Labor urged to fight the good fight

GREAT article by Kristie Johnston in Talking Point (Mercury, September 29) about the poker machine policies of both major parties and the back flipping they have done. It is clear from the legislation being drawn up that the Liberals do not have the best interest of their constituents at heart, their socalled “harm minimisation” policy is merely paying lip service to a huge problem affecting we don’t know how many gamblers. She is right when she says Labor needs to grow a backbone and for Ms White to show leadership on this issue.

(Quietly) signing a memorandum of understanding with the THA to support the “rights” of pubs and clubs was a huge backflip on their policy and a sellout of their principles. Both parties fear the wrath of the industry if their profits are affected but what about the wrath of voters?

How can voters trust Labor when they go back on their word and fail to put forward better, alternative policies? We have a gem in Ms Johnston, she is trying to keep the bastards honest but needs help.. How about it Labor? Give voters some hope of an alternative government at the next election. Start standing up to the Liberals, listen to the voters and stick with your policies, get back to your core values, it’s long overdue.

S. Ireland Bellerive

INVASION THEORY

THOUGHT-PROVOKING letters from Rod Force and Sean Kelly. Afghanistan, as it is now, reflects yet another appalling sad story in terms of colonialism exploitation. History records the British East India Company laid the foundations in the 17th and 18th centuries for the appalling, “no one wins” state we all now inherit. All participants, including Afghanistan, suffer from past greed, arrogance and “theft of right” by power-obsessed nations. No one wins, but some consider they have. History, again, will tell. Irene Jacobs

Sandy Bay

ANTI-GROWTH AGENDA

THE Mercury’s resident doomsayer, columnist Peter Boyer, is relentless in pushing his anti-growth agenda. With his misanthropic world-view, he fails to acknowledge that growth is a fundamental driver in all living organisms and systems. Without growth there is stasis. This leads inevitably to stagnation and decay.

Boyer tells us the inspiration for his mantra is the discredited book “Limits to Growth” first published in Moscow in 1972. This tract underestimated the Earth’s physical resources by at least one order of magnitude. In a growth-free world we would soon be taken back to a pre-Enlightenment age where disease, poverty and ignorance rules. Thankfully, humanity’s ingenuity

and innovative drive is with us still, and hasn’t been snuffed out by Green Left catastrophism.

David Hurburgh South Hobart

INTEREST RATES

THE Reserve Bank has not lifted interest rates for some time. From what I understand it’s to do with the economy. It’s all fine but the problem with this is house prices have got way out of control and this is creating a class of haves and

have nots. Some buyers are paying well over the asking price, taking risks with large loans to get a property. In some cases these properties, especially with off shore buyers, go back on the market as rentals with high weekly rents. A lot of families in Tasmania can’t afford these costs so consequently end up with them and their children going without food and basics or end up on the streets. I have seen in the past very high interest rates and, if they take off again,

there will be a lot of borrowers in a lot of financial difficulty. They can’t stay low forever and no one knows what challenges life could throw at them in the meantime. Ian Batchelor

Margate

MURDER PROBE

THE response of Tim Ellis (Talking Point, September 16) to my opinion piece highlights the problem with an adversarial justice system — arguments become “tit for tat” rather than looking for the truth. I could respond to Mr Ellis with references to the trial transcript and discuss the importance of nondisclosure in criminal cases, but that would take another opinion piece. Sadly, while we argue, Sue Neill-Fraser sits in prison for another day, another week, another year. The only way the many questions around this case are going to be put to bed is if there is an independent inquiry. If Mr Ellis is right, he has nothing to fear from such an inquiry.

Lara Giddings Howrah

CARING FOR MUM

IN support of Yvonne Murfet and Brian Halpin, their stories are not unique regarding care at Southern Cross Homes. I have been fighting for over two years to get improvements in meals and care. I initially purchased a small fridge-freezer to keep ice creams in but now it is full of food that the family provide to sustain Mum. I personally prepare dinner two nights a week. Requested a meeting with the board but was denied. I then contacted the Aged Care Quality Commission. How many complaints have to be made. Everything that is being reported is true. When Aged Care Quality Commission recently visited extra staff were rostered. Jane Russell

Glenorchy