The examiner in Launceston is not much better. I think that part of the reason normal Tasmanians don't scrutinise our politicians as much is because we are too busy working hard to keep the jobs the government wants to take away from us and when we do have something to say, the media make us sound like a clown. I often wonder if an armed coup would solve the Tasmanian government problem...

A sad indictment on the Apple Isle but it does seem, from the mainland, that every attempt to start an industry in Tasmania is destroyed before it starts by the Greens and the Animal Liberation lobby. How long can the rest of the nation keep subsidising this disaster without demanding that the Tasmanians do something to help themselves?

It must feel good to sing 'every tree is sacred' but it's hard to see how the Greens and their fellow-travellers can reconcile themselves to the human misery of significant and rising unemployment. Oh, sorry,I forgot: The Greens and the Animal Libbers see people as the problem so a bit of human suffering serves us right.

Look Here!

Tasmania has been raped and reraped in the name of prosperity. From its aborigines to hundreds of now extinct species to the orange roughies to its tall timbers, prosperity has left Tasmania a fiscal and social wreck. The damn prosperity IDIOTS are CRIMINALS.

How Dare they show their face in public calling for more of the same. SHAME!

Now Because of water abundance Tasmania, given modern transport options has a carrying capacity of 60 million people. Conversely Australia's mostly arid mainland only has a carrying capacity of 20 million without immigrant based political putches and ensuing civil wars. There are too many multicultural independencies and too many anglo-colonial Gods-on-a-postage-stamp like Fergusson and Swan to make an Anglo-traditioned Australia sustainable.

Tasmania may just be Australia's last stand against the corruption and tyranny from customs officials to the Reserve bank that infects our nation in the name of prosperity.

Find some other way to make money. Now is the time to invest in ivory for example. The African elephant is being wiped out in a 5 year plan to make ivory rarer and more expensive than diamonds. You asses want prosperity GO to AFRICA and leave Tasmania alone.

I sense there is a 2001 Space Odyssey type obelisk of humanity on that island. Crims will Prosper there at their peril!

ITM if Tasmania is to defeat these criminal investors then only GEOTHERMAL heat mining can give it the ENERGY and power to stand its ground and survive perhaps to be even a nation in its own right on a future overpopulated and exhausted planet.

How pathetic this article is, and even more pathetic the posts, yes I'm talking about you RandomGuy. Last time I looked Tasmanians still got to vote if they don't like the government, guess what they get to vote them out. If people voted different to you, suck it up princess welcome to democracy.

To this smells of pitiful conservatives sour grapes and nothing more.

Kenny, are you referring to our wonderful Hare-Clark voting system. The one that guarantees the Greens 5 seats in the 5 Electorates with 16% of the votes .

Splitting Tassie back into 25 INDIVIDUAL seats , where we get a member who actually represents us would be a change.. not 5 who act like Senators, which is what they really are , in effect.

My Green Member is in Sorrel.. I live in Sheffield. Get a map out if you don't have a clue what I am saying.. or It’s like I am in Mount Isa and the Green is in Ipswich !

The nearest of my 5 " members is almost 100 k away.. in a place the size of Tasmania.. what a Joke !

As for Lara.. she of the 28 % support for Labor rating... It's a rerun of the death throes in Qld.. when Anna and the Wunderkind ( whatever did happen to Fraser ? ) brought in the similar Legislation.

Two reasons..

Firstly to distract the Media and Voters.

Secondly both the Greens and Labor are fighting over those who can be described as Labor Left.. or Moderate Greens.. 5% of the Electorate, in other words.

The fact that almost 60% of the Voters ( and growing ) have deserted both the ALP and the Greens is immaterial.

After the Election, The ALP will blame their failure to communicate and educate the Electorate as the primary reason for their demise.. not their own incompetence !

