This is a typical response by an authority that only cares about the bottom line.

The average pensioner or unemployed person cannot afford the ever-increasing cost of private health insurance.

Perhaps another political party can come to power by promising to reverse this policy, which can only be described as heartless, life-threatening and shameful.

WELL, it looks like yet another music venue in Newcastle could possibly shut down ('Developer closes in on buying landmark Cambridge Hotel site', Herald, 3/6), and to make way for even more apartments, no less.

With the possible closure of The Cambridge, Newcastle would lose an undeniably valuable asset to our already long-suffering live music scene that has faced countless roadblocks in the form of archaic and draconian licensing/lockout laws, and of course noise restrictions, usually caused by complaints lodged by brand new residents living in the city's plethora of apartments.

In my opinion, such elements have seen the standard of the city slip at a rate of knots. So I can only hope that the brand new owner of The Cambridge site retains the actual venue as is, the venue continues to host live music (with the finest of national and international acts), and that any potential residents exercise some common sense when deciding whether living above a live music venue is suitable for them.

I honestly lose faith in humanity every time I hear about a brand new resident making a noise complaint against a nearby venue that has been in the area for decades before they moved into that area.

THANK you Kirby Read for your letter ('Stadium is a winner but location isn't', Letters, 5/6).

There has been no consultation regarding this proposed stadium from Lake Macquarie council with the concerned residents of Charlestown and Hillsborough at any stage throughout this DA.

Why? Most of the affected residents found out about the stadium by way of letterbox drops by a few residents who saw the DA notice in the Herald.

All the affected residents pay council rates, so why can't our opinions and concerns be heard by council?

The council has an invested interest in this project and it is also not worried that the height of the stadium will be almost double the height allowed in the area.

Does council have any plans to hold a meeting with the concerned residents who will all be affected in some way before the DA is finalised?

RON McSporran's request ('Don't remove Toronto rotunda', Letters, 28/5) was repeated by many community members attending pop-ups organised for community consultation and in writing to Lake Macquarie City Council.

Although a modern structure (2002), it fits in perfectly with the heritage listed buildings in Toronto.

It is a well-loved venue in the district's life and is used for community activities such as Carols by Candlelight, as well as by community groups.

I cannot see Year 12 formal participants or bridal parties using what is proposed - a structure that looks like a glorified carport - for their special photo shoots!

I get the feeling that LMCC does "community consultation" to go through its checklist, not to get a feeling for what the community really wants.

Unelected people, such as paid consultants and staff members, have more sway with the councillors than those who elect them.

I ENJOYED your reporting of Bob Fulton's service to Rugby League. He was a class footballer and was given a great and deserved send-off.

It made me think of another great of the game, Graham Langlands, and the press and public reaction to his demise. He was buried quietly and with very limited reaction from the press and officialdom. Perhaps it was due to a woman's complaint from the 70's about his behaviour then. Langlands was in the last stage of his dementia and had no chance to have his day in court.

To remind your readers, Langlands played in six premiership victories, was captain in 15 tests and played in 45 international games. Fulton always said that Langlands was the greatest footballer he had either played with or against.

I guess what I am trying to get across is that Langlands was very poorly treated by the press etc and deserved a much better send-off when he passed away. He was a legend.

JOHN Barilaro wants the NSW government to rethink and overturn its ban on uranium mining and introduce "small modular nuclear energy reactors to help decarbonise the economy". I suggest that Barilaro does his own research on these questions ('Rethink ban on uranium: Barilaro', Herald, 5/6).

Who is going to buy NSW uranium, when the world is no longer building nuclear reactors and power stations? Or is someone going to buy it and enrich it into nuclear weapons: Iran, Israel, Pakistan or North Korea (indirectly of course!), maybe?

Nuclear power stations are really a no-go.

It is true, as Barilaro states, that given improved technology, the Fukushima and Chernobyl disasters are unlikely to be repeated in NSW or Australia. Also, Australia has wide-open spaces and stable geology on which to safely situate power stations, and to dispose of radioactive waste. Disposal of old solar panels, the "green" alternative, may even be more expensive and polluting.

But the lead time to build nuclear power stations would be at least 10 years. By the early 2030s, the cost of producing green energy is likely to be reduced.

Nuclear power stations would be very expensive to build. Australia would need to import all the technology and engineers to build them. Also, to fuel the reactors, Australia would need to build enrichment facilities or import enriched uranium.

In addition, there is the matter of disposal of radioactive waste. Who really wants it? Certainly not Indigenous Australians. The Tjarutja people of Maralinga in South Australia are still mourning their dead forebears, and are left with radioactive tribal lands as a result of British weapons testing in the 1950s.

SAD to miss Jeff Corbett. Always enjoyed his musings!

OF course the Jets were simply playing for pride. They did not deserve yet another refereeing debacle, however. An absolute joke.

THE perfect solution for young law offenders - a three-year contract with the Newcastle Knights. That would be a lot worse than 10 years in detention.

JOHN Lawton (Letters, 5/6) has cherry-picked and misrepresented my Short Take. I did not compare Morrison and Albanese, but did highlight their joint action in being among the first in the nation to be vaccinated to engender confidence - an honourable and non-political action by both leaders. The other comments seem to have been included in the wrong letter because they are not relevant in any way to my comment.

WAS it purely coincidental that while former footballing fibro Tommy Raudonikis and silver tail Bobby Fulton were both initially denied a state funeral, our guiding light Gladys backflipped and Mr Fulton received a state sanctioned send-off? Or did Mr Fulton's media mates Ray Hadley and Alan Jones apply a little persuasive logic to Gladys? I wonder...

GREAT start to your leadership, Minns. Emphasis on a Sydneycentric policy re tolls, oh and a bit of a waffle on other issues. No wonder Labor is struggling to exist, particularly in the rural areas. Also what about an apology to hard working Jodi McKay, who once again has been stabbed in the back by the boys in her team?

IN the period from 1997 to 2021, wage growth has dropped from 4.5 per cent to just 1 per cent annually. During that period, the federal Coalition has been in power for 18 of the 24 years. These facts speak for themselves. The answer to fixing this problem is obvious.

CONGRATULATIONS on your retirement, Jeff! You will be missed! I've read your column every Saturday since I moved to the Hunter. I wish you and your wife and family a very long and happy retirement. Thanks for all of your interesting topics.

ENJOY your "short" break Jeff, we will miss your entertaining contribution to Saturday reading. Always something to think about, especially the tongue-in-cheek articles.

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