I REPLY to an article from Paul Scott re: cleaning of Merewether Baths and Newcastle Baths, Herald, 16/11.
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I swim at Merewether baths all year round and I have noticed that they are in a bad state and getting worse.
There is another factor I believe that Paul's great article did not identify.
The issue I believe is that the seaweed build-up is not being removed by shovelling into the bucket of the tractor and removing from the pool (this used to be the norm until recently).
The spinning brush on the rear of the tractor used to scrub the concrete floor very well, however recently the excess seaweed left on the pool floor is being chopped up into a finely diced seaweed slurry by the spinning brush on the rear of the tractor and eventually the seaweed slurry settles on the bottom of the pool, rotting and breaking down causing the water to be greenish in colour as it was last week on November 16 and also making an unattractive scum around the water's edge.
Whenever there has been heavy seas as we have had recently due to the excess seaweed, it usually takes a couple of cleans for the pool to glisten if cleaned correctly (swimmers understand this and are patient).
The pool was cleaned on November 12 and it was obvious cleaners had attempted to clean the wall adjacent to lane No.1 as there were large flakes of lime wash similar to paint flakes on the pool floor and on November 13 the excess seaweed was chopped up laying on the concrete floor of the pool, hiding the groove lane guides.
Historically whenever the tractor is out of service the pool cleaning suffers dramatically and replacing with a little Bobcat has not worked.
We are lucky to live in a beautiful place like Newcastle. Merewether, Newcastle Baths and Anzac walk are our diamonds that visitors and locals fall in love with.
Pete Campbell, Merewether
Fix our pool's 'sorry state'
RECENTLY, after being away on holidays for four months, I was looking forward to a dip at Newcastle Ocean Baths.
I have been a regular swimmer at Newcastle Ocean Baths for more than 60 years, learning to swim there as a child and taking my now grown children to the pool.
I was even under the shower, on the old ladies' side, when the Newcastle earthquake struck our town.
I could not believe my eyes when I saw the state of the pool. Not only the revolting brown sides and brownish water, but a floating sea of algae in the shallow end of the lap side.
MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
I said to my husband, "I'm not swimming in that!" and so we drove to Bar Beach for a dip.
In all my years going to the pool, I have never refused to get in the water, even in 14 degree water temperatures or pouring rain.
I am definitely not a "sunflower", as I call the people who only swim in warm weather, but the water looked unhealthy.
I was considering calling the NCC so I was very pleased that the Newcastle Herald featured a piece in the paper.
Let us hope that the NCC pays attention and rectifies the sorry state of our pool.
Louise Hislop, Cooks Hill
My rugby league protest
A FRIEND of mine who is a regular rugby league follower, tuned in to watch the second State of Origin match on Remembrance Day.
Following the yelling during the minute's silence, and national anthem silent protest by some players, he switched off in disgust.
This got me thinking. Which sporting code are clear leaders in the following behaviour?
Domestic violence, sex videos, drug abuse, assault, drink driving, drug dealing, COVID breaches (including coaches) prohibited substance test failures, AVOs, drunken behaviour, rape charges, and the list goes on.
No prize for naming that sport.
How much of this happens in women's sport, including women's rugby league?
Therefore I have decided not to watch rugby league - permanently.
I can't avoid the news. Updates on someone's knee injury or players going to court. And I won't dent the TV ratings, but at least I will not be accepting or excusing the above behaviour.
Kerry Thomas, Pelican
'It's an insulting health hazard'
THE rebuilding of a sport and recreation centre to replace Myuna Bay at Lake Eraring is a very poor choice with reasons already highlighted in the Herald.
This swamp has no tidal flow and relies on a lot of rain for flushing, even the recent heavy rain was not sufficient as the odour of stagnant water is still present.
An adjoining swamp to Lake Eraring is completely covered in green algae of some kind, as seen from the road when approaching Dora Creek.
