Netball always treated like sport’s poor cousin
AS Southern Tasmanian Netball Association president, I read with disbelief the article ( Mercury, February 27) about pledge by the Liberals of $10 million for a sports centre at Glenorchy. I read the whole article and will netball receive any benefit? I doubt it. With the huge emphasis on basketball, there will be minimum chance for access for netball. Chargers coach Anthony Stewart may say it is “huge for all sports”, but basketball will obviously dominate. I don’t begrudge basketball having facilities but I am conscious that at Hobart Netball and Sports Centre we are at capacity for offering young, and not so young, netball players, both male and female, an opportunity to play. A small injection of funds at this site could ensure two covered courts, which would offer more opportunities for participation without having to compete with five other sports for a minute share of court space. With more than 2000 players participating in the winter roster, plus hundreds in other netball rosters, we are one of the largest sport organisations in the state, surely deserving of more than a mention in small print. Growth in numbers in the last decade has been about 10 per cent per annum. We can also lay claim to being one of the most successful sports financially. Glynis Devereux Honeywood
Well done, Will
DOING a job is not always about impressive innovation sometimes it is about plain dedication — your targets and goals, your achievements, can speak for themselves. There’s no one worked harder than you. Most fail where you have accomplished, simply because they found problems where you found solutions. Your work speaks volumes of the kind of person you are — efficient, organised and result orientated. Well done, Will Hodgman. Raymond Langford Warrane
People lost jobs
THE Tasmanian Hospitality Association and the Federal Group are using the Tasmanian Liberals to mislead the public in order to profit by hundreds of millions of dollars. When electronic gaming machines were introduced into pubs and clubs, people lost their jobs. Since they have been in pubs and clubs they have halted growth in the industry and sucked $113 million each year from the local community. Shame on the Liberals for not standing up for Tasmania. Oliver Gathercole North Hobart
School closures
THE Liberal Party intends to close all year 11-12 colleges in the state as it rolls out its “school extension” system. While I support this policy in isolated rural areas, I believe colleges are better placed to provide year 11-12 education in the cities — for city kids and those from rural areas who are seeking to follow courses like chemistry, applied maths, fine art, geography.
Tasmania has a small population and spreading finite resources to years 11-12 across all schools in the state will mean basic subject offerings in many of these schools, less choice for students than offered through the college system, more expense to the state budget as those finite resources distributed across all schools, potentially poorer educational outcomes due to overly stretched resources. Chris Crerar Woodbridge
Buying government
WHILE we can crow about having Hare-Clark, thought to be the fairest possible voting system, we should be ashamed our dreadfully opaque electoral funding disclosure rules allow vested interests to use truckloads of money to influence how we vote. I am appalled at how the gambling industry is buying this election. Maurice Rimes Sandy Bay
Political donations
WHEN Labor and the Greens announced their pokies policy, what did they expect would happen? They seem affronted by the gaming industry’s response. When a legitimate industry is threatened by a policy it will throw everything to protect staff, investments and revenue. Labor and the Greens now complain about our democracy that allows for political donations. The hypocrisy is astounding. Labor and the Greens accept donations from vested interests wanting a favourable outcome. Ian Cocking Lower Longley
Contrary views
WHILE I agree with Robyn Maggs in her Talking Point ( Mercury, February 28) that we elect Members of Parliament to represent us, and not themselves, I wonder how this can occur with so many contrary views expressed in the letters. Leo Gregson Austins Ferry