IN my younger years I was a very keen sportsman participating in various sporting activities within the Newcastle area. However, in the past couple of years I have lost a great deal of interest in both codes of rugby given the rule changes they say make the game faster and more enjoyable for supporters.
I often watch the telecast when the Knights play, but like most, I lose interest by half-time. On Saturday, given the weather and the election coverage on most channels, I sat down to watch St George take on the Warriors until midway through the first half when the bunker was called upon to rule on a lost ball by the Warriors.
The player had been tackled and was getting up to play the ball when tackled again, the bunker ruled the St George player was in the process of a tackle. At this time, the tele was turned off.
Rugby league is now a joke. Whereas players were penalised for a flop, this is now the norm, along with holding down.
The scrums are another issue; the ball is put in behind the second rowers and the front rowers are tackling the first receiver of the ball after just leaning on the opposition. And now for some reason it is up to the referee to call when the ball is out.
My other irritation is when the ball is kicked toward the opposition try line, why is it that these professional players (mainly the forwards who rest between one-off runs anyway) take so long to get back onside? They're obviously not fit and why don't wingers stay on the wing and let the cover (if any) take care of centre infield attacks?
To my mind, players are overpaid and hence the prices supporters have to pay to be ripped off for the sake of the corporate dollar chased by the NRL and the various venues in the so-called promotion of the game. I think I will stick to watching golf where the players are true, honest, professional players responsible for their own income, supporter and sponsorship base.
Peter Mullins, Rankin Park
Now abolish clerical celibacy
EUTHANASIA has been legalised in NSW. Another example of common sense triumphing over religion. A further reform would be the abolishment of clerical celibacy.
Does it have any place in modern society? Jesus did not require it of his followers. How did it evolve? For one thing, the Genesis myth claimed a talking snake and a woman were responsible for the eviction from Eden. Women therefore are bad news! Then came the Greeks who thought of a human made up of a body and soul. The former imprisoned the latter. To discipline the former was to promote the latter. So, no food - fasting; no sleep - vigils and certainly no sex. Bodily pleasures are forbidden. So clerical celibacy has an odd beginning but there are still people today who think their God approves of it, unnatural as it is. Time has revealed the physical and psychological consequences of depriving the body of natural needs. Perhaps in time this is another religious practice that will fade away.
Neville Aubrey, Wallsend
Back to the future
CORRESPONDENT Carl Stevenson calls for any government assistance to renewable energy entities to be rewarded with shares, ("Professional management, please", Letters, 22/5). This sounds akin to Rex Connor's admirable resource plan of 1975.
Instead, I suggest he use his internet time to investigate these three topics: (1) fossil fuel subsidies in Australia are $10 billion per year with no return of shares; (2) Australian LNG producers enjoy surging profits but pay paltry royalties; (3) Gina Rinehart has gained a wealth of $40 billion by selling our resources. Bring back the Rex Connor scheme, I say.
David Rose, Hamilton
Let pub play on
HERE we go again. Despite pubs being synonymous with suburbs and cities for well over a century, Cooks Hill residents see fit to oppose a plan to extend the Hotel Delany's trading hours, ("Residents pan hotel's later trading proposal", Herald, 19/5).
The pub has been there since 1924, so where is the justification for attempts to prevent such a long-standing business improve its model/profits? Not only do dozens of staff depend on the Delany as a source of income, but hundreds of people rely on it as a source of entertainment. Many who enjoy the pub are also locals, which makes the approach from a small handful of nearby residents even worse.
I would argue though, that the biggest concern surrounding this proposal is the hyperbole, including one resident's belief that "the hotel could be at maximum capacity of 990 patrons at 2am". In the last 24 years, I have been in licensed premises at 2am and/or at closing time on countless occasions, and I've never even seen a quarter of this amount of people still present so late.
Adz Carter, Newcastle
Polling booth voted down
IN Newcastle East, where millions have been spent in recent years on urban renewal ... where were the voting facilities? In the most inaccessible places for pedestrians; totally exposed to bad weather, sans public transport. Not good for parking even.
