Trampling not inevitable

IN response to Derek Osborne (“No Stopping Tourists,” Letters, September 24), “Progress driven by tourism” is not “inevitable”. We in Tasmania can determine what type of tourists come here, where they go and how many come. Our future should not be driven by tourists and any future is not inevitable.

We already have many people with vision in Tasmania. These people have created the tourist boom that we are now experiencing. Mona, food products, our clean green image and above all, our pristine, protected wilderness are some examples of vision turned into reality. People who protest against specific developments may, in fact be visionary. They may be seeking to both retain that which is quintessential to attracting tourists as well as preserving what is unique about our state.

I for one, don’t want hoards of tourists, who have ruined the “trampled mega-destinations” to now be given free rein to trample our “quiet, quirky places”.

PTSD claims

IF Guy Barnett wants to make PTSD claims easier to lodge and substantiate then he needs to be prepared for an avalanche of expensive claims (Talking Point, September 26). All in the emergency services occasionally have tough assignments, which can leave mental scars, but resilience should be part of the job, and, with or without support, they should get straight back onto the front line. Many workers thrive on it. At present there is no screening for entry to emergency services to detect those resilient and those vulnerable to PTSD. This may need to be part of the package in selection for such jobs. Many will be rejected. The natural urge will be to lodge a claim, early, and certainly before leaving the service, just in case there is some later queasiness and a pot of gold thereby. It will be a boon to the psychologists, psychiatrists and social workers who can take on these well funded and slow healing (if ever) clients, for the long term.