Forestry Felix’s FSC fail
Why can’t Tasmanian forestry gain Forest Stewardship Certification FSC, the highest world-recognised approval rating for environmentally sustainable forestry products? They have tried a number of times but have been rejected. Why? Felix Ellis, I ask you, since you publicly, categorically, stated that Forestry Tasmania is environmentally sustainable. Obviously not Mr Ellis. Stick to the ‘truth’ for a change. Apply for FSC again I dare you to!
– Maria Riedl, Battery Point
A reminder that road rage is alive and well
On a Sunday mid-morning, an unsettling incident served as a stark reminder of the presence of anger and casual violence within our community and how it can catch us off guard with its abruptness.
My wife, driving on the eastern shore with our 2-year-old and my 75-year-old mother in the car, was pursued by a furious driver and explicitly berated for an alleged traffic slight. The other driver got out of her car at the lights, approached my wife’s car and banged on the driver’s side window with closed fists, shouting insults at my wife, who then turned into a nearby petrol station – only for the woman to pursue her and repeat the attack.
I don’t know if incidents like this indicate that road rage is getting worse or more aggressive – probably not. I am grateful for the relative safety and privilege we enjoy, whilst other parts of the world face unspeakable danger and violence on a daily basis, but it saddens me when we have a painful reminder of the barely contained aggression and hostility that sits just under the veneer of our normal social interactions, and how the slightest provocation can instigate uncontrolled hostility.
– Samuel Cairnduff, Hobart
Barnett can’t be trusted on conversion practices
In the 90s, Attorney General (AG) Guy Barnett once headed a Launceston based organisation titled ‘For a Caring Tasmania’ (FACT) that projected as counsellors for gay people and offered counselling through reading the Bible to ‘cure’ them. Thankfully it disappeared but now it seems the AG wants to revive FACT. The AG has drafted the Justice Miscellaneous (Conversion Practices) Bill 2024 with himself and his prior quack remedies in mind. Tasmanians have a proposed law that protects nobody and is practically unenforceable. The proposed law is counterintuitive in that it puts vulnerable young people at risk from harmful practices with no scientific basis and with little avenue for redress for the harm it can cause.
The contentious issue of this bill is that it provides a ‘get out of jail free card’ if the purveyors of pseudo gay ‘therapies’ say they are ‘religious’ or ‘spiritual’ in nature. But who else other than religious or spiritual brethren would bother trying to ‘cure’ homosexuality? Bona fide medical practitioners would not have a bar of this medieval mumbo jumbo but it seems the AG does. This proposed law is designed to protect nobody except the AG’s religious mates and their outdated and harmful methods.
– Eddie Storace, Lapoinya
Are TFS capable forest managers?
I have lived in South Hobart for 28 years and walked these forests for all that time.
Two things are apparent to me:
1) The forests around South Hobart are dying. Climate change is the dominant cause I suspect. Most of the eucalypts are either dead or have only the barest residual epicormic crowns. They are only just hanging on. Three wet years have not improved their condition.
If you put fuel reduction burn in these forests you will likely kill the remaining live trees. These trees do not have the resources necessary to rebuild their crowns if you burn them. All the currently dead trees will fall to the ground after the fire leaving a great mess. Because of their poor condition most of these trees have not flowered in years so there is no seed resource for forest regeneration. You will end up with a barren wasteland!
2) Weeds are an increasing issue in the area, particularly gorse, broom and heath, but many other besides. Burning the forest will almost certainly result in the proliferation and spread of these weeds throughout the burnt area.
So what happens after the fire? Do you establish ecological monitoring plots to monitor the impacts of your FRD? So does the TFS care for the forests? Or are they just meeting politically-set agendas? I look across the valley at the forest you burnt on Huon Road (2020??) that killed most of the trees there and I am concerned that you do not have the skills necessary to look after our forests.
– Gordon Bradbury, South Hobart
Coalition of Beige
With little discernible difference between the beige coloured major parties the only way we will ever achieve ‘stable majority government’ is for Liberal and Labor to form a coalition. This would then allow the independents and Greens to be the opposition, a role to which they are well suited.
– Dr Ian Broinowski, Battery Point
Prisoner hunger strikes for forests
On the 27th of February Ali Alishah, a peaceful forest protester who was arrested in the Styx Valley last week with the Bob Brown Foundation, commenced a hunger strike, seeking among other things a commitment from all Tasmanian Political parties to end native forest logging in Tasmania.
Ali Alishah was remanded into custody on February 19th after committing trespass in an active logging coupe in the Styx Valley. He would like to invite all Tasmanians to vote at the state election on March 23rd for candidates and parties who will end the climate irresponsible practice of native forest logging. Victoria and Western Australia have seen the writing on the wall. How stubbornly far behind is Tasmania?
– Dr Colette Harmsen, Tinderbox
Macquarie Point site is unsuitable
Amid all the stadium fuss, I feel one thing has gone little noticed. I refer to the geotechnical report commissioned by the Macquarie Point Development Corporation, dated 2015. I’ve read a lot on the stadium but I myself wasn’t even aware of it until I heard TT refer to it in a recent press conference.
It’s quite fascinating reading. The poor quality and inconsistency of the fill means that the site is not very stable. Any large and heavy structures are going to be difficult and expensive to construct. And as we know inflation in building costs is quite real, so the cost of this monumental stupidity are increasing every day.
– Frank Catchpole, Newnham
Letters are welcome on any Tasmanian subject, up to 300 words (we allow a few longer ones occasionally but you’d be surprised how much people appreciate you getting to the point). Letters should be concise, respectful of others and rely on evidence where necessary. No links please! Letter writers should provide a real name and town / suburb. Letters can be sent on behalf of organisations or groups. Submit letters in the body of an email to [email protected]
Comments are turned off on this post…send us a letter!
