Knights coach Adam O'Brien believes his team is getting closer to their ultimate goal ("Finals exit stings Knights", Newcastle Herald 16/9), after their loss in the NRL playoffs last Saturday. I believe they are treading water.
If you ask me, they need to make the difficult decision and offload Kalyn Ponga and free up his $1.4 million/season money and enter the market for some other quality players, particularly in the half and five-eighth positions.
Ponga is a brilliant individual player, but in my opinion not a genuine onfield organiser and this is what the Knights lack.
The two most successful NRL clubs in recent years have adopted this philosophy. The Melbourne Storm with Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, and Penrith Panthers with Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai.
But then again, the Knights club and their loyal supporters may prefer to retain Kalyn Ponga and be entertained by his attacking brilliance rather than see their name engraved on the Provan-Summons grand final trophy.
Richard Jenkins, Stockton
New faces welcome in politics
I BELIEVE ordinary citizens have the right to enter politics, and I certainly welcome new faces.
For some, their initial intentions are to make changes they feel are necessary to benefit the community which I applaud. But for others, they become complacent, take advantage of their status and employ their own personal agenda in what they think the community needs.
When the community is not met with the engagement they request or deserve from their representatives with decisions affecting their lives, neighbourhoods and city, the residents remember.
Representatives, over the course of time, may forget their obligation to their constituents, but it is those same constituents who don't forget these failures and we make our voices heard through the democratic process via the ballot box.
Ian Bamford, New Lambton
Soldiers shouldn't bear the blame
THERE'S talk of stripping medals from soldiers for dubious conduct with possibility of unjustifiable killings. Is it not obvious that all killing is unjustifiable?
It is in my book.
Australian Defence Force personnel, on the whole, sign up to defend their country and fellow citizens from attack. What on earth were they doing on the other side of the world in Afghanistan in the first place?
Oh yes, I remember, defending the interests of a foreign country who invaded Afghanistan and duped the Australian government into sending ADF soldiers.
It is not the soldiers who need medals stripped. It is the prime minister, governing politicians, governor general and ADF commanders of that day, that need stripping of their medals, pensions and clothing, and a good 101 lash public flogging on the steps of Parliament House for good measure.
That needs to happen.
If the people in government wake up they may come to understand no one is attacking us, so stop buying weapons and fund the nurses. Fund the hospitals. Fund the schools. Fund humanitarian aid to everyone.
Be the light of the world, not the dumb lackeys of the American empire, the latest in a long line since the bloody Romans.
Let us be human beings and regard every one, everywhere, as human beings.
Love thy neighbour with baskets of food and water, not bullets and bombs.
Indivisible.
Nigel Williams, Redhead
Savings the issue, not solar power
A correction to my published letter ("Solar rate shift is light on detail", Letters, 13/9). Nowhere in my original text did I reference solar energy.
The puzzling aspect originally referred to the possibility of meagre savings, an increase of off peak rate in the fine print and the fact that my energy provider wrote a letter when they managed to bill me by email.
This energy bill is invoiced regardless of how the energy is generated. I have known for 50 years that the future of world energy supply will be solar and therefore the apparent denigration of solar energy is not in my belief set.
Marvyn Smith, Heddon Greta
Every voter has a massive responsibility
THE problem with democracy is that the public must pay attention.
After the shouting and counter-claims of the federal election and the confusing variety of the state elections, it is no wonder that voters are baffled by the subtleties of local elections.
Among the juniors cutting their teeth, a few carpetbaggers could sneak through the gate.
At least they are elected and obliged to their constituents.
Voting is more than a right. It is a responsibility, just as taxes are more than an impost, they are an investment.
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
Shortages across the board
TREASURER, if you had supported in-home child care providers instead of reducing places and removing their funding maybe parents could have worked.
You forced businesses to lay off staff and close.
You left hospitals short of nurses, and schools short of teachers. Apparently anyone working to pay bills and feed the family is not important.
In my opinion it's time to take a hard look at your position and see if it is really something you understand.
Amanda Johnstone, Mayfield
Housing isn't about groceries
STAN Keifer ("There's plenty we can cut out", Letters, 14/9), and Jan Phillip Trevillian ("Tighten belt, don't blame profits", Letters, 9/9), it's the height of arrogance to pretend you know what's in their shopping trolley or how to afford a house. And an amazing disconnect from reality with the average NSW wage of $65,000 and average house at $1.2 million. Never mind 2022-23 rents rising 15 per cent and another 9 per cent so far this year, with mortgage repayments up an average of $1387 a month. Time to stop pretending you have any answer.
Colin Fordham, Lambton
Big division over mathematic skill
GLEN Wilson ("Right to disconnect works fine", Letters 14/9): how about workers' obligations to disconnect from their phones and smokes during work hours?
One thing is for certain, the new workplace regulations will make it easier for businesses to decide whose pay packets are fatter than others, including bonuses.
While on the subject of staff, is there anyone out there under the age of 30 who can do basic maths without using a calculator? It's almost impossible to find young employees with basic maths skills.
I write down three prices on paper, ask the person to add them up and give the amount of change from $100. I've got more chances of finding a yowie than finding a young person that can do maths.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
Sink the cash into what matters
Conservative politicians and media always sow doubt and stymie innovative but costly plans to improve public health and education with questions like "where's the money coming from" and arguments that "the economy can't afford it."
Why is it then, that when it was announced that almost half a trillion taxpayer dollars would be spent on submarines and weapons manufacture, the same groups didn't apply the same standard?
Next time they ask where the money's coming from for social good, the stock reply should be the same place it came from for the subs.
