MY 82-year-old husband has a very important eye operation this month and there is news of more train stoppages in August. We also need to go to Sydney the week before for tests on the eye. We have been waiting for this surgery for many months and now because of greedy, selfish unionists this operation could be in doubt. He has already had two torn hamstrings and three broken ribs from falls due to the eyesight.
The people of NSW who use public transport deserve better. It makes one wonder if the true reason behind these stoppages is political; that is, the downfall of the Liberal government. I do hope none of the strikers' family members have to go through what we retired pensioners, who are unable to drive to Sydney and rely on public transport, are experiencing. Let common sense prevail and stop punishing the people of NSW.
Ann Gabbott, Bonnells Bay
It's about much more than music
JOHN Thacker, (Short Takes, 3/8), I thank you for being a Newcastle West local who supports live music. I try my best not to knock the NIMBYs, but they don't exactly make it easy. It's almost as if they find something to complain about every week. A prime example of this being those who have made noise complaints against the Adamstown Bowling Club ("Club face noise issues", Newcastle Herald 3/8).
I'd understand the objections if the music in question took place in the wee small hours of the morning, but objections to live music from 2pm to 5pm on a Sunday afternoon? The better part of approximately 1000 people enjoy these gigs hosted by the club, and sadly, it only takes complaints from less than 10 people to stop gigs like these.
There are also many people who rely on these gigs for income, not just the musicians themselves, but also the bar and restaurant staff, cleaners, and taxi/Uber drivers. The extra revenue has also helped keep the club from closing, but this doesn't appear to matter to a handful of nearby residents. If only they were more onboard with conscientious engagement with the community and working together.
Adz Carter, Newcastle
Bread and circuses not a priority
PETER V'landys, you would be better off pleading to the government to put the monies promised to upgrade these footy grounds to be put to better use. Good options include upgrading our hospitals, or housing those who have lost their homes like flood victims and in some cases fire victims still living in caravans. Alternatively, sort out the Warragamba dam capacity issues.
You whinge about broken promises; welcome to our world. If you don't get your way, you say you'll take the grand final to Queensland. Gee that will teach them. There will be a lot of disappointed followers out there if you do. Me, I really don't care as long as I can sit in my warm loungers and watch the game in comfort, having a beer with mates and not driving.
It's a game. The sooner everybody realises that the better. A game played not for religious, political, gender identity or climate protesters trying to get their own points on the board; it's footy. Patrons/spectators cheer for the teams that they chose, not what radicals chose for them. So stop crying and get on with supporting the game and those who follow it. I wonder if the Romans had these issues with the colosseum. The ovals have stood for many decades and will stand for many more. Their day will come.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
Mine's protecting you, not just me
JULIE Robinson, ("No masking what really matters", Letters 4/8): the purpose of masks is to stop one spreading the virus when you are in the contagious stage before symptoms become apparent, or the host is asymptomatic. It is not to stop you getting it. I was educated to this reality by friends with compromised immune systems. I aim to protect them, and the newborns that other friends have recently brought into the world. They only live once. Making friendships is a good habit for eternity.
When I finally get COVID, you can be assured that I will not pass it along. No one will die as a result of my negligence or eugenic belief. Further, I recognise the environmental impact of single-use disposable plastic-based masks, and am in contact with a foreign company that produces a plant based (compostable) version, efficacy tested. Importers wanted. I reckon it needs listing on Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG). Meanwhile, I wear a reusable cloth mask. The public will not suffer from my aerosols. I do what I can to keep my Big Issue customers safe. Common courtesy. An acceptable voluntary sacrifice of my personal liberties. The buck stops here.
