Too big, under-resourced

THE human population of Tasmania needs better protection from the poor management of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Our reserves management is under-resourced, and they have been expanded too far to the east, taking out buffer zones between true wilderness and private property, putting lives and homes at risk. Fire mitigation and fire fighting procedures are inadequate. We cannot afford any more reserves extension if we cannot afford to properly manage the ones we already have.

Long journey for lambs

I WONDER how many Tasmanians realise 480,000 animals a year are shipped interstate, most to be slaughtered, because of the shutdown of abattoirs here. These animals, some four-month-old lambs, face a journey of up to 60 hours with no feed and water. After being taken off the ship, they face a journey to such destinations as Murray Bridge near the South Australian border, Colac, 150km west of Melbourne, or Ararat, 198km west of Melbourne. On arrival, they are unlikely to be given water and they will not be given food because they are slaughtered the following day. It is the meat from these animals that Tasmanians are buying. I don’t eat meat, but I’m told that meat from such stressed animals would be of very poor quality. It just requires a will from producers, the Government, and the peak bodies.

Chip in for Flinders

I WELCOME the excellent story about the discovery of Matthew Flinders’s grave (Talking Point, February 9). This brilliant man has not had enough recognition in this country or the UK and I hope much more will be done, especially by Australia, to commemorate his achievements. I also believe Australia should pay for his remains to be reinterred, with a suitable large headstone or monument in the village of his birth. This village is Donington, near Spalding, in Lincolnshire. After more than 200 years of indifference, Donington is enjoying a revival of interest in its most famous son and an impressive life-size statue of him, and Trim, now graces the centre of the village. I am sure residents would be enthusiastic about Matthew being put to rest in their village, especially because there are other Flinders family graves in the church of St Mary graveyard.

Calvary decision

I REFER to “Crunch time looms for Hobart Private” (Talking Point, February 11). The author suggests that Calvary, for a variety of reasons, “cannot and will not take part” in the Tasmanian Government’s tender to operate Hobart Private Hospital. Calvary, along with other private providers, has been invited to submit a proposal for the long-term lease of the Hobart Private Hospital facility. We are keen to review the information to be provided by the Tasmanian Government in determining whether our offering can add value to health services, public and private, in Southern Tasmania. With regard to our operations in the ACT, we successfully deliver high quality care through our private, public, aged care and community services. Our operations in the ACT will not influence our decision to participate in the Tasmanian Government’s tender of the Hobart Private Hospital facility.

Calvary has an 80-year track record of comprehensive private health services in Tasmania and has in the past four years invested $45 million across our four hospitals in Hobart and Launceston. We look forward to responding to this opportunity, and the potential it presents for Calvary to continue our contribution to maintaining a comprehensive, affordable and accessible health service for all Tasmanians.

Cat rules win

I SUPPORT Kingborough Council’s proposed Bruny Island Cat By-Law, particularly the requirement for carers to confine their cat to their property and the limit of two cats per household. Hopefully this will lead to other councils introducing similar by-laws or, even better, the Tasmanian Cat Management Act 2009 being amended to include these provisions. This would be a win-win for our wildlife, neighbours who don’t want cats crapping in their vegetable patches and, most importantly, for the many cats that are killed or injured every year on our roads and in fights.