For everyone else, the timetable was inconvenient. It drove them away. From what I remember, the services ceased just as the areas along the line started to go ahead and much development along the eastern side of Lake Macquarie has taken place since. I've spoken to people who say the owners of the line and BHP, whose trains were the main users of the line, didn't want passenger trains interfering with their coal trains. I'm told the train took 25 minutes to go from Belmont to Newcastle while the bus took a lot longer.

With increasing development and levels of traffic consideration needs to be given to restoring the railway for commuter services. Such ideas should not be dismissed particularly if we want to see more people using public transport and if we want to reduce greenhouse emissions.

GREG Giles (Letters, 15/2), I hope you appreciate the sentiment with which I wrote the following on February 4. I remember the first International Women's Day, and how victorious we felt by being publicly recognised for being female. Unfortunately, the wheels have almost all fallen off that carriage, which is apparent by the situation we find ourselves in today.

Critics of Grace Tame's behaviour toward Scott Morrison need to be brought into the 21^st century. Women have fought long and hard to be recognised for their contribution to humanity. I wonder if the inadequacy many men feel, and display, is that their role in procreation could be seen only as a resource for a means to an end. Very few young, modern men would criticise Ms Tame for her rejection of the PM's presence when he has had an opportunity to set in motion the safety net women escaping sexual violence need.

The best predictor of the future is that of the past and I haven't seen any progress in the provision of safe houses for women and children escaping violence from their partners. Rosie Batty is a fine example whose profile as Australian of the Year, could have been recognised as the catalyst for the federal government to be accountable for saving women's lives. No doubt Ms Tame has experienced disappointment from government leaders regarding her undertaking as well. It's apparent middle-aged, white-haired men consider protocol and prestige over accountability. So, is it OK to condemn her? No.

SO yet again Ian King, (Short Takes, 29/1) and Col Parkins, (Short Takes, 2/2), two more males telling people how a woman should behave. In regard to some of the childish names, disrespect, common courtesy and rudeness, give me a break fellas. In my opinion some of those words could be used to describe both of your letters criticising Grace Tame. Maybe it was time to bite your tongues and let Ms Tame finish up without more criticism from more men.

I'm 61, so I know a bit about respect and I absolutely have no problem with how Grace behaved. She's such a brave woman to have been through what she has, so Ian and Col, how about not being so disrespectful to a former Australian of the Year. Just because you're the PM doesn't give you the right to be respected by anyone, they are no different to any other Australian in my view.

WE recently celebrated Australia Day on the anniversary of the arrival of convicts and their supervising soldiers.

I take offence to this title Invasion Day. When you consider the settlement of this land was more a dumping ground for the unfortunates who stole a loaf of bread to feed their family, or a hanky to sell for the same but were lucky enough to avoid the gallows, then this is hardly an invasion.

Admittedly the result was catastrophic for the inhabitants with introduced diseases decimating the populations. Later the English preoccupation with land ownership resulted in terrible massacres and dispossession of the natives. The concept of the land and the living being one and the same went well over the heads of the newcomers.

White supremacy didn't help either, and to this day still creates problems and divisiveness. The Australia of today is the result of immigration from all over the world, with different cultures and customs helping to expand our tolerance and appreciation but not unfortunately eliminating it.

The Australia of today is nothing like the country before 1788, indeed even in the last hundred years progress has been exponential. The population has grown from a few million to 26 million. Cities are massive, and highways connect them as do rail, sea and air. The economy is one of the biggest in the world and the people some of the richest. Unfortunately we also have some of the least fortunate, with underemployment and homelessness being rife. Whether you consider the changes to be beneficial or not is a personal belief, but one thing is certain: change would have happened regardless.

SHOWING a not so surprising ignorance of the different situation Australia finds itself in today compared to the GFC, I believe Mr Arnold needs some enlightenment on the situation. Australia has a worker shortage at the moment due to the borders being closed to workers from overseas who fill many jobs that provide our supermarkets with stock. The borders were not closed during the GFC and workers were welcome.

You can't go to work at the moment if you are COVID positive, Mr Arnold. In my job it's pretty difficult to debone a body of beef whilst attached to a respirator; however I'm sure I could still press out a few patties using the old armpits whilst lying there. One thing is certain; the pandemic has exposed the bludgers in our community who simply will not work.

JUST in case your readers weren't aware, the Australian Parliament has been closed to the public during this parliamentary sitting session. This is because of health concerns, according to their website. The same rules applied at the last session.

I believe this is the same as employees locking out their employers from their workplace. Many conservative federal MPs have urged Australians to "live with COVID", to accept risks to their health, and that of their loved ones, when working. However, they do not seem to be prepared to do so when it comes to them. In the name of consistency, I call upon Prime Minister Scott Morrison to re-open the doors of Parliament to the people. Of course, proper safety procedures should be in place and adhered to, just like any other place of business, buts good military and naval officers know, the essence of real leadership is two words: follow me.

SWANSEA MP Yasmin Catley wants permanent dredging for the Swansea Channel. In my opinion the reason the channel is in a mess is because of past dredging and with the extension of the Blacksmith breakwall more sand is being pushed into the channel, sand that was meant for Blacksmith Beach sandbanks. One mess after another. The trouble is decisions have been made to dredge the lake for economic reasons and not taking into account environmental damage. Before any dredging the channel needs an independent environmental impact study.

AS soon as I heard that Cricket Australia were calling for Justin Langer to apply for his own job I knew he was finished. It is a common way for management to get rid of someone not wanted. They hope he or she will, (a)not apply, (b) get angry and resign, (c)become cranky and insult management and management can say they can no longer work with him or her. It will be vehemently denied by management of course but most times they have already lined up someone else for the job. Management 101.

JOHN Hollingsworth, (Short Takes, 4/2), takes us down the well-worn path of accusing journalists of bias. He also claims they take 'nasty pills'. Has Mr. Hollingsworth considered that the reason why Canberra's journalists are being tough on Scott Morrison is that he is the worst Prime Minister in living memory, and loose with the truth on many occasions? These epithets are from the former Liberal Premier of NSW and the Deputy Prime Minister, neither of whom could be accused of being biased towards Labor or the Greens. Journalists are only repeating statements made by members of the Coalition parties.

FIRSTLY we had ScoMo washing ladies hair, and then we have the Greens trying to tell Labor what they demand. Put them all in the green waste bin and let us try again. The whole world seems to have contracted the crazies, with Queen Liz endorsing the great adulterer Camilla. So endeth the monarchy, and it looks like Harry was smart by getting out. To quote Gough, God help the empire. It was predicted by Diana, I think, that good old Charlie would end the empire. She appears to be spot on.

YES Brian, ("Funding, action don't match", Letters, 2/2), while it is appreciated that the government is injecting "record" money to save the Great Barrier Reef, it does seem strange that they are also providing significant funding to the fossil fuel industry. One has to question whether our government is truly genuine in their attempts to save our iconic reef, or whether this is just window dressing to appease voters prior to the coming election.