In this instance Alderman Gibson was correct for raising the matter and should not have been attacked by the mayor and the acting general manager, as proper process had not applied by council.

The fact is that this agenda item was premature and questions as to:

It has been proven that the process has been incomplete, as to sewerage and stormwater capacity of the Inveresk suburb, together with no traffic management or car parking plan to ensure a master plan is published for community consultation and input.

The consequences of this failure by the council should be of real concern.

Ian J. N. Routley, West Launceston.

HOW easy it is Peter Doddy (Letters, The Examiner, October 29) to make the case that migrants are holding us back by offering up the capacity of the MCG as our annual intake and stating most go straight on to welfare.

The truth is far more complex.

Longitudinal studies conducted by the Australian Bureau Statistics (2011) paint a much different picture showing that unemployment rates for recent migrants and temporary residents combined was 7 per cent compared with 5 per cent for people born in Australia. We are a nation of immigrants.

More than 28 per cent of our current population were born overseas (ABS Mar 2017). Our immigration policies are an international success story. Refugees are another matter.

There are currently 65 million refugees worldwide (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) June 2016). Enough to fill the MCG 650 times over.

We can't fix the problem on our own. That does not excuse us from jumping to dangerous conclusions and misleading statements.

Fear and fear mongering politicians constitute a much greater threat to our country than any other problem we currently face.

Tony Newport, Hillwood.

ONE WOULD suggest some person has to get maimed or killed before The Department of State Growth and City of Launceston council do something about the dangerous situation that has arisen between Talbot Road and Punchbowl Road junction when travelling south on Hobart Road.

Drivers are now using the right hand lane travelling south as a through road, running left-hand lane traffic into the curb, they have almost always turned right into Riseley Street.

The traffic congestion is enormous, with cars backed up to Talbot Road due to three sets of traffic lights and a set of pedestrian lights in about 800 metres, and the turning arrows make the whole situation worse.

The councillors, their engineers and department should be ashamed of themselves.

To add insult the track through the Punchbowl reserve has become a thoroughfare for many and the surface is quickly deteriorating.

Paul L. Bullock, Norwood.

THOSE politicians that served illegally with dual citizenship should not be entitled to golden handshake pensions.

Walter Christy, Shearwater.

SO I agree with your viewpoint Tony Newport (The Examiner, October 23).

We don’t need “political backwardness” regarding renewable energy.

Jobs and growth will be the training of people in this technology.

Solar, wind, tidal power - it would be so inspiring if the Tasmanian government would accept this and stop holding Tasmania back from entering the present.

Elsa de Ruyter, St Helens.

I THINK the people who issue the weather forecasts must have got one of those Master of Arts degrees in creative writing from the university.

Yes, there is such a degree.

Following the forecast of showers, I wear my water resistant jacket and pack my $25 folding umbrella bought from the Old Umbrella Shop in George Street.

The cheap ones in supermarkets are hopeless, I know from experience. But the forecast showers never eventuate.

I feel such a fool when the city is bathed in glorious sunshine.

Malcolm Scott, Newstead.

GLENNIS Sleurink (The Examiner, November 2) suggests that Barnaby Joyce is an archetypal Aussie bloke.

While I understand the point being made I am wondering if we might find an example that is somewhat more evolved.

Ralph Marshall, Launceston.

2018, BEING another year of AFL contempt for Tasmania regarding rostering of teams to be played in both the north and south of the state, it may be time for Tasmanians to collectively “turn their backs” on AFL indifference, with a withdrawal of million dollar subsidies to both Hawthorn and North Melbourne, and truly test their commitment to the state.

Kenneth Gregson, Swansea.