On November 11, 2018 at 11am, I attended my first Remembrance Day ceremony and I have no words to how proud I felt being part of this wonderful and amazing country. I became a citizen four years ago and some of the words I heard on November 11 touched my soul.

It was notwithstanding the integrity and the valour of how many young people died for this country, what got me was the reason why they died and war became a forgone death sentence to so many.

They died so we all could live in peace and harmony and now all this has changed because of the people that are coming into this country to try and change how we live and prosper.

My tears were all about lost family and friends attempting to ensure our way of life would be safe yet our borders are now open to people that want to destroy all that made Australia a haven. 

We are fair – let us not be blasé.

When Tasmania reduced its lower house numbers 10 years ago the 25 members left received a pay rise of $40,000 to cover the extra duties.

It would be fair that the taxpayers would want members pay reduced by that amount if a move to revert to 35 members was successful. 

Tasmania is overloaded with government, politicians and the 29 local councils as it is and another 10 MHAs is something we cannot afford.

Ministers have lots of staff and they should not be in the stressed out category.

The Greens are bringing the move on and I would think that it is in the hope that they can bolster their own numbers.

WE CAN all be thankful that we have the ABC and Fairfax to present us with the truth.

And that's what they represent, truth.

They are seen as biased when compared to, for example, News Corp.

The ABC was always designed to appeal to the more intellectual consumer, those who want to be informed, not just entertained.

Like the foundation of the Fairfax organisation, the Sydney Morning Herald (1841), it was designed to be the broadsheet newspaper, a more in-depth and informative source than the tabloids.

People who criticise the ABC are largely afraid of the truth of our world. If they find that threatening and non-fanciful, that’s OK. Just don’t shoot the messenger.

I READ with interest the article on the two bills passed by the Legislative Council (The Examiner, November 2) that will allegedly reduce utility prices.

Nowhere does the article say that power prices will be reduced from their current level, only that they will not be increased by as much on an annual basis. In addition, any reduction in water usage charges would be negligible.

The only way to cut utility bills is to reduce the supply charges which are a gigantic ripoff and serve only to give the government their annual bonus.  

UNDER proposals before parliament, gender will not be erased from birth certificates. Parents will still know the sex of their baby and raise their child accordingly. 

All that will change is parents will have a choice about whether to include their child’s sex on the child’s birth certificate. 

When parents fill out an application for their child’s birth certificate, there will be a question that asks “do you want your child’s gender on their birth certificate”.

The person whose certificate it is will also have that choice when they also seek a copy. Whether they tick yes or no, information about the sex of all babies will still be collected by the government.

This change is not radical and it's not about “gender ideology”. It’s actually about less government interference in our lives, not more. When Tasmanian law allowed people to choose not to indicate their race on their birth certificates, it was to stop discrimination and it's the same in this case.

Many young people who are transgender or intersex are currently lumbered with a birth certificate with a name and sex not matching who they are.

This can be a real problem when they apply for a job and the only proof of identity they have is a birth certificate.

This reform will make no more difference to most Tasmanians than when gender was taken off our drivers licences a few years ago. But for those people it does affect, it will bring greater dignity and less discrimination.

TASMANIA may well be on the way to being the first Australian state to remove gender from birth certificates if a bill is passed in parliament this month. While this will address the discrimination faced by transgender people further amendments should be made to birth certificates to address the prejudice faced by the elderly in areas such as employment, access to services and social life.  

Seniors should be allowed to remove a decade or two from their birth records. This will not only lower the average age of Tasmania’s population,  but will lesson the need for more nursing homes and services for the elderly. Discrimination will be eliminated as those previously classified as aged will have a new lease of life in all levels of society. People will access their pensions much later and will remain in the workforce to continue their contributions to the state. 

Flexible birth certificates will create a win-win situation for all concerned.