THERE is terror among pregnant women on the Central Coast due to COVID-19 spreading and the lack of Pfizer - the only vaccine suitable for pregnant women, who are also at extra risk of COVID-19.
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I have been looking today since 4am and spent many hours previously trying to get the vaccine with no success. I have written to federal, state and local politicians and health leaders. They all just say there is a lack of Pfizer, but they still do not give priority to pregnant women for the few Pfizer vaccinations available.
I feel it is discrimination against women. Such women will not get any freedoms available only to those who are vaccinated, further impacting their mental health.
Not all are medically fit or have cars to get to Sydney. There is a shortage of GPs here, many taking no new patients, so not all pregnant people even have a GP to help them.
Vera Politis, Blue Haven
Onto a winner
WITH the reopening of clubs and pubs, let's watch all the do-gooders carry on about the pokies - how people are wasting their money and putting their families into debt.
Not one word while we were in lockdown about the amount of ads for horse racing, they never let up. I know more families affected by their members being addicted to horse racing, but it's always and only the pokies that get the bad rap.
If you have a problem with gambling, it doesn't matter whether it's horse racing, cane toad racing, flies climbing a wall. I can't understand why gambling on horses is not classed as an addiction by the media.
Karen Robertson, Blackalls Park
Where did NSW go wrong?
QUEENSLAND on the weekend, open and free to the crowds at the football and the beach, bushwalking and forest drives, shopping for non-essential items and pubs and cafes full. You can even get a haircut. With no COVID cases.
And 38 walk-in vaccination centres across the state for everybody from 12 years up. All vaccines available and you get to choose, no matter what your age. Long queues of very happy punters.
So where did we go wrong in NSW? The gold standard state, according to Scott Morrison. This should have been us this September. However, our Gladys and Deputy Sheriff John failed to guarantee that all drivers designated to pick-up overseas aircrew at Sydney Airport had to be vaccinated. And the lockdowns continue on.
Wendy Atkins, Cooks Hill
Preselection debacle
I COULDN'T agree more with Joel Fitzgibbon's comments ('Dan locked and loaded', Herald, 18/9). Joel stated that, when a sitting ALP member retires, as he is doing in Hunter, there needs to be a "strong local candidate" with "strong local support".
So, why has he engineered a candidate to be chosen without a rank and file ballot, indeed supporting a candidate who just joined the Labor Party days earlier?
The Hunter has a number of wonderful, known "strong local" candidates who are supported by all the ALP local branches to submit themselves to rank and file preselection with full and "strong local support".
This is a disastrous decision by Joel and is counter to the quotes he made in your paper!
Stephen Dewar, Toronto
How ALP elects a leader
I WONDER how Colin Fordham could get it so wrong (Short Takes, 18/9). You do not, repeat not, have to win both the ALP rank and file vote and the parliamentary caucus vote to be elected ALP leader.
In 2013, Albanese won the membership vote by the length of the straight but the caucus vote was for Shorten, who was elected leader.
However, the ALP system is a lot more democratic than the LNP white male over-50 system.
Mike Sargent, Cootamundra
Unauthorised parking at Nobbys
I HAVE an issue that has increased significantly since lockdown that requires council and police attention, which I note was reported in the letters section on September 11 and 14. The car parking at Nobbys in the east end beach car park. The east end beach car park and the road above Nobbys, Fort Drive, are all four hour parking zones, however from 11pm to 5am there is no parking allowed and camping is not permitted. The amount of campervans that are parked with interstate plates continuously means little police or council action has been monitored during lockdown in 2020 or 2021. I know this as I walk six days a week through the car park to the end of the break wall and return via Newcastle beach.
I first noticed a campervan with NT plates three weeks ago on a Monday, then on Wednesday the driver was in isolation at Hamilton for 14 days quarantine (a police officer confirmed this) before returning to Nobbys. Now a Victorian plated blue small car visits and stays overnight.
