All Bar the Bishop Chopper

Clarence ratepayers have donated to the Liberal Party.

At last Monday’s Clarence Council meeting, Mayor Chipman confirmed that ratepayers footed the $45 a head entry fee to a party political event with infrastructure Minister Michael Ferguson. The party fundraiser was held on Oct 16 ahead of the state election and was attended by Mayor Chipman, Clarence’s General Manager and Alderman Blomeley.

As members of the Greater Hobart Committee, it beggars belief that our leaders need to pay money to a political party to find out what the chair of that committee was proposing for southern Tasmanian infrastructure.

In November, the Mayor claimed he only became aware of the party nature of the event when he arrived. However, the invitation was authorised by the Liberal Party, clearly bears the Liberal Party logo. Despite this, the Mayor had authorised the use of council funds and surely it is not common place for the Minister to charge a fee to meet with local government!

Instead of refunding ratepayers money, the Mayor has doubled-down saying that all councillors would benefit from attending a party fundraising event – presumably at ratepayer expense.

At least they didn’t arrive in a helicopter.

– Cr Tony Mulder, Clarence

Prison Madness

How mad is the idea of plonking a maximum-security prison on a nature reserve? ‘Sensitive natural values’ aside, it’s a reserve, a ‘bush block’ (quotes from Premier Gutwein, Hansard, 24 June 2021). It’s good for native flora and fauna, but not good for large construction. There is no infrastructure. No water. No sewerage. No electricity. The road is narrow and winding. Spend an hour at the gate of the reserve and it’s easy to count over 20 large trucks zooming by: B-doubles, log trucks, trucks, trucks and more trucks.

Tax payers, do you want your dollars spent on this foolishness that will, without doubt treble the paltry initial budget of $270 million? There are better things to spend our money on than the government’s pride. Better ways to be tough on crime that bring about true rehabilitation and don’t continue to increase Tasmania’s appalling recidivism rates.

The Premier once told me that it’s ‘not Westbury or bust’, methinks it might be, and because of this our state will be paying for this foolishness for generations to come. It’s time, Premier Gutwein, to be a true leader and call stop to this madness.

– Anne-Marie Loader, Westbury

Militarism

The imagery of the Prime Minister being flanked by three-star generals is both chilling and unsettling. The role of the armed forces until now has been relatively clear and straightforward. By definition they are called the Australian Defence Forces (ADF) and their principle responsibilities are to defend our Nation and assist when called upon with natural disasters such as floods bushfires and so on. These are tasks they are well equipped to do  and execute very effectively.

However, calling in the military on grounds of a national emergency to run what is really a public health program sets a dangerous precedent. It is essentially a civilian matter which should be dealt with by those competent to do so. The danger is how do we define matters of ‘national emergency’ or ‘national security’ which then require military intervention.

Under this scenario Whitlam could have called in the army in 1975, or the ADF may have been used during the AIDS crisis. Will we see troops on the streets if protests become boisterous and not to the liking of the incumbent PM? The possibilities are limitless.

This is not some idle academic discussion but one which needs to be considered and thought through with care and consideration. It should in my view be challenged in the High Court to set in place unequivocal rules about when a PM can and cannot use the military within Australian borders and dare I say it against its own people.

– Dr Ian Broinowski, Battery Point

MMG: Why not choose another location?

The Bob Brown Foundation has been campaigning to protect the takayna/Tarkine for 10 years now, preceded by the Tarkine National Coalition and concerned environmentalists for many decades before that.

Why is protection of the takayna/Tarkine such a difficult notion? There are numerous options for alternate tailings dam locations for the Rosebery MMG mine. Why does MMG persist with a location that has a beautiful, intact rainforest and heavily contested?

Maybe it is time for a Tarkine National Park or a Tarkine World Heritage Area. The protesters are gaining momentum. Is it really worth the effort, MMG?

