TODAY, as occurs in rain, hail or shine summer through winter, some of us gathered at Newcastle Ocean Baths for that very early morning dip to clear the cobwebs, get the blood circulating and socialise. We do this with the utmost trust of all our fellow Novocastrians.
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We leave our personal possessions in bags in all areas, which, like other mornings over the past couple of years, has seen a few think it's okay to run off with bags not owned by themselves.
It was the day we fought back.
As the culprit absconded, he was chased by the elderly on foot and in cars until he was spotted, the bag retrieved and the thief finally caught by police.
The moral is that trust is fleeting. Lock up your possessions as we lock up everything else around us, as trust has these days long passed us by.
Scott Webster, Carrington
HELP SCARCE IN OUR SOCIETY
I LIVE in the world's biggest export coal port; a land taken from the Awabakal and Worimi people. We name our river after a European, but our jails after indigenous elders. Our nation exports nearly weapons grade Uranium, and are boasting our intent to be the world's second largest arms exporter.
Able-bodied men have been detained for seven years (and counting without trial, not because they have committed a crime but because they arrived by boat.
The NDIS, which was meant to give certainty of premiums to the government, has "gone over budget". Probably because this has been slashed for six years to give the existing projection of National surplus. People with disabilities are vilified as leaners, yet employ support workers through their NDIS plans. The unemployment figures show this lifting.
Pensioners are to be issued cashless payment cards to claw back unspent income. Street sheet vendors such as myself (The Big Issue) will need to hire card readers, even if homeless. Tipping will be a thing of the past, in the world of exact payment. I already lose some of my blind pension because of my efforts to earn extra. I was paying 44 per cent of my income in rent, and would be even worse off if I coupled.
Police have power to collect social media and phone data without requiring a warrant on mere suspicion, yet I believe police corruption is not being addressed before such power is handed out.
Our leaders rally against children protestors. They use free speech to insult Greta Thunberg. Children striking is dubbed the fastest way to a dole queue, yet she is likely being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. How clear it is: study STEM and our leaders will ignore you. Study the classics 1984 and Brave New World to see how we are operating.
Mr Prime Minister, you wonder why we have the world's highest youth suicide rate. I challenge you to a sermon topic; who would Jesus bomb?
Andrew Spannenberg, Mayfield
DAMNATION IS NOT ENOUGH
KATE Washington and Clayton Barr, I find your comments regarding the NSW Coalition government's lack of action in building dams ('Johnsen calls for new Hunter dam project', Newcastle Herald 15/10) almost laughable.
You do your mandatory monthly doorstop interview and announce that the government has not built a dam since they have been in power.
I seem to recall not too long ago your party having control of NSW for 14 years, and I have to ask how many dams they built. I would think none. I do remember one was cancelled by one of your leaders during those 14 years; Ms Kenneally, after $100 million had been spent in the planning process.
If you, or for that matter any NSW Opposition politician has any criticism about any matter, I would respect you much more if you could tell me what you would do about the particular problem and where the money would come from rather than stand in front of the microphone and criticise.
Kerry Redman, Waratah
A BITTER PILL TO FOLLOW
HERE we go again: pill testing will not reduce or prevent drug use (Daily Telegraph, 15/10). Will it reduce deaths? Who cares? Next, your Coke will be subjected to alcohol testing at the gates of venues checking for illicit substances like scotch.
How about they drug and alcohol test everyone prior to entry and departing all events? If positive, you will be refused further entry to events for 12 months.
Silly as it may sound, it's because of these fools who can't have a good time without killing their brain cells. Mind you, if they require drugs to have a good time they don't have too many brain cells to start with.
We don't need drug testing, we need to remove drugs and those who manufacture and supply drugs. I believe the types that get on TV or sit in parliament condoning drug use at festivals need drug testing before they open their mouths. It's a no to pill testing and drug users from me.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
GROWTH IS NOT ETERNAL
THE Grattan Institute issued a report calling for a congestion tax for all major cities in order to ease traffic congestion (Weekly Times, 15/10).
