ANGLICAN PROPERTY SALES

Protect heritage churches

ALTHOUGH it is very pleasing that 34 Anglican properties have been saved from being sold, there are still many churches on the list that should not pass into private ownership. One could cynically view the reprieve as a planned sacrifice the Diocesan Council made to distract the Save our Community Soul group and other parties from further protest. My family are descendants of a first settler and a First Fleeter and my ancestors contributed to historically important churches still on the “hit list”. The Anglican Church receives generous tax concessions which I think gives it a moral obligation to protect historically important churches and graveyards. I think the Bishop of the Anglican Church is generating another set of victims with his sale process.

Perhaps it might have been better to ask the whole church community to raise some of the redress money directly and for the church hierarchy, who failed in their duty, to show some contrition and make a significant contribution. There is a great heritage value in Tasmania’s churches and graveyards – please do not let it be lost to future generations. open space in the neighbourhood. Now the council is selling the land to pay for underfunded projects. Families who built in the area had an expectation of retaining the amenity. The parallel between churches and councils is that I believe they both should share the same moral values in support of parishioners and ratepayers.

Still under the axe

IT is wonderful to hear that some of the state’s most treasured and historic places of worship are to be spared by the Diocese. However, more than half of the churches originally listed, and a quarter of all churches in the state, are still under the axe. Of those, 27 are heritage-listed, and most have cemeteries. Those must be spared, too. The Diocese has shown it has other ways of raising the needed funds.

Wishes go unheeded

SADLY, the Anglican Church is selling our little church in South Arm. Our wishes and prayers go unheeded. We lose part of our heritage and history. We lose the land donated, money raised, we lose faith given over 100-plus years. We lose those voices raised towards heaven. We lose the songs of praise within its walls. We lose the beginning of prayer in this village. We lose the glory as the sun shines through our stained-glass window. We lose a part of our history and of ourselves. We lose our place of prayer and yes, we lose something intangible within ourselves. Our Bishop may know God, but does he listen? Does Tasmanians to struggle without affordable housing Average paid workers can no longer afford our housing, we now need parity with mainland wages to afford to live. his heart know the real truth of this village that has rallied behind our church, where young and old have come together to raise funds, as it has done many times before, in the hope of keeping it as a place of worship. Has he heard our true voice? Is God not showing that although this community is small, its faith is strong. God has brought this community together as He has done before in faith, in belief and in what is right. I understand there must be redress for those who have suffered, but why must the small churches be the ones who pay, why the larger properties and church investments remain intact? Hear our cry, let us retain our village heritage.

Sigh of relief for some

WHILE Wynyard can breathe a sigh of relief, thanks to the mammoth efforts of the church community, many others still cannot. The initial purpose of the sale of these churches was to fund the redress scheme – a shameful past for all churches and religious beliefs. However, it is reported that only 25 per cent will go to funding redress. A portion will be used for new ministry development and an amount will be returned to the parish. That leaves 75 per cent for the Anglican diocese to play with! And can anyone explain fully what is “new ministry”? How many parishioners have been lost because of this scheme in a Tasmania? Bishop Condie needs to come clean and stop trifling with the faithful. Maybe if Bishop Condie had offered St David’s Cathedral in Hobart he would understand the pain he has caused.

Dog owners in groups

IN response to Katie Saunders and the behaviour of small and large dogs at off-lead dog parks and beaches, I find the greatest issue is owners who gather in groups while their dogs run amok (Letters, December 1). I have small and medium-sized dogs, and as long as all dogs are supervised, socialised and trained to recall, size is not an issue.

Risdon-Parliament swap

HOW about we transfer our Risdon Prison inmates to Parliament House, and vice versa. At least we know what we are dealing with, and we can’t be very much worse off.

Baggage delays

IS the long delay to receive your baggage a ploy to increase revenue from the car park?

Knocked out

LIKE virtually all Australia I was hoping Mundine was knocked out in the first round, and God granted that wish to us all. Now maybe he will disappear and we will no longer have to look at his angry face on TV or in newspapers.

Shoe strike

JULIE Bishop’s donation of her red shoes for democracy (“Boys’ club called to heel,” Simon Bevilacqua, December 1) was her first premeditated strike on Prime Minister Scott Morrison for his job.