I just got my renewal for my house and contents insurance, and I almost fell out of my seat when I saw the increase.
I have gone from $870 a year to $1580 a year. The shareholders must be rubbing their hands with an increase of about 90 per cent. How in the hell do they think some people are going to pay these absurd prices? I checked around, and a number of quotes were also well above, touching the $2000 mark.
I am sorry for the young ones who are paying off a house and part of their requirement is to be insured, along with paying interest rates incurred over the past 12 months.
Allen Small, East Maitland
Policy rise shock
Having held a house insurance policy for more than 60 years, imagine my surprise when my renewal notice arrived indicating an increase of 89 per cent on last year's premium. Ten searches later, by phone and internet, all other quotes except one were considerably higher.
How can insurance companies justify such unfair quotes when the current inflation rate is about 5 per cent? I realise that insurers have had considerable payouts in recent years due to natural disasters, but such a gigantic increase cannot be fairly imposed.
Eric Roach, Croudace Bay
Renewable rabbit hole
I would like to make a few points about the so-called harbour blockade at the weekend.
Am I going to get a fine from the council when I camp in the same area as the protesters? The last time I looked it was not allowed. We have these clowns protesting against our coal exports. What a joke. If we stopped all exports today, it would have no effect on CO2 emissions worldwide at all. Australia has 16 coal fired power stations, China currently has 1128 coal fired power stations and has plans to build many more, therefore producing the same amount of CO2 in one week that Australia does in a year.
If you want to try to make a difference, go to China and India and protest, as we have lost enough industry and jobs by going down the renewable rabbit hole already.
Ever heard of the phrase "slow and steady wins the race"?
Time to wake up.
Robert Dunning, Thornton
Tide of destructive policies
Regarding "Newcastle coal port blockade: Rising Tide's on-water demonstration seriously misses mark" (Herald, 21/11), what seriously misses the mark is Labor, Liberal and National party policies on fossil fuels, renewables and climate change.
We're hurtling down a path to destruction of life as we know it. Short-term gain to powerful corporate interests is good for no-one in the long term. We need urgent action on climate change, the most important action being to stop mining, shipping and using the things that are causing it - coal, gas and oil.
Peddling non-commercial, untested nuclear technology is a distraction to maintain the status quo.
Joe Hallenstein, Brisbane
Albo's problems at home
One of Albo's election night promises was that he "will work every day to bring Australians together". Judging by the current national unrest and number of protests happening, he has not been too successful.
We now more divided than ever between Indigenous leaders and the rest of Australia, farmers are protesting about water allocations in the Murray River area and renewable infrastructure destroying their farming land, the Israeli and Palestinian communities are protesting against each other, school kids are allowed to protest on issues they know little about, the High Court is destroying national security, activists are protesting about coal and gas exports which is our biggest national income-earner, people are protesting against offshore wind farms, unions and employer groups are at loggerheads on IR reform, and the list goes on. I suppose we should be thankful Albo has been overseas working to help sort out international problems.
John Cooper, Charlestown
Public service needs slashing
The reason the NSW Government was able to pay off the state's debt and go on an infrastructure spending spree over the time the Coalition was in office was simple. The 2 per cent pay cap on public servants, particularly in education, provided massive savings for the state government.
With the Australian Government having recently partnered with Microsoft to trial a $5 billion Artificial Intelligence system for the government, I hoped massive savings can be found by reducing the commonwealth public service.
Then, just like when NSW paid down its debt and reduced the wastage on wages, we can all benefit from infrastructure spending.
Greg Adamson, Griffith
SHORT TAKES
Lifting the vibrancy bar
The lockout-law lobbyists must be suffering lots of neck pain at the moment. Every time they turn their heads there is news of another small bar opening in Newy. More power to these entrepreneurs who are participating in renewing the vibrancy in this fine town.
Tony Morley, Waratah
Charles entitled to be on coins
To those who want to exclude King Charles from our coinage, they should realise the decision is not theirs to make. We are a Commonwealth nation and, as such, if or when this is no longer the case, and until otherwise, we owe our allegiance to King Charles III, who is entitled to have his portrait on the nation's currency as was Queen Elizabeth II during her reign.
Joanie Wade, Carrington
Nothing gained from action
Rising Tide claims they would have stopped over half a million tonnes of coal leaving Newcastle port by the time their action was halted on Sunday. I don't think they stopped anything, just delayed the inevitable. I'm wondering who foots the bill for the extra mooring fees for the ships due to the delay?
Marjorie Marsh, Newcastle
Good look for the city
FinallyNewcastle, with its beautiful beaches and skyline, is on the news for something good for the city, country, and yes, the world.
Gabriella Emmerton, Hamilton South
Growth a wonderful outcome
Dean Harris ("Hypocritical protest group", Letters, 28/11), how wonderful that older people can admit what was normal for them has created a problem for younger generations. Isn't growth a wonderful thing? We can do better now we know better.
Hannah Maher, Islington
Awareness in action
In response to Dean Harris ("Hypercritical protest group", Letters, 28/11), I must advise that, as an older retired person, I used coal-fired power innocently 40 to 50 years ago, unaware of the climate change impact. Being aware now does not make my generation hypocrites for not wanting coal generation.
Darryl Stevenson, Coal Point
Too important to cut corners
When doing a project, do it right from the beginning ("No time to go underground", Herald, 27/11). Burying new transmission lines now will be less expensive than building overhead lines and burying them later. It appears that Clean Energy Investor Group's actual concern is profit, rather than doing the job right. This would be less of a problem if neo-liberal ideology had not led to the privatisation of crucial industries.
