GIVE Supercars another five years please.
As a Novocastrian, I honestly don't know why so many people are against the Supercars. A few weeks of disturbances to top end residents, yes. But the money that this event brings to our city is huge.
Maybe the top end cafes and businesses that are affected could have their rent waived during this time, I'm unsure, but there has to be a way to assist them. To the few top end residents: if you don't want to witness this great event, go on a holiday. Honestly, just stop whinging.
Our city is turning into an awesome space with everything happening and we are so excited with our amazing city. We as a family recently had a week in Honeysuckle on trial to sell us the new cityscape and we've made the decision to move into the city for our retirement. We couldn't be happier and are quite excited. City of Newcastle and Nuatali Nelmes, you are making our city great again. Well done. Vote yes for another five years.
Alan Llewellyn, Newcastle
Here's hoping that was last lap
HOPEFULLY after the weekend we have seen the last of Supercars in Newcastle East. Over the weekend residents have had to endure the noise and the disruption in the area from this event which has been well recorded by a number of locals over the past weeks and months.
It has been one thing to put up with the excessive noise from the cars racing around the circuit but it is another thing to have to continually hear the very loud voices of the commentators blaring away over loudspeakers all day during the races as well as between races. With them all hyped up and babbling on and on it has been almost as bad as the cars racing. Why do we need these people who appear not to be able to contain themselves and obviously love to be in front of a microphone?
The weekend is over and all we need to do now is put up with the contractors and machinery back removing the enormous amount of infrastructure to make the East End liveable again. Let's all hope it will never be held again in Newcastle East and the residents will not have to endure the noise from the race cars and those pesty commentators.
John Fear, Newcastle East
Problem - and a fix - in site
THE editorial ('Wild Supercars ride is just heating up', Editorial 3/3) covers both sides of the debate regarding Supercars in a balanced way. Despite this, the editorial misses the key issue: that of geographic location.
No matter how the survey is conducted I believe it will almost certainly fall in favour of Supercars remaining in Newcastle East as a result of the way the survey is distributed (I expect far more people outside of Newcastle East, not affected by the race, will be surveyed than than those affected) and the nature of the survey (not allowing for geographical options).
Surely to satisfy all parties - residents affected, car lovers, the council, Supercars franchise, local businesses - the race remains in Newcastle but moves geographical location.
Kooragang Island has oodles of space, no residents, easy access from airport and Newcastle suburbs, much wider streets for a better race track, space for grandstands without closing a beach for weeks and great aerial views of the mighty Hunter river, Newcastle and Stockton.
As a car lover, a beach lover (and a lover of the East End, but I try and keep that quiet to avoid abuse) I think that's a win win
Stephen Smith, New Lambton
Supercars crowd was a surprise
Thanks Newcastle Herald for the great coverage you have given the Supercars today. Listening to conversations today, people have asked 'are you going in?'. Many diverse groups have answered yes. Maybe the old fart (objectors) could offset the energy crisis with their methane and hot wind emissions?
Brendon Burns, Fletcher
Don't pander to vocal minority
SHAME on you Newcastle Herald for continuing to pander to the vocal minority against the Supercars. East Enders and a few businesses dying for entirely unrelated reasons are not representative of community sentiment. Do better.
Kristie Boaler, Hamilton
Street circuits not a new idea
MAYBE people should do some research on motor racing before they send letters about the Newcastle 500 Supercars event. Alison Hamilton asks the question 'Is there another place in the world where this happens?' Yes, well it does happen in other places in the world.
Just in Australia, think about the Australian Formula 1 which happens at Albert Park, Melbourne; the Clipsal 500 held on the streets of Adelaide; the Indy Carnival on the streets of the Gold Coast. And that's just some that I can think of being street races in Australia. Then there's the Formula 1 street races in Monaco, Singapore, Melbourne, Montreal and Sochi.
