AFTER reading the front page of Friday's Herald ("Dead man defence", Newcastle Herald 31/1) it begs the question: how much more does the Nash family have to suffer at the hands of the Catholic Church? It would seem that they have not learned a thing in regards to late Brother Romuald.
The story is well worth a read. As one reads this story (I am a baptised, and practising Catholic), it makes one feel totally ashamed of the Catholic Church in regards to this matter. Brother Romuald was an evil predator and I hope he is burning in hell.
Robyn Nehl, Charlestown
Time for electricity austerity
THE letter by Gwen Collis ("We're headed back to future for frugal living", Letters, 31/3), is very timely. I was born in February 1925 and grew up with my parents and brother and sister during the Great Depression. Ms Collis describes many features of that time we all enjoyed.
My father worked at the Zaara Street Powerhouse and received two weeks' pay for three weeks' work. We also had fowl and a vegetable garden. The groceries were weighed from bulk supplies into paper bags, wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. Deliveries were made with horse and cart, especially the baker.
I had been drafting a letter urging the government to ask the population to reduce their consumption of energy; limit the use of air conditioners, take fewer showers, limit the rooms lit at night and the use of the car, for example. It is not good enough to have zero emission targets and continue to live our lavish lifestyle. The planet had reached an equilibrium before humans appeared. The industrial revolution has consumed the world's resources with the resulting rise in average temperature. We desperately need to phase out the use of fossil fuels and plant more trees.
John McLennan, Charlestown
School shootings not God's fault
THE Tennessee murders represent the 90th school shooting in America so far this year. Imagine the daily angst of living in a country where the simple act of sending your child to school means there is always the chance they may never come home. Prayer is the first thing you should do, claims the state's governor who just lowered the legal age to buy guns from 21 to 18. He stated in 2019 that Tennesseans should pray for God to avoid such school shootings. These latest avoidable murders happened in a Christian school to innocent Christian children and adults. Seriously, how can people still believe there's a benevolent God up there looking after the faithful? Forget God and prayer; get rid of the self-serving ideologues in power who enable these tragedies because they bow to the wishes of the gun lobby over the right-to-life of children.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
What efficient action looks like
PETER Devey, ("Climate horse trade misses point", Letters, 30/3), suggests human-induced emissions are about 3 per cent of total levels in our atmosphere, and Australia is responsible for 1 per cent. Science says that, since 1950, human activities have contributed to almost 100 per cent of global warming, and Australia, as a major producer of both coal and gas, is a significant contributor.
He suggests also that the hard cap on emissions will not work, or will drive our economy into the ground. But things may not be as bad as he predicts. Industries have already made progress.
He defends the Liberals "for dragging their feet", asking what action can be shown to work.
Here's a few. BloombergNEF analysis showed green aluminium was cost competitive in 2021, and would become cheaper as renewables increased in electricity generation. International Energy Agency analysis shows implementing best practice methane mitigation across all Australian coal mines would cost about $500 million annually, about one per cent of their annual profit, while significantly reducing emissions. The concrete industry has already developed lower-carbon concrete, with up to 50 per cent fewer emissions.
You can't go past South Australia's renewable progress as an example; averaging over 70 per cent renewable electricity throughout 2022, and over 80 per cent for the past two quarters, with excellent grid stability and reliability, producing low-cost electricity with no coal and minimal gas. All results many considered impossible a decade ago.
Richard Mallaby, Wangi Wangi
No 200 years of wine and roses
THANK you Dave McTaggart, (Short Takes, 29/3), for your depiction of me: "once again Pat Garnet tells us how the Indigenous people "protected" this country for 60,000 years". It makes me feel worthwhile.
Some friends who are not backward regarding their opinion about my letters gave me a very high rating for that particular letter ("We need to ask: who will pay for this future?", Letters, 27/3). I am compelled to answer Mr McTaggart's question: "does Pat seriously believe that if Indigenous people had advanced beyond the simple tools they used to survive, that they would not have used those tools to make a more comfortable lifestyle?"
