I HAVE witnessed three separate events recently that I believe will have a significant effect on the Newcastle Knights' future. Each involved people involved in the club now or in the past. The first two involved past players, coaches and support staff who, between them, have been with the Knights since 1988, as part of the Newcastle Knights Once a Knight Old Boys.
Last Friday they held a fundraiser to help the Old Boys in their charitable work, albeit mainly assisting former rugby league players doing it tough. It was an outstanding success, headlined by Wendell Sailor and Laurie Daley. One of the highlights was the contribution of club and regional favourite Mark Hughes.
On Sunday, the Old Boys had their annual get-together at McDonald Jones Stadium. About 170 former players, coaches and support staff turned up for a day of reminiscing, sharing favourite stories and to support this year's team's push to the finals.
For a while, there had been a feeling developing among some of these older blokes that the current mob didn't really care as much about the club or its success, not like they did ''in the old days". Frankly the "old days" also had their share of ups and downs.
In the 20 years since the first campaign in 1988, the Knights had participated in 10 final series and won two grand finals, all at a time when the predominant smell around the place was that of an oily rag. That smell has long gone with the advent of Wests, the financial saviour, without whom the club may have gone under. Without the efforts of the Old Boys, then and since, there's no club. They had set the standard.
The 2023 Knights had no financial worries, but had they lost their soul? That leads to the third event, Sunday's match against Cronulla. For the second game in a row, the "House Full" sign went up. The community was certainly letting the players know of its support.
And for the second game in a row at least, the current Knights players responded magnificently. Finals start in just under two weeks, and Newcastle will be there.
I received a text message after the game from a man who was a leader of the club in his time: "It was a proud day for everyone yesterday, it's been a long time since we have all felt like that".
Lots of stuff put to rest, then. The Knights Old Boys have morphed into the heart and soul of the club and the current mob of players are a group of which we and they can be very proud.
What's next?
Michael Hill, Charlestown
Drug laws demand bigger changes
THE front page of Tuesday's Herald said there were 241 deaths from unintentional overdose of drugs in four years ("Hunter's drug death toll", Newcastle Herald 29/8). ACT wants to decriminalise cannabis, MDMA, heroin and others. The National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program indicates that up to 10 per cent of people use cannabis and up to 5 per cent use cocaine in the ACT. No wonder they want to change laws.
Footballers, miners and pilots all have routine drug tests, so why not test politicians, public servants and, dare I say, journalists? Remember, in order to take illegal drugs you must have an illegal source, so the criminals know who does and does not partake.
John Hollingsworth, Hamilton
Keep referendum debate civil
I NOTE that some people have argued that the Voice to Parliament cannot represent all Aboriginal communities. That is true, but they can insist that communities are consulted on matters affecting them. Thus, all First Nations groups in Australia can appeal to the Voice when decisions are being made about them. This has not been available before, and is one of the reasons for campaigning for the Voice in the first place.
There is a very sad decline into mean-spirited behaviour by some people. The posters supporting the "yes" case, which we put on our property fence, were removed today in what was clearly intended as intimidation. Surely we are better than this.
Aidan Foy, Mindaribba
End in sight, and it's about time
I RECKON if this government wants the Voice approved it should stop telling people what to do, and ask what they want by first explaining in full, including all details within the full Uluru Statement, rather than just a preferable summary. We need a public debate regarding details that may not be acceptable. This would do what they promised at the election, to be transparent and open in all discussions by listening to what people want, not telling them what to do.
I feel like I have been brainwashed with the intensity of government propaganda for the Voice over the past 12 months. I will be glad when it's all over, because this Voice is dividing friendships.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Sky-high fares have to come back to earth
IF airlines within Australia want to get the public (frequent flyers) back on side and improve patronage they should start by reducing the prices of flights within Australia by a lot, not on specials at random dates, but permanently. The price to fly anywhere in Australia (e.g. Sydney to Broome) is ridiculously overpriced. They would maintain their profits through quantity.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
40,000 days of informing you
CONGRATULATIONS to the Newcastle Herald today, Friday September 1, on issue 40,000. Over many successful decades our paper has survived from black-and-white broadsheet to full-colour tabloid and now full issues with electronic updates online as the news happens. I was proud to serve as an employee at the Herald for more than 11 years under the best bosses I ever knew, Joe Broome and Brian Noack.
Brian Watson-Will, Corlette
Paper's opinions are refreshing
WITH no disrespect to previous editors, I have noticed that recent editorials in the Herald have been, in my opinion, a little more objective and interesting, to the point that I actually look forward to reading them. They have been straight to the point, sometimes with a touch of humour and politically unbiased. A breath of fresh air, I'd say.
David Stuart, New Lambton
Shortfall isn't in the constitution
HEALTH, housing and education are the prime responsibilities of state governments. They are also where the majority of shortcomings in Indigenous affairs reside. Schools without sewerage systems and fly-in teachers, sometimes one day per week, are the responsibility of state authorities who outsource services. Basic health care that is shameful in our time is their domain. Lay the blame and the need for referendum reform at the recalcitrant state government's door. This is all stuff we would not tolerate in our cities.
Graham Burgess, Speers Point
Brutal cycle in energy transition
REGARDING Arvid Taylor's letter ("We're feeling power price pain", Letters 29/8): we can reduce the cost of renewables by selling more coal to China, which allows us to subsidise renewables. As we get used to cold showers, the demand for us to buy more solar panels and windmills from China will surely increase. Then we become aligned to the planet's fragile environment, I think.