Like any forum, you need to make outrageous statements to be listened to, whether online like this or in the political game. Because, as much as everyone hates to admit it, or can't bothered agreeing to, a perfect parliament would be a middle party that looks after everyones concerns. I voted labour last election, but the problem we have in Tasmania is that the global financial crisis hit right when the environmental economic transition was beginning. The problem being that there wasn't enough old industry left to preserve livelihood, and no finances to speed up the transition to good ideas like KAEP has. So there is a stalemate. The far left won't give up the environmental gains that have been made, and the right won't give up any more jobs or industry when we have so little of it left. So then you get labour who have to make social changes because there is no breaking the economic stalemate with a minority government and they want to be seen as doing anything. Until there is a majority government and finance given to whatever direction that government is going Tasmania will remain an economic basket case.

Random Guy writes about the "far left". Never mind that Michael Cook is an opus dei propagandist. In my opinion you cant get much further far right than that.
If you do your homework you will find that opus dei is closely associated with many/most of the right-wing stink tanks in the USA, and much more besides.

Sorry, just explain again how supporting gay marriage is going to ruin Tasmania economically, because I must have missed that bit.

"None of the claims made by supporters of same-sex marriage has been scrutinised as they would certainly be in Mainland states. Instead, The Mercury has scathingly ridiculed opponents as bigots."

It sounds to me as if the Mercury HAS scrutinised them, then, and found them to be sound and sensible, just as we have on the mainland. Seriously, if there is one rational argument against gay marriage in particular -- as opposed to rational arguments against marriage in general, of which there are many -- I have yet to hear it.

...A very refreshing article by Michael Cook: Tasmanians should ready for a counteractive political pendulum swing, “Newman style”: His Government rolled-back same sex legislation of the Labor era as a priority; then followed with an economic rationalistic “blitzkrieg”!

For crying out loud, just get the right Rev. Moon next saturday & marry all & & everyone & everything in Tasmania & be done with that nonsense. There are important issues to deal with.

Individual:

I can't ignore homosexual marriage...its an affront to normality! But I agree that this is an issue which is irrelevant when compared to real-life issues of the broader community, (a point of the article)!...

Left handed people are an affront to normality. They are a minority who have tried and succeeded in convincing almost everyone, that left handedness is a normal aberration, ditto ambidextrous ability!
[ 99 change hands.]
Yet they are different from the mainstream and therefore they deserve to be discriminated against and made to follow normal right handedness.
An occasional belt on the knuckles with the side of a ruler during school hours, ought to suffice? And force these disciples of difference to get with the program, or refrain from any form of written communication.
We simply cannot tolerate things like left handed bows, arrows, screwdrivers, axes! shovels, chisels, hammers, saws, planes, pencils pens combs, whips, guitars, keyboards and just lately, left handed harps and harpsichords, where all the bass notes are at the (WRONG) right end; and or, struck with the right (WRONG) hand.
An affront to normal musicians, artisans, smiths, who play or craft normally, part their hair on the left side, which is the right side, the right side being the wrong side; and so on and so forth.
Alleged allegorical sermon from Dark Age, Medieval Mount Double Dumbed Down Duffy, on a six thousand year old, flat as a pancake, waterless planet plate? [Well, flat surfaces, routinely angled or turned to produce day and night, simply cannot hold any water?]
Delivered about two thousand years ago, and served with several tons of bread and fish, served from a single hand carried basket, and topped with heaping helpings of tartare sauce, goat's cheese, sour cream, salt and vinegar; and extreme ignorance?
And then washed down with wine and multicoloured miracles, leprosy cures, Lazarus rising, and walking on water type entertainment?
Rhrosty.

I can't ignore homosexual marriage..
diver dan,
I can quite easily. Just do whatever you feel your urges tell you to but leave me out of in every which way. Do not constantly flaunt & promote it. I'm not interested in un$anitary practises, I'm interested in getting a decent society up & running. Every generation has the blessing of more hindsight than the previous yet as a society we're still raw from lack of sense.
We have politics & Laws in Australia which look close to perfect on paper but in reality we're a bunch of self-centred, greedy mutts which can't be governed & we're governed by politicians of the same calibre as the electorate. It really is a lose-lose situation.

