After 23 years of serving the good folk of Beresfield, Tarro, Woodberry, Black Hill, Tomago and Hexham, I am retiring at the end of March. It has been without doubt the greatest privilege of my working life to own and operate Beresfield Licensed Post Office.
To be welcomed into this community, to be supported by these wonderful people, has been heartwarming. I have had the privilege to watch young children grow into fine young adults, to watch people with a business idea turn those thoughts into a reality, and to watch this region blossom and grow.
To my staff, Shirley and Jane, I thank you for your loyalty and support. Without you we could not have had the success we have had.
Owning Beresfield post office has been the ride of my life. It has taken me to the halls of Parliament to several senate enquiries into the treatment of licensees by Australia Post, to meeting my wonderful wife, Erica, none of which would have been possible had I not decided to buy Beresfield post office.
To my community, and to all communities in the Hunter, if you want your post office, takeaway, newsagency or any other business to remain in your town, then support it. As they say, "use it or lose it, the choice is yours". I wish my community the very best for the future.
God bless you all, it has been a privilege to serve.
Andrew Hirst, Beresfield Licensed Post Office
New arrivals welcome
How odd, or is it typical, that a country built by immigrants should be so frightened by immigration? Yet migration will only increase driven by climate, wars, and economic mismanagement.
We should be proud that migrants want to settle here. Rather than a problem, this is an opportunity. Rather than hand-wringing we should be putting our hands to work building the housing and infrastructure that is needed to face the future. This can be done without destroying our unique natural assets, but only if our politics are in the national interest, rather than the narrow interests of party hacks.
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
No speed in rail progress
The report that the federal government is calling tenders for a business case for high-speed rail would seem to be a step in the right direction.
However, we have seen this all before. Much has been spent on studies, but we still don't have a high-speed train. No wonder so many are so cynical. Even if this government does follow through with the high-speed rail, it will still be many years before we can catch this train.
In the meantime, we will still have to endure the slow train and a motorway that is prone to congestion. Clearly the existing railway needs to be realigned to allow faster running, not just for passenger trains, but for freight trains. Improved rail alignments on our railways would make transport more efficient, more environmentally friendly, reduce energy consumption and reduce congestion on our roads.
Why is this not happening?
Peter Sansom, Kahibah
Give public full access to report
The ALP councillors are the only councillors not wanting Pinnacle's investigation into the Bath/Neylon letter writing affair released ("Mystery still lingers over investigation into city CEO", Letters, 23/3).
According to the lord mayor this is "normal practice". If there are no adverse findings in a code of conduct report about staff, the investigation should remain confidential. This stance means that it will be impossible for councillors and the general public to scrutinise the investigation process itself.
What we do know from the summary of the investigation that was released, is that the scope of the investigation carried out was far too narrow to exonerate the CEO from any involvement in the affair. The Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig, requested that the council investigate "the letters to the editor campaign". However, after an undisclosed "preliminary review", Pinnacle narrowed the scope of the investigation to two allegations of a potential confidentiality breach by Bath. The report found no evidence to support the allegations that Bath passed on confidential council information to Scott Neylon.
This finding does not satisfy those of us who were the objects of the letter writing campaign, a saga that clearly brought council into disrepute. This is an allegation that requires a much broader code of conduct investigation than has been provided by Pinnacle. The least council can now do is allow the public access to the full report.
Christine Everingham, Newcastle East
SHORT TAKES
Council saga needs to be dealt with
I am bewildered why City of Newcastle continues to allow this ongoing saga to undermine their work with innuendo and suspicion. The chief executive officer seems to attract unfortunate attention, which I think has cast a shadow. With council elections on the horizon, it would be pertinent to be proactive and sort out this mess once and for all.
Vicki Dunn, Tighes Hill
Knights at home in Herald
I have a suggestion for Peter Rossetti ("No Knights was good news", Letters, 22/3), if you don't like seeing the Newcastle Knights in the Newcastle Herald maybe you should consider buying the Sydney Morning Herald or The Daily Telegraph? Newcastle Herald? Newcastle Knights? There's a theme there, just in case you missed it.
Matt Ophir, Charlestown
Bowen's tally unknown
Does anyone know the total cost of Nullarbor Bowen's transition to renewables? The whole amount from day one to completion, including subsidies, tax benefits, land acquisition, right down to the last cent? I've been trying to find out, but can find only misinformation.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
Backing ALP reign
We know the butcher, Steve Barnett, likes a bet. I've got a lazy 100 to say Albo and the Labor party won't be a one-term wonder, Steve.
Mac Maguire, Charlestown
Rules a mysterious game
An NRL role model can use the "F word" freely, a player can be left with a fracture to his face with no attempt whatsoever to make the tackle with arms and that is OK.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
Privatisation failure no surprise
John Cooper ("Power bill subsidies no answer", Letters, 25/3) is correct in saying politicians failed us. Privatisation of the electrical energy system was always going to be both a mess to manage, by the introduction of complexity, and a vehicle for higher pricing.
Marvyn Smith, Heddon Greta
Nailing down tradie shortage
Why is Australia so short on tradespeople? Who or what can we blame? Did closing TAFE in certain areas have anything to do with it? Was it a lack of funding for training by the state and federal governments? These questions need answering, there is no value in saying people won't work. With unemployment figures at current levels, it seems unlikely. I'm keen to know what the opinion page experts come up with.
