Rather, the criteria for senior aged licensing should focus on the ability to drive – competently and safely based on skill and appropriate reaction time and relevant concentration, in concert with sound knowledge of current road rules.

Also essential are concomitant physical assets: general health, particularly eyesight, arm and leg movement, and mental cognition.

For oldies and beginners field testing is warranted, (RACT thinks otherwise for the former, too stressful).

Note, at age 75, no matter how fit, how active, one is “old” in terms of human lifetime. Well past the halfway mark for everyone reaching that age, and it’s nowhere but downhill regardless whether accelerated or protracted.

Now I am even more convinced that at, say 70, a comprehensive test should be mandatory for all such aged drivers – written and field. Then, depending on the passing score, say a five-year hiatus to the next test; a poorer passing score perhaps an annual retesting. At age 80, testing every year.

This would markedly reduce the potential for road accidents because there is obviously a significant number of aged drivers who should not be in charge of a vehicle, as well as too many who think they are still good drivers but definitely aren’t.

This will inconvenience aged drivers, but inconvenience is not an excuse. Road safety is paramount, and taking incompetent drivers off the road is vital.

I, too, will be greatly inconvenienced if my driver’s licence was taken from me, permanently. 

But if I failed to prove I could still drive competently at my age, as well as a much younger person, than I should not be driving.

WHAT a shame the Launceston Show Society, didn't have a name like the Hawks Show Society, or North Bank Show Society, or Inveresk Uni Show Society or what about Civic Square Show Society, or Carlton Show Society, maybe CH Smith carpark Society?

If the show society had used any of these names, they could have had millions of dollars thrown at them.

Mayor Albert van Zetten suggested the show society had squandered the money they received 20 years ago from the sale of the land at Elphin. I suggest it had tried hard to keep the tradition of the 140 year old show on a shoestring, unlike the City of Launceston council, squandering money all to no avail, but they seem to be able, to obscure the fact by having delusions of grandeur for the city business district. How many millions has the City of Launceston council made from rates, paid by the ratepayers that now abide in the Elphin Showground area sold off and supposedly squandered by the Launceston Show Society? I think the council needs to look hard at what it does with the ratepayers money. Afterall they are supposed to be working for the ratepayers and at the moment everyone I speak to, doesn't think they are.

THE fact  Australia reached the best available outcome in the Boxing Day test does not excuse the vice-captain David Warner for the irresponsible end to his innings.

At the time, he let the team down, he let himself down (he was joining some elite company with centuries in each innings three times). In fact the only one he didn't let down was me. It has been my opinion, throughout his career, that for such a talented player to be so selfish and unapologetic is deplorable. A little less sledging and more concern for the team's needs would be helpful. In contrast, Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh really put their heads down and ensured the best result possible.

SO THE promoters of smaller government and unfettered free enterprise are implementing tax cuts for those whose greed endangered a global financial crisis.

This required government to bail them out with funds collected from those far less well off, who actually pay tax.

We are not the home of the brave and the land of the free. We are the country of a fair go - a vague and slippery notion that occasionally coalesces into a biting judgment of political parties that overreach on matters of inequality.

Work Choices and Tony Abbott’s first budget are prime examples; and this is another. A neo-conservative crock of tax haven bound sophistry and hubris. Treasurer Scott Morrison, we don’t buy it.

WE ARE led to believe that another government sponsored report into the upper Tamar Estuary was due for release about now. It is to be hoped that it contains finite recommendations to be followed shortly by concrete actions.

This will be about the 15th report into this waterway, all previous reports seemingly put in the too hard basket. And, of course, everyone and their dog have different views about the best solutions, but two things are paramount - get human waste out of our waterways and release more water down the Gorge.

Beyond that, the barrage in the lower Tamar, with sea-rise and silt issues addressed, make good sense. The pending state election is a time to see some firm political proposals, or so we all hope.

I WROTE to The Examiner a while ago about people not keeping dogs on lead. Now we hear that guide dogs are being attacked. Along the walk behind the Kings Meadows Hotel, there are signs saying it is a leaded area for dogs. Then why on any single day is there people ignoring this?

I know dogs can’t read, but if the owners have not completed their education and therefore can’t read, don’t let them have dogs.