This is the third repeat of The Tunnel in as many years, not to mention Vera, Doc Martin and so on, typing in British dramas on our PCs.

A wealth of new British dramas, not as yet shown can be found. So just when are the lame brains in charge going to start giving us the programming we demand.

Maybe start with getting rid of some of the overstaffed presenters which one assumes are costing taxpayers a fortune at the expense of this constant rip off.

I think we all know that this is a ploy to force us into purchasing pay television.

Well, not while my bum points to the ground.

WITH the ongoing controversy over Australia Day, I’m with Michael Long all the way. Not only a great footballer but a great Australian and a spokesman of note for all Indigenous people.

Like him, I feel it is far more important to give Indigenous Australians a fair deal, particularly in regard to health and education than to have this endless nitpicking.

Successive federal governments of both persuasions have been very good at making sympathetic noises, but positively brilliant at actually doing nothing much to improve things, and it’s about time they really made an educated effort to help.

To do this, they need to avoid all the ad hoc faffing around and talk and, above all, actually listen to Indigenous leaders and heed their words and advice.

These are the people above all who really know what’s needed.

OLD Church sale fight by Sue Bailey (The Examiner, January 24).

This is not a convict constructed church but one started by a very significant figure in Tasmanian history – Thomas Reibey.

This unfinished sad ruin sat for 93 years until a group of like minded people decided to raise funds and finish the job using the original plans.

My parents, grandparents and many of those involved in this endeavour are interred in the grounds including Thomas and Catherine Reibey.

By choosing to sell church property to have monies for the redress of abuse victims by clergy and others in the church is laudable, were it not for the callous manner of its proposed execution.

Many people had a hand in bringing this church to life and to sell it without acknowledging  its considerable place in Tasmanian history shows no understanding of community.

As I see it fundamentalist (his word) Bishop Condie’s attitude is not helping the waning attendance figures. Possibly he needs a different inclusive/consultative approach.

SO after all this time Matthew Flinders has been found after being lost under Euston Station.

What no one checked lost luggage?

Barry Milner's letter concerning his dog’s disdain for swimming at Kings Park (The Examiner, February 9) deserves comment and the reason for the problem dates back to when Eric Reece made a deal with the voters. 

Hydro was given control of the state’s rivers and lakes at no cost.

In exchange, Tasmanians would enjoy the lowest cost electricity in the country with no link to energy prices.

But then came Basslink and the Australian Energy Market Operator. Hydro now sells power by the minute to the highest bidder. 

Fine, but the Reece promise has been broken. Milner’s dog turned his nose up at a swim in the Yacht Basin because 95 per cent of the water which once flowed down the Gorge has been diverted to generate power at Trevallyn.

The river can no longer fulfil its important role of cleansing and washing the First Basin, Gorge, Yacht Basin and Silo Home Strait. 

Returning the river to the Gorge would see the splendour of the cataract and transform the heart of our City. Launceston has been dudded for 60 years and Hydro owes us one. 

There is now a strong argument that returning the South Esk to the Gorge has more value in terms of tourism, reputation, river health and amenity than the small amount of power generated at Trevallyn. 

Hydro can continue generating in the South Esk if they wish but should do so by closing the diversion and using the dam and Gorge for the purpose.

Pressure on Hydro from the major political parties could see this happen and Barry’s dog becomes a hero.

Tasmanian federal Labor parliamentarians Helen Polley and Ross Hart need to put a strong case for cleaning up the Tamar River to Tony Burke and Bill Shorten.

Because the former Launceston marine board had an effective dredging program, raking when in flood and in the 1960s got down to gravel in the yacht basin.

The late Jack Lee was the dredge master ably supported by Captain Mac McKenzie and eminent engineer and Hydro commissioner Jack Edwards. For both federal members, they have an existing policy that achieved a satisfactory outcome, whilst preserving the Trevallyn Dam and its importance to industry at Bell Bay.

Whilst the policy announcement by Labor is to be commended it does not address the issue that former deputy prime minister Lance Barnard started in 1972 with a non-repayable grant to address the problem of sewage into the river.

Lance was supported by the then minister Tom Uren.