On learning of the ALP's $200 million Urban Rivers project, I attended a meeting of the Launceston council on February 7 and asked the mayor in public question time if the council was aware of the scheme.

I also asked, if so, would they lobby through it for funding towards upgrading Launceston's archaic sewage infrastructure; he responded that they would continue discussion with Ross Hart regarding this and other issues.

Aware that a federal election was imminent with a likely change in government I then approached Ross Hart, federal member for Bass, for a meeting to discuss Tamar degradation and possible funding.

With all this pre-election cash being thrown around by both major parties any day I expected to hear an announcement of funding for the Tamar but subsequently have been very disappointed to learn that the council has not included a request for additional funding for the Tamar River or sewerage rectification as a priority project.

It is very obvious that individuals and organisations are playing politics with the health of the Tamar. The Tamar is being sacrificed on the high altar of politics and, like the river itself, it stinks.

"You don't ask you don't get"; those involved should hang their heads in shame.

As predicted, the United States has initiated legal proceedings in an attempt to extradite Julian Assange from Britain.

His lawyer, Australian Jennifer Robinson, has requested Australian Government intervention in the form of diplomatic protection for her client.

Wikileaks exposed possible war crimes in Iraq for instance, which would have been referred to the International Criminal Court for investigation, if it were not for the US not being a state party or signatory to the Rome Statute, which created the ICC.

If the government does not protect its own citizens from vengeful states, the Australian Republic Movement innately becomes redundant, as the Australian state has a new proxy Governor-General?

THERE is concern that a re-elected Coalition government will move to privatise the ABC, effectively removing it from public hands, changing its charter and seriously affecting ABC programs and services.

At a meeting of the Liberal Party Federal Council held on June 15, 2018, a motion was carried to privatise the ABC.

A number of delegates at that meeting are also members of the Institute of Public Affairs a rightwing corporate funded think-tank who now include the privatisation of the ABC on their election agenda.

The Prime Minister nor the Communications Minister have publicly repudiated this motion.

However the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister have publicly admitted that they will preference candidates from extreme right parties who seek to infiltrate and influence policy in order to win the election.

Voters need a clear commitment from the Coalition to keeping the ABC in public hands.