GREG Cameron (Letters, 18/11): there is a fundamental mistake in your correspondence where you suggest that there needs to be a dedicated rail freight line between Newcastle and Sydney. The fundamental error is that a successful Newcastle container terminal will operate independently from Port Botany and from Port Kembla. This new terminal will never fix the awful truck and freight train traffic chaos at and around Port Botany, nor should it be designed to do so.
All the published statistics show, 80 per cent of the container trade in and out of Port Botany occurs in and around the Sydney basin. The Port of Newcastle container trade will only ever be one quarter to one third the size of the capacity of Port Botany and Port Kembla. For a successful Hunter terminal to operate, it will draw all its export trade from Newcastle and the Hunter Valley, northern NSW, and northwest NSW.
With significantly revamped rail infrastructure, imported boxes into Newcastle will go to Newcastle and the Hunter Valley, northern NSW, and northwest NSW supplying inputs for the production needs, and engineering supplies to farmers, businesses, and manufacturers in those areas. For its import trade, it makes no sense to bring boxes into Newcastle, and then send them by rail or road to Port Botany, Port Kembla, or the Sydney basin.
Last week, we made a major submission to the Draft Hunter Transport Plan to address in detail what needs to be done to upgrade the rail infrastructure to make a new container terminal in Newcastle work; and to provide great benefits to the area's existing and emerging manufacturing industries, and the expanding Newcastle Airport. This does not include a dedicated freight rail line from Newcastle to Sydney.
John L Hayes, Correct Planning and Consultation for Mayfield convenor
Trains serving too many masters
PHILLIP O'Neill has nailed the major problem facing Newcastle and district commuters: secret reports. Because the state government is not being open, ordinary people cannot see the arguments being made regarding improving rail services.
My view is that the confusion between the needs of Newcastle and Central Coast commuters means neither get a satisfactory outcome. Also, Sydney commuters using the Epping stop for a faster Sydney service confounds the issue.
I believe there is a timetabling solution to a faster service. Provide only eight stops between Newcastle Interchange and Central, with Morisset and Hornsby to have no intermediate stops. Omit Wyong, Gosford, Tuggerah and Epping from the "fast" service and run the trains at over 100km/h wherever possible. Anyone needing an intermediate stop would catch the slower service, which at present is not much slower than the express. The distance between centres is only about 120km, so with reduced stops and faster train speeds the travel time could be made to approach an hour. I doubt if this would reduce passenger numbers on the "fast" service but could increase them.
Stuart King, Toronto
Teals change shade of politics
DOES the impact of the teal political movement know no bounds? "Teal" is the Australian National Universities' "word of the year" ('Colourful political term is word of the year', Newcastle Herald 23/11). Marie Claire also recently explained how teal independents "rocked Australian politics" and subsequently pronounced them 2022 "change makers" of the year. The green-blue hue that evokes images of Australia's gorgeous coastal environments has certainly been elevated. It now brings visions of strong women who value integrity and champion action on climate change. Through the Victorian and NSW state elections and beyond. Long may the teal wave continue.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Social progress is overstated
Simon Cowan's article ('Changed state of unions', Opinion, 22/11) notes "the changes in the economy have been overwhelmingly for the good. Living standards are far higher, and consumers have access to choices that were long denied them".
I challenge this sweeping generalisation. It applies to some but not all Australians. Council of Social Service figures tell us that one child in every five in Australia comes from a poverty-stricken home. It is common knowledge that wages are not keeping up with living costs for many. Surely all Australians want to live in a just and equal society? We have not yet reached that goal.
George Garnsey, Morpeth
Change needed in our hospitals
THIS is my opinion: hospital staff can't see patients because they are in little rooms. Open wards and have one station so the staff can see all the patients. Don't allocate patients. Staff are there to help all of them. Bring back uniforms so staff are seen clearly by patients and others.
