Housing solution
READER Peter Troy’s letter on fixing the homeless housing crisis is very interesting (Letters, March 26). He costed building 100 transportable two to four bedroom homes with land and infrastructure for $10 million. That averages about $100,000 per house. He envisaged a house footprint of 100 square metres or 5 to 8 houses per normal house block. The Government seems reluctant to build another homeless subdivision but if Peter is correct the Government only has to buy about 15 house blocks in different suburbs to build 100 homes around Hobart. Being transportable, the houses could easily be finished before the end of the year. This is well worth considering. like the ideologically motivated comparisons of Hobart with supposed situations in overseas cities adopted by most commentators. It’s common for public transport advocates to attack me personally with false statements rather than address the issues I present.
New car a distant dream
IT has been on the news consistently that there should be a ban on cars up to 15 years old. This would mean we would have to be compensated for our old cars to purchase a new one if we were lucky and could afford to purchase a new one. The transport department would have to have a major upgrade to accommodate people who can’t afford a new car and relied on buses. People living in the outback of Australia would also have to have major government transport upgrades.
The people who enforce these bills have no idea how the average battler lives, it’s hard enough to put food on the table and pay high rents. A new car would be a distant dream most of us can’t afford. I bought a new Hyundai 18 years ago, it’s in pristine condition and has only done 40,000km.
RSPCA blow
AS a long-time supporter and member of the RSPCA and former treasurer of the Burnie branch I am appalled at the closure of the Mornington centre, where the caring and hardworking staff and volunteers do so much to care for the animals.
I do not know whether it is a matter of leasehold or merely another cash grab, as was Burnie’s demise, but one can be sure the decision was slipped through at an AGM held in Launceston to ensure Hobart supporters were not present in any numbers. It may be time for people to consider the forming of a Hobart Society for the Protection of Animals, as we had in Burnie (until it was “absorbed” by the RSPCA). I would certainly join such a society, with my association with the RSPCA unfortunately coming to an end after 45 years, in spite of the good work they have done.
Astounded at salary
AFTER reading “Challenge for DPAC head” ( Mercury, March 24), I am astounded at the ridiculous salary $530,000 per year. Hardly a challenge at over $10,000 per week. As well as the top job, I would like know how many assistant secretaries and other staff there are, as well as their wages, cars, perks, etc so the average person can see what it costs to run a department. Does our popular Premier earn that much?
No sponsors for losers
AN AFL team based solely in Tasmania will only last as long as the funding does. It will need to be propped up to the tune of $40 million per year. There are few supporters and no sponsors for losers. Have a look at the NIMBY attitude to developers who try to stimulate the economy and raise the population growth. Without such advancement this state will continue to crawl. It will never walk with the mainstream in the major sport of the country.