KING’S BIRTHDAY – A TIME TO LOOK TO THE FUTURE
Tasmanians enjoyed a public holiday for the official birthday of King Charles III. While not his actual birthday, it acknowledges the British monarch as our head of state. But most people will not actively celebrate the King’s birth and will likely give it little or no thought. Instead we should look forward to when Australia is a republic and we have another day designated on our calendar marking our transition to a totally independent nation.
While the Real Republic Australia does not campaign for the replacement of Australia Day, we suggest that a new day on our calendar marking the change to a republic would have more meaning than the monarch’s birthday it would replace. A ‘Republic Day’ or ‘Constitution Day’, however we might term it, could help Australians focus on our future and the issues that unite us as a nation.
There is plenty to think about next Monday, especially how we might become a republic.
The Real Republic Australia wants to see Australians themselves choose our head of state through a genuine direct-election process. We do not want one picked for us by politicians, nor do we support the Australian Republic Movement’s idea of having more than 800 federal and state politicians hand down to voters a shortlist of candidates. The ‘politicians’ republic’ model failed at the 1999 referendum and we think it will be rejected again if it is the only choice offered at a future referendum.
– David Muir AM, Chair, Real Republic Australia
Ferguson Evens Score With Clarence
No one is fighting for the eastern shore. We have been victimised by the Budget with no money for the long promised Mornington roundabout or Tasman Highway ramps at Gordons Hill Road. While approving $90m for Kingborough and Huon council roads in southern Franklin, Minister Ferguson’s budget does not provide a single cent for Clarence council roads.
Neither is there any money for important City Deal projects such as extending the Flagstaff Gully Link Road to Geilston Bay or the Richmond bypasses. Instead, Clarence Council will plunge into $6m of debt to reconstruct Pass Road.
Minister Fergusons churlishness was not raised during Estimates Hearings by the Labor MLCs for Rumney and Pembroke. Seems they were too busy representing their party instead of their eastern shore constituents. Only independent MLC’s can fight for their community.
– Tony Mulder, Clarence councillor
The writing is on the wall
Dear Premier Rockliff, the writing is on the wall – now is the time to end native forest logging. Obstructing this necessary action will only cause you continued grief. Become the courageous leader you aspire to be. End native forest logging now for the sake of our planet.
– Colette Harmsen, wildlife defender and forest activist, Tinderbox
Ripped off by AFL
Why should Tasmania have had to commit to a new stadium when Greater Western Sydney play at a very poor stadium in Sydney, plastic seating and very little cover or facilities
I am all for AFL football in Tasmania and in Launceston we have a good stadium with great playing surface.
We are being ripped of by the AFL.
– Phil Banton, Launceston
The Pelletable Truth
The NE Chit-Chat FB page posted an article about the Dorset wood pellet company that went into liquidation last month and is about fold unless it can get investors. It cited a Tasmanian Times story from September 2020 that highlighted this company.
The company was set up on part of the old Frenches Mill at Ling Siding just out of Scottsdale and was spearheaded by a group of prominent business and local government identities all of whom were deeply embedded in the timber industry. The site was taken over in a sweetheart deal which saw the site purchased from Frenches and handed to a consortium using federal and state money and touted as a local business hub.
Now, when this wood pellet company was floated it pissed me off to some sort of stratospheric extent because we already had a wood pellet producing company just 3-4 km down the road and it had been going for several years. The guy who owns the business called Wood Pellets Tasmania is Merv Jones and he is an unassuming guy with an incredible understanding of his field and even considered to be somewhat of a guru among global innovators in the field of wood pellets.
Because Merv is not one of the in crowd in Dorset they did not give a shit about any impact their operation might have on his business and probably expected Merv to quietly fade away. Merv had been in business around seven years before this new mob sought to steam roll him. It has been nearly three years since your last story about the company just gone into liquidation and I thought it might be a good time to highlight the company at Tonganah that has now been going successfully for 10 years.
– Peter Coxhead, Dorset
What colour the Tassie AFL bid?
Heard a discussion on radio the other day about potential names and read something yesterday. Can’t believe no one has suggested the Tassie Auroras. I’ve just been writing about people photographing the Southern Aurora from my patch, the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne.
Lots of puns in that for the footy headline writers – Auroras roar into finals contention. Hear them aurora at new stadium for first AFL game, etc. And a ready-made colour scheme – luminescent green and purple.
– Mike Hast, Mornington Peninsula (VIC)
A Tragedy of Decision-Making
Australian Rules Football in Tasmania has been in decline for a long time. A lot of the traditional clubs are struggling for numbers; there is not club from the north-west in the TSL, and stalwarts Glenorchy almost pulled out of the season. Attendances are not what they once were.
In this context the AFL swans in and demands a billion-dollar commitment from the Tasmanian government to kick-start an AFL team and revitalise the game.
Whilst I like AFL, it’s not fair that the whole state and its tax- and levy-payers are on the hook for what’s a glorified Australian rules development program. The AFL is one of the richest sporting bodies in Australia, it can pay its own way thanks very much.
And don’t get me started on this roofed stadium malarkey, one of the worst bits of decision making I can recall by a government anywhere. The AFL’s insistence on a roof is kind of weird in itself, given that Hobart has lower rainfall than any other place AFL games are regularly played other than Adelaide. Roofed stadiums typically have garbage acoustics for things like concerts so that is simply not going to be a great source of revenue.
And by the way, Macquarie Point is not available for a stadium. It’s not going to happen. Bellerive Oval has a bigger footprint than Docklands Stadium which is the playing home for multiple clubs and hosts over 40 regular season games each year. Surely an upgraded Bellerive can manage to host 7. The only thing standing in the way of that is the AFL Commissioners’ egos.
– Ralph Duckett, Rose Bay
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