Statistics for the most-read online stories on The Examiner website in 2019 show that issues running the gamut from crime and courts to housing and social affairs rated well with readers.

These are our five most popular online stories of the past 12 months.

The owner of the AAJ India and Hari's Curry restaurants, on Charles and York streets respectively, appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court in June to answer to 11 food handling complaints brought against him by the City of Launceston.

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Bains Food Pty Ltd and its director Karanvir Singh each pleaded guilty to 11 charges, were convicted and fined $10,000 each.

Council lawyer Glynn Williams told the court that on January 15 this year, council officers had conducted a routine inspection of AAJ India and "seized and disposed of food that was decomposing and putrid" and deemed of "unsafe or potentially unsafe" quality.

A 65-year-old Prospect woman is staring down a Centrelink debt of more than $163,000 after ticking the wrong box on a claim form nine years ago.

The Examiner spoke to Eleonore Wells in November. She said she'd incorrectly ticked a box on a Carer Payment form, which resulted in her being given the wrong payment.

Centrelink contacted Ms Wells this year, ultimately requiring her to pay back $163,355.11.

"To suddenly come after you all these years later, it's just wrong," Ms Wells said.

A family living in a freezing-cold shipping container at Birralee spoke of their struggles in May, just before the onset of winter.

Deanna Buchanan lives with her husband and two adult children. They've been housed in a shipping container for four years.

The family was left with no choice but to seek alternative living arrangements when they could no longer afford the rent for their place at Deloraine.

"I feel guilty complaining and we have tried and tried to make the best of it but we have rats and mice in the living area and when it rains or there is a frost it drips in," Ms Buchanan said.

"We are applying for public housing but that is a long process and [there's] so much red tape."

Confronting evidence was given to a Senate inquiry into the rate of Newstart and the Centrelink compliance system in Launceston in November.

The inquiry came amid growing calls for the Newstart rate to be raised.

A number of Northern Tasmanians with first-hand experience of Australia's welfare system revealed the toll it had taken on them, telling senators of the health impacts they'd suffered.

"I'm scared what will happen to me when car registration and insurance comes due," a woman named Debbie said. "Am I going to be forced to live in my car?"

Patrick said he felt that the message the country's welfare system sent to him was that "it would be better if I just wasn't here".

Many of us have dreamed of doing it at some point: quitting our jobs, packing up sticks and hitting the road.

But Launceston couple Emily Rainbow and Euan Jamieson didn't just fantasise about it.

Leaving their jobs behind and journeying to the mainland, the pair are living the dream.

And they say it's all thanks to their 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ40, which was in a state of disrepair when they bought it off Gumtree in September 2018.

The couple completely rebuilt and customised the vehicle, decking it out with a fridge, freezer, hot water and space for their husky, Sasha.

"The coolest part is when people ask, 'when are you coming back?' And we can answer: 'we're not'," Emily said.