THANK you to Josiah McLaren for sharing her story with the Herald, it provides insight into the lived experiences of trans people in our local community and reinforces the need to ensure our community is inclusive, ("Trans debate's real impact", Herald, 2/5).
The choice by a small committee to select a candidate with a known extensive history of transphobic comments was deliberate by those who made Katherine Deves their "captain's pick".
They have attempted to start a culture war with absolutely no regard to the damage caused by these comments. This damage is being inflicted on some of the most marginalised people in our society and felt even more acutely in younger people.
It is important to note that transgender and non-binary people face serious challenges, including significantly higher rates of assault, psychological distress, mental health conditions and rates of suicide than the general population.
These issues occur not because they are trans, but rather, as a result of the prejudice, bullying and discrimination experienced by transgender people. This also acts as a call to the community to treat all members of our society with dignity and respect.
Natalie Hudson, Hamilton
Disgraceful dog owners
AS a lot of people enjoy a morning walk along Bathers Way, it was a challenge the other morning dodging no fewer than 15 dog poos form Cooks Hill Surf Club to Merewether.
One still had steam coming off it, with footprints and pram wheel marks running through them. Disgusting. To top it off one person was walking a large dog who was trying to squat ready for action, she dragged the dog along saying "No, no, not here", as he was digging in his claws to no avail. You have to feel sorry for the poor dog. To the few dog owners who do the wrong thing, get your act together, you're a disgrace.
John Lehman, Merewether
Good and bad from council
LAKE Macquarie City Council should be congratulated with the improvements at Speers Point Park, however, they should be publicly flogged for their complete lack of planning of road access.
The facility is regularly and widely promoted with events nearly every weekend, the excellent playground is well supported plus the extremely busy soccer centre draws big crowds. The roads around the facility have had no improvement and traffic is often queued in every direction for several kilometres. The Esplanade from Warners Bay to the roundabout at Speers Point is the main access from the east side of the lake to the west.
Council is hell-bent on increasing residential and commercial density and traffic around Warners Bay, Charlestown, Bennetts Green, and The Esplanade is the only real option to access these areas from the western side of the lake. Lake Macquarie councillors, mayor and staff executives should take a strong look at themselves and realise they have stuffed up big time.
Greg Blue, Warners Bay
Show some heart at the polls
HERE are two reasons to remove this government from office. Both are based on restoration of dignity to all human beings.
First - let's restore the Murugappan family to the Biloela community that has begged for years for their return.
Second - For over 200 years our First Nations People have been treated inhumanely, almost as though they are invisible, even though they are the world's oldest surviving culture. It is time to listen, respect and implement the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
The Australian Labor Party will make both of these so important issues happen. The Liberal/National government will not. It is beyond time.
Paul Sutcliffe, Fern Bay
Renewables won't save us money
A RECENT submission in these pages in regard to the "grid's green transmission is inevitable" requires some more in-depth analysis than provided by the author.
The author reflects that it is essential that changes to the existing grid are needed to "allow more renewable generation to come on line prior to coal-fired plants closing, ensuring grain reliability and avoiding high power prices".
Increasing the size of the power grid will not make the grid more reliable, particularly with more renewables, in fact it will make the grid more unreliable when the sun is not shining and the wind forgets to blow.
Adding more transmission lines initially will require massive investments in the billions of dollars and their ongoing maintenance costs will increase proportionally.
Who do we think is going to pay for the "new grid"? If we think our power bills will fall with more renewables just ask the Poms and others who have gone down the renewables path.
John Cooper, Charlestown
Grand plan, but is it achievable?
TWIGGY Forrest, the billionaire, has stated on 60 Minutes that he plans to power the whole of Australia with solar energy, which according to the CSIRO, will cost one trillion dollars for a national energy network plus the cost of the solar farms and associated connections.
Mr Forrest also plans to supply solar powered energy to Singapore by way of a power cable travelling more than 2000km on the bottom of one of the world's deepest oceans.
If he can do all this without substantial help from the Australian taxpayer then I say bravo. This project is beyond the scope of the Australian taxpayer.
Considering solar and wind energy on average is only useful 35 per cent of the time, and Australia, especially Singapore never stops, if anyone else other than Twiggy Forrest had this plan, it could be more imagination than ambition.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Starting out small a wise option
WHY do first homes have to be large? Where are the small units for people to get started? Prices for a new large house in the outer suburbs are the same price as buying an old house.
Why are the homes for homeless people in the same area big? Why aren't a lot of old buildings in Hunter street and other older suburbs demolished and used (well, I know that one, developers spend money demolishing and thus lose money on building).
Where are the investigative reporters looking into these things, why was recycled material sent to the Hunter and not dealt with in Sydney? When will someone look into the education offered for teachers, nurses and doctors looked at, probably showing that there is a lower amount and therefore reducing numbers graduating?
Kath Bow, Wallsend
SHORT TAKES
WITH the huge increase in the cost of power in Australia, I am wondering if there will be an increase in the price that I get paid to sell my excess solar power back to the grid. The power I sell my provider is at approximately 6 cents per kwh, which is set by them, and then they sell that power through their grid at a rate which is approx 29 cents kwh. This is almost five times what I am paid. Not a bad profit margin for something they don't have any involvement in producing. Maybe it's time for us solar producers to start putting our rates up.
Greg Lowe, New Lambton
THE average tradie charges upwards of $90 an hour and is allowed free four wheel drives and equipment as tax write offs at tax time. The average retail worker on $22 an hour is caned at tax time for overstating their laundry costs. Those that can afford creative accountants get away with it. Those at the lower end of the tax bracket cop it where the sun don't shine. Where is the fairness in our systems? There is none.
Tony Morley, Waratah
ANOTHER generation of children with eating disorders on the way. I would rather have my child eat something than nothing. Some children don't get three meals a day. If you are that worried make the meals at school or pipe down.
Amanda Johnstone, Mayfield
WITH all that is going on in Australia and the world, today my heart breaks for Jet, the beautiful horse who died a long and painful death because of someone who just did not care! ("Malnourished horse Jet dies", Herald, 4/5). No excuse in the world cuts it. I hope he or she gets what they deserve. You know who you are.
Diane Weir, Brisbane
WE are not pointing our weapons at any country. Putin claims that he is hedged in by NATO not the UN as you claim. If you believe anything that Putin says, I've got for sale a lovely bridge overlooking Sydney Harbour.
Mike Sargent, Cootamundra
MY march towards the presidency of the republic of Australia has been derailed by Miss Universe, my owner. She says I'd be a dictator, which according to her is a root vegetable. Going nowhere.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
THE moral deficiency and desperation of the Liberal Party as the election day draws near is perhaps best exemplified in the Victoria seat of Higgins. The incumbent Liberal member for Higgins, Katie Allen has given her preferences to the anti-vax, pro-Putin United Australia Party candidate rather than to the Labor or Greens candidates.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
LIBERAL MP Ken Wyatt says the Prime Minister needs a pay rise, what he earns is not enough. If this is a joke then it is not funny. Our PM earns more than the President of the USA. This statement shows without a doubt that the Liberals are living on a different planet than the rest of us and need to be shown that at the coming election.