Helene Shepherd, Belmont North
Nuclear may be our only option
WITH the talk of war with China, there is always the threat of invasion to our fair land. We would have little hope of defending it against a possible armed force of millions. It is time that the government came to acknowledge that our only defence is a nuclear one and I don't mean via submarines.
We need a string of intercontinental ballistic missiles (nuclear armed) in underground silos stretched across the north, and should any large nation (numerically) move against us they won't have a home to return to. It is a matter of them or us, and the answer is obvious.
Alan Kendall, Neath
Wealthy already pay their own way
SPEAKING of superannuation, John Arnold (Letters, 4/3) might have mentioned the Parliamentary Contributory Superannuation Scheme. An IPA analysis shows Anthony Albanese could be eligible for a pension in excess of $400,000 per year for the rest of his life, more than enough to fund a "comfortable retirement". No wonder he doesn't want to talk about it.
And before waging class warfare over superannuation tax concessions, keep in mind that the wealthy already do the heavy lifting when it comes to paying tax. According to the ATO's taxation statistics 2019-20, those in the top tax bracket only make up around 3.6 per cent of all taxpayers but account for more than 31 per cent of tax revenue.
Peter Dolan, Lambton
Don't trade away out retirements
IT isn't hard to accumulate $3 million in super over a working life of 40 years for the average tradesman. Perhaps if you are a perpetual degree-seeking bludger who has never worked by the age of 30 because you're a genius, you may envy the person who left school at 15 and busted their arse in a traditional trade which now offers financial incentives far beyond that of the eternal students. You know the ones; you have probably been called out at 3am to change their lightbulb, or in my case to advise how sausages are cooked. Tradespeople, stand your ground; Albo wants our money because he won't get any from people of his ilk who never have had a proper day at work.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
SHORT TAKES
SO gutsy, Knights. So proud of you all.
Dave McTaggart, Edgeworth
A NOTE to Knights coach Adam O'Brien: when you say pre-match that Kayln Ponga will never play fullback again, you need to be careful what you wish for. If he keeps putting himself in the wrong position in defence, I worry he may never play footy again ('It's a knockout', Newcastle Herald 13/3).
Tony Morley, Waratah
A NEW art gallery in Sydney? Forget it. We have the best Aboriginal Art exhibition up the road in Maitland. I am no expert but the works on show are stunning, many done by women over 80 years old! Forget the old white male European artists, bring on the amazing women of the desert regions.
Sue Boele, Hamilton South
THE voters of Lake Macquarie are far better informed than Toni Lorentzen thinks (Letters 9/3). That's why at the last election they overwhelmingly supported Greg Piper at every polling station. He has represented the electorate well and I have no doubt he will be returned.
Laurie Coghlan, Jewells
MORE angst and arguments over the Supercars and the disruption they cause to workers and residents, especially those who live three metres from the track in the East End. Now this might be too simple, but why can't the race continue along Shortland Esplanade and still come out at the Nobbys roundabout, or wouldn't council agree and continue to inconvenience the residents who vote for them and pay their wages?
Rick Johnson, Tuncurry
THANK you Herald for reporting the real Supercars fiasco. Remember, right back in 2016 the Central Coast knocked back hosting the race before Newcastle got it. Great stuff, council.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
TO all you people complaining about car racing, we are the ones who voted in the council who okayed it, so remember all of this next time you're voting.
Mervyn Callister, Stockton
HOW conceited are Supercars and its broadcast partners? In three days of TV coverage there was no acknowledgement or acceptance that this car race causes massive disruption and inconvenience to local residents and businesses. Watching the broadcast you would be led to believe there is nothing but universal support for the race, when the truth is a long way from that.
Daryll Hadfield, Redhead
I WON'T be saying yes to Newcastle council continuing the Supercars race, not because I don't like the Supercars but I am fed up with all the opposing letters in the Herald and I think the letters to the editor will need more space for the influx of letters of objection to the proposed new hotel on the Catherine Hill Bay jetty.
