I refer in particular to the Lindt Cafe hostage tragedy in Sydney. It wasn't a terrorist incident; it was the work of a deranged individual who claimed it was done in the name of Allah, which would have caused extreme offence to Australia's Muslim community.

The media should not have given this incident 24-hour news coverage as it only served to give this unhinged person the oxygen and publicity he craved for with his perverse cause, and made it more difficult for police and security authorities to deal with trauma of the hostages and the possible murder of innocent people in a situation that is abhorrent to our way of life.

Such a saturation of media coverage also runs the risk of encouraging mad copycats and offensive campaigns in social media initiated by ISIL radicals and their ilk.

The media often mentioned the Muslim community in its coverage, but this incident had nothing to do with our Muslim friends, who were appalled by the incident as much as other Australians.

Perhaps Ballarat should follow the example of Sydney and adopt its "I'll ride with you" campaign to support Ballarat's new residents who have come from troubled parts of the world who may feel fearful travelling on public transport as a result of recent events.

The coverage of the death of Phil Hughes also went too far.

Again, not wishing to demean the tragic death of this young talented cricketer, it was, after all, a freakish accident.

Why did the media suggest it was an international tragedy and give it an inordinate amount of coverage?

There are many other worthy Australians who have died in tragic circumstances who receive little or no coverage of their death.

Phil Hughes was not a hero; he was a young man doing what he loved that cost him his life in a terrible accident.

Let's keep his death in perspective with those of many other Australians who have died in tragic accidents that haven't been considered newsworthy.

For instance, why was there no widespread coverage of the death of competition hockey player Elizabeth Watkins who, whilst playing in a match at the Perth Hockey Stadium in 2012, was hit in the head by the ball and died.

With respect, it is time to stop the sensationalism for the sake of ratings.

The media must review its standards of reporting to ensure dignity, decency and respect for those involved, and for their family and friends not blatant sensationalism to fill airtime.

It is important to acknowledge all deaths resulting from tragic circumstances.

As a funeral celebrant, I, too, am saddened when there is loss of life.

Everyone's life is unique and when they die no matter what the circumstances  they deserve recognition for their contribution to our way of life.

As we approach Christmas and the New Year, let us not forget those who have died in traumatic circumstances and family and friends who have been affected by their tragic deaths.

And of course, we have just heard of the tragic murder of 132 schoolchildren in Pakistan by the Taliban, which, without demeaning the Sydney tragedy, puts the Lindt Cafe incident in perspective in a global sense.

Australia must remain a tolerant, open and peaceful nation.