Newsflash, NSW Ambulance, hierarchy: hair is not part of any uniform ('Paramedics to dye hair over 'draconian' uniform policy', Newcastle Herald 14/11). As for piercings, that's a different matter. It should be a no due to the risk of injury to paramedics from dangerous or drug-affected patients.
Harold Kronholm, Cessnock
Customer not always at fault on slow payment
I enjoyed a recent article on the slow payment of bills to small businesses in Australia. However, there's a flip side to this story.
We always try to use small local businesses as most people do, and in the vast majority of cases they do a great job. Sadly, many of them have weak or non-existent accounting and business management systems and do not charge promptly for work done.
As a recent example, the fan in our fan-forced oven stopped working. I found out from local mates who the best local electrician is and contacted him. He came out promptly, checked out and removed the old dead fan and ordered and then installed its replacement. It was an excellent job well done by a very pleasant and professional tradesman.
This happened several months ago and, despite me SMSing and leaving him a number of phone messages, he is yet to send us a bill for the work. We'd be delighted to pay him if he'd get back in touch with us and invoice us. Until he does, he's out of pocket for the materials and labour for the excellent job that he did.
There's not much more that we can do about this one.
Chris Taylor, Tea Gardens
Site, not stadium, is the problem
THE battle by local residents to protect our community from the major basketball stadium project has been turned into an imagined battle by us residents against the actual idea of the Basketball Association building a new stadium, and that's simply not the case. The opponents to the use of Wallarah and Blackley ovals do not oppose the building of a new stadium, but do strongly oppose the proposed site for the many reasons stated publicly over the past few months. It's a true shame this proposal has come this far as it's unfair to the members of Newcastle Basketball. It's unfair to the community when terrible shortsighted decisions are made by elected politicians and it becomes so divisive. It should never have come to this.
Rachael Druitt, New Lambton
Quake must shake nuclear notions
ANOTHER earthquake at Muswellbrook led to a sudden unplanned power outage affecting 2732 homes and businesses. If one of Dutton's nuclear reactors was located in the Muswellbrook area, such an uncontrolled power outage would have disrupted their cooling system pumps.
This would then rapidly escalate into a loss-of-coolant accident affecting the nuclear reactor core, containing tonnes of extremely radioactive nuclear fuel. Loss of coolant results in sudden uncontrolled overheating and potential core meltdown.
The reactor pipes and containment would be damaged and massive volumes of hazardous radionuclides would have leaked out into the atmosphere near Muswellbrook and nearby rivers and farmlands. Hundreds of thousands of residents would be exposed to carcinogenic radiation.
Kenneth Higgs, Raymond Terrace
Lord mayor's stance seems naive
I BELIEVE lord mayor Ross Kerridge's support for allowing protesters to disrupt the Port of Newcastle and the daily lives of the people of Newcastle defies reason and common sense as well as being against a court ruling and police advice.
It seems Cr Kerridge expects the protesters, if they close the harbour, to do so for the briefest possible time. If this statement is not an open invitation to close the port I do not know what is. How naive is the lord mayor's position? We already have cruise ships not visiting Newcastle because of possible port closures and the additional costs to commercial shipping is substantial.
Stick to roads, rates and waste and leave the handling of woke rubbish to those without a green activist cause. In my view, the people of Newcastle expect better from their lord mayor.
John Cooper, Charlestown
Waste can't pile up forever
THERE are suggestions that the Hunter receives Sydney's waste. Where does the disposal of waste end as population increases?
Government policy to create high-density living, increased poverty and homelessness follows. Haven't they heard about the increase of antisocial behaviour in crowded cities? Failing infrastructure and areas of 19th-century infrastructure that have no hope of reaching the 20th century standards, let alone 21st century. Less than adequate residential drainage in particular, simply leads to premature deterioration of roadways and ongoing road and pothole maintenance that would otherwise be unnecessary. There are gridlocked roads in the Hunter, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie regions.
Hunter residents to pay an additional $700 plus to subsidise the construction of an inefficient, energy wasting "white elephant" reverse osmosis plant at Belmont. With horrific ongoing maintenance costs, I am certain of increased rating into the future (otherwise given free by nature).
Maybe modern leaders and planners should be given training in ecology, psychology and social dynamics to complement financial and economic studies. Have they not heard of the algae in the bottle experiment? Join the dots from all of the above. Cease immigration now.
Marvyn Smith, Heddon Greta
Desalination sting is unfair
HUNTER Water is about to build a desalination plant at Belmont South and to fund it, we are told to expect an additional $90 to be added to our annual water bill. Why? The Sydney desalination plant was funded by the state government and later sold to the private sector for a profit. So why can't the state government do the same for the Hunter or are Hunter Water customers to be further casualties of Macquarie Street's contempt for our region?
Barry Nancarrow, Mt. Hutton
Waking up to 'woke' branding
A FEW years ago the word "woke" was unheard of. Now we have contributors to this newspaper using it constantly. My guess is that they are parroting Sky News. I think the users think they are woke by using it.
Lloyd Davies, Stockton
Move on from urging others along
IF Tony Mansfield (Letters, 9/11) had paused to notice, he'd have seen it wasn't me who again raised the Voice referendum - I was merely responding. Or is that too not allowed? I do wish people would move on from telling others to move on.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Racehorses sparked quick panic
IT was with shock and horror looking at the front page of the paper today thinking the first harbour protesters had arrived on their climate change friendly transport at Horseshoe Beach ('On the hunt', Herald 12/11). Then reality kicked in; I realised no so-called committed climate change protesters travelling here would give up their comfortable petrol-driven cars towing a steel trailer carrying rubber flotation devices propelled by aluminium paddles.