This algae, which only took a couple of weeks to spread, is now entering Lake Eraring.
To allow children to swim or canoe in stagnant water is a health hazard and because children being children usually don't listen to advice it's up to the community to stop this disaster from happening.
I fear, no I dread, the possibility of unknown disease within this water way, especially if swallowed, and I urge the power station to start giving away their ash residue, build a more appropriate ash wall dam and allow the Myuna Bay recreation centre to reopen.
To donate land adjoining Eraring Lake is an insult and a health hazard.
Either open up Myuna Bay or form an artificial lake on a better site that the inlet canal can pass through with fresh water from the lake.
People may not be aware, but the power station has its own substantial canal, pumping cooling water from Dora Creek to extend and redirect this flow through an artificial lake is the least they can do.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Robodebt needs royal commission
THE wisdom and morality contained in Mahatma Ghandi's quotation: "A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest member" was entirely absent with the disaster which is Australia's Robodebt scheme.
Australia's Robodebt disaster is in fact the ultimate antithesis of Ghandi's wonderfully expressed ideal.
One need only to consider the words contained in the Hansard of the Senate estimate hearing of August 17 this year from department of Human Services secretary Kathryn Campbell as proof of this.
Ms.Campbell established beyond any doubt during her appearance before the committee, her sole purpose was to deny liability for the damage caused by Robodebt and protect the government.
Her disinterest in the traumatic correspondences received by senators from grieving relatives of Robodebt victims was palpable.
The $1.2 billion out of court settlement already provided for victims of Robodebt should be only the beginning.
Real justice for them and, identifying for the nation exactly who was responsible for Robodebt requires a royal commission.
Barry Swan, Balgownie
SHORT TAKES
I WAS reading last Wednesday's Herald in regards to the Sydney government short-changing the Hunter region yet again. Honestly just goes to show that they are not fair dinkum about creating jobs anywhere else except for Sydney. How about you come up here and pull down those signs you have erected on Newcastle Road because they in my book are nothing but a pack of lies.
Philip Carter, Metford
PETER Devey (Letters, 16/11) suggests wind, solar and pumped hydro are not dispatchable. The rapid increase of variable renewable energy has driven renewed interest in pumped hydro, which uses periods of excess wind and solar to pump water to a high head. When demand requires the water is run down through a turbine to generate dispatchable power. Wind and solar can also store energy as electricity in batteries, or as liquids or solids at high temperatures, and gases at high temperatures and pressures, all of which are forms of energy that can be readily converted to dispatchable power. Batteries are rapidly becoming cheaper and far larger, already replacing gas peaking plants.
Richard Mallaby, Wangi Wangi
IN reply to Mati Morel (Short Takes, 16/11), who dismissed my point that Joe Biden is not 'president elect' (Short Takes, 13/11), as "the minutiae of the electoral process" I see his view as myopic. He should note that an election and the direction of the country can change with such minutiae or even a single vote in theory. His comparison of the US election with Australian elections was inappropriate. The US presidential collegiate vote is very different to our electorate-majority parliamentary vote usually decided on election night. This election is not over by a long shot.
Peter Devey, Merewether
I THINK Julie Robinson (14/11) is clearly correct to suggest that the only relationship Donald Trump has with Christianity is as its antithesis. And if Abraham Lincoln was alive today, I think he'd agree.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
AFP raid CFMMEU offices in Sydney. I wonder whether the Murdoch Press beat the Federal Police to the scene this time too.
John Lawton, Belmont
DOMINIC Perrottet says the stamp duty changes are a long-term strategy that will benefit the state. That means homebuyers will pay more long-term.
John Bonnyman, Fern Bay
BROTHER Mac, I can see your house from my roof; the view is nice and achieved through hard blue collar work over the years. I did vote Labor at one stage; Keating was the last time. When they put an adult in charge I may even tick the box with my gold pen. Cheers, give me a wave on Christmas Day mate.