WELL, Ashley Klein has done it again, refereeing the Knights in Canberra. Two penalties in the last five minutes completely took the game away from them ('Final blow', Newcastle Herald 20/6). The bunker was not far behind in some of the rulings they made, and it would appear that the Knights are a long way off getting the rub of the green.
After all that, on occasions, the Knights were their own worst enemies; not backing up a break by Ponga and Randall, who made a couple of decisive runs but also was forced to go to the ground. I think the wingers for the Knights should be wearing the 8 and 10 jumpers for the amount of times they had to run the ball out of the 20-metre zone.
I think this defeat has just snuffed out any chances of finals this year. Coach Adam O'Brien apparently has another two years to run on his contract and Wests are adamant that they won't sack him, so where does that leave the Knights if they don't improve over the next two and a half seasons?
Allen Small, East Maitland
You can't just blame the coach
MY belief is that the Knights started their downward trend back in the days of Brian Smith and have continued with all coaches thereafter, when they started engaging players past their use-by date and not nurturing our local juniors. How many of our unwanted locals have been let go and are coming back to bite us, like Hudson Young from Sunday's game? Give Adam O'Brien a go. I believe that the problem is further up the hierarchy, that there are people making decisions who are out of their depth in running top grade NRL clubs. Just look at some of the good advisers that we have lost in the past, Garth Brennan being the latest.
Sandra Harris, Georgetown
Level of service seems the same
I HAVE just received a notice from my gas supplier about a price rise from July 1. This has come as no surprise as I know that the wholesale price of gas has risen.
However, what did surprise me was that the service charge has also increased by about $800 a year. There was no explanation about why it will cost more to supply the gas to me, and I have not yet had a reply from the supplier after I put this question to them.
Does anyone have any information about why the service charge is increasing? I'm sure there are many gas users who would like to know.
Barry Shepherd, Cardiff
Power struggle goes way back
FOR the last 30 years we have been on a slowly sinking ship. Three decades of political stupidity have left us with old coal-fired power stations which are being closed, reducing our ability to generate sufficient electricity to meet demand.
I have spent years listening to constant arguments from various quarters that have sent us around in circles and achieving nothing. If something intelligent had been tried, we would not be in this disaster.
The abolition of the Electric Commission allowed private enterprise into the generation sector. The abolition of the county councils allowed private enterprise in.
Most of the coal consumed by the power stations once came from mines owned by the State Mines Authority. Cheap fuel produces cheap electricity. Stop running the industry like a monopoly game to make money. The country needs reliable electricity. The cheapest forms of power generation, wind and solar, cannot generate enough power now. If they could, we would not be in this mess. Also, gas turbine power stations are fuel inefficient. They were designed as peak-load plants but are being pushed into a greater role due to the closure of so many coal-fired power stations so quickly.
Mark Fetscher, Charlestown
Give it back, by your leave
SICK leave, or personal leave, whatever it goes by: if you have any left, consider yourself fortunate. Most of us have now experienced COVID and were made to take the required seven to 14 days of isolation.
In some cases by now, it's been twice or three times. If you also contracted the flu after the fact, then that's more time you would have had off.
I work with people that come in less than well or cannot take time to be with their loved ones in ICU because they have exhausted all of their sick leave and simply cannot afford not to work. Is it too much to ask that the government wave a political wand and reimburse us back that leave?
Odessa Kout, Mayfield
Scenario isn't so hard to picture
IMAGINE if you will an inopportune moment when you take a fall or become ill, and suddenly you are in dire need of hospital treatment. The ambulances are busy, so you make arrangements for a lift to the hospital.
After being put through all this you enter the hospital and find a packed waiting room only to be told there is a seven-hour wait.
Sitting is painful, so you decide to go home. You are told by triage you really shouldn't because it could be dangerous.
