Who’s driving UTAS city move?
WHEN my daughter visited from Darwin a few weeks ago, we talked about life on our island, when I shared with her the angst of many of us in the South over the relocation of UTAS from Sandy Bay to the city and how we could not understand why the university would want to move into the city.
Our daughter explained the same was happening in Darwin and the move was a part of the city deal for Darwin. Here is an excerpt of the Darwin city deal: “A new education and civic precinct, including a new Charles Darwin University city campus. This will transform the city centre, attracting more international students to Darwin, boosting retail activity and bringing vibrancy to the city centre.”
We have a Hobart city deal with the federal government. Is it part of this city deal that UTAS is required by the federal government to relocate to the heart of Hobart? This would explain so much. Maybe we have been blaming uni administration wrongly for the push.
Ray Marsh Primrose Sands
NO CABLE CAR
LITTLE wonder Mr Bold’s fans keep thinking the mountain pub/ cafe/cable-car plan has a chance of being sticky-taped together, when they are teased along by him writing stuff like this: “We can’t wait to showcase the forest canopy and birdlife living on the slopes of kunanyi.” He makes it sound as though approvals have been given, and it is already half built. Adrian! Wake up! Your dream is over.
Rob Steane
Lindisfarne
SPEAK LOUDER
I VISITED the little white marquee on parliament lawns. In it were some brave souls denying themselves food for a week to draw attention to the fact the world’s scientists have called a Code Red to the existential threat that is climate change.
I sat in silence in all weathers with a few equally concerned citizens, for an hour to contemplate what our collective futures hold.
“Go get a f--king job” a heckler cried. Do any of our sitting politicians in government care enough to do something? Are they listening to the scientists as they listened to them during the pandemic? Maybe our voices aren’t loud enough. If you want action on climate change, speak louder.
Roz Pearson Derwent Park
QUIET AUSTRALIANS
THOUGHT-PROVOKING take on the Liberal/National relationship by Charles Wooley (Mercury, October 22). It’s a pity middle Australia, the quiet Australians, are too quiet in the face of the damage our political masters are doing to our democracy.
We need to arm ourselves with an understanding of the long-term impacts of our major parties’ ideologies and policies, and self-interest and hidden relationships.
Otherwise, they will continue to buy our votes with a tax cut here and manipulate our votes with a baseless scare campaign there, while doing whatever they please. We need to demand transparency in decision-making, accountability and honesty.
John VanderNiet Bellerive
KELP AND SALMON
WE would like to reassure reader Wayne Bell (Letters, October 21), who was concerned about the possible impact of salmon farms on giant kelp, his concerns are unfounded. Huon Aquaculture has been in partnership with The Climate Foundation and IMAS for more than two years, supporting the scientist’s efforts to grow giant kelp on ropes adjacent to our pens in Storm Bay.
In June 2020, remote cameras revealed that kelp planted seven months before, when it measured just 1mm, had reached several metres in length, much longer than kelp experimentally planted away from the salmon pens.
In late 2020, IMAS dived the lines and the longest kelp was beyond 10m in length.
Kelp takes up carbon in photosynthesis, regenerates ecosystems and absorbs nutrients from the salmon pens, cleaning the water while they grow. This is a win-win for the environment.
Pene Snashall Huon Aquaculture
OIL CARTEL BE WARNED
WITH oil prices rising, thanks to OPEC and Russia restraining production, the cartel wants to be careful not to play games too long.
Their greed may trigger the world switch to electric vehicles.
David Hurburgh HURRICANE HORRORSouth Hobart ANOTHER horror WBBL season for the Hurricanes, a team full of imports along with a coach here for nothing more than a holiday, why doesn’t Cricket Tasmania just bite the bullet and say enough is enough, changes must be made, the fish rots from the head.
Daniel Webb
Glenorchy
MORE MEDICS PLEASE
THOSE clowns who call themselves the United Australia Party tell us that Tasmania needs more hospitals. On a per capita basis, we probably have more hospitals than anywhere else on the planet. Do we need more hospitals? No. Do we need more medical personnel? Yes! John Solomon
Taroona
ASHES TO ASHES
THE English cricketers haven’t boarded a plane yet but their whingeing has already started.
Then we have Prince Charles (born with a silver bulldozer in his mouth) lecturing Australia on climate change.
Maybe he might consider turning the lights out on one of the Royal castles. God bless those complaining POMs!
Peter Churchill Howrah
BAN GAMBLING
IN the Mercury (October 16) the story says “all bets are on for Labor support.”
Regardless of Labor, Liberals, Greens or the Independents, it doesn’t matter, whatever they say about the pokies.
Everyone looks after the main matter and that is that there should be no gambling full stop.
The same thing goes for smoking and alcohol - ban the lot, full stop. You would have a much better society for everyone.
Pat Rafferty
Claremont