SAVING Stockton beach ('Surfers make waves over beach access', Newcastle Herald, 13/7) isn't just about stopping the erosion. It presents an opportunity to improve the surf quality and beach amenity, and through that capture a portion of the valuable surf tourism industry in Australia.
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Stockton is ideally situated to take advantage of this opportunity. With Newcastle's only beachfront caravan park, an existing small beach-town culture and easy access to the city, little effort should be needed to bring visitors to our door.
The only thing currently lacking is consistent quality surf. A solution to this problem lies within reach with smart planning to address our erosion woes.
The framework is already in place follow this path. The NSW government's 2036 Hunter Regional Plan highlights increasing tourism, especially coastal-related tourism, as a key goal. The revitalisation and activation of Stockton beach would fit right into this plan. Maybe the City of Newcastle should follow the lead of the City of Gold Coast and create a surf management plan, thereby acknowledging the importance of surfing to our culture, identity and economy.
Newcastle was once known as the Surf City. We have an opportunity to reclaim that title. It's an opportunity too great to ignore.
Simon Jones, Stockton
NOTHING RUSHED IN TRIAL
WHILE driverless technology is new to our city ('Driverless vehicle arrives', Herald, 11/7), that is certainly not the case elsewhere in Australia with 15 driverless vehicle trials held without incident. Our project partner Keolis Downer has been operating driverless shuttles overseas for almost two years, carrying more than 140,000 passengers and travelling in excess of 60,000 kilometres. The shuttle will travel at a maximum speed of 25km/h. If the shuttle detects that its path is blocked via its sensors, the vehicle will slow and stop before the obstacle. Depending on the obstacle, the shuttle may suggest a path to avoid it, or the attendant may need to take control of the vehicle to manoeuvre before the shuttle can restart driving autonomously.
Trials are important in the ongoing development of safe and efficient advancements in AV technology which has the potential to make our roads safer and provide more choice in the way we travel.
Significant thought, planning and preparation have gone into the trial, which will take place under an already established legal framework for trialling automated-vehicle technology in NSW: The Transport Legislation Amendment (Automated Vehicle Trials and Innovation) Act. The vehicle will not be trialled on road until it meets the safety requirements established by Transport for NSW under the act.
The city's vision for a smart, integrated transport network has begun in earnest with the arrival of this new driverless vehicle, and we look forward to it playing a major part of our Smart City Strategy, which is helping drive innovation and growth through new and exciting technologies.
Brett Smith, City of Newcastle director strategy and engagement
FREEDOM TO BE FAITH FREE
I REFER to an opinion piece in the Newcastle Herald in support of Israel Folau, saying his words weren't hateful ('My belief: Folau's words are not hateful', Herald, 18/7). As a gay man with a peccadillo for alcohol and a bit of an atheist I can say his comments weren't received by me as bad. I am also almost 57, hardened by a lifetime of being who I am. Yes, there have been knockbacks, hurt and denigration all because of being who I am. Overall, though, my experience has been good.
I'm not paid several million dollars a year to be a role model as an elite sportsperson. My comments only matter to a few.
When you are paid to be an elite sportsperson you also have responsibilities. Responsibilities to make sure that comments that are made in the social media world and in the 24-hour media works are measured and supportive of the code's ethos.
Telling people like me that I will go to hell if I don't repent means naught. Telling your teenage fans the same from their hero means a lot.
Religious freedom should be kept in your heart, in your soul and in your church. Please allow the rest of us the freedom to not believe the same as you.
Andrew Whitbread-Brown, Cardiff Heights
ELITE TAKES COMMITMENT
THANK you so much to John Arnold (Short Takes, 18/7) the little levity was delightful - a wonderful interpretation of Biblical scripture was delightful.
But as the controversy about Israel Folau carries on, the discussion about the rights and wrongs are endless. Fortunately or unfortunately, when you play sport at such an elite level as he does you are the property of that code or club. You are not your own man or woman. Regardless of want you may think, these owners will call the shots. That's unfortunately the system; like it or lump it.
Tom Randall, North Rothbury
NO AMMO AGAINST HAMMO
LIKE many I have spoken to I'm baffled by ABC Grandstand's decision to stop local long time rugby league caller and respected broadcaster Craig Hamilton from calling NRL games next year ('Hammo's calling days numbered at ABC', Herald, 13/7). Craig has been the steady hand of rugby league callers in Newcastle for many years and I cannot see any sense why the public broadcaster would spend its limited funds getting a Sydney person to drive up to Newcastle to call Knights games.
In my opinion it's disrespectful to a loyal and talented employee and to the local listeners. It seems our world is being continually controlled by the Sydney crowd. Grandstand standards have certainly dropped, it would appear.
Greg Blue, Warners Bay
NO EVIL WITHOUT GOOD
BRAD Hill (Short takes, 19/7) reminds me of Ravi Zacharias: "When you say there's too much evil in this world, you assume there's good. When you assume there's good, you assume there's such a thing as a moral law ... but if you assume a moral law, you must posit a moral Law Giver, but that's who you're trying to disprove and not prove. Because if there's no moral law giver, there's no moral law. If there's no moral law, there's no good. If there's no good, there's no evil."
I could offer logical, historical, ethical, scientific or testimonial evidence for Christianity but I don't believe it would help. A friend once said he wouldn't believe even if God miraculously appeared in front of him, because he would assume it was a trick. People don't want to accept that there may be a God who has authority over them. My question is, what would you accept as proof?