I AM writing this letter to give a big shout-out to the amazing doctors, nursing staff and support services staff at John Hunter Hospital. All too often we hear or read negative comments about our health care system, and a recent letter complaining about the food and lack of fresh fruit (Letters 5/3) springs to mind. My husband was admitted on December 18 diagnosed with a popliteal artery aneurysm, which initially didn’t look promising, but we now have a pretty good outcome. And, I might add, Col got plenty of fresh fruit during his 21-day stay.
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Our very special thanks to the doctors and staff of the emergency department, Ward F3 (all too many for me to name, but you know who you are), Dr Kumar and the vascular surgical team. You are all very special.
Col and Bev Page, Adamstown Heights
VOTES GO IN PORT STORM
FOR all of its past failings, NSW Labor in my experience answers policy questions honestly. I take issue with the NSW Coalition government for claiming it has a policy that the state's next container terminal will be developed at Port Kembla after Port Botany reaches capacity ('Port clash', Newcastle Herald 1/2). That is not the policy at all.
The policy is that the developer of a container terminal at the Port of Newcastle will reimburse the government for any payment of compensation the government makes to the lessee of Port Botany and Port Kembla for container traffic at the Port of Newcastle above a minimal specified cap. The government concealed this condition for developing a container terminal at the Port of Newcastle while claiming to have a policy not to develop a terminal at Newcastle before Kembla. I believe a government that does not answer a policy question honestly, let alone one of such major significance to the state's economy, cannot be trusted and should be replaced.
Greg Cameron, Wamboin
STANDING OUT ON HUSTINGS
MICHAEL Daley, Labor's leader in NSW, is in deep water. He doesn't want a new stadium built in Sydney's outskirts and he wants to remove Alan Jones from the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust.
When was the last time we saw anyone daring to take Mr Jones on? I believe Mr Daley is trying to breathe fresh air into NSW politics. He is pushing the wimps aside who can't stand up to bullies. How many times do we hear voters complain that politicians can't take a stand and be counted? Here is someone prepared to go into the gladiatorial ring against aggressors who have had it easy for too long. We've seen too much cosying up to powerful motormouths and their vested interests. I'm fed up with the pompous wimps who govern this state. I believe Michael Daley won't back down or give in for the sake of political correctness.
John Butler, Windella Downs
NOT ALL PROBLEMS ARE BIG
IT was good to see the Liberal candidate for Port Stephens Jamie Abbott promising to get a bypass road to Fingal Bay ('Road to victory', Herald 6/3). One of the reasons was that it is bushfire-prone land and so a safety issue.
There is some bushfire-prone land at Karuah where there are more than 400 residents living in more than 150 dwellings, the only access to this part of Karuah is Muston’s Road. Council in its wisdom decided last year to take one lane of traffic away from that road where it crosses Mustons Gully to allow a pedestrian lane. I believe Cr Abbott is aware of this issue and has voted against returning the road to a two-way road across Muston’s Gully.
The fix at Mustons Road is a trivial amount compared to what they are promising to spend for the fix at Fingal Bay, even if they do the job properly and have a two way road as well as a proper walkway for pedestrians.
In my opinion it seems it depends where you live as to the level of care you get from some of our councillors and want-to-be state politicians.
Fred McInerney, Karuah
ADJUSTMENTS ARE MINOR
WE can’t understand people’s concerns with Lake Macquarie council's three-bin system of waste collection unless they have children in nappies or cats. Cat droppings and hard shells of molluscs are not acceptable in the green bin, but the shells can be rinsed out and/or frozen and put in the garbage bin just before collection.
Everything else likely to attract flies or vermin can go out on a weekly basis in the green bin as long as you use the compostable bags. You might need to rinse out the containers or packaging this sort of material comes in before placing in garbage bin for fortnightly collection.
We did have a maggot problem with our large dog’s copious droppings, even with green bags and weekly pick-up. We solved this by purchasing a cheap plastic container, sealed with a clip-on lid. The droppings go in compostable bags and into this container until just before pickup, then into the green bin. Any other items likely to attract problems within the week could be treated in similar fashion. All we can suggest for nappies is opting for the extra collection until the children are out of them.
Caryl & Richard Mallaby, Wangi Wangi
THANKS FOR BAIT IN SWITCH
I WOULD like to thank Lake Macquarie council on behalf of all freshwater fishermen in the area.
The idea of the implementation of the green bin was simply pure genius. No longer do we have to scrounge for bait or wander the highways searching for roadkill. We now have bait at our back doors wriggling around inside our green bins.
Can you guess what I'm talking about? That's right: maggots. Big fat white juicy ones, and what’s even more convenient is that you can grow the little beggars without knowing it. Temperature is important. Anything above 35 degrees is ideal.
All you have to do is throw unwanted food in the bin at the start of the week and wait for it to putrefy. A week later the delightful odour will let you know when your bait is in optimum condition.
Chicken is by far the best medium to grow them in. After a few days wallowing around in that oozing, smelly mess in the bottom of that environmentally friendly green bin those maggots will look like they've been munching steroids. The question I'm posing here is simple and easy to answer: whose environment is the green bin most friendly to? The blowflies love them.