Easy to love from a distance

CABLE CAR PROPOSAL

I MOSTLY approve of democracy, so when I read on the front page of the Mercury (July 24), that 54 per cent of Tasmanians want a cable car up Mt Wellington, I tried to persuade myself that I and people like me who think we need a cable car like a hole in the head should grind our teeth, and let the majority have their way. Then I read the details inside. Hang on. Most of the support is from people from Bass and Braddon, sufficiently far away that a cable car is irrelevant. People from Denison, those most likely to notice it, are much less enthusiastic. I think I’ll be grinding quite a lot of teeth if we end up with a cable car because people from miles away think we should have one in our backyard.

Plan is a gift

IT is about time those opposing the cable car came down to Earth. Their arguments have almost exclusively focused on their concept of a sacred majestic mountain being a place of serenity, of possessing Aboriginal values and of being a bastion of natural beauty. Majestic? Certainly. Natural beauty? Lots of it. But sacred and serene? Hardly, given the volume of traffic on the road to the summit, the glass-walled observation shelter and of course the essential TV towers, one of which is a skyscraper 130 metres high.

John Voss (Letters, July 24) focused on the single most important problem now existing — the inadequacy of the mountain access road. As tourist numbers increase so will traffic increase, particularly large tourist coaches which often travel in convoy and it should be noted that every one of these coaches must first U-turn through the tiny Fern Tree Tavern car park so as to approach Pillinger Drive from the right direction. As John Voss pointed out, at the first sign of a good snowfall the mountain road is closed.

It’s about time those opposed ceased looking this fabulous gift horse in the mouth and got behind what will be a great step ahead for our tourist industry.

Views from afar

NEWS that exclusive polling has revealed 54 per cent support for the proposed Mount Wellington cable car project ( Mercury, July 24) clearly shows that some elevated thinking has been taking place. With things reportedly being on the up, views from a cable car perspective were bound to start looking better. You could say that such views may even become uppermost among the many who had previously suspended their beliefs, or had left them, for a time, hanging, swinging and exposed to the prevailing elements of whether or not to suspend their views regarding suspended views. For the time being, at least, I am delighted by the prospect that views in favour of (and from) cable cars are likely to become paramount.

Electoral dynamite

THE published poll of support for the cable car highlights that most opposition is from those who are most familiar with and cherish the mountain as it is, without a cable car. The polled support for a dam on the Franklin River in the 1980s was in- A new way to have your say themercury.com.au readers have a new way to have their say. It’s free to use, just register and have your say. For more details and to register, visit the website. itially high, but opposition was strong in Denison. The subsequent environmental battle raised the profile of Tasmania worldwide and led to a boost in tourism. The government facilitation of the cable car project for a private developer, with legislation to bypass normal planning, may be at their electoral peril.

A future burden

I NOTE the cable car always becomes an issue for a Liberal Government when elections draw near, in the hope of getting more votes. This time a public-opinion poll suggests the electorate is interested. I would point out however a few facts for those voters who are supporting the proposal, most of whom seem to be non-Hobart residents. In past proposals, the cost of building and running a cable car had a business plan that would only work if the road to the pinnacle was closed to normal traffic. The weather conditions would prevent operation of the cable car on many days due to our strong winds, thus increasing the cost per trip. If the route was in front of the Organ Pipes, the cable car would be a perpetual blight on the view of the mountain for Hobart residents, especially on the Eastern shore. A large area of Mt Wellington would become off limits to walkers and would be environmentally damaging to the vegetation and fauna. If the cable car proved to be uneconomic, the state government and thus local taxpayers would be forced to subsidise it, just as they subsidise the Queenstown to Strahan Abt Railway. Voters beware.

Leave our flag alone

NOT that hoary, old ‘‘let’s change the flag’’ question raised again. Didn’t we learn anything from the New Zealand try last year? A resounding “no” from the populace and a total waste of money. Our flag is our history, like it or not.

You could put it that way

ANOTHER way to look at the PM’s solecism (Letters, July 24), Mr Turnbull could have said “the French PM invited me, accompanied by Lucy, on his jet to Paris”. But, on inspection, this construct could be construed as putting himself first. Not good for the public image?

Not reassuring

SO the first public thought bubble from Peter Dutton, the new minister for the new department that is supposed to keep us safe at night, is about same-sex marriage. I feel so much safer now.

Blocking moves

IT is obvious the HCC are looking for a reason to prevent the cable car proposal coming to fruition.

Change looming

GOOD news — Will Hodgman has got the message. Rebecca White is showing the way in the popularity stakes. Bring on the state election so we can move the pretenders on.