I TAKE issue with Joanne Jaworowski's statement 'nor have any problems been reported with any of the previous 12 port blockages that have taken place over the years' (Letters 14/11). Some of 'non' incidents have been caused by the Port Authority cancelling sailings owing to safety concerns, definitely not a decision made lightly.
Any small craft manoeuvring in the vicinity of ships in a channel are a distraction which can have serious consequences by breaking the concentration of the pilot/captain. Think of seeing a dead animal on the road in front of your car; your instinctive move might be to avoid it and put yourself into the way of an oncoming truck. To carry on with the motoring analogy, what they are doing is the equivalent of riding down the freeway on a bike with a placard on their back.
If they really want to stop coal exports they should be targeting the buyers, not the sellers. China has over 1000 coal power stations in use. They are trying to reduce their dependence on coal fired power stations, but until then they need coal. If high quality Hunter Valley coal is denied to them they will make up the shortfall with Indonesian brown coal, which has far more emissions.
Peter Hay, Islington
Protest itself is no problem
I BELIEVE lord mayor Ross Kerridge is quite correct when he seeks to protect the right to protest. I am reminded of a statement attributed to Voltaire in the 1700s: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
Protest is a fundamental right in a democracy, until that protest causes danger to others. One can only hope that the protesters abide by the law and don't block the shipping lane to keep the protest peaceful. This is not the responsibility of our lord mayor but the responsibility of the organisers. Many protests have succeeded for many causes in the past in Australia and it was protests that brought our soldiers home from a pointless war in Vietnam.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
No support in authorisation
I SEE nothing wrong with City of Newcastle granting approval for Rising Tide to hold its "protestival" at Camp Shortland provided it is conducted in an orderly manner.
As I see it, this doesn't mean the council also supports Rising Tide's radical activities. It's simply upholding their democratic right to free speech. I also fully agree with the authorities banning Rising Tide's planned harbour blockade as this would be disruptive and dangerous.
Peter Newey, Waratah
Bank on smaller house deposits
AS we do every Thursday, our ladies who lunch group of friends, put our spin on the woes of the world. As retirees who have been there, done that we have a lot to say on anything and everything.
One of our featured topics this week was how difficult it is for the younger generations to score a home loan. We surmised the major stumbling block for most of them is not being able to save the enormous deposit required by most banks - 20 per cent of the home's value.
Saving for a deposit is almost impossible because of the sky-high rents they are paying these days. As many of these young people are actually paying huge rents - often larger than mortgage repayments would be - why can't the banks reduce the amount of deposit required? This could have a positive domino effect. Not only would more young people get into their own home sooner, it would then free up more rental properties for the next cohort to come through. And, it would boost the housing market.
By managing to pay such high rents, the young people have proved they could service a home loan.
Just a thought from a band of young-at-heart oldies concerned for our young people.
Natalie Williams, Hamilton North
Not every council role clear-cut
"DEPUTY hits out at Lord Mayor over Rising Tide was the headline on the story by Madeline Link, who is always a good read (Newcastle Herald 14/11). Funny though, I got a bit confused so I did a fact check.
Callum Pull, deputy lord mayor - is this certain? Is it a fact? Because to my reading the information regarding who is deputy lord mayor on a City of Newcastle website clearly shows the previous deputy mayor, Declan Clausen, as the current deputy.
I took a photo and sent it to the council. Then came a phone call, and I was reassured by customer service. They explained the incorrect page couldn't be taken down because it is historic. Perhaps deputy lord mayor Callum Pull needs to have a peek and see if he can effect a small, but significant, change on the website. The other option would be to enlist the help of Scott Neylon, Austin Yule or Jason Sivo. Perhaps they could shed light on this confusion.
Lord mayor is not the cop on climate beat
This type of error is more common than you think. I had occasion to ring the Geelong council last week. Customer Service assured me the mayor is Trent Sullivan and gave me his email address. My response from Trent was prompt: "I am no longer the mayor". He did, though, give me helpful feedback, useful links. And it took him a day to respond. This could be a benchmark exercise perhaps?
Catherine Whelan, Newcastle
I REALLY don't understand this new-gen council, up in arms about our lord mayor approving the Rising Tides activists at Camp Shortland and Horseshoe beach. Don't they understand that once the activists enter the water they are breaking the law and are risking arrest? Thank you Dr Kerridge, at least someone in the council understands.
Darryl Horne, Waratah
What does 'protestival' achieve?
JOANNE Jaworowski your get together sounds like a real hoot but what does it achieve? It doesn't raise awareness, it doesn't stop any coal being exported, it does attract attention seekers who are happy to break the law knowing the courts will let them off easy, in fact your friends unnecessary travels do more environmental harm than good.
Dave McTaggart, Edgeworth
Ciao from a female leader
SARAH Taylor (letters 15/11), a simple google search tells you that Georgia Meloni, Italy's very popular Prime Minister offered her "sincere" congratulations to Trump. The world needs more like her.
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
Believe it or not, it's science
STEVE Barnett, you don't "believe the science". Science is factual so you either understand it or accept it. Believing is for things that don't exist like Santa, the tooth fairy, all the planet's gods and that multi-billionaires like Trump and Musk hold the best interests of all the poor suckers who voted for them first and foremost in their hearts.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
Ramifications seem too lax
YOU can fail a driving drug test and just move to another club, no consequence? What a sport.
Bruce Cook Adamstown
Drivers of wealth are dwindling
THE latest unemployment rate is 4.1 per cent. It has been at a consistent level for the last few years is comforting. The worrying trend is the falling of jobs in mining and agriculture, the drivers of wealth in our economy. The drivers of the relatively low unemployment rate are driven by the government in aged care and disabilities. If the government thinks it can drive prosperity through taxation and regulation, it's like having your legs either side of a barbed wire fence when a snake arrives and you think everything is ok.
