Newcastle Herald letters to the editor: Thursday, February 3, 2022

There is nothing glamorous about a career in aged care. Those who have chosen to care for our elders have done so because of their unbelievably compassionate and caring nature and the desire to really make a difference in the lives of those they care for.

Most of my non-aged care working friends (some of whom are semi-retired these days and enjoying the fruits of their non-aged care labour) are embarrassed to learn that on average those working in the aged care sector earn less than $25 per hour. I agree with them when they say, "it must be rewarding" but the only other real positive about working in aged care is the complete absence of risk of tax bracket creep.

Homes are not "locking people in their rooms" for their own sadistic pleasure. They are doing so under instruction of NSW Health's Public Health Unit. This makes it difficult to care for residents while wearing full PPE, but resourceful and imaginative staff across all aspects of aged care have found innovative ways to engage with those living in residential care. COVID has made things difficult, but aged care workers are not simply "doing their best"; they are doing what they do every single day...better than their best.

Staff shortages in aged care started long before COVID. Certainly the pay and realities of the work deter many, but the impact of the continual ignorant negative portrayal of the entire industry cannot be underestimated in understanding why people are not attracted to this most rewarding of industries.

My greatest fear however, is the possibility that society may be running out of these remarkable, caring individuals who look after your parents, your grandparents and one day... you.

LLOYD Davies and Bob Watson ('Price is light for renewables' and 'It's about getting the mix right', Letters 24/1) and Michael Hinchey (Short Takes, 24/1) took me to task for questioning the value of pumped hydro and renewables.

Lloyd Davies' list of top 10 countries with renewables and electricity rates was meant to blow my argument away. But close inspection of that list may tell a different story. Most of those countries depend upon fortuitous hydroelectric generation, not wind and solar. Norway's power was from 95% hydro, Brazil 77%. New Zealand 56%, Sweden 50%, Canada 61%, Colombia 65%, and Venezuela 61%. The two countries from the list not reliant on cheap hydro, Germany with 50% renewables capacity and Portugal with 65% renewables capacity, were interesting inclusions in the list. Germany, at $US0.39 per kilowatt hour, has the most expensive electricity on the planet and Portugal at $0.32 was the fourth most expensive. Denmark, not in Mr Davies' list, but with 80% renewables (not hydro), has the third most expensive electricity in the world at $0.34 per kilowatt hour.

These figures come from ElectroRate who updated their data in January 2022. For those readers feeling left out, South Australia (the windfarm state) is up there with Germany and Denmark for electricity cost. Bob Watson asks where are the "millions of dollars in subsidies for solar and wind" in Australia? Well Bob, they're in the Renewable Energy Mandates, Feed-in-Tariff schemes, low-interest loans, and direct funding grants (ARENA). This costs Australian taxpayers near $3 billion per year. Its estimated total cost may be $70 billion by the time most subsidies run out in 2030, if not extended. This is very expensive for Australia. What part of that does Michael Hinchey not understand?

A MONTH ago, the federal government told us that we have to open the country up and learn to live with the virus. Maybe they should have added that when this happens we should be prepared for the deaths of more people, but these deaths are the collateral damage we have to deal with in order to keep the economy afloat. Well let's hope the health experts are correct when they say we are close to reaching the peak of this wave or be prepared for a lot more people to die.

I CAME to Newcastle in 1980 and there was political talk concerning the widening of Nelson Bay Road. This preferred plan is hopeless in so many ways and demonstrates the appalling way that the people of Williamtown to Salt Ash have been treated by all levels of government! The appalling inaction since 1988 of the pollution of the area with PFAS that the local EPA office knowingly took no action on; as well the local, state and federal governments collectively denied and/or took no action while making some promising noises in opposition and/or in election campaigns demonstrates the total bankruptcy of government in this area. Yet this is to be surpassed by pushing ahead with a road plan that will not help any local people but harm them in many ways.

This proposed plan is perhaps put forward because a bad plan will cause further delays in producing the final plan so the "contract preparation" costs will be further delayed as will the costs of the construction of the road. Perhaps there is more votes (across the state) in the announcing of the plans to do this road and far less in the construction of a locally acceptable road that will serve the local community.

IT is alarming to read recent reports from scientists informing they have measured a new high world ocean heat in 2021. Records show that world ocean heat levels have been steadily rising since the 1980s. The previous high ocean heat level record was in 2020.

World oceans absorb more than 90 per cent of the excess heat caused by climate change.

Michael Mann, director of Earth System Science Center at Penn State University in the USA has recently reported: "The oceans are the most accurate thermometer for the climate system".

Fast rising ocean heat levels are of great concern to world scientists for many reasons including, in Australia, its effect on the future of The Great Barrier Reef.

Is our federal Coalition government keeping up with world news and required action concerning climate change and, in particular, the dramatic warming of the world's oceans? The lack of action being displayed by our prime minister Scott Morrison and deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce in relation to climate change would strongly suggest that climate change and related matters are treated as being of an extremely low priority by the federal government, with a change of attitude not being at all evident in the foreseeable future.

ON Friday morning I experienced the worst and best of city living. My dog and I were attacked from behind by a deranged woman (no, it wasn't my wife!) But help came from all directions - a young man visiting Newcastle saw what happened, two off-duty nurses from Cessnock came to help while a McDonald's shift manager rushed out with first aid. So 16 stitches, black eyes and many bruises later I am so grateful for their kind assistance, as well as the ambulance, police and John Hunter emergency dept staff. Australia is in good hands.

JOHN Arnold (Short Takes, 1/2), I assume you have facts to prove your assertion that criticism of Grace Tame is exclusively the domain of "angry white men"? The only surprise is the omission of usual adjectives like "privileged" and "old". Racism and sexism at play again.

SEE, Mr John Arnold, (Short Takes, 1/2), presuming men's colour again. Mr Arnold can tell apparently that certain writers are "angry white men" by the words they use. Well done Mr Arnold, showing your racism again.

I AGREE with Elisa Cant's view ('Don't be quick to criticise Tame', Letters, 1/2) about Grace Tame's attitude to Scott Morrison. Remember that old saying, "before you criticise anyone you should walk a mile in their shoes"?

BRUCE Bone (Short Takes, 2/2), at night Horseshoe car park is packed with campervans, caravans, tents and the lot. Don't take your dog through the scrub there because that is their toilet, crap paper everywhere.

JOHN Martineli (Short Takes, 1/2), you didn't answer my question - what has Scott Morrison done to Grace Tame? I'll answer that for you: nothing. Compare apples with apples, mate.

RAPID antigen tests manufactured in the People's Republic of China for around $1 or so, sold here in the United States of Australia for around $20-$30 or more. What can I say? As our PM would say "can-do-capitalism" or as someone said: "capitalism is the exploitation of man by man. Communism is the complete opposite". I would say a fair price for these medical gadgets is $5 to $8.

BRIAN Measday, a vote for Labor is a vote for the Greens. One wonders what Albo will have on the plate when he brings Adam Bandt breakfast in bed at The Lodge.

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