Congratulations to Michael Parris on his article "Schools must guide students into right careers: skills boss" (NH, 20/7).
Twelve years ago, my wife and I visited Switzerland and took a ferry ride on Lake Zurich. There was a big tour group on the ferry and their guide explained how the Swiss education system worked. She said all kids were tested at the end of primary school. Practical kids were streamed to Swiss technical high schools, business-oriented kids were streamed to commercial high schools and future doctors and lawyers to grammar schools. These destinations could change, but most kids were well suited to the chosen schools.
Only about 30 per cent of school leavers went to uni initially, she said, as the Swiss education system was focused on producing well-trained and skilful young people for various industries. What a sensible system.
I completed tertiary studies at both TAFE and university and can honestly say that TAFE left uni for dead in regards to learning valuable, useful and marketable skills and knowledge. Later, I worked as a part-time TAFE teacher for 13 years while running my business and taught students at night who worked during the day. It was always a great pleasure to help students with useful and valuable knowledge to build their careers.
Chris Taylor, Tea Gardens
Dam quake risk remote
The chances of an earthquake breaching Grahamstown Dam and flooding surrounding suburbs are very remote: 0.03 per cent a year (or three years in every 10 000 years) according to the latest risk calculation by consultants, AECOM Australia.
The chances of a serious asteroid wiping out life in the surrounding area are also remote. Although risk calculations are extremely unreliable, neither risk is zero.
The Hunter region is not on a major fault line or plate boundary, and structures are not built to withstand major earthquakes. The unexpected earthquake in 1989, was a low 5.6 on the Richter scale. The epicentre of the quake was 15 kilometres SW of Newcastle CBD, near Boolaroo. It is speculated that it was triggered by the release of tectonic forces after 200 years of removal of underground rock, including coal.
Grahamstown Dam suffered negligible damage in the 1989 quake, despite its earthen walls and its underlying and surrounding silty and sandy soil. This type of soil is unconsolidated, weak and cannot hold its shape. During a major earthquake it is subjected to "boiling" and liquefaction. Since the 1989 quake, the dam's wall has been strengthened several times. Following the latest risk assessment, Hunter Water has limited the filling of Grahamstown Dam to 90 per cent of its capacity. The surrounding householders can breathe easily. Now their worst-case flood will be 10 per cent less severe.
Geoff Black, Frankston
Time of grime remembered
Tony Morley again showed his obsession with East End residents as "NIMBYs" ("East End coal site was best choice", Letters, 29/6) when he described the Zaara Street power station as the best available power source to keep the lights on "back in the day".
It was commissioned in 1915 for NSW Railways, although some power was used for domestic and commercial use as well. It closed in 1975. If he Googles, he will find the comment that it was hard to believe such an "iconic site" was chosen for a power station.
Many current East End residents remember enduring those negative environmental impacts. We lived in Watt Street in the 1950s and '60s and I recall my late mother putting the washing on the clothesline and later rewashing it because of the soot and grime from the power station, as well as steam trains and tugs in the CBD.
Morley says "we" (who?) thought it was best "back in the day".
Residents and their lifestyles were not considered by decision-makers. It's Tony Morley who needs to "have a good look at himself", not East End residents.
Keith Parsons, Newcastle
D'Souza's claims dismissed
Ian Kirkwood cites Dinesh D'Souza and Tucker Carlson for D'Souza's assertion in 2000 Mules that ballot boxes were stuffed and mishandled ("US elections show democracies work in mysterious ways", NH, 20/7).
Both the Washington Post (17/9/22) and NPR (8/9/22) dismissed the claims made in the film on which the book was based. The New Republic (28/12/22) said D'Souza's claims were: "so outlandish that it's almost unthinkable that D'Souza wanted to reach anyone besides the already converted, who lapped it up". The New York Times (31/5) reported that D'Souza had to apologise to a man "who was falsely depicted as having committed election fraud in the film".
State investigators in Georgia have since found that the man accused of stuffing ballot boxes "committed no crime and that he had legally deposited the ballots for himself and several members of his family". As a result, Salem Media, the film's producer, has withdrawn 2000 Mules from public exhibition. Factcheck.org (10/6/22) says the film "fails to prove its allegation that the alleged harvested votes are actually illegal ballots".
So I guess Ian Kirkwood has been taken in by Tucker Carlson et al.
Barney Langford, Whitebridge
SHORT TAKES
Stop taking city for granted
Councillor Callum Pull promises to direct council spending away from inner-city vanity projects if his Liberal team is re-elected ("Unfinished business", NH 23/7). Yet, he was the only councillor who voted to return Supercars to Newcastle, despite this event being a high-cost, inner-city project that did not benefit inner-city residents and small businesses. The major political parties need to stop taking Newcastle for granted at all levels of government. I'll be voting independent.
Christine Everingham, Newcastle East
Skynet waiting in wings
Harold Kronholm and Vicki Dunn ("Cracks to chasms" and "IT chaos a warning", Letters, 23/7), regarding IT and AI, you are absolutely correct. As soon as Skynet becomes self-aware the human race is doomed.
Richard Dempsey, New Lambton
Interest in city from afar
Geoff Black from Frankston seems like an expert on everything in Newcastle. He's not like that other writer from Japan is he?
Geoff Pickin, Wallsend
Support for Kerridge
It's great news about Ross Kerridge ("Independent day", NH, 20/7). Wonderful to see a man of conviction standing up for his principles. This is not a man who is interested in building his repertoire of selfies. He will make a great lord mayor who listens to the community. He will give us true consultation and no vanity projects. We have been waiting for this change.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
Tuned in to US soap opera
Once again we have the political machines dominating the democratic process with Biden knocked out of the presidential race. Biden had the fight in him to give Democrats a chance. Are the political masters saying we got it wrong therefore handing the election to Trump? The soap opera continues.
