Having been involved in the organisation of rugby league clubs for most of my years and after watching the ABC Four Corners on the influence of gambling on sport, I am seriously concerned that all my efforts have resulted in the development not of sportsmen but clients for multinational gambling companies.
Now as I watch the games on TV and decisions are made by referees and players, I have reason to wonder why these decisions are made when there are millions of dollars dependent on these decisions.
Most juniors know more about the betting odds than perhaps the name of their team's captain, which I fear sets them on the way to be future gamblers.
From where I stand, it is a sad conclusion of a lifetime of service to sport.
Frank Ward, Shoal Bay
Trading our ovals is a non-starter
Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Cups always seem to result in a resurgence of young people taking up sport.
Why is it then, with the upcoming Brisbane Olympics and the proposal to house another 20,000 or more people east of Turton Road, that Newcastle council has identified well-used ovals as "the only site available" for a much needed basketball complex?
These ovals are vital to their adjoining Lambton High School, which one may rightly expect to be expanded in line with population growth.
Add another 20,000 to 30,000 residents, but develop on three of their local ovals. These ovals have female change rooms and, contrary to council's mid-COVID review stating they were under-utilised, are in frequent use all year round.
Once developed, green space is gone and lost forever. Other local ovals are now proposed to be lowered and used as stormwater catchments. Is this all planning at its poorest and reflective of convenient planning rather than good, long term approaches? Where will our children play?
Jan Thompson, Lambton
Gardens on the verge of disrepair
City of Newcastle needs to spend more money on the maintenance of parks, gardens and footpaths before commencing any new big glory projects. Here are a couple of examples of inadequate maintenance:
Empire Park now consists of a shipping container yard alongside the poorly maintained cricket nets, which seems forever locked.
This is a premier park in Newcastle on the edge of the ocean front and it is littered with shipping containers.
The Memorial Drive footpath's green verges along the beach on Dixon Park, Bar beach and the carpark to the ANZAC walk are an eyesore. The "natural" vegetation needs to be tidied at least twice per year and pruned to allow for the view, litter collected and the fence repaired.
Merewether beach car park's footpath along Watkins Street has never been maintained from what I have seen since the car park was upgraded a few years ago. The few clumps of half dead native grasses remaining are surrounded by rubbish and degrade the whole area.
Mitchell Park surrounding Townson Oval on Mitchell Street, Merewether needs to be upgraded. This area is not for the sole use of the sporting clubs. The old shrubs under the trees should be pulled out and the park opened up to the families who go to enjoy this open space.
If the council cannot maintain the gardens they should be replaced by lawn.
Estelle Moule, Merewether
'Tax rorts' serve valuable purpose
I agree with Sarah Taylor ("A killer cycle is taxing the public health system", Letters, 1/8) that our health system is overloaded, under-resourced and inefficient.
However when she goes on to say the reason for this is because of tax rorts such as negative gearing, franking credits and capital gains tax advantages I feel she is way off the mark. No way are these "tax rorts".
Negative gearing helps to make more rental properties available, although I personally can't see the sense in losing money on an investment just to save tax unless the capital gains are likely to exceed the loss.
As far as franking credits and tax free superannuation withdrawals go, let's not forget that tax has already been paid by the company issuing the shares on the profits and the same goes for super contributions and earnings. How can it be fair to tax dividends and super earnings twice?
Ian King, Warners Bay
Stepping towards the US election
World, it's time to get ready for a new dance; the Harris Waltz.
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
Taking aim at age seems a cheap shot
COMMENTS made by the lord mayor on NBN News on Monday about the ages of candidates running against her for the election in September being like Biden and Trump were absolutely disgraceful. I am realising a lot of Newcastle people are making negative comments about the council. Running scared, I would say. Time for a change.
Julieanne Jenkins, Wallsend
Mud-slinging not new in politics
I HAVE just watched our lord mayor on NBN News attempt to smear the opposition group Independent Newcastle stating that they are all in their 70s, very wealthy and conservative and giving her staff a hard time. In my opinion her staff have been giving any opposition a very hard time since her election. The mud slinging is only just beginning. Is there panic in the council Labor camp?
Denise Lindus Trummel, Newcastle
Better plans than urban sprawl
WHAT good news it is that this parcel of land at 505 Minmi Road is at last going to be protected to form part of the wildlife corridor through to Stockton Bight ("Tipping point", Newcastle Herald 1/8). It does surprise me to learn of developer Peter Durbin's concern to solve the housing problem though. I support councillor Liz Adamczyk's point that there are better ways of housing the city's growing population than furthering the urban sprawl.
Aidan Ellis, Charlestown
Migration and homeless linked
TWO articles on the same page of the Herald tell me that balance in reporting is still alive. One saying we can't look away from 120,000 homeless people in Australia ("It's everywhere and we can't look away", Opinion, 5/8), and the other saying it is crucial we have more immigration ("Migration crucial to create jobs and boost productivity", Opinion, 5/8). The latter from a CEO of a refugee organization, and the former in the editorial. Both cannot be right at the same time. One has to change.