– Felicity Holmes, Blackmans Bay

Proper Masks Needed

Here is the latest COVID-19 mask order for anyone in Tasmania who has returned from Victoria since July 8 (see below).

Obviously many people think they will not spread or contract SARS-CoV-2 if they wear those disposable, loose-fitting, blue surgical masks, but the truth is these masks do not filter aerosols, and they leak. Blue surgical masks are doubly useless when they are worn around the neck, hang from one ear and do not even cover the nose and mouth.

It is now clear that SARS-CoV-2 is spread primarily by aerial transmission and non-vented, close-fitting N95 or P2 respirators (masks) are needed to filter the virus, not surgical masks. So why do we see so many people these days, even health authorities, wearing blue surgical masks?

N95 or P2 respirators are held in the National Medical Stockpile for when there is a pandemic. With our low vaccination rates and the Delta variant upon us requiring further lockdowns across Australia, it is time to make these respiratory protection items available and mandate their use. The population needs to be re-educated during this pandemic to wear N95 or P2 respirators. Why should anyone have to go into a shop or catch public transport when someone is not masked-up properly?

“There is consistent, strong evidence that SARS-CoV-2 spreads by airborne transmission. Although other routes can contribute, we believe that the airborne route is likely to be dominant. The public health community should act accordingly and without further delay.” – https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00869-2/fulltext

– Clive Stott, Grindelwald

Media release – Dr Scott McKeown, Acting Director of Public Health, 16 July 2021

New mask wearing rules for recent travellers who have been in Victoria

New mask wearing rules will be implemented for any person currently in Tasmania who has been in Victoria on or since 8 July.

Due to the expected increase in the number of cases and exposure sites in Victoria, from 11.59pm, Friday, 16 July any person currently in Tasmania who has been in Victoria on or since 8 July will be required to wear a mask when in public.

Acting Director of Public Health, Dr Scott McKeown, said this reduces the risk posed by a person in Tasmania who may have had contact with a case in Victoria but doesn’t know yet, because the case and the exposure site has not yet been identified.

“The mask wearing rules require that masks must be worn by any person who has been in Victoria the during relevant time and isn’t covered by an exemption,” Dr McKeown said.

“It is important to remember that any person in Tasmania who is currently subject to quarantine requirements because of attending a high risk premises in Victoria, or who arrived in Tasmania since 12:01 am today (16 July) having been in Victoria on or since 8 July, must remain in quarantine.”

“Further, any person currently in Tasmania who has been in Victoria on or since 8 July is urged to limit their movement in public, avoid public gatherings and avoid visiting vulnerable settings such as hospitals and aged care facilities unless for work purposes. They should also limit people visiting their home.“

The new measures have been implemented due to a rapid increase in cases and high-risk premises in Victoria, and the large number of people who have travelled from Victoria to Tasmania in the past week.

“We anticipate in coming days that a small number of these people will be identified as having attended an exposure site in Victoria,” Dr McKeown said.

“Mask wearing and limiting movement by these people reduces the risk to others in the community and supports contact tracing in Tasmania.

“When in public, people who have been in Victoria on or since 8 July should also:

  • maintain physical distancing as much as possible from others
  • wash and sanitise hands and follow other COVID-safe behaviours at all times
  • vigilantly use Check In TAS at relevant locations
  • monitor themselves closely for cold or flu like symptoms
  • check at least daily the list of high-risk premises in Victoria on the Coronavirus TAS website.

“While we do not know of any COVID cases in Tasmania, everybody should monitor themselves closely for any cold or flu symptoms and arrange a test if they develop symptoms – even mild,” Dr McKeown said.

“This requirement for mask wearing will remain in place until midnight Tuesday, 20 July but may change depending upon the situation in Victoria.

“If anyone is experiencing any cold or flu like symptoms, even mild, self-isolate immediately and arrange a test by contacting the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.”

Visit www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au for the latest Tasmanian information.

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