AS we approach the Jets' final games of the season, one would have to say that in what has been a disrupted campaign, the team has provided some excellent entertainment if not results to those loyal fans who are left. The extension of Arthur Papas' contract is well deserved based on the quality of football the team has played - if but spasmodically - since his arrival. We now wait with some trepidation to see if the ownership group will make the necessary investment into the squad to build on what he has achieved this season. It is certainly of some concern that players such as Jason Hoffman, a loyal servant to the club, and Brandon Wilson, who looks like the player that can fill that vital holding midfielder position so vacant since the injury to Ben Kantarovski, have not been signed for next season.
Building a successful football team means keeping your best players and without a shadow of a doubt Daniel Penha is not only our best player but in all probability the best player the club has ever had. While we appreciate he is on loan from his Brazilian club and that club may recall him, what would not be in any way acceptable to Jets fans would be for him to be allowed to go to a rival A-league club, especially one of the consortium that is part of the ownership group. If the Jets are going to be anything but a bit player, the money must be found to keep Penha here if he stays in Australia.
Eric Burns, Belmont
'Serious' consultation needed
BUSINESS Hunter CEO Bob Hawes has finally admitted that "some of the impacts [of the Supercars event] on businesses and community are significant" ('Red flag', Newcastle Herald, 3/5) although he qualifies this with his belief that the event brings in an economic boost to the region. There is no evidence of this. Council's latest EY Economic Impact Report (2021) relies totally on Supercars' own grossly inflated attendance figures. Mr Hawes hopes that these negative impacts can be alleviated in the future. Council attempted this in 2018 by "activating" the CBD and surrounds during the event. This failed, largely because the huge numbers reported by Supercars simply do not exist and those who do attend give their tourist dollars to Supercars' own food and merchandise vendors - with Supercars taking 40 per cent. If council is serious about further consultation a survey needs to be done using real, verifiable evidence derived directly from the community and businesses impacted - balanced against a fully itemised account of costs.
Christine Everingham, Newcastle East
CEO shows faith in coach
IT was a breath of fresh air to read the glowing support from Knights boss Phil Gardner for coach Adam O'Brien and his staff ('In safe hands', Herald, 3/5). No hint of panic, just an honest evaluation of the situation the club is in with injuries etc. Like any battle, it's when you're at your lowest point that you need a leader to be at their most positive, and this is what Phil Gardner has done, in my opinion. Some of these other NRL CEOs could learn a lesson from him. It's such an easy out to blame the coaches these days. Well done Phil.
Tony Mansfield, Lambton
Effort hasn't been so sweet
IT had all the ingredients of a belated April fools joke, but alas it seems the Kalyn Ponga donut giveaway was fair dinkum ('Ponga sweetening the deal', Herald, 29/4). All credit to the marketing gurus here for perfectly aligning the brand personas. The Knights may have started the year like a gingernut biscuit - consistent throughout and virtually impenetrable - but, with a gaping hole in the middle, greasy exterior and a propensity to crumble as the day progresses, the Knights' defensive efforts for the past five rounds might now best be described as a Donut defence.
Sam Collyer, Redhead
Basketball stadium decision soon
FINALLY after almost two years there is going to be a decision made regarding the proposed Newcastle Basketball Stadium at Hillsborough/Charlestown. We have seen lots of recommendations with few decisions throughout this development.
Lake Macquarie City Council has released reports regarding the stadium. There were over 200 submissions against the stadium and eight for the stadium. Engineers and officers from the council had positive reports for the stadium to every category listed, but quite a few conditions of consent attached. Hopefully this development application can have an unbiased result.
A comment had been made from Newcastle Basketball to say they had listened to the residents, but obviously they have changed their mind now. The concerned residents are again worrying if they should sell their homes, put up with noise, lighting, protection of the surrounding flora and fauna, traffic, emergency services being able to drive into their narrow streets, loss of parking ... the list goes on.
