JUDGING by the number of letters to this paper over bus route changes in Launceston, it is obvious they have gone down like a lead balloon.

South Launceston has been cut off from the Metro services in the name of efficiency and so called more direct routes. The Metro mantra is for less diversions and quicker trips from suburbs to the city.

In South Launceston, this results in residents now having to walk up to a kilometre to catch a bus. What madness is this?

Additionally the fiasco surrounding the old Metro service past the Launceston General Hospital highlights the 'yes minister' stupidity of these changes.

Metro management have privately stated these changes are set in concrete. Could I suggest a jackhammer be taken to the changes and commonsense used to restore services.

Even governments and public servants can admit mistakes and rectify them.

Paul Murphy, South Launceston.

AS some have claimed in the letters to the editor, we (Westbury Residents Against the Prison) are not against progress.

We enjoy visiting and supporting businesses such as Verde, The Green Door, the IGA, Sailors Food Van and the local Westbury pub - all of which have been excellent progress for our town. I look forward to watching the progress of the Whisky Distillery and the opportunities it will bring, and progress from Tasmanian industries in the valley precinct.

I'd say that's supportive of progress, and what wonderful employment opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers. Companies such as Delmade, Kolmark, Ridley's and Tas Built Homes have been progressing for our town, progress to be proud of.

Unfortunately, prisons don't hold the same appeal.

Georgia Gee, Westbury.

I APPLAUD Neil Grose's, comments on the links between art and businesses (The Examiner, February 19). A great, passionate visionary that needs to be listened to to.

Outdoor murals and local art installations that support youth empowerment, community safety and the beautification of Launceston can be very effective in managing graffiti vandalism, supporting arts and culture, contributing much to retail economic development as well as providing much needed youth engagement opportunities.

Imagine having community involvement (our children) designing new street banners that take pride-of-place installed along all our main traffic corridors and thought provoking murals on the lane-way sides of many of our graffiti covered inner city buildings?

Art and heritage, together can become a major driving factor in attracting more tourism into Launceston. I personally congratulate Neil on your 2020 visions for our river city.

Bruce Webb, Launceston.

WHY have we as a nation become so dependent on foreign imports. We are swamped with goods and most is rubbish. Aren't we capable of creating our own?

I remember when I was a teenager, the manufacturing industries were going full steam ahead creating thousands of jobs, but now it is a graveyard.

What alarms and distresses me is the thought of these poor illiterate workers who live and work in the most degrading circumstances and many are children, for very little pay, if any so their bosses can get richer. Would we all allow our kids in Australia to work in these conditions?

No, we would not, we would have anarchy on the streets. I also ask why we are condoning the purchasing of farm land, houses and businesses by these foreign investors who are not Australian citizens in such large quantities?

I fear for future generations. Are we going to end up like our Indigenous people fighting for what is ours?

J Ford, Legana.

OUR government has no trouble engaging scientific and medical experts to explore ways of halting the spread of the coronavirus.

But it is reluctant to utilise their professional knowledge in the area of climate change.

Ed Sianski, West Moonah.

EVERYONE has their own view on global warming. Whether you are for or against, or just dismiss the whole argument saying that nothing will happen.

History of our planet records hot and cold spells lasting a few centuries over several millennium and the earth and most of humanity and animal species survived and lived to tell the tale and I think that this will happen again.

To say it will be the end or the decline of humanity is probably far fetched.

People will service with a loss of some species and habitual land, but the human race has shown its very resilient, and if you listen to the doomsayers who probably want the end, I think that you will be disappointed.

You will never know we might just find another planet to travel to like we did in the middle ages with the discovery of the Americas, Australia and the colonisation of Africa by Europeans.

Either way humans will survive in one form or another

Anthony Galvin, Launceston.