YOUR VIEWS
IF you look at the program of events at HOTA they are mainly stand-up comedians, pop singers, plus little non-artists at the multimillion-dollar gallery, meaning the place is empty most of the time. And on Friday they were giving away admission free, plus a range of family entertainment mainly outside which is good but where is the culture?
I received the QPAC program last week and they have an extensive selection of concerts by the Queensland Symphony Orchestra over forthcoming months that range from light classical to heavy material. They are trying to reach the broad market and even have special concerts for schools to help educate children the value of classical music.
The QPAC program is entitled: “For 75 years, Queensland Symphony Orchestra has delivered breathtaking, heart racing, spine-tingling musical experiences.
“In 2022, their season celebrates the power of music to unite and delight, to entertain and inspire.
Explore a year of wonderful music – from classical masterpieces to new Australian compositions, blockbuster movie favourites and thrilling performances.”
HOTA has hardly got one classical concert planned during 2022. This is not good enough for one of Australia’s largest multicultural cities.
RICHARD FIELD, ASHMORE
AN open letter to Queen Anna, in the JFK Library there sits a tome on moral responsibility. To quote: “One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws, conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. Any law that uplifts human personality is just, any law that degrades human personality is unjust”.
I would say that you and your government have been walking a very fine Covid-19 line. Now you have crossed it. After being advised by your Covid-19 hotline that if I quarantined in Melbourne after arriving back from Covid-safe Saudi Arabia (45 cases on December 10) for the requisite three days, plus another two for business, I would be able to travel to Queensland as an interstate traveller and would need proof of vaccination and a PCR test (which I have in abundance) along with the federal government’s ATD form.
So I booked a ticket. I was then informed that if I did five days in Victoria, I would have to do the remaining nine days (14 in total) in home quarantine.
Now I find that despite myself mixing with Victorians on days four and five, they (those I have been in contact with) can enter the republic of Queensland unhindered save for the vaccination certificate, and PCR test. I on the other hand, a resident of the Gold Coast, must do 14 days quarantine.
That is not only unjust and discriminatory, it is also morally bankrupt, ludicrous and downright absurd. I am sure based on legal precedence, something so bereft of commonsense that degrades human personality demands disobedience.
As an aside, I am also informed that exemptions can only be applied through the Queensland police border enforcement, but since this is a public health issue it also makes no sense for the Queensland police to be the judge, jury and executioner of verdicts pertaining to same as they are obviously not trained to assess the medical and health ramifications/ risk of those entering the republic.
For $4000 in quarantine, not being able to see my wife and returning overseas the day quarantine finishes, does this not entice one to breach this ass of a rule (it is not gazetted law) out of desperation to spend Christmas with your loved ones or did I fly 22 hours, on the advice available from your government, at great cost, to spend Christmas in a designated quarantine hotel with myself for company?
BARRY CUMMINGS, CARRARA