USING dubious accounting, the City of Newcastle is attempting to report more favourably to ratepayers. By reclassifying infrastructure spending according to "best practice", it has, at the stroke of a pen, wiped $101m from its expenses bill ('Accounting changes need an explanation', Herald, 24/10).
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The City of Newcastle hasn't 'consulted' ratepayers about this, as is recommended under the relevant Office of Local Government code. In principle, any build-up of expense liability should be recognised in all income statements. If the council's change in accounting practice causes delays in maintenance, then this could come back to bite it, as members of the public sue it for injuries and damages, and its insurer runs for cover.
The City of Newcastle has made a habit of avoiding public scrutiny and has refused numerous requests for information under the Freedom of Information law. As your editorial suggests, the council seems to have forgotten that it exists to serve the public, and its performance should therefore be transparent.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
In a spin over cost cutting
READING about City of Newcastle's economic magic tricks to save money reminded me of another innovation related to its recent upgrade of James Street Plaza in Hamilton CBD, the marvellous new public toilet.
Separate toilets have been replaced by a unisex one. No concerns there, although the brand new steel toilet, which looks like surplus stock from a prison hasn't the luxury of a lid or a seat. The main problem, however, is that there's nothing else there either, other than a portable, privately serviced sanitary waste disposal unit. There's no sink and tap, no hot and/or cold water, no soap dispenser, no air blade or paper towels for drying hands, nor disability railing next to the toilet, no sign of any plumbing fittings that would allow future installation. No doubt this all saved money.
Ironically, a large street sign advertising the new master plan claims it will provide "increased safety and better designed public facilities". Seriously?
Outside there's a strange contraption that looks like a hybrid bubbler for cupped hands and a tap for rinsing (with no paper towels).
Is this what the City of Newcastle regards as an acceptable 21st century amenity in the middle of a pandemic? I don't blame the elected council. They signed off on the master plan in 2018. Wait for the spin from the council's spin department.
Keith Parsons, Newcastle
Aussies' short attention span
AUSTRALIA Post CEO Christine Holgate and her board using taxpayer money to purchase expensive watches as gifts to senior management has caused her boss, "Scotty from marketing" quite some embarrassment.
An embarrassment not even his contrived "hissy-fit" managed to fool too many thinking Australians. Ms Holgate being stood down while the matter involving the misuse of public money is being investigated is appropriate.
IN THE NEWS:
- Road closures and flooding as rain and storms batter Hunter Region: severe weather warning in place
- Staff fear power struggle at Hunter Medical Research Institute after 'exceptional boss Tom Walley 'resigns'
- One new local case of COVID-19 in NSW
- Hunter teachers welcome independent inquiry evidence about rural and remote education
- Man stabbed in chest and face on the Central Coast dies in hospital
- 'Get off the road' if weather conditions are dangerous, police say
But why no similar move on the board of Australia Post? Could this be due to the political nature of the board? A board effectively a "gravy train" dominated by Liberal Party identities.
Unfortunately, apart from sporting issues, we Australians have an extremely short attention span on matters of national importance. I offer the following quiz as an example: 1. Which politicians signed off on "the sports rorts" prior to the last federal election? 2. What has happened to the Biloela family since we deported them to Christmas Island? 3. Which horse won the 2019 Melbourne Cup? 4. How many still remain homeless since the 2019/20 bushfires? 5. What politician was responsible for the COVID-19 carrying Ruby Princess disembarking thousands of possibly infected passengers in Sydney? Phoning a friend is not allowed.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
Shedding some light on issue
CARL Stevenson considers that on overcast days solar stops producing electricity. We had wet, overcast days on Saturday and Sunday and for those days my 3.3 kilowatt solar system produced 5.4 kilowatt hours on Saturday and 3.8 kilowatt hours on Sunday.
This has to be looked at in terms the solar system averages around 12.6 kilowatt hours daily over a year. There are very few days where the day is so black and the solar system only produces 1.2 kilowatt hours of power for the day.
Agner Sorensen, Teralba
It's a question of integrity
THE people demanding a federal ICAC haven't thought it through. How would the commission ever handle the workload?
