Transparency key to public trust

THERE is no question the Tasmanian government’s small business hardship grants program has been poorly and unfairly administered with some businesses getting $15,000 while others inexplicably only get $4000 or nothing at all, even though satisfying the same criteria. More c once rningly, there are serious questions about the political considerations that may be behind Premier Gutwein’s refusal to release details of the recipients of this public money. For example, can we be assured that an unfairly disproportionate share of the larger grants did not go to the Bass electorate, home of both the premier and Small Business Minister Courtney and the most marginal federal electorate? Or, worse, are Liberal Party business donors among the recipients?

We would never know, of course, because the Liberal Party does not disclose its political donors. The continued lack of government transparency invites such suspicions.

In a relatively small community like Tasmania, particularly, where personal connections are common and dealings with mates are almost inevitable, transparency is of the utmost imperative in maintaining the public’ s trust in government integrity. PatrickNaughtin SandyBay

EYES ON THE ROAD

ONE of the announcements in Thursday’ s state budget was the commitment of $1.4m promoting Tasmania as the perfect self-drive touring destination,

along with Tourism Tasmania investing about $1.25 min marketing the initiative to mainland Australians. Tourism Tasmania has a supplement in Friday’s Mercury promoting the Tassie Road Trips. Sadly, nowhere in any of the promotional material or state government media releases is there any mention of the disgusting state of the roadside soft he Tassie Road T rips.

Rather than spending $2.65 mon promoting these road trips, the money could be more appropriately spent on keeping these roadsides clear of roadkill and rubbish. Perhaps then we might have something to be proud of.

Michael Lynch Taroona

GET PEOPLE INTO HOMES

WHENEVER there is attention drawn to homelessness, the government comes up with an announcement about how many millions they have put towards crisis accommodation. This is the problem. In countries like Finland they have figured out it is more economical to house homeless people for the long term, because all emergency services cost much more.It’s more costly to provide emergency accommodation, health and mental care services, law enforcement or prison facilities or other short-termsolutions.

Besides, the whole community feels better when there aren’ t people begging in the streets or sleeping rough in the parks. Save some money by fixing the problem.

Helina Nielsen Sandy Bay

NO LAND TAX RELIEF

A BUDGET spend of$5b on infrastructure( Mercury, November 13). So that’s a big noon any land tax relief then. Tim Beaumont Battery Point

PARENTS LEFT OUT

SO, as of Friday our Premier Peter Gutwe in decides our borders are to be opened for the rest of the mainland to come in and enjoy our state, yet I as a parent received a newsletter from my children’s primary school advising me and hundreds of other mums and dads that we cannot attend our children’s end of year assemblies .“Due to C OVID restrictions, photos of award winners will be taken .” This is the biggest slap in the face for us parents who look forward to seeing the delight on the faces of the children who receive awards and those of their friends who are happy for them. My four young children attend Goodwood Primary School and were extremely upset when handing me this newsletter form. I’m sure parents not just from Goodwood but other public and possibly private schools would be left stunned by this decision by the Premier to allow every Tom, Dick and Harry into the state yet we can’ t bask in the joy of our children’s achievements for one day, words certainly can’t describe this government. DanielWebb

Glenorchy

DIG DEEP ON MENTAL HEALTH

JEREMY Rockliff’s determination for better mental health for the young is commendable, but seems to ignore the fundamental problem of why our society produces these tensions and difficulties in our lives even from a tender age( Talking Point, November 12).

Surely the fundamental problem is a lack of love and guidance and hope and stability. All of us are subject to government intervention from a tender age. We are shunted off to school for a long stretch to endure at great personal cost an education that does not equip us to be complete and able to truthfully respond to our needs–spiritual or social.

The response, under the label mental health, is an attempt to address the outcomes of our enslavement, rather than ask more useful questions such as, is the way we live and nurture and educate the right one? Perhaps we don’t need to rebuild the mental health system, but the system itself. GregMansell

Wilmot