However some promises about increased flows through the Gorge would be welcome as well.  

There’s no doubt Launceston was ‘sold a pup’ way back when the Trevallyn scheme was built. Since then we’ve become aware of the importance of maintaining environmental flows in rivers and if this happens for the Meander, the Macquarie, the Lake and South Esk Rivers, and the flows continue past Lake Trevallyn, Launceston could once again become proud of the spectacle of its Gorge. Hydro Tasmania should be forbidden to take environmental flows from rivers, but just the excess above that level.

I AM now 65 years old and for as long as I can remember successive governments of all persuasions, have promised to fund the desperately needed clean up of the Tamar River. Here we go again.  This time money will only be given if the Liberals win.

Why will the river magically not need to be cleaned after the Liberals are no longer in office or do they think we are that stupid we can be bought?

WHAT right has a politician got to tell me how and where to spend my money. I don't tell them what chardonnay to buy, what clothes to buy, what restaurants to eat at, so please don't tell me I cannot play the pokies if I want to. So get of your high own personal agenda and fix the problems that exist in our state i.e. the Tamar River. That is just one subject that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

I FIND it strange that Labor party and the Greens are claiming that the Liberal Party comparative advertising campaign is negative.

The Liberal Party record of positive achievements during this term of State Parliament as listed, has been remarkable. 

The Labor Party’s big lie about Medicare, and supported by Get Up, at the last federal election is what I would call not only negative, but also immoral.

THE Liberals have saturated the length and breadth of Tasmania with blue posters while there's no escaping their television ads that suggest, like Hanrahan, 'we'll all be rooned' under a Labor/Green government.

While such negativity can be dismissed as groundless, not to mention blatant scaremongering, such an advertising deluge once again brings into question the issue of political donations, and whether or not, in the interests of fairness and a healthy democracy, donations should be capped.

Nobody appreciates being taken for a fool, or likes to think they can be bought, but the Liberals' excessive and arrogant election advertising strategy during this campaign suggests that's just what they believe Tasmanians to be.

FOR the past few months we have been subjected to repeat after repeat of all television programs. Except of course every sport known to man. 

All the actors awards shows that have been on lately they say that they have made all these great shows and yet all we get are repeats of years old programs.

Soon we will be bombarded with those horrible reality shows that usually have bullying and nasties in them.

Thankfully we don't have to pay for TV licenses because it wouldn't be worth it.

I RECENTLY worked on the Melba Railway from Burnie to Melba Flats.

The spectacular temperate rainforest, engineering excellence both past and present, Hydro and mining development, all breathtaking.

The destruction of coastal rail, the ignorance of rail tourism potential, equally breathtaking.

This week a different rail experience. 

Although similarly beautiful landscape brief discussions with locals along the way described a people's railway. An ownership present in their words, even love.

As with our elderly and retired we disregard their knowledge, experience and historical contribution far too hastily. A resource under-valued, ignored and mistreated.

As  we meandered along the rail  a local woman at Nabowla raised her hand in acknowledgement. She spoke no words, she didn't have to.

A gesture of gratitude, a thank you for caring for an old friend, a warrior with still much to offer the people of the North-East.

Long live the North-East railway.

AS A member of that exclusive club I wish to add my comments in regards to Launceston’s very excellent Holman Clinic, the excellence of which I doubt exists anywhere on the planet.

I was also appalled  and amazed at the amount of fellow sufferers of this insidious disease which seems to be in epidemic proportions, considering the vast  steps taken by humanity since the first Great War including putting men on the moon in the ‘60s.

Is it possible, as many believe, that there exists a common denominator and that cancer treatment cures actually do exist, but are buried  because of the vast infrastructure and the massive profits derived from its ongoing treatments that exist worldwide? Conspiracy theory maybe.

But having been this place the best part of 80 years and experiencing the absolute genius of human achievement in that time leaves me to ponder that complex question, and if so, are we not better than that?