Earlier this year during my facilitating of a course on WHS Due Diligence for the Governance Institute of Australia, I made mention of the current situation in my neighbourhood where recent road work had resulted in work not being completed, and the residual risk created. Outlining the details prompted a course participant from an interstate energy distributor to advise of the death of an Ausgrid employee earlier the year. This had resulted in an Australia-wide halt on "live" work until a full review was undertaken by Ausgrid. This then provided the explanation, not only for my neighbourhood's situation, but also my daughter's dilemma in trying to have Ausgrid work completed outside her property in another Sydney suburb.

Workplace safety is everyone's responsibility and the inability of Ausgrid to remove the power pole to suit council's works schedule should never have resulted in the ridiculous outcome now visible. I would hope that in the circumstances, Newcastle City Council would accept its significant role in what appears to have resulted in a botched job.

IT'S time everyone; government, industry and individuals; stringently regulated the widespread use of pesticides.

Alarmingly data is being recorded, from scientific observations, of rapidly-declining bird numbers in some European countries where information of a factual nature seems to be still valued in these times of obfuscation. These findings show reductions of up to 70 to 75 per cent of bird populations in only the past 20 years. There will be numerous mainly man-made reasons for this environmental disaster, but let's start with the bleedingly obvious reduction in insect populations.

The planet needs insects. Much as we humans find them a pesky nuisance and even a threat, we must realise for the survival of everything, every life form is critically important. Of course we need to protect food sources but we need to do it in a well-considered way and be prepared to spend what's required to do it safely. Every time we see an ant or other insect it doesn't entitle us to empty a can of insecticide into the environment. That behaviour kills all the insects which are the building blocks to all life. Bees, for instance, are just as susceptible to poisons as mosquitoes and flies. All are important.

The priorities of short-sighted politicians with friends in "high places" are of no use to the rest of us. We are part of a fragile ecosystem. Without the system we're all dead. To pretend otherwise is delusional and totally irrational. The obscenity and absurdity of the uber rich has no bearing in the world of nature. Can they survive eating money, gold, assets; things that do not sustain life? Why strive for education if we're incapable of comprehension and analytical thinking?

Without due care and conservation nothing lasts. Ignoring consequences results in the environmental problems evident now. These are plain to all except the "deniers" who live in ignorance. Voters hold the power to change situations for themselves.

WE never seem to hear much (if anything) about the fate of the many potential mass murderers who have been spotted deliberately lighting bushfires in various states

Have any been caught? If so, are they now in jail? If not, why not?

Some are just children I hear you cry. My response: If they are evil enough to commit such a devastating act, they should suffer the consequences.

Unless we start enforcing the law and make the punishment fit the crime, then we are merely providing them with a licence to kill.

MY daughter and granddaughter visited us last week and we decided to have lunch at the Customs House restaurant and take our first ride on the light rail. We caught the train from the Wickham interchange and it was well patronised, clean and comfortable. After lunch we travelled back on the train and we were all quite impressed with the experience.

Ray Dinneen (Short Takes, 28/10) said the air-conditioning wasn't working in the section he was sitting in recently, but when the attendant invited him to sit in the cooler end of the train, he declined the offer. I feel sure that the representative was only trying to be courteous, but Mr Dinneen nevertheless wanted to complain about these trains from Spain. I have always admired Ray Dinneen, but I thought his comments, overall, were a little pathetic.

UPON returning home on Friday, October 25, we noticed a car outside our house with a parking ticket attached. Obviously since we left not long over a week ago new rules were in place.

It turns out the council put in two-hour parking limits without telling us. A parking officer said we should have notification in our letterboxes. Of course we should. But there weren't any.

Needless to say the council wasted no time in handing out $114 fines both to several of our neighbours and to commuters. Someone has to pay for council's surplus.

I AGREE with Suzanne Martin (Letters, 24/10) and others who have expressed their disappointment over the language used in the current ABC TV series Frayed. When a drama purports to depict Newcastle, we have a deeper interest than if it is set in a fictional place. After all, it is being pitched to audiences all over Australia and in the UK, and we are justified in thinking they will judge Newcastle from what they see and hear.

Yes, it may be a comedy, but to Ed Matzenik (Short Takes, 28/10) I would say I believe we are all allowed to express our opinions without denigrating each other. At least there is some consolation in the knowledge that most of it is filmed in Collaroy.

JUST heard our mayor telling us how much the car race put into our city and all the fun things planned outside the race area. Then I heard shop owners in this area saying they will close during this period. Think I believe the shop owners.

PORT council rates time again and for the combined rates paid by Fern Bay residents we got a dozen shovels of hot mix. Dust off your resumes, Ryan Palmer, I think you'll need them soon.

THE death of convicted serial killer Ivan Milat raises the question of what is the best way of dealing with the perpetrators of such horrendous crimes. In my view, these criminals have forfeited their right to life as well as freedom, hence they should be put to death instead of spending the rest of their lives in jail. The funds required for keeping these criminals locked up for many, many years could then be allocated for other purposes, such as schools and hospitals.

WHY the worry over carbon dioxide, CO2? It is a natural trace gas in the air. It is nature's food for plants. It is heavier than air thus is needed at ground level. It has a ratio of 1:2500 parts of air, practically negligible. It's ratio, plus is used by plants, precludes it acting as a shield to trap heat in the upper atmosphere. I say hoorah for CO2.

HOW could a council give the go ahead for road works knowing full well that a power pole would be left in the middle of the roadway? One of Mr Bath's comments was that the work had to be done because he can't have council workers sitting around doing nothing. Really? They could be working on the pedestrian traffic lights at the top of Prince Street, Waratah that started six months ago and has been left with safety bollards around it for at least two months. Wait, I think I hear workmen out there now. And look. One tele pole is right on the gutter. I encourage you to check it out.

IS it the N or is it the O - what part of the word "no" does Kathleen Folbigg not understand ('Folbigg eyes new inquiry', Newcastle Herald, 1/11)? She has had more chances than most and still wants more. The last inquiry has been said to further reinforce her guilt. Judicial inquiries cost a lot of money (ours) and can be better spent elsewhere. Drought relief comes to mind.

THE Waratah Men's Shed located in Waratah Park (old Waratah Bowling Club site) is looking for a wide and varied collection of stall holders for its Market Day to be held on Saturday, November 16 at the John Gebhardt site in Waratah Park (Opposite Waratah Station). Stalls are only $10 each and we can provide a limited number of gazebos and tables. Setup from 7am and the Market Day will run from 8am-3pm. There will also be a sausage sizzle available and Godfather Espresso will operating on the day. For further information call Dave on 4960 8248 or 0497 641 150.

The Herald pen goes to Cassandra Dunnett for her letter about better education to reduce victim blaming.