Breach of trust and loyalty
SUE HICKEY AS SPEAKER
SUE Hickey should not be allowed to take the position as Speaker. She has hoodwinked many sincere voters in Denison by claiming to be a Liberal and not disclosing her move as an independent before the election. Now we see Rebecca White and Cassy O’Connor, from Labor and the Greens, escorting Hickey to the eminent position of Speaker. This is an abomination in our Parliament. It is a gigantic breach of trust, loyalty and integrity in our Parliament. themselves first, their party second and the electorate a bad last. That is one of the main reasons why we are becoming so disenchanted with the ever growing list of career politicians, ones who have never held a real job or attempted to succeed in the tough world of small enterprise business.
Pure theatre
READER Niall Stewart (Letters, May 3) draws a comparison between Sue Hickey’s knifing of the Liberal Government and that of Julius Caesar being treacherously stabbed by Brutus in Shakespeare’s play. I feel, however, an even more striking parallel occurs at the commencement of another Shakespeare play, Macbeth, where the opening words from a certain infamous trio are — “when shall we three meet again?”
One-nil to democracy
SO the Liberal Party prostitutes itself to the Federal Group and in doing so compromises the very democracy it espouses to value so highly, while it hides masses of contentious policy from the electorate right up to the election itself and in doing so treats the voting populace and the election process with utter disrespect, unworthy of even basic honesty.
Fast forward to the democratic election of Sue Hickey to the vacant Speaker role in the Tasmanian Parliament and the predictable bleating of Abetz and others. Upholders of democracy when it suits their arrogant perspective but duplicitous game 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. players when they smell a potential advantage in bending the rules to suit.
Democracy 1 — Liberals 0.
Plenty of laughs
DURING the state election Sue Hickey was a Liberal. After she took Rebecca’s bait she announced the she was an independent. Then in last week’s Sunday Tasmanian Sue announces she is a Liberal again.
What side will Sue align herself with next week? All credibility was lost on the first vote of her parliamentary career.
I can hardly wait for the Uni Review 2019. They already have their theme and main character. Plenty of laughs coming our way!
Behind the scenes
IN America, people take pride that anyone has the right to become President if s/he can demonstrate determination, stamina and an ability to connect with the Party and electorate.
In Tasmania, should we also take pride that Sue Hickey, a newly appointed Member of Parliament, demonstrates she can become a key focus of the Liberal Party without any parliamentary experience or the need to connect with her own party ( Mercury, May 5)?
Certainly, she has gained pride of place in recent headlines but what will go on behind the scenes?
Shame Libs
PROFITS over people is the Liberals mantra. Poverty and homelessness not their problem apparently. Shame on you.
Ideological warriors
THE ABC loses $83 million while the school chaplain program will get $250 million. Really? Good heavens. Who’s pursuing an ideological war now?
Pay it back
WE would hope that those MPs pay back the salaries they were paid as ineligible members. Any students deemed not to comply with Austudy requirements are threatened and required to pay back any benefits paid. Why should MPs be any different?
Passionate
READER John Stephens made a juvenile attempt to demean those who attended the cable car rally last weekend by referring to them as “a rent a crowd” (Letters, May 9). Maybe if John had attended the gathering and made a personal assessment of the crowd, he would have seen a large number of people who are passionate about our mountain and their desire to take ownership back from Adrian Bold.