How about the pedestrians doing the same thing while crossing an intersection against the red light. If they are hit by a car who gets the blame the driver or the pedestrian? Isn’t about time the police run an ad showing the irresponsible behaviour of these pedestrians.

STRANGE to find myself agreeing with Tony Abbott, but surely whether or not you subscribe to January 26 as Australia Day to have a separate day to commemorate Indigenous people widens the divisions between Europeans and the original inhabitants of this country.

DR KIM Wylie (The Examiner, September 23) is right to highlight the potential pitfalls within the current system for delivering care at home.

Funding home care will require a significant national focus over the coming decade. Yes, there is a considerable range of charges levied by care providers and these are usually set according to the business ethos and model of each provider. In theory this should enable consumers to choose which service is best suited to their own values and budgets.

Sometimes the fees may appear high, but quality care is not cheap and recruiting, training and looking after staff with appropriate wages and conditions is a huge investment and so important.

Consumers can also choose the type of provider they want. For example, they may rather choose a local not for profit such as Community Care Tasmania over a national private sector business.

Community Care Tasmania provides friendly and personalised service with a local call. Our fees are not the cheapest but they are upfront and transparent. There is no exit fee and clients can leave us if they wish with no costs and all remaining funds go with them. All exit fees are published on the My Aged Care portal and are fully transparent for all providers.

On the one hand Dr Wylie rightly acknowledges the great work that care staff do and wants them to be paid more, but on the other she wants lower costs overall.

Sometimes it is impossible to square that circle.

GIVEN the choice between carrot and stick the Tasmanian Liberals repeatedly reach for the stick in the mistaken belief that this will lower crime.  

Numerous studies done throughout the world have found that this is not the case. Cutting early release for good behaviour will require prisoners to be held longer at a cost to Tasmanians and the resulting poorer behaviour of prisoners will require extra guards resulting in even greater costs.

There has been demonstrated a need for better psychological assessment of prisoners released whether early or on time.

Rehabilitation, restitution of damage done and integration as a productive member of society should always be the goal of the legal system where possible.

The redevelopment of both the Brisbane Street Mall and Civic Square, which was funded through the City Deal, has highlighted the meaningless form of consultation that has occurred in this city over recent years.

I requested that a forensic audit be undertaken and the Launceston City Council has indicated that a review process of Major Projects Delivery Processes will include reviews of Civic Square, Brisbane Street Mall with Riverbend Park. The Major Projects Directorate has now been disbanded.

The Examiner’s editorial (September 26) appears to have been highly influenced by the Town Hall and yet at the same time the Chamber of Commerce executive officer has said the Mall is “underwhelming” and with another letter (September 27) saying “kindergarten children could do better”.

Over a year ago the former General Manager brushed aside concerns as to the inappropriateness of the Tasmanian tiger due to high risk – what action did the council’s risk officer take?

The fact is I am continually told by business operators that the council will not listen when an opportunity for consultation may prevail; instead it is referred to perceived experts from elsewhere.

As a former state delegate on the leading national retail body in the 1980s and sowed the seeds for the establishment of Cityprom, thus with some knowledge on retail trends, I must say that Launceston is no longer a regional leader.

The pulse of the town centre is weak and visible cracks are obvious.

The council’s permissive approach to planning, with its unwillingness to undertake quality research to monitor business activity in the inner city has been indefensible.

Too many businesses in the central business district feel helpless and for some 70 people to attend a meeting to express their concerns should send a clear message to the aldermen that they have failed to show any understanding.

Superficial responses from Town Hall are wearing very thin.