I WAS interested to read about the plan to digitally vandalise the statue of James Fletcher, who was an Australian coal miner and owner, newspaper proprietor and politician in the 19th century ('Taking a stand in statue dilemma', Newcastle Herald 3/6). His main offence was, apparently, his involvement in the coal industry. I understand that the era of coal is passing, and the reasons for that, but it would be a shame if we failed to recognise the role that coal has played in the development of our society.
Before coal, wood was used for cooking and heating, then in the 19th and into the 20th century, coal provided steam to power the ships and trains that enabled people and goods to travel around Australia and the world, instead of being reliant on sailing ships and horsepower. Transport became much faster, making it possible to trade goods between Australian ports and to export commodities such as wheat and wool to other countries. Once electricity arrived, coal powered our factories, streets, shops, educational facilities and homes; television, household appliances and modern devices have transformed daily life and work.
By all means, let's be glad to move on into the era of cleaner renewable power, but not neglect to respect the advances that prepared the way and, in their time, were just as transformative.
Wendy Webb, Warners Bay
Church's standard must be clearer
WHAT does it take for the Catholic Church to defrock ('laicise') a priest? I'm not asking rhetorically. This is not just an expression of anger, sorrow, disgust, and disappointment over the case of Vince Ryan and the Catholic Church's abominable self-serving handling of it for decades ('Clergy informed of death', Herald 4/6). I really want to know. If it isn't enough when a priest molested and raped at least 37 children, then what circumstances are actually required? I sincerely want to know what it takes.
Michael Jameson, New Lambton
Community transport is crucial
ON NBN News last Friday, there was a report that the previous government was going to cancel community transport for the elderly citizens. This would be another big blow for welfare and needy, older people. The last government has been slowly whittling away transport options.
I had a taxi cabcharge voucher to use when I needed to access or leave hospital. This came out of my home care package, much cheaper than relying on the use of transport provided by my home-care provider, which would normally be one to two hours' home care payment from my home care package i.e. $50 each way against $100 to $150 each way. To attend John Hunter hospital by public transport from home would be a minimum two hours each way. I attend clinics there that are not provided by the Maitland Hospital.
Ray Dean, Thornton
Power shift happened too fast
IT is relatively easy these days to review what has been said in the media. Over the past three years we have been told how prices are falling due to more renewables.
As late as December 2021 we were told how cheap power would be in future. The ACT bragged in 2019 that their costs were falling due to all their reliance on renewable power supply. Giant batteries were touted as the answer. Exactly the opposite is happening as power stations start closing. Eraring provides up to 25 per cent of NSW's power.
Common sense would have told you that if you stop the main source of power, coal power stations, then prices will rise. The media promoted the change, and must share the blame for rising power costs and probable winter blackouts.
John Hollingsworth, Hamilton
Emphatic move has many benefits
PRIME Minister Anthony Albanese has promised to make Australia a "renewable energy superpower". The benefits are huge; environmental including climate change, economic including employment opportunities, and the health impacts that can come from using a much larger quantity of greenhouse emissions and free renewable energy sources to produce energy. All will be of enormous benefit to all Australians and indeed to the rest of the world. Bring it on.
Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank
Direct feedback needed on energy
PLENTY of plans, none with substance. No one wants to give any plausible plan with detail in laymans' language as what will replace coal and at least equal the status quo.Here's a plan; build nuclear, modular plants and start now.
We will have a head start when the antis suddenly realise that the stove won't heat and the shower is cold. Renewables are not the be all and end all. Think what we are heading for if the quiet Australians don't wake up and see where those that will feel little effect (silver spooners, big business, greenies etc) take us. How soon will they take up the position that Australia should stop exporting coal and gas, as it is our fault that other countries use our fossil fuels to hasten the demise of all habitable areas in which we live? No export income means we can't pay for all the public services. All survive to a major degree due to the revenue from our exports.
Don't kid yourself; these investors espouse that they are doing their bit. They do a lot of spruiking, but do not readily admit that the bottom line is profits.
It's way past the time the population was asked its opinion; no surveys, a full referendum and no less. In Newcastle the local council has said no nuclear in my area. No one has asked me via a referendum. Don't rely on some selective survey - give the locals in all Australian locals a voice. Finally it is way past the time that our major political parties give serious thought to where the country is going. They should have a bipartisan committee set up to fully and constructively examine all issues relating to the future and present the pros and cons of any options to the population without bias.
Charles Nightingale, Cooks Hill
Time to treasure our ports again
WHEN our constitution was established the state department's duties for ports, telegraph, telephones, naval and military defence, lighthouses, lightships, beacons, buoys and quarantine were transferred to the Commonwealth. IT also concerns Parliament's right to make laws with respect to trade and commerce and extends to navigation and shipping.
My question then is how were the states able to sell off rights to the two most sensitive ports in Australia; Darwin and Newcastle? I'm no Labor supporter, but I would applaud if our new government nationalised all of our country's ports, starting with Darwin and working their way round our coastline to Fremantle.
Yes, we are supposed to be a paid up member of global trade markets and one which sells government assets, but needs must; China makes its own rules and so should we, for our good not theirs. We should treasure our assets and not sell to the very country that seeks to dominate us.
Maureen Dearing, Newcastle West
SHORT TAKES
WOULD it be easier to legislate that all new buildings have solar power to adequately service their needs? I know that councils have legislated to have rainfall collected in tanks. Councils, please take note and change the legislation so that all future building construction will have adequate supply.
John Levick, Adamstown
HAVING strong ties to one of the countries to our north that is now being wooed by China, I have grave concerns not only for Australia's security but also for the wellbeing of the ordinary people of those countries. To our advantage the citizens of most of those countries have far stronger ties to Australia than to China, but as Steve Evans in his great article ('Turmoil in the Pacific', Newcastle Herald 4/6) subtly points out "... China may seek pliant officials who would benefit materially from Chinese largesse". As repugnant as the thought is, our government will need to seriously consider matching China's "largesse" if we are to halt their advance
Dave McTaggart, Edgeworth
IAN Roach, (Letters, 3/6), states Tim Flannery did not say that "dams will never fill again." His exact words to Sally Sara on Landline were: "so even the rain that falls isn't actually going to fill our dams and our river systems." Same difference, I reckon.
Steve Thompson, Redhead
THANK goodness we have Sky News to level up the playing field. Andrew Bolt, Peta Credlin, Paul Murray etc., all have Labor people as guests, (Graham Richardson etc), and are all given a fair hearing. This is not possible for Liberal supporters on what I consider the most biased political show in our history, Q&A on the ABC.
Don Fraser, Belmont North
DR Ken Thornton (Letters, 4/6), I wish you every success for a noble vital preservation endeavour. The power and fuel sectors represent countless lives of ingenuity, hard yakka, and grime and sweat, in the noble pursuit of secured lives often taken for granted. On a lighter note, when opening a Hunter power station, Premier Wran said 1000 years of civilisation was being secured.
Graeme Tychsen, Toronto
WE all know Peter Dutton's position on China; "prepare for war". But what is his position on the 694 million tonnes of iron ore we sold to China in 2021? Iron ore makes steel, and steel is the essential raw material of war. Mr Dutton can't have it both ways. If he keeps pushing a war with China agenda, then he must call for an end to iron ore exports to China.
John McDonald, The Hill
AFTER being a member of a government that did nothing to embrace renewable energy and helped sabotage its use, it is hypocritical for Peter Dutton to blame our new government for the difficult situation we find ourselves in.
