So our very nervous government, who have no funds for health or housing, digs into taxpayers' money, to give these unknown comedians $211,000 plus.

I wonder if I got my piano accordion out and busked in the mall and no-one put any money in my open case, would the same government give me $200,000 to pay me for my failure to entertain.

I don't think so.

M. Brooks, Kings Meadows

VALE Bill Thwaites, Pioneer of Tasmanian surfing and Seaworld Surf Shop.

Saddened by the recent passing of Bill, who had an indelible impact on many young surfers with his encouragement and genuine goodwill.

Bill's surf shop, Seaworld, commenced in 1971 at Melville Street, before moving to Bathurst Street, Hobart.

The shop was a surfing institution, where one would catch up with friends, meet new surfers, and exchange invitations to upcoming parties.

Bill was one of the first retailers to sell Balin leg ropes, Mark Warren surf wax, and Golden Breed sweaters.

An integral part of Bill's life and the surfing community, was his mother, Mrs Thwaites, who was never dismissive of young surfer's opinions, and was always very interested in you as a person.

It was not uncommon to drop into the shop, and emerge three hours later with or without a purchase.

One of Bill's favourite surfing spots were the point breaks of Swansea, where Bill and Mrs Thwaites would emerge miraculously when the "points were working".

Bill and Mrs Thwaites are sadly missed by whoever crossed their paths, especially in the tight circle, or barrel of Tasmanian surfing.

Kenneth Gregson, Swansea.

VERY relieved to hear that the missing bush walkers were successfully airlifted to safety on Tuesday.

Bet they were also relieved that they weren't missing in the Halls Island, Lake Malbena helicopter no fly zone.

John Cullen, Launceston.

SOME eight weeks ago an inattentive driver using a mobile phone reversed onto the street right in front of downhill push bike path, resulting in three broken ribs and a punctured lung for myself.

This week I'm walking to work using the footpath and a vehicle reversed out of a driveway just missing me (only stopping at the kerbside beyond the footpath).

This driver too also distracted by a hand held device.

I would like to say to those people who get into their cars and use them as mobile phone boxes.

There are consequences you face not only for yourself, but for others, and you had better believe it, that if you continue to do so, it will catch up with you.

As for me, they say things come in three, I'm being extra vigilant on that one.

Robert Lee, Summerhill.

PRIME Minister Scott Morrison has made another ostentatious display of praying for rain at the recent Hillsong Pentecostal Christian convention in Sydney.

This is a man that has also said that climate change is a huge threat to Australia and the world at large, so why does he not simply pray for the climate to stabilise?

Maybe it is because he has all the information and expertise available to him to show how humans, largely through the historic and continued burning of fossil fuels, are stacking the odds towards more disruptive rainfall patterns and extreme weather.

Sorry Scott Morrison, God did not change the molecular composition of the atmosphere, humans did.

A month ago, there was a group of 154 multi-faith leaders in Australia sounding the alarm by declared a climate emergency and urging the federal government to cease all new fossil fuel projects.

Compelling new research from climate analytics has shown that if you include all the coal and gas that we will export to other countries, Australia's share of global greenhouse gas emissions could be as much as 17 per cent by 2030.

This is despite the fact that Australia only currently makes up 0.3 per cent of the world's population.

Yet ScoMo wants to use faith to distort morality by absolving any responsibility of facing up to the biggest crisis of our time.

But I guess we can all keep using our Chinese-made mobile phones to use social media to blame China for climate change, as this is the comfortable option.

Jack Gray, Devonport.

PARANOID, egomaniac, insecure and can't be bothered with ruling or with paperwork. Sound familiar?

This was someone more than 500 years ago with a somewhat passing resemblance to the so called most powerful man in the world.

Henry VIII's character seems to have been reincarnated in Donald Trump and we all know what happened to those who were against the king.

At least Trump can't behead people he doesn't like but he can send them to political darkness and that's why, after his last abhorrent tweet, those in his party are remarkably quiet.

Let's hope that some decency is still inside most Americans and Trump is sent to political darkness.

Glennis Sleurink, Launceston.