I EMPATHISE with Amber Moncrieff when she complains about wayward shopping trolleys in the street of her business ("Supermarkets told to clean up act", Newcastle Herald, 4/11). I think they are a scourge. It is rare to see Aldi trolleys in the street. The reason for this is that Aldi trolleys are coin or token return, so most people return the trolley to retrieve their coin.
I feel we should lobby the state government to make it mandatory for all supermarkets to make their trolleys coin-return. I don't know how to achieve this, but there has to be a way. I hope someone has a greater imagination than I do in this endeavour.
Les Field, Wickham
Pandemic plan needs details
HAVING just read the COVID-19 Response Inquiry Report, its recommendations could have been written by any literate person who lived through the pandemic and saved us a lot of money. I believe the federal government's terms of reference were designed to protect state premiers and their draconian actions, making the report a complete waste of time. We need a pandemic plan that clearly sets out emergency management, political decision making, management responsibilities, accountabilities, communication coordination and the role of medics. Perhaps a future federal government that really cares will hold a proper royal commission that ensures we are ready for the next pandemic.
John Cooper, Charlestown
Issue may decide US election
THE US election may well be decided by just one issue: immigration. The Republicans have attacked Democrats, particularly Kamala Harris, for having an "open border" policy. This comes as New York mayor Eric Adams is also being attacked because his city has received more than 210,000 asylum seekers in two years, a situation his opponents claim is costing taxpayers billions.
Despite this attack, as well as some muted defence of migrant policies, there has been almost no comprehensive examination of why so many central and south Americans are fleeing. There has been mention of gang violence, poverty, political repression, economic collapse and natural disasters but a deafening silence about how the US drug demand created the drug barons who now rule through violence. Also missing in media stories is a mention of catastrophic free trade agreements that led to the de-industrialisation of the US rust bucket states.
Polls suggest two-thirds of Americans disapprove of Mr Biden's handling of migration. Whether this translates to votes for Trump will soon be known.
Don Owers, Dudley
Tough choice for American voters
"DRILL, baby, drill!" This is apparently Trump's latest slogan. Obviously it's a reference to the need for less regulation in the dental industry in the USA.
So who should American voters pick in the forthcoming US presidential election? The charismatic Kamala Harris who says she's "fighting for a new way forward that protects our fundamental freedoms, strengthens our democracy, and ensures every person has the opportunity to not just get by, but to get ahead"? Or should they vote for the despicable, disreputable, misogynistic, orange creature? Hmm, it's a difficult one.
No, I'm not just saying that. I'm torn, I really am. I want to stay neutral but, when I think about it, Kamala looks better. She's never been impeached. She speaks better. She's not a narcissistic megalomaniac. She came across better in the televised debates. Trump, on the other hand, survived an assassination attempt which he has in common with Hitler. Hitler believed at the time that divine intervention had aided him in his survival. I don't know, I really don't.
Louis Shawcross, Hillsborough
Take freight off the trains
A SMART decision by Premier Minns would be to remove freight from the Sydney rail network, use this capacity for passenger services and permit high density residential development to occur above and beside the rail corridor to be serviced exclusively by trains; no cars. The proceeds could be employed to fund the development of a dedicated rail freight corridor between the Port of Newcastle, Badgerys Creek, and Port Kembla.
This corridor has an immediate market in container freight - all container trucks would be removed from Sydney's roads. All of Sydney's containers would be railed from the Port of Newcastle to intermodal terminals in outer western Sydney.
Greg Cameron, Wamboin
Gospels stand in agreement
JOHN Ure (Letters, 30/10): according to ancient sources, St Peter himself approved Mark's gospel and authorised it to be proclaimed. All four Gospels agree remarkably more than any other set of ancient documents about any other ancient event. To what embellishment of the Christian story do you refer? The Trinity and Transubstantiation are doctrines, not stories, but scripture is full of reference to them: Father, Son, Spirit, eat my flesh, drink my blood etc. Adz Carter (Letters, 30/10), I have a T-shirt which says "Everyone needs to believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink". It came immediately to mind when I saw your comment.
Peter Dolan, Lambton
Short Takes
Suspicion rot is deliberate at Queens Wharf
I THINK Queens Wharf has been allowed to rot and fall into disrepair deliberately, until the council can then say it will cost far too much to repair, and sell it off to developers. How many times has something similar happened? The condition of the building is the result of deliberate choices made by council, let them bear the cost of refurbishment and keep the property in public hands. At least ask Scott Neylan his opinion.
David Jennings, Edgeworth
Paying for cost runover
PERHAPS Nelmes and Bath can hand back their share of the payment they get to "sit" on the airport board to help pay for the cost blowout. The council has never completed anything on budget so this latest news is no surprise.
Greg Lowe, New Lambton
Don't blame Labor for rates
PETER Dutton has criticised the Labor Party over the inquiry into the COVID response by the previous government. He says it was only instigated to hurt the Liberals. Well, Mr Dutton, there is one section of the findings you should be interested in; that is the part that states emphatically the high inflation we have suffered for so long was caused by the overstimulation of the economy during the COVID crisis. So stop blaming Labor for the high interest rates; the primary cause was the Morrison government.
Darryl Tuckwell, Eleebana
Give council wards more weight
I READ with interest the latest comings and goings of our City of Newcastle council. With all due respect, I would like to make this observation. When reporting on the situation, could the journalists please refer to the councillors as to their respective wards rather than their political persuasion? We elected them to represent us, not a party. Maybe they should look to the future of the never never suburbs they were put there to represent.
John Bradford, Beresfield
Always look on the bright side
IT was with much amusement I read Labor's response to the Queensland election loss. They said it was positive as the result could have been much worse. It reminded me of a boxer I knew who was knocked out in the first round. He said ''If he had not knocked me out I would have killed him''.
Sandy Buchanan, Largs
Responsibility of past
YOU are funny Peter Dolan ("Pro-lifers do 'give a damn'", Letters, 4/11). Do you mean men taking responsibility like in the past when women were shoved in Magdalene Laundries and homes for unmarried mothers, treated like slaves and called vile names and the men who impregnated them were out and about sowing their wild oats and being regular, decent lads?
