Loss of precious support
COMMON Ground offered our son a unique combination of secure, supportive housing that was extraordinarily successful in providing a special community in Hobart within which vulnerable people have been able to live independently and with dignity in affordable accommodation. Looking on, we could see how fundamental to that success was the team of onsite professionals who offered an immediate Monday-Friday on-site and after-hours support response for tenants like our son who live with complex mental and physical health issues. At Common Ground Goulburn St, we are horrified to learn that the support team of 13 has been replaced with three site supervisors working Monday-Friday. Vulnerable tenants with very complex needs who require assistance on the weekend, or after 8pm on weekdays, have been advised to call the police or an ambulance! Without any explanation, and while other states are in-
Seal of confessional
PEOPLE who commit sexual abuse of minors do not go to confession. Just ask any priest. By introducing a draconian law threatening priests with prosecution if they don’t break the seal of confession only shows how ill informed our politicians are. It makes as much sense as threatening to prosecute anyone who rides an elephant down Macquarie St. It’s not going to happen because it doesn’t happen.
Not suited to TMAG
THERE has been much interest in the Treasury Buildings sale and, in particular, references suggesting the building should be given to the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery. While TMAG is interested in improving its display facilities, its primary focus will be on expanding the current city site to take major international exhibitions. The conditions required for storage and display of artworks and museum exhibits have very specific technical requirements for security and climate control, and generally speaking this sort of infra-
Cross horrors
FOR those ingenuous enough to believe David Walsh, Wikipedia lists some 19 films where the inverted cross is explicitly used as an anti-Christian symbol. Examples over the past 40 years are Rosemary’s Baby, The Exorcist, The Omen, The Devil Inside and The Amityville Horror. Walsh undoubtedly will have viewed many of these films and his justification is (the term is his) just “art wank”.
Immigration policy
LIKE many, I was upset to read of the separation of children and their parents at the US-Mexico border. Images of families in cages and descriptions of people being treated like animals painted a picture of the zero tolerance immigration policy being adopted. I was upset, though not shocked, because this is nothing new to Australians. Since 2001 we have presided over indefinite imprisonment of children in offshore detention centres, centres that have housed children as young as 10 at risk of suicide and self-harm, centres with only basic medical facilities and education, centres that have stripped refugees of their sanity and us of our humanity.