WITH all the talk regarding the cost of housing for low-income earners and social housing, it makes me wonder how any of us older people ever afforded a house.
In the early 1970s, housing was just as hard, and it was equally difficult for us to get a start on the property ladder.
In some cases, women were not permitted to work if they became pregnant, so there was only one wage coming.
There was no maternity leave; they had to leave work.
Wages were not great, but without any help from our parents we struggled hard and made sacrifices to get a house.
We did not start with a huge house on an acreage.
Just a small house, but we were happy and turned that house into a home.
My message is to make changes to your lifestyle.
Coffee at $5 or more for a cup is ridiculous.
Avoid eating out several times a week and you've found another saving. Go out once a month instead.
Talk to your parents for guidance instead of handouts. Those parents have done it all before you.
Greg Lowe, New Lambton
Liddell play is hardly liberalism
REGARDING his recent Hunter visit, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton says "he remains hopeful ... AGL will reverse its anti-nuclear stance and work with a coalition government to allow nuclear energy ... at Liddell" ("Holding out Liddell hope" (Newcastle Herald 25/7). Otherwise, "Mr Dutton confirmed the government would move to seize the land in the national interest."
This flies in the face of liberalism, which is an economic theory advocating free competition and a self-regulating market.
No private investors would take on the substantial risk involved in building a nuclear power plant at Liddell. Therefore, Dutton has proposed using taxpayer funds to build one instead.
Presumably, the nuclear plant would then be government owned.
However, nuclear projects are inherently risky and are very likely to run well over any initial time and budget forecasts.
Therefore, they shouldn't be funded by taxpayers.
One wonders what Sir Robert Menzies, the founding father of the Liberals, would think of the direction that Peter Dutton is taking his party.
Ian Thomas, The Hill
Harris changes face of US race
WELL what a surprise, what a turn up, what a well-I-never moment: the quiet, shadowy figure behind President Joe Biden has emerged and taken centre stage, and people are listening.
The Republican candidate who has dominated the scene is looking more like a stained old pillow that needs tossing out.
After all his abusive and derogatory remarks about women, he now has a lioness to deal with and doesn't she roar?
Trump and Hillbilly Vance (he of the "childless cat ladies" comment) now have some real competition in Vice President Kamala Harris.
She has already socked it to visiting Israeli PM Netanyahu by saying "I will not be silenced" when it comes to the tragedy of Gaza.
Blue is the new red everyone, so here's hoping she has the full backing of the Democrats so she can get on with the job of winning ("Barack and Michelle Obama endorse Harris for president", Herald, 26/7).
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
2000 mules and a Trojan Horse
AT the risk of over-analysis and potentially exposing a double agent, Ian Kirkwood's 'Mules and Rule' opinion piece ("US elections show democracies work in mysterious ways", Opinion, 20/7) has me intrigued.
At first glance it reads as a click-bait puff piece, a CV entry showing the author can mix it with the best right wing propagandists and pitching to replace someone of the ilk of US.
"I'm not a journalist, I'm an entertainer" Tucker Carlson. Burrow deeper down that rabbit hole and you end up asking: so, how much did Clive Palmer pay for this?
But no, I don't buy that.
Why? Because I have difficulty believing Ian Kirkwood is unaware of the thorough debunking to which the 2000 Mules conspiracy has been subjected.
Or, that he would be so unprofessional and lazy as to simply leave the research to others.
Which, I must say, has in fact been done so brilliantly by subsequent letters writers to the Herald.
So, I am left to conclude this was a successful Trojan Horse; an article designed to simultaneously highlight the insidious infiltration of US MAGA-style politics into Australia, draw in the uncritical thinker - by pandering to prejudice and blind cultish support of such rubbish - and to invite people to do their own research.
In the words of Blackadder's Baldrick, a cunning plan. It's a case not only of the mysterious ways in which democracies work but how, in concert, good journalism does too.
Rod Stanton, New Lambton
Albo's reshuffle spin fails to shine
SO Albo has moved the dynamic duo Clare O'Neil and Andrew Giles from their Immigration and Home Affairs portfolios and praised them for their efforts to repair the damage that was left by the previous Coalition government?
Seriously, not even Mac Maguire would believe that one. This just shows how out of touch this Prime Minister is with Australians.
John Cooper, Charlestown
Gas approvals don't stack up
JULY 21 was declared the hottest day ever recorded on earth.
Temperatures in Death Valley, California, were so high a tourist was rushed to hospital with third degree burns on his feet after walking briefly on sand dunes.
In California, millions of hectares of national park have been burnt in the biggest fire in the state's history.
This is not normal, so why has Resources Minister Madeliene King just given the go-ahead for several gas exploration projects in the Ottway and Sorrell Basin and off Western Australia?
Gas is not clean or renewable: it is a highly polluting fossil fuel. We do not need this new gas for domestic use. Labor cannot claim credit for a strong climate policy while these projects are being approved.
Anne O'Hara, Wanniassa
Questions are adding up
A QUESTION: can someone please explain why City of Newcastle has not dismissed the CEO after more information in Saturday's Herald article ("Leaked email in letters saga only sent to council GMs", Herald 27/7)? In my opinion the community has lost all confidence in this council leadership team and it needs changing.
Paul Murphy, Hamilton
Rain's a pain however you slice it
HAVING just now cancelled my weekend golf activity, I find it annoying.
I would assume other groups would also be abandoning their set leisure pursuits, all because of the rain.
This would give rise to a new wave of pleasure to those opposed to offshore wind farms, if they were to blow more of the coastal showers on to us.
