When applying for a firearm licence renewal, the applicant must prove their identity by supplying documentary evidence totalling 100 points. However, a current drivers licence which not only provides the address, signature, age, but also a recent photo is not considered good enough evidence of identity for firearm services, they only allow 40 points for this.

Other points are gained by Medicare card 25 points, etc until 100 points are reached.

Ridiculous.

I WOULD like to express my sincere thank you to the very kind lady who helped me to decide which items I should buy at Coles supermarket.

In fact, going so far as to insist on paying for these items. We do have some very kind-hearted and generous people in our community. With much appreciation.

NOW that the former mayor of George Town has won a seat in the federal parliament and moved onto better things, the ratepayers will soon be faced with another election to choose a new mayor.

As a resident of a rather forgotten outlying area, I am hoping we get a good choice of candidates and will be taking a keen interest in their policies before voting.

If there is one who, while taking a progressive view will still put the needs of basic services for all sections of the community first, without fear or favour, they will definitely get my vote, and I urge all ratepayers to think hard about it before making their choice.

LAST Saturday while walking to my pharmacy I was overcome with tiredness and had a taxi called. He delivered me to my pharmacy and then at the pharmacist's insistence took me to accident and emergency at LGH.

"Wait here", the taxi driver commanded on arrival and went off to return with a wheelchair. He pushed me into emergency and then waited the 10 minutes or so until I was attended to.

I tried to remunerate the driver who refused, "It's a slow morning", he claimed.

It's acts like this that constantly renew my belief in the basic goodness of those in our community. By the way, three glasses of hydralyte restored my energy.

CAN anyone tell me why fuel rose by 8 cents a litre last Friday morning?

MARY T. Bates (The Examiner, June 16) once again spectacularly fails to grasp the concept of confirmation bias and falls blissfully into its warm embrace.

The recent federal election was not campaigned on minority rights, and it is wrong to conclude that the result indicates anything about what the population thinks of the topic.

Most politicians are good people, with their beliefs and actions internally justified.

They may disagree with you, but they're entitled to a well-reasoned opinion the same as anyone is. There is no guided missile of hatred, only a set of views that differ from yours.

Anti-discrimination law protects people who have attributes that they cannot alter.

Race, disability, gender, and sexuality are all traits that a person (scientifically proven) cannot willfully change.

The law protects those individuals from having opportunities or rights taken away because of who they are; it does not grant them the right to discriminate against others.

What you are seeking in religious protection is not the same.

You want to be protected from retribution when you espouse a belief about others.

That is a new type of law and one that I doubt the majority of Australians endorse.

PAPER Beach on the Tamar River has become a very popular spot, with visitors and locals alike.

There are walks along the beach, the foreshore trail, picnic spots, electric barbecues, public toilets and an RV-caravan overnight stay area. And of course the local cafe, Riley's on the Beach.

Why then is the West Tamar Council insisting that Riley's treat their outside patrons as takeaway customers; serving all food and drink only on or in plastic?

As a West Tamar resident, a frequent visitor to Paper Beach and a customer of Riley's; I can't understand the council's position.

It's deterring a local business, harmful to Tasmanian tourism and damaging to the environment with the use of more plastic.

HOMELESSNESS is not a new concept.

Years ago the government built a new hospital (LGH) opposite the old one.

Way back then I thought the old one would be a useful building for homeless people as rooms generally had four-six beds and a bathroom, plenty of room for required admin and a kitchen for preparing cost-efficient meals.

The government missed the boat on that one.

How many unused government buildings are there in Tasmania? How many of these could be restructured for the homeless?

I'm sure that if something like this was a project for the government, charity organisations would be onboard with the help needed.

How many homeless people? How many empty government buildings?

No brainer, I believe.