My sister watched her husband suffer with terminal illness and when she went to an appointment, he wrote her a letter and then took his own life. Arriving home she found him, she was devastated as this wasn’t expected. Mr Michael Ferguson, have feelings for families and loved ones, do something about it.

Good on Victoria, the rest of you take a leaf our of their book and stop going on about petty little things. My nephew made a comment, when their famly pets became terminally ill and suffering, they decided when they could pass away peacefully, with the comfort of family with them.

So what is the difference between humans and animals, stand up all politicians, you are elected by the people for the people, so listen what the majority of people want. Lifeline 13 11 14

Lorraine Stingle, Prospect Vale

SO it looks, with the failure of the (initially promising) Tasman and Sorell council merger, that Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s chief executive Michael Bailey is right in calling for the state government to initiate involuntary council amalgamation believing it will never happen otherwise as  “…too many people in local government are out for themselves versus their communities”.

Meanwhile poor old struggling tax and ratepayers continue to dig deep in to their already limited pockets to keep many unnecessary Tasmanian councils alive; a recent KPMG report showed that if West Tamar and George Town councils had merged it would’ve resulted in an annual saving of $1.3 million dollars.

Imagine what savings could be made if such a merger included Launceston and, better still, if Meander and Dorset councils were included in the mix. It’s time we saw some decisive action from Peter Gutwein on this issue.

Jim Collier, Legana

THE state government is finally transferring a significant section of George Town's Historic Regent Square into council ownership. During the last decade council and government have spent in excess of $10 million constructing two public buildings both breaching conventional property leases. It has taken 10 general managers and three mayors to formalise a simple administrative process. This is surely further proof that local government is in need of reform. Soon ratepayers will have an opportunity to elect councillors who will hopefully insist on better administration of ratepayers' assets.

Graeme Neilsen, George Town

“IN Victoria the government is building new rail (Mernda) as well as duplicating current rail (Cranbourne).

Why would Tasmania pull up serviceable railroads? Also, all over the world, railway land is being taken back for public use for transport as well as tourists. Why would Tasmania, a state that has been taking notice of trends in society, deliberately get rid of their rail from Launceston to Scottsdale?”

Wendy Jubb Stoney, Flinders Island