DOG owners visiting Burwood and South Merewether beaches in recent times could be forgiven for not knowing the area is "dog free". Ever since the pathway from the Hickson Street to Burwood Beach was upgraded, visitation has exploded and so have the dogs, particularly on weekends. However, the cursory attempts by the regulatory authorities in the form of less than obvious signage is having little impact. It has reached a point where you could as a dog owner rationalise that so many other people are taking their dogs to the beach, why can't I?
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I would have thought if this issue were important, the signage would be in your face at entry points; it would include a phone number to call to report issues and non-compliance; and some visible policing should be scheduled on a more regular basis, so the public that are aware of the prohibition weren't feeling annoyed and mumbling "no dogs are supposed to be here".
Perhaps a part of the solution could involve the surf life savers that patrol the Merewether baths. They would regularly observe patrons escorting their pooches past the pool and south across the rock platform to Burwood. Could they not be authorised to either issue warnings or fines so that people with dogs are not left ignorant that their pets are not permitted there? I urge the relevant authorities to have a close look at the issue or be damned with it and let the dogs run free.
Bob Hawes, Merewether
An air-raising idea for rail
I COMMEND Tim Crakanthorp for raising the issue of the light rail extension. I am sure working with his Labor council to establish a simple easement along the extension would be an easy thing to achieve. Hunter Water and Energy Australia have been doing it since their inception.
Can I suggest that once the easement is in place allow the land owner to build over the air space of the easement therefore not losing much of what is already theirs? If the Labor Party and its council wanted to be adventurous it should consider the land owner adjacent to the rail line be allowed to build off its air space.
MORE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
This would enable greater development, make access from Wickham to Hunter Street better, hide an ugly section of rail in our city and most of all, this creates passive surveillance and safety.
Not in Newcastle I hear you say, but you might be surprised to know that this isn't my idea. It's been done around the world. In fact, the council and the state government should consider planning guidelines to enable the air space to be developed from Hamilton station to the interchange.
Aaron Buman, Carrington
There's a fortune to be made
FULL marks to those responsible for the excellent facilities and layout of the foreshore at Warners Bay, complemented by many industrious businesspeople providing a great choice of dining and refreshments.
The decision to make the section of the Esplanade between Lake and King Streets a 40km/h zone is definitely a good one, being a high pedestrian area and vehicles reverse angle parking.
It is a terrible shame that no enforcement of the 40km/h zone happens. I have never seen a speed camera or police car checking speed here. Many vehicles, including heavy vehicles, motorbikes and cyclists vastly exceed the speed limit in this area and apart from being very dangerous, take away from the ambience of the area.
In this age of governments needing as much revenue as they can get, one would think there is a fortune to be made here.
Greg Blue, Warners Bay
The horse has already bolted
I TOTALLY agree with Greg Piper's comments that having random unmarked speed cameras owned and operated by private enterprise (Letters, 20/1) will only create the assumption that this is revenue raising and nothing to do with road safety.
It's a bit late to try and prevent accidents when the driver gets a fine in the mail somewhere down the track for an offence that they probably have no recollection of anyway.
Talk about shutting the gate after the horse has bolted.
There would be very few, if any, drivers that have not at some time inadvertently and unintentionally gone over the speed limit, the sight of a marked police car is the best way of reminding us to check our speed and obey the road rules.
What about the drunken, drug affected, unlicensed and repeat disqualified drivers who are the cause of so many accidents, deaths and injuries? A fat lot of good these unmarked privately owned and run speed cameras will do in catching out these fools, as well as picking up stolen vehicles.
Sorry Andrew Constance, but there's no substitute for good old fashioned marked police cars to cut down the road toll.
Ian King, Warners Bay
Our city needs more treas
WE certainly do need more shade trees in our city. (Letters, 25/1)
Some years ago I noticed that many of the trees in the Marketown shopping centre car park had disappeared due, I assume, to vandalism and neglect. I complained to the shopping centre management to no effect. I wrote to the council assuming the trees were a condition of development consent but the council was not interested either. Some years later the lost trees were replaced along with more effective tree protection guards and hopefully they will survive and thrive.
There are other development projects around our city where the landscaping required by the development consent is allowed to wither and die. Of course, some developers understand the importance of trees and the value they add to their investment but some do not.
We all know the value of trees and landscaping and the comfort and joy they provide. Council needs to plant more street trees and should ensure that all developers maintain their landscaping as a condition of development consent. The shade trees provide is essential to our wellbeing and will become even more so as the climate warms.
Tony Proust, Waratah (Awabakal country)
The numbers tell a story
THERE'S a lot of talk these days about de-transitioning for trans adults (Letters 23/1). And it can sound scary for parents who just want what's best for their child; no one wants to be responsible for something that is regretted later.
But I think it's very important to look at the actual numbers, a 2015 survey in the UK showed an 8 per cent rate of people de-transitioning meaning that 92 per cent did not want to de-transition. When those numbers were further looked at, the main cause of de-transitioning was because they experienced trans phobia, often from parents. Only 0.4 per cent said that transitioning wasn't right for them.
So yes, the question of transitioning right for my child can be a scary one. But, there is a campaign to make it even scarier than it is, because a 0.4 per cent rate of regret is incredibly small. More people de-transitioned because their parents weren't accepting of them than because they wanted to. We need to be wary of how our own fears may force children to hide who they are from us; even if those own fears arise out of love.
Clare Belshaw, Newcastle West
SHORT TAKES
SCOTT Morrison is often caught out being loose with the truth. And his understanding of Australian history has at times been wanting. Remember The Endeavour circumnavigating Australia? So here is a fact. The First Fleet had 11 ships, not 12.
Wendy Atkins, Cooks Hill
PENNY Wong was criticising the PM on television (news, 22/1) accusing him of not allowing Australians to return from overseas. The decision to stay with a reduced number of returning Australians was made by the national cabinet, which has a majority of Labor members. Penny, you are barking up the wrong tree.
Doug Hoepper, Garden Suburb
WHEN I received a letter several years ago advising that my nomination had been approved it stated (inter alia) 'I ask that you treat this matter as strictly confidential until the date of publication' ("Court in middle of honours debate", Herald, 23/1). The question needs to be asked and answered, who with knowledge of the award leaked it and why put it into the bands of a rogue social media user?
Allan Gibson OAM, Cherrybrook
FOR those who have strong anti-Australia Day views, for whatever reason, you are entitled to those beliefs, opinion etc. But please don't be a hypocrite. If you feel that strong then don't take the paid holiday. Either go to work, or if that's not an option, donate a day's pay to your favourite charity. Even in the woke, politically correct world you can't have it both ways.
Shane Tull, Dudley
SO the ABC is calling January 26 "Invasion Day" in lieu of Australia Day. What a load of rubbish! Just to appease a small minority of racists! Did they think that over 2000 years the boats would sail past Australia and not notice it? Every country in the world was "invaded", many several times. Time to privatise the ABC and save the over $2 billion we the poor taxpayer give them every year.
Don Fraser, Belmont
COULDN'T agree more, Stan Keifer. Why do we have to be a colour? I don't even know what colour I am! Maybe brindle? All I see are good people or bad people, not coloured people.
Matt Ophir, Charlestown
SO totally agree with John Hollingsworth (Short Takes, 25/1). As the current dramas subside, for now, it will be time for the journalists to resume their journalistic studies and search out interesting items.
Fran Chapman, Glendale
MICHAEL Hinchey, there are plenty of empty fruit boxes for the blasphemous non-believers to stand up due to bumper crops and full dams, but nobody to pick fruit thanks to arts grants and doubling the bludger cheques.