There were 15 vehicles last Tuesday - one camper has been there continuously since the lockdown last year. Something needs to be actioned about these unauthorised vehicles
Robert Woods, Wickham
Two sets of rules
BARNEY Ward ("In rules or not, exception rankles", Letters, 17/9) I too am unsure how relevant the US President flying in military aircraft is to the Australian Prime Minister flying in a private jet, especially given the fact that it's our country that is largely in lockdown, not the USA.
Footballers and their girlfriends being free to fly interstate is a perfect example of one set of rules for us and another set of rules for everyone else. So too was the PM's expensive taxpayer funded flight, which breached lockdown laws that any regular citizen would face hefty fines for.
It also seemed very reflective of the Liberal party's culture of elitism and I think it's very telling that Mr Morrison is of the very strong opinion that there was nothing wrong with what he did.
Adz Carter, Newcastle
Improve rail links
THANKS must go to Bradley Perrett for his interesting and insightful Hunter Essays. Even better than his light rail extension ideas were his ideas to reuse disbanded Hunter train lines for rail transport. Not everyone has a car.
Surely Cessnock's population would appreciate, as in days gone by, being able to access by train Maitland, Newcastle and even the North Coast line to and from Sydney. As a primary school child in 1954, Miss Johns, our beloved teacher, took us on an excursion to Taronga Park Zoo and back, all in one day, by train from Cessnock! It was a very memorable day.
Mr Perrett has a lot of good ideas. One may only hope the boffins who count are taking note.
Susan Webb, Valentine
SHORT TAKES
WITH double jabbers able to meet up, perhaps we can add an extra meaning to the old two fingered "peace" sign advising of status as you approach another person. Easy to cheat though, I guess. Remember not to waggle your fingers at the same time as this is what dung beetles do with their feelers when their partner returns when the larder is full to indicate "that's enough bullsh... erhh... dung for today".
Malcolm Watson, Swansea
I CAN understand why the French are upset (''A forever partnership': nuclear subs', Newcastle Herald, 17/9) but not the Chinese. For what the Australian government is saying is: "Dear China, we have given you a break, for now we won't have the capacity to defend ourselves with a submariner force until possibly around 2041, maybe. Which will be, by the way, long after your present president has moved to a higher plane".
Colin Diplock, Rankin Park
HI Mr French President. Get over it!
Bob Pattie, Caves Beach
I HEAR the Beatles record Yellow Submarine has made a come-back in China. What a coincidence.
Richard Ryan, Summerland Point
THE forest keeps falling, but the trees keep voting for the axe because the axe is clever and convinces the trees that its handle is made of wood and is one of them.
Darryl Thurston, Salamander Bay
LABOR doesn't want its members to vote on candidates because it knows that Labor supporters are out of step with the factional heads. It should reflect on what happens each time it parachutes in candidates against the objection of branch members. Perhaps we're about to see Labor again lose an unlosable election.
Peter Moylan, Glendale
IF Daniel Repacholi is elected to parliament ('Dan locked and loaded', Herald, 18/9), will he change his surname to Fitzgibbon to ensure the family dynasty is carried on? It seems only natural.
Jordan Fallon, Kearsley
ANOTHER great column from Ian Kirkwood ('Robbo's gay friends: 'He's no homophobe'', Opinion, 18/9) shows us a side of Allan Robinson that his political opponents and their fan clubs would, no doubt, rather no one knew about. Those same opponents will say Mr Robinson is not a fit and proper person to hold a seat on council, but surely that is a call that should be left to voters.
Dave McTaggart, Edgeworth
REGARDS Marvyn Smith ('Refs taking the shine off Knights', Letters, 17/9), I lost a slab of beer to my Eels supporting mate and I totally agree with your rant, well said. The mighty Knights have won a hat-trick of spoons, next year starts a hat-trick of premierships.
Mick Porter, Raymond Terrace
MEMO to Phil Gardner: Let Mitchell Pearce go next season and bring home Jarrod Mullen to play out his last years at home.