THERE has been a lot of discussion and debate regarding the mobile speed cameras.
As a result of the public outcry and accusations of them having nothing to do with road safety, but quite simply revenue raising, the NSW government agreed to reinstate warning signs, but in my opinion putting them on the roof of these vehicles is as good as useless as far as warning signs go.
You can't see them until you are just about on them with the vehicles regularly positioned at the bottom of a hill, just around a bend in the road and what I believe to be illegal, parked on the footpath. No reasonable person could condone speeding, but it would be a pretty brave driver who could honestly say they had not on odd occasions inadvertently exceeded the speed limit.
To fine a driver for going 3, 4 or 5km over the limit, as has been the case far too often, has to be plain outright revenue raising. Surely a 10 per cent leniency level would be fair and reasonable, after all not all speedos are 100 per cent accurate and being human, drivers can make unintentional mistakes from time to time.
Ian King, Warners Bay
Economic management myth
THE powerful but often election-deciding myth that the LNP are superior financial managers and the party of lower taxes has raised its head already on this page.
By just about all metrics, this myth is demonstrably false. Simply search for 'Is the LNP or ALP the superior economic manager?' to see for yourself. For example, the Australian Financial Review (among many other studies) found that over the past 50 years, the ALP is not the party of higher taxes. Howard was the highest with our current government placing second. As for spending, the current Coalition government had already outspent the Rudd/Gillard government (and this includes their GFC stimulus spending) well before the pandemic had even started.
When Tony Abbott railed against the Rudd-Gillard government's "debt and deficit disaster", net government debt reached 10.4 per cent of GDP. Before the pandemic had struck, the current Coalition government had almost doubled net debt to 19.2 per cent of GDP.
Due to this government's financial and policy mismanagement, projections are that it will reach 37 per cent by 2025. Research clearly confirms that both wage growth for ordinary workers and national productivity growth are higher under Labor leadership. If your vote depends on the best economic managers, you won't find it in the Coalition.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
China a bigger threat than climate
WHILE I don't always agree with Barnaby Joyce, I have to agree with his thoughts on this - China is a bigger threat than climate on a couple of fronts.
While a cleaner and greener planet is what we all want, if it weakens us, destroying our base load energy system and our ability to produce our own fuel, steel, aluminium, our manufacturing industries, our ability to sustain manufacturing come what may, then Barnaby is right, because China is a big threat to our nation and our sovereignty.
I can hear all the climate zealots rushing to their keyboards to scream at me that we have wind and solar and that will sustain us, and yes we do. But who do we rely on for our wind and solar manufacturing for solar panels and wind farms? We rely on China. We should, as a nation, be looking at Europe and learn how relying on a communist country for your energy needs has worked for them. Not so well it seems. Many European countries are scrambling to restart their coal and gas-fired power stations and committing to new nuclear plants because they have come to the conclusion that relying on Russia, a communist country, for their energy needs, is a disaster.
On China, anyone who thinks the Solomon Islands cosying up to China is about the Solomons being worried about climate, get your head out of the sand. It's about money and regardless of what Albanese tells you, China can and will outspend us every day, and twice on Sundays, to bully and intimidate Australia.
Finally if it's about climate, why would the Solomons do a deal with the world's largest polluters? It's a case of show me the money.
Andrew Hirst, Beresfield
Changes to Act by stealth
A NEW Motor Sports Act 2022 will shortly commence.
The object of the Act is said to "support the expansion of motor sports in NSW".
It replaces the present legislation under which Newcastle East has had the Supercars races foisted upon it.
Whereas the earlier Act permitted only one race each year, the new Act will permit two races [section 5(2)(c)(ii)].
Rather than the East End being out of action for 10 weeks each year, it will now be possible for that to be 20 weeks. If that happens, all those car parking spots down at Foreshore Park will only be usable for 32 out of 52 weeks each year.
Rather than the council paying $550,000 for the 'privilege' of staging one race, it might soon be paying $1.1 million.
Rather than shelling out further unknown millions of dollars on staff wages, as well as for the hire of expensive equipment to prepare the track, ratepayers might have to pay double those (unknown) millions.
In the future, for six days each year the city may be awash with new money.
On the other hand, for 19 weeks residents will be inconvenienced, people won't be coming into the city (no parking), businesses will have trouble trading, and Foreshore Park will be off limits to weddings, celebrations, and other events.
Don't complain to council (Sydney will tell it what it has to do).
There is a state election in March 2023. Complain to your local member.
Les Brennan, Newcastle East
Kept in the dark on Supercars
AS of next year, there will be a new Motor Sports Bill overseeing all motor racing events in NSW.
If Supercars comes back this year they will be under the old motor racing act except that the authorising body will be the Office of Sport and not Destination NSW.
David Shoebridge's speech from Hansard points out that the new bill is far more draconian than the Newcastle motor racing act. It passed both houses last week - and we didn't hear a thing about it. Shame on our local NSW MP.
Catherine Whelan, Newcastle
US needs to rethink its support
SO Joe Biden wants to see Vlad Putin tried as a war criminal?
All very well, but there might be a problem for the US. The International Criminal Court was set up by the Treaty of Rome, which most civilised countries signed up to 30 years ago. The ICC was specifically set up to hear cases of war crimes, genocide, and other international atrocities. The one country most strongly opposed to the ICC is the US, which has actively undermined its operation and refused to co-operate in its investigations.
Unless the US has a big re-think about support for the ICC it may be relegated to cheering from the sidelines if and when Putin is brought to justice.
Carl Boyd, Newcastle
SHORT TAKES
CITY of Newcastle seems so head-strong and pig-headed that people who have been surfing and swimming at our beaches for decades have more knowledge of surf and sand movements, but they said knowledge isn't listened to when making decisions about projects adjacent to the ocean.
Phil Gilbertson, Newcastle West
I'M hoping those on dole, including those in Ceduna, never bow down to worship the hooves of a cow, because it gave them a moo in the street.
Dave Wilson, Bar Beach
IT seems the born to rule mentality of the Liberal Party is alive and well. Now that the prime minister is hand-picking his own candidates for the upcoming elections it seems that they are only going to be there to serve him and not the people they are supposed to represent. Just like the female ministers who are now saying they support the prime minister just to save their own jobs, these people will be just more like them, mere puppets with Morrison pulling the strings. It's a case of he who must be obeyed.
Barry Reed, Islington
ALBO'S promise to fix aged care is welcome. Don't make it a Hawke; "By 1989 no Australian child will be living in poverty" promise. You said you'll fix aged care, Albo, so when you become prime minister, do it. Australia is going to hold you to it.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
I AM disgusted with the Anglican Church for the treatment of those poor elderly people in Bulahdelah. Isn't the church making enough money out of the aged care home? Show some compassion for a change and allow these people to remain in what they refer to as their home. To the people of Bulahdelah, why not boycott this Anglican Church altogether? You do not need to attend the church to remain a Christian and see what the result is.
John Morgan, Karuah
IN the Liberal Party there is a group of traitors. These smiling assassins would stoop to any form of treachery, to realise their ambition to seize power. These traitors need to be shamed, named, and purged from the Party now, before the federal election. As John Howard once said, disunity is the death of the party.
Richard Ryan, Summerland Point
I RESPECT Robert Dillon very much for his sports writing, but please can he keep his political views out of his '7 Days in League' column? I want to read about football, not politics.Two weeks in a row he has wasted space having a go at the prime minister. As for your cartoonist, Pope, I hope he has been practising drawing someone else besides Morrison. Will he be so hard on Albanese after he wins the unloseable election? One doubts it.
