Decades ago I suggested a halfway house, but no it's far easier to continue repeating history by building a bigger prison to erase the overcrowding.

As a result of the lack of community support, people are encouraged to commit further offences.

It's the same old story that faces many abused people, of having no one to turn to.

THANK YOU to Christians supporting legislation for choice in assisted dying who represent the views of the vast majority of Christians.

Religious opponents of voluntary assisted dying choice are a small minority whose rights not to choose VAD will be protected, but they want our parliament to take away everyone else's right to choose.

The 2019 ABC Vote Compass survey with 450,479 respondents found 77 per cent of Catholics, 76 per cent of Protestants, and 71 per cent "other religion" supported voluntary assisted dying.

In a 2012 Newspoll, support was very high by those who identified as Anglicans (88 per cent) and Catholics (77 per cent).

The 2018 Council on the Ageing survey found overwhelming support (84 per cent) for assisted dying including 74 per cent of those who identified as Catholic and even a majority of Baptists (53 per cent).

The COTA survey also showed a large majority probably or definitely would look into this option for themselves if they were suffering from a terminal illness or incurable condition, including 57 per cent of Catholic participants, and 46 per cent of Baptist participants.

THE experience of a Hobart man applying for an exemption from travel restrictions on compassionate grounds (The Examiner, July 19) reflects similar frustrations several Tasmanians have reported to my office.

Tasmanians applying for exemptions on compassionate grounds have told my office that there are no clear criteria for "compassionate grounds", those who are rejected are not being given an explanation and there is no avenue for appeal.

This is no reflection on the staff in the State Control Office, who no doubt approach their difficult task with the utmost professionalism, but the process they are required to work with seems to lack transparency and accountability.

My Tasmanian Federal Labor Parliamentary colleagues have had similar feedback from applicants. We wrote to Premier Peter Gutwein outlining our concerns on July 1 and we are looking forward to his reply.

IT will be a great shame and indeed stupid if the Tasmanian yearling sales have to be cancelled or moved to Hobart.

Surely a compromise can be found so that they occur next February and then a new site can be found for the following years.

It is a major event for Launceston each year.