SO sad to hear of the valuable historic documents that were hastily destroyed because of asbestos contamination at Newcastle East Public School ('History lost', Newcastle Herald, 31/1). I did not attend Newcastle East, but the Star of the Sea further up on the block past the cathedral. We walked from near Pacific Park to school.
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When passing Newcastle East and the grammar school we had the following sung to us most days: "Catholics, Catholics bit by bit orta orta be dipped in s--t." Being goody-two shoes Catholics we never sang back. If the nuns had found out we had sung back they would have caned us savagely.
Still, us kids played together after school around King Edward Park, Pacific Park and around the guns in place at Parnell Place. Great childhood.
Wal Remington, Mount Hutton
Kids to decide on drag
OUR deputy lord mayor feels confident the Newcastle community will embrace drag queen story time ('Drag story time for library', Herald, 29/1).
Really Declan, are you a parent? When my son was a toddler we were walking along Circular Quay when a clown bent down to say hello to him. My little boy spat in his face. I was shocked and the clown was furious despite my explanation that he had frightened him. Don't underestimate the intelligence of children and forcing them to accept adults agendas can backfire.
Mary Stronach, Newcastle
Adult entertainment only
THE assumption inferred in the Herald article ('Drag story time for library', 29/1) that just because adults voted for consenting adults to marry (2017 plebiscite) they would automatically embrace a drag queen reading to children is outrageous.
Drag queens are adult entertainment. The same article refers to the incident at a Brisbane library, where protesters confronted two drag queens who had been reading to children. One of these drag queens goes by the name of Diamond Good Rim who was the winner of a 2019 X award from the adult entertainment industry. Why promote adult entertainers as role models to children? Why is there not reading by disabled people or Indigenous people to children?
Having a dissenting opinion does not always mean bigotry or hate; it is simply a difference of opinion. I think the gender movement reduces all women to a pantomime of reductive female stereotypes, which is insulting. This mockery of women is not only being tolerated, but encouraged.
Judith Hunter, The Junction
Vale Peter Barrack
PETER Barrack is respectfully remembered by the Parks and Playgrounds Movement for his outstanding contribution to the Newcastle and Hunter community.
As secretary of the Newcastle Trades Hall Council he was a true friend of the Newcastle Community and Resident Groups. His intelligent leadership of the Trades Hall Council provided a powerful Green Ban Umbrella to make sure important community issues such as protection of Newcastle East and the Newcastle Foreshore and Lake Macquarie Green Point were fairly heard by local government.
The parks movement appreciated the advice of the Trades Hall Council in many park issues and always valued Peter's support.
We were sad to hear of Peter's death and we extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife Di and family and grandchildren.
Doug Lithgow, Parks and Playgrounds Movement
Forget resort meeting
AS a very proud Novocastrian I'm continually frustrated by Newcastle City Council's infighting, direction and undisclosed expenditure of our rates by councillors elected to so-called serve on behalf of the voters. I don't see the need for a meeting at a high cost resort regarding strategic direction ('Council meeting split', Herald, 28/1). As if voters in the suburbs of Newcastle remember what the council have done for us during this term, a new business plan/strategic direction will be required by new council members come September. Remember, acceptance today is what to expect tomorrow.
Peter Mullins, Rankin Park
Virus risk 'slight'
I READ the concerns of the Maritime Union on the coronavirus ('Fears at Newcastle port', Herald, 31/1). Ships stores come on board pre-packed. The chances of contaminated food from an open market a 1000km from the sea coming on board are slight. Most of the crews are non-Chinese, so the chances of a crew member coming aboard from the area is equally slight. Fourteen days at sea are followed by time at anchor awaiting a berth, before the ship is routinely inspected by quarantine and health officials on arrival. To then allocate extra people to check for coronavirus virus would be a bad allocation of limited resources.
