McKim’s CV lacks financial expertise
I think I know why Brad Banducci, the CEO of Woolworths, declined to take a question from Senator McKim, chairman of the senate inquiry into supermarket pricing, the other day and place it on notice.
He may have been bewildered to be badgered by a politician whose business experience prior to entering parliament is listed on the Australian parliament website as ‘Organic Market Gardener, Shepherd, Remote Area Mineral Exploration and Fruit Picker until 1999’ and ‘Wilderness Guide 1995 to 1999’.
I respect all those people who work at these occupations and make a success of their efforts, but there is nothing on the website mentioned above that supports Senator McKim’s qualification as his party’s spokesman for Treasury, Finance and Economic Justice.
Have a look at Banducci’s CV for experience in business and his qualifications. Kevin Warner Rose Bay
Time to collaborate
Premier Rockliff himself stated he wants to lead a more collaborative and co-operative government. Few Tasmanians would disagree with that laudable ambition.
However, he cannot afford to be selective.
He’s been obliged to collaborate with several newly elected MPs in order to cobble together a government at all.
So if he wishes to demonstrate a genuine intention to collaborate, then a recognition this also means working co-operatively with Labor, independents AND Greens would not only be an excellent start, it’s what Tasmanians deserve and expect.
The fact five Greens have been elected suggests they are far from ‘an irrelevant but bitter presence’, as ND Hutton claims (Mercury, April 17).
Rather the Greens have become a growing political force and will certainly prove to be a highly effective opposition that will hold the Rockliff government to account. Anne Layton-Bennett Swan Bay
Mac Point solution
So the Goods Shed at Macquarie Point is the latest hurdle for the government-sponsored stadium. There is a simple solution.
Undertake detailed due diligence on the alternative S2 stadium proposed by the private sector.
Not only could the shed be left but there appears to be significant other benefits in that proposal in that it derisks the project from cost blowouts, caps the Tasmanian government financial contribution, addresses both RSL and HCC concerns, provides a First Nation recognition area and social housing area, generates new business in health, hotel and convention centre and opportunities for purchase of waterfront-facing apartments.
It also would provide the Labor Party the opportunity to “get off the fence” and support the stadium and the Tas AFL team and guarantee passage through the POSS process and support in both Houses of Parliament for final approval.
And finally it would significantly help to reunite the community and restore the image of both major parties by being seen to move from win-lose politics to win-win, sensible outcomes.
Who knows, it might even improve the odds of future majority governments being seen again as a
credible option. Tony Beach Williamstown (VIC)
How to vote message
As we reflect on the recent Tasmanian state election, it’s evident that the message regarding the importance of numbering 1 to 7 when voting did not reach many, leading to a staggering 60,000 informal votes.
This significant number of informal votes underscores that many voters were either not fully aware of the correct numbering when casting their vote or our community is that disengaged that voters simply cast an informal vote.
In a democracy, every vote counts, and it’s crucial for voters to understand the intricacies of the voting process to ensure their voices are heard correctly.
Clearly the message on “how to vote” was not clear and possibly deprived thousands of Tasmanians of their right to participate fully in the democratic process.
Moving forward, it’s imperative that all political parties and electoral authorities prioritise voter education initiatives to prevent a recurrence of such high rates of informal voting.
By empowering voters with the knowledge they need to cast their ballots correctly, we can strengthen the integrity and inclusivity of our electoral system. Phil Tobin Breona
Migration overload
This is not good: In February, a record breaking 100,000 migrants arrived in Australia!
With housing already depressingly scarce, where are they going to live? Have they been informed about this before they arrived? If not, why not?
Imagine migrating to a new country and, on arriving, you discover you have no chance of finding accommodation, unless you are wealthy, or preferably a millionaire?
This is a perfect example of “being led up the garden path”.
Who is in charge of this? I thought the government had agreed to lower the migrant intake, but the numbers says otherwise. J. Jorgensen Moonah
Reporting standards
Countering the spread of fake news, News Corp’s free digital classroom resource Kids News has combined with Channel 7 to launch the KidsNews Junior Journo Newsroom competition to develop skills to recognise and create trustworthy media content. (Truth is out there, so go get it kids, Mercury, Friday, April 19).
The standards we expect journalists to uphold were clearly stated when News Corp Australia’s
Community Ambassador Penny Fowler said the competition “is exciting because it encourages young people to develop their focus on facts … It involves the same skills that professional journalists depend on daily – the ability to separate the truth from the false and the worthy from the worthless.”
We look to News Corp, especially the Mercury, to maintain those professional standards of objective, accurate reporting. Elizabeth Osborne North Hobart