A shonky land purchase? Sorry, can't look into that just yet, we're still busy looking at sports rorts. Water buyback? Yes, that's on the list somewhere, we hope to get to it late next year. Barrier Reef research funding? Sorry, we lost the evidence for that after an AFP raid. Something about national security. The Indue card? We're not allowed to talk about that one. Scotty was right. Now is not the time to talk about it. We need to wait until we have a less corrupt government.
Peter Moylan, Glendale
Opportunity not to be missed
WHEN browsing the Lake Macquarie Council website recently I noticed an article titled "A Century of Ships Sailing Lake Macquarie 1800-1900", written by Col Gibson and Greg Jackson. It was published in 2019, and is described as a work in progress with readers invited to assist in its completion. Their work reminded me of the treasures that were held by our Newcastle Maritime Museum, and the volunteers that spent so much of their time to collect, preserve, and make accessible the material heritage of our region's maritime history, one that is fighting to find a local permanent home.
These volunteers realise the true value of this collection to both current and future societies, as do the volunteers that are working to rebuild and preserve Lake Macquarie's history of the RAAF seaplane base and rebuild the Catalina aircraft that will hopefully soon be housed and displayed at Rathmines. In my opinion, the effort contributed by volunteers is undervalued because it is often taken for granted and unpaid. Both the Newcastle and Rathmines volunteers deserve to be congratulated for their efforts and supported with enthusiasm by our local authorities.
A combined SeaAir Marine Museum can be a unique attraction in a region that has so much written maritime history, but no practical home. It is also an opportunity for our local councils and volunteers to work together and house both marine exhibits at Rathmines for the future benefit of the Hunter as a whole.
Trevor Anderson, Jewells
SHORT TAKES
ANOTHER factual comment from climate change realist, Greg Hunt (Short Takes, 24/10), will no doubt be met with outrage by his knockers. I have a simple request of those people. Could we please have less of the "government/we must do this" and more of "I/my family is doing this"? With Christmas fast approaching there is no time like now to consider how our own extravagances are affecting the planet.
Dave McTaggart, Edgeworth
GREG Hunt mocks science by quoting "2005/6 predictions of no future rain and 25-metre rises in sea levels within a decade" (Short Takes, 24/10). I searched for these predictions and could find predictions of 'only' millimetres, which are now confirmed by satellite measurements. Could Mr Hunt explain where he got his information from? (Hint, Lord Monckton or Craig Kelly are not scientists).
Michael Gormly, Islington
JOHN Hollingsworth (Short Takes, 21/10), let me get this straight. Gladys Berejiklian was allegedly told by Daryl Maguire about his illegal business affairs via telephone, and because the ICAC used means at their disposal to gather the information, then shared the information, the ICAC are the ones who should be considered suspect?
Adz Carter, Newcastle
IT'S interesting to note our PM's response to the Cartier watches scandal plaguing Australia Post. I don't remember such vehemence when Tony Abbott, his wife Margie and Stuart Robert, his wife Chantelle and Ian MacFarlane accepted gold Rolex watches from Chinese businessman Li Ruipeng. For all of Morrison's bluster he continues to drag the chain on establishing a federal corruption watchdog. Hypocrisy.
John Lawton, Belmont
MICHAEL Hinchey criticised Gladys Berejiklian for keeping her relationship with Daryl Maguire, a secret (Letters, 24/10). However, he also reckons that whether she actually did anything corrupt herself is irrelevant. I think even Trump would hesitate to make an outrageous comment like that.
David Stuart, Merewether
SO the council has wiped $101 million off its maintenance bill and it still classes Newcastle Ocean Baths as a key renewal project. If you ask the locals there all we want is clean water to swim in and the slime removed from the bottom and steps. The cleaning has deteriorated since winter and summer's approaching. Not good enough.
Peter Rossetti, New Lambton
HOW much of the road work "brought forward" to build the Supercars racetrack and costing ratepayers over $20 million (Herald, 27/2/2018) would be in line with council's new standard of best practice "to ensure ratepayers' money is spent where it is needed most"? (Herald, 24/10)
Christine Everingham, Newcastle East
WHAT is the difference between a political donation by a property developer and a commission paid to a politician by a property developer? Answer: the first is illegal, the second isn't. Woo hoo!