Letters to the editor September 25 2019

Get out of your political sponsors' pockets and show at least a small amount of morals and ethics. The argument that we produce only a small amount of the problem does not wash and change must start somewhere. As the Dalai Lama has said, if you think you are too small to make a difference try sleeping with a mosquito. Show some spine.

D Andrews, Tarro

QUESTION THE CRUSADERS

THE recent strike by school children reminds me of the story of the children's crusade of 800 years ago. The crusade was launched in 1212 by, among others, a 12-year old deluded French shepherd boy who convinced other youth that they could walk to the Holy Land even over water with God's assistance and convert the Muslims. Needless to say the crusade was a disaster, with most of the children shipped directly to slave markets or dying en route. No children returned to Europe.

I believe we again have deluded children being led from Europe whose leader, rather than walk on water with God's help, is carried by a yacht to the USA. Let us hope this generation wises up before they too are sold into slavery by the greedy forces attacking the western democracies.

John Davies, Newcastle East

OUR MAN IS NO ISLAND

INSTEAD of attending a climate change summit, Mr Morrison attended the opening of a packaging company in Ohio and met celebrities and billionaires at a White House dinner. He and Donald Trump are mates now. Compared to his meetings with Pacific Island leaders recently, Mr Morrison has performed very well in Washington. Now the Liberals can arrange celebrity and billionaire dinners at the Lodge for our leader.

John Butler, Windella Downs

WE'VE FIXED THIS BEFORE

WHAT happened to the hole in the ozone layer, Neil Fletcher (Letters, 21/9), was the banning of chlorofluorocarbon and halon gases, formerly used in aerosol cans and refrigerants. Even though they formed only a minute part of the atmosphere, scientists determined they had a dramatic effect on ozone levels. Over time their levels in the atmosphere have declined, allowing the hole to heal itself with few of us noticing.

Now the same scientists are telling us we need to address climate change by reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, even though they are only a minute part of it. A similar solution to a similar problem to achieve a similar result. Stop the burning of carbon to reduce atmospheric heating, and allow the atmosphere to cool over time.

In this case the solution will have an adverse effect on a segment of the population, and certainly won't go unnoticed. But, once again, we need to believe the science and eliminate the cause if we are to avoid far greater long term adverse effects on the entire population.

Richard Mallaby, Wangi Wangi

CLOUDY ON LAWS' EFFECTS

IN response to liquor laws (Letters, 25/9): back in the day, when we weren't a nanny state, our pubs and clubs staggered their closing times which meant taxis could get back to the next venue in time to take people home. Plenty of police could be seen on the beat and patrolling in marked cars. Revellers that played up would be arrested and charged.

I then noticed, after Tony Brown formed a group to protest, things changed. In my opinion instead of people being charged, they were separated, and I believe Fewer charges which made the lock out laws look like they were working. At the end of the day, I think the numbers are less clear-cut.

Name and suburb withheld

DON'T LAY THE LAWS DOWN

MODEST drink controls, coupled with earlier closing times, first initiated in Newcastle in 2008, are critical factors in reducing high levels of intoxication associated with the dominant deadly culture of binge drinking and failed responsible service of alcohol. I believe our twin achievements of a significant and sustained reduction in alcohol harms with an increase in safer and smaller CBD alcohol outlets is unquestionable proof of the importance of their retention. They have also virtually eliminated glassings.

Newcastle's achievements and prosperity also make a mockery of the AHA accusations of 'prohibitionism'. (See recent Herald)

In my opinion the assertion by billionaire liquor lord Justin Hemmes that Justin Bieber and Madonna were embarrassed by Sydney's 1.30am lockout (SMH 9/8) has been afforded greater weight than the expert independent evidence provided by our leading doctors, researchers and police.

This apparent capitulation to the demands of the powerful alcohol industry can only have predictable but avoidable deadly consequences. With time, it may be proven that the lock-out laws were a convenient scapegoat for poor management and significant demographic, cultural and technological changes unrelated to the regulation of alcohol.

We can only strengthen our Newcastle resolve to ensure our life saving alcohol conditions are strengthened and retained from a likely impending barrage of unfounded attack.

Tony Brown, Newcastle

FARMERS CAN'T FIGHT ALONE

THANK God that some individual groups like Rural Aid are helping our farmers. They're leading by example. It's such a pity our government hasn't taken the hint again.

Please, jump on board and give our dedicated rural battlers some hope towards the future instead of wasting our money overseas to impress Trump with his wishes to get it off again in space ('Australia shoots for stars with US deal', Herald 23/9). Maybe they're trying to build a wall in space using space junk.

Start now with giving farmers something tangible and realistic; show them what's in the pipeline for the future (no pun intended). Australians are facing incredible, harsh conditions. It's so sad to sit by and watch, and I believe that's what our government is doing. Get off your butts and soap boxes, your junkets to impress, and show our farmers that you actually care.

Again, thank you to all those individuals and groups coming to their assistance, well done. Could you only imagine what could've been achieved utilising $150 million?

Graeme Kime, Cameron Park

SHARE YOUR OPINION

Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name and suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words. Short Takes should be fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited and reproduced in any form.

I BELIEVE Greg Hunt (Short Takes, 21/9) does Lucy Hughes Jones' article in The Daily Telegraph a disservice. She adds to her concerns about children learning about climate change with "If pre-schoolers are going to be taught about climate change ... it must be framed in positive language so they have hope for the future". Hardly fear-mongering, it's more about being sensible about how children are informed.

Alex Spathis, Newcastle East

I LOVE that the Knights' new logo is looking the other way ('Knights head in a new direction', Newcastle Herald 20/9). Lol.

Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill

JOANNE McCarthy ('Down the wrong path', Weekender 21/9) has much to look forward to. It would seem the more distance we put between the critical date of birth and remembrances, the more moments we seem to have struggling with those small things we should recollect in an instant. Panic not, as you are not alone. Even at your tender age.

John Bradford, Beresfield

IN regard to greenhouse gas global warming, we need to remember that Australia produces only 1.3 per cent of global emissions and it will make no meaningful or measurable difference to the 2050 global outcome whether the Coalition or Labor are our federal government.

Clive Jensen, Merewether

LAST week in the Herald, the chief executive of Hunter Water wanted comments from customers about a proposed increase in water rates ('Water bills could rise by 10 per cent', Herald 18/9). Why bother to ask because they are not going to take any notice? Our latest bill received Thursday already says the price will increase on the 1 July 2019. So they have just increased their charges and already softening their customers for the next price rise.

Ray Dean, Thornton

IT is quite concerning, the amount of uneducated imbeciles banging on about climate change. What hope is there for future generations with their assumptions? The only positive outcome is that one day they may be dug up and used as a fossil fuel. Then again, I would imagine that their fossilised remains would burn as a pollutant.

Brad Hill, Singleton

GREG Hunt (Short Takes, 21/9), the psychologists are also to be congratulated.

Bryn Roberts, New Lambton

IT looks like conservative MP Craig Kelly, is out to assuage the fears of all the kids "paralysed" by a fear of climate change. Greg Hunt (Short Takes, 21/9), Mr Kelly has assured students regarding climate change that "everything you are told is a lie" (SBS 19/9). Ahhh. That's got to make us all feel a lot better.

Mac Maguire, Charlestown

YOU beauty. Scott Morrison spending $150 million to help NASA. He must be building a desalination plant at the Sea of Tranquillity to help with the drought. Dead set he's a champion. Always looking out for the strugglers. Thanks for more wasted taxpayers' hard-earned.

Matt McAlary, Waratah