THE conviction of former US police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd ('Chauvin convicted of murdering Floyd', Newcastle Herald 22/4) is being hailed as a victory for black Americans. It is, however, like one tiny drop of rain falling on a stinking cesspit. It will take much more than this to flush out the murky depths of race hate that is flourishing worldwide.
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A tiny ray of sunshine it may be, but for many it means justice has come this time. Mr Floyd, however, is dead like myriad others at home and abroad.
If you happen to be the wrong colour at birth you pay the price and are the subject of suspicion, innuendo, sweeping generalisations and jokes for the rest of your life. You could say it is harder to live and easier to die.
I write this being white and feeling foolish because I will never, ever know the extent, the pain and the injustice of it all. You only know that if you are born black.
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
Say, can you hear our voices?
FOR all the have your says and online "your voice" type of sites offered by City of Newcastle and other governing bodies, I feel completely disenfranchised as a ratepayer, taxpayer and citizen. We are shut out of planning because our ideas are ignored.
Individually we are pilloried and treated as if we are a nuisance. Councillors, for example, tell us they cannot discuss proposals for Newcastle changes and developments which are going to affect our lives because it is a conflict of interest. Why exactly are we paying rates and taxes if our representatives will not engage with us? I maintain it is a conflict of interest to vote for people who will not consult with nor listen to their constituents. The divide between 'them' and 'us' is getting ever wider.
Gillian Sullivan, The Hill
We must pre-empt the problems
TONY Brown's piece ('Weakening restrictions a 'real horror movie'', Opinion 21/4) is much more than we can really appreciate. It is a sharp view of near-future issues that demand pre-emptive preparation. Otherwise I believe we collectively risk being morally culpable in waiting for the death of a young person that bears any connection to Mr Brown's exhaustive analysis.
Where are the CCTV security solutions for our CBD, integrated with policing and emergency services? Where are the public transport after hours solutions? Deafening silence as a portend to impending disaster for some random family. Surely we can do better in supporting the roll-back.
In my opinion it is inevitable. Marauding inebriated groups of young people, aggressors, agitators with the harmless and vulnerable in our CBD in the early hours with nowhere to find safe haven when done with the licenced premises, or turned away alike. Wake up and remember seems to be the most important message from Mr Brown's piece.
Dayne Steggles, Merewether
Terminal troubles with proposal
MILTON Caine (Letters, 19/4) has missed my point. Newcastle is not a targeted turnaround port for the cruise lines because the reality is that the Hunter is part of the Sydney market. P&O tried it a few years ago but couldn't make it viable. So Newcastle will, for the foreseeable future, be an itinerary port and an infrequent one at that. The size of the ships now require multi-level terminals of three or four storeys, extremely long wharf areas, and large boarding, customs, immigration, water and fuel services. For 20 or so days per year?
You can't put a restaurant or a function centre in the same area as forklifts and trucks. The only other operation that can use such an area is cargo. Do you really want a cargo facility in a community, residential and office area?
Any other services, like function centres or restaurants, would go into extra or added floors. Does any restaurant want the diners to view cargo ships, trucks, forklifts and fuelling operations, or the lower decks of 20 storey cruise ships? Do the local residents want that? I too have done some cruising, to most continents. In my view cruise lines and passengers do not choose or exclude itineraries because of cruise terminals.
Doug Hoepper, Garden Suburb
Teach people to spot red flags
AFTER many years of looking at the factors that contribute to domestic abuse we surely know something about the people who are likely to carry out these offences. I believe there are red flags early on in these relationships I have learnt over many years of being single and on the dating scene.
Within five minutes of meeting they are in love and keen to move things along quickly. The fact that I draw breath seems to be their only criteria. It is never anything to do with them that previous relationships broke down. They have no insight into their own contribution to the failure. Total blame for everything lies with the other person. Obsessive contact wanting to know why I am not available when they ring or drop in and where have I been and who with. Sidelining my children and over the top jealousy toward my relationship with them. Very out of date attitudes to gender roles and an unwillingness to change. My alarm bells ring loud and clear this is not healthy or normal.
