THERE should be no container trucks using the Port of Newcastle. Carl Stevenson ('Most containers destined for elsewhere', Letters, 23/9) is rightly concerned about container trucking.
Every container can be railed. Furthermore, containers can be railed between the port and intermodal terminals throughout NSW, including Sydney, by building a new, dedicated rail freight line between the Port of Newcastle, Badgerys Creek and Port Kembla.
The Productivity Commission is worried that increased use of rail might be uneconomic.
But the commission is yet to acknowledge the benefits of removing all freight from Sydney's rail network, including the connecting lines to Newcastle and Port Kembla.
A dedicated rail freight line from Newcastle paid for by railing containers and general freight enables economic benefits that remove the need for government investment.
The commission says any investment in rail needs to be justified on its merits.
However, the commission shows no interest in a detailed analysis because the industry super funds that own 80 per cent of Port Botany/Port Kembla and 50 per cent of Port of Newcastle, decline to consider the benefits to their members of transferring all container port operations to Newcastle.
Greg Cameron, Wamboin
Privatised bus service
I FIND it hard to understand the desire of the Upper House MPs' inquiry into the operation of the recently privatised Newcastle and four Sydney bus depots ('Buses blast', Herald, 21/9).
The privatised services are a disaster, they say.
They say nothing of the privately operated Maitland, Kurri/Cessnock, Port Stephens, Gosford, Wyong bus services.
These services have never been government-owned.
All private bus routes are dictated by Transport for NSW, also, the frequency of these services.
Private bus operators are paid a per kilometre fee to run their services.
I'm not sure exactly, but the fee is around $3.20/km. The bus operators do not gain revenue from the Opal card machines.
This revenue goes to Transport for NSW. Out of this revenue, the bus companies are paid their fees.
So, Geoff Black ('Short-term pain for long-term gain', Letters, 23/9), do the necessary research and get your facts in place.
Les Field, Wickham
Face reality of fossil fuels
IT is often said by Australian politicians that Australia is a very minor contributor in relation to causing climate change because, compared with many other countries, our lesser use of fossil fuels, to produce energy, is only adding a very small percentage of greenhouse gases that are the prime cause of human-induced climate change, into the atmosphere.
What is often not mentioned, particularly by politicians, is the fact that Australia is a massive exporter of coal and natural gas, which when used by importers to create energy, adds enormously to the volume of greenhouse gases in the global atmosphere.
When our huge exports of coal and gas are taken into consideration it becomes very clear that Australia is, in fact, a major world contributor to causing climate change.
It is surely time for our politicians to face reality and realise that our highly lucrative exports of fossil fuels, coal and natural gas in particular, are inflicting great harm upon ourselves and people across the world.
Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank
Revenue raising mobile camera
GEORGE St John ('Insurance hit punishes drivers second time', Letters, 24/9) tells of the financial implications of being "noticed" by a fixed speed camera and earning one demerit point (80 per cent increase in CTP Green Slip for three years).
I have recently received a penalty notice, recorded by a mobile camera. The notice says I was speeding on Excelsior Parade. The mobile camera and I were not on Excelsior Parade, so I believe this notice is invalid.
The Newcastle Herald, in a listing of revenue raised by location, had Excelsior Parade in the top three, with more than $3 million collected in fines. This appeared very strange to me at the time.
I regularly drive on Excelsior Parade and there are no hot-spots along it.
My experience suggests that many of these fines were issued with the same incorrect location as my fine.
It would be good to check how many of the offences were recorded outside business hours. This looks like a mobile camera being used purely for revenue raising.
The camera's position is nowhere near any road safety hot-spot. A class action might be considered if thousands of demerit points have increased CTP payments for three years as in George St John's letter.
The vehicle and operator were parked on the edge of Toronto's business zone. The car, with business signage on it, could only get the parking space outside business hours.
Clients of the medical services and visitors to the private hospital use the roadside parking on Cary Street, between Brighton Avenue and Excelsior Parade, during business hours.
I did wonder, at 10.20am on a Sunday morning, why there was a single car parked near where Cary Street curves onto Excelsior Parade.
We are told that mobile cameras are used in places where speeding is associated with road incidents/crashes. There is no such history on this section of Cary Street.
Those who received speeding fines with the location: Excelsior Parade Toronto between Brighton Avenue and Jindalee Street might look into challenging the validity of their fine - I am.
Wendy Davidson, Toronto
Ratepayers expect to be in loop
WELL I've really poked the bear haven't I, Scott Neylan ('East end belongs to us all', Letters, 20/9)?
Firstly the Supercars issue is a complex one that could be argued for years to come and I, for one, don't intend to do that. I simply want to speak to the rights of consultation for the people most affected as we certainly deserve.
As a ratepayer, as you appear to be, I expect to be informed of costs and gains of this race and thus far we haven't been. It's all hidden.
If you had researched this you would know that Supercars brings much of its own food and beverages, so local businesses don't benefit as much as you might think.
Many are forced to close as delivery trucks are barred after 7am so they have nothing to sell. You appear to have an axe to grind about east-enders.
I'm not against motor racing as I have driven to Sydney many times in the past and watched it at Oran Park and Amaroo, both purpose-built tracks set up well away from the city.
I agree with you that the events held here like the Van Gogh exhibition and markets are great and I will certainly attend many of them but unlike people from outside the area I won't be seeking a parking spot and with the King Street parking station removed they may not find one in the city.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle East
SHORT TAKES
CHING Ang (Short Takes, 26/9), perhaps living the Victorian lifestyle is a way to reduce emissions; lock everything down, force people to stay inside and those who don't comply beat the living daylights out of them, run them over with police cars, monitor everything they post on social media and raid their homes if 'Dictator Dan' is criticised. Yep that's how you reduce emissions; destroy human rights.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
I RECENTLY read an article on the ABC website which spoke of a need to seal a gravel road in a very remote region in north west Australia. The reason for spending so much on the road was its significant military importance in the event of war. I can't help but think railway would be more beneficial. Railways are better at moving large tonnages over long distances and rail transport is far more fuel efficient than road. Given how low our fuel reserves are, this could be critical during war. The article in question later went on to say that improvements to this road would be beneficial to local pastoral and mining interests. This may be a good time to start converting our railways, particularly in Queensland to a common standard gauge.
Peter Sansom, Kahibah
A WISE man once said: "The love of money is the root of all evil". The situation regarding Newcastle university and TAFE illustrates the truth of this statement. The abandonment of satisfying needs and producing outcomes in favour of hoarding dollars has negatively influenced students and staff at these institutions. At a time when the nation needs education and complex skills to advance, we instead get overpaid administrators and a desperate call for skilled immigrants. Sadly it is not only in education where this is happening. Increasing inequality in our society is leading us towards insecurity and chaos. Our political leaders offer, at best, tepid rhetoric and the captains of industry gloat and compete with one another in greed.
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
WELL said Don Fraser (Short Takes, 24/9) regarding last Thursday's public holiday following the death of the Queen. I too, think it was a stupid idea. It just goes to show Albo has no idea the cost to small businesses, in particular with those who chose to open having to pay staff public holiday rates and those who did not open having to pay staff anyway, as well as losing a day's trading profit when so many are still doing it tough following COVID. You can bet your bottom dollar there would have been an unusually high number of sickies taken on Friday to make a four-day weekend of it, meaning another unproductive and costly day for business. In the event that there was an argument for a public holiday why wasn't it held on the day of the funeral?
