Kerin Booth hides behind an entrenched ideological opposition with regard to the old Meander school site. Haven't we seen it all before with fervent opposition to the highly successful Meander Dam, by this group of like-minded dissidents?

Right now in this very small town there are under-utilised facilities, such as a large community hall complex, recreation ground and tennis court. Deloraine has the same facilities, and more, and is but 10 minutes away from Meander on an excellent road.

Mrs Booth continues to ostracise both Meander Valley Council, and the hardworking local community, in her pursuit of utopian and totally unrealistic agendas.

Bevan Boxhall, Meander.

LAUNCESTON is not conducive to a relaxing and enjoyable shopping experience for a number of reasons; and we probably all agree one is related to vehicles.

The volume and noise of traffic on inner city roadways and around city street corners is horrendous, much of which is just passing through (or hooning) and not related to shopping, food and beverage or business in the city anyway.

The Brisbane Street Mall is inadequate and uninspiring (boring even), and parking is a massive turnoff for suburban shoppers who have no incentive to shop in the city; they park for free in their own shopping centres.

We need proven expertise to plan changes to Launceston city and its infrastructure for the benefit of everyone who lives, works, and shops here, before Launceston becomes a ghost town, particularly for shoppers.

The future planning of Launceston would greatly benefit from outside, independent perspectives from people who have successfully changed similar towns and cities around the country, and around the world. Do it before you lose it.

Alastair Blount, Launceston.

THE Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety had a community forum in Launceston recently, with 20 well-presented experiences through the aged care system.

Albeit presented over an unnecessary airport-type barrier between Commissioner Lynelle Briggs and the speakers/members of the public, a number of common themes seem to arise from the speaker's collective experiences.

Examples were the number of staff-to-patient ratio, especially registered nurses, a lack of training, career path, and security of employment for carers, and a business model that may have been based on a corporate custodial institution in some instances.

Considering 7 per cent of the aged population is in aged care of differing types, with 40 per cent of this population not receiving any visitors, isolation, depression, a lack of privacy and mutual respect and reciprocity, are in some cases, a denial of basic human rights.

One of the most disconcerting issues, was one of guardianship being attributed to an aged care institution on behalf of the resident, with potential of exploitation of the most vulnerable in society. It seems a multi-disciplinary approach to health care is required, and a preventative strategy towards aging to ameliorate the need for aged care is simply the ultimate goal.

Kenneth Gregson, Swansea.

WITH regard to climate change, Prime Minister Scott Morrison points out that we only contribute 1.3 per cent of the global CO2 emissions. If we are to bring climate change under control we need to reverse the 450ppm of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

So the real action has to come from those who are the big emitters: China, India and the USA for example.

If they do not reverse their emissions we as Australia and the 14 Pacific nations in our region will be finished. We are already copping the backwash of serious climate change and powerless to stop it.

The best plan I have come across so far to deal with a very serious climate change problem is that presented by Jeremy Rifkin in his book The Third Revolution.

It is a big transformation but we probably just have time to do it in the next 10 years.

Theo Bakker, Norwood.

FULL marks to Greta Thunberg for delivering a powerful speech to the UN.

Our Prime Minister was not invited it would seem because he does not have a climate plan, so off he toddled to see a new Macca's drive-thru. Then he swore on the Bible our emissions are coming down when they have risen in the last five years.

How embarrassing for Australia. Greta, at her tender age, is handling herself much better than our PM when it comes to climate.

Clive Stott, Grindelwald.

GRETA Thunberg is not a child, but a young woman on the threshold of adulthood. She has credibility because she has no stake in the present system.

She can't vote, get a drivers licence, or drink alcohol, has no separate income, no house mortgage, no career or status to protect. Being physically small and female, she is the polar opposite of male bully boys.

She is taking a stand because she is being denied a stake in her future.

With nothing to lose but life itself, she has a clear choice.

Young people have their whole lives in front of them, hopefully, and yet they have no hope that adults will take notice of them and take immediate steps to ensure their survival.

We have climate emergency, and radical action needs to be taken.

If even the best-laid plans fail in the face of reality, how much worse will it be when there are no plans at all?

Peter Needham, Bothwell.