What the Reserve Bank does not understand is that no private business is going to invest, increase employees or offer higher wages just because interest rates are low. The only incentive for business to do these things is the potential for increased sales which can only occur if there is money circulating in the community.

Or that anyone thinking of buying a home is really concerned as to whether it will take 20 or 50 years (on never) to pay the loan off. Rather their primary concern is "will I have a job tomorrow". What the Reserve Bank and the government must do is to raise interest rates to the extent where the retired and those contemplating retirement have some disposable income from their investments or superannuation.

This is the only way to re-start money circulating in the community, increase demand, increase employment and begin the slow recovery from our undiagnosed depression.

Albert Morris, Swansea.

I TOTALLY agree with the letter on this subject from Alex Thomson (The Examiner, March 18). My wife has just spent some considerable time in Launceston General Hospital, over two separate stays, each of three weeks. I wrote some time ago praising the services of the nurses on Ward 5D praising their services, comparing them and LGH Ward 5D to be amongst the very best. They wear uniforms and are always smart.

I cannot say the same of the doctors, many of whom grow, unsuccessfully, beards and wear their own clothes, often the same shirt, trousers, jeans day after day, and often with shirt tails hanging out and their hair look as though it hasn't seen a comb in days, weeks maybe. Washing of hair is questionable.

I used to be the chief accountant for the Royal Hospital for Women, Paddington NSW 1968-1970 when Matron and the General Medical Superintendent ruled the hospital with appropriate standards of cleanliness, uniforms and hygiene. Infections were almost unheard of. Such a situation existed at LGH in the 1990s as photographs on the corridors reveal. Clearly, in view of today's pandemic and future viruses a return to those standards is an essential part of the future health of this country. Well said Alex.

John Edelsten, Legana.

WHAT a great article by Jan Davis in the Farmers' segment (The Examiner, March 19).

Too many people seem totally out of touch with the reality of just where our food comes from and the blood, sweat and, at times tears, that goes into producing it, whether meat, fish, fruit or vegetables. As a nation we can produce more than enough produce ourselves and it's only the (in my opinion) silliness and imbalance of the free trade agreement that allows the import of things we are quite capable of and do produce here.

Richard Hill, Newstead.

ON the Opinion page (The Examiner, March 14) it is all too true, the government has for a long time regarded the unemployed as indolent and unworthy of consideration. Most of the unemployed wish to work but cannot obtain a job, and many of those that do can only obtain a part time position.

With a government emphasis on the control of inflation and employers choosing to provide short time work only it should come as no surprise that the economy is where it is. We have been just a little too clever and shot ourselves in the foot. The onus to ensure an adequacy of mark up to provide adequate wages and profit have been undermined by competition driven price cuts and exorbitant rents. Usually the burden of unemployment falls on the young and the older members of society the most.

N White, Riverside.

BRAVO to Scotch Oakburn for being on the ball and putting in place procedures that will still enable students to be taught in light of the current pandemic.

I homeschooled my now 22-year-old son for five years, the latter two with him accessing the more complex subjects through the Tasmanian eSchool. It's a modern-day "School of the Air".

Kathryn Heathcote, Evandale.