I READ about the approval for the final stage of Iris Capital's East End development ("Business celebrates as club calls on Iris to keep promises to city", Newcastle Herald, 30/10).
The review panel has given approval with the shortfall of 26 residential visitor spaces for the final two stages to "be offset with a new condition requiring an extra 26 bicycle parking spaces to be provided in the precinct".
Purchasing into this development will not be cheap. The only way you will be able to buy a unit is if you are rich, and most likely old. The rich and old people who will be able to afford this development will most likely have up to two cars, but no bikes.
This decision will mean that somewhere within the bowels of the East End development every spare nook and cranny will be turned into a bike space. This very likely means that at some time during every day, up to possibly 52 cars owners will be trawling the streets of the East End looking for on-street parking. There might be a solution. There might be a car-parking station nearby. Oh, I just remembered; the last Labor controlled city council pulled it down.
Les Brennan, Newcastle East
Don't squander public funds
THE Herald's investigation into Newcastle Airport's financial crisis ("Debt-laden Newcastle Airport looks to councils for financial bail-out", Herald, 2/11), brings to light serious concerns for ratepayers in Newcastle and Port Stephens. While airport leaders assert stability, internal reports expose significant debt, a high financial risk rating, and even the threat of insolvency. Costly property development ventures, particularly the Greater Newcastle Aerotropolis (GNAPL), appear unsustainable, draining cash reserves and impacting core airport functions.
As lord mayor Kerridge noted, if councils are compelled to intervene, ratepayers could face increased rates or cuts to essential community projects. Additionally, the notable rise in director fees is troubling, especially considering the board's responsibility for approving them.
The airport's board should prioritise a sustainable plan focused on core operations and communicate transparently with the public about its strategy to stabilise finances without relying on ratepayer bailouts. Residents of Newcastle and Port Stephens deserve responsible financial management and reassurance that public funds won't be squandered on risky expansions.
A prudent course of action might be for the councils to divest from GNAPL, reducing their exposure to speculative property development ventures.
Leigh Wardle, Tighes Hill
Great tales, but don't claim truth
I'm not quite sure what to make of Peter Dolan's ("Atheism demands faith as well", Letters, 24/10) critique of my letter, which among other things accuses me of proffering anecdotal evidence as opposed to the "historical Jesus". Interesting as nowhere in my letter did I mention Jesus. He goes on to query whether my description of Christianity as "unsubstantiated mythical stories" accurately describes the New Testament.
Since you asked: the New Testament was written at least 100 years after the time of the events chronicled in their text. Most modern day scholars agree there was no contemporaneous writing of the 27 texts comprising the New Testament (some concede that perhaps some of Paul's contribution may have been written shortly after) and these texts were not formalised into a canon until 327. So what we know today as the New Testament came into existence 300 years after the events.
So like Homer's Iliad and the epic of Gilgamesh, the New Testament tales were passed down orally until they were finally formalised into written text. I think that even Mr Dolan will accept that given the lack of contemporaneous documentation, the New Testament stories more than meet the test of being unsubstantiated. Great stories no doubt, but hardly evidence-based.
As to atheism, he quotes atheist (or at least religion-denying absurdist) Albert Camus to justify his belief in Christianity and rejecting atheism, contradicting himself: "I shall never start from the supposition that Christianity is illusory, but merely from the fact that I cannot accept it." But as a good atheist he goes on to say "I shall not try to change anything ... that you think". After all, proselytising remains firmly in the hands of believers.
Barney Langford Whitebridge
Short Takes
Rail line cut hampers city many years on
TO quote the formerly despairing owner of three Hunter Mall businesses, Alicen Lewis: "Newcastle is one of the only cities in Australia with a harbour, beaches, a CBD and a cathedral all within walking distance. It has so much potential" ("Business celebrates as club calls on Iris to keep promises to city", Newcastle Herald 30/10). So, cut Newcastle off the intercity rail network?
Graeme Tychsen, Toronto
Council meeting disappoints
WELL, Newcastle council, I thought I had seen it all until the last meeting I watched online. What a great example of a council playing politics against the new lord mayor. I think you should be ashamed of yourselves. No wonder this town has turned to crap - in my opinion a number of councillors are mainly concerned about themselves rather than the wider community and what they want. You ought to have a good look at yourselves.
Tony Morley, Waratah
Diplomacy has come up short
CLEARLY the time for gentle diplomacy with Israel has passed. The ongoing killing of civilians in Gaza and Lebanon and the Knesset's blocking of food and humanitarian aid to the innocents caught up in this ongoing nightmare demands strong and urgent action by the world community. Along with Palestinian extremists, Israel's leaders should be held to account through the UN and international courts. The current tyranny must be brought to an end.
Martin Frohlich, Adamstown Heights
Revisionist history on quiet voice
IN the 2023 referendum, the 'yes' vote in polling catchments where Indigenous people formed more than 50 per cent per cent of the population was 65 per cent. The 'yes' vote in remote communities was even higher, up to 93 per cent. To suggest, as Peter Dolan does ("First Nations voters no monolith", Letters, 30/10), that Indigenous people did not support the Voice by a big majority is nonsense. And, after claiming "silent majority" status for the 'yes' campaign and its supporters, he now agrees they were in fact very loud. Headless chooks come to mind.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Sorry Steve, the boss says no
I DEMAND an upgrade from the Herald. I'm very important, you know. I want the Albo treatment! From now on I demand my useless opinion be printed on the front page!
