DOES anyone out there have a bucket, a shovel and several hours to dredge sand from the old canoe pool/ map of the world pool also known as the children's pool?
After many phone calls over the years to council asking for this pool to be dredged it rarely happens. This pool has become even more important since we have lost our wonderful baths for the foreseeable future.
Many people grew up in the large round pool, as I did and so did my son and granddaughter. I believe the constant problem has been the build up of sand and the council's refusal to dredge it.
A few years ago I attended a display at Newcastle Library of beautiful photographs taken many years ago, among them was a very large print that showed two men with shovels and a large truck attacking the problem. Council officers had told me that they don't have the equipment to do the job. Well, I say they have to hire the equipment.
I ask again: are there two strong men or women with shovels and buckets and perhaps a truck that would be willing to donate their time as well to help our poor council to remove some sand? Until then there will be very little water in that pool. I keep forgetting that ratepayers' money is going to the other end of the beach with the building of the skate bowl, which in my opinion will have the same sand build up too.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
Conditions beat pay promises
GIVEN its fundamental philosophy it was no surprise to read the opinion written by Simon Cowan of the Centre for Independent Studies on proposed industrial relations reform, ("Changed state of unions", Opinion, 22/11). The attempt to say that the imbalance of negotiating power has not been detrimental to employees especially the "cognitive elite (university graduates, particularly in profitable industries" is not reflected in real world experience.
One of Mr Cowan's "elite" can report the following losses: pay for overtime worked; an eight-hour working day: annual leave loading; payout of accrued sick leave on retirement or redundancy; job security (retrenchment in the name of redundancy, made easy, without recourse); redundancy entitlement of three weeks for each year of service; eight-year wage freeze and decreasing pay relativity; at least one public holiday and public holiday pay rate; long service leave accrual while working overseas however paying dual taxation being an Australian resident. I wonder what timeframe Mr Cowan's commentary is based upon? Employees' work conditions have been moving backward since the Hawke era and at a greater rate following the Howard era. How could trading away work entitlements for dubious wage increases be beneficial in the long term?
Marvyn Smith, Heddon Greta
Coal claim consequences are vital
SEEMINGLY it is all about money: private profits, kickbacks and the abuse of political power for money. Independent Federal MP, Andrew Wilkie, using documents obtained from a "senior coal executive" whistle-blower, is seeking to expose an alleged coal scandal. He accused our large coal companies of charging our coal customers, including Japan, for lower-emissions coal when the coal is nothing of the sort. The longstanding popular myth of Hunter's low-emissions coal has been exposed. All coal, when burnt, pollutes the air and warms the planet, ("MP slams coal 'scam'", Newcastle Herald 22/11).
According to Wilkie and the whistle-blower, the scam goes all the way to the top. Big coal companies and politicians are now running in all directions, professing their ignorance. Will Wilkie's proposed parliamentary enquiry be quashed? If it ever happens, and it exposes a huge scam, will its findings be acted upon? Or will its findings be ignored amongst a lot of political tut-tutting? Will any serious penalties be brought against anyone? Or will it be business as usual? Go, figure.
