Another bad year for Launceston is almost over without any real progress to the tired old Launceston city, Sure there is always praise from within that keeps repeating such glories as the bottomless pit of funding that’s always available for lifes little luxuries the likes of football ovals which we are told bring $millions into the city while ignoring the massive running costs, just like fairytales only the young and immature mind accepts it as fact.
Same goes for the Abu Dhabi style swimming baths that employs a full time talkup crew along with the closely tied local print media that relies so heavily on Launceston’s nod and wink club for its content. I can remember when the north’s Examiner was the voice of the people, it did ask the hard questions and sought honest answers but since its gone private it must wait on direction and carefully shuffles its content just to stay afloat.
The once proud old city of Launceston has been open to experimentation from book learning (professionals) to the extent it has become virtually unworkable while now showing the result of its many facelifts and it may be well past its useby date, Its streets have now been so constricted with boulevard footpaths cycle lanes, you name it, that it has become an alarming traffic hazard with no alternative route other than right through the town centre including the never ending line of log trucks, removing our states unsightly forests in bulk to the north where they are never to be seen again.
In 2010 it may be hoped that all the band-aids and lollypops have been used up and we may be able to afford the full time city manager that is needed to tackle and control the huge task that confronts him or her, just to bring a workable crew in line after so long without any sound forward planning in place including the need for wise decision making and perhaps most of all an openess with the public on matters where public money has not been thoughtfully spent, In the past couple of decades there have been several city managers in place but it seems their will is broken within 18months to 2years, and they weigh anchor. These short periods simply give no time for putting a solid programme together while continually trying to fight the system. Now that the present manager has thrown in the towel there is a chance to do it right and search for the right person for the job and be respected with the sole power in that job to be able to control and deal with the obvious impairments that are preventing amical working conditions in this very important job.
The continuous bickering and unrest that continues to plague local government must be stopped, with the causes properly investigated and stamped out. For a start the sham election process that has outlived its time and credibility. The recent local volantary election for council achieved nothing apart from all the red faces of the new-bloods that tried their luck and were pushed out the back door after it took four counts of the votes to achieve the desired result could you believe??. Without new and visionary new blood allowed an opportunity to serve the needed drive is lost, then like the Tamar Basin now already a monument to past administration, it too will be beyond salvage.
While recalling a sensible suggestion made recently in regard to the difficulties now in place along with the cost burden on older people and the disabled in visiting the city, it was time all stupidity was bypassed and a modern large retail complex placed at Danbury Park to house all the retail section in old Launceston under one roof, fully air conditioned comfort to the advantage of the all shopping public. To be placed only 5-6minutes from the present site it could be suitably fed by a workable public transport system, another first for Launceston, on an easy accessable flat highway to modern facility boasting an abundance of front door parking and certainly cleaner air, whereas the present location would remain the commercial centre and I believe there is little choice of suggestion if we want Launceston to stay on the map. A developer would not be difficult to find as this is civilisation in the 21st century and most cities and towns in mainland Australia boasts these full centres and to boast the first modern full complex in Tasmania would certainly do more for Launceston than anything that has come before. Wishing for Launceston’s a hopeful future.
Smed ….. “a sad witness to 2009”.