Ah so, Rev Moon? Marry everyone? What, from his grave?
All licentious levity aside.
The gay community are almost invariably cashed up?
Well, no kids and no divorces, followed by a lifetime of alimony.
Allowing them to marry and carry virtually all the responsibilities and or perceived rights of marriage, or de-facto relationships, is hardly your or my particular problem.
I mean, two gay couples, lesbian and gay guys, could buy and live in a duplex?
They could even go through sham marriages? Qualify for invitro assisted fertility or adoption. Who would know they were not just married couples who shared the motor mower? Spent lots of time in each others houses; or were brothers or sisters?
We looking in from the outside, simply couldn't tell? We couldn't tell if a brother and sister were living together and presenting as a "normal" married heterosexual couple, replete with a common surname and a station wagon full of kids?
We simply have to get over it and move on!
Stop trying to act like tyrannical control freaks, so typical of medieval belief systems, based of mystic fable, [the greatest story ever told,] and or extreme ignorance or some ALLEGED/self conferred God given right to sit in judgement?
Stone to death or burn at the stake, others who dared to be born different or defy patriarchal domination. Get out of other's bedrooms! Simply put, it's none of your business what consenting adults get up to in the privacy of their own home!
Set aside your stone age bigotry and its resultant discrimination. Allow OTHERS the same right as you would have for yourself.
Treat OTHERS as you would be treated.
Or put another way.
Do unto OTHERS as you would have done unto you.
Tiny Tassie has nothing to lose by inviting the cashed up gay community to, COME ON DOWN.
And spend your time and MANY MILLIONS here, then invite all your friends and rallies to CONTINUOUSLY FOLLOW SUIT!
Rhrosty.

We simply have to get over it and move on!
Rhrosty,
That's exactly what I want to do but these weirdoes won't let it rest ! They keep bringing it up again & again & again. Do your thing, just leave us out of it !

Still I don't understand why gay people bother the heterosexual community so much, given that each to there own is the Australian way of life. I think Australians have too much time on there hands:)...hence the some ridiculous posts. I think that some AUST that know the in breeding problems in some parts of..(200 years or so:) :) that anything that takes time to sort out is in your own heads......Hence why I think, you don't know how lucky you all really are....Hence stop being so simple:)

Now since I am neutral all respects, it will take you time to figure that out:)...Hence there more important things to think about.

So a joke to the writer:)...What did the country husband say to his wife after the divorce?.....Answer...."we can still be brother and sister"....its a good job I can still see the funny things of life:

The world as one.

Planet3

>>Do your thing, just leave us out of it !<<

As far as I can see this is exactly what gays are trying to do. Unfortunately some weirdoes won't let it rest because they don't like the idea of gays doing their thing. Gays would be quite happy to do their thing and leave the weirdoes out of it: the problem is that the weirdoes don't actually want to be left out of it - minding their own business is apparently a skill the weirdoes have yet to master.

Cheers,

Tony

Tony Lavis,
Does that mean you lot are finally giving us heterosexuals the break we so long for ? If so, thank you very much. Have a happy life!

>>Does that mean you lot are finally giving us heterosexuals the break we so long for ?<<

Why should it be up to them? Can't us heterosexuals take some personal responsibility here and give ourselves a break? All we have to do is not concern ourselves overly with their lives in the same way that we don't care much about the lives of other random strangers. Instead of getting all hot and bothered and jumping up and down about gays doing gay things we just let them get on with doing gay things and don't make a big song and dance about it. F'rinstance, instead of fighting tooth and claw against gay marriage we just let them get on with it - by not sticking our beak into the personal lives of strangers we give ourselves a break.

It's not exactly rocket science. I cannot understand why some people struggle so much with this one.

Cheers,

Tony

There you go DD if live your own life and stop interfering in others lives, that have absolutly nothing to do with you, life will be calm and spiritual which you appear to want.

G'day Kipp...
...I won't come to your wedding if you don't mind...Cheers

Individual:
...First time I've seen you out of your depth in a long time...

I fear there is something wrong with the psychology of this whole gay marriage debate. One the one hand we see prominent (or liberated) gays reveling (or being strident) in their 'difference' - and yet at the same time hounding the rest of society for the label of 'sameness', by way of 'marriage'. A curious dichotomy.

