Thank you especially to the Australian Indigenous people who shared their stories and ceremonies with honesty, generosity and inclusiveness, showing their willingness to move forward together with us who have arrived later at various times and from many places.

As a British migrant, I recognise that people like me perpetrated terribly hurtful acts against the Indigenous people of this country. I acknowledge the ongoing effects of this history, respect the feelings of those who still feel the pain of this history, and I am sorry.

I hope that all people of Australia can continue along the path of reconciliation, listening and moving forward to right the wrongs and provide opportunities for everyone.

May we each do what we can, working together to create an Australia that is a good country for all its people. We need true and brave leaders to guide us along this path, and I am grateful that many are already working among us.

WELL said Stephen Watson (Letters, 23/1). My dog-owning days finished when I moved to the city 30 years ago. Since then I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of dogs and the bad habits of some owners.

Apartments are on the increase and so are people wanting one or more dogs. According to a 2019 Newcastle City Council publication there are more than 40,000 dogs in the Newcastle council area. And that accounts for the registered ones only.

If all owners do the daily clean-up for their dogs, that means 40,000 single-use plastic bags every day.

Alarmingly, many find their way onto beaches, into stormwater drains or may be dumped in parks, playing fields, other people's bins, trees, gardens etc. The inventiveness of lazy owners astounds.

Just when environmentalists are counting the cost to the world of the manure of billions of beef cattle, pork and chickens, that of the dog is disregarded.

Moreover a growing number of owners see it as their right to take dogs into cafes and businesses - a licence reserved (and deservedly so) for owners of special service dogs.

It is well and truly time for dog owners to do the right thing for their dogs, the community and the environment.

TO all those man-made climate change deniers, how embarrassed are you that Donald Trump agrees with you?

World economic leaders meeting at Davos are discussing ways to lessen human impact on our climate. Then the man from the White House gives a speech of don't worry, the 90 per cent plus climate scientists are wrong and he is right.

So rest easy all of you deniers, the man who has told over 16,000 porkies since his inauguration and has become just the third US President to be impeached, agrees with you.

However, not to be outdone, Mathias Cormann has joined the debate with what I would call misleading statements about the Australian government's success in reducing our emissions. It looks to me like Cormann appears to be following the Trump practice that if you tell the same lie time after time the mug public will eventually believe you're telling the truth.

So all you, relatively few, deniers sleep soundly, Trump and Cormann agree with you, I'd be embarrassed, how about you?

THERE are several 'elephants' hiding in plain sight in any discussion about changes with our earth's climate, in addition to the effect of increasing carbon dioxide levels in our air. The main one not spoken about is the actual heat generated from burning fossil fuels to make our machines move. More 'elephants' are heated water vapour in our air, removal of oxygen from our air, and human population.

One chemical reaction is simple: Fossil fuel (hydrocarbons) + oxygen creates heat + carbon dioxide + water. At power stations this heat is essential to boil water, creating superheated steam to turn turbines for most of our electricity. Waste heat, water vapour, carbon dioxide and fine dust particles are discharged into air as by-products. Fuel engines in cars, trucks, planes, diesel trains, and ships create waste heat etc as part of their internal combustion process. More energy loss, from friction of tyres on roads and pushing air from the front of a vehicle, can't be avoided unless there are fewer individual journeys.

More man-made heat comes from our many electrical devices. This heat is added to the sun's energy that the earth continually receives and partly reflects to space, although more solar heat is being absorbed by the earth and oceans as the reflecting polar ice-caps and glaciers melt.

Each of us can reduce our energy use by turning off lights, fans and electrical devices when not in use, and being selective with air-conditioner settings. This means we will be part of the solution to stop increasing air temperatures (and drought). If we don't try, we may be part of the problem.

I'M glad that Brad Hill (Letters, 14/1) found my letter "riveting" but I suspect it was really an inept attempt at pseudo-sophisticated sarcasm aimed at me. Pathetic really.

To be honest, I find most of his contributions to be facile at best and to be stoically endured but he is welcome to his opinions. Did he actually read what I wrote? It quoted a local CBD medico with almost 50 years CBD experience. And did he read Paul Scott's opinion piece (Newcastle Herald, 14/1)?.

No, I''m not a love- it -or- leave- it person; more a love it and lobby to improve it and criticise crap person eg.our ridiculous vanity toy CBD tram.

Certainly, I'm not one who glibly accepts anything called "change" or "progress" or calls out people with valid criticisms as "whingers". And with over 62 years living in Newcastle CBD or inner suburbs, I think I can more than match it with Brad Hill in distant Singleton. Stick with issues you presumably know a bit about.

How about pulling my arguments to pieces instead of criticising my right to make them?.

And no, I won't be "moving away and whining (I love that weasel word) about somewhere else".

LATELY I have noticed competitors in the top echelon of numerous sports reacting immaturely when refereeing/umpiring decisions are called, as if they're unsure of the decision made by the top dog. Champions play every call.

SCOTTY from marketing 'rejects' his nickname. Someone should tell Scotty from marketing that nicknames don't work like that. And despite what his biggest fan The Australian may report, most nicknames hit their mark.

DAVID Stuart (Short Takes, 25/1), the role of oppositions is to hold governments to account. Also, if you remember, Barry O'Farrell was exonerated in an inquiry because of "catastrophic" memory failure. Alexander Downer gave the answer "I don't remember" hundreds of times in the Wheat Board inquiry. A poor memory in politics seems to pay.

JUST a simple question to Robert Gibson (Letters, 24/1): What qualifications or experience do you have in professional firefighting control? Your letter seems to contain a lot of guesses and claims which I hope you can justify without the green spin. Also how is it that our native Australians have successfully managed to control wildfires by burning off on their lands for thousands of years? If I am wrong and you can justify your claims and do have qualifications I am sure the authorities would love to employ you.

THE only word I could come up with is unbelievable that Keolis Downer was running only two trams on the busiest day of our calendar year. People were jammed in like sardines in a tin can. Very poor organisational skills, they want people to use public transportation and they offer up this poorly second rate service. Brickbats to management.

KATHIE Anthony (Short Takes, 23/1) is correct. Having faced both flood and fire (and lost a house to the former) I don't particularly fear them - nor do I look to the government to protect me from them. I'm very curious, however, to learn more about how iron ore mines in WA cause floods and fires in the Hunter Valley.

TO start, I do believe in climate change. I don't believe in the exaggerated way some people are willing to go to prove their point, be it right or wrong. I strongly object to Michael Hinchey's comment that this is a war and some people should be censored (Letters, 25/1). Millions of soldiers gave their lives in two world wars so we could have freedom. That includes freedom of speech, your right to protest, strike or write to the editor. I think you should choose your words more carefully. Lest we forget.

CARONA virus is a greater threat to Australia than climate change. What if it gets into Coopers Pale Ale or XXXX or the holy grail of our national identity the Darwin stubby. Close the airports. Cheers.