Would pecker

PRESIDENT Trump has announced that President Putin would be visiting Washington in September. Does this mean that President Putin wouldn’t be visiting Washington or wouldn’t be not visiting Washington?

Nationalism dodged

JUST as well the miraculous cave rescue was not in the US, the media frenzy would have been in hyper-drive. In Australia all we would have had is the mateship mantra that politicians now use to drive nationalism and votes their way. Thankfully, it was the calmness of the international rescue teams not driven by anything else other than saving lives, working together across all national divides and distractions. A true miracle.

Priorities

STATE health data reveals that a mental health patient was forced to wait in the emergency department for six days at the Royal. We are constantly told by the Hodgman Government what they are going to do to improve conditions at the Royal but nothing gets done. Maybe some of the millions spent on AFL would help sick Tasmanians.

Council flush

REGARDING recent announcements of candidates for the Hobart City Council, it’s amazing so many are re-running. Surely residents are looking for fresh faces and a new approach given the lack of leadership shown in the past few years. The way this council treats tourists, motorists, ratepayers etc is beyond belief. Renewal is needed.

What isn’t said

IT appears to be becoming one of life’s certainties that no matter what the set of words, Michael Ferguson can reinterpret them forensically, if required, to suit any desired outcome (“Doubts over Libs’ police station vow”, Mercury, July 11). A wonderful skill indeed. One is now required to reflect on the devil in the detail of what isn’t said.