Novelist Richard Flanagan is certainly not going to endear himself to the Government of Tasmania with his recent article, "Battle Cry for Tasmania", published last week in "The Mercury" newspaper. There does seem to be something smelly about politics in that state.
There is a sickness at the heart of Tasmania and it is time all Tasmanians demanded of their political representatives that it end. For the future of Tasmania we must walk together, Labor, Liberal and Green, we must cease to be frightened, to be silent, and we must begin to speak out in our workplaces, our homes, our cafes, clubs and pubs -- for a Tasmania no longer weary and sad with the hate and the division that benefits only those richest and most powerful, for a Tasmania of hope and unity. I believe in the decency and goodness of ordinary Tasmanians.And, in the middle of all that, he calls for the removal of the current Premier. Politicians in Tasmania may not
like Flanagan, but, somehow, I don't think that bothers him. Tasmanians should consider themselves lucky they have someone like him on their side. They may not believe that now, but they will in the future.
