IN the City of Newcastle survey we are asked if we would support the City of Newcastle agreeing to host the Newcastle 500 for another five years if the annual total cost was no more than $1.6 million? My answer is no.
The race is being held in a totally inappropriate place. The noise levels are harmful to the health of participants and particularly to the Newcastle East persons imprisoned in the area. Access for personal vehicles is too restricted within the prison precinct. Public amenities such as the beaches and foreshore are made too difficult for the public to use.
The lack of openness about the financial costs of this race to the ratepayers of Newcastle LGA makes me fearful that once again there will be waste of public money as we are already seeing with the escalation in costs of the Newcastle South project, the Newcastle Baths, and the proposed Newcastle Foreshore project.
Further, I am concerned about the validity of any results from this survey as it does not attempt to measure the views of the public as to the appropriateness of the geographical location of the race, and that is the real point at issue here.
Tim Roberts, Newcastle East
Heat is on to take race off streets
TRAFFIC standstills for hours in our East End beach areas. Motorists stuck in their cars for that length of time on our hottest day in years. Supercars dictate what we the residents and ratepayers can and cannot access in our own city. Their response was simply "plan ahead". Many motorists had to call police for help and then the road workers needed to enlist police assistance. Summer temperatures and our main beach car parks are closed. This disruption should not be permitted to continue into a new agreement in Newcastle. The location is totally inappropriate.
Jan Thompson, New Lambton
We're expecting indifference now
SADLY Sunday morning marked a new dimension in the Supercars saga. Because of work being undertaken by Supercars, traffic was gridlocked - on all the streets that were open - for more than two hours, leaving residents and visitors stranded. It would have been impossible for emergency vehicles to access the area if needed.
There appeared to be little planning associated with the work, no understanding of the chaos that would be caused as a consequence and evidently the communication to prevent such a fiasco was deficient at best.
This is not my first communication on matters related to this event and I am certain that it will not be my last. In the past I have highlighted the nine weeks of disruption that this event causes to residents, the loss of revenue for local businesses, the ridiculous assertions as to the economic benefit of the event, parking and access. To this list we can now add the extraordinary episode of Sunday morning and the total lack of planning associated with it.
Judging by events of today, there appears to be an almost callous indifference to the plight of residents and businesses within Newcastle East and also to those who simply want to visit the area. The time has come to say enough is enough, but sadly one can only assume that lip service is being paid to those who oppose this event, and its renewal is a done deal.
Peter Gittins, Newcastle East
East End traffic wasn't welcoming
SO now I believe it's clear who wants the rest of Newcastle to stay away from the East End: Supercars. Not on their weekend, but just for the 10 weeks it takes to set up and take down. Removing hundreds of car parks all through the East End and closing of roads and access to beaches ensures limited access for all. It also ensures business suffers dreadfully and tourists stay away.
Just ask the police how chaotic the situation is - on Sunday they needed to issue a warning to all drivers to stay clear of the Newcastle East area due to how dire the traffic congestion was. Unbelievable. Another five years of this? Surely not, Newcastle council. Surely not?
Jackie Furey, Newcastle East
Demolition isn't always answer
HERE we go again: another fully restored timber bungalow on Brunker Road at Broadmeadow is slated for demolition to make way for another multi-storey development. No one could blame the owners for selling so they are not subjected to being dwarfed by 20-metre concrete walls surrounding them and destroying their lifestyle.
I just don't understand why these beautiful historic houses need to be demolished and go to the dump. The northern rivers area are desperate for good quality houses to be built. Why aren't all levels of government and developers working together to split timber houses slated for demolition and truck them up north? Whatever the cost to put these houses back together with utilities, it must be better for the environment and help some families get their lives back quicker. It's not hard to think outside the box and adaptive re-use is always better for everyone.
Sue Morris, Adamstown
Councils need road to best deal
THANK you to Maitland mayor Philip Penfold for speaking up on Labor's plan to ditch the NSW government's Road Reclassification Program. Over the last term of council we have continuously been lectured by Labor on how slow the process has been for the state to take on local roads. Now, on election eve, Labor are putting it in the too-hard basket and cost-shifting the long term maintenance back to regional councils.
$280 million of Labor's election commitment is already in the bank accounts of councils, and $193 million is from another program Labor are axing and is already budgeted for. That means the real commitment is $197 million, which I believe means if elected Labor will only spend $197 million on regional roads compared to $1 billion if the Coalition wins.
Cr Mitchell Griffin, Maitland deputy mayor
Little green men may be greenies
WE hear regular reports from all over the world of people claiming to have seen flying saucers and aliens from outer space. It has always seemed odd to me that aliens, if they exist, have never made verified or official attempts to contact people on Earth.
The answer possibly is that the aliens have had a close look at Planet Earth, as a place to settle, and seen heavily plastic-polluted seas, an atmosphere clogged by greenhouse gases, an out of control human population expansion, out of control human induced climate change, a terribly unstable climatic situation, out of control rising seas, rising temperatures, terrible fires, floods and droughts, and a planet dominated by financial gain by many big corporation who create energy by burning fossil fuels, where continued human survival seems to warrant very little consideration.
No-one, of course, knows why aliens to date may have perhaps decided to look elsewhere to settle, but it is fair to say that today's world contains many reasons why they may have decided to move on to greener pastures.
Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank
SHORT TAKES
THERE is little need for a fast train service between Newcastle and Sydney. However, there is a real need for a faster service. The average speed currently ranges from 60km/h to an earth-shattering 65km/h. Factor in regular delay and a reasonable case might be made for replacing half of the track with a bike path. How fabulous would it be to get average speed up to a warp speed of 80km/h. Imagine a 21st century version of the Newcastle Flyer picking up at Newcastle Interchange and Broadmeadow only on weekday mornings. I live in hope.
Robert Gol, Carrington
COULD we please stop referring to our councillors as Labor, Liberal, Greens or Independents? They are councillors, full stop. When they go into state or federal politics they can state their preferences, but as elected councillors can you all please get on with the job: roads, lawns, garbage and parks? Thank you.
Darryl Horne, Waratah
TO the voters in Lake Macquarie: don't waste your vote on an independent. Vote for someone who has a chance of being part of the government and getting things done for Lake Macquarie rather than the in my opinion very few crumbs Greg Piper has thrown in his four terms as the Member.
Toni Lorentzen, Fennell Bay
ONCE again we have an article telling us that unemployment is at record lows. This is based on figures from the ABS which due to the methodology used is about one third of the real level. Australia wide I believe the real unemployment is over 10 per cent and under employment nearly as high. There are also 900,000 people working multiple jobs because wages are too low.
Don Owers, Dudley
I THOUGHT Les Woodard, (Letters, 4/3) was a little harsh on former Prime Minister, John Howard, who has always been an easy target for those who dislike him. During his 11 years in office, his government completely paid off the $96 billion Commonwealth debt it had inherited from the previous Keating Labor government. In those days I reckon many people voted with their wallets and considered that the economy was safe with Mr Howard at the helm.
David Stuart, New Lambton
I CAN provide arguments against Labor's super tax. I could discuss how many farmers hold their land in self managed super funds and the $3 million cap is too low and will tax their actual super fund savings at an unsustainable rate. But in reality, as much as it pains me to say it, at least this government is talking about the repayment of the $1 trillion dollar debt held by the federal government. Can you imagine the cost to the Australian economy every year when interest rates climb to historic averages? The reality is we need that debt reduced as a matter of national interest.
