Aussies know how to stop, listen and act
Australians are good people.
When someone is really struggling, good people jump at the chance to help. It's what we love about Australia. I've seen it in all kinds of scenarios, from the bushfires in 2019-20, to floods in 2022 and to donating food and presents to families in need at Christmas. People roll up their sleeves and lend a hand.
And what works well every time is that instead of blindly jumping in, these good people take a moment to stop, listen and then act. It's listening to what comes after "How can I help?" that's critical.
And that's how I think the Voice will help address Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander disadvantage and injustice.
Asking "how can we close the gap?" must be coupled with listening to the answers.
The Voice will give communities impacted by First Nations policy input into those policies.
As Salvos, we see every day how listening improves outcomes, co-design improves delivery and advice motivates meaningful action.
That will be the impact of the Voice.
Captain Kim Haworth
Divisional Commander NSW/ACT Division, The Salvation Army Australia
Enabling rich and poor division
I have no doubt that the people who are anti-Voice fear that the First Nations people will do to the rest of Australia what our forebears did to them. If we are mature enough, we will finally recognise First Nations people and hopefully learn from them what 60,000 years of living in this country has taught them, and it may actually unite us.
As far as the weak reason from the "no" camp, that giving Indigenous people a voice will divide the country, I believe that division was already created by John Howard's government. It wasn't necessarily along racial lines, but laws were enacted that took away the responsibility of governments to plan and provide for public housing and schools. At least that was the effect of the laws when the private sector was encouraged via tax breaks to invest in housing. The other law was to give private school operators an education allowance for each student.
The result of these law changes is that the rich are getting richer and the working poor are finding it very hard to have a home of their own. Children are having to be transported to school by public transport, parents have to fight for availability of local schools and our taxes are paying for the cost of religious education.
It's time to bring back common sense.
Jo MacDonald, Warners Bay
Rego plate swap a rip-off
Since reading the letter from Wayne Borrow ("Hidden' costs of buying a used vehicle", Letters, 28/9), I had occasion to visit a service NSW office, and while there asked about the $30 number plate fee that Wayne refers to.
For the benefit of our readers, this is what I found out: the $30 fee is now charged to the new owner only if the number plate is black and white, not the standard issue black and yellow. This sneaky new tax by the Minns government is unfair because it is aimed at people who have personal number plates, maybe with sentimental value, that need to be transferred when they change cars. It also applies to any number of old box and boat trailers where black and white plates were standard issue.
Can you believe it?
I was also told that the special order plates that Service NSW are offering for sale will attract an even higher transfer fee.
This money-grabbing government is really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this new tax.
Ian King, Warners Bay
Nuclear ticks all boxes
It's been said by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen and co, that modular nuclear reactors cost too much money to build, take too long to install and cost too much to operate.
Rolls Royce, which develops small modular reactors, has said they come ready to go and take between three to five years to be up and running. A Rolls Royce 470 MW modular reactor will cost around four $4billion to supply and install, which should last 60 years, this far is less than a 470 MW solar or wind farm that will last up to 20 years, but only productive 35 per cent of the time.
The CSIRO says modular nuclear reactors will start producing power at around 30 cents per KW then drop off to 13 cents per KW by the year 2030. Thirteen cents per KW for a power source that will last 60 years, that's 100 per cent carbon free, is a dream that the Greens of today can only imagine.
Don't demolish power stations, replace the coal fired furnace with a modular nuclear reactor, everything else will last with good maintenance. Anything else just doesn't add up, so why are we having this discussion?
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
SHORT TAKES
Supercars commentary a moveable feast
Praise and acknowledgement must go to the Newcastle Herald in providing a public platform through its letters to the editor pages to call out the constant and consistent rhetoric and spin being touted by some of our local and state politicians about Supercars.
Mel Horadam, Newcastle
Dutton's 'no' just point scoring
Peter Dutton's 'no' vote serves one purpose only. It is a cheap political point scoring exercise. The Conservatives have one agenda. That is to say 'no' to everything.
Colin Rowlatt, Merewether
It's no magic wand
Along with many others, I voted to remove racism from our constitution. I believe it should be reintroduced by following the wishes of a Prime Minister who has been unable to define what he wants. I don't believe in the mantra "trust me I'm a politician". I also don't believe Linda Burney's assertion that a "yes" vote is a magic wand to wipe out years of mismanagement by both sides of government over many years.
Stuart King, Toronto
Extreme views do damage
A relative said she was voting "no" because she heard on Fox News that "they" would come to take her land. Totally convinced of this stupidity, many others follow the right-wing press to the detriment of commonsense. Such is the power of extreme journalism that we may one day recover from the misinformation by gaining a "yes" vote. I hope some day Australia will become the country I always said it was.
Graham Burgess, Speers Point
Information is at hand
Daryll Hadfield (Letters, 30/9), I will take issue with you on your criticism of Deb Gadd. It is you who needs to be informed. I doubt you have read the Uluru Statement that has to be accepted, only then can Parliament pass the necessary legislation. Try reading the Electoral Commission's Referendum Booklet, one is a polite request, the other will give you enough accurate information to make an informed choice.
George Marshall, Windale
Question of law
We are required to compulsorily vote on a new proposed law. This is not just an advisory committee - it is a law and everyone knows that what the law says is what we do. Vote 'no'!
