EVERYONE in the Hunter knows how important Newcastle Airport is to our prosperity. We were pleased to hear Newcastle Airport is to grow into an international airport. Unfortunately there is a great deal of work to be done. I'm not talking about brochures of what to see and do, or the terminal. I mean the basics.
On June 6 this year the airport was busy, with lots of smiling faces anxious to get out for some fun. Our flight to Brisbane was constantly delayed. The plane needed an engineer to fix a minor problem.
Can you believe that Newcastle Airport apparently had no engineers? Two hours and 45 minutes we waited for an engineer to drive to Williamtown from the Central Coast.
As it got later, cafes closed and the one that was open was running out of food. The engineer arrived, they were right, it was a quick fix and we did manage to get away. My question is, what if it hadn't been a quick fix?
In my opinion, there are dozens of reasons why an engineer should always be stationed at Newcastle Airport; the big question is why there wasn't one there already on standby. The airport is owned by the City of Newcastle and Port Stephens Council. As a ratepayer, tell us why.
Cheryl Dall, Medowie
Stockton saga's gone on too long
UNFORTUNATELY Stockton remains the biggest story in town. The Herald's Donna Page has been reporting on this for years; a sad saga, indeed, ("Stalled sand plan to add millions", Newcastle Herald 24/6).
That the collective experts, city and state, continue to put forward band-aid solutions is very demeaning to the engineering profession.
Further, I believe it is irresponsible in terms of financial planning for the council, even if they can shift the load of costs to state taxpayers. There's still a great deal of money being squandered, some $50 million in all.
It is erosion, requiring major remedial engineering to avoid terminal damage. What is being done and proposed is nourishment or temporary rock fills.
Apart from the aesthetics, it has resulted in the most expensive swimming area in Australia. The numbers involved I believe are the least cost-effective ever. It is time to use that timeless plea; the Stockton residents should demand the city seek engineering solutions from major organisations, and not another expensive consultant's report to get the opinion that they desire.
Stockton could have a wonderful future using sound engineering and imagination, with the possibility of major real estate investment. As things are, the prospects are bleak.
Fred Whitaker, Newcastle
Climate doubters are out of step
I FIND it so disheartening to read letters in which correspondents continually fudge facts and 'cherry pick' from professorial documents in attempts to discredit the fact that man-made climate change is real. Recent commentaries include quoting the University of Maine stating that "there has been no apparent warming this century".
This is strange commentary indeed, as I am looking at a graph presented by Professor Paul Mayewski that shows that there has indeed been an increase in temperature in the past 70 years. Mayewski is head of climate studies at the University of Maine.
Claims are also made that man-made climate change is just a 'theory' and is not proven. Well, man-made climate change caused by increases in atmospheric pollutants, including CO2, has indeed been proven by hundreds of organisations and thousands of scientists. As the soldiers marched by, a mother said "they're all out of step except my Johnny". So it is with these tiny few deniers.
Mike Sargent, Cootamundra
Flag's union jack a nod to history
OUR flag bears the stars that blaze at night in our southern skies of blue, and the little old flag in the corner. It's part of our heritage too. It's for the English, the Scots and the Irish who were sent to the ends of the Earth; the rogues and schemers, doers and dreamers, who gave modern Australia birth.
You who are shouting to change it don't seem to understand it's the flag of our law and our language, not the flag of our faraway land. There are plenty of people who'll tell you how when Europe was plunged into night that little old flag in the corner was their symbol of freedom and light. It doesn't mean we owe allegiance to a forgotten Imperial Dream. We have the stars to show where we're going and the old flag to show where we've been.
To those wanting to change it, have you lost a loved one who fought under it and for our country? It would do you good to get out of bed on ANZAC Day for a dawn service or a Remembrance Day and see the people who attend the services, especially the children. For Remembrance Day this year at the Cenotaph in Speers Point our flag which was flown in the hot desert war of Afghanistan will be flown alongside the New Zealand flag, which also has that little old flag in the corner.
Michael Carlin, Eleebana
Precedent courted legal overreach
MUCH has been said about the US Supreme Court's decision, but few speak of the actual legal point. The question answered was simply whether the US Constitution addresses the subject of abortion, the answer no. This decision itself does not prohibit abortions but it does say the Constitution document does not include explicit support.
In that light, I believe the previous decision of Roe V Wade was dangerous as those justices created a right beyond the words of the constitution. It is not ever the right of a court to do so. If a right to enable abortions is wanted, then the right place to find that right is in a decision of the legislature. It can create such a right if it is deemed to be right to so do. I believe courts should never create laws or rights, as they should only apply the laws enacted by the elected.
I find the emotional response to this principle of law unbelievable since if the court is granted the right to create laws, it may also disregard laws. Full uncertainty would prevail, and injustices would happen more often than not. No member of any parliament would want the court to just make up laws as they make decisions in their courtrooms; it would be unsafe.
Milton Caine, Birmingham Gardens
Lack of G7 action an indictment
ALL these members at the G7 meeting discussing Ukraine are no better than Roman senators pondering the fate of the Christians. I reckon the free world has depended on the US for so long, its members now hide in the shadows and accept a line on a map as an excuse to do nothing.
If this happened long ago there would be a crusade to rescue Ukraine. What happened to the right thing to do? What happened to helping one's neighbour ? If the carnage, and loss of life we see on the news, is not a call to assist, then I suggest the free world has no conscience. History has shown that talking and negotiating has never stopped a dictator from having their way, and the same is happening right now.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
SHORT TAKES
THE current problem with wages in our public service areas health, education, and emergency services has been escalating for a few years. Bureaucrats in finance departments have allocated funds to building and infrastructure projects rather than the people that deliver the essential services. Workers can always perform their duties if they are remunerated, trained and have safety. If governments provide these essential services the over priced buildings can take second place for a while.
Gerry Mohan, Shoal Bay
READING all those so-called financial experts on their predictions on inflation, housing, jobs etc. I really think they have no idea. The Reserve Bank was asleep at the wheel; interest rates should have gone up 12 months ago. The ones that make me laugh are real estate agents, nothing to see here, eternal growth in the market is a sure bet. Well, the dopey butcher with no tertiary education, who left school at 15, is going to make an economic prediction: inflation will hit 12 per cent, possibly 15 per cent; house prices will drop between 20 to 40% per cent depending on the area and within two years the cash rate will be 6 per cent and Bill Shorten will be prime minister. You can call me Saustradamis.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
RATHER than working together with China to improve global infrastructure the G7 will spend hundreds of billions of dollars working against the Belt and Road initiative in a desperate effort to maintain United States hegemony. One lives in hope that Canberra may realise the wasteful foolishness of this divisiveness and find an independent path which works towards our own prosperity rather than the schemes of so called super powers.
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
JUST a thought on the editorial ("Fury over Albo staffer cuts", Herald, 28/6). Maybe Anthony Albanese knows more than I do on who the real independents are. There are certainly some in our parliament, of course, but clearly the voting patterns in the past indicate they are not all really independent at all in my opinion. Those ones don't really need as many advisers; they can get any advice they might need from the party they religiously support when it comes to a vote. That might even include some aligned with his own party. Again I could not name any.
Fred McInerney, Karuah
THERE has been a huge reaction about the bridge flagpole. Now would be a great opportunity to redesign our national flag. Give the flick to the Union Jack; keep the Southern Cross, add a mix of native colours and the original blue, maybe a native animal, say a kangaroo in dot form, or maybe the Federation Star with some symbol of our continuing alignment with the UK. Anyway, it's food for thought before we outlay $25 million.
