SAGE Swinton's front page story on Venues NSW's bid for concerts at McDonald Jones Stadium ('Stadium rock', Herald 2/7), may be music to the ears of some. These events it would seem would also include motorsports. The events, according to the article, would take place in the summer months which would clash with the Newcastle Jets' A-League season.
Now history would suggest that these events have a very detrimental effect on the ground's playing surface. While other codes can play on less than perfect turf the world game requires a high quality playing surface. Could I also point out that Australia will host the Women's World Cup next year, and while we are not destined to host any games no doubt Australian Football will have some high quality friendlies lined up in preparation for the tournament.
The Matildas always draw good crowds when they play in Newcastle but they won't play here on a damaged playing surface. Let's hope Newcastle Council does its due diligence before agreeing to Venues NSW's request and examines the history of damage done to the playing surface.
Eric Burns, Belmont
Councillor's right to scrutinise
THIS newspaper reported last week City of Newcastle councillor John Church had the audacity to question efficiency gains in considering the council's budget, and for his troubles was accused of "denigrating staff" by the lord mayor ("Tick for budget but spending questioned", Herald 30/6).
Surely Cr Church is duty bound to raise questions about the efficiency of our town's governance. I believe that since party politics can make the council run to a government/opposition type of model, then those opposite Labor should be continuously examining and probing council's operations, its spending and its processes closely.
If not, then what is their purpose? It would indeed be a travesty of democracy if every member of council had to unquestioningly support every action, decision and policy of our elected council.
A series of claims have been made about "efficiencies" over several years. These were the result, we have been told, of the move into rented premises in the west end, the gathering of all staff under one roof, the introduction of shorter hours and more. I believe these claims need to be thoroughly examined, as Cr Church correctly argued, as part of normal management practice.
My understanding is the council has used a "coloured bus" model to encourage more enthusiastic participation by staff. Council staff are on the red bus if not fully engaged in their work, and need to smarten up to move to the green bus. Of course, such a model of improvements to workplace culture is to be encouraged, but is it also the tacit recognition that management efficiency could be improved? I applaud Cr Church for his courage and perseverance, in probing deeper into council efficiency.
John Beach, Cooks Hill
Evidence must lead discussion
PETER Devey, ("Not all questions are answered", Letters, 29/6), says the "greenhouse theory" and the "climate theory" haven't been confirmed. It's not clear what he means by either term.
The greenhouse effect is a natural process. Sunlight passes through the atmosphere, warming the earth's surface. The surface releases heat, in the form of infrared radiation, into the atmosphere, balancing the incoming energy.
Water vapour, carbon dioxide and some other naturally occurring gases can absorb part of this radiation, re-emit it and warm the lower atmosphere. This keeps the planet warm enough to sustain life. Without it, average global surface temperature would be around -18C rather than the current average of 15 degrees.
The existence of the greenhouse effect, while not so named, was proposed as far back as 1824. The term itself was first used in 1901. Although it comes from a flawed analogy (an actual greenhouse retains heat in a different way), the effect is not a theory. It is a fact because, among other things, we exist. I therefore assume Mr Devey means the enhanced greenhouse effect - the additional heating effect, over and above that occurring naturally, of increasing levels of greenhouse gases due to human activity. This is often referred to as anthropogenic global warming.
As for precisely what he means by the "Climate Theory", however, there isn't the space here to speculate about all the possibilities. Climate science terminology has, I concede, become confusing. But if Mr Devey is going to purport to know better than virtually the entire world community of climate scientists, he should be more precise.
Mr Devey clearly has an avid interest in climate science. However, It would make little sense to pursue an interest in any branch of science with a closed mind to persuasion by any level of scientific evidence. Further, given Mr Devey is so alive to alleged deficiencies in current climate science evidence, he should have a good idea of what convincing evidence would look like. So, there should be evidence of a type, volume and source sufficient to persuade him to accept the "theory" of anthropogenic global warming. What is it?
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Grid operators aren't so scared
RAYMOND Stewart, ("Wield more than power spruik", Letters, 1/7), is one of a number of contributors questioning the transition to renewables of our national energy grid (NEG).
The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), responsible for managing its current operation, and planning its future, doesn't share his concerns. They have been producing detailed integrated systems plans, updated annually, that have been guiding state government transition progress, but were virtually ignored by the previous federal Coalition government.
Now the new federal government has also adopted AEMO's latest plan and already commenced work on their $12 billion Rewiring the Nation program that will extend and strengthen the grid in preparation for the massive amounts of new renewable energy generation and storage planned.
The latest 2022 integrated storage plan targets, by 2050, approximately 54 gigawatts (GW) of distributed photovoltaics, 83 gigawatts of utility scale photovoltaics, 83 gigawatts of wind, 17 gigawatts of distributed storage, 35 gigawatts of dispatchable capacity, 17 gigawatts of utility stage storage, and 10 gigawatts of hydro storage. A renewable total of 299 gigawatts, plus nine of peaking gas. AEMO chief executive Daniel Westerman believes "recent international events and Australian market events have strengthened the case for renewables', pointing out "investment in low cost renewable energy, firming resources and essential transmission remains the best strategy to deliver affordable and reliable energy".
Given cost and reliability are AEMO's critical objectives, he obviously does not share Mr Stewart's concerns about Tomago Aluminium, nor with the 4.55-gigawatt loss of Eraring and Liddell which equates to about 18 gigawatts of renewables.
Richard Mallaby, Wangi Wangi
SHORT TAKES
IN regard to concerts at McDonald Jones stadium ('Stadium rock', Newcastle Herald 2/7); the best one ever was the earthquake fundraiser. How soon we forget.
Tony Morley, Waratah
THERE is talk lately that overseas travellers may not need to show/ proof of immunisation, but with this latest diphtheria infection detected in Australia, proof of this immunisation should be proven prior to entry. We don't need an outbreak of this highly contagious disease, especially for the sake of tourism money. Our children matter.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
CONGRATULATIONS on the article by Helen Gregory regarding Michael Stanwell, ("Farewell to a hero", Herald 25/6). His courage needs to be documented and remembered. The pain and damage to Mr Stanwell and his family by being publicly vilified by a priest later convicted and jailed was heartbreaking to read. The pattern of victimising a whistleblower was repeated when Mr Stanwell was told to attend a different church and the abuse was not addressed. The failure to follow the messages of the Gospel when the damage of abuse was revealed severely damages all of us who love all the good that the church can do.
Anne Foat, Kotara
IT didn't take long for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to adopt a Liberal outlook; jetting here, jetting there, throwing our money willy nilly, all while we are in the most fragile period that we have seen for many years. I am aware that we do have to support our neighbours, but charity begins at home. I can just imagine what would occur if we were in need. Zilch.
Dennis Crampton, Swansea
GREENS leader Adam Bandt should in my opinion hang his head in shame over moving the Australian flag on the basis that it might offend a portion of the population who identify as Aboriginal. Does he not realise that many Aboriginal people fought and died for our freedom under this same Australian flag that he chose to move because of his warped belief that it was his right to do so?
Ian King, Warners Bay
ONLY in America. After both being convicted for the unspeakable crime of sex trafficking under-age girls, rapper R Kelly has been sentenced to 30 years jail and Jeffrey Epstein's ex girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell has been sentenced to 20 years. Meanwhile, for exposing US war crimes, Julian Assange is facing a sentence of 175 years. So much for justice for all. Also in the "land of the free", shortly after yet another school shooting, the only law to be changed has been on abortion. So now in the United States, it appears that the owners of assault rifles and other fully automatic weapons have more rights than pregnant women. This doesn't sound very "pro-life" to me.
