Presumably based on emotion, or the feelings in the public gallery, rather than on the legal requirements of the planning scheme.

Would you routinely accuse a jury in a criminal trial of the same error?

Jurors would usually be considered less expert than a group of councillors accustomed to acting as a planning authority.

I personally know a couple of those councillors and know they spent countless hours looking at the material provided by the planning officer as well as actively seeking information from legislation and elsewhere.

I am certain that their colleagues did the same.

This is not to suggest that government-funded professional training for new councillors in planning matters as suggested by the Local Government Association would not be a good idea.

But in the Malbena case, the councillors did a responsible and competent job in weighing up a host of relevant factors.

They deserve considerable respect, rather than the quick write-off in your editorial.

I URGE everyone to get behind the draft bill to ban single-use plastics by 2025.  

What is not to like about this?  

Ah yes, of course, the fact that The Greens spent 10 years of hard work getting it right and have now brought it to the table on Clean Up Australia Day.

No matter that every resident of Tasmania and its thousands of visitors will benefit from a cleaner environment, "those Greenies must surely have an ulterior motive".  

They haven’t.  

Come on politicians, let's see animosity sidelined for the greater cause.

I offer my services to Australian cricket as a replacement for the failed Aaron Finch.

I am only 80-years-old but have faith in my ability to at least better Aaron Finch’s results in the past few months, I could probably accomplish this with my eyes closed as they probably would be.

He not only represents our country but for God’s sake, he is captain of our ODI team.

What is going on?

We have people continually underperforming being chosen, yet players like Matthew Wade are being continually overlooked.

We the public who are paying for this are left just shaking our heads in despair.

AS the size, speed and volume of vehicles travelling along Trevallyn Road increases, so does the danger for pedestrians and motorists crossing from the tiny hidden South Esk Road turnoff.

What say we be really clever and install traffic lights at that site before rather than after the inevitable fatality?

BLIND Freddy would be well aware, you can not take an industry like Gunns out of Launceston and the regions and not cause an effect on businesses in the CBD.

However, there is a lot to be positive about, and I would commend the proprietor of Bridestowe Estate submission to the Rail Corridor Committee of the Legislative Council pages 20-30 (available Parliament of Tasmania committees) click on hearing date February 5, tourism and Launceston’s heritage can be a saviour for our city as compulsory reading.

Mr Raven highlights the jewel in Launceston City’s Crown is its heritage and councils lack of promoting it and its surrounding heritage assets.

The failure of Tourist North in not promoting compared to Central Coast.

This entrepreneur has the runs on the board with 18,000 visitations to Bridestowe in January and a record 35,000 in January and a total of 85,000 during 2018.

The writer has raised this at Launceston's last two meetings and to his credit, the mayor has stated he will meet with Mr Raven who currently is overseas.

NSW Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos' personal experience with cancer prompted him to call for financial support for one million cancer patients.  

My efforts to the Minister for Health in their first term in government seeking financial support was rejected.  

It’s traumatic for patients and family coping with cancer added to the worry is the monthly cost of cancer.  

The financial impact for low-income pensioners and families with costs spiralling can be the last straw.  

Loss of working hours, loss of income, it's an isolating place to be.  

Needs-based income support toward expenses is needed.  

Out of pocket gaps for care picked up by the government, prescriptions for low-income patients should be free.  

A power bill reduction to keep their homes warm or cool.  

It’s affordable just by reducing a small amount of government waste.