WHEN will Newcastle Council realise that they are representing the rate payers? We have a right to know where every dollar of our rates is spent. We should all get behind John Church in his endeavour to press the Council to do this. In my opinion the Labor majority are hardly displaying Labor values.
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Derek Thompson, Wickham
GRANT Agnew (Letters, 25/6): you'll also notice that Folau didn't mention greedy mercenaries on his list of sinners. If, as he says, he has held his beliefs for a long time, it's funny how he waited until he'd made his fortune before he aired them publicly. Self-vindication is a wonderful thing.
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
SO Transport Minister Andrew Constance apparently thinks that women are not capable of making informed choices ('Off the bus: 'appalled' MP pulls advert', Newcastle Herald 22/6). The abortion advertisement's claim is inconvenient to some and a source of joy to others. Women don't need to be protected from the facts; they need to be protected from censorship of information they need to make an informed choice.
Jeanette Ball, Carrington
IT is so beautiful to see the grass growing in winter. It rises from the cracks in roads and paths, the now not-so-wonderful community halls, parks and footpaths left to rot. Maybe not just the council pool maintenance schedule needs a rethink ('Money makes city go around', Herald 26/6). Promotion is needed to get patrons to return! Excellent job, City of Newcastle.
Jim Ryan, Merewether
THE Reserve Bank keeps cutting interest rates and the economy is still not responding. Cutting rates to almost zero doesn't seem to be the solution. I remember when interest rates were considerably higher than they are at the moment and the economy was purring along beautifully. Maybe an increase to a sensible rate would actually stimulate the economy.
Jim Gardiner, New Lambton
FATHER Rod Bower of St Mary's Anglican Church in Gosford has notoriety for socially inclusive church noticeboard messages. Two of Father Bower's signs have read: "Jesus had two dads and he turned out okay" and, "Dear Christians, some people are gay. Get over it. Love God". He has received death threats for expressing such beliefs, and I can bet they've not been from atheists. That's a serious threat to freedom of speech.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
I AM finding it difficult to understand the hypocrisy of the churches, especially Archbishop of Sydney Glenn Davies' claim Israel Folau is the victim of a new and ugly Australia (Herald, 25/6). I believe we saw the ugly side of Australia when the churches hid paedophiles until they were exposed by wonderful journalists like our own Joanne McCarthy. The words "suffer the little children" took on a whole new meaning. You are backing the wrong person, Archbishop.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Mayfield
THE POLLS
SHOULD Israel Folau be allowed to use donated funds in his case?