We live in Townsville and want to return. We've been here since February.

We do not want to fly via Melbourne and more direct flights to Queensland would be great to enable Tasmanians to holiday in Queensland.

AT EASTER our proposed flight to visit our son, daughter-in-law and young baby granddaughter was cancelled due to COVID-19.

We also had a flight on August 7, 2020, booked to celebrate our granddaughter's first birthday.

We have been watching borders reopening with bated breath.

Queensland reopened July 10 and we were ever hopeful the proposed Tasmanian border opening for July 24 is introduced.

Our flight with Jetstar is direct from Launceston to Brisbane.

This is great as there is no possible chance of being at risk linking with a flight from Victoria.

We do hope flights return to pre-virus schedules and that this direct flight will be available.

We are feeling isolated and missing the little one's special moments.

As senior pensioners, we would be financially disadvantaged by having to purchase alternate flights if our prepaid travel arrangement does not go ahead.

In the past, this direct Jetstar flight has always been well supported by a full planeload of passengers embarking from Launceston.

Fingers crossed that all will proceed well.

A recent "tongue-in-the-cheek" observation was made regarding the similarities between COVID-19 and the Spice Girls, "everyone is having fun, apart from Victoria".

I AM just curious about the logic behind fly-in/fly-out workers and COVID-19.

How is it that FIFO workers who live in Victoria can wander around Tasmania unfettered? My husband, a Tasmanian resident who works in a COVID-free area in Victoria and would spend no time in Melbourne bar the airport, will spend two of his three weeks off in a "government facility".

IT REALLY gets beyond my level of understanding how people delaying the construction of the Northern Regional Prison can find pleasure in punishing innocent children and inflicting mental torture on them, which will likely affect their whole lives, by denying them the right to see and visit their incarcerated parents.

To me, it's a white-collar criminal behaviour, and that's what all those people delaying construction of the new prison do.

Free your mind WRAP, you are prisoners of yourselves, it's 21st century now.

One day you may need blood or a kidney to have your life saved.

It may be donated by a former prisoner or by a family member of a current prisoner. Will you refuse it?

WHAT a sad day with the passing of Mort Douglas (The Examiner, July 10).

Mort always had time to acknowledge friends and acquaintances, never short of a cheery hello or a kind smile.

He had an affectionate personality.

I had many lunches with him in pursuit of his travel as an airline executive.

I witnessed his disappointment when confronted with the restrictions on the creation of Morty's with the facade, but not to be defeated he came up with an acceptable alternative.

Trevallyn Shopping Centre another project presenting challengers.

All overcome with professional grace, dignity and a smile, "he was special".

Launceston has been blessed by a series of entrepreneurs, improving and highlighting our beautiful city, Morty's, Errol Stewart with the Sea Port, Silos, Roger Smith with the Penny Royal, Josef Chromy projects.

Their vision and business pursuits have been to the enhancement and without doubt Launceston's benefit.

Thank you and RIP Mort.

THE time has come to give firefighting a new face.

For more than a hundred years, the old science of fire fighting has not brought great success, one has to change something.

Modern technology and many changes are necessary.

Backpack blowers and larder air blowers mounted on a ute or a truck will blow out the fire.

Cool the land with water at the same time.

Two large blowers are operated with cabin and seat and pure air from a 270-degree turntable.

With this equipment, you can fight the fire much safer, faster and better.

With a new team approach for farmland, plantations, vineyards and grassland you have to get the fire under control quickly, as it can cause great damage here.

Many details need to be clarified.

Bushland and forests must receive special treatment.

Deduction burning and backburning are then no longer necessary.

Our firefighters have done a great job over the years, same as our doctors, hospital and nursing home staff. Thank you.