ONCE again lives are impacted by governments not committing to reducing dam levels around NSW. The supposed wall raising of the Warragamba dam hasn't started yet and even if it has, it won't be completed in time for next year's flood concerns. Then they will blame construction problems while homes go under again. The Eugowra dam affecting surrounding areas was also opened up as the floodgates were about to overfill. All this wasted water and devastation to communities could and should have been averted by pumping stored water to large buffer catchment areas inland via large pipelines. The government can construct massive pipelines for gas export if money can be made, but when it comes to saving lives and livelihoods it apparently doesn't rate high on the need to do list in this state.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
Changes whether ready or not
COASTAL river flooding is almost normal. But have you noticed that the current flooding occurring in NSW's Central West is almost unprecedented? ("'Unbelievable' flood strikes", Newcastle Herald 15/11). On the other hand, the coastal region has been to a degree, shielded. Why is this?
The southern part of Australia normally receives cool, dry air from the Southern Ocean in winter. The cold fronts and lows that drag this Southern Ocean air over southern Australia normally bring a little cold rain, followed by clear, cool weather for several days.
But along with the rest of the planet's oceans and atmosphere, the Southern Ocean is warming. The westerly air stream this year is warmer, lasting into spring, and is bringing more moisture-laden air than it has in the past. This climate phenomena and its resultant weather pattern has recently been labelled by climatologists: the southern annular mode (SAM).
The Great Dividing Range lifts the moist air brought in by SAM. This causes rain to fall on the western slopes and plains. But when this air descends onto the eastern slopes, it has lost most of its moisture. Hence the coastal region is shielded.
As a result of moist air brought down from the north, coastal places like Lismore need new flood mitigation schemes with bank reinforcement, levees, floodways, river diversions, and the abandonment of flood-prone properties. But many western towns such as Parkes, Forbes, Molong, Eugowra, Cowra, Canowindra, Blayney, Young and Yass are subjected to SAM's flooding rain. These towns too, will need new flood mitigation works like those of Lismore.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
China tensions their own scenario
IN his opinion piece, ('What if the US won't stand by us?', Opinion 12/11), Bradley Perrett spreads more than his usual amount of China doom and gloom for Australia. However, in my opinion, much of his essay is way off the mark.
Perrett likens Australia's current position vis-a-vie China and our reliance on the USA to that of Czechoslovakia's unsuccessful reliance on the UK and France to defend it from Germany in the late 1930s.
There are a couple of fairly obvious problems with that analogy. Firstly, the UK and France didn't have several thousand defence personnel in Czechoslovakia along with long range bombers and fighter aircraft. Secondly, the USA has not in any way hinted at appeasing China, as the UK and France did with the 'Treaty of Munich'; just the reverse.
In his opinion piece Mr Perrett notes that the USA has finally woken to the threat posed by China and is taking steps to increase its military presence in the Pacific. Mr Perrett fails to mention that the USA has had troops and aircraft stationed in Japan, Korea and other Pacific countries for decades just because it has always been aware of the danger posed by despotic dictatorships such as China; does the Korean War ring any bells?
Mr Perrett opines that many East Asian countries are "like bunnies in the headlights". I am unaware of where East Asia begins and ends, but I do know that India, Pakistan, Russia and Vietnam will not be casseroled any time soon.
Mike Sargent, Cootamundra
We've sidetracked container fix
THE political debate is underway in regard to the transport of containers to and from the Port of Newcastle and we need to have a rethink about how we do things and to go back to basic principles.
I believe it is better to ship containers on rail so as to keep the trucks off our highways; yet the vision of more rail movements at the two level crossings in Newcastle (Glebe Road and Clyde Street) is not welcome. It is concerning that the government does not see that there is a reasonable answer to this infrastructure problem.
If the rail would leave the port in a northerly direction over Tourle Street and along the Hunter River, and to join the rail corridor beyond the Steel City area, it may be necessary to establish new lines from the river to the main northern line corridor. I do not think this is necessary at least for several years. If the coal trade is to decline, that will create sufficient space on the line to run the containers.
