As a longstanding member, it's good to see the Jets begin strong in the Australian Cup.
After an extremely forgettable and disrespectful opening ceremony in Paris I still watched the Matildas play.
They, unfortunately, did not produce the desired performance. But you can't win everything.
What I find a disturbing aspect however, in the Zambia game, was the five goals scored by previously banned players.
High testosterone in a women's game surely should be reviewed.
The same two players fashioned victory against Germany.
The world is falling apart with this madness.
Stephen Willmott, Hawks Nest
Eagerly awaiting a storm to bowl us over
The local council elections can't come soon enough. What a waste of money that skate park at south Newcastle Beach is - except of course for the minority who think otherwise, most of which aren't even old enough to pay council rates - or vote. Meanwhile, I'm waiting for the next east coast low when the bowl ends up like a pool! The question then will be: is it a tidal pool or inland pool so council can flog it off too to a private contractor. Pass the popcorn!
Jo Mackenzie, Mayfield
Coach can't take all the blame
Our national women's soccer team, the Matildas, bowed out of the Olympics in an inglorious manner and the coach got the blame and the boot. The Matildas were afforded a well-funded campaign including a charter plane, luxury accommodation and 23 contracted staff for 22 players, yet performed poorly.
Looking at their recent games they need to improve their basic ball control skills, passing and tackling to be afforded the media adulation that has been bestowed upon them. Top teams in any sport act professionally, and I think they need to look at themselves when performing poorly and never openly blame the coach.
John Cooper, Charlestown
Can we afford Brisbane Olympics?
IN 1956 a successful Olympic Games was held in Melbourne, using the pre concrete jungle MCG for track and field and nearby locations for the swimming and other activities part of the games back in those days.
In 2000 a much enlarged agenda of events was successfully conducted at the Sydney Olympics to great fanfare.
There was plenty of lead time for the presentation of facilities for the Sydney games, there was adequate land available, and my belief is that most Australians strongly supported the Sydney concept both in approval of its appointment and then via attendance.
Now, looking at the Paris circus, how could Brisbane and the Queensland government possibly arrange and finance a similar extravaganza?
Not only does Australia have a cost of living crisis, we also have well over 100,000 homeless people. The costs of both housing and electricity are galloping. Our health services are severely underfunded, and medical appointments are becoming both scarce and expensive.
While extra NRL teams and the like are great in theory, can we really afford them when we Australians are involved in a massive personal financial crisis? What economic benefits could be gained when the expenditure of some billions of dollars is being channelled away from the needy?
My advice is that Albo should direct the Queensland premier to stop dreaming and pull a Daniel Andrews pronto, hoping for an early exit fee.
Richard Devon, Fishing Point
Rules just apply to everyone else
I was in the car park at Coles Toronto when a car pulled into the only vacant disabled car parking space. Out jumped a woman, probably in her 30s, who walked very briskly into the nearby Reject Shop (probably appropriate).
I waited around five minutes until she hurried back to her car. I inquired as to what her disability was and she replied I only went in for a few minutes. I said you are supposed to be disabled to use it and got the usual abuse you expect these days.
When she pulled up there were around five vacant parking places in the row behind where she pulled up, around five metres away. So, I guess genuinely disabled drivers could go and park there I guess.
As someone who works at a busy train, bus and taxi interchange, I notice that this self-entitled, rules-apply-to -other-people attitude increases every year. It is increasingly adults, not only children involved.
This is the world we have allowed to evolve.
Jan Phillip Trevillian, Fennell Bay
Heartache doesn't justify Hamas
Just to put straight Julie Robinson's letter ("Respect humanity on both sides", Letters, 31/7): Hamas is a terrorist group ruling Palestine. They do not have any humane bones in their bodies.
It's the people in Palestine and Israel who are suffering because of what the terrorist grouping Hamas did to the people who were at a music festival in Israel. They were shot at, slaughtered in anyway possible, raped and held hostage for too long. All the world should be trying harder to release those hostages who are still alive.
As for telling people to go to the library to learn what happened in so many conflicts, I can assure you that the people who came to Australia as migrants all remember what conflicts are all about.
Migrants who came years ago for a better life are all great Australians now. We did not protest in this country when there were conflicts in the country we came from. We as migrants all mixed with other migrants and Australians to make a great nation.
Let's hope all hostages still alive will soon be released , and some sort of peace will be made.
Margrietha Owens, Cardiff
Knights fans may have questions
After reading the item in Toohey's News (Newcastle Herald 1/8), regarding the departure of Adam Doyle - yet another staff member who apparently didn't agree with Blake Cannavo over his sons playing prospects, I have to hope all Knights fans are asking for a "please explain" from management immediately. I have several questions. Why is Mr Cannavo an "advisor" at the Knights? What are his rugby league credentials, and what exactly is he advising on? I think the time for transparency is long overdue, Knights management.
Lisa Davies, Mayfield West
Time to punch up eligibility rules
What is the world coming to when a boxer fails gender testing to qualify to compete at the world championship, but is able to fight at the Olympics? This is a travesty. How are they going to get young girls into the sport when it's like this?
Ken Stead, Lambton
Uni protests food for thought
Carl Stevenson ("Education may not be the answer", Letters 1/8), I don't know about welfare but it bodes well for education when students, and those demonstrating haven't pigeonholed their knowledge or subcontracted out their thinking skills to what others tell them. I think they are seeing beyond imposed causal start points and finding the real history, not misinformation, even when that junk information is over 70 years old.
