THERE are many questions not being answered by local councils and the people wanting our votes.
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Are we asking for or just accepting the state government intention to dump toxic chemicals from waste out of the dredging of Sydney ('Toxic threat', Newcastle Herald 16/11), and is this really going to be classified as landfill?
What is the position of incumbent council and candidates re excessive building throughout the region? The drainage issues and water supply to many development sites is inadequate and often causes flooding of existing buildings.
Are the candidates acting in the best interest of our region? The new Newcastle council headquarters' rent is, I believe, not set for the longer term and in the end this will mean that rates will need to cover increases of cost for premises we don't own.
What is our representation to both federal and state governments? The industry; rail and ship building that could be providing skilled work training for our people, and yet we are left the forgotten safe seats. Represent us if you want our votes.
We are a beautiful place for overseas tourists to commence their journey, from cruise ships and an active international airport. Promote us. Australian Defence Force contracts go to other cities, why? The Department of Defence has polluted part of our region at Williamtown.
Is anyone listening to our loss of health funding? GP Access is a model of efficiency to all in reducing pressure on emergency departments. We need these services. The frustration at these circumstances is not all the responsibility of local government, but your voices can be heard further afield if you cease petty party bickering and favours for mates in higher places and get on with your real job.
Represent us. This also should be a message to those in other upcoming elections federal and state. Stop ignoring Newcastle.
Lyn Rendle, Rankin Park
Time to lay the myths to rest
TO those vehemently opposing voluntary assisted dying ('Majority of NSW MPs support assisted dying bill', Herald 25/11), can I say I am open to counsel your opinion, only if you have walked the walk.
We have met many healthcare people and aged residents during our walk and appreciate what the staff attempt to provide. We have sat and exchanged stories with the residents - and seen many pass-on. The staff commitment and facilities were not ever in question.
We have seen someone dear to us in continual pain and the upscaling of medication until they are confined to bed and the mind numbed to the point that their ability to interact with the world was taken from them. Endless days and endless nights.
In moments of clarity; the repeated "I don't want to be here". We have seen the refusal of food, either because they will lay in their own waste until someone washes and cleans them or as an attempt to self-euthanise and slowly waste away.
I heard one resident in a burst of frustration, ask "why can't they just let me die?" while others indicated they are ready to go. These were all dear friends, each with wonderful life stories. Each earned the right to make their own end of life decisions. These were not people without family ties or visitors. Each knew when their time was right and when enough was enough.
In my opinion the myth of long-term pain relief that relieves the pain without slowly effecting other organs or addling the brain is just an extended euthanasia process.
Paul Duggan, Garden Suburb
Dangers of bikes are rising
RECENTLY there has been vision of a motorbike accident at the U-turn bay where Oakdale Road intersects with the Pacific Highway at Jewells.
I write because of the increasing number of unregistered motorbikes in the Jewells-Windale area.
Last week my wife and I were stopped at the traffic lights leading from the Pacific Highway into Bunnings at Bennetts Green heading north. We could hear a motorbike coming at speed and not slowing down. An unregistered black trail bike travelling north then came along the green cycle lane, at speed, and went straight through the red light just as traffic was turning into Bunnings from the south lanes.
The trail bike then proceeded through the next set of red lights using the same tactic. I thought a police car may have been chasing, but there was none.
I was coming home through the traffic lights at Windale last Wednesday (I think) and a yellow trail bike approached from the opposite direction and stopped at the red light. He was young and looked nervously over his shoulder, left and right and then went through the red light missing a four-wheel drive. Another night I was coming home east via South Street Windale, just behind Bunnings, and three trail bikes were going in the opposite direction without headlights. They were just a dark blob, and their noise made me look.
My wife and I walk Ntaba Road and Fencott Drive, and there are an increasing number of unregistered trail bikes in the area. We have had one overtake us on the Fernleigh Track, and I have seen one cross the Pacific Highway where Ntaba Rd intersects, not using the traffic lights and travelling on one wheel.
I can see more accidents occurring and innocent community members being injured or becoming distressed due to the repercussions of witnessing an accident, not to mention the financial implications of damage caused by unregistered trail bikes. I appreciate these matters are hard to police, but the message needs to be passed on after the recent accident.
John Cousins, Jewells
Multicultural success just a story
THE federal member for Wills, MP Peter Khalil has challenged the oft repeated claim that Australia is the most successful multicultural country in the world. While it might be argued that Australia is not as bad as most countries, it is, given the findings of the Indigenous disadvantage report, an absurd and highly insulting claim.
One can only assume that this was only made to justify the high immigration policies of successive governments. Mr Khalil has added more fuel to the debate by revealing how ethnic members were exploited by different factions within the party, a process used by other parties and organisations that try to sway public opinion on contentious issues like same sex marriage. Interestingly the seat of Wills was previously held by Kelvin Thomson, who was almost the only one in the Labor Party courageous enough to point out the detrimental impact that population growth was having on our cities, a stance that probably led to his replacement by someone who would not oppose the growth policies of our political parties.
Don Owers, Dudley
SHORT TAKES
ACCORDING to a recent report for Lock the Gate Alliance, ("Pipelines destructive path", Newcastle Herald 24/11), the Hunter gas pipeline would wreak massive environmental destruction, I wonder have they had a similar report done on the environmental impact on the thousands of hectares, a lot of which is prime agricultural land and forests, being cleared for solar panels, wind turbines and the necessary infrastructure.
Steven Busch, Rathmines
PERHAPS printing and circulating the following small message could assist small hospitality firms who could have problems with unmasked patrons: if you come into the store without a mask, we will have to take your temperature. PS: we only have rectal thermometers.
Roland Millbank, Adamstown
WHY is our PM so against a federal anti-corruption commission? What is he so afraid of? Is it that he just thinks he and his cronies are above the rest of Australia's citizens and should not be held accountable if ever they do anything wrong in their jobs, unlike the rest of us?
Phill Watts, Elermore Vale
I AM puzzled how a person essentially under home detention for four months can be a threat to another who is fully vaxxed.
George Paris, Rathmines
IT looks like NBN News has been having quite a few technical issues within their 6pm news coverage. No criticism intended for the classy newsreaders that front the camera though, we love them. The powers that be might say that when you move to new digs, glitches will become part and parcel of early operation. I wonder; would it have anything to do with very experienced employees who were informed that they were surplus to the station's requirements before the move?
Tony Morley, Waratah
SURPRISE, surprise; Kath Elliott rants, raves and walks from a council meeting. It would appear that this behaviour has become her stock in trade, and in my opinion seems a poorly-veiled attempt to denigrate the ALP members of council.
Robert Tacon, Adamstown Heights
I HAVE often thought that for the light rail to be a success, it must go further into the suburbs. If anyone with authority is looking to see where the line should go then I can only suggest the Westrans proposal on the Save Our Rail website. Why this proposal hasn't been seriously considered is beyond me. A concern that was expressed in the report was the possibility of high rise developments on the proposed light rail route. Has anyone considered developments that the trams could run under? I suggested this when we were trying to stop the closure of the railway. No-one even acknowledged the possibility and I can't understand why.
Peter Sansom, Kahibah
WELL, who'd have thought? Three replies in Short Takes (23/11), to my views of the inept Labor Party. After listening to Penny Wong rant in parliament, in my opinion she would be dangerous as a foreign minister. Albo still hasn't come up with a plan for 2030, just more personal attacks.