THE answer to Richard Ryan's question ("Freedoms rarely come easily", Letters, 12/7), is "yes", Dutton and Abbott would have recommended a "no" vote if the 1967 referendum was held now.
This is because their party is, I think, completely devoid of any vision or plan on anything, let alone any alternatives for assisting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to have any say in decisions that affect their lives and communities.
The Coalition's leadership offers blockage and interference, nothing else. The most nauseating objection to the Voice is their entirely disingenuous claim that not enough is known about the Voice.
Meanwhile, Parliament is saturated with voices in the form of lobbyists and donors from defence, alcohol, gambling, mining, education and other sectors but no one questions the key roles they play in influencing policy or gaining priority when critical decisions are made.
For the very first time, we will have an advisory body that is truly representative of our most disadvantaged sector and is transparent, in stark contrast with all those other voices.
Rick Frost, Mallabula
Stop blame game
JOHN Cooper reckons Indigenous problems are "self-inflicted" while Dave McTaggart believes that the Voice indicates that "better off Australians care more" about Indigenous people than they do about poor non-Indigenous Australians.
These are both 'blame the victim' tactics. First, being born black into an impoverished family in a historically and generationally impoverished community is hardly "self-inflicted". Second, "better off Australians" care for neither group, otherwise we wouldn't have poverty at all in a country as wealthy as Australia.
The "better off Australians" are the ones with the power to fix these problems but are more content to support political parties who will spend three quarters of a trillion dollars on subs and tax breaks to protect their lifestyles than help our neediest Australian communities.
But, hey, let's just blame Indigenous Australia to detract from all of this, after all, it's working.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
Losing confidence
FINALLY the ongoing suspected secrecy from Newcastle council to us ratepayers by those elected to represent us has finally been confirmed by none other than the CEO Jeremy Bath by way of an advertisement on July 3 in the Daily Telegraph ("Testing the water", Newcastle Herald, 11/7), inviting comments on the proposed lease to Bluefit for the management and operation of its five inland pools with an initial term of seven years with an option of an additional two years.
Obviously, we have no idea of what offers other tenders provided (if any were submitted). However, this is not the issue here, the real issue is that the Local Government Act requires the council to give public notice of community land lease proposals greater than five years.
The public must be given 28 days to make a submission, if in the event someone makes a submission to council it cannot grant a lease without the minister's approval.
The other very important issue here to ratepayers is the apparent attempt to try to avoid any public submission while withholding any publication in local media such as the Newcastle Herald. This, to my mind, suggests why ratepayers lack confidence in a political-dominated council to represent them.
There needs to be an investigation initiated to review councils' delegations of funds, allocation of tenders and general operations management with consideration given to the appointment of an appropriate body pending the outcomes of the same.
Peter Mullins, Rankin Park
Questions are mounting
As John Ure ("Chance of disadvantage higher", Letters, 13/7) obviously knows more about Indigenous disadvantage than the rest of us, I'd like to pose some questions.
First, what has Linda Burney, who has been the Indigenous Affairs Minister for 14 months now, done to address the problems? Surely she has consulted the National Indigenous Australians Agency, one of many such bodies, for advice? Second, because the costly Voice will be permanently enshrined in the constitution, are we to believe that Indigenous people will be disadvantaged forever?
Third, Thomas Mayo, one of the authors of the Voice Handbook, has mentioned there will be questions later about rent, reparations, compensation, and punishment for politicians who ignore the Voice.
Is this misinformation or disinformation because Albo has said the change is "modest"?
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
Short Takes
ROBODEBT was an act of bastardry by the incompetent Robert, Tudge, Morrison trio, their aim being, I believe, to humiliate and denigrate welfare recipients and make themselves look holy.
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
Flagging an issue
MUST be grasping at straws if it's come to criticising the Labor government over flag placement. So Don Fraser ("Flagging the duplicated symbols", Letters, 11/7), what's your opinion on the previous government's involvement with robodebt?
Andy Ward, Newcastle
Forget Newy, here's a name
NEWY, Newie ... I thought I settled this debate a while back. It's Coalingwood people! Good old Coalingwood forever.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
Look further afield
IF anyone is in doubt, check out Lake Talbot in Narrandera, NSW. A more gorgeous swimming and picnic area would be hard to find. Owned by the Narrandera Council, and considered an asset to the shire, it is managed well. Upkeep maintained. And it's $2.50 a day. Newcastle council needs to try harder, and have a designated general manager, not a business run by a CEO.
Catherine Whelan, Newcastle
Winners are grinners
MY wife and I were very lucky to win tickets from the Newcastle Herald to see Mamma Mia in Sydney last Sunday. Our thanks go to the Herald and Alicia for this great prize. It was a fantastic show. We could not believe our luck. Thanks again.
Greg Lowe, New Lambton
Growing the vocabulary
I WILL try really hard to get Newey right, Stewey, but my vocabulary needs the workies! ("Names matter to scope of city", Letters, 12/7). Pun intended.
Tony Morley, Waratah
What about the flying pigs?
I ACCEPT that the blades of floating offshore wind turbines rotate too slowly to be a danger to offshore sea birds ("Offshore winds of change", Herald, 12/7). That seems a pity in the case of our flying rats (seagulls). We need to cull their excessive numbers. What about the flying pigs (empty political promises on the never-never)? Perhaps they would benefit from some serious culling.
