A message was left on my phone to call Centrelink on a specific number.

I rang this number and was asked a few details and then told congratulations, my pension rate had gone up.

I believe the next step was to ask for my bank details so they could pay me arrears.

The main alerts to me that this was fraudulent was the fact I am not on a pension and the phone call was answered under one hour.

Be alert, Centrelink does not ring around asking for bank details.

THE alternative budget speech by Bill Shorten leaves me somewhat wondering.

Firstly, Labor cannot implement any of their policies, pink batts, cash for clunkers, fuel watch, border control or security, carbon tax.

I had to laugh out loud (and my wife thought I was losing it) when the clapping from the gallery started.

Who were they, Get Up, CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union) members  (probably on double time) or rent a crowd?

It would be so easy to come out and trump a speech on government policy, when you know the goals you have to beat.

Talk is cheap, but in this case it could be expensive, very expensive both for Australia and the Labor party.

I don't think Mr Shorten gets the fact that businesses employ prospective union members that prop up the Labor party.

I think that Peter Dutton is right, Mrl Shorten speaks out both sides of his mouth depending on who he talks to.

The other very noticeable policy that was not spoken about, was border security.

Not one word.

Think very carefully Australia and Tasmania and listen to the words, not the supposed policy or lack of words.

LIKE the gentleman who wrote to say he dreaded getting his water bill, when TasWater took over they decided we needed a new fang-dangle water meter instead of individual meters.

We are nine home owners (mostly pensioners) on a strata title.

TasWater read the meter and divided the usage between our nine units.

We have no objection to this, but what we didn't know was until someone saw a neighbour’s water bill, we were paying $100 each unit per quarter more for water.

So per quarter that's $900 which adds up to a lot of money.

We think we have more than paid for the flash new meter by now.

The new regulation is because we have two fire hydrants on the property.

They have been there since our homes were built 30 years ago.

Even if we had to make one payment for them we could accept that, but we are not getting any more water to our homes and TasWater only read one meter now instead of nine, which is much easier for them.

THE animal live export expose is now a few weeks old. For all intents and purposes it is yesterday's news, but behind the scenes it isn't.

This awful, confronting, trade is being discussed in the corridors of Canberra even now. Live export legislation will be debated, voted on, and bills hopefully passed over the coming months.

This is the time to write to your MPs, the Prime Minister, your local paper, to keep the issue alive, and give a voice to the poor animals who are still being shipped overseas in terrible conditions daily.

SINCE when have politicians had the power to alter hospital waiting lists?

Well, state Labor leader Rebecca White and past federal Labor member Justine Keay would have us believe that is just what they have done for an elderly patient from Devonport, and doing what Health Minister Michael Ferguson was unable to do for her.

Doctors are the only ones that have any say on their lists not politicians.

CONGRATULATIONS to Anna and Henry to go from Tassie country tucker to three quarter cooked gourmet food and come sixth. A credit to you, 10 out of 10, good on ya.

ON A recent Sunday at St Leonards dog walk by the South Esk River, my dog Coby, who is a Tibetan spaniel, and myself were confronted by a friendly kelpie-cross.

The air was very brisk and the river in full flow as this dog joined us after our walk with no owner in sight.

A distant voice and waving figure soon appeared from across the river and soon convinced me we had found the owner.

Next problem was how to get him back, the river and current was too strong in my estimation but that problem was soon taken out of my hands.

This beautiful dog looked up at me, gave me a woof, and took off into the raging river with his owner encouraging him with whistles.

With my dog barking and me yelling, this gutsy animal powered his body over the river to safety, with a shake and a final look at us he joined his owner.

No wonder, it was Mother’s Day.

HERE is a tip I used to help me to give up smoking more than 50 years ago.

To break the habit of putting something in your mouth (a cigarette), try sipping water every time you get the urge for a fag. Cheap, simple and it worked for me. Inner cleanliness is also an extra reward.