I disagree with Dr Deepa Kumar (Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture) who says "Tasmania had not yet reached the peak of the woes facing the Murray Darling Basin but it was heading that way''. I believe the Kanamaluka/Tamar and Esk River system is as degraded as the Murray Darling.

According to Hydro Tasmania's reports, due to significantly reduced water flows macro-invertebrates (which provide a measure of water quality) have reduced in the South Esk River immediately downstream of Trevallyn Dam by 58 per cent since the dam was commissioned in 1955. This startling statistic is ignored and nobody seems the slightest bit concerned?

Water quality and environmental scientist Christine Coughanowr says, referring to a decline in Tasmanian river flows, "we may already be at or beyond a tipping point".

More and more demands are being placed on Tasmania's waterways but, as the article indicates, the health of those waterways will inevitably suffer unless flows are kept above an absolute minimum. The current and very obvious condition of the Tamar/Kanamaluka Estuary is a typical example of just what can happen with low flow levels.

Good flows are as essential to the health and wellbeing of our rivers and waterways as is the blood which flows through our veins.

IT IS with a heavy heart I am writing this letter, I never thought it would come to this.

A big thank you to Rachael Dobson for coming over from YMCA Victoria 12 months ago, to try and revitalise our YMCA.

There was no knight in shining armour giving us 12 months of emergency funding, which is very frustrating when in The Examiner every day at the moment there seems to be money promised in all directions.

Thank you Rosemary Armitage for coming out to the centre, chatting with us members and arranging a meeting.

The Y has still been abuzz lately.

Only last Saturday, 250 foster carers and their children had a wonderful day. I witnessed new members still trying to join, this week not knowing what is about to happen.

How could the powers that be in Launceston allow this closure?

Thank you to all the wonderful staff I have got to know over the years I have been coming to classes, you are like a second family.

The AFL has had ample opportunity to have a Tasmanian AFL team that would have been very successful and have repeatedly knocked it down.

The AFL are in panic mode. Basketball, soccer and other sports are taking market share due to complete neglect from the AFL.

AFTER attending a function at the Boathouse recently I decided to check out who owned the road, or more truthfully the bullock track leading into the venue.

As this is adjacent to the park that the City of Launceston council has spruiked as an amazing asset to Launceston, I was dismayed to learn it was owned by the council. How they could admit to being the owners of this disgraceful part of our city is beyond me.

Instead of harping on more trees and greening which will in time ruin the footpaths or roads, they are planted on, please fix things that desperately need attention.

As for greening, use extra-large concrete containers, put shrubs or similar, not trees that will become yolks around the people who follow in your footsteps.

HAVING not been a renter for several years I am appalled at the way some agencies treat potential tenants currently.

As a single, 40-year-old on a 100K salary, I requested an inspection of a unit the day it was listed by an agency, and was told I needed to complete the entire application process, including all financial details and payslips, before being allowed to inspect.

After doing this I immediately contacted them to ask for the inspection and was told it was now under application somehow.

Other agencies are not requiring this sensitive information before a simple inspection, and are much better at communicating with prospective tenants than the agency.

The application process promoted on their website needs updating as it is clearly incorrect and their service to tenants is disrespectful and vague at best.