Contrast to heroes
AS I write, the boys and their coach have been rescued from deep underground by highly skilled men and a back-up team who faced horrendous risks to save them. The world recognises the rescuers as the true heroes they are. As I write, boys, girls, mums and dads are spending yet another day in the wretched conditions of Australia’s concentration camp on Nauru. Australian politicians appear to be causing “inhumane acts intentionally causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or to mental or physical health” (Article 7, paragraph 1k of the Rome Statute of the International Court for Crimes Against Humanity.) All those involved in the cave rescues are being honoured around the world and may it be so. Those involved in Manus and Nauru could be hauled before the International Court for Crimes against Humanity, and may that be so too.
Keep history in mind
IT is my opinion that “Michael Mansell and his cohorts” (Letters, July 9) have every right to keep reminding us of the injustices meted out to Aboriginal people. As Charles Wooley pointed out (TasWeekend, June 16), governments are very good at brushing under the carpet things that will interfere with the politics of the day. He was referring to Tiananmen Square and how China does not acknowledge it and that other governments, including ours, accept that. Most countries have dark pasts. However, we have not forgotten the Holocaust, and nor should we.
By remembering, surely that enables us to not let it happen again. How was the removal of Aboriginal people from their lands and incarcerating them in missions any different? None of us can say that had
Enough high-rise
DESPITE the blurred images and height measured as 13 to 15 floors, which sounds much lower than 49-plus metres, we can see the proposed Fragrance Hotels are those bland and ugly high-rises blighting so many cities worldwide. The Elizabeth St site is an area of heritage buildings with a height limit of 11.5m so has no buildings to obscure views of kunanyi and its foothills. The Collins St limit is 18m. Hobart is a beautiful city and its height limits must be respected. We already have enough high-rises to see their damaging effects.