None of this is foolproof of course because people can put on a good show until you are sucked in and it is too hard to leave. Simple information of what constitutes an unhealthy relationship may help some keep away from these toxic individuals.
Sarah Taylor, Merewether
Check speed of sound transition
RICHARD Mallaby (Letters, 21/4) says our transition to renewables is too slow. Energy Minister Matt Kean wants all of NSW's coal power plants gone in 10 years and replaced by wind and solar farms. NSW currently consumes 66,000 gigawatts of electricity each year, with 85 per cent of that coming from our ageing coal plants.
Based on the size and output of Australia's largest solar farm (Bungala in SA) and largest wind farm (Coopers Gap in QLD), NSW would have to build 100,000 hectares of solar farms over the next 10 years or build 5000 windmills over the next 10 years to replace the coal plants. That is 10,000 hectares a year of solar farms or 500 windmills a year - or a combination of both.
Can we transition this quickly?
Robert Monteath, Merewether
We can't change the world alone
PLANTS capture "carbon" (carbon dioxide - CO2) far more efficiently than any costly engineered solution. Yet we in Australia are spending millions in taxpayer money on carbon capture and storage. In Australia we are putting our money, future lifestyle and jobs in the expectation of renewables, or more realistically, "unreliables". With India, China and many other nations building coal fired power stations we must be stupid to think that we in Australia are saving the world.
If one has the capacity to cast their mind 100 or more years into the future I believe one may see, with the ever increasing world population, that what we are doing to our nation is irresponsible and sad for the future of our children's children. Let us get real on reducing air pollution, what the priority used to be and still is, and look at nuclear power generation.
John Cooper, Charlestown
SHORT TAKES
I DON'T believe what I've just heard; athletes going to Tokyo for the Olympics will be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and on coming back to Australia they will isolate together in a resort type accommodation at taxpayers expense. While front line medical staff are still to be vaccinated? Not happy.
Peter Selmeci, Murrays Beach
A FULLY vaccinated New Zealand airport worker proved positive to COVID-19. What chance does the Australian public have of not contracting this virus when most of us have not been vaccinated? Come on, Prime Minister, get your act together.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
AS the Liberals say there will be coal in the Upper Hunter forever, but for any party, Liberal or Labor to say that there will be the same need for coal mines and coal-fired power stations in the Upper Hunter, even in thirty years time, is economically reckless and socially irresponsible. And for disaffected Labor voters to think that Pauline Hanson will protect them, they may as well believe in the tooth fairy. Pauline Hanson has never voted in favour of improved wages, conditions, entitlements, or union rights for any worker, male or female, in her entire political career.
Tom Dobinson, Tweed Heads
IT seems Michael Hinchey (Short Takes, 20/4) remains confused by the realistic notion that he is a climate change disciple and has left-wing cronies. There is no myth about the continuing value of the Hunter coal industry and I applaud the Knights for supporting them. However, China's claim that they will be carbon neutral by 2060 is a myth considering that they are building coal-fired power stations at a rapid rate, so it's vital that we continue to supply them with our high quality product to prevent them from adding to the perceived global climate problem by burning inferior coal. Another myth is the idea that thousands of mining and associated jobs can be absorbed by planting grapes and windmills and breeding horses! The Hunter coal industry will be a valuable asset for a long time to come and there's nothing sacred about that!
Greg Hunt, Newcastle West
ALLEN Small, I just have to point out one simple fact to you about the effects of us burning coal to power everything as you put it. Since the beginning of the industrial revolution the earth's temperature has increased at a rate that before the burning of fossil fuels took about fifteen thousand years to occur naturally. I'd really like an explanation from all the flat earth era out there.
Dan Kirkpatrick, Karuah
NOW that we've all got the tick of sophistication for socially responsible alcohol consumption, surely we've proven ourselves ready for legalisation of government regulated recreational drugs. The sophisticated drug consumer knows their limits.