Church’s chance to listen

ON October 3, the first session of the Australian Catholic Church Plenary Council will commence. This historic event was convened to allow open discussion on matters of concern to Australian Catholics and to listen to all voices, including those who are disengaged from Church. The announcement of the Plenary, made in 2016, led to a great sense of optimism and renewed energy.

Recently, we are seeing some bishops, perhaps through nervousness about outcomes from the Plenary, reminding us that the aim of a council is to look for ways to enhance people’s connection with the Church and support their faith journey. They have said that we should not be distracted by discussion on internal matters of Church.

There are varied reasons why so many move away from Church, significant factors are internal matters that have disenfranchised many. Internal changes are necessary if the Church is to regain its credible place in their lives. People feel let down by internal structures that allowed child sex abuse to go on so long, that suppress the voice of the laity other than allowing them to be part of advisory groups with no governance mandate, that fail to authentically allow women equality in participation and leadership, that do not recognise the reality of LGBTQIA+ persons, and that lack transparency, consultation and accountability in decision-making.

Bishops must listen authentically to what has been shared in thousands of submissions. Let us hope the call of Pope Francis for a humble and listening Church will prevail. Chris Smith

Mt Nelson

NURSES VALUED

IN response to Mervin Reed (Mercury, September 22) which painted a bleak and inaccurate picture of how the state government views our nurse workforce. In the past five years there have been an increase of about 800 FTE nursing staff in the Health Department, representing a rise of 15.4 per cent.

Our Transition to Practice nursing intake increases year on year and we are looking to draw on ways to build this intake even further. The department is working with stakeholders such as the ANMF to improve recruitment and retention.

Nurses are a critical part of our health system and we value their contribution, which is why last year we introduced the Tasmanian Nurses and Midwives Honour Roll. Our nursing workforce and other health staff are highly valued and, as Health Minister, I am committed to building our workforce. Jeremy Rockliff Health Minister

PANDEMIC SHAME

IT is shameful that many people on disability support pensions have not had access to Covid vaccines. These people were supposed to be

in the first to receive vaccines and many are still languishing on the sidelines waiting. People with mental health and intellectual challenges need a proactive approach and do not have the capacity to negotiate health bureaucracies.

Family members are placed in a situation where they stand back to see whether their son or daughter

on a disability support pension have had their inoculations only to find they have to actively intervene to ensure appointments are made and kept. One can only wonder whether the government will view unvaccinated people with a disability as collateral damage when the state opens up and Covid numbers rise.

Ed Sianski West Moonah

BARNABY’S BUMBLING

BARNABY Joyce sounds more like Joh Bjelke-Petersen every day. He talks a mile a minute and seldom completes a sentence but it hardly matters as it is incomprehensible twaddle. Boris gets headlines for quoting Latin, so Barnaby tries the same with fragments of Voltaire thrown in. That this man can be chosen to lead the Nationals is strange enough but to see him parading as Acting PM is sinister.

Jim Heys South nipaluna/Hobart

ROAD TO RUIN

WHO is responsible for care and maintenance of Pass Rd between Rokeby and Mornington? It is being badly neglected. The patchwork quilt of pothole repairs is amazing. There remains a break in the road surface near the newest roundabout, which is big enough to swallow a school bus. Road verges are a disgrace with rubbish with the rotting remains of three roadkill wallabies. While the road-gang removes those three carcasses, they might turn their attention to the two roadkill native hens on South Arm Rd, 100m either side of the Bayview Secondary College pedestrian crossing.

Erwin Boot Rose Bay