That the powers of the new lord mayor of Newcastle City Council have been curtailed ("Power strip", Newcastle Herald, 10/10) does not reflect badly on Ross Kerridge, but on the previous lord mayor's power over the elected council. This lack of transparency was an election issue.
If the powers that have just been rescinded are inconvenient and inconsistent, why were they put in place in the first place? The previous lord mayor had the numbers in council to pass whatever motion that seemed appropriate or convenient.
The reasons for the change put forward by CEO Jeremy Bath and Labor Cr Declan Clausen are too smart by half. I'm sure council staff were not that confused, and that Cr Clausen was involved in drawing up the previous rules.
It appears the intend to control who works in the lord mayor's office, something that the previous lord mayor was unencumbered by. I'm not sure what other restrictions the current council intends to put on the new lord mayor, but we'll have to wait and see.
Bryan Havenhand, Cooks Hill
Shameful move in council
Well, I have seen sore losers in the past but this is beyond belief ("Power strip", Herald, 10/10). The current party politics have struck early, completely ignoring the wishes of the voters. To deny the new lord mayor the powers that were afforded the previous lord mayor is exactly what it appears to be: a stitch up.
This one act proves beyond doubt that there is no place for party politics in local government. I believe this is an act of bastardry, and leads to the question why none of this was acted upon while the former lord mayor was in the seat. It shows that they will not work as a cohesive group for the betterment of Newcastle although they have taken an oath to do so.
If the councillors who apparently hatched this move believe they are clever, the voters can see right through you. Shame on you.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
Fast train 'thought bubble'
Sharon Claydon mustn't have a calculator. An $80 million business case investigation cost seems like a political deflection in times of a cost of living crisis.
The $26 billion cost is the Hunter High Speed Rail Authority's estimate for acquisition, infrastructure, electrical reticulation, train purchases, etc. Say an investor / government wanted to recover this outlay alone over 40 years assuming no interest, maintenance, salaries, electricity, insurance, ticket sales, etc costs then $26 billion equates to $650 million to be recovered every year.
Let's assume there are 17,520 trips a year (that's 24 trips to and 24 from a day for 365 days) and an average of 1000 passengers on every single trip each way to and from Sydney (48,000 people a day), then this would equate to $37 a passenger trip for starters, no profit, nor any other costs at all added on for time delays in construction, interest, inflation, maintenance, wages, electricity, insurance, etc.
We should put this federal government 'thought bubble' to bed again, right now.
All current modes of travel between the two cities would also have to be wound back also to accommodate 'fast train' numbers. Developers/investors won't be rushing to get in on this 'goldmine'. Then there's getting to and from the stations and parking, etc. Also there couldn't be any of the mooted specific 'housing developments' along the corridor for 'stops' or the 'fast train' wouldn't be a 'fast train' any more.
Surely, before money is spent, we have to tell them they're dreaming.
Neil Allen, Newcastle East
Large gaps in footpath safety
I am replying Madeline Link's recent report ("Ambitious plans to step up on footpaths", Herald, 7/10). I have contacted CoN several times in the past four years about decrepit footpaths relating to pedestrian access and mobility services where I live. I was told repair would entail removing dangerous areas and replacing with concrete.
The actual work undertaken was levelling tree-root damaged areas and covering previously tiled footpaths with asphalt. I was very specific about the fact that there are no pedestrian easements on corners of early established housing blocks in some parts of Wickham.
A Paralympian lives in the same street as me and trains on the road in his wheelchair. The road is very narrow. In a nutshell there is no suitable pedestrian or mobility easement access in many parts of this area. I can only hope that the draft plan soon becomes a reality so I can enjoy "the real difference for residents' safety and mobility" (Cr Adamczyk).
Pat Garnet, Wickham
SHORT TAKES
Debate about GF start kicking off
Regarding a change to the kick-off time for the NRL Grand Final. I was watching 360 on Foxtel, and they broached the same subject. Phil Rothfield said that a recent poll showed that nine out 10 people thought that the game should be played in the afternoon. Gordon Tallis agreed, as did Braith Anasta. It's about time the hierarchy of the game started to listen to the rugby league fans and not just the media and advertising gurus. PS. I believe John Cooper must have been watching a different game or doesn't know anything about rugby league ("Rugby league grand final a snooze show", Letters, 9/10). To my mind, that was a cracking game, one of the best.
Neil Meyers, Warners Bay
Well warned of danger
Foreign Minister Penny Wong told Australians in Lebanon to leave and return to Australia more than two months ago. Advice was also not to travel to Lebanon. Many ignored this advice and some people even travelled to Lebanon. Why do we now have to provide urgent flights to Cyprus, when Australian citizens dismissed calls to leave over two months ago?
John Hollingsworth, Hamilton
Slippery slope to danger
Having just witnessed a burn out being performed on our streets, it gladdens my heart to know that our village idiot has not yet left for other pastures. What a shame it would be if all the heroes got together on wet days, as they seem to need this type of wet road to perform on.
John Bradford, Beresfield
Respect not on show
As someone who, for the first time, has been in a local government election campaign, I am flabbergasted, yet not surprised, at the behaviour I saw at the council meeting this week. Ganging up; playground rot. I could liken it to when I was an early childhood teacher. However, there was a big difference; the children and I had respect for each other. Such low acts, on display for all to see.
Emily Coker, Independent - Our Newcastle, Candidate Ward 1
Move to shackle lord mayor
Why am I not surprised there has apparently been some planning behind the scenes to hog tie the new lord mayor ("Power strip", Newcastle Herald, 10/10). What a wretched act.
Vicki Dunn, Tighes Hill
Pointing out real villains
There is no excuse for terrorism. I would ask Colin Fordham's protester in Gaza ("No choice but to fight back", Letters, 10/10): "Who gave you the rocket to shoot at Israel?" The answer might be a clue to the real villains here.
