AFTER two years of research into international cannabis law reform and how the reforms affect communities and government revenues; I am thoroughly confused by the reform-reluctant governments of Australia. By all measures, alcohol is the most harmful drug to both the consumer and our communities; yet it is almost encouraged broadly by most people. Cannabis, on the other hand, I believe, provides a wide range of benefits, has a very low risk of harm, costs taxpayers hundreds of millions to prohibit and is a multibillion-dollar income source for illegal suppliers.
Legalising cannabis and encouraging the growth of the industrial hemp-fibre market will generate a large revenue stream for the government, massive savings in police resources and create job opportunities long into the future. One has to wonder why our leaders are so resistant to joining the progressive governments worldwide in ending the war on cannabis and the regular people who prefer to imbibe this herb; to relax, to enjoy a life less affected by past trauma and current physical and mental health challenges.
Hemp agriculture and innovations are proving themselves as substantive solutions to many current and future challenges, yet our leaders continue to adopt 1970s conservative opinions. First state to legalise and build the hemp industry will win.
Andrew Fenwick, Elermore Vale
Pressure is building in suburbs
WITH the continuing population growth of Brush Creek and Cameron Park, the exit roads are struggling to handle the increase in traffic. The council really need to have a serious rethink of their traffic management around areas including Nelson Street to the Main Road lights.
There used to be enough road width to handle traffic turning left and right onto Main Road but since revamps to the traffic lights and guttering this option is now negated, alas creating a bottleneck of impatient motorists. Widen the road to allow left and right turning lanes.
As for the roundabout at Minmi Road and Northlakes Drive, I believe it is an accident waiting to happen. There have been many close calls due to cars coming down Minmi Road and turning left into Northlakes Drive to then only have the inside lane around the roundabout, thus much confusion with two lanes coming up Minmi Road. Drivers assume that cars on the inside lane on the roundabout are not going to turn down Northlakes Drive, thus those on the outside lane coming up Minmi Road are under the illusion that they have right of way.
In my opinion the council needs to redo this Gordian knot before a serious accident results. The volume of traffic coming up and down Minmi Road and in and out of Cameron Park is only going to increase. Adding to this will be the traffic from West Wallsend Heights estate. While I'm at it, how about some appropriate, lit and marked pedestrian crossings in Cameron Park? There are none, it is all Frogger crossings only.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
Privatisation is proving a failure
REGARDING last week's front page story by Ian Kirkwood ('Staying alive', Newcastle Herald 7/3): the article raises the point that the state government may extend Eraring power station's lifespan.
Does this mean we potentially buy the power station back? Probably.
The cost escalation in NSW power supplies dates back to privatisation of government (the people's) assets. Governments could fund power stations pre privatisation, and can't do it now. Where has the money gone? Privatisation of government assets - whether it be the power industry, banking, private health insurance, water and many others - have really failed to deliver improved costs, service and confidence of delivery of the service or the goods in the longer term.
The logic of successive governments seems to be flog off something so we can fund some promises for the next election.
Business and the public need the security of essential services. The failed economic approach of privatising many government services followed by the major parties is at the essence of the decline in their support.
Grahame Danaher, Coal Point
HECS is a shackle for graduates
THE seemingly endless onslaught of media reports about our crippling shortage of skilled people all seemed to have missed reporting that back in 1974, the Whitlam Government introduced free tertiary education. It was welcomed as an approach that would give all Australians access to tertiary study on the basis of merit rather than wealth and would ensure we always had the skill people needed.
Fourteen years later the Hawke government considered free education to be a significant burden on the federal budget which paradoxically would produce too many university graduates. It was a thought process based on the increased number of Year 12 completion rates and the failure to comprehend future skilled needs. This projection was probably linked to the new vision of Australia, which would be centred on resources rather than manufacturing.
The Hawke government introduced the HECS scheme in 1989, which subsidised tertiary education until graduates earned enough money to repay their fees. Because of successive fee increases the HECS scheme has become a disaster for students with a debt. Now called the Higher Education Loan Program, it has ballooned to more than $68.7 billion. It is a debt that cripples the hopes of home ownership of graduates and deters many potential students from seeking higher education, a failure recognised by seven European nations and now New Zealand's former PM, who introduced a free tertiary education system last year.
Don Owers, Dudley
We can all celebrate neutral date
THE date we celebrate Australia Day seems strange to me. We all claim to love this country and its peoples, but why do we want to remind part of that community of the bad times? To put it into perspective, imagine if after the bombing of Darwin the Japanese were successful in moving south through Australia and claiming the country for themselves and dispossessing the locals of their property. Then they declare that we all celebrate Australia Day on the anniversary of the bombing of Darwin.
If that were the case then I am sure that Indigenous and Caucasian people would agree with each other that it was a bad idea.
Why can't we just have Australia Day on a day that has no historical significance? We all just want to celebrate that we live in a pretty good place, get our own flag that represents us all in modern Australia and maybe we could all wave it proudly.
Steve Robinson, Wangi Wangi
Many live in dangerous places
WE are constantly being told extremes of weather are occurring much more frequently. Exceptional weather occurrences now have the potential to significantly impact populations in coastal, floodplains and bush locations where many humans have been allowed to build. I believe to attribute extreme weather events to human induced climate change displays little recognition of history or population demographics.
John Cooper, Charlestown
Short Takes
It's reassuring to read that 68 per cent of NSW's electricity came from coal generation during Monday and Tuesday of last week. So how happy will you all be when coal generation is switched off?
Nathan McGeorge, Shortland
RAYMOND Stewart (Letters 7/3): your statement that Newcastle always votes Labor does not pass the pub test. After not even thinking about this for a minute I can find examples that disprove the statement. What about Tim Owen, Andrew Cornwall and Jeff McCloy?
Glen Wilson, Cardiff
IF the three monkeys, (hear no, see no, speak no) on the television programme Married at First Sight are 'experts' at matching couples, well, I must be a rocket scientist. I feel sorry for the couples that watch this unusual show and are anticipating their special day; I dare say they could probably end up being completely disillusioned or at the worst, scarred for life.
Alan Harrison, Glendale
PEOPLE are always writing to complain about the Supercars and the loss of parking, but they never write about the events that bring in the similar problems at other times of the year. Supercars is not the only thing that happens in town this year. It may be the largest, but still, there are other things that cause similar issues.
Mark Creek, Adamstown
I JUST arrived home from a little hospital stay to find that the surface of King Street, Waratah West has been restored to Supercars like roadway surface. Does this mean that every year before Supercars that a humble road in the burbs will be selected for a pimp up? Or, more importantly, is this the start of ramped up restoration of the poor roads in and around Newcastle suburbs? I do hope it's the latter.
Tony Morley, Waratah
NOW we have a sympathetic prime minister who has acknowledged the lack of acceptance and finance to the many volunteer groups. While government resources are not a bottomless money pot we all can look better to a future if we are all treated as equals. Summer is over and our emergency volunteers are still putting their lives at risk in numerous ways: floods, bush fires, extreme weather and often community issues. Hopefully we can now recognise the effort put in by these heroes. Now is the time for local politicians to push for a proper recognition for these people.
Gerry Mohan, Shoal Bay
I WONDER how much of taxpayers' money is tied up in providing superannuation for our currently retired politicians and former prime ministers. I believe the proposed $3 million threshold for taxpayers would be far short of the amounts required to pension off our fearless leaders.
