LAST Saturday I was privileged to work for the NSW Teachers Federation at the Pride Festival in Hamilton. It was an event full of colour, music, food, acceptance and inclusion. Everyone was so friendly, embracing the delicious food stalls and enjoying the musical events. The atmosphere was full of positivity and happiness.
Recently I returned from Germany, where I attended a multicultural event and was made a guest of honour. Why? Because Germans love Australians. I was made so welcome by my German family and the organisers of the festival. It gave me great delight to witness the German community accepting such a diversity. I was even featured in two newspapers and photographed with a lifelong friend. I had to use my dictionary to read it. It was an honour and very unexpected.
So, life in the last months has been exciting for me in both Australia and Germany. I have now returned to work educating the beautiful children at New Lambton. How great that our country has long service leave! Stephen Fry has been known to say, "if you love your work then it is not really work". I agree.
However the icing on the cake last week and the highlight was I ticked off a bucket list dream: I got Oasis tickets. Yay! So let's drink Champagne Supernova and climb that Wonderwall.
Suellen Hall, Wallsend
Tabling objection to sitting high
HAVE we really reached the stage where sitting on tables people use for eating is acceptable? I began thinking of this a few weeks ago when I had to tell a fellow to get his dog's backside off a picnic table at Newcastle beach. He objected to my approach, but I explained that families could soon be eating there and he relented.
Since then I have noticed that people sitting on cafe tables is becoming quite common. A quick wipe down with a damp cloth afterwards doesn't satisfy me. And what else will the cloth be used for? Then I see a large picture in this newspaper of a man propped on a picnic table at Merewether baths. Please stop it! It's going too far to think our civilisation has sunk that low.
Ray Dinneen, Newcastle
Defence equipment must be safe
I WAS appalled to read in recent reports on the inquiry into the crash of an ADF Taipan helicopter in northern Queensland that test flight reports prepared by the designated test pilot about the dangers inherent in the Taipan helicopters were repeatedly ignored by senior ADF officers and the test pilot was threatened with disciplinary action from pursuing the matter.
Surely it is the primary task of anyone testing any type of equipment, if they recognise dangers in its operation, to notify their superiors, whether in the armed services or in civilian occupations.
The fundamental reason for having a testing regime is to "test" the designated equipment to see if it is functional, efficient and safe in operation.
Recently laws have been passed in Australia rendering company directors personally liable for industrial manslaughter charges if an employee is killed through other people's negligence in their organisation, whether the directors are personally involved or not.
Surely the same duty of care should be required of senior ADF officers, particularly when an authorised equipment tester notifies them of issues with equipment being tested?
How can service personnel and the general public have any faith in our defence management when nonsensical situations like this one are accepted and allowed to continue, posing risks to all practitioners using the equipment involved?
Chris Taylor, Tea Gardens
No shrinking violets
LIKE many things, I suppose the significance of the Voice referendum result is in the eye of the beholder. For me, given the history of this country, the dispossession and marginalisation of its Indigenous people, their long struggle to be heard, their request for a Voice, and the fact a big majority of them voted for it, there is a strong case for seeing the outcome as a slap in the face. Others, such as Greg Hunt and Peter Dolan ("Voice isn't the only option" and "Bill offers a censorship risk", Letters, 24/10), see it as a cause for celebration.
I'm more than comfortable with the comparison drawn. As for that populist trope of a "silent majority", spare me. The No campaign and its supporters could hardly have been described as shrinking violets. In fact, as the campaign went on, there was no escape from their Henny Penny-like shrillness.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Urgent care is more pressing than missiles
It says everything about the priorities of the federal Labor government when we get one minister boasting loudly about spending $7 billion on missiles to defend us against a supposed enemy he can't name, and another minister pleading that there's no money to build an urgent care medical clinic in Raymond Terrace.
Daryll Hadfield, Redhead
Tenderness on price a bit much
REGARDING the politically charged Newcastle council and their reasons as to why they want to keep the report "secret" as the information would impact "current and future tenders" ("Pool report to stay secret", Newcastle Herald, 18/10) is beyond belief. Surely they know how quotes work! I believe this again shows Labor, Liberal and Greens politics don't belong in local government. We, the ratepayers, are paying for this.
Maria Pye, New Lambton
PM isn't only one with property
WOW! So much noise about the Prime Minister buying a house on the Central Coast. Every shock jock and Liberal propagandist was on to the subject. What I would like to see is a list of every Labor, Liberal, Nationals, Greens politician or their spouse or company that have more than one house and that own a house in Canberra that they charge us the paying public for their living away allowances when parliament is sitting. Now that would be something to see.
John Matthews, Belmont
Would criticism cut both ways?
GREG Hunt ("Vote of confidence in coast", Letters, 21/10), seems to be critical about the prime minister buying a home on the Central Coast. Yet, if it was Peter Dutton who purchased it, would he have said anything? Perhaps another Conservative case of don't do as we do, just do as we say.
Barry Reed, Islington
Never mind respect, let's act
WITH a bulk carrier called Climate Respect, then it is definitely time for the government to legislate a less than two metre sea level rise.
