DAVID Elliott, Eric Abetz and the Liberals must be feeling particularly pleased with themselves. In their pursuit of political point-scoring, and under parliamentary privilege of course, they have successfully dealt Luke Foley and Labor a significant blow. It’s just a shame about the woman's right to privacy and stated wish to remain anonymous.
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What right do these people (add in the Daily Telegraph’s role in the Geoffrey Rush case, and the WA branch of the Nationals’ calls for Barnaby Joyce to resign) in forcing someone into the public eye against their stated wishes? I find it absolutely disgraceful behaviour.
Let's hope this woman's wishes are noted by everyone and all organisations in the future, but I won't hold my breath.
Deb Gadd, Adamstown
VOTERS HAVE NO CONFIDENCE
THE move to tarnish Luke Foley’s reputation and remove him from NSW Opposition leadership five months out from an election was exquisite timing by the Coalition government. Gladys Berejiklian’s government may yet survive the next state election. That is a pity, since I believe the NSW Coalition Government has proved itself inept. Although Gladys is intellectually sharp, I think she lacks true leadership abilities.
NSW Labor lacks a credible alternative agenda. It also lacks leadership talent to replace Foley. Jodi McKay in my opinion lacks intellectual finesse and political experience. Michael Daley, although experienced, is soiled goods through his past association with Eddie Obied and Joe Tripodi. Chris Minns is just too young and inexperienced to assume the mantle of Opposition Leader.
Pity the NSW voter! They face a Hobson’s choice situation in the next state election. They will be forced to vote for half-baked political policies and people on both sides who are uninspiring political dodderers.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
CASH IS A CHECK ON CREDIT
I THINK the population is becoming locked into plastic cards pushed by the system who want a cashless society. In my opinion a cashless society would leave vulnerable people tied down by debt and hardship, open game for cyber rip-off merchants or hackers and ultimately ending up slaves to the system.
Governments, big banks and corporations can never be trusted to give the people a full guarantee of security in a totally plastic financial system.
Cash should always be in our pocket. It is our security for self-control, our buying power and our independence. It gives us our basic needs and serves as a safeguard when the system wants to pull the plug.
Maureen O'Sullivan Davidson, Swansea
WRITING’S NOT ON THE ROAD
THE news item regarding changed speed reduction signage catching out motorists (‘Fast Money’, Herald 8/11) can easily be made more open and apparent by not displaying roadside signs and stencilling the speed on the roadway, repeating every kilometre until it changes again.
If these reductions are all about safety, and not revenue, a stencilled road costs less than a manufactured sign and stands out more prominently. I believe any excuse to not use this method would be a contradiction of the system already in use in school safety zones.
So how about it, prove it's not all about the money and place signage where people can't help but notice it? Put it right in front of them, in the middle of the road stencilled in fluorescent white that works in the rain when most accidents occur, not confusing signs planted where motorists seldom look.
To say cars will wear out these signs, thereby increasing required maintenance, is solved if they are placed in the middle of the road where tyres seldom travel.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
TURNING POINT IN REARVIEW
WHEN the speed limit on one of Newcastle's busiest roads was changed, creating a new revenue raiser for the state government (‘Fast Money’, Herald 8/11) we were told that a high accident rate was the reason, but the accident details appear to be a closely held secret.
As someone who used to live on Newcastle Road, I witnessed many of those collisions. There was about one rear-ender per week among traffic turning right from Newcastle Road into Croudace Street. These were not caused by speed. They were caused by drivers caught by surprise at the length of the queue. That seems to account for more than half of the reported total for the entire stretch of road. In other words, it looks as if most of the collisions were in one lane at one intersection.
That black spot has since been fixed, by extending the length of the turning lanes. In fact, it was fixed well before the speed limit was changed. Does that mean that the speed limit decision was based on obsolete data?
When Sonia Hornery asked for the accident data, she was told that it would be expensive, because it would take many hours to collate the data. This seems to mean either that the data had not been collated already. When are we going to get a state government we can trust?
Peter Moylan, Glendale
TRUMPED-UP COVERAGE
IS it necessary for our media to subject Australians to the constant negative and distressing ravings of the person in charge of America? It's bad enough American voters have subjected the world to him in the first instance, but the constant daily barrage of incoherent ramblings and threatening behaviour is too much to bear.
Even young children are increasingly worried about world politics. The media needs to realise there needs to be some circumspection in how much we need to hear. Of course information is important, but can the media outlets keep it brief? Some of the reporting is of no real significance. It's a kind of morbid fascination and it's not healthy.
The more credence given to some people, the more their self-importance is nurtured and their delusions reinforced. It's a vicious cycle that can only lead to unhappiness.
Australia may have links to America, as we do to all countries, but we aren't part of that country any more than any other; so why this disproportionate obsession?
Stress leads to many unfavourable outcomes for everyone. Not only does it contribute to health issues, but it reduces all aspects of the quality and enjoyment of our lives. As politicians seem unable to care for communities, maybe the independent arms of the media could set an example.
Anne Phillips, Wallarah
LETTER OF THE WEEK
THE pen goes to Beth McHugh, of New Lambton, for her letter about horses dying in the Melbourne Cup.
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