The 15 per cent increase in burial costs proposed by the council for its Carr Villa cemetery is cause for considerable disquiet.

What now happens with all those prepaid funeral costs? My advice to my fellow "one foot in the grave" people is to look elsewhere. Country burial plots are far cheaper and the outlook usually more pleasant.

And whatever you do, don't have a weekend funeral as then penalty rates apply.

There is nothing "godly" about dying.

It has become a very costly business.

No wonder many people these days opt for cremation with no plot required.

And that's not the end of the saga.

Lawyers charge outlandish rates to probate wills, at least $600 per hour for quite routine paperwork. Maybe we need independent probaters just as we have independent property conveyancers, removed from the collusion of lawyers.

IS anyone else concerned with the lifting of restrictions in aged care facilities and some other things? I understand everyone misses their loved ones, but the measures that were taken need to stay to ensure their, essential workers, family and visitors health and wellbeing. This virus is unpredictable and almost always these things come in more than one wave. Yes Tasmania has had no new cases for a while, but there are many other places in the world where it is still active and all it takes is one active case to start a spiral of cases again. I understand that everyone wants everything back to normal but I have to ask at what cost?

The economy is suffering but if we do have another wave then things will be far worse than they would have been otherwise, culminating in more cases and possibly more deaths and an economy worse off. Self-isolation, sanitising, social distancing and some major restrictions staying in place for a while longer could ensure long term health for all Tasmanians and Australians.

Many people have to work and I admire them for their tenacity, they have stuck to it and proved that some things are possible even in the toughest of times. When this is all over eventually sanitising in homes, businesses and transport should perhaps remain mandatory as this virus has proved just how important this practice is. I feel it is of great importance not to tempt fate too soon.

ON January 24, 2020, Premier Peter Gutwein was quoted as saying "it's not Westbury or bust". Since then, it has come to light that in 2018, almost a full year before the EOI process had even begun for the Northern Regional Prison, the then Meander Valley Council general manager was in talks with the Department of Justice in an attempt to lock Westbury in as the site.

So it appears as though it has always been "Westbury or bust", it was Westbury on September 30, 2019, when Corrections Minister Elise Archer announced the "preferred site", it was Westbury on February 6 when the Premier visited the town, and it's still Westbury now. Just like the movie Groundhog Day, it seems as if the Liberal government is stuck in a loop where all they can see is Westbury, even when other (more suitable) options have been offered to them.

IN response to my letter (The Examiner, May 28) in 'Hot Topic' from TasWater Corporate and Community Relations acting general manager Ruth Dowty, I would like to add the following comments.

It comes as no surprise that none of the issues I raised previously were specifically addressed.

It would also seem Ms Dowty is suggesting handballing the economic regulator the responsibility for 80 per cent to 90 per cent of my quarterly bill being service costs.

And as for "after extensive consultation with our customers and stakeholders", it would be interesting to know who they were and what was actually said.

And finally, in regard to the planned investment of $1.8 billion - what has that to do with what you are charging consumers?

The relevant state and federal government agencies are responsible for funding such essential services as the provision of freshwater and sewerage treatment infrastructure.

On the basis of Ms Dowty's response, it would seem to me this state government really does need to look somewhat closely at for what and how much we are being charged for these essential services.

THE design shown publicly of the Fragrance Hotel Launceston is simply artist impressions, nothing more.

The finishes on show are just suggestions and are not part of the current development application. A future application is required and it could propose any colour or finish.

Letter writers who claim to talk for residents of Launceston, the self-proclaimed silent majority need to consider this.

To fund the appeal a lot of money from modest individual donations has been raised and these citizens are primarily concerned with the excess height of this development not stopping the redevelopment of this area.

Appeals are expensive and this one is only happening because of this large group.

Be assured it would not have happened without their moral and financial support and donations are still being received.

The fact that one name is on the appeal is simply procedural. It could have been any one of the 60 individuals and groups, including local businesses (both large and small), that made representations to council against this development.

Lastly, I would ask, please stop referring to the silent majority and noisy minority - useless schoolyard babble and so last century.