So detached

Must not proceed

THE Bishop is peddling the line he has peddled since the inception of the sell-off of church property, but is telling us it is not his decision alone but the work of Diocesan Council and Synod. It won’t wash. The scheme is marketed as being driven by the need to find $8 million to pay redress. But the main part of the money will be used to train new clergy in the new style and some will be returned to the parishes from which it was taken. Except the parishes won’t exist. He says we can meet in halls, cafes, private houses, back paddocks even. It is an exercise in obfuscation and must not be allowed to proceed. Sounds of silence can say so much There seems to be this idea that “free speech” lets you say what you like without suffering any consequences. Society imposes certain standards. HOW can the Anglican Church have become so detached from its rural parishioners? Being forced to finally accept responsibility for the disgraceful abuse of minors, it now has the audacity to further insult parishioners by proposing to sell various churches throughout rural Tasmania. No prior discussions with communities and no respect for families whose forefathers donated land, labour and finances. Morally it beggars belief. They almost make the banks look respectable.

Send it to the wreckers

THE decommissioned guided-missile frigate HMAS Darwin should be sent to the ship-breakers. It would be a waste of taxpayers’ money to spend millions of dollars bringing the vessel to Hobart and prepare it to be scuttled off the East coast of Tasmania without being able to recoup the cost.