Well who would have believed it would happen?
Since the restriction of the use of mobile phones in schools there has been a reported improvement in students paying attention in class, behaving better and spending more time in physical activities.
We can only hope the next move by our educators will be improving core literacy and numeracy skills such as reading, writing, mathematics, history, and science.
John Cooper, Charlestown
New lord mayor is no novice on political front
THE election of Ross Kerridge to the position of lord mayor may seem amazing and leave many scratching their heads.
I, like many others, could not imagine that a quietly spoken gentleman nearing retirement could gather the support needed to challenge the established political representatives. However, we have all underestimated Cr Kerridge's long term engagement with the political process both within and outside the Labor Party.
Through his long term engagement with groups such as the Newcastle Institute, Cr Kerridge has been in a position to listen and learn from the many people who have contributed to the discussions the Institute has hosted including the odd mayoral debate.
His decision to break ranks with a party that he had been committed to for so many years was indeed courageous and has no doubt come at a significant cost.
Many will be surprised by his emergence as a significant political figure and ask where he comes from but the fact is he has always been there in the background or on the sideline. Now he has picked his moment to step forward and be counted. I believe that, as lord mayor, Cr Kerridge will gain the support of all Novocastrians and bring a fresh and inclusive approach to local government.
Ron Brown, Islington
Harbour history undervalued
The Labor Party's election pamphlet arrived a week or so ago; looking at the candidates and the background photo only highlights the disconnection between politics and reality.
The Labor ticket, led by lord mayor Nelmes has had a strong presence for around a decade. The foundation of Nelmes's tenure was set in a community consultation, part of which declared Newcastle's inner city an 'entertainment precinct.'
The Supercars imposition offered precious little regard for the city's lived history. The Supercars event trashed the legacy of Newcastle's most highly regarded mayors and the bicentennial gift to the city, Foreshore Park.
The Supercars came in 2017, our Maritime Museum went by 2018. In the Foreshore Park is the Memorial to Seafarers who served in war. The council cut down the flagpole, and the memorial has since been vandalised. The skids on the forecourt of the administrative heart of Newcastle's maritime industry Customs House have faded.
I looked at the Labor Party pamphlet with the candidates and Newcastle Harbour in the background, and it is just plain weird; there is no connection.
Philip Kelly Newcastle East
Greens keen on housing fix
YOUR Wednesday editorial ("It's time to be reasonable about housing", Opinion, 18/9) criticises the Greens' position on federal Labor's housing bills, claiming that the former was acting "merely for the sake of opposition". This ignores that the Greens for many years have put effective housing policy front-and-centre. Could that be because they actually care about those left behind by the housing crisis?
As the editorial points out, the Greens oppose Labor's rent-to-buy plan in its current form because it would subsidise developers but provide no limits on the rents charged. The idea that this small, limited plan would lower rents by increasing supply is not supported by any evidence and it would not touch the sides of pent-up demand. That's where I believe the editorial's inaccuracy comes in.
It claims the Greens were "demanding" Labor adopt their own policies, when they have made it perfectly clear in every interview that these are starting points for negotiation; hardly a demand. The key point is that the government should actually fund or build significant social and affordable housing like we did after World War II when we faced similar shortages. It's not an unreasonable ask, and it would increase supply also.
Michael Gormly, Islington
Electric cars have role to play
REGARDING "Why I don't buy electric vehicles' revolutionary status" (Opinion, 11/9): I agree with the author's overall point that we need to look at various areas and ways to reduce carbon emissions such as electricity production, active and public transport and greening the neighbourhood. However, electric vehicles (EVs) can also play an important role in reducing emissions.
Yes, they are initially more expensive than similar sized ICE vehicles, however this price differential will reduce over the next year or two as yet more affordable EVs from China enter the market. There will also be more second hand EVs to choose from at more affordable prices.
I would agree that charging all EVs via "highly-polluting coal-fired electricity" is problematic.
However, this is becoming much less of an issue as Australia's grid rapidly transforms to greener sources.
Charging EVs from suitable home solar systems and when renewable energy from the grid is plentiful makes economic as well as ecological sense.
Of course EVs shouldn't be placed on "an unimpeachable pedestal" but they do have a valuable role to play in reducing pollution, especially in the city, as well as offering enjoyable and economical motoring.
Ian Thomas, The Hill
Older workers ready to start
THERE'S a big division, Steve Barnett (Letters, 18/9), I totally agree. But there are many of us 50 and older who can and still want to work. If we do not know about the up to date mobile phones, computers etc, we are useless to most employers. We just need to be shown (maybe a few times) how. It's called training.
Amanda Johnstone, Mayfield
Polling booth complaint
Who was the person attacking polling place workers for independents at Lambton High School on Saturday, saying they were infringing on Liberal copyright?
Colin Fordham, Lambton
Query over voting picture
Striking image of the last lord mayor voting (Herald 16/9). Could someone explain her supporter behind her wearing political advertising in a polling booth?
Laurie Coghlan, Jewells
Protests push it too far
It is hard to explain the protest in Melbourne around the military convention, as anything but madness. It is difficult to see this emerging "protest mob" as anything other than anarchy. This movement may have been called radical, but now it's more emerging as lunatics and becoming like a viral infection. As governments ponder what to do: if you argue with lunatics, who is the biggest lunatic?
Grahame Danaher, Coal Point
Free speech, but not for all
WELL may Elon Musk call the Australian government "fascist" over proposed laws to prohibit online lies being disseminated ("Musk labels government 'fascists' over online laws", Herald, 14/9), but he is a hypocrite. Musk believes in free speech unless it affects him. He chose court action to counter criticism of his autonomous driving technology and other safety aspects of his Tesla automobiles.
