Hard wooden seats

HAVE you sat on the new wooden slat seats in the departure lounge at Hobart airport? You would find it more comfortable if you had a padded bum or bought a pillow. They cut into you and are very hard. There are a few more comfortable black foam chairs but you need to queue up to sit on one those. What about designing for all bodies? The airport has gone for extra seating at the expense of comfort. Too bad if your flight is delayed. It’s a long hard wait. Too bad for the elderly too.

Palmer text aggravation

NO doubt like many others, I received unsolicited text messages from Clive Palmer’s United Australia Party. It is mystifying and aggravating to learn that political parties have every right to access private numbers in order to spruik their political persuasion. Also infuriating is that there is no way one can reply or opt out. I’ve rung the head office and requested they remove my number from the database. Just for the record Clive, you stand a snowflake’s chance in hell of ever procuring my vote, so please do not text me again!

Life and death issue

MP Andrew Wilkie is right to characterise poker machine reform as a life and death issue, a leading cause of crime and an economic disaster for too many Tasmanians who can least afford it (Talking Point, January 12). Poker machine gambling is a source of personal, family and societal suffering. Experts and common sense tell us this need not be so. Much can be done to reduce loss of life and damage inflicted by addiction. Think of other causes of death and injury where straightforward legislation changes have saved lives and re-

Festival security

IF a person goes to a festival and buys drugs to supposedly help them have a better time, the chance of them having it checked at a pill testing site would be slim. Why go to the expense of buying the drug, only to have it tested then decide not to take it if it was found to be potentially harmful? Pill testing is a great idea, however more effective processes need to be put in place to stop the chance of drugs being bought in the first place. Greater security at entrances, more sniffer dogs and security personnel and a drug education program site that patrons have to go through. It should never get to the point where patrons have bought drugs.

Warm and fuzzy

I WAS overcome with a warm, fuzzy feeling when I awoke to news Roger Jaensch had finally tried to do something about the state of housing in Hobart. For a moment there, it almost seemed as if he had forgotten that he is the minister for such matters. I eagerly await the positive difference a few extra houses in Rokeby will make to the housing market and bridge congestion, and commend the minister for such an ambitious, timely and robust policy.