Speaking as a former martial arts instructor battling MS and emphysema, I know what it’s like to have your talent, your “art” taken away from you. It’s like a ballerina losing the use of her legs, or a pianist losing their fingers or a virtuoso their voice.

While I champion the efforts of Mr Daniher and others in raising awareness about another deadly “neurological” disease, I believe the government should be doing more.

With no neurologist in the entire North and North-West of Tasmania, it’s the government who needs to be rattling their pockets, “not the public”. I sincerely hope Mr Daniher’s aim at goal (raising awareness) is as true as it’s always been.

HAYDEN Johnson’s article (Sunday Examiner, October 15) is commended and ex-spouses the vision of former federal minister and Senator Don Grimes who offered the airport upgraded to Launceston City Council when he was a minister in the Hawke Labor government.

The article states that planning for a major rail, road and air freight hub is hoped to create a future economic boost for the North. 

As stated, Launceston was a key freight hub for the state going back to Ansett days and Launceston Chamber of Commerce would recall former Coats Patons was a leading exporter.

Because of the vision being shown Break O’Day , Northern Midlands, Meander Valley, Launceston, George Town and North-West councils can feed to a future rail connection as the rail line is at the boundary i.e. formerly Western Junction interchange.

The retention of the North-East line needs to be kept in situ so as the export industries of the North East are not at a disadvantage to other municipalities.

FOR three years I’ve been asking the Northern Midlands Council to clear and clean up the main swimming area of the South Esk River at Perth of willow trees and most importantly the underwater debris that has built up after years of neglect by the works department of the council.

During the warm weather the river is a popular place for locals and visitors alike. The youth of Perth only have, apart from the sporting clubs, two venues for entertainment; the river and the skate park which the council has earmarked for demolition anyway.

At the September Northern Midlands Council, a report prepared for the council stated “a river has many risks involved”.

There are designated swimming pools at Cressy and Launceston. What an insult to the people of Perth telling them to travel when they have the river that has been used for more than 100 years. If the river and banks were cleared and cleaned up it would remove most of the risks involved in using the river. Considering Perth had to endure an average $63 rate increase compared to Longford at $13, Perth deserves to have the river reserve returned to its former beauty.

COMPLETELY agree with D. Robinson's suggestion (The Examiner, October 11) that victims often need more than prayer.

Everyone is delighted when a child is saved from say a terminal illness, but often the cure is attributed to divine intervention resulting from prayer.  It also raises a very obvious question. If the divine body is to take responsibility - and credit, for the happy result, surely this same body must take responsibility when, sadly, the end result is so tragic?