This was a move supported by other groups including Infrastructure NSW, who have argued that we cannot even catch up with infrastructure shortages. As expected, it was rejected by our state government who viewed it as an approach that would annoy the voters they rely on.
There is a huge cost to congestion. Government figures put the financial cost at $16.5 billion for the 2015 financial year, having grown from about $12.8 billion for 2010. The health cost of air pollution is staggering, while cars make up a large part of our greenhouse gas emissions.
We could follow the example of some European cities and make bike-friendly paths so that people will be encouraged to ride rather than drive.
In Copenhagen, 41 per cent of all commutes are made by bike, but for reasons unknown Australian politicians won't consider such an approach. Then there is the other untouchable; congestion is due to population growth. Between 2006 and 2016, Melbourne grew by almost 1 million people while Sydney added 800,000. Brisbane and Perth were close behind.
It seems we have much to be concerned about, but the failure of politicians to head the limits to growth is the most worrying.
Don Owers, Dudley
LOWE DELIVERS A HIGH
THE Lowedown returns ('Late start by the bye', Herald 15/10). I look forward to my regular Tuesday read and David's Jets 2019/20 season assessment in the Saturday supplement. Welcome back, Mr Lowe.
Eddie Boards, Kilaben Bay
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.
KATHRYN Simms ('This is me', Newcastle Herald 10/10), good on you. Remember it's not what you can see that matters, but being honest and truthful. You are obviously that. Always stay true to yourself. Good luck, I wish you what you wish for yourself.
Bob Hollingsworth, Gillieston Heights
MY congratulations to the firies who have done so much to save lives and properties during the bushfire emergencies ('Toll of homes lost in NSW bushfires rises', Herald 12/10). Too many people are fighting fires inadequately dressed. Everyone should have appropriate fire-retardant clothing and footwear stored in a readily-available spot so they can dress properly for fire fighting. Shorts, T-shirts, thongs and skimpy blouses are wrong and life threatening.
Ian Stewart, Elermore Vale
MIKE Sargent (Letters, 11/10), I couldn't have said it better. Trump, Fox News, Sky News Australia, and Morrison are the main reasons nothing is being done.
Wayne Grant, Waratah
GLEN Morgan (Short Takes, 11/10) it seems to me that in every letter you write you bag our city and council. If you don't like it, move elsewhere. I'm happy to help you.
Darren Sparks, North Lambton
REGARDING the NRL grand final, how dare the game's administrators change the match time from 3pm to 8pm without consulting what the supporters might think. How dare you change the rules of scrums that make it obvious of the outcome as to who feeds it. I think it's all about the money and the ongoing fantasy that we the fans will be happy. The game will become extinct (or at least less appealing) if they don't take a leaf out of the AFL approach to their game.
Neil Meyers, Warners Bay
IT is long past time for the government to take charge of our water ('Johnsen calls for new Hunter dam project', Herald 15/10). It should not be run by business. All our water in our rivers should only be controlled by the state. When we get a government interested in looking after us, could they please take charge of our country and our water?
Barry Spaulding, Cardiff
HUNDREDS of hard working dairy farmers are selling out due to the meagre milk prices forced on them by unsympathetic supermarkets. Ultimately there will be a shortage of health giving milk in Australia leading to importations of unpasteurised, non-homogenised powdered milk from countries that lack the same strict health regulations of Australia. Woollies and Coles, take note.
John William Hill, Williamtown
FOR those enlightened people who believe in the current climate crisis, I still have a few shares left for the sale of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
John Cooper, Charlestown
THREE hours of traffic mayhem to get a wounded steer loose on a major Melbourne freeway under control (Herald Sun, 12/10). Why didn't authorities simply shoot the obviously-distressed animal there and then? What happened to just getting on with it?