Instead of putting Tasmania first, the weak energy minister rolled over and fell into line with the Morrison government.

Tasmanian households and businesses are paying the price because of Scott Morrison’s toxic and ideological energy policy thought bubbles.

We will continue to see increasing power prices until this government decides to put Tasmania ahead of Liberal party alliances.

Minister Barnett has nothing to say on Tasmania’s energy future because he is incompetent and has absolutely no understanding of energy policy. 

There are also fresh warnings for Tasmanian homes with solar panels after a national audit found one-quarter of all inspected rooftop units are not secure or have faulty wiring.

Minister Barnett has a responsibly to ensure solar panels on Tasmanian homes have been installed properly, more inaction from the minister could put Tasmanian lives at risk. 

Politics is all about priorities and it’s time for the energy minister to make Tasmanians a priority.

I RECENTLY read the latest epistle from Guy Barnett in (The Examiner, December 15) on renewable energy and an additional underwater power cable to the mainland thus increasing government revenue etc.

Mr Barnett would appear to have forgotten all about the alleged review into the current obscenely low domestic solar feed-in rate of 8.9 cents per kilowatt which is then on-sold at some 200 per cent plus markup.

We all know that the legacy rate will be scrapped with effect from January 1, 2019.

What Guy Barnett has failed to commit to is a far more equitable feed-in rate for domestic producers with effect from January 1, 2019.

PLEASE tell me if I am overreacting.

The Launceston Beer Festival which is scheduled for New Year's Eve (of which our Launceston City Council is a sponsor) actively promotes the event as a family occasion, encouraging the attendance of young children via jumping castles and a play area etc.

What I find unacceptable is that the event openly promotes the consumption of alcohol while having children within the confines of that same venue.

This crosses a line in my opinion.  

I say, BeerFest (alcohol fest) for want of a better term, should be for adults only.

Also, how on earth did the Launceston City Council decide to use ratepayers money (including mine) to help fund it?  

Well, should I pull my head in and move with the times, or what?

THE many fans of US president Donald Trump, unable to defend his morality, behaviour and ignorance, have tended to resort to pointing out how well the stock market has done since his election.

Led by the US market, Australian shares have been in freefall since the beginning of October. Trump’s attacks on international trade, the exposure of the bank and insurance industries malevolent practices, and the drifting of Australia’s energy policy have all been major contributors.

Since the hard-right faction that controls the Liberal Party are always trying to cut regulation and fight science and reality on energy, it’s easy to see that the business case for having these hateful, racist, anti-humanitarian governments makes no sense on any level. Only parties that base their policies in sound regulation, science and evidence, and a long-term vision for the health of our country in all respects are fit to take a place in our parliament.

The conservative party’s experiments with eccentrics like Trump, Abbott, Abetz, Morrison, Dutton and Hanson has to stop.

DON’T Blame the Children was released as a song in 1973.

B. Luies (The Examiner, December 19) revisits this theme in spades, albeit with exactly the opposite message.

To echo Sammy Davis Junior let's remind ourselves: they didn't invent the devices or devise the incessant marketing strategies that go with them. They did not create a world in which computer literacy is essential to their lifelong prospects.

They did not create a world in which both parents need to work and those choked roads are really mostly mothers dropping kids off on their way to their employment.

They did not design the throwaway society, we did. It is impossible not to regard “selfish virtue signalling” as weasel words used by a conservative enclave who have been entirely complicit in creating the very circumstances you deride.

Not much has changed in 45 years.

THINK that’s impressive that surplus flagged by the Liberals.  

Wait 'till you see the deficit progressive.

Labor will try to downplay through their investments, should they gain office?