Some gay-minded argue that withholding 'marriage' from gays amounts to persecution - and argue accordingly that this discrimination is somehow responsible for a disproportionate rate of gay suicide or other mental disturbance. Somehow I suspect that such psychological difficulties may relate primarily to the shy and closeted gays - those who are troubled by their difference, and who cannot bring themselves to fully accept or embrace it, let alone revel in it. To me, this is a much more serious aspect than pandering to the confident and strident gays agitating for 'equality', and is requiring much more serious attention and research by relevant health professionals and educators.

Gays must be allowed and supported to be OK with their difference, but they are after all different, and that is not about to change, no matter how much we attempt to manipulate the playing field.

Live, and let live. We allow, and encourage them to live, and they allow us to do the same. We offer no less to immigrants from a different cultural heritage, but we also expect them to conform to our fundamental societal values. All human, but of many colours.

As for Tassie attempting to be the gay-rights, prostitution, abortion and euthanasia capital of Australia, this would be a poor substitute for developing effective niche industry singularly appropriate to the natural attributes of this island state. Perhaps hops, medicinal marijuana and such, as well as top quality dairying, seafood and Eco-tourism? Perhaps also including some grand hotels, casino and golf courses? Maybe Lara has her heart in the right place, but just in need of some quality entrepreneurial advice.

diver dan,
I'm at a loss what you mean. Perhaps you didn't get the gist. I said as long as the other team keeps promoting their sexuality instead of just living their life then they're dragging us into this pointless debate. Marriage is between a man & a woman, that's all there's to it. You need to find yourself another word for it because marriage is already taken. You don't call yourself heterosexual because you aren't, you call yourself homosexual because you are. See the difference ? They're definitely different words. Same goes for marriage. You are different, you insist on being seen as different but you don't accept a different definition for intimately living with your male partner. If you want a traditional marriage certificate then marry a woman. Otherwise just get yourself a service log.

One notes that Jesus preferred the almost exclusive company of men?
Spoke with complete candour, almost as if around 95% of his usual audience were total illiterates, who could neither read or write?
And, even went to some lengths with analogy to ensure he couldn't be routinely misrepresented or misunderstood?
Was gentle, kind, concerned and never ever married?
Were he to walk amongst us today, many would JUDGE him to be gay? Or a long haired hippie evoking universal love, or doing unto others as you would have done unto yourself?
Going out of your way to be the unsung unrewarded good Samaritan, as a way to live; and or, never ever allowing difference to be the final arbiter of how you treat or react to strangers!
The only time he lost his cool, was when he allegedly whipped the money changers out of his Father's House.
He and his followers never ever built massive edifices or places of worship, but simply met and broke bread in each others' homes; and, used any surplus to actually assist others, or the less well off.
Were he to walk amongst us today, he simply wouldn't recognise the simple message idealism and the philosophy he allegedly founded; in the plethora of Churches replete with fire and brimstone pulpit pounders? [Sinful stone throwers?]
Instead he would probably take to the obscenely wealthy hoarders of donated or stolen treasure? And armed once more with that whip, roaring out a message that has stood the test of time for millennia? "That one cannot serve both mannon and God"?
Or indeed, follow his evocation or Christian example, by knowingly and quite actively discriminating against difference, or the least amongst us!
Rhrosty.

Like any forum, you need to make outrageous statements to be listened to, whether online like this or in the political game. Because, as much as everyone hates to admit it, or can't bothered agreeing to, a perfect parliament would be a middle party that looks after everyones concerns. I voted labour last election, but the problem we have in Tasmania is that the global financial crisis hit right when the environmental economic transition was beginning. The problem being that there wasn't enough old industry left to preserve livelihood, and no finances to speed up the transition to good ideas like KAEP has. So there is a stalemate. The far left won't give up the environmental gains that have been made, and the right won't give up any more jobs or industry when we have so little of it left. So then you get labour who have to make social changes because there is no breaking the economic stalemate with a minority government and they want to be seen as doing anything. Until there is a majority government and finance given to whatever direction that government is going Tasmania will remain an economic basket case.

Were he to walk amongst us today, many would JUDGE him to be gay?
Rhrosty,
He'd probably take one look at us & ask himself why he bothered in the first place.
So far as I know he never mentioned public toilets.