Firstly, Mr Rockliff keeps reiterating the point that kinder is play-based and that prep has a large emphasis on play-based activities too.

Having being a prep teacher and currently my eldest daughter being of prep age, I can honestly and (with first-hand experience) say that kinder is increasingly not play-based with a huge emphasis on academics.

They are expected to learn the alphabet, write numbers and letters among many other skills that require them to sit for long periods of time.

Prep is formal, academic-based learning with little time for any sort of play. The teachers are under a huge amount of stress due to curriculum requirements and an increasing belief throughout society that academics need to be taught younger and younger.

Secondly, he states that the ‘disadvantaged’ will benefit from this. It seems my children are in this ‘disadvantaged’ group because we have chosen to raise our children in their home environment and not seek early learning.

My children have been raised in a nurturing, caring and stimulating environment. I am unsure how they are deemed to be disadvantaged

The Turnbull government has increased the cost of diabetic testing strips from $1.20 to $60. The cost of health in Australia is unsustainable at their current levels.

Doesn't look very promising for the Launceston General Hospital and hospitals around the country and for those that just haven’t the money to get treatment without some sort of government subsidies.

TASMANIAN under 12 and 15s representing Tasmania have to contribute a fee of $1000 to participate at Maroochydore in Queensland. These age groups are the seeds of the grass roots for the AFL (a nursery).

The AFL with their million-dollar industry should take note if they wish to be the preferred sport other than soccer and rugby. Invest in the nursery and you will have a mighty forest.

Neglect the nursery and you will not be able to replace the old forest. Get your hand in your pocket of millions and look after the Tassie boys.

THE citizens of Australia must be beginning to wonder when the likes of Eric Abetz, Kevin Andrews et al, are going to understand that Australia does not want their brand of hard right conservatism, as was proven at the federal election, particularly in the seat of Bass, where Andrew Nikolic was thrown out with a swing of 10.11 per cent.

The conservatives blamed their losses on ‘Mediscare', GetUp and probably even the neighbour’s cat for their failings. Everything except their inability to understand the Australian electorate.

We don't want the 2014 budget revisited, we don't want Tony Abbott back and we don't want the dinosaurs running our country.

I WOULD like to encourage Telstra customers to thoroughly check their bills. Over the past 12 months, I have been charged four times for calls made from a house in which no-one was living, and where no phone line had been established.

After ringing to complain, I was reimbursed, though reluctantly the first time. I wonder how often this is occurring around Australia and how much money Telstra is making as a result.