Novocastrians have had to fight for almost every city asset since 1797 or 1804, some of which they have lost to people who do not even live in the Hunter Valley.

It seems like Mr Jones hasn't experienced the euphoria of a home game, let alone a grand final when the team is in one, or even the buzz around town. In 2021, there are approximately 20,000 with memberships and since 1988 the Knights have had some of the largest home crowds in the NRL competition, second only to Brisbane, which has four times the population of our city.

The Knights are not just important to the members and corporate sponsors, but to the whole Hunter Valley, especially for the community's social skills and mental health. Indeed, negativity is not good for anybody's health either.

The Newcastle Herald continues to choose its excellent reporting for the Hunter region, without the scandal of certain other newspapers. I believe the best plan for Mr Jones is to skip the Knights news when reading this wonderful newspaper. Yours as a passionate Knights supporter since 1988.

LAST year the Broncos won their first two games and we know how that went... the Knights will be nervous ('Losing direction', Herald 12/4).

AS noted in Philip O'Neill's opinion piece ('EVs an attractive option, but spark is needed', Opinion 29/3) electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia accounted for only 0.75 per cent of new car sales last year, one of the lowest rates in the world.

The federal government is offering few incentives, if any, to encourage Australian drivers to adopt EV motoring. Overseas government such as the UK are being far more proactive by offering tax breaks and other incentives to support the take up of EVs.

There are of course many issues to be resolved in changing to near zero emission motoring for example; Where should EV charging stations be located, possibly within existing service stations? How can the grid be modified to provide the power required to charge multiple cars simultaneously? What is the best way to integrate renewables? However, as a late adopter of EV infrastructure and vehicles, Australia has the advantage of being able to draw on overseas experience to resolve these and other issues.

I understand that the missing ingredient in order to make this transition to cleaner and lower running cost motoring a reality is political will.

The missing spark may have been provided by Labor, which recently released their plan to lower some taxes on certain EV models. This should encourage a greater variety of models to be imported to Australia, some at lower costs. The ball is now firmly in the federal government's court to provide leadership, as the world transitions.

WHAT universe is Jeff Corbett living in? Apart from the fact he's clearly living in 1975 with his "considered" opinion in Saturday's Herald ('Not into the green scene', Opinion 3/4), he cannot be serious with everything going on on Planet Earth and the disrespect women are being shown.

I've only read one of his opinions - to do with his issue on dogs - which was so annoying I've never read anything of his since. But the first paragraph of today's opinion caught my eye - "I ask if she's [his long suffering wife] noticed that women golfers manage to hold off frumpiness for a little longer" than women who play lawn-bowls or do craft.

Thankfully he finishes his masterpiece by acknowledging he has an illusion he's not old. The word he's actually looking for is delusion, I think.

I don't play bowls or do craft, and if he's the golfing representative for Newcastle, I think I'll give it a miss.

If only there was a refresher course that old grumpy men, who still think it's funny to wear the image of a naked woman on their barbecue apron while burning sausages, could do to stay in touch with reality. Now there's an opinion piece.

THE Anti-Discrimination Amendment (Religious Freedoms and Equality) Bill 2020 introduced by One Nation's Mark Latham could soon become law in NSW. The bill is designed to amend the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. It is supposed to protect religious freedoms. I believe that it does the exact opposite.

It allows religious bodies and religionists to discriminate against and vilify others, protected by the law. I believe that this bill, if it were enacted, would turn the clock back on human rights in this state and provide a lawyers' picnic.

It is ironic that in modern times religionists are seeking to protect abhorrent religious practices by amending a secular state's laws. During the Old Testament Judaic times, Abrahamic Law determined state law. It did not offer freedom of religion. It required people to observe the Law or eventually suffer divine punishment in this life, although sometimes God was merciful and stayed his hand "in his wisdom". Old Testament law may have been harsh and unjust according to contemporary standards, but it was mild for its day. It limited vengeance. In difficult cases the believer was expected not to seek retribution under the promise, "I will repay".

New Testament law went further, requiring the believer to bear up and not to seek retribution at all. It required believers to turn the other cheek, go the extra mile, give your coat as well as your shirt if anyone sues you in court, give to Caesar (pay your taxes) and love your enemies.

Throughout the Middle Ages citizens' religious freedom was denied. The states of Europe allowed church or ecclesiastical law to reign supreme. Non-believers were regarded as heretics who could be discriminated against legally.

The Church at one stage, was legally torturing and executing "heretics". Today, it is only in archaic and extremist states where such law is enforced by the state and religious freedom is denied.

I believe it is a measure of the lack of faith and patience of contemporary religionists, that they don't trust their God to sort out any perceived wrong done to them such as preventing them practicing their religion or discriminating against them. With their all-powerful God on the job, why do they need laws and law courts in the first place?

CONGRATULATIONS to the organisers of Diner en Blanc ('Nothing vanilla in Newcastle Food Month's signature surprise', Herald 12/4). What a brilliant night and event all round, and how good for Newcastle.

The NRL should have two divisions of eight teams. The premier league and the lower division. With a bit of improvement the Knights could possibly be minor premiers of the second division. There are at least eight teams better than them at the moment relegating them to the lesser advanced division.

I FREQUENTLY spend time in the car park at Horseshoe Beach reading the paper and enjoying the sights of our working harbour. Although I am appalled at the laziness of other car park users who drop their rubbish out their car windows not more than 3 metres from a garbage bin. Tossers.

A MESSAGE to the Knights: please, no concentration lapses or any other type of lapses or excuses against the Sharks this week. The members need to see plenty of grunt; running off and onto the ball, tackling like demons and playing as a professional first grade unit. The complacency is over; give 'NEW-CASTLE' something to cheer about starting this week.

SO it's ok for over 50's to be guinea pigs or sacrificial lambs to use up a vaccine that the government has already paid for, but if you are under 50 it may be dangerous. Go figure.

FINALLY, Julie Robinson, (Letters, 10/4), a woman acknowledging that starting a war between the sexes and demonising all men is not the answer to fixing attitudes towards women. Thank you. Of course we are all aware of similar stories to yours from yesteryear and of course we know it was wrong. It's no excuse but it's a fact that men in our grandfather's day were encouraged to show no emotion or compassion, so had to appear to show strength and dominance. Thank goodness times have changed and need to continue to change, more men are now encouraged to show a softer side. Most of us are willing to help you gain the respect and equality you deserve, if you allow us to.

I'M 70. Just under a decade ago I had a TIA and since that episode I was put on a blood thinner and got a pacemaker for my troubles. I have previously been published on my views about the COVID-19 vaccination. I will most probably get AstraZeneca, but to say I won't be worried about getting that vaccine is an understatement. I will be worried for about a week after getting the jab. That's just me. Good luck to all of us.

DOES anyone else feel like they have been forgotten when it comes to changing the way banks etc change the info. I just get used to one and it's changed again; clearly for the younger ones. How about thinking of who are your customer who can save and can use a piece of paper and pen?