I FIND it strange that many decision-makers are unknown to many of us here in the Hunter area and yet many of us are told the "decision is made" by faceless committees and leaders. There is no love lost between Sydney and the regional areas as we are bombarded by propaganda and news all about Sydney.
Here is where the problem lies, in my view; peace is not earned by portraying one whole city (Sydney) as the pinnacle of NSW, but through developing the many cities that surround it and the fortunes of the people that are living in them.
The Hunter has in my opinion been stripped by the Sydney law and policy makers who have never supported a new future for our city. Newcastle and its Novocastrians had to fend and beg for scraps to make our city viable and attractive as a gateway to the regional areas here ever since BHP vacated our town. Where is the support for a container terminal, manufacturing for trains, ship building or even the likelihood of being an Australian car producer? Newcastle fell short of having the second Sydney international airport here with a VFT (Very Fast Train). All of these are things I believe we should have now as NSW's second-largest city. I say no to being in a scheme like the Greater Cities - Six Cities Plan. It never truly will be six cities in my opinion, it will always and ever will be one city. If the vision is for our great city to be part of a Sydney-based scheme, I think we need more advocacy for the Hunter.
David Wilson, Waratah
Sweltering on smelter's plan
I applaud the plan for Tomago Aluminium to become fully renewable energy and storage systems by the year 2029. It will be a huge task to supply 950 MW of power 24/7, but nevertheless they intend to give it a go.
This is what I fear may be needed: that something of a huge magnitude must fail before desperation forces the likes of aluminium smelters and hydrogen hubs to go nuclear energy. Every aluminium smelter and hydrogen electrolyser will use the same power that the Vales Point power station produces, which at present provides 11 per cent of NSW power supply.
It would be expected at least ten of these industries will be established using all the power NSW is now producing, whether renewable energy and storage systems can handle this energy demand, while powering the rest of NSW during the same time is a very big ask. I can only hope that someone who knows how to count, and prepared to cause political embarrassment, takes charge before desperation takes hold.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Australia held responsible
LAST month Torres Strait people won a landmark UN case. The United Nations Human Rights Committee found that the Australian government is violating its human rights obligations to Torres Strait Islanders by failing to act on climate change. It appears that this decision obliges the Australian government to do whatever it takes to ensure the safe existence of the Torres Strait Islands.
Surely now the Australian government must give considerable thought to ceasing, with urgency, the massive exporting of greenhouse gas producing coal and natural gas, (both fossil fuels), that are the prime causes of climate change and the resulting fast rising seas causing such enormous problems for the residents of the Torres Strait Islands.
As the exporting of coal and gas earns huge export dollars for Australia it would seem that the time has now come for a decision to be made by the Australian government, which is to decide what is more important; countering climate change in an effective manner or attempting to ignore the decision of the United Nations by continuing to export massive quantities of fossil fuel products.
Certainly there will be some financial pain, but, in my personal opinion, countering climate change in an effective manner by quickly stopping selling climate change producing products, will be the only decision acceptable for most Australians.
Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank
Suspensions don't add up
SINCE the arrival of McDonald's in Australia I have sought but never found a "Big Mac" which even remotely resembled the product they advertise! A similar level of frustration exists for me, when seeking to find the logic behind many decisions made by the NRL judiciary. For example, where is the logic in the NRL judiciary allowing Storm player Nelson Asofa Solomona to escape suspension when placed on report five times in season 2022? Asofa-Solomona was on report in 2022, three times for careless high tackles, once for dangerous contact and once for a dangerous tackle.
By contrast, Broncos player Patrick Carrigan was suspended by the NRL judiciary for four matches for a careless tackle, a suspension I believe effectively ended any hope of the Broncos making the finals. I believe NRL legend Gorden Tallis was reflecting the view of many NRL fans when he called upon the NRL judiciary to explain the vast differences in their decisions during season 2022.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
Disapproval of planning call
I FIND it ridiculous that someone can approve a second dwelling on a house very close to the shared boundary back fence. Not just that, but with two windows looking straight into our yard. I realise you can't buy a view, but this is taking 80 percent of our lake view. That would have been not half as bad as if they didn't get four trucks of dirt to lift up, making it more intrusive. Not to mention the whole backyard is now in shade.
On my visit to council, there's nothing I can do as it's already approved. What a shock to come back from holidays to deal with a wall which will be all I can see from most of my windows in my home. No wonder people begrudge local councils.
Michelle Bennett, Eleebana
Fertile grounds for immigration
AUSTRALIA, like other advanced nations, is suffering from declining fertility and a falling net reproduction rate (NRR). The specific reasons for this are unclear, but it is the result of our lifestyle, increasing obesity and diet, ('A lot to learn about sperm', Herald, 23/9).
Australia's NRR is 1.7, way below the population replacement NRR of 2.1. Not all infertile couples can afford expensive IVF treatment. In the absence of immigrants to fill gaps in the workforce, Australia's declining future workforce will have to pay higher taxes to support an ageing population.
Australia needs to resume its skilled and unskilled immigrant intake. We need permanent skilled immigrants and temporary migrants such as backpackers and students to do the hard yakka that the rest of us won't do. Furthermore, Australia needs them now. But it is doubtful whether they will come in sufficient numbers. If Australia again closes its borders, they could be stuck here and destitute. Australia could open its borders selectively to refugees, to obtain the skills and workers we need. This would be viewed by the rest of the world as a humane and generous move. But what about many older Australians' deep-seated racism harking back to the White Australia days?
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
OH how times have changed. A Herald editorial on October 12 last year berated the NSW Premier for advocating plans to lift some COVID restrictions (Premier Perrottet's reopening plans', Editorial 12/10/21). Now COVID isolation restrictions have been lifted nation-wide with hardly an adverse comment from the press. Many people who have had COVID relate that they have had far worse influenzas and some people have probably had COVID and did know they had it. The reality is, as it has always been, we must learn to live with COVID as we have learned to live with influenza and take our own precautions as we see fit.
John Cooper, Charlestown
WELCOME, Garry Linnell, ('Someone's always watching you' Herald 1/10). I question whether Optus has "reached out" to all its customers. I have yet to receive either an email or a text message from them. Was this an oversight on the part of Optus or does it mean that my personal details were not displayed by the hacker? My monthly bill arrived promptly.
Margaret Farrell, Adamstown Heights
THE rapid intensification of Hurricane Ian barrelling Florida's Gulf Coast is a stark reminder of how climate change is supercharging tropical storm systems and exacerbating extreme weather events. Australia is not immune to the warming climate and its effects. The Bureau of Meteorology had recently declared that a third La Nina is officially under way for Australia, with our East Coast communities having to prepare for a third year of more rain and floods. This is our reminder for Australia to transition from fossil fuels as swiftly as possible, but also to plan for adaptation so that the impacts of climate change on our land is minimised.
Ching Ang, Magill
MAY I suggest the first thing the Voice tells Albo is to fix the bloody housing crisis. How about all of our homeless Australians camp on the doorstep of the local federal member's office and refuse to leave until they are provided with a home, because the government is apparently too busy to even bother with unfortunate Australians. Let's see if we pay compensation to the Torres Strait Islands because the useless UN blames Australians for the climate catastrophe before Albo puts a roof over Australians heads. The honeymoon is over; it's time to give Australians first preference, Albo.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
I KNOW we have had a lot of rain this winter but many suburban sporting fields are a disgrace, with apparently little effort by the council to maintain them. It must not rain as much in the CBD as the parks and flowers around the Town Hall are lovely.
