistrate Reg Marron advising me a third conviction would result in a prison sentence. The court recording shows he did not say these words or other words

Moving ahead

AT last, some sense from city and state planners in suggesting Antarctic science should be at Macquarie Point. Now let’s move the proposed STEM development from Melville St too, where it is obviously inappropriate, to Macquarie Point. Better still, the university and the Government should be talking about exchanging a Macquarie Point campus for the Sandy Bay campus. A Macquarie Point campus has excellent ferry access for the Eastern Shore, Kingborough and Glenorchy, is not involved in the long-term decline and irrelevance of the Hobart CBD, and would be close to Antarctic science, IMAS and the arts, while being outside the business district, and having potentially unparalleled accessibility for students and staff.

Uneven playing field

A NICE announcement about extensions to the Silverdome means the southern capital will be robbed of all national and international netball games. If you look at things closely, you would realise our current Government is dedicated to ensuring the North has roads, infrastructure (TasWater), ports and everything a capital city would have.

It would move Mac Point north if that was possible. It cannot but will make sure it ends up being insignificant. I feel our southern politicians and all of us should wake up and stop it. Otherwise the northern old boys’ club and old money and our northern-controlled Government will move the capital. Speak up and protest please.