After settling in Sydney and gaining my driver’s licence, I was told that “NSW drivers are the worst in Australia”.

When I visited Victoria, they told me that “Victorian drivers are the worst in Australia”.

When I went to live in Queensland, the natives assured me that “Queensland drivers are the worst in Australia”.

Now I have been in Tasmania for 10 years and have been told many times that “Tasmanian drivers are the worst in Australia”.

It seems that there is some sort of reverse pride in the driving ability of one’s neighbours.

For me, I have found nothing but courtesy and good manners on the road in Tasmania.

In 10 years I have only been tailgated once (and that was by a P-plate driver), and have never been abused or subjected to road rage.

Take a bow, Tasmanian drivers. I think you are the best in Australia.

HOW DISAPPOINTING to see the lack of respect for voters on display by both Rebecca White and Will Hodgman, with their insistence neither Labor nor the Liberals will form a government with the Greens, should next year’s state election fail to deliver a majority government (The Examiner, October 30).

Such petulant and uncompromising positions are also suggestive of appalling arrogance.

Mr Hodgman might do well to consider that federally the Liberals have only ever been able to form a government by inviting the National Party to form a Coalition, because they’ve never had the numbers to form governments on their own.

Ms White would do well to remember that despite the best efforts of then opposition leader Tony Abbott to destroy it, former Labor Prime Minister Julia Gillard successfully led a Labor/Greens minority government to full term.

Minority governments are the norm in many countries. They are nothing to fear, and are able to deliver far better and stronger legislation due to all parties having to compromise after considering a broad range of views across the political spectrum. Should the state election deliver a hung parliament, Mr Hodgman and Ms White should indeed behave like grown-ups, respect the wish of the electorate, and invite the Greens to form government.

TO PARAPHASE, “everyone is equal, just some are more equal than others”, evokes two recent political scenarios:

Firstly, the inability of federal members of parliament to understand Section 44 of the Australian constitution, which initially, was stereotyped a witch-hunt, but transformed into a proposed self-declaration of constitutional eligibility to sit in parliament, which is highly dependent upon individual honesty, compared to the recent onus of proof purge, faced by selected Centrelink beneficiaries.

Secondly, Josh Frydenberg’s mother, who evidently escaped from Nazi occupied Hungary, deemed stateless, and accepted by Australia as a refugee, but conversely, the current Australian government does not afford the same goodwill, but conveniently uses refugee policy as a political tool for populist exploitation, with unfortunate human rights deprivation, particularly for detainees on both Manus Island and Nauru.

One example of Australia’s humanitarian generosity, led by late prime minister, Malcolm Fraser, was the acceptance of post-1975 Vietnamese refugees, where, for example, the present day-South Australian Governor, was a former refugee of the aforementioned, previously, war-torn country.

AS A compassionate person I feel extremely bad about not having more sympathy about Manus Island.

There are absolutely millions and millions of suffering people in overcrowded refugee camps around the world patiently waiting for resettlement.

And these refugees are far worse off, housed in tents, starving in squalled conditions and no choice.

Manus Island refugees decided to jump the queue and arrive illegally in boats. And now after being offered better accommodation the men decide that it is their right to stay on Manus. Claiming that they fear the locals, what about in their own countries they wanted to harm them badly?

The conditions are appalling because it is now closed, plus they are trashing it, making the living standards far worse and unacceptable. Their position is absolutely unenviable and sad especially the children, suffering the bad choice of their parents.

Ashamedly answers I have none.

MALCOLM Scott’s letter (The Examiner, November 7, brought a wry smile to my lips, remembering an incident with parking meters some years ago when I was doing promotional work for Cityprom in the city as Lonny Loot.

An official of Launceston Council raised objections to my feeding 20 cents into meters that had expired time.  

He told Cityprom that this was a breach of council’s by-laws and would have to cease or council would take legal action.  

He was unable to cite just which by-law or regulation was being breached, merely saying it was because he said so, as this little encouragement to city visitors  was “interfering with” the meters.

After  a short while, commonsense prevailed and the threat was let lapse.

After a trial period  the meter feeding ceased, but I am sure many motorists would have thought it was an idea well worthwhile continuing.

I’m glad to say, I was not not asked to wear a bikini.