Does anyone remember the Newcastle Urban Renewal Strategy, known as the NURS?
This was a plan for Newcastle which appeared in 2013 or 2014. The NURS was a flawed proposal for the city. I disagreed with the closure of the railway and reducing the number of traffic lanes in Hunter Street from four to two, with a row of trees down the middle. A row of trees would have looked nice, but the city would be harder to get into and out of. How was this supposed to attract people into the city?
However, one part of the proposal that had merit was to set the height of buildings with those furthest back from the harbour at a higher level while those closer to the harbour at lower levels. The closer a development was to the harbour, the lower its height limit. That made sense, as those who were in the apartments would still have a view of the harbour. What happened to that idea?
These days the developers seem to be able to plan what they like. Some are now saying Newcastle is becoming a concrete jungle. The latest plan does little to suggest otherwise. Newcastle was once rated as one of Australia's most livable cities. I was told some time ago Newcastle is not even on the list anymore. I wonder how many people would understand why.
We are in Amsterdam visiting family and I got thinking. Amsterdam is chock full of visitors at the moment. With the weather change in Newcastle maybe we can take hints from Amsterdam. I suggest we call on our pollies to allow 'coffee shops' along the light rail route. We could promote it nationally at the Munchies Mile. With extra visitors because of the Munchies Mile, the restaurants and traditional cafes will boom.
Instead of a beer or a wine at Newcastle baths, we can have chill-out sessions in the proposed new cafe.
The Newcastle East residents will be able to enjoy a spliff legally while watching the whales and dolphins swim up the coast. Bliss. No pesky sav blanc or pinot grigio on the culturally changing Newcastle coast, just chilled peace.
Newcastle has changed. We aren't a backwater but a city on the move. Let's get with the program. Embrace change.
Is it just me or is anyone else over the whinging of the wealthy, losing their tax incentives to make even more money? The way they are carrying on over minor, long overdue changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax, I'm expecting to see them on street corners begging. For the rest of us, don't be seduced by the bleating. These changes do not affect the majority, except we may see our children and grandchildren have some hope of home ownership.
Why should the tax payer fund wealth creation? I thought these people worked incredibly hard for their millions, self-made with no assistance. They are the first to bash others relying on the taxpayer such as jobseekers and single parents when they have been able to take an unfair advantage not available to most of us. The scare campaign around franking credits managed to convince some aged pensioners that they would be losing something, and here we go again.
The real complaint should be about the state of our public hospitals and schools. The latest NAPLAN shows disadvantaged children falling further behind. These public services have been starved of funds for too long and are at breaking point. We pride ourselves on being the country of the fair go, but this is a faded hollow myth. Lobbyists for the rich now run the show. Watch the antics and lies as the budget changes navigate the Parliament. Gambling reform and fair taxes on our gas were killed off, please not this one.
The current budget debate is about fairness. The tax deductibility of expenses, largely interest payments against rental income, was not fair.
Life is good, but never fair.
If the changes are expected to help people into homes, which I don't see, why don't we allow negative gearing on the family home up to a reasonable level? That's a fair approach to give tax deductibility to interest payments for new home owners.
The cry comes that we can't afford it masks a greedy tax grab. There are many lower priorities that can be trimmed I'm sure. The key aspirational goal for young people, their parents and their grandparents is to get their own home. We need to do whatever it takes.
Jan Phillip Trevillian, Australia is now haves and have-nots ("Cost of living crisis hard to see", Letters, 29/5). The haves mean record overseas travel, while most of today's highly taxed workers are shut out of the home market. In the 1960s and '70s, jobs were thick on the ground. Yes, you can see the dual utes and big SUVs, but they are far from driven by everyone. Have-nots are always more hidden in their daily lives. Those utes should get around with a load of gravel and a tarp to better look the part.
Please lord mayor, stop this ridiculous Newcastle Ocean Baths development.
Has anyone else noticed that Declan Clausen seems to have gone into hibernation since being well and truly defeated for the position of lord mayor? He was always pretty vocal, but since the election I can't recall seeing or hearing anything from him. I wonder why?
John Cooper, there is no point in talking about national productivity, jobs creation and living standards when climate change comes along and interferes seriously with this ("Ideology won't protect economy", Letters, 27/5). Also, look at what South Australia has achieved with a combination of renewables and battery back-up. 74 per cent power generation. Yes, I believe in the long run nuclear energy may play a role in the equation, but this won't happen overnight. However, if conservatives had not spent the last 20 years trying to sabotage renewables implementation we would be in a much better position today.
Niko Leka ("Make renewables, not weapons", Letters, 30/5), have you heard of China and Russia?
