Learning at home has enabled us to restrict people movements at a critical time. We are now at the point where we can gradually ease some restrictions. In Tasmania we will be undertaking a two-phased approach to returning all students to school sites. Our approach is cautious and sensible, and any changes to the plan will always be based on the expert advice of Public Health.

From Monday, May 25:

From Tuesday, June 9:

We caution families against returning their children to government school sites ahead of this schedule. It is very important that we gradually increase people movements so we can monitor and review the effects. We will continue to support children and staff who are considered at high-risk to COVID-19 to remain at home during Term 2.

While public health advice has always been that schools are safe, strict health and safety measures will remain in place to protect staff and students. This includes:

Throughout this time, we have been in regular communication with Catholic Education Tasmania, Independent Schools Tasmania and the Australian Education Union and I thank them for their valuable input and support. I understand the complex challenges our communities have faced during this pandemic, and I would like to sincerely thank everyone for supporting the restrictions in order to keep us all safe.

Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Education and Training

NOEL Christensen is absolutely correct (The Examiner, May 1) in that people who are at low risk should wait until at least late May to be vaccinated against influenza.

I have reiterated this in many interviews that I have done on this topic.

Because of the unusual circumstances this autumn, many people have either wanted, or have been required to be vaccinated earlier than usual. This includes myself. Dr Scott McKeown is also correct in stating that there is no established evidence that a booster shot later in the flu season is required.

This is possibly because no clinical trials have been conducted around this.

That said, for people such as myself, who have had the flu shot earlier in April, there is also no evidence that it is harmful having a second injection around July.

As somebody who contracted the flu during a trip to the northern hemisphere during winter a few years ago, I certainly never, ever want to go through that experience again, and therefore, I will be having a second shot in July to ensure that I am adequately covered during the normal peak period for influenza illness.

A RECENT senate review of Newstart/Jobseeker determined by majority vote that a $40 per day allowance keeps people far below the poverty line in this wealthy country.

The two dissenting votes on the review panel - Wendy Askew and Holly Hughes are Liberal senators.

Tasmania's Ms Askew considers $40 per day perfectly adequate for those in the poorest and oldest state in Australia. Ah well.

Enjoy your sit down time on full taxpayer funded salary with plus allowances, Ms Askew.

PLEASE Mr Don Challen, make returning to face to face learning a priority to ensure that Tasmanian children do not fall behind their interstate counterparts.

I WAS watching an advertisement on SBS TV and it had groups of children from all around Australia signing I am, You are, We are Australian.

I had never listened to that song properly before but reading the lyrics realised it should be our National Anthem.

It is far more relevant and contemporary than Advance Australia Fair and I do not think there would be one community group in Australia that could find fault with it as our anthem. It encompasses the First Nation, our immigrants, the trials and tribulations of becoming a nation, everything that our current anthem doesn't do properly. Our politicians should consider making a change that everyone should be pleased with and the only way this will happen is for a concerted effort to encourage our pollies for a change.

This song is especially relevant now with what our country is going through with the COVID-19 virus, it talks about coming together as one.