Andrew Spannenberg, Mayfield
Cost pales compared to benefits
JULIE Robinson, I was actually wearing my mask in our company vehicle as I read your letter, ("No masking what really matters", Letters, 4/8). My live at home daughter who works as an early childhood educator caught COVID at work, like 90 per cent of those in her industry. She is young and healthy so she'll be fine. Although I'm in my 60s I'm fit enough to run rings around the 20-year-olds I work with so COVID won't kill me. I do however work with a bloke who has health issues and COVID could kill him. Why do I wear a mask? Because it's such a minor inconvenience and I care about my mate's health. Julie, I'm happy for mask wearing to remain an individual's choice, but please stop denigrating those whose choice is different to yours
Dave McTaggart, Edgeworth
Renewables can't bear load yet
THE Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) has suggested more renewables will drive down the price of power ('Hit switch', Herald 1/8). In daylight hours this is probably true, but energy storage is the real issue and this will not be easily overcome. Battery storage is prohibitively costly to install at the scale required to meet overnight demand despite the many proposals.
Pumped storage is already a reality with installations at Tumut, Shoalhaven and Wivenhoe. These have been operating for some time. Previously they recharged the top reservoir overnight, using off-peak rates from coal-fired power stations. Only two others are in the course of construction; Snowy 2 and Kidston in Queensland.
The Eastern Australian landscape lacks mountain areas with the result only 20 possible new sites for pumped storage have been identified and given the current environmental hurdles it is probable few will come to fruition. Batteries, pumped hydro, connection with Tasmania hydro, intrastate and interstate grid connectors all come at a substantial cost, changing renewables from low cost to substantial.
At this point gas turbines stand out as the most practical outcome to avoid overnight or cloudy day power shortfall. Even gas requires pipelines and storage facilities. Gas is an anathema to the Greens and other activists, but I don't think they realise it is essential for making urea.
Green hydrogen can make ammonia, but carbon dioxide (from gas) is required for urea production. Without urea world starvation would substantially increase. Look what happened to Sri Lanka when the government stopped importing urea!
Ted Burns, Eleebana
SHORT TAKES
I AM very concerned about the proposed changes to the dog park at Thomas Halton Park, Croudace Bay. The proposal cuts the off-leash area down to one-third of its current size. I believe that this will make a mud bath or a dustbowl, depending on the weather, not to mention the increase in dog fights. The dog owners of Croudace Bay were promised by the council that this was not going to happen. Less than a year after the park is complete, here we are. Does the council not realise that dog owners are also ratepayers?
Jennifer Moon, Valentine
SO Australia's Department of Immigration is intent on deporting skilled workers. I refer to its order to deport the Green family to Scotland, after they had worked here for ten years, and had been duped no less than seven times by shoddy employers. In my opinion this shows the Immigration Department is actively working against Australia's best interests. I shudder to think of its other idiocies. Maybe outsource the whole department to asylum seekers on Nauru. We would get sensible assessments, at a fraction of the cost.
Niko Leka, Mayfield
NANCY Pelosi should be quite pleased with herself. The Chinese gave her far more than a 21-gun salute.
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
MY opinion of Peter V'landys has hit rock bottom after his outburst. I hope the premier sticks to his guns and refuses this so-called agreement. The premier has said the priority is for those suffering from the floods and I believe that is far more important than upgrading NRL stadiums at this time. If you want to take the grand final to Queensland, pack up and go. These upgrades can be done at a later time when we get all these people back on their feet. I love rugby league, but I can watch any game at existing venues.
John Morgan, Karuah
SO the fun police have moved from the city to the suburbs ('Clubs face noise issues', Newcastle Herald 3/8). Happy for my little bowling club going from closing for most of the 24 years I have lived here to being the place to go. It is only for a short time the music is playing.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
I CAN'T believe what I have just read ("No masking what really matters", Letters, 4/8). Is it too much to ask to put on a face mask when you go indoors? I am 85 years old and I cannot afford to get COVID. I just hope when I do my shopping, I don't come near you. Nobody likes wearing masks but we should do it for the sake of everyone else.
Pamela Douglas, Teralba
CAN someone smarter than me tell me how government revenue from record coal and gas exports will be replaced if the green dream becomes a reality?
