MY elective surgery scheduled for two weeks ago was cancelled at the last minute, after two days of fasting and purging, presumably because a private hospital bed might have been needed for a COVID patient.
Perhaps those smug enough to disbelieve the medical profession and rely on their own rude health might also choose, when they get sick, to give up their right to publicly-funded ambulances, hospitals and our dedicated nursing staff - or else choose to pay for them privately.
Smokers pay high taxes so the community can pay for their irresponsibility, why not vaccine deniers?
Robert West, Woodrising
Day of mourning - trolls
I HEARD a fiery Day of Mourning speech by Newcastle lawyer Taylah Gray. She began: "... you got to be very careful when introducing the truth to this nation who has never previously heard the truth about itself. This nation has become so brainwashed that it may reject the truth initially. But one day, one day it will wake up, and will realise that this country was colonised and never settled peacefully". She finished, declaring "... until there are reparations and Treaty, every day is invasion day in this country".
Sadly, someone on social media had to air colonial superiority: "If the English hadn't come to Sydney then women like her would still be in the terrible position their ancestors were. Ignorance is strength for the facts don't matter activists".
Where would you start? The English came to Sydney? How tame, how nice, like tourists. The "women like her" bit - yes Grace Tame is in such a vastly superior position. Orwell would have laughed outright at seeing his phrase "ignorance is strength" used with such un-self-conscious irony.
I call for a national essay competition on examining the technique. It's collywobble: connecting separate ideas with mumble words. Or, stream of consciousness colonialism.
Niko Leka, Mulubinba
Proposed development impacts
THE artist's impression of the new health services building GPV Property has proposed for the corner of Victoria and Date streets in Adamstown ('Plan for new health centre', Herald, 21/1) is completely false.
Absolutely no cars will be able to park on both sides of the road in Victoria or Date streets as it is not wide enough, clearly demonstrated when the site was used as a COVID testing centre. The same amount of traffic movements will be visiting the proposed health centre and at times the Adamstown village could become gridlocked.
Does NCC assess the traffic impact when the Adamstown gates are down, the Brunker Road traffic lights are congesting traffic or when hundreds of new residents are accessing their apartments popping up in the area? While the health centre could be a welcome addition to Adamstown, the proposed development will be taking the last bit of open space with no consideration given to all the other over-developments in the area. A full traffic assessment has already been submitted with the proposed development application and as always ticked all the boxes, which I believe is clearly fabricated.
Sue Morris, Adamstown
Commander changed stance
DESPITE Tony Brown ('The data tells the story', Letters, 28/1) labelling me "an apparent expert of things related to the alcohol industry", I've never claimed to be one. But with 24 years of experiencing Newcastle's nightlife, I believe I know a bit more about it than some.
I also wasn't aware one needed any "authority" to express such opinions. I, just like Mr Brown, have no authority over anyone else, so accordingly, I have never demanded any data. Mr Brown quoted Newcastle police commander Wayne Humphrey, who originally stated that he felt the trial removing the lockout laws was "absolute lunacy" (Herald, 3/2). However, Detective Superintendent Humphrey reversed his stance on the matter ('Enough resources for trial', Herald, 24/4), stating he would "not be drawn on criticising" the trial, and that "my position is now that I support the trial".
Mr Brown was a speaker at the meeting where Detective Superintendent Humphrey was quoted, so it's probably unlikely that Mr Brown would be unaware of Detective Superintendent Humphrey changing his mind on the matter. Regardless, in my opinion, sharing such information is not the basis of "informed and constructive debate" or exercising freedom of speech "in an honest, responsible and evidence-based manner".
Adz Carter, Newcastle
Funding, action don't match
SCIENTISTS have been warning a succession of federal governments for many years that climate change is the dominant factor causing the ill health of the Great Barrier Reef. Although it is extremely pleasing to learn that the federal Coalition government will be implementing a massive billion dollar injection of funding in an attempt to rescue the reef, it unfortunately makes no sense at all that the federal Coalition is also pouring substantial funding into fossil fuel development when it is fossil fuels that are the main cause of climate change.
