A report from Informal, the President/Secretary of Proper Footpaths:
I had a productive, half-hour meeting today with my local, federal member, Andrew Wilkie MHR, the independent member for Denison. I am pleased to record that he listened attentively to our proposal for, inter alia, a proper, continuous footpath between Hobart and Launceston, to my hope that much of the appropriate facilities and infrastructure—of paved paths and even avenues and covered walkways, for instance—could be furnished through sponsorship from local busineſses and private citizens and with minimal funding from taxpayers, and to other, related ideas. He expreſsed his general support; he also aſsured me that he will, within the month, write to the Tasmanian Premier and Minister for Tourism, to local councils, and perhaps to the local media, endorsing the general concept of proper footpaths and explaining, for example, how properly planned and marketed walking tours could be a boon to the economy—even with existing pathways.
We shall publish Mr. Wilkie’s submiſsion as soon as we receive our copy.
UPDATE I (18 September): Here is Mr. Wilkie’s letter to Hon. Will Hodgman, Premier of Tasmania and Minister for Tourism:
UPDATE I (18 September): Here is Mr. Wilkie’s letter to Hon. Will Hodgman, Premier of Tasmania and Minister for Tourism:
UPDATE II (5 November): Here is Mr. Hodgman’s reply*:
* note that Mr. Hodgman refers to the Tasmanian Trail as suitable for walking. The Tasmanian Trail is not a path—as is evidenced by its name—and, at times, it is not even a trail; in many places it is quite unsuitable for walking and in some places it is even barely suitable for hardy horse-riders. Furthermore, the trail avoids both Launceston and Hobart.