What an appalling state of affairs: underfund the hospitals then privatise them. No matter your political persuasion, this is simply wrong. Meanwhile it's the public that are suffering due to political ideology. I believe the NSW state government should be ashamed of itself.
Nick Ryder, Booragul
Turbines wouldn't ruin the vibe
STEVE Barnett, I'd welcome wind turbines here at Anna Bay. Apart from the cheap power provided, to quote Darryl Kerrigan, they'd be "a reminder of man's ability to generate (safe) electricity"; an everyday reminder that they've helped save the future of the planet for my kids and grandkids - and yours as well.
Unlike a nuclear emergency, if a blade falls off we won't have to mass evacuate the population in a radius from Wollongong to Kempsey to Mudgee. Win, win!
John Arnold, Anna Bay
Flagging the need for change
AS the 30th team to qualify for the World Cup, the tiny nation of Wales proudly raised its national flag on a boulevard in Doha. It consisted of a large red dragon on a green and white background. When the 31st team to qualify, the nation of Australia, hoisted our national banner it was obvious to most that it's way past time we finally get the British Union Jack off our flag.
Mac Maguire, Charlestown
Leaks were never true problem
LET me get this right, as I am having real difficulty getting my head around it. Those who started the war in Iraq, including our own former prime minister, on what even at the time were considered false pretences are all walking around free pulling in huge amounts on the speakers' circuit.
Those that pulled the triggers have not been charged with any kind of offences. But the man who revealed the barbarity of the war, so much of which had been covered up, is facing 175 years in a maximum security prison. You can understand my confusion. I can't have this right. Surely not?
John Queripel, Kotara
SHORT TAKES
Are the Liberals in the political wilderness for years to come? Probably not. If they dumped the Nationals, dumped Dutton, and formed a coalition with the Teals, they could win the next election. That's why setting up an anti-corruption commission is a matter of urgency. It needs to be properly in place before the next corrupt government appears.
Peter Moylan, Glendale
HOW bizarre is it? An essential service as in electricity is allowed to be traded as a commodity. No wonder they are raking it in.
Gary Hayward, Cardiff
WITH all the "not our fault" talk about the so-called power crisis, can anyone tell me if any coal fired power plants have been closed down or any coal mines closed in the last month? Or is it as I believe all operating under the conditions for the last few years? If I am to believe what I think I know, there is no way Opposition Leader Peter Dutton or any of his shadow ministers can level any blame at the current government, although I'm pretty sure they will continue to do so. Facts haven't been a top priority for the Opposition when they were in government so don't expect that to change.
Fred McInerney, Karuah
US Aussies sure are doormats. Though the third largest energy exporting country, we can't look after our own needs. Real classy.
Graeme Tychsen, Toronto
I FULLY support the decision to place the Aboriginal flag atop the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The $25m cost though is yet another stupendously ridiculous example of the inefficiency of private contractors over now virtually extinct government services. Privatisation has been a disaster for our society and remains a bleeding, open sore.
Rick Frost, Mallabula
ALTHOUGH they couldn't beat a team who had their captain sent off for ten minutes and a player who played the last seven minutes with a severe shoulder injury, at least the Knights had the decency to lose on a Sunday; it didn't ruin the whole weekend.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
NEWCASTLE run onto the field; the referee blows his whistle. Goodnight.
Dallas Bellamy, West Wallsend
PETER Dutton said today that Labor was speaking out of both sides of their mouth. Really? Well Peter Dutton always speaks out of both sides of his mouth, sometimes the top, but more so the bottom.
Simon Ruddy, Newcastle
THE NSW government wants to introduce performance based pay for teachers. I'm a Coalition supporter, but Sarah Mitchell, please allow someone with experience in the classroom into the job. This idea is totally out of touch.
Greg Adamson, Griffith
THE former NBN studios, being an iconic 1960s building, may be reused as part of Australia's film and television school with links to TAFE NSW training and technical teaching. Why demolish? Save the historic site for future generations,