Brian Measday, Myrtle Bank
Track needs better access
THANK you Scott Bevan for your lyrical homage to our extraordinary Fernleigh Track ('Pedalling into Newcastle's past and soul', Herald, 29/1).
As a weekly jogger to Belmont and a Fernleigh Track volunteer landcarer, I am aware of the implications of a top-heavy council bureaucracy. Applications to extend our Landcare site south from Cowlishaw Street needs ongoing consideration by many council stakeholders. So the blazing hot, unsightly stretches alongside the Redhead industrial estate remain weedy and bereft of shade. Volunteer landcarers have long been banned from using power tools like a brush cutter. The western embankment of the track north and south of Cowlishaw Street is deemed too steep and dangerous for us so there will be no prospect of shading that section from afternoon sun.
Last weekend I came upon an elderly walker, skittled by a bicycle between Jewells Crossing and Cowlishaw Street. Paramedics and police had to trundle a lightweight wheel along a chair from a kilometre up the track accessing via a hole in the fence. On a previous occasion I waited for a gurney to be trundled about 500 metres from Belmont station car park to an injured cyclist. Thankfully a cardiac arrest incident occurred near the Burwood Road Crossing, chances of surviving one elsewhere on the track would be negligible.
There needs to be clearly marked emergency vehicle access for each section of the Fernleigh Track with locks that can be released by first response crews. Responsibility for administering the Fernleigh Track needs to reside with one department overseen by a sensible individual.
Phillip Buckner, Dudley
SHORT TAKES
I WAS of the understanding that you are not permitted to camp overnight in any of our city's car parks. Taking my pup to Horseshoe beach for a run and a swim on Friday morning, I counted 18 camper vans, trucks etc all set up with awnings out, chairs, tables - some even had washing hung out. It looked like they had been there for days. Since when have our beaches' car parks become a free camping spot?
Bruce Bone, Lambton
CONGRATS to Peter Lewis for his fantastic cartoon featuring Ash Barty. More power to his pen.
Terry Collins, Merewether
FORGET ScoMo and Albo, I say ScoBo for PM - fast bowling legend Scott Boland for The Lodge. Anyone who doesn't vote for this bloke is a bum. Let's run it into the poms; a republic with president ScoBo. Good on ya mate, you made this a very memorable summer. ScoBo, ScoBo, ScoBo.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
SO, Mr Ian King of Warners Bay - another middle aged, privileged man? (Short Takes, 29/1) Grace Tame, a beautiful young woman repeatedly raped by her school teacher as a little girl. Grace Tame, a beautiful young woman with autism. Have you any comprehension of the impact of these on her life? The abject failure of support for women by a federal government, led by Scott Morrison, does not deserve respect - and he has to wear that!
Pamela Pirona, Blackalls Park
OVER this past week, much has been written in this publication about Grace Tame and her partner's snub of the prime minister and his wife. Certainly, she may have her reasons and I don't think anyone would begrudge her the Australian of the Year award, but sorry, nothing excuses bad manners and common courtesy, a condition that appears lacking in a lot of people these days.
Col Parkins, Wallsend
MANY kidney patients, especially those on dialysis, hope to find a compatible kidney from a donor, preferably a living one. Many kidney patients die before they find a compatible kidney to transplant. Your writer (Short Takes, 31/1) is keen to sell one of his kidneys after the next election when the "socialist green communists" are swept to power. Such self-sacrificing generosity should be rewarded. It's a painful operation. I hope he makes a motza.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
IS there any other team in the A-league who were winning for nearly 89 minutes and then beaten in the last six minutes of the game, bar the Jets? I thought they would be well rested after their COVID six-week break.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
ALAN Hamilton (Short Takes, 31/1), please do us all a favour and fact-check your contributions. Unless you have inside information from the Pentagon, that everyone else hasn't, the USA is not sending troops to Ukraine. The troops that you believed were going to Ukraine are being sent to NATO countries and Ukraine is not in NATO.
