Everyone who cared could see where our country was heading, in relation to the Labor/Green agenda which was discussed and debated in Parliament, prior to the plebiscite on same-sex marriage and again prior to its passing into law.

We did indeed dodge a 'guided missile packed with hatred for our values and traditions' (as asserted by Mr Macpherson) which have shaped Australia and its diverse cultures over the centuries.

Malcolm Turnbull a supporter of gay marriage got his "just desserts" too.

Surely that message screams out to us that we the people know better than the politicians what it is we want.

We now await the promised freedom of religious practice we so need, because of the social engineers in the Anti-discrimination Commission.

It is not discrimination to profess your Christian beliefs, in any medium, you choose, however, recent events with Rugby Australia in dismissing a good man for his beliefs, it appears, can discriminate against him on religious grounds with impunity.

It's time we had the protection of the law on our Christian side too, as it does appear that a deep chasm has been permitted to develop between the rights of minority groups and religious groups.

Mary T. Bates, Exeter.

IT'S time for our politicians to decide whose side they are on - North West Tasmanians, or foreign-owned UPC, the company threatening our farmers with forced acquisitions, and the devastation of farm and high-value forest.

The UPC want a wind farm on Robbins Island, and we're all in favour.

But they also want a cheap and dirty overland transmission line to get the quickest profits - and I haven't found any locals who reckon that's fair.

This is a rotten deal being forced on farmers, tourist operators and landowners - and we don't even get the power from the wind farms; that's all slated for companies on the mainland. That's right - our farms, forest, and land values get trashed, and we pay for it, while UPC skips the country with stuffed pockets.

But here's the good news - a win-win solution. A submarine cable linking the North West to the Bass Interconnectors.

UPC reckon it's too expensive but they are re-bluffing, and if their business model depends on us paying for it, let's get a better deal. If the submarine cable has extra capacity, that can be sold off to wind farms still in the pipeline. Win-win to the company, and we don't lose out. I call on The Examiner and our pollies to back Tasmanians and make the submarine cable happen. Let's make Tassie the battery of the nation, by wiring it up properly.

Ben Marshall, Loongana.

IN support of the letters by Don Defenderfer and Bill Carney regarding the proposed Gorge Hotel (The Examiner, June 14).

The developer may make a motza but the city will lose part of its soul. I recall my experience at Darling Harbour last year when I attended a conference at the Maritime Museum.

I had not been there for about a decade and the change was dramatic and awful.

The place is now just visually overwhelmed by a wall of glass towers which have utterly destroyed the sense of the place.

The body of water is now secondary if that. I could not wait to get away from the place, the dump. Bunga Bungaroo I have termed it in dishonour of that Italian greaseball's idea of having a good time.

It's not the hotel per se but the optics of the tower.

At least the developer of the Grand Chancellor made an effort to sync its facade with the aesthetics of the surrounding buildings.

This proposed monstrosity is the product of a lack of imagination and the power of design graphics programs.

The latter can generate vast quantities of aesthetic junk very quickly and cheaply and are perfectly suited mainly to marketing.

Michael Seward, South Launceston.

FIRSTLY may I say that I applaud what Errol Stewart and Joe Chromy have done in and around Launceston.

However, the new project from the latter does raise some concerns.

It appears that the final building will resemble a towering reflective cliff face but it's the traffic problems which are concerning.

Being on the corner of Margaret and Paterson Streets, when it is being built I can see absolute chaos.

Margaret Street is already a nightmare at different times of the day and Paterson Street is the only road to Trevallyn unless one drives down the West Tamar road and turns off there. As the council has had no idea how to solve the gridlock from Mowbray all the way down Wellington Street to Kings Meadows I guess they haven't had a thought in their heads regarding this large development and the traffic chaos it will cause.

It would be very interesting to hear what they intend to do but as it seems it's all too late for people to present a petition or raise more objections.

I guess it's a done deal like many other things we hear about after it's all done and dusted. Giving car parks and land to UTAS springs to mind.

Glennis Sleurink, Launceston.