No more pass the parcel

POLITICS

IN your excellent coverage of the issues facing Tasmania and their solutions, I think one issue needs more attention, the toxic games played to ‘pass the parcel’ of responsibility and shift blame between state and federal levels of government. This stands in the way of long-term planning, most notably in health, welfare and education. Take health — without a large and sustained long term effort to improve preventive health, while continuing to support curative care, we will lurch from crisis to crisis, whatever grand plans for new hospitals and other politically visible infrastructure projects. Improving the general health of the population requires dogged but largely politically invisible effort. Its success depends on both levels of government agreeing that it is a priority and insulating funding from a politically driven budget cycle.

It is a big ask but, as with welfare, education and climate change, we simply cannot afford to allow our federal, state (and in some areas, local) governments to subordinate long term planning and action to political gamesmanship and inter-party blame games. Elections are good times to demand that our politicians stop the games and co-operate in priority-setting. piece. The coup de grace occurs when the family returns and their gasps are met with reassuring comments about how much money was spent. “Aren’t you lucky? Don’t worry, you’ll soon get used to it.” Now we learn Hobart will be transformed ( Mercury, 16 January). I am cynical. Do we have enough usable space in Hobart to change the transport infrastructure and also add the promised buildings, extra students and tourists?

I foresee the argument that to get federal grants, Hobart will need increased retail, residential, hotel and carparking facilities. So a high-rise hotel application morphs into a multipurpose high-rise to gain the minister’s approval and bypass planning laws. Aren’t we lucky? Or do we keep fighting for an alternative vision?

Pork barrels

AN election in the offing? Pork-barrelling is flowing thick and fast from all sides. I wonder if any promises will be kept. The most cynical pre-election act was Lara Giddings’s dissolution of Labor’s coalition with the toxic Greens five minutes to midnight and expecting the electorate to forget how destructive it was.

Wagging the tail

IT was interesting that Cassy O’Connor congratulated Rebecca White for following the Greens policy in regards to pokies. Are the Greens wagging Labor’s tail and telling them what policies they can use so the Greens will support them. Are we A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website. going to see the job losses again if we get a Labor government and more of our state locked up for Greens support. We can’t afford this form of politics. We are being held hostage to the Greens so Labor can have government. Even if they aren’t in a partnership the results are the same.

Gamblers’ job losses

ACCORDING to Peter Gutwein, problem gamblers are a tiny proportion, about 0.6 per cent, of the Tasmanian population or 3000 problem gamblers. If 300 jobs are lost to the pokie ban, that is 300 too many. If only 10 per cent of problem gamblers lose their job due to their addiction, there will be 300 job losses. There are regular court cases where problem gamblers embezzle or steal from their employers to pay for gambling. Problem gamblers can lose their jobs, family and friends. Employers lose an employee and millions of dollars.

Don’t risk change

TASMANIA is moving ahead after being held back by various incompetent governments. I think Will Hodgman has the balance right on development with many good developments like a Glenorchy train line, a good ferry service on our wonderful river and new and upgraded roads. Yes, a few people are being left behind and need our help but I think it’s best not to risk our prosperity with another alternative Labor experiment with an unproven team.

Never forget

PENALTY rates to be cut to low-wage earners, most workers’ pay frozen or below CPI for several years and PM Turnbull decides to give 30 staffers a $28,000 a year pay rise? On which cloud is he living? Bad move. I for one will remember come the next election. Never forget.

Got it in one

ANOTHER cut-to-the-chase cartoon by Kudelka about Malcolm Turnbull’s announcements in Hobart: “Side elevation (Funding to be announced)” ( Mercury, January 17).

Slow motion

GOD created the earth in seven days. Perhaps Clarence Council should have hired him to do the works in Bayfield St at Eastlands. I looked up slow motion in the dictionary it had a picture of the works at Eastlands.

Celebrate all that’s good

WHO would actually think that on Australia Day we are celebrating what happened to the Aborigines. It’s sad that it happened that way. Let’s put all that behind us and celebrate all that’s good about Australia on this our day, for all of us. Changing the day won’t undo the past.

Not my day

JANUARY 26 is the day the Poms started an offshore detention centre for their cultural refuse in some place called NSW. I just can’t quite muster the pride and passion somehow.