Why Do They Hate Tasmania?

I completely agree!

When I first heard of the stadium proposal I couldn’t believe that the government was serious about it because it was just so bad. It’s a classic case of “Monorail disease”.

The Liberal party is deliberately using it to divide Tasmania so it can stay in power.

Tim Firth
08 July 2025

Winter’s Splinters From Marinus Muddle

You can avail yourselves of Professor Bruce Mountain’s 88 page submission to the Tasmanian Energy Enquiry. Then you will be armed with the knowledge you need to argue against Marinus. As you see, the Liberals ignored it.

You should not.

Roy Ramage
05 July 2025

Election Round Up – Friday PM

Just before the 7PM News on the ABC (which is supposedly the public broadcaster) the Liberal, and then the Labor Party, have a short slot to advertise their campaign.

Whilst voting for these Parties has fallen to about one third for each, another third consists of the Greens and the Independents, yet the ABC has continued to ignore this reality opting to support the failed status quo of a single Party governing.

This is a bias that does not become the national broadcaster. One slot in three should be for other parties. With 14 days to go there is time to rectify this!

Phillip Eric Parsons
04 July 2025

Breaching Caretaker Conventions or Nothing to See Here?

The problem is that with Tasmania having such a small population many people are too afraid to speak.

A media figure who moved to Tasmania from Sydney in the 1970s asked me Why don’t Tasmanians use their vehicle indicators when they drive. I said I am a Tasmanian and I always indicate and perhaps many are just bad drivers.

He said that is not the reason, and that Tasmanians don’t indicate because everyone knows where everyone else is going!

Roderick
04 July 2025

Renewable Boom or Power Pinch? Tasmania’s Energy Future Divides Opinion

False dichotomy. That said, TT is spot on in identifying the pressers as ‘opinions’. The ALP does at least proffer some facts, but it still woefully underestimates the challenge ahead.

A case in point re the Boyer Paper Mill. The ABC recently ran an article on it, linked below.

Here’s an excerpt: “The Boyer Mill is Tasmania’s fourth largest emitter. The switch to electric would cut the plant’s on-site emissions by about 95 per cent – roughly the same as taking one third of Tasmania’s cars off the road. There is just one problem – namely getting the electricity needed.”

If one third of Tasmania’s Transport fleet emits roughly the same carbon emissions as the coal-fired Boyer Mill, then logically the Mill must be Tasmania’s fifth largest emitter with the transport fleet coming in at either position 1,2,3 or 4.

Notice how the ABC conveniently ignores this. Why? Simply because their cognitive bias reassures them that replacing the ICEs with EVs will fix that problem and therefore there is no need to address the complexities of how much renewable infrastructure will be required, or the time frame for it to be built, or the resources needed to complete the task.

All we hear is fluff, vibes and slogans.

Andrew Stretton
03 July 2025

Parking Hell! Stadium Blows Out Another $100M

At what point does the government say ‘Ok, that’s too much!

What is the ceiling for what it is willing to spend? We know that the Perth Stadium was forecast/budgeted at $800 M but it blew out to $1.6 B. That was almost a decade ago.

Construction cost inflation has been significant since then, and this stadium will be competing with various stadium and venue builds for the Brisbane Olympics. Most experienced commentators have the cost at $1.5 B as a minimum, with the actual cost likely to nudge $2 B or more.

Is the Government so resolved that it is an open cheque book?

WillM
02 July 2025

UTAS Bushfire Safety Research Wins National Award

The lack of acknowledgment of exotic species as fire-retardant planting options is a real missed opportunity and a cultural decision that will go out of fashion in the coming years. Willows, poplars, oaks, agapanthus. These are just some of the species that hold enough moisture in their leaves to be able to drop them and repel flames when threatened.

These trees need to be planted en masse NOW. The disdain for European tree species is akin to disdain for convict ancestry at various points in the colony’s history. It’ll change. As fashions do.

Refusing to acknowledge these in official publications is the reason that cultural cringe exists, as it should.

Angus Burton
02 July 2025

A Pledge or a Band-Aid for Northern Tasmania’s Health Crisis?

When first announced on Sunday this seemed like an additional 250 beds for the LGH. At the time I wrote elsewhere “That would almost double LGH bed capacity. But is it really for the LGH. The devil is in the detail. The speech and media by Rockliff talks about ‘Northern Health Complex’ not specifically the LGH.

He said they would be ‘directly linked to the LGH’ .. while also enabling the co-location of services”.

So are these beds public beds, or is this announcement in fact the co-located private hospital? If the latter, why are we using public money to fund a private hospital? Yesterday, while Rockliff was standing side by side with the CEO of St Luke’s health, it was revealed that Yes, this is primarily the private co-located hospital.

So the question I posed remains, namely ‘Why are we using public money to fund a private hospital?’ Indeed why .. when there are so many other things that the LGH will need in the years ahead.

WillM
01 July 2025

Election Round Up – 19 Days Out

If any proof is needed to demonstrate that the July 19 election is going to be nothing short of a fizzer, then the major political party media releases here are it!

Once again, the same old visionless rhetoric. Even the Greens keep harping on about the stadium rather than providing an inspiring alternative. Outside the Independents, most of the standing candidates are mere has-beens or walking accidents simply looking for a place to happen!

The latest YouGov poll indicates a slight swing to Labor, with a notable increase towards the Independents. It appears that any new Independents will come at the expense of the Liberals, and possibly the Greens.

Boring is an understatement!

Ted Mead
01 July 2025

Political Storm Brews Over Tasmania’s Fishing Future

You talk sense Peter George, and as sure as God made little apples the Government will spoil or ruin the fishery as long as bodies like the EPA are used for advice, as at present.

Many years of experience tells me that as far as angling is concerned the EPA will do whatever the Minister demands. “Arm’s length” is just a dream. I’ve had a serious involvement with fresh water fishing since the World flyfishing championship in 1988 when our wild trout fishery was of a high order and acclaimed by competitors.

The “Wild”, which was a huge attraction to anglers, particularly internationals, is now no more, and together with our claims to be a “world class” fishery form a lie, even though Tourism Tasmania seems to think so. Added to this, the Inland Fisheries Service instigated a $1M+ hatchery to address the declining quality of stocks to then find that the system didn’t actually work because released fingerlings died on release.

In their wisdom they then leased their facilities to a salmon company! That says it all really! There are user associations claiming to be effective, but nothing of great wonder occurs because Governments through their quasi entities neither understand nor think that they are the only answer – so leave it to them and then we’ll see our salt water fishery head the same way!

Richard Dax
30 June 2025


Tasmanian Times (TT) is a community-based news and current affairs service covering the island state of Tasmania. It exists to provide a diverse view of Tasmanian issues. TT creates and supports independent media content utilising the best of modern technologies and tried-and-true practices of public-interest journalism.

Support us in expanding our coverage and developing new content by and for Tasmanians. 

New initiatives on the way include:

  • a weekly podcast covering current affairs
  • a revamped website
  • a monthly cartoon competition
  • a user-friendly app for both Android and Apple devices
  • a weekly roundup of key stories