NSW taxpayers dealt double power punch
The NSW Labor Treasurer has said the state "lost control" of its energy future to the owners of Eraring power station, and that its sale was the worst decision by a government (Coalition) in decades.
Look at the facts. Bob Carr's Labor government in the 1990s sought to privatise electricity in NSW. He failed. However, in 2010 the Keneally Labor government introduced the privatisation of the state's electricity assets. Subsequently, both Labor and Coalition governments sold off the state's electricity assets.
The whole idea of privatisation, we were told, was to have competition that would reduce electricity bills. In essence, the sale of power assets was more to do with a cash grab to balance budgets.
With the push to renewables the viability of coal-fired power generators has become unsustainable as they need to operate 24/7 for operational and economic reasons. The current NSW government is now forced to ask coal-fired power generators to keep operating and we, the taxpayer, are getting hit twice with higher electricity bills and footing the bill to keep coal-fired generators operating.
The management of the NSW electricity industry over the past three decades would be gold medal contenders for political and bureaucratic short-sightedness, ineptitude and culpability.
John Cooper, Charlestown
Get behind rail freight bypass
Shelving the "faster" rail project ("Budget may fail to impress loyal voters", Opinion, 20/9) is the opportunity for all Hunter MPs to support a privately funded rail freight bypass of Newcastle and Sydney to link the Port of Newcastle, Badgerys Creek, and Port Kembla. Removing freight from the Newcastle-Sydney rail corridor creates capacity for "faster" passenger trains.
The new rail freight link is paid for by railing every container in NSW through the Port of Newcastle. Containerised goods are transferred into suitably sized trucks at strategically located intermodal terminals in outer western Sydney for delivery eastwards to end destinations. For the first time, every part of NSW will have direct rail access to a container terminal.
Removing freight from the Sydney rail network immediately provides extra, highly valuable, passenger rail capacity, at no cost to the government.
Greg Cameron, Wamboin
Golden handshake insulting
Darryl Tuckwell, I 100 per cent agree with your comments about Alan Joyce and Qantas ("Bundle for Joyce is a bad look", Letters, 15/9).
Paying him $24 million as a farewell gift is not only an obscene amount of money, but an insult to the shareholders and the hard-working employees at Qantas.
Considering the damage done to the reputation of our beloved flying kangaroo, I believe the whole board of directors should be sacked with no golden handshakes for their action or lack thereof. Maybe Alan Joyce has had "the luck of the Irish " on his side.
Ian King, Warners Bay
ICAC process questioned
NSW Premier Chris Minns has referred Tim Crakanthorp, former minister for the Hunter, to the corruption watchdog and forced him to step down.
This will be the third time a local member of this region has been investigated for possible developer-related corruption, which raises a question about the usefulness of ICAC in preventing, as opposed to punishing, crime.
There is a public perception that while ICAC brings suspected wrongdoers to the public's notice, it is less successful in ensuring a prosecution because it is not a criminal court, and any information collected during an investigation cannot be used to institute criminal proceedings.
It is also a slow and expensive process, with the average inquiry taking three years and 10 months.
Unfortunately, there will always be a need for a corruption watchdog, but we should also consider former premier Nick Greiner's warning that corruption was often a crime with no obvious victim willing to complain.
I believe it is a valid point.
If we had a legal system that protected whistle-blowers it would reduce the reluctance to expose illegal practices and would make those in power less inclined to stray from the straight and narrow.
Don Owers, Dudley
SHORT TAKES
With much attention being paid to sports people suffering concussions and the rush to get them off the field if there's even the slightest knock to the head, I can't believe we allow boxing and all the various forms of cage fighting and kickboxing to continue in this country. Have a look at some of the Foxtel promotions for this barbaric excuse for sport. Remember 'The Greatest', and how he ended up after years of head-hammerings?
Rick Johnson, Tuncurry
Campaigners, just knock it off
For the record, I do not appreciate 'yes' campaigners door-knocking in my area. It's my vote and my choice. I don't need outsiders, or others, trying to influence my democratic right to vote how I choose.
Greg Lowe, New Lambton
Offside with cash splash
Did I read that right? Our government is going to give the NRL $200 million to expand the game. Why? Please use the money for better things.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
Blunt Scottish logic
I recently heard the best reason to vote 'yes'. A bloke from Scotland said he was voting 'yes' because of what the English did to Scotland sometime in the past.
Makes you wonder ...
Kevin Miller, Windale
Easy to find Aussie undies
David Stuart ("China's trade sanctions belie bullying ways", Letters, 16/9) has been bagging on about China, now a world superpower, and whinging about having to wear Chinese-made underpants, while the rest of Australia is getting ready for a very important referendum. Believe it or not, men's underpants are made in Australia too.
Richard Ryan, Summerland Point
Council can cross off that task
Yay, only four months to build a pedestrian crossing in Wilkinson Avenue. Congrats NCC, well done.
Colin Cooke, Birmingham Gardens
Little faith in Morrison's musings
I hear former prime minister Scott Morrison is writing a book on religion. I remember a book review by the legendary Groucho Marx that said: "From the moment I picked up your book until I put it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend to read it".
