ON Saturday we had the Newcastle Knights double header at McDonald Jones Stadium, Disney on Ice, at Newcastle Entertainment Centre, basketball at the Broadmeadow stadium, a soccer game at Arthur Edden Oval and the hockey state championships at the Regional Hockey Centre.
There was no street parking within, at least, 1.8 kilometres of any of these venues. In addition, there was no business parking available, whether it was open or not.
Those attendees who were asked to catch public transport, which was adequate for only some of the events, had to deal with hourly bus routes, each way, to Broadmeadow and Wallsend.
Entirely inadequate.
This is all before the proposed basketball stadium on Wallarah Oval joins the mix.
We suggest that two multi-storey car parks either side of McDonald Jones Stadium would somewhat alleviate this problem, but will that happen?
John and Jean Jensen, New Lambton
Get behind the region's charities
In reference to the story ('Kurri charity claims under investigation, Newcastle Herald 25/7): as a parent of a severely disabled child I am anguished and pained to read of the continuing pressure being put on Kurri Kurri Community Services (KKCS) by the continual agitation and complaints to every politician and regulatory body without any regard for the impact it has on our disabled community.
Every investigation to date (six in total, I believe) has disclosed no wrongdoing, to my knowledge. The wonderful work of our organisation (I am a director on the board) to support the disadvantaged, supported workers (special needs), the youth, young mothers, first nations and aged members of our community by our wonderful staff is to be commended and should be celebrated by our broader Hunter Community.
Let's all get behind the charities that are supporting our communities.
Chris Dumas, Adamstown, director on KKCS board
Mistrust sometimes misplaced
PAUL Scott points to blowback from nearby residents and other citizens who voice strong views on the commercial use of parks and community assets ("Great possibilities; commercial, community use could co-exist", Opinion, 10/7).
It's one view, and there are others.
In a 2022 feature article in the Australian Financial Review called The Newcastle Renaissance, deputy mayor Declan Clausen was on hand to offer legitimacy to selling the city's administration building, and Helen Cummings is there discussing Supercars. The ratepayers of Newcastle are now leaseholders in the Newcastle West offices.
In this article, a high-end Swiss watch company advertisement featured Newcastle baths in the background. There is a lived experience here; in my opinion, it's the experience of red flags of chronic mistrust.
What Paul Scott chooses to see as a missed opportunity - access to Nobbys Lighthouse - is hard to fathom. The breakwater was packed on the June long weekend.
Newcastle has a viable tourist attraction, a working harbour with an artist's gallery/studio. Even with those sand drifts, I believe another red flag is the mismanagement of community assets.
There is scope for community/commercial use at the Newcastle Ocean Baths, but there is mistrust and concern for an East End jewel. It's a justifiable concern that the venue could become just another exclusive venue for council high-flyers and their VIP guests.
It's concerning that an iconic east coast landmark, paid for by the rate-paying citizens for more than a century, could be handed over as the latest pump-and-dump venue.
Philip Kelly, Newcastle East
Critics agree with Voice architects
I DON'T think Richard Devon ("Vote's easy, problems are hard", Letters, 24/7) realises he is in furious agreement with the architects and advocates of the Voice when he claims that billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent and wasted on closing the gaps on Indigenous disadvantage with no real progress.
In fact, it's one of the major reasons behind the Voice concept.
All policy so far has been designed by politicians in Canberra with no real-life experience of the variables and intricacies of Indigenous communities. It's always been policy first followed by implementation.
Yes, Indigenous people have been involved in implementation of these political concepts, but they are merely following government directives.
The Voice would mean that Indigenous people are consulted before the policy develops, which they believe would create better use of taxpayer money.
They can't hope to achieve this if we don't support them with a "yes" vote.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
What right do any of us have to deny Voice?
IT seems extraordinary that someone such as me, who was not born in Australia, gets to decide whether or not Aboriginal people get to have a Voice in the national Parliament.
What right have I to deny anything to Indigenous people who have been on this land for 65,000 years?
I believe that this is something that all Australians should reflect on, whether they were born here or not.
As I have been asked to decide, I shall be voting "yes".
Paul Hamilton, New Lambton
Rain decides Ashes, but that's life
NOW the Pommies are whinging about the rain robbing them of the Ashes series. Apparently it's all right when they win a series the same way, but not when it goes against them.
Just like the Trump supporters, some are claiming they were the winners.
They are really desperate when they turn their anger towards the Australians instead of the weather in their own country.
Barry Reed, Islington
Dixon Park seems a bit formal
PETER Sullivan ("Bingo in suburb name game", Letters, 24/7), regarding keeping the names going, you missed one: Dicko.
Jeffrey McTaggart, Hamilton
Nicknames come with time
PETER Sullivan ("Bingo in suburb name game", Letters, 24/7), Barno is your suburb not Barnsley. We call Fingal "Fungal" Bay, then there's Shoaly or Boxy around the corner.
Nicknames for locals are rife here.
The celebrities, our mates, include Browser, Mr Jive-Ass, Nugget, Chips, Godfather, Teflon, Ziggy Sawdust, Anorexic Superman, Fox, Party Pants, Sippy the Bush Kangaroo, Mr Barr Superstar to name a few.
To the wowsers who recently arrived and want to change the place, the celebrities have a message: there was nothing wrong with the joint before you turned up.
Stevo Barney, Fungal Bay
The world game's not for everyone
Daryl Frost ("World Cup is cracking footy codewar open", Letters, 24/7), sounds like an Android phone owner. I'd be worried about a game that celebrates nil-all draws like a victory as well.
Matt Ophir, Charlestown
Labor's lack of help is a concern
'NO more help', Chalmers tells households. Is this the same federal and state governments that ensured everyone (pre-elections) that we would all be better off under the supreme leadership of a Labor government? The only consolation for me is I can say I didn't vote for Labor at any level.
Peter Jeffries, Tuncurry
Every day is another gift in love
DAVE McTaggart ("Savour it as Knights sides storm home", Letters, 25/7), I wake up next to Miss Universe everyday.