When private profits are put ahead of planetary health, this coal scam was always predictable. As predictable as the farcical outcomes of COP27 in Egypt. Greta Thunberg was right when she predicted that COP27 would be an exercise in greenwashing. The external costs of burning coal are well known: it produces CO2 which warms the planet. This causes extreme weather events, glaciers to melt, and rising sea levels. These external costs are borne by the victims of climate change, and not, on the whole, by the perpetrators - us.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Fixing climate inequity a net good
AUSTRALIA'S recent flooding is bad enough so it is hard to imagine the situation in Pakistan where a third of the country was flooded and 1700 people died. That the principle of developed countries contributing to the loss and damage experienced by developing countries from climate change was accepted in the dying hours of COP27 is a good thing, ("COP27 ends in promise to help poorer countries but rich countries must first help themselves", Herald 21/11). Pakistan's GDP per capita is US$1500 whereas Australia's is 40 times as much at $60,000. Similarly, Pakistan's emissions per capita is less than one tonne of CO2 compared to Australia's 15 tonnes. It's an inequitable world. COP27 just helped make it a bit fairer. But prevention is better than cure and reducing global emissions must still be the world's primary focus.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
Don't let a minority ruin it for all
GREG Hunt, (Short Takes, 21/11), I find it odd that someone who'd previously supported live music venues and opposed the lockout laws would now support venues closing "at a reasonable hour" (and I'm curious about what you now consider to be a reasonable hour). It seems you may be slighted by the term "blow-ins", but I still think it's apt for new residents who complain about neighbouring buildings that have been present for decades, or, on occasion, over 100 years. As for your grievances with inner city living, did the possibility of these problems not occur to you before moving near an entertainment district? Have you never seen the surroundings of a fast food restaurant, let alone the inside of a pub? I know you have, and I thought that an old rocker like yourself would perhaps still get out, see some live music and have some fun. Newcastle West is a great area to do so, and rather than letting the actions of a very minuscule amount of idiots who can't handle their grog tarnish your view of the entire area, perhaps you should view the glass (or half drunk beer bottles) as being half full.
Adz Carter, Newcastle
Trump can't lose faith of some
THE mental workings of Trump supporters are a real puzzle to me. Take John Taylor's Short Take (22/11). He thinks a lying, election-denying demagogue, who encouraged a violent coup on the Capitol to keep himself in power, will somehow protect democracy from a "megalomaniac despot of a dictator". As for "making America great again," John seems not to have caught up with Trump's addition of "Glorious" to that slogan. It's now "Make America GAGA".
Michael Gormly, Islington
SHORT TAKES
WHY does my car have to be roadworthy when the council can't make the roads car worthy? Am I missing something Bay Butcher amigo from the north?
Matt Ophir, Charlestown
LAST time round, far from leaving the US a "superpower", Donald Trump left it on the brink of civil war. I'm not sure why John Taylor thinks anything would be different if Trump gets another chance, (Short Takes, 22/11). Trump isn't interested in "making America great". He cares only about himself, and staying out of jail. He has the morals of an alley cat. He is a proven liar and fraud. It's beyond me how anyone could support him.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Hey Adz Carter, ("Music venue head count a sign", Letters, 22/11), have you ever looked up the definition of "music"? If so, you will have noticed the words "beauty" and "harmony" appear. Maybe, just maybe, it's just horrible noise being passed off as music that your so-called "blow-ins" find offensive? If we had more actual music like the Stones, Springsteen, Van Morrison (I could go on ad nauseam) there would be fewer objections leading to more venues.
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
AT the risk of being a little bit flippant, (Greg Hunt, Short Takes, 21/11), I wish to question your line "vomit on our apartment steps". It reeks of another line by another "Tony" : "blood on the streets of Newy" before lockouts penalised us all. I would like to put forward my lighthearted comment that no self respecting reveller would take the risk of vomiting on someone's front steps for fear of a cricket bat to the head. The preferred option was usually the gardens at any venue that had one. Definitely not private homes in the east end. Respect even when inebriated.
Tony Morley, Waratah
I STAND with Adz Carter and look forward to his contributions to the Herald. Keep up the good work.
Bianca Field, Hamilton
SOMEONE who cosies up to certain big-name leaders thinking he is making headway in world affairs when he is considered little more than a joke is far worse than a "Sleepy Joe", John Taylor, (Short Takes 22/11). Trump is unpredictable and confrontational with his finger ready. Joe may be a dodderer but he is the safer bet for world peace and stability.
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
Firstly, David Warner should not play for Australia, and no one should compare the Kangaroos to any world game. Seriously.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
WELL, who would have thought little old right extremist me would agree with Kamala Harris who said 18 to 24-year-olds are really stupid? Go girl.
