THIS isn't the first time our beaches have been destroyed by a storm.
Those of us who are over 60 might remember the devastating natural disasters of 1974. On Christmas Eve in 1974 Cyclone Tracy, packing winds of 220km/h destroyed 80 per cent of the buildings in Darwin and killed 71 people. The most destructive cyclone ever to hit Australia.
Between March 10-13, 1974 Lismore received 1000mm of rain - sound familiar?
On May 24, 1974, Newcastle, the Central Coast and Sydney were hit by a massive storm with winds gusting up to 175km/h. This storm blew the Sygna up onto Stockton Beach where its stern was visible until a few years ago. Newcastle suffered a massive amount of damage with many roofs ripped off buildings, power poles and power lines brought down and so many trees uprooted that a lot of streets were closed to traffic.
All of Newcastle's beaches were devoid of sand. At Newcastle Beach waves were washing up on to Shortland Esplanade.
Between May 24 and June 16, 1974, our coastline was lashed by another two storms both of which caused further significant damage - sound familiar?
It's worth noting 1974 was Australia's wettest year on record. All of this happened before climate change existed. Global natural forces have always been dominant, powerful and at times destructive.
Robert Monteath, Newcastle
Audit a load of rubbish
THIS recycling auditing has gone far enough.
With a family with young children we are trying to do the right thing as far as what to put in and leave out of the recycling bin but this is the third time our bin has not been collected due to the "incorrect item/s" being placed in it.
While we are trying to follow the guidelines we are obviously not doing enough, and we will keep trying. However, aside from the obvious invasive nature of men driving around in earlier hours of the morning going through our bin I am fed up with the outcome of the bin not being collected until the following week. This is unsanitary and a huge disruption to a family who, like many Lake Macquarie families, are already dealing with enough without this extra harassment. The Hunter Resource Recovery group has an obligation to provide a service and as I see it this is not only an invasion of citizens' privacy but also a blatant neglection of responsibility. I have no doubt the Hunter Resource Recovery group have enacted this policy under the "betterment of the environment" guise however it is clear this process of not collecting and sorting recyclables leads to a financial gain on their part.
David Andrews, Lake Macquarie
Making Newcastle great again
IT will not be either the Knights, the Jets or the occasional whizz surfer.
The Newcastle Harbour, 1800,1900 or 2000, made it great. ''London to a brick'' it will be again in 2100. So why are we ignoring our greatest marketing assets?
Nobbys, the ''image '' of Newcastle is nearly impossible to visit for both tourists and citizens. The Queens Wharf/ Stockton Ferry precinct has "unknown"' planning; long past its use by date, 50 per cent derelict for two years.
Magnificently named, but offering welcome to Newcastle, Dyke Point, has been defunct since the state dockyard closed 30-odd years ago. A local Indigionus name might be well received, for starters. Why not a vision for this central point in the harbour?
The most urgent and readily achievable is a grand regatta. A mecca for all the Hunter and tourists - think cruise ships, for example. There is nothing like it in this country, and few in the world. Newcastle harbour and foreshore are just perfect for it.
The Royal Newcastle Easter Regatta - four days and nights, an events management dream. A new King Charles III would be delighted to open it and The Queen's Way to the cathedral. The harbour should be central to all Newcastle's future planning.
Fred Whitaker, Newcastle
Bullying claims leave bad taste
I DO not condone bullying in any workplace especially in the halls of Parliament house Canberra.
We have all now become aware of the tragic death of Labor Senator Kimberley Kitching and allegations by the Liberal Party that she herself suffered bullying by Labor Party members.
Given that, let's not ignore a text message that Gladys Berejiklian purportedly was engaged in where she allegedly stated that Prime Minister Scott Morrison was a bully and untrustworthy. Though Ms Berejiklian stated that she has no recollection of the text message, she did not outright deny sending it.
