People seek asylum in free and tolerant nations, such as Australia, due to the fact that in their own country they have faced persecution and violent discrimination. They were often tortured, beaten or faced the very real prospect of being killed.  

Often all of those are driven, or unofficially sanctioned, by their government. To stand up against it would simply invite more violence and persecution.  

A graphic case has been the recent ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in Myanmar. Unarmed and vulnerable civilians targeted by military forces. Does Ms Frelek really believe that unarmed people can stand up to military forces directed to not just force them from their homes, destroy their homes/villages but also kill them? It is not cowardly to flee that situation. It is cowardly to sit in adverse judgment against such people from the safety of an ivory tower.

I COULDN’T agree more with Lyn Giunta, of Scottsdale (Letters, March 9). Bringing back into motion our state railway system would be a marvellous tourism venture.

Not only would it be a nostalgic ride down memory lane, but a drawcard for all those railway enthusiasts, who may not want to ride a bike down a rail line, but would be happy to pay to travel on unique railways of Tasmania. Indeed many of us would prefer to travel by train rather than drive or take a bus, so why not reopen the whole of the state’s rail network?

I have travelled many times by car along the coast road to Penguin and further, and have often thought how wonderful it would be to do this trip by train, as I did in the ’60s.

It is one thing to pull up and/or reuse rail lines for a few mountain bike enthusiasts but it would be another thing, and a grand thing, to reopen our Tasmanian rail lines for tourists and citizens alike.

If our state, rail and tourism bodies got together and gave serious thought to the refurbishment of our rail infrastructure, and the revitalisation of rail travel in the state what a wonderful drawcard it would be, and of course, it would be of some serious economic benefit to the state long-term.

IT IS good that a stamped envelope has been produced to mark 150 years of modern nursing in Australia.

The title of “registered nurse” alongside “enrolled nurse” now commands tremendous respect in our society. A university degree is now mandatory for registration.

It is, however, rather sad that when the histories of hospitals are written, it is the medical profession that is recorded in detail and nursing relegated to a casual mention or not at all. Nurses are really only fully appreciated when we are being ministered to in our time of need. No books have been written about matron Skirving or Berenice Parker, who was at one stage president of the College of Nursing Australia, or about hospital-based nursing training at the Launceston General Hospital.

WITH the sudden release of 200 Liberal policies post-election, and the ubiquitous retort of “mandate” echoing through the “corridors of power”, it may be time to contemplate how previously unannounced policies are to be funded, with a possible reduction, or renegotiated proportion of GST revenue a distinct deliverance probability for the state of Tasmania. 

This “wealthy” state, having a high dependence of federal government funding, equates to approximately 67 per cent - so the rhetorical question arises of whether we live in a fool’s paradise, or a paradise lost?

THE UGLY “face” of politics has emerged during the past state election, with fake Facebook accounts intimidating people who dare to voice an opinion that does not comply with political party doctrine.

With this act of naked cowardice, combined with a sinister demonstration to deter contrary opinions, is this proclaimed democracy in name only?

“THE NETTLE must be grasped before the situation deteriorates further” (The Examiner, March 11) looks like soundly urgent advice, but does it grapple with the two basic nettles of whether 95 per cent of teachers have a broad and deep knowledge of their classroom subjects, and a wide enough range of practical skills for successful teaching?

And, when it is realised that they do not, the terrifying nest of nettles which obstruct any ‘quick fix’?

IF THE daily news cycle can be compared to our daily meal cycle then Donald Trump is the bottle of tomato sauce that smothers everything.

The great deal maker who threatens then appeases is playing us for fools.

Yes it is important that we have been exempted from his steel and aluminium tariffs - but let's not grovel.

And let's not pretend this is two great democracies further cementing their friendship.

Right now only one of us is functioning anything like a democracy.

HOPEFULLY THE housing summit will come up with some good short term solutions. However, the problem really is long-term and persistent.

If the government could consult beyond the peak bodies invited to the summit with the question, ‘is there a more  productive method for building homes” and if someone can answer, “yes”, then maybe a permanent solution can be found.