With regards to transport, they are going to close the gate going off the Inner City Bypass on ramp. They haven't considered the OOSH behind the gate. There will be no way parents can pick up children between these hours. There are so many things designed to help the stadium and so many little things not considered about transport, vicinity, nearby residents, flora and fauna.
Wendy Marr, Hillsborough
Ideas for affordable housing
REGARDING affordable housing ('Backlash hampering housing fixes', Letters, 29/4), the letter alludes to ways of making housing stock affordable, without raising house prices as a whole. Please elaborate.
One way I see is to not kneecap pensioners coupling. Currently, the couple rate is less than twice the single rate. Some logic on the government's part is that these pensioners must be making savings, so let's give them less. Well, no, let's reward the smart couple and take some stress off the relationship. In fact, give them some Dine and Discover vouchers so they can go on barefoot date nights, become financially literate and take control of their finances - maybe getting meaningful employment.
Another way is for families to group together in co-housing collectives. Forming cohesive groups this way takes longer, but opens up the possibility of collective bargaining/bulk buy from developers, with customisation of the block to be built. The developers have a reduced marketing costs, as they already have willing buyers. I am in one such Newcastle group myself. Though maybe as a permanent renter in social housing, at 25 per cent of income.
Realising that we are not restricted to only national dollars, a third way is to make property purchases pay a land rent - a small additional ongoing fee in a local currency - such as TimeBanking ('Time to repay volunteers', Herald, 31/12).
This would sidestep the need for deliberately excluding foreign investors, as they may have difficulty earning locally. And reward those that interacted with locals in a positive manner. Ideally, the recipients of this rent fee would be the local Indigenous Land Council.
"The Big Issue" runs a "Homes for homes" programme, where a small percentage of the sale of a home is donated to a home for the homeless. Every bit helps.
Andrew Spannenberg, Mayfield
SHORT TAKES
I SEE a photo in the Herald (2/5) showing Anthony Albanese shaking hands with Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd. Enough to turn anyone off voting Labor.
John Hawken, Charlestown
REDUCING speed limits in city streets isn't popular with everyone, but it does have one advantage; it should make the Supercars race a lot less noisy.
Peter Moylan, Glendale
I JUST received a phone call on my landline from one of the Liberal candidates for Shortland, Nell McGill's, helpers. She wanted to know if I would be interested in volunteering some time in order to help Ms McGill win the seat. It was either a prank call or Nell obviously never reads Short Takes.
Mac Maguire, Charlestown
TO the Knights, just a little pointer, you can't win a game of league when you're defending for 60 minutes. Or I'll put it in another way, you can't win when you shoot yourself in the foot and have only 20 minutes with the football over an 80 minute period; especially against a 'smug' outfit like the Storm.
Alan Harrison, Glendale
I SEE that the house where the TV series Kath and Kim was filmed is being demolished. I would not usually care one way or the other and I wonder why this is a newsworthy event. What does concern me is the total waste. In this climate where housing affordability is such an issue, why would a perfectly good house be demolished?
Stan Keiffer, Arakoon
JOHN Howard says there is no housing crisis ('No housing crisis, says Howard', Herald, 29/4). He says the factors causing "higher than we'd like" house prices are "baked in". We elected him to be our PM how many times? Good grief!
Rick Frost, Mallabula
TOTALLY agree with Bill Snow re: national service. A little different to when l was called up, though, in that every person, male and female, is to go into the services at 18 years old unless physically or intellectually disabled for a two-year period. If they start an apprenticeship or degree they get the opportunity to finish either in the services. The other thing is that overseas deployment is voluntary.
David Enderby, Corlette
WHILST it can't be proven, I suggest that the environmental footprint of climate change protesters is significantly less than their critics. The claimed "irony" that protesters also use fossil fuels carries less weight if they are making a real effort to use less. As for the threat of blackouts you can rub my nose in it if it happens but Henny Penny and the sky falling comes to mind.