My nearest, in Dawson Street, had but two parties in attendance. Even the other parties could not or would not turn up. If I had known how difficult it was, I would not have and risked a fine. I got a good drenching for doing my civic duty.
Could anyone explain why our City Hall is not the main voting centre, like town halls throughout the country are?
Fred Whitaker, Newcastle
A bitter pill to swallow
THE final cost of renewables is not an exact science; based on the vagaries of future world economies and political landscapes. The current consensus is that EV options appear superior for passenger cars and hydrogen for long-haul FCEV road transport and as a replacement for gas heating; the hydrogen being produced by electrolysis.
So, the energy once supplied by petrol, diesel and gas independently, is now transferring to the electricity supply. Crucial to costing is the availability of renewable technology resources; which requires a four-fold increase in a mining industry as problematic as fossil fuels.
Twiggy Forrest wants to produce 16 million tonnes of hydrogen a year, but we wonder where the 135 million tonnes or water comes from and the cost of production, compression and delivery of hydrogen?
We should remain optimistic that there is worldwide collaboration of information taking place and the best expertise is being applied in each country. The UN world targets of net-zero moved to 2050, sees significant players struggling to meet the 2030 reduced requirement.
This is not from lack of effort, but due to the complexity/size of the problem and the difficulty of making energy sources "affordable" to the voter.
The World Economic Forum Dec 2021 estimated we need to double the amount of renewable energy we have now by 2030, and again by 2050.
This suggests the future reality is one of high electricity and fuel prices for any success nearing the net-zero emissions dream.
A bitter, but necessary pill to swallow.
Paul Duggan, Garden Suburb
SHORT TAKES
WE have a housing crisis in the Bay, but during winter half of the homes are vacant except for the odd Airbnb on a weekend. So people are sleeping rough even though they have jobs, whilst holiday home owners take advantage of crap tax law. Something has to change. I know a bloke who squats in these vacant homes at night, moving from one to the other, not making himself visible. I think that squatting will become the only choice people have until the squatters in the house owned by all Australians in Canberra do something, but they won't make policy that affects their property portfolio.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
JULIE Robinson, surely you can sympathise with the 40,000 or so people who attended the speed boat races on the lake, enjoying a great time with activities for the kids, music and entertainment for the masses. After all, you get 363 other days to enjoy the lake. I could also hear the noise from my place and it wasn't a problem because I knew others were enjoying themselves.
Graeme Bennett, Warners Bay
NOW the nation has spoken and elected Labor as its guiding light, let's hope they're good to their word and support workers towards a better wage. Labor promised "there is a light at the end of the tunnel", this is the litmus test. I hope people realise that suitable long-awaited wage rises will be the last objective on their agenda. Best of luck, but don't hold your breath. Now is the time to test their mettle and pursue wage rises to at least catch up with living standards. When do we want it?
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
I DIDN'T vote ALP or Coalition or Greens. I voted against vaccine mandates.
George Paris, Rathmines
AFTER all the promises we have had over the last month or so, it is good to see some common sense in a letter such as that by Carl Stevenson, ("Professional management, please", Letters, 21/5). Surely politicians are elected and public servants are paid to come up with ideas such as these!
Ray Lyons, Tea Gardens
WELL ScoMo paid $5.5 billion to get out of the submarine deal. That is $999 million plus $999 million plus $999 million plus $999 million plus $999 million plus 505 million, and we didn't even get a dingy.
Paul Ruddy, Newcastle
AS one Fraser to another, I agree with Don Fraser that ending coal in China and India is the world's biggest climate acting problem ("Our coal just a drop in the ocean", Letters, 20/5). But Australia must end our coal and set a good example if we hope to convince other nations to also do that. Climate change devastation itself is screaming for help. Every country will soon understand that global action is the only way to solve this climate emergency.