The question is hypothetical, and I believe an insult to First Nations people. The second part of his question -"have they not benefited from achievements over the past 250 years?" - gets an emphatic no. When Mr McTaggart emerges from the rock he apparently lives under, I warn him to be prepared for the shock of degradation enforced on First Nations people since Invasion Day.
I hope his views are not common among people who are less informed than me.
Pat Garnet, Wickham
Indigenous voice isn't monolithic
WITH the passing of the referendum bill last week, Anthony Albanese stands to be embarrassed should the Voice referendum see a vote of less than even 80 per cent. Embarrassing because it will show that we will forever be divided by race or ethnicity.
In a nation that is a mix of a huge percentage of ethnic people, including Africans, Arabs, Asians, Indians, Europeans and the Irish just to name a few, I believe it is simply not possible for us to be 100 per cent supportive of a single voice for hundreds of mobs that may never agree to just one Voice because of their diverse circumstances.
I think it's far better for us to support the National Indigenous Australians Agency, which is already working for Aboriginal communities and making a difference. What becomes of it? The Prime Minister still feels that cashless cards and grog bans are offensive to the Indigenous. Yet look at the main source of problems in Indigenous communities.
No, it is the Prime Minister and his team who need education about the real problems in these areas. Spend time in these communities like Tony Abbott did. Then we might believe it is about them and not your "legacy". I wouldn't be proud of setting us up for failure.
Garry Robinson, Mannering Park
SHORT TAKES
ADAM O'Brien, I don't care what your reasoning is, but, unless he is injured, Dom Young should be named in every team for the rest of the year ('Dominant force', Newcastle Herald 3/4).
Tony Morley, Waratah
REGARDING Steve Barnett's time in Sydney, I suspect on the day in question when his Opal card was checked on numerous occasions he was probably wearing an "I'm from Newcastle" T-shirt or a Knights cap.
John O'Brien, Whitebridge
IN singling out China and Russia as failing to recognise the International Court of Justice, your correspondent, (Short Takes, 1/4), fails to mention other notable opponents of the court. Since its creation by the United Nations General Assembly in 1988, 123 states (or countries) have fully ratified the court. Of the very small handful of countries that still refuse to acknowledge the jurisdiction of the court, three - Israel, India and Indonesia - are major Australian trading partners. Another is Australia's "special friend"; that beacon of justice, freedom and democracy, the United States of America. So, in refusing to acknowledge the authority of the International Court of Justice and its mandate to investigate and adjudicate on war crimes and other crimes against humanity, Russia and China are in interesting company.
John Ure, Mount Hutton
Barney Langford's letter regarding the previous state Liberal government was both scathing and factual in regards to their failures and alleged criminal activities, which he states are now before a court ("The proof was in the polling", Letters, 1/4). While the younger voters may not remember the criminal activities of the previous state Labor government, many of us older people do; mining leases, harbourside retail licences etc given to their colleagues, mates and families resulting in jail time, fines and other penalties, in my opinion clearly far outweigh any of the misconduct perpetrated by the previous government.
Darren Saxon, Pelican
THE historic by-election result in Aston confirms that voters see the LNP as the party of yesteryear. A party bereft of ideas, plans and policies for today and tomorrow. The political wilderness beckons and they've answered her call.
Mac Maguire, Charlestown
IF the Voice Referendum is to be unifying and successful, the proposed words to be added to the Constitution need to be amended so that Parliament has sole responsibility for the existence, composition, functions and powers of the Voice and this role of Parliament cannot be challenged in the High Court.
Clive Jensen, Merewether
RICK Frost (Short Takes, 1/4), I could say the same thing about the, in my opinion, insufferable rantings of Jenna Price. Well done to the Newcastle Herald for its balance.
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
IF homo sapiens are most intelligent, why are human leaders so stupid?
