Losing specialness bit by bit
CARPARK AT THE NECK, BRUNY
AT last a photo to show how a 24space carpark can instantly trash a world-renowned view ( Mercury, November 10). With better positioning, the view need not have been compromised. Often imperceptibly, decision by decision, we are destroying opportunities because decision-makers have not got the time, resources or perception to do otherwise. What of future development? Will carparks take growing precedence, helicopters buzz endlessly over Freycinet and walkways lead tourists to remote wilderness? It is crucial for residents to be part of the decision process. Will Tasmania be renowned for its natural beauty or remembered as a tourist supermarket? The choice is ours.
Too much of a rush
A TRIP to Bruny Island used to be such a wondrous experience, of slowing down over the unsealed “neck” road, taking in the mind-blowing views, breathing the clean air, absorbing the ambience. No more it seems. An eyesore of a car park, sealed road, cars, tourists, rush, hurry, tick it off the bucket list, move on. Like so many places, Bruny Island is groaning under tourists and this can only result in the loss of sense of place. There has to be a better way than short-term solutions which in turn may create traffic management and other problems.
New benchmark
I’D always wondered what the Hodgman Government and Tourism Industry Council meant by their reassurances that tourism and Tasmania’s environment and landscape could coexist. The Neck carpark and the glib “I’m sure it’s not going to be too detrimental” has set the benchmark.
The right solution
AS a fifth-generation Bruny Islander, I was astounded by the reporting on the fabulous Bruny Island Neck improvements. This infrastructure allows safe and environmentally ap- propriate access to a beautiful part of the world we should be proud to share. It has been on the wish list of responsible land owners and regular visitors for generations. It has been consulted on relentlessly and now someone comes up with the ludicrous idea people should only access the area by bus. It would be funny if not so serious. This sort of reaction is a symbol of the extremism that bedevils sustainable infrastructure development.
Rising problem
UNLESS we get very serious about climate change very quickly, the Neck will be really broken by sea-level rise.
Retiree woes
A GOOD start for Richard Colbeck may be to take a different tack to his dismissal of the significant and ongoing financial penalty applied to thousands of Tasmanian Defined Benefit retirees from January, 2016.
Voting question
IF people with dual citizenship are ineligible to nominate for election for perceived bias or conflict of interest, then it follows that anyone with dual citizenship should not be eligible to vote for the same reasons.