Then we have Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie who recently accused Morrison of being intimidatory and bullish during refugee talks regarding resettling refugees to NZ. One cannot forget how former Australia Post CEO Christine Holgate was bullied by Morrison over watch-gate. The watches were given in recognition of achieving the greatest deal in Australia Post history. Now the Australia Post board has paid executives up to $250,000 in retention bonuses to keep their services. Go figure.
We now have another politician stating that Morrison is an autocrat and a bully who has no moral compass. This person is Senator Fierravanti-Wells. She has accused him of destroying the Liberal Party. She states that he is not a fit and proper person to be a PM. Her accusations go further and are equally as scathing.
Dennis Petrovic, Rutherford
To EV or not, that is the question
AUSTRALIA isn't achieving much in the way of emissions reductions. This is set to continue both in power generation and transport.
The current rise in imported oil prices, caused by the war in Ukraine, is probably accelerating Australians' take up of EVs. But how long will this oil price rise last? Australia's slack emissions standards have made Australia a dumping ground for the world's fuel-inefficient gas guzzlers. Many Australians remain reluctant to switch to EVs since charging points are limited, EVs are expensive to buy and hard to maintain (who services and fixes them?) and governments dilly-dally over whether to tax or subsidize EVs, ("The major factor restricting the EV market", Herald, 7/4).
As the number of charging points increases, EVs: cars, buses, bikes and trains, will become the main way Australians move around in their cities and between major cities. Diesel or petrol vehicles will be banned in metropolitan areas or their owners will be prohibitively taxed. City residents will be able to breathe easily. But pity the poor rev heads. Until there are more charging points, many Australians will choose to buy a hybrid. Hybrids are very fuel efficient, extremely reliable, and don't require charging points.
Australia is a big country, with long distances between places. At present, electric trucks carrying heavy loads are impractical because they have a short range. Hydrogen-powered trucks may be the answer. But the development of hydrogen-powered vehicles and the production of 'green' hydrogen is still expensive and in its infancy.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
SHORT TAKES
MAYBE the Knights should let Kalyn Ponga go and chase Cameron Munster.
Brett Scott, Cessnock
STARTING to look like another wooden spoon, Knights.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
I'VE decided to plan for a Labor government, while here in South Australia I've purchased an old mine shaft in Coober Pedy filled with 1000 bottles of gin and a barrel of preserved limes. When I emerge in three years I expect to find 25 million Australians have fled to Venezuela for a better life, all except Albo, the mean girls and Mac Maguire.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
IS Scott Morrison the most delusional and the least self aware person on the planet? With his visit to the Edgeworth Tavern, it seems he has learnt nothing from his trip to Cobargo, and perhaps still assumes he'll get a hero's welcome everywhere he goes. And/or maybe he thought he'd be embraced in Newcastle because he's perhaps unfamiliar with the term "safe Labor seat".
Adz Carter, Newcastle
PETER Dolan and Damien Sloane, you have only to look at the pain and suffering inflicted by clergy of your faith on children. Can you justify this for me?
Ken Stead, Lambton
IF other countries can control excess water, why can't we? Britain controls tidal surge of the Thames, Denmark is 6 metres below sea level yet their ingenious by utilising pumping stations, maintains and controls any possible flood threat, so why in hell can't our engineers and brains trust can't we control and redirect flood waters, it's not rocket science, and it would promote regreening inland Australia.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
WOMEN make men so they can help us, because God knows men need all the help that we can get.
Dave Wilson, Bar Beach
PETER Dolan, (Short Takes, 8/4), all the "pain and suffering" is borne of mankind itself. Even though some would have us believe otherwise; in my opinion.
Bryn Roberts, New Lambton
PETER Dolan, tell me if you believe in God why is he allowing so much pain and suffering on people who have done nothing wrong? I guess you won't be able to.
Graeme Bennett, Warners Bay
GEOFF Picken, (Short Takes, 7/4), the cartoon that appears on the editorial page is designed to make the reader think. It is not always political, and, although it may evoke a cynical chuckle, it would rarely be described as amusing. You will find the comic page with the crosswords towards the back of the paper. I recommend "Garfield".
