The Office of Racing Integrity seems to be an oxymoron

Monty Python's Minister for Health may look rather credible compared to the above circus of rotating horses with a common axis.

Kenneth Gregson, Swansea

OVER ten long years this has dragged on to the complete frustration of motorists and road workers. And the result? Undoubtedly a better aligned road, but not dual carriageway as originally promised. There are still single lane bottlenecks. I hope these single lane frustrations will now be addressed to become dual lanes. And that bypass from Shene to Dysart needs immediate attention. As well, I would be beginning work on the Eastern Shore dual lane to connect the Brighton by-pass with the Bowen and Tasman bridges, easing bottlenecks on the outer Brooker. So plenty to keep our road developers busy.

Dick James, Norwood

SINCERE thanks goes to the staff and medical professionals at the LGH over the Christmas and holiday period when unexpectedly attending with family. We were grateful for the incredible care provided across the hospital. Thank you.

Chris Gatenby, West Launceston

SO THE privileged at the tennis in their corporate boxes and paying excessive prices to see overpaid players booed the Prime Minister because their tax cuts are halved just goes the haves are not in the real world.

Michael Robinson, Beauty Point

THIS week we're evacuating 25 Red Handfish from the rapidly-heating waters off Tasmania's south coast, setting up a captive breeding program in the hope we can pop them back into the water when it cools down a bit.

Last month four Maugean skate and a cluster of their eggs were removed from Macquarie Harbour, where restricted fresh water flow, combined with thousands of tonnes of nitrogen-rich salmon shit, has reduced oxygen to deadly levels.

Eighteen years ago we flew four Tasmanian Devils to Copenhagen Zoo - ostensibly as a gift from our State Government to honour "Tassie Queen Mary's" first born - but actually as an insurance population against the apocalyptic Deadly Facial Tumour Disease.

Hopefully the ten Devils holidaying in a NSW bush reserve are breeding faster than rabbits, because 242 carcasses of our apex predator have been picked up off the Woolnorth Road in the past three years. Thirteen were reduced to maggotted roadkill in December.

Would the Orange-bellied Parrot be a nuisance around Robbins Island if it weren't for the captive breeding program?

All of which leads to the obvious question: "Where will the human population of this island be relocated when we find it's too hot in the kitchen?"

(Which, in turn, triggers nasty speculation about who gets a seat on the Exodus Special).

Greg Pullen, Miena

ANYONE with any doubts about the cruelty and obscenity of the live animal export trade need look no further than the poor animals stuck on the ship heading back to Perth, no need to be offloaded, all fine and happy. Who makes up that rubbish? They could get work in TAS racing.

Peter M Taylor, Midway Point

I RECEIVED some interesting information today about the York Park giveaway.

The adjacent area known as Elizabeth Park is part of the York Park precinct and was given to the Launceston citizens by HM, the late Queen Elizabeth II in perpetuity.

According to the Universal Dictionary, this means time without end, or eternity, in other words forever. So, would our Council now need the kind permission of King Charles III in order to give the land away?

Incidentally, in perpetuity is just a tad longer than our present City of Launceston Councillors or even the CEO will be around.

Ron Baines, Kings Meadows

I HAVE had conniptions and nightmares since reading Bob Taylor's comment (The Examiner February 6), suggesting we could wind up with Eric Abetz becoming State Premier after the next election. Please please please no! I want to live in the present and all it has to offer, I don't want to be blinkered and go back to the 1950's and be led by a politician that even his own party wanted to be rid of. Rockliff or Abetz is no choice at all.

Victor Marshall, Meander