The Liberal Party in Tasmania elects members from each of the five electorates such that 67 members will vote for those senate candidates they feel will most adequately represent their views and values.

We should hope these members will consider all aspects of the candidates' credentials and choose accordingly without being concerned as to gender or age but ability, integrity and courage, attributes Senator Abetz has demonstrated amply over the years.

A PAY rise is not going to attract more nurses to the profession.

Having to work different shifts every day, does not give anyone the chance to organise their lives, often with young families to be responsible for. When I worked in a nursing home on the mainland in the 70s, all shifts were permanent.

You were either on day shift, afternoon shift or night shift. Being a single parent at the time, I could arrange the care for my three primary school-age children with no problem. I could not have coped otherwise.

It seems almost inhumane to have to work a different shift every day, especially having to work an early shift after working a late shift, sometimes taking an hour to travel home. No wonder morale is low among nurses, and a rise in pay does not seem to solve the problem.

I NOTE that Porter's alleged rape victim withdrew the accusation shortly before her suicide. I question the wisdom of following the ghost into the dark night of innuendo and unproven allegations against Christian Porter. One again, are we are witnessing a trial by media?

The notion that at any complaint, the accused should immediately stand aside is not only farcical in law, but socially and deeply flawed. It is an extension of the "cancel culture" that is endemic throughout today's generation. I ask what happens if and when somebody else decides to make accusations about other public figures? I hope their skeletons are well and truly locked away.

I WOULD be extremely happy if the VAD Bill got through the upper house, I had cancer back in 2018 and it could return at any time. I would feel so much more at ease knowing if it returned and was terminal, that I didn't have to go through long months of excruciating pain, feeling ill, losing extreme amounts of weight, just waiting to die. To know that when my time was getting close that I could depart this world with dignity, in a peaceful manner with my loved ones there to hold my hand until I slipped into a never-ending sleep would be the most stress-free, loving and peace-filled way to depart this life.

Hoping it gets passed, it'd be the end of pain and suffering for a lot of people.

LUKE Martin (The Examiner, March 9), I disagree.

A sub-four hour, low fare, no frills Incat catamaran service would create the biggest boost to the tourism industry and the overall economy that Tasmania has ever had.

Tasmanian Incat technology is in reliable service all around the world.

Of course, a large catamaran can handle the Bass Strait weather - it's a no brainer.

Perhaps I will be able to afford to take my car to the mainland.

I cannot at present.

ENOUGH is enough. The Greens want all forestry shut down, fact. Locking it away unmanaged and hoping for a Garden of Eden will only cause the massive fires and loss of life that we witnessed in 2019-20.

These paid protestors from the mainland do it for the dollar, they couldn't care about our forests, take away the money and you wouldn't see them for dust.

THE Free Reform Church in Launceston has said it makes no apologies for engaging in "conversion therapy practices" to alter the sexuality or gender identity of individuals.

The Islamic Council of Victoria, referring to the new law in Victoria banning gay conversion, believes that no law should "try to convince us that our doctrines and principles are somehow wrong".

Knowledge and tolerance have grown hugely since the religious books were written, which are cherry-picked to justify this attitude. The complex nature of sexual orientation and gender identity is now better understood in a way that was not possible centuries ago.

Although people are entitled to believe whatever they want, no-one is entitled to harm others. Conversion therapy is opposed by the Australian Psychological Society which has deemed it not just ineffective, but positively harmful. Further, it violates the diversity and tolerance standards of a modern civilised society. Be subjected to it yourself, if you wish, but you cannot be allowed to inflict such cruelty on others.