Peter Hay, Islington
Record fun at the fort
HAVING now recovered from the oppressive heat of Australia Day I would like to give the residents of greater Newcastle a heartfelt thank you for the support they showed Fort Scratchley last Sunday. Being from the older generation I will not claim to understand the power of social media but, along with the publicity from the front page of the Herald on January 22, the fort received in excess of 5000 visitors for the day. This is by far the largest daily visitation to any fort open day and had the volunteer operating the counter claiming RSI. There were 70 volunteers and collectively I believe they provided a memorable experience for all visitors, my sincere thanks to all. Fort Scratchley is living history and we look forward to welcoming many more people to future events.
Frank Carter, president, Fort Scratchley Historical Society
Board better for Jets
IT would appear from the tone of Robert Dillon's article last Saturday ('Trump card required', Herald, 25/1) that Newcastle Jets fans should be somehow grateful to the various owners since the start of the A-League. By all accounts they have sunk millions of dollars into what the article describes as a bottomless pit. Surely we must ask why they have failed if the figures quoted are true.
Could I suggest that where the club has failed is that each of the owners has tried to run the club as a fiefdom, and while Tinkler did have a board of directors for a short period, Constantine the FFA and the current owner have made no attempt to appoint a board of directors to assist with the running of the club. A board of directors made up of local business people, some with a football background, would surely have assisted the club to avoid some of the disastrous decisions made by the owners and opened up avenues of contact with the local business community. If a fish stinks, it stinks from the head down.
Eric Burns, Belmont
LETTER OF THE WEEK
The Herald pen goes to Wendy Webb for her letter about Australia Day.
Short Takes
I FIND it difficult to understand the decision to allow people from coronavirus-affected areas to land in Australia well after the outbreak and China's attempts to contain it. We allow more than one plane in and good heavens we have confirmed cases. Does it not make sense to prohibit any landings from that area? Surely our priority should be protecting this country. On a different note; if the date for Australia Day is changed, I will not recognise it.
James Worthington, Kurri Kurri
I AM wondering if the Newcastle City Council councillors will be taking partners and family with them to what I would call a junket, as they will not suffer from separation anxiety should they spend two full days at a venue in town that they own and could use ('Council meeting split', Newcastle Herald, 28/1). Most of the deli sandwiches are of good quality if they need to be fed.
John Bradford, Beresfield
ALL the letters, articles and conversations produced in the media and elsewhere over recent weeks in respect of desalination of sea water have given a novel twist to my thinking about global warming and rising sea levels. If enough is desalinated, we won't have to be concerned about rising sea levels.
Brian Roach, Whitebridge
EVEN real estate agents need to be genuinely thanked for hard work. I wanted to thank Lindsay Adam from Dalton Partners at The Junction. Lindsay has managed my properties with professionalism, dedication and a genuine attitude of 'give the best, prompt service every day'. My sincere thanks Lindsay for an exceptional job.
Jane Cullen, Noosa Heads
SCOTT Hillard (Short Takes, 30/1) stated that any transition from coalmining would involve considerable disruption and cost. He issued a challenge for a detailed reply as to how to achieve it. It just so happens that there is a very detailed 200-page book by Ross Garnaut that addresses all of Mr Hillard's questions. The book by a world-recognised authority is titled Superpower and well worth a read. A copy is available from Newcastle library but there is a waiting list.
Lloyd Davies, Stockton
I WOULD have respect for Declan Clausen if, instead of denigrating the independent members, he used his media opportunity to offer a valid reason for Newcastle City Council's decision to hold their strategy session at an expensive venue in Port Stephens ('Council meeting split', Herald, 28/1).
Elsa Cant, Merewether
MATT McAlary (Short Takes, 31/1), the hitting of the same ball again and again, especially at the Australian Open level, will cause the ball to swerve, spin, bounce and perform noticeably different to the other balls. A good tactic, but Wawrinka must've thought it crap after bowing out to Zverev.
Bryn Roberts, New Lambton
WHAT a wonderful article by Donna Meehan paying tribute to her mother ('A mother's love', Herald, 29/1). Both of her mothers sound like amazing women and a beautiful story in sad times.