DEMOLITION of the mall car park, potentially for the so-called stairway to heaven ('Carpark comes down', Newcastle Herald 18/6), makes it seem like another broken promise is looming. City of Newcastle previously said consultation on a new structure, which is set to retain car spaces, would occur later this year. The council noted COVID and working from home had changed the nature of people's movement into the inner city and the need for car parking, so the new space would reflect predicted future use and prioritise protecting the view corridor.
I'm worried this sounds like a warning that the car space promise will not be fulfilled. Well hang on; the lord mayor has said that car spaces would be retained. I hope they keep this promise to ratepayers.
Sandy Buchanan, Largs
Common sense seems uncommon
ALTHOUGH I live in Lake Macquarie, I consider myself a proud Novocastrian. I read the Newcastle Herald every day, and often wonder why so many dumb decisions continue unabated. Monday's Herald has at least four. Firstly, the front page photograph showed yet another former Knights junior scoring a match-winning try against his former club ('Final blow', Herald 20/6). Why is he not still playing for the Knights?
Then there's an apartment development on the former NBN site recommended for approval, but access to the nearby Arcadia park is restricted to a narrow strip with steps that I believe completely excludes people with prams or with disabilities ('Residents call for privacy', Herald 20/6).
Third we have the debacle of financial difficulties with the Valentine Hydrotherapy Pool ('Power drain: the fight for pools to stay afloat', Herald 20/6). The western side of the lake has upgraded facilities at Toronto, paid for by council, yet ratepayers on the eastern side of Lake Macquarie seem very likely to lose theirs. Why will Lake Macquarie City Council not ensure the viability of this very necessary facility?
A medical centre is proposed at Stockland Glendale, suggesting 32 staff. This medical centre is to be built in an existing car park which will see the loss of 47 car spaces; however, eight new car parks will be installed for staff. The mathematics here is very poor, because in addition to this proposal, another section of the carpark at this shopping centre soon will be fenced off on occasions to accommodate outdoor markets. Pity the poor tenants who may have to survive with fewer patrons, and with the market stall holders possibly selling some similar merchandise.
Richard Devon, Fishing Point
Theories only as good as the proof
YOUR correspondent ("The science is never 'settled'", Letters, 20/6), continues to press his theory that recent human behaviour has not influenced the climate and that any climate variations are natural and by implication not of concern. His theory seems to be predicated on his view that any climate changes we are experiencing are "normal" and what we now call "climate science" is nothing more than theory; nobody has proved that the climate is changing unnaturally and therefore it remains just theory, theory that has morphed into "activist ideology" (whatever that means). That is an interesting theory.
The same could be said of evolution; however since Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace proposed their theories on natural selection and evolution, explanations for the evolution of life from primitive organisms to the life forms we have today have been tested and generally accepted. We don't really know that two and two make four, but from the first primitive theories we have developed rules and systems of mathematics that underpin almost every human activity. We don't really know the origins of the universe, or the distances to the planets and stars, but from theories developed by our ancient Indigenous peoples through to trailblazers like Galileo, Copernicus and Kepler, we now believe that we have a factual understanding of astronomy and space science.
We don't really know if the earth is warming or, if it is, if human behaviour continues to influence that warming, but in recent decades this theory has been tested so widely with such intensity by so many scientists from so many disciplines that, like evolution or mathematics or space science, we now generally accept that the theory has been proven to the point where urgent intervention is necessary. But if that's incompatible with your correspondent's alternate unproven theory, that's his choice. That's my theory, anyway.
John Ure, Mount Hutton
Short on science claim evidence
PETER Devey suggests that if I were "educated in science" my perspective on global warming would be different ("The science is never 'settled'", Letters, 20/6). Mr Devey, I believe you have demonstrated the danger of not using the scientific method just there. You started off well. You made an observation; I made some statements with which you disagree. Your hypothesis was that I was scientifically illiterate. But then you failed. You proposed no clear question and, obviously, devised no experiment to answer it. You leapt straight to your false, easily disprovable conclusion.
I am in fact seriously "educated in science". I am a science teacher.
I can tell you that the first experiment to suggest that certain gases might trap heat were actually performed in 1856. Eunice Foote placed two identical thermometers in identical glass cylinders. She removed air from one cylinder and waited until temperatures equalised. She then placed them next to each other in the sun and recorded the resulting temperature every few minutes. She repeated this process with different gases and found "the highest effect of the sun's rays . . . to be in carbonic acid gas." She also noted that after being removed from direct sunlight, carbon dioxide maintained its high temperature much longer than other gases did. We now understand why it is that molecules with more than one bond, such as carbon dioxide or methane, have this effect. If you're interested, just ask.
Lesley Walker, Northcote
Politics colours energy debate
JOHN Arnold, (Short Takes, 18/6), I am finding myself continually amazed by the expectations of the Liberal cheerleaders so early on in this term of the new government. I've even heard some of these same critics complaining about rising gas prices, as if it is somehow the new government's fault. However, no one seems to ever bring up the 20-year deal signed by John Howard in 2005, where Australia now buys back the gas it sells to Japan at an exorbitant rate. Everyone seemed to forget all about this brainless scheme by the time Kevin Rudd became Prime Minister, even though it continues to line the pockets of gas barons and rip off Australian consumers.
Adz Carter, Newcastle
SHORT TAKES
I HAVE been feeling that the Ukrainian refugees now living in the Hunter ('Ukrainians find home and hope in the Hunter', Newcastle Herald 8/6) should be made welcome to Australia. So I contacted Father Paul at the Ukrainian Catholic church in Adamstown for some help. He sent me the wording for welcome to Australia in Ukrainian. Father Paul's congregation has done much to send aid to Ukraine. I have never met him, but he seems like a good bloke.
Wal Remington, Mount Hutton
THE price of everything has been spiralling upward on the winds of war ever since Putin initiated his special military defecation in Ukraine. I wonder if the businesses whose profits are soaring will be paying Vladimir kick backs?
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
A HUNDRED years; what a great achievement for Newcastle City and Suburban Cricket Association, the largest across Australia a few years ago. The association held its 100 years presentation night on Friday at Club Charlestown to an audience of about 60 cricketers; it would be over 300 attending not so long ago. This is now the situation even after the Department of Fair Trading did a full investigation into the details and accounts of the association and found no faults within the association board. I give thanks to all the unpaid workers who have given their time over the years.
Judy Lewis, Swansea
JOHN Arnold, as far as a short term in office by Labor, I hope you're right. All I can hear from Labor is we didn't cause all this. They are correct; all parties are guilty of negligence over the last decades. I'd like to see any party do something constructive and stop this finger pointing and start governing. Mr Arnold, if you can show me a party who can achieve this I'll hang up my button.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
SILENCE gives consent where Australia's concern for Australian citizen Julian Assange lies. The United States is the terror of the world, and its own citizens. A law unto itself, to suit its requirements.
Richard Ryan, Summerland Point'
ALL those who don't know what a woman is, ring FINA, the international swimming federation. Finally we have an organisation with common sense and the bollocks to stand up to the woke brigade.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
IN my opinion governments are like churches, always asking if, when and how, but never why.
Dave Wilson, Bar Beach
PETER Devey (Letters, 20/6) says science is never settled, but his phone works.
Michael Gormly, Islington
TWO recent letters (Letters, 20/6) in my opinion show just how warped leftist thinkers have become. First Richard Mallaby urged us to read a book on climate by Tim Flannery, the man whose predictions I believe have proven hysterically ridiculous. Adz Carter suggests the right leaners attempt to rewrite history. It's plain to see it's the woke left tearing down historical statues to appease their cancel-culture narrative.
