A local farmer has a crop protection permit allowing an annual kill of 100 swans.

When culling any protected species the permitted kill must be based on the impact of the action on the total population.

A census of the Tamar population (nor for Tasmania) does not exist.

So any permitted take seems both unscientific and arbitrary, so the impact of the local population is unknown.

Although black swans are a protected species this status is removed in the area for which a permit is granted.

Any shooting heard in the vicinity of this Key Biodiversity Area may be interpreted as dangerous vandalism or illegal duck shooting.

Some people rang the police. There is no provision in the Act to alert the public. Swans will continue to graze by the river margins. Some will be shot, others will move in. Consequently, there will be a situation of inevitable repetition with no endpoint.

Although this Key Biodiversity Area which extends from Launceston to the Batman Bridge has no legal standing, this internationally recognised designation indicates the value of this wildlife refuge. It is a huge tourist drawcard and is an asset that the Tamar community regards with pride.

LABOR deserved to lose after its treatment of Lisa Singh.

IT would be wonderful to live in a religiously neutral country. Unfortunately, our Parliament sets the tone.

Instead of giving an affirmation to Australia, they recite the Lord's Prayer on the first day of parliament, therefore excluding all non-believers. Now, Christians are lobbying against euthanasia.

Nobody forces Christians to end their lives, so perhaps Christians could show the same tolerance towards others who do believe they have the right to end their lives.

Health Minister Michael Ferguson is obviously lacking any real understanding of the health crisis we are in if the best he can do is to place blame on health staff. To suggest that the solution is to have hospital staff better cooperate is to disrespect the intelligence, compassion and dedication of the people that deliver our hospital services.

Where is his plan for addressing the rising tide of chronic disease? How much focus is being given to prevention to really address the elephant in the room - increasing demand and shrinking commitment to adequate resourcing?

Recent lockdowns by Tasmania Police of Mayfield and Ravenswood have targeted, two of the most socially, disadvantaged suburbs of Launceston. There are many ways in which communities can be stigmatised and the lockdowns are perhaps a new example.

To provide balance one would hope that the next police lockdowns are in Norwood, East Launceston or Trevallyn.