Reopen Myuna Bay Sport and Rec Centre
There is strong community support for reopening Myuna Sport and Recreation Centre, which was closed in a kneejerk move by a previous state government.
I believe the reasons given for the closure were dubious at best and, if by some remote chance the catastrophic event occurred, the whole of that area would be in dire straits, not just Myuna Bay. There was no plan put forward for residents in Eraring and Dora Creek, which are next to Myuna Bay. So what was going to happen to them in the event of a catastrophe?
Eraring power station has done extensive remediation work on the ash dam wall. The mayor of Lake Macquarie has stated her concern over the rumoured demolition, and wants to see the facility reopened in the near future.
Let's show some commonsense and refurbish Myuna Bay Sports and Recreation Centre so it can return to its intended use by the community. Let's bury the idea of demolishing it and relocating the centre to a totally unacceptable site near Morisset. Our youth and community groups deserve the chance to enjoy this beautiful spot, and it could be up and running in no time with some TLC.
Kerry Conquest, New Lambton
Intercity trains parked
The long overdue intercity train sets (Newcastle/Sydney etc) are parked in the back lots of Transport for NSW. First delivered in 2020, these 610 carriages remain stationary, the best example of non-rolling stock in the world.
Officials advise that the modifications to make them safe ensure they will not be operational until the last quarter of 2024, two years after agreement was reached with the unions. That agreement was to downgrade the trains from 21st century one-man operation to 19th century two-man operation including a whistle and flag waving person on the platform.
Given that we have $4 billion investment sitting idle, why can't the new trains be operated now, in the same manner as the existing K sets (now 40 years old), with flag wavers etc? This would get the trains in use now and modified over time to the "new" standard of the November 2022 agreement.
Stuart Manley, Soldiers Point
Bank charges hit pensioners
With the big banks closing their branches, forcing everyone to use their credit cards to buy anything from an ice cream to a packet of chips, it will be near impossible to use cash.
This is going to cost us pensioners dearly, as the bank charges us fees for the use of our money at shops, particularly small businesses that most of us use, except for supermarkets. Combined, these charges represent a bank-imposed GST of 3-4 per cent on every cent we spend.
We also leave a trail of our card details with a host of small businesses that have no cyber security to protect our small accounts from scammers.
Frank Ward, Shoal Bay
We are all Australians
In response to "Yes, this is the Australia I want to live in" (Herald, 19/9), these high school students speaking about the Voice suggest we are racist if we vote "no".
The reason we will vote "no" is because we are not racist, we see that we are all equal. We have heard for years we are all the same, we all bleed red blood, and now they are telling us we are not all the same with equal rights. Our constitution says we are all equal, all the same, rights regardless of the colour of our skin.
When I was at school in the 50s and 60s we were all friends and mates, then as young adults going to the pictures and dances, we were all the same, there was no "them and us", we are all Australians.
Florence Humphreys, Raymond Terrace
Selling off the silver
The grilling of Qantas by a senate committee exposes once again the abject failure of Australia's privatisation of publicly owned facilities.
Qantas joined the ranks of Telstra, Toll Roads, electricity generators, power infrastructure, nursing homes, TAFE and the Commonwealth Bank, an organisation that was fined $700million for serious breaches, which was paid for by shareholders and customers through higher charges.
Successive governments have sold off ports in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, Kembla and Newcastle, causing a big increase in charges, which flowed onto the cost of everything we buy, including houses.
It is so unpopular with the public that it has been renamed asset recycling, and will continue because it is now the only way governments can afford to fund the infrastructure needed for our booming population.
Don Owers, Dudley
SHORT TAKES
Best show ever for weekend spectators
Finally. As a tragic follower of all things sport, all the grand finals were great to watch as a spectator. Hopefully my teams will get there soon. Watch out, we are in for a Brisbane Broncos' dynasty, so many young players blooded for the future. Well done to all involved. Congratulations Panthers, Newcastle and Collingwood.
Ian Reynolds, Forster
A true red and blue boost
Fabulous result girls. Two in a row. Marvellous. Hope the men are paying attention.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
Dutton's tune sure to be a downer
Nice one Col Parkins ("Choose a tune to get you to the flipside", Letters, 29/9). According to Peter Dutton, if the "yes'' vote gets up we are all on the Eve of Destruction.
Brian Rose, Adamstown
Specific concerns
Rob Hanks ("Justice means taking action", Letters, 27/9) is wrong. The constitution currently does not provide special powers for Parliament to make laws regarding Aboriginal people. It contains a general power to make laws with respect to people of any race. Big difference. This referendum seeks to insert a quite specific provision relating to one group of Australians only, that provision being based on specific racial origins. That is fundamentally wrong and has no place in our constitution.
Daryll Hadfield, Redhead
Focus centred on Murdoch shift
Is the media being paid to brainwash us over the Voice? Now that Lachlan Murdoch has taken control of News Corp, I wonder whether his media outlets' reporters will move from the left to closer to the centre when reporting politics. Here in Australia, the left side is having a smorgasbord throughout the media with the Voice. Yes, they have more money to spend, but is this how a democracy should work?
