Greg Hunt ("Democratic rights are paramount," Letters, 7/8), suggests that the US Democratic Party circumvented the will of the people by nominating Vice President Kamala Harris as their candidate for the 2024 election after President Joe Biden withdrew.
Here's what happened: Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination on 15 November 2022 and has campaigned/rallied ever since, but only secured it at the Republican National Convention on 18 July 2024, where he nominated JD Vance as his running mate. Trump had no prior service in Congress.
In contrast, Harris served as a Senator from 2017 until becoming VP under President Biden. When Biden dropped out on 21 July 2024, he endorsed Harris, who quickly gained the majority support of her party and secured the nomination on 5 August. The Democratic National Convention is set to ratify her nomination between 19-22 August. Harris has chosen the experienced Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, as her VP running mate.
At all times, Harris has been qualified and supported by voters.
Tony Buzek, East Maitland
Harris inspires little confidence
JULIE Robinson ("Harris changes the face of the race", Letters, 30/7), describes Kamala Harris as the "quiet, shadowy figure" who has "taken centre stage and people are listening". Neither description fits.
Many of her word-salad homilies, from TV interviews, have been the subject of widespread derision but, like the village idiot who becomes the king, now give rise to much fear and concern if she should become president.
If people are listening, what has she said of any consequence? Tasked by President Biden with fixing the southern border, I believe she has effectively allowed it to become no more than a line on a map. She fumbled when NBC News asked why she hadn't visited the border, saying she would "at some point".
My understanding is that her political ideology is quite Marxist in leaning. When faced with a serious question, she frequently laughs like a giggling hyena. If you thought President Biden under performed, wait until you experience President Harris. It's often said that the job of US president is the most powerful position in the world. God help the world if Kamala Harris becomes president.
Peter Devey, Merewether
Only one front worth fighting on
The letters column is often stocked with opinions on what our energy supply should contain - nuclear, coal, gas or renewables - but downsizing or reducing demand rarely gets a mention, probably because we have been brainwashed into believing growth is essential despite its role in all the problems we now face.
That's a pity because whatever system we adopt will be almost entirely foreign-owned by organisations that might not have our best interest at heart. Like the mining industry, they will certainly abscond with the profits. Some writers have expressed great faith in a particular source of power yet they are all at risk from the frailties of transmission systems which succumb to storms or fires.
If that wasn't enough, steam-driven power relies on a cooling medium such as the ocean, rivers or lakes. Siting a power station near the ocean puts it in harm's way while inland water for cooling or hydro-power diminishes during droughts. All projects can be stymied by defective construction, like the failure of the Paradise dam in Queensland, Snowy 2, and the Callide C power station explosion that left 500,000 people without power.
Climate disasters will become the new norm along with disruptions to power supplies, transport, food and water. As an eternal optimist, I cling to the hope that world leaders will realise that climate calamities will make war too difficult and will divert all that $2.44 trillion currently spent on armament into fighting climate change.
Don Owers, Dudley
Taxing super defeats the purpose
Sarah Taylor ("A killer cycle is taxing the public health system", Letters, 1/8), you say baby boomers should pay tax on superannuation. Do you have any idea what you are talking about? Are you talking about the accumulation phase or the superannuation pension age?
Superannuation exists as a way of retirees self-funding the retirement to reduce the aged care welfare burden on Australians (taxpayers). It is made attractive through its tax benefits in the accumulation phase so it can be used during the superannuation pension phase to reduce the burden on the tax system by reducing the overall aged pension costs.
Many retirees will have part pensions (i.e. reduced pensions) or no aged pension. That shortfall is taken up by the superannuation pension that they saved in their earlier years due to the incentives provided by the tax system. If you add to existing taxes in the accumulation phase or tax the superannuation pension phase, you reduce the viability of superannuation.
If you reduce the benefit of retirement being funded by a superannuation pension, you transfer that burden to more aged pension dollars - which in turn means you and other taxpayers. They will have to pay more tax to cover the massive extra amount of money required for that extra aged pension welfare burden to the taxpayer.
Glen Wilson, Cardiff
There's really only one supercoach
Supercoach? In my opinion Wayne Bennett being inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame alongside Jack Gibson, is an insult.
David Davies, Blackalls Park
A question of grammar
In Greg Hunt's letter ("Democratic rights are paramount", Letters, 7/8), I would have thought instead of the words "whomever" and "whom" the correct words should be "whoever" and "who". Am I right?
Ian King, Warners Bay
Corporations are the problem
Corporations paying CEOs millions while they rip people off, score billion-dollar profits and tell us they understand people are struggling is our biggest problem. Neither government can stop this; they have no shame as they just care about themselves
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
Staff fantastic at City Hall
I attended Newcastle Town Hall to see Dr Birute Galdikas speak about her life studying orangutans. As a disabled woman I had purchased two tickets by phone and sought out information on access and seating. My friend and I arrived early keen to pick up our tickets at the door and as we approached the door on my disability scooter, a very friendly voice was heard to say "You would be Denise Lindus Trummel here to pick up tickets." As I was nodding I heard her say "prolific letter writer to the Herald." I wear that badge with great pride. The staff at the ticket office and at the event were extremely helpful.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
Orangutan talk showed the stakes
IT was a great turnout to Newcastle City Hall on Tuesday night to hear a talk by Dr Birute Galdilkas, on her studies - for over half a century - of the orangutan, and how they are rapidly heading towards extinction. Organised largely by Emeritus Professor Tim Roberts and aided by his vast number of hard-working volunteers, Dr Galdikas's touching seminar really hit home as to what happens as the numbers of a species gradually declines to zero.