The NSW Parliament has spoken about a freight bypass for the city area, and if they stop talking about it and actually build it then the solution would be staring them in the face. I am feeling compelled to campaign to enter the parliament so that action can commence instead of the endless talk.
We have waited since 1935 to have the Western Newcastle City Bypass (formally called Highway 123) to get to this current stage, and if it is completed by the alleged completion date in 2025 - that will mean that this very short road from Bennetts Green to Sandgate will have taken roughly 90 years to complete from approval in the parliament to actual road use.
The freight rail bypass has been on the table for a number of years and should be out in the open with the community involved in where it will go so that it can be built. We all know it is necessary and an open discussion is the best way forward, not a faceless few putting lines on a map and grinding down people to accept an option. Together we can find a good solution for all if we are honest and open in our discussions.
Milton Caine, Birmingham Gardens
Misconceptions about methane
RICHARD Mallaby, ("Clearing the air on methane", Letters, 4/11), claimed "the UNEP calculates methane emissions have contributed about 30 per cent of global warming since pre-industrial times". That was interesting but how did the UNEP, which is not a scientific group, calculate that 30 per cent figure, or is it another politicised guess coming out of the UN?
I noticed that Mr Mallaby did not dispute that the methane absorption "IR range is already fully absorbed by water vapour in the atmosphere" as I stated in my letter. So, it cannot contribute to any significant global warming. Unless someone can come up with scientific evidence to show that methane contributes to global warming, I think people should stop promoting misconceptions about methane.
Peter Devey, Merewether
SHORT TAKES
THE upgrades to Hillsborough Road, ('Road work set for 2025', Newcastle Herald 15/11) are much needed and will be appreciated by commuters and business. However, why is the start date set at 2025? That means that people have to suffer the daily grind on this inadequate road for a number of years to come. Why can it not be started now? Why can it not be finished in a timely manner?
John Pritchard, Blackalls Park
THE Newcastle Herald has a good reputation on reporting child abuse from the Catholic Church and other religious institutions. Joanne McCarthy's investigative reporting on child abuse was outstanding, bringing light and justice for our innocent children against their religious paedophiles, done in the name of God. I believe the newly elected female Teal Independents elected to federal parliament are in a prime position to move a bill for our society to have a debate in Parliament on freedom from religion.
Maureen O'Sullivan Davidson, Swansea
COOPERATE or perish, goes the quote from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. Well, it seems a case of do as I say not as I do. They are quite happy to have Coca Cola as a sponsor of the recent climate talks, a company which has major ties with the fossil fuel industry.
Bruce Brander, Belmont
I BELIEVE the Knights have definitely hit the bottom of the barrel. They are bending over backwards to sign either one or both members of the halves combination from the team that finished with the wooden spoon last year ('Knights land a Tiger, just not Luke Brooks', Herald 16/11). Really inspires you for a great season next year.
Max Moran, Waratah
VALENTINE Holmes has compared the Kangaroos to the All Blacks. Seriously one plays a world game one plays a minnow sport. They win but with little opposition.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
IAN King, (Short Takes, 15/12), you have got to be joking! You move into an entertainment precinct, you have got to have done your homework. Some noise will definitely be part of your life. Like me, I live on a main road. I expected the noise when I moved here. Do you really think I can ring the council and complain about traffic noise? Yeah-nah. And William Hardes, ("'Your' spot is there to be shared", Letters, 15/11), best letter ever! My sentiments exactly.
Tony Morley, Waratah
SERIOUSLY, Michael Gormly, (Short Takes, 16/11), if you want to use climate change and comedy in the same sentence, you can't go past then Climate Commissioner Tim Flannery's infamous 2007 claim about rain never filling our rivers again. I'm sure the people of Lismore and now the Central West are laughing their heads off over that.
