Banning primary-age children from competing because their performance is too good is utterly ridiculous ('In the sin bin: Penalty devastates the Devils', Newcastle Herald, 22/5). It demonstrates an appalling inability - or unwillingness - on the part of the decision-makers to come up with a sensible solution.

From reading comments on this issue on Facebook, it does appear that there are indeed ways to resolve this.

This is about children getting exercise in the fresh air whilst learning to work with others within the rules of the game. It's not the World Cup.

OVER several years we have had debates over the costs of electricity and the manner of its production. Claims are made that renewables will drive down costs with the placement of solar panels on our roofs as well as being better for the environment. But where does the truth lie?

I heard our premier, in response to rising electricity prices, say, "Well they are cheaper than they would be if they rose higher". The fact that the money (our money) that the government invests into production, whether it be with installing domestic solar panels, subsidising or investing in solar, wind turbine, gas turbine or any other new electricity production infrastructure, is quite massive to say the least.

The payments to excess domestic electricity that is sent to "the grid" has gone down and down even to the point where in prospect that excess supply going back into the grid may in the future cost the homeowner if it comes into the system at inconvenient times.

If we put all these cost expenditures and subsidies into the equation and include the environmental costs of production of the infrastructure and include the effective life expectancy of all the components in the production, supply and the storage of electricity we would have the total costs and would be able to find out the "unit" cost of electricity.

From this unit cost of production we could then compare that to the price paid per unit of consumption by all consumers and then we may find out how much our taxes may subsidise our electricity market. We recognise that since the privatisation of electricity, the companies in control of production or sales distribution are making significant profits. But from where are the profits being made from this murky business of unspecified government inputs? And in what terms the funds are invested into the industry all the way from home solar installation to the big ticketed infrastructure items, including the involvement of government in the production and sales of the components necessary to move to "green" energy?

Let's find the truth and stop the spin - whether we pay via taxes or direct payments, we need the full truth and we need it now!

THE comment by Mal Sinclair, querying why the Colongra gas plant was not used last week rather than closing down the Tomago smelter, misses the fundamental purpose of the Colongra gas plant (Letters, 22/5).

The plant was installed to give NSW a "black start" capacity in the event of a statewide black-out, which it seems is getting more likely. The Colongra plant has a triple looped pipeline connection with the Sydney-Newcastle Pipeline and has only sufficient gas for four hours operation, after which it takes some time for the pipeline to be refilled.

It does beg the question however, as I have raised in previous letters, as to why we should invest in an open cycle gas turbine at the end of a pipeline that is subject to the vagaries of gas supplies from both Moomba and Longford.

Both transmissions pipelines from SA and VIC have had serious engineering problems in the past.

The only solution to this problem is for the federal government to take over Liddell and invest in new high-efficiency steam turbines and boilers, perhaps at the same time increasing its capacity and to then run the unit flat-out, driving down spot prices and, with that, retail prices.

The government should then require that all generators supplying the national electricity market must bid their loads, including wind and solar. If the renewables cannot reliably bid into the market, they will have to buy hedge contracts from reliable dispatchable generators or go bankrupt.

LAST week, we saw some juicy pork pies cooked up in discussions about our energy supply.

One real furphy was the suggestion that the Tomago aluminium smelter was 'forced' to shut down as a result of high-energy demand on cold mornings.

The truth is that Tomago participates in a voluntary program to balance supply and demand on the grid by reducing its usage during peak demand.

For this action they are paid by the energy market operator.

You may wonder why they don't pay the gas power station at Colongra to fire-up instead of turning off Tomago.

That's because it's too darn expensive, only running for 0.9 per cent of the time when spot prices for wholesale energy go through the roof.

The common cause of those spikes is one of the frequent breakdowns in coal fired power stations. Crazy isn't it.

YOUR "sense of urgency" comments in the editorial (Herald, 21/5) were, for my money, bang-on.

Why is this government still blithering on as if electricity generation is so important, but fails to see how luck has saved our collective bacon more than once with the coronavirus?

It's almost as if our government bathes in its exemplary past performance of managing the situation rather than recognising that it, and we, were very lucky.

Yes, Taiwan shows what could so easily happen, but then so does India, which inexplicably managed to avoid the plague for a good long time. Now look.

And it seems their PM is equally unable to accept the luck involved. "Carry on voting".

And talking of plagues, I do hope that mice can't spread COVID-19.

Far too many mixed messages, as you said.

But at least mouse plagues might speed-up the vaccination process all on their own.

GET out of the road Joel Fitzgibbon. Of course we will continue to mine coal, but not long-term. You should be trying to help our miners transition to the future, which is renewables. You are just muddying the message and damaging the party. Go and let Labor get on with planning the future. All you care about is your job, not people's health or our young people's futures.

I SEE that Lake Macquarie councillors and the mayor have accepted a 2 per cent pay rise. I assume council workers will also be given a 2 per cent pay increase?

WITH Medowie being one of the most progressive suburbs in the Newcastle area with a new shopping centre, new school, new sports club, retirement village and large new housing estates in progress, one wonders which "brains trust" advocated the closure of the Newcastle Permanent Building Society, which has inconvenienced many suburban residents. Any answers?

ANOTHER election, another wipeout for the ALP. Once again we hear, "urgent soul searching needed". OMG.

HILDA Hughes, the young climate activists are the ones who use more, spend more and waste more than any generation before them. They say capitalism doesn't work then they go to Macca's after school. An indigenous-led climate policy is on the agenda according to these activists! Um, were mobile phones around 40,000 years ago? Sadly when it comes to employment most won't get a job as maths is now racist and most can't read or write as well as third world nations' children.

THE weekend by-election saw swings against both major parties. Increasing numbers of voters are turning away from career pollies who put the party before the community, and parties who reward those who place loyalty to the party above all else. I'm no fan of Jodi McKay, but it's the priorities that need changing more so than the leader. Joel Fitzgibbon appears to get it.

MICHAEL Hinchey is right (Letters, 25/5). No matter how much Joel shouts "Labor loves coal!", the average non-unionised coal worker abandoned Labor long ago for the Conservatives and the far right (and they're not coming back). Forget the coal miners' votes and advocate for the real working class - labourers, retail, hospitality, health, education, aged and child care workers, Joel.

I AM of the opinion that NRL players wanting out of contracts bring the game into disrepute and disrespects the negotiations of contracts.

HA, you poor suckers in the Hunter Valley. How much of the pork barrelling money do you think you are going to get? You don't live in Sydney, you know.