Comments on: Tasmanians are struggling as much as their trees

By: David M

David M — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Perhaps it is just a place where the locals like to see their kids leave for mainland jobs?
I would have thought the “natural lifestyle” would provide longer lives…who are we kidding?
Investors like Gunns must be shaking their heads.
Worst though, are us mainlanders, who condemn Tasmanians to this life in search of our own environmental satisfactions.

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

Greg can’t resist an attempt at belittling anyone who has fought for honesty in the Tasmanian political system. The crap he has spouted over the last few years is now becoming apparent to everyone, as Gunns’ pulpmill gradually keels over under the weight of their incompetence. He has backed the wrong horse, as he was told a long time ago. Gunns mill is a crock, and was obviously so a long time ago, and Greg will now try to rewrite history to prove he was right in some way all along. The problems in Tasmania are many, and mainly caused by the government, which has also spent its entire energy for several years focusing on one dud project, the wrong-headed Gunns Tamar pulpmill. This single focus makes it hardly surprising that the education system is broken, which is why so many of us choose to educate our children privately. This is not limited to Tasmania.

And for Nesta: There are problems in the Tasmanian public education system, but frankly, Nesta, if you choose to live at Carlton Beach, then you choose to have significant transport costs. No doubt you were sold the property by someone who told you it was 20 minutes from the CBD. I’m assuming that you have since discovered that the lifestyle is great, when you have the time to be there, but it isn’t raining much, and it takes a lot more than 20 minutes to get to the CBD, especially in the morning traffic. Your 20 minutes is quite dishonest, so how about withdrawing it. Your community is on the distant south-eastern outskirts, at about the point where people start to struggle to afford to commute to Hobart for work. In fact, people who earn less than you probably struggle closer in, especially if they have to catch a bus, or can’t share a car. If you want your children to have an easy commute to a quality college, you will need to move closer, no government can afford to build a good college next to everybody’s house.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

I’m not a mathematician but I know there is a difference between ‘median’ and ‘average’ in statistics. Why are you comparing the Tasmanian median income with the national average income? If you have a point to make, shouldn’t you be using the statistics honestly? This bit of trickery makes me question the other figures (unless this is a sad illustration of point five).

By: Nesta Quin

Nesta Quin — Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000

It's not often I agree wholeheartedly with Greg Barns but in this instance I must congratulate him on attempting to bring what is, a national disgrace to the forefront.

I moved to Tasmania from Sydney eight years back and while Tasmania has many advantages none of them are economic. The education system is a shambles and the government, well what's left of it, actually encourage children to leave school in Year 10 by virtue of only a few public schools offering the Year 11 and 12 syllabus.

Fortunately, I make my income from the marvellous connectivity of the internet but few in the community are so fortunate. My daughter who has ambitions in Science will need to travel to Mt. Nelson from Carlton Beach, a round trip of 100 kms, to complete her schooling before entering university under the current public education system.

The hospital system isn't in much better condition and to highlight how bad things really are my community of Carlton Beach and Dodges Ferry, only 20 minutes drive from the CBD is still to have running water supplied by our elected officials. This means that not only do we have our water trucked in from elsewhere at great expense but no industry, however small, will set up in the area for their are no facilities to accomodate them.

The bar is set so low that Sorell High School had a former student who departed in Year 10 give a presentation the other day on what a wonderful career she now has at Domino's Pizza. I kid you not.

The Mercury has a monolopy on printed news in the South of the state and for reasons unknown never highlight the inadequacies apparent to migrants like myself.

It is a farce and unless Federal intervention is forthcoming Tasmania will continue on its merry way to become the basket-case of the first world. The generous and easy-going people of Tasmania deserve better and I'd like to thank Greg for speaking up on what should be front-page news.

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