For some time, it has seemed there were more public smokers in Kings Meadows than there have been for years.

The saddest part is that many of them are quite young.

I will never understand why anyone would even consider taking up such a self-destructive and expensive habit.

I hate being an involuntary inhaler of someone else's smoke.

Yet it's impossible to avoid it, as long as smoking within the surroundings of a supermarket complex is legal.

I've tried holding my breath or stepping onto the road to escape it, unsuccessfully.

I wish smokers would go to their cars to smoke?

Considering the cost of dealing with the consequences of smoking far outweighs the revenue the government receives from tobacco products, isn't it time to make it illegal?

Sometimes strict measures have to be taken to protect us from ourselves or others, such as the wearing of seat belts, and more recently, social distancing.

Defence Force chief Angus Campbell has got it so wrong to recommend to the Prime Minister and Defence Minister that a posthumous VC should not be awarded to Teddy Sheean.

Is it because he is in the Army and Teddy was in the Navy?

His reasons are that it could open a floodgate for other posthumous claims, that we might upset other Commonwealth countries and also the Queen. Totally invalid reasons.

If there have been other acts of valour that deserve a posthumous award, let the families of those involved go through the process same as Teddy's family.

The process has always been there for families to use if needed. Teddy's family have been through a lot fighting for him, the same as he did for his country and paid the ultimate price.

As for upsetting other Commonwealth countries and the Queen, why would they be upset?

It has nothing to do with them, this is an Australian process overseen by an Australian tribunal and the federal government.

Stop trying to put up hurdles to stop this award being presented to Teddy's family and let it happen.

THE council has approved the hotel complex to be built behind the old Woolstore in Cimitiere Street to the cost of $80 million.

Do all these naysayers really think we can really say we don't need this money spent in Launceston or shall they just go somewhere else? The precinct around the Woolstore has long been an eyesore, as are many other places in and around Launceston.

The city cannot stand still. Value the heritage we have, take care of it while moving forward with new and exciting ventures that bring new life and visitors to our city.

I commend the council for their foresight, now let's get it done.

DOMESTIC flights from Launceston to Adelaide or Canberra would be fantastic. We have always wanted to go to Adelaide, but after having cancer, getting on two planes would be an issue for me.

We would definitely travel on both these flights to do an amazing holiday. Bring it on.

THERE'S much excitement surrounded the announcement of the federal government's Home Renovation Grants Scheme, but many Tasmanians would be very disappointed to see that the smaller renovations that many would access, aren't included.

Renovation costs must be between at least $150,000 to $750,000. Many local home owners here in my area of Launceston who I spoke to around this initially thought it was a great idea. They saw it as a great way to maybe build an extra room onto the house. Or to renovate the spare room for a kids bedroom or proper office space so there is a dedicated space that's energy efficient, insulated and supports technology properly.

As this scheme stands, you have to find at least $125,000 yourself to get the $25,000 grant. Most families I know have someone who has lost their job or had hours greatly reduced. They don't have a spare $125,000 sitting around. A smaller threshold with strong guidelines would have been more sensible. This will be a real opportunity lost to support as many Tasmanian home owners and tradespeople as possible.

THE message of mental health hasn't reached those campaigning for a return to the old normal, which was totally abnormal.

Growth based on the continual exploitation of finite resources, which end up as waste and pollution, is mentally unhealthy, socially unjust and immune to reason.

If the coronavirus has derailed this kind of economy, it has spared us a worse train wreck further on.

Getting the economy back on track assumes there is only one model and only one direction.

The economy is whatever we want it to be. It doesn't need to be reopened because it never closed.

It simply morphed into a different set of transactions.

A return to the old exploitation and profiteering endangers our society and the whole human race.

Survival and mental health depend on building a co-operative, supportive and sustainable society, not backsliding to a destructive, ideological sectarianism.