THE recent debates over Victorian legislation regarding voluntary euthanasia has heard the opponents raise the issue of sanctity of life. This is also the argument put forward by those opposing legal abortions. Strangely, I have never heard this argument raised in respect to the lives of those killed in war or, in the USA, to the thousands killed accidentally or deliberately by guns. Surely the lives of those children killed in mass school shootings and the civilians killed as a result of the many wars the US has started are also sacred. Perhaps only the lives of foetuses and sick old people are sacred. The others can go whistle Dixie.
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Joan Lambert, Adamstown
FOR John William Hill's information (Short Takes, 1/7), Israel Folau has already played rugby league. He's played for Storm, Broncos, Queensland, Australia and the NRL All-Stars, so I don't think he would have a problem converting.
Greg Pipe, Tanilba Bay
YOU'RE right, Brad Hill (Short Takes, 2/7). Another long, hot summer will, at least partly, be the result of climate change. Promising signs in your slow conversion to the truth. Persevere.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
CONGRATULATIONS to Lake Macquarie City Council and boat owners on the Float Your Boat event last weekend ('Festival leaves the Lake aglow', Newcastle Herald 1/7). What a spectacular celebration of our beautiful lake and such an amazing sight. Wouldn't it be great if the Toronto community had the foreshore parkland they deserve to enjoy these spectacles into the future instead of council's high-rise development proposal on the needed foreshore land?
Sue Jansson, Toronto
I WONDER if those people criticising Ray Dinneen (Short Takes, 27/6) have actually read the article correctly and have actually travelled the many sections of Hunter Street where there is only one lane and no-stopping signs all along. No-stopping signs mean exactly that - no stopping at all. If you or I stop in those zones for any reason, including to drop disabled people at a medical centre, we are liable to be fined where apparently council garbage trucks are immune. Maybe these critics should be criticising those who have created this situation in the name of revitalising Newcastle.
Robert Green, Georgetown
ON Sunday evening I caught a train back from Sydney, which arrived on time at the Newcastle Interchange at 7.04pm. I then needed to catch the light rail to near my residence at Newcastle East. The tram must have left the Newcastle Interchange at the scheduled time of 7pm. Consequently, I had to wait until 7.30pm for the next tram after an already long train journey. Of course, until the closure of the railway line I would have continued on to Newcastle Station and easily walked home. Surely in an era of integrated transport the light rail timetable could properly align with the heavy rail service to Newcastle Interchange, particularly at times when the tram service is infrequent. I was not the only unhappy customer waiting at the Newcastle Interchange on Sunday evening.
