And it is a fog of misinformation as January 26 was not the date of the first settlement, so claims of "invasion" that day are nonsensical.

And does anyone seriously believe that changing the date will suddenly make the activists stop protesting and believe that civilisation has given them a few benefits? This whole furore on the date and about the day has lost focus, makes no sense and is pointless. We can choose to think about Australia positively and celebrate the good aspects of life in Australia, or we can decide life here is pretty gruesome so we should make everyone feel bad and guilty about living here.

Which line of thought suits you better?

HAVING been travelling on the Spirit of Tasmania regularly for the past 15 years averaging 9000 kilometres for my trips, driving around the country and staying at caravan parks and free camps etc, talking too, and camping with fellow travellers. The overwhelming majority of people say that its too expensive to come to Tasmania and they want a quick day sailing no cabins or meals, movies etc.

AS A Christian I ask those with secular views to simply hold a real passionfruit flower in the palm of their hand (you will notice its amazing four-dimensional structure) and tell me, what or who do we give credit for this magnificent flower? God the creator or a big bang? Also if you want a miracle to back it up, just plant a garden and watch it grow. The Bible says we are without excuse and there are none so blind as those who will not see. Every day I look around me (through the miracle of sight) and can see the creators handy work in everything from flowers to those we call our fellow man.

JAIL is not meant to be a hotel. These so-called want-to-be heroes are in there for a reason. Drugs, bashing people for money. They should have no rights, no comforts, no TV or games. Lockdown except for one hour a day. Then maybe they won't want to come back. Stop pacifying these people.

An excellent letter from Heather Donaldson (The Examiner, January 21). I would like to add that when matrons were highly respected and did their job without bureaucratic jargon, wasting money and resources, one never was told: "You should leave hospital as soon as possible to avoid an infection". The matrons' insistence and the assumption was always that patients would enter the hospital in order to avoid infection. It is shocking that anyone would expect or accept otherwise.

THE letter by Justin Law, of Port Melbourne, (The Examiner, January 18)criticising Bob Brown Foundation failed to mention that Mr Law is Forest and Wood Communities Australia chief executive, an activist organisation which, just like those it criticises, seeks public donations to keep itself going. It is ironic that this mainland-based lobby group would be first to criticise mainland environmentalists taking part in campaigns to protect Tasmania's forests and wildlife from flattening and incineration. Bob Brown Foundation is proud of its ongoing campaigns to protect Australia's native forests and their wildlife and makes no apologies for seeking funds from the public to protect these ecosystems. It would seem that Mr Law is less keen to identify as leading an activist group destroying these same ecosystems.

He is also untroubled by facts and incorrectly blames the greater glider for swift parrot deaths in Tasmania, when it is well known that introduced sugar gliders are the culprits, after habitat loss caused by logging. I guess when you are looking for a fig leaf, behind which to hide your industry's own faults, facts come a poor second to clumsy diatribe.