Yes, yes, yes, I know, privacy. If you are sick enough to be in hospital you won't care about privacy. Contact with others is a must for the recovery of patients too. A friendly smile or wave to the person nearby helps both. Of course if a patient wants a private room or shared that's fine. Give the patient choices. During the pandemic wards were used, remember. It means less staff needed, happier staff and patients. Oh, and if you are game, try having training staff there more rather than stuck in a classroom.
Amanda Johnstone, Mayfield
Space for waste improvements
AUSTRALIA has a waste problem. Australians throw away around 179 million empty bottles of shampoo and other personal care products each year contributing to 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, or 100kg per person. Of this, 84 per cent is sent to landfill.
Similarly, the 2021 National Food Waste Strategy Feasibility Study found that we create 7.6 million tonnes of food waste each year, 312kg each. Food waste costs the Australian economy a staggering $36.6 billion per annum and, like plastic, almost all food waste from households, hospitality and institutions goes to landfill.
Fortunately, some new developments are in the pipeline. Australian company Rtec has discovered a way to recycle soft plastics in a single step. Another Australian company, Zero Co., replaces plastic personal care bottles with a set made from ocean, beach and landfill waste (OBL), and provides a set of refill pouches made from recycled plastic and a postage-paid return envelope. For food waste, a federal government collection service operating in about half of councils has the capacity to reduce waste to landfill by 40 per cent. It seems there are solutions out there. We just need to care enough to seek them out.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
SHORT TAKES
ALBO, Penny Wong and Simon Birmingham go on about human rights in other countries. Have they forgotten about Aussie Julian Assange who did nothing but share videos with the American media of American troops killing Afghan civilians. There's lots of videos on the internet of Russians doing the same thing to Ukraine civilians. Chelsea Manning who released the videos to Wikileaks has been out of jail since President Obama gave a pardon. Why can't we? He needs to come home to Australia to bring up his children with his wife.
Jo Coombes, Cessnock
DAVID Gillespie, can you and your Parliamentary Friends of the Nuclear Industry plan a nuclear power plant adjacent to Parliament House? Water can be sourced from Lake Burley Griffin. Please ensure first aid kits include potassium iodide tablets. They may help against sickness or death due to radioactive iodine. I am afraid you will just have to take your chances with Caesium 137 and Strontium 90.
Marvyn Smith, Heddon Greta
IN September we commemorated the 130th anniversary of one of the state's oldest bowling clubs: Lowlands, Cooks Hill. Friday marked the 150th anniversary of our second oldest surviving railway station, Hamilton, and the centenary of Newcastle Ocean Baths' historic pavilion. Two more occasions to celebrate.
Keith Parsons, Newcastle
BRUCE Cook, let's put all this into context (Short Takes, 24/11). The three Australian players were found guilty of ball tampering. In the same year numerous players including the South African captain were found guilty of the same. Their penalties ranged from fines to minimal two or three-game bans. Cricket Australia should hang their heads in shame, not only for the ridiculous bans, but more so for being so reactive to woke social media.
Shane Tull, Redhead
I HOPE you're joking, John Taylor (Short Takes, 22/11). Trump is one of the megalomaniacs that you are talking about. He didn't want to concede the 2020 election, hinted at wanting 12 more years and spread lies and incited violence to try and get his way. He proved to be totally incompetent and lazy and spent all his time watching TV, tweeting and achieved nothing. He refused to listen to intelligence briefs, got rid of all the experts and filled the White house with yes-men and his family. He brought that country close to civil war and America became a laughing stock. The thought of returning to that chaos brings a sense of dread. We need a strong America but not one led by a spiteful egomaniac.
Susan Ayre, Maryland
AFTER Black Friday; I'm looking forward to 50 Shades of Grey Saturday.
Alan Harrison, Glendale
MY immediate reaction to Madeline Link's story ('Strongman makes light work of 'light' rail', Herald, 25/11) and the image of 'strongman' Troy Conley-Magnusson pulling a tram along Hunter St, was 'what's gone wrong with the bloody things now'?
