ALAN Hamilton (Short Takes, 5/10) claimed that he'd almost boarded Greta Thunberg's climate change train after hearing her recent stirring speech to the United Nations climate gathering in New York. He was somehow prevented from doing so when he found that the memorable heart of Greta's comments (allegedly) came from a speech by Liberal Senator Neville Bonner at the Constitutional Conference at Old Parliament House in 1998.

Surely that should have spurred him to join Greta's train when all governments since, and particularly the Liberal National Party that has been in power throughout most of the intervening period, have failed to heed Senator Bonner's message from 21 years ago.

The core message has been the same from well before the Senator's memorable speech, so it is neither Senator Bonner's nor Greta's but the message of everyone who has been and is concerned for our planet's future. It seems you, Mr Hamilton, believe that Senator Bonner was correct all those years ago. If that is the case, Greta must be correct today. There is still room on the climate change train for you, and for all those who have yet to jump aboard!

GRAEME Bennett (Short Takes, 10/10): daylight saving was reintroduced in NSW in 1971 from November through February in a far different environment to what we live in now; no global warming, melanoma wasn't such an issue, summers weren't nearly as humid as now, no large air conditioned shopping centres of unit blocks. When someone can convince me of the need for it nowadays, I'll accept it and get over it.

IF Scott Morrison is fair dinkum about his 2019 electioneering pledge that if you have a go, you will get a go, his government will undertake a broad-ranging review of Australia's tax regime. Too many Australians are getting a go without having a go.

I am not referring to a few desperate and unhappy welfare recipients. I am referring to those wealthy Australians who enjoy untaxed and often unearned increases in their personal net worth or their business' net worth. I propose that every individual and corporation should pay a net worth increase tax (NWIT) each year along with their income tax. To reduce tax avoidance, tax rates for income and the NWIT would need to be identical. The NWIT could be paid off over the next tax year.

In practice, the idea of assessing and taxing people's real gains in net worth (assets less liabilities) would be quite easy. Every business, whether it is a corporation or it is unincorporated, is already obliged to prepare a balance sheet for its ASIC and ATO returns. Financial planners routinely prepare personal statements of net worth for clients. The tax office would validate the honesty of taxpayer returns, but would need a more sophisticated program than Robocheck.

The advantages of NWIT are manifold.

The principle advantage is that wealth inequity in Australia would be reduced. The other major advantage is that spending power could be transferred to Australians who would spend it, so consumer spending would kick start Australia's sluggish economy. The Reserve Bank would not be forced to print money ("quantitative easing") or reduce the cash rate as low. Other taxes such as capital gains, land tax and possibly council rates could be abolished.

Although the federal government should continue to close tax loopholes, it wouldn't need to abolish negative gearing or reintroduce death taxes. However, it should phase out retiree tax credits where tax hasn't been paid because income hasn't been earned.

Of course, many operational details of the NWIT would need to be sorted out, such as writing off net worth losses and changes in the dividend imputation system.

MINI oxygen farms are a good starting point to sensible population growth.

Robert Gibson (Letters, 9/10) gives a rather lengthy detailed account of human necessities that are polluting our atmosphere with population growth, but misses a major cause that can be rectified here in Australia. People throughout the world, even in Australia, are going away from the quarter acre block to condensed living in concrete jungles. The quarter-acre block with a tree or two, hedges, shrubs and grass are mini oxygen farms capturing carbon for plant growth.

The Greens stage protests and cloud the thoughts of children demanding the removal of essential necessities, now needed to provide living standards to which we have become accustomed to having that also produce carbon, but no mention of population planning over a wider area of mini oxygen farms needing carbon as plant food.

Those who say we do not have the space available, I suggest you go to places like Mount Sugarloaf lookout, where population growth is blanketed by trees. Yes, we have the space, but not the will. It's much easier to protest than pursue simple solutions.

EARLIER this month a youngster riding a skateboard outside a school was accosted by an adult male. I believe the lad threatened this person with his skateboard and fled towards his home.

My neighbour contacted Newcastle police on Thursday morning after hearing of the incident. The person she spoke to was not very helpful. Later that day, I contacted Charlestown police and spoke to a female officer concerning some relevant information I had which I believed could have been helpful to their investigations.

I then asked why there had been no information given to the media to warn parents in the area. She informed me that they did not always tell the media as it might hinder their investigations.

Last year a young girl was abducted in the park adjacent to the school ground and sexually assaulted. During school vacations there are youngsters playing in the streets. Surely the police have a duty, for the safety of these youngsters, to inform the public of any possible danger? I am sure the various media outlets would be more than willing to assist. The safety of children is paramount.

RECENTLY a lady no longer in the bloom of youth swam about 150 kilometres in four successive crossings of the English Channel, a first-ever achievement by anybody, which made it to our TV news. More recently, in many countries of the world and our own capital cities full-on protest meetings were held in support of a forthright 16-year-old schoolgirl from Sweden because she was unhappy with the weather. What did I miss?

WHY did Sarah Taylor (Letters, 9/10) choose to remain in a house where dogs live inside when she found it so disgusting? Couldn't she leave? I know of spotless homes where pets are part of the family. Pets are not the problem; owners who neglect hygiene are.

NO, Richard Ryan (Short Takes, 8/10), I for one will not be taking your advice and watching Ride Like a Girl. I assume the tissues you say are needed are because the film shows footage of the poor horses which tragically died during the race, as seems to happen most years. I find it a disgrace how animals are allowed to be pushed past their limit of endurance, but it will never change while humans think that animals are for their entertainment.

I AM watching an insurance company advertise advice for others' hard-earned while another company spruces the Godliness of lamb. Last I heard there were more sheep than people in Australia. I'm changing what I eat in future unless I'm hungry.

TO dredge Swansea channel is to achieve two separate aims. Move the sand to Stockton to replenish the beach will achieve the first. If this is carried out to a sufficient depth it will lower the water level thus negating the need to spend much capital on a new and higher bridge. Two problems solved with one solution. Simple.

THANK you, Paul Scott, for highlighting the need for the poor relation, Newcastle Ocean Baths, to receive some care in the near future. (Opinion, 7/10). I spent much time there as a teenager and still love an occasional early morning swim among the many friendly older Novocastrians walking in the water there and socialising too. It lifts my spirits. I've seen performances there, bridal party photographs, and kids wanting to claim the butchers block. What a treasure.

JULIE Robinson (Letters, 8/10) offends me. Branding those who don't listen to the "qualified climate scientists" as irresponsible and likening them to unit trashers. Totally wrong Julie. You obviously listen to the unqualified who think they have the answers. I value our planet greatly, having been in the packaging industry for 60 years, and am passionate about recycling, including hundreds of hours picking up rubbish along Belmont foreshore.

WERE you surprised by the Hunter's child obesity data?