Carpark rush

I AM a regular user of the Condell Place carpark in North Hobart. Hobart City Council has recently increased the parking fees from $1.20 to $3 per hour, a whopping 150 per cent increase. They have also extended the hours from 6.30pm to 10pm. I have noticed fewer cars seem to be using the park since the increase came into effect, so overall revenue to the council will probably not increase much, if at all. My concern is the negative effect the increase will probably have on North Hobart businesses, where parking is in short supply.

Can’t use broken system

I’M pleased that Martyn Goddard has documented the causes of the problems with Tasmania’s health system (“Still paying for slash and burn,” Talking Point, July 2). I view the world through the eyes of an engineer, not a politician, and my eyes tell me that to get things to work properly, we need well designed systems operated by competent people. Broken systems need to be fixed before they will work well. Politicians seem to view the world through different eyes and to hope that if they are sufficiently clever, or can find someone sufficiently clever, or maybe a reliable magic wand or silver bullet, they’ll persuade a broken system to deliver wonderful results.

Restrict winter walks

I HONESTLY don’t believe bushwalkers should be pushing their luck and rolling the dice this time of year in one of the most inhospitable and treacherous regions of Tasmania’s Central Highlands including our famed Overland Track.

“Chilly huts no fun for walkers” (Letters, June 29) is a timely reminder to any novice that amenities on the Overland are basic and lack the modern warmth and comforts of a professionally guided tour.

I have walked the Overland and the basic huts provided by Parks and Wildlife along the Track are for shelter only in extreme weather conditions but at least do provide a level of protection from the elements superior to a tent. Adequate heating and cooking facilities in these huts would be deemed a luxury, but the adage is you get what you pay for.

But ultimately in the best interest of safety for locals and tourists I am frankly amazed the Government in conjunction with Police and Emergency Services have not placed more stringent rules on hikers accessing alpine regions this time of year.