Newcastle Herald letters to the editor: Fine the jaywalkers and teach them a lesson

It seems to me nowadays that pedestrians have assumed their personal safety is the sole responsibility of the motorists.

I constantly see people walking out onto the roadway without looking to the obligatory right, left and right again, completely oblivious of the vehicular traffic.

It might surprise some to know that this responsibility also applies when using a marked pedestrian crossing. The marked crossing does give some protection but does not absolve them from taking appropriate personal care.

Many times I have seen pedestrians walk straight out across the road, without looking and often with their head down and fiddling with their mobile phone. Unfortunately, when an accident occurs, especially in a marked crossing, the motorist is inevitably held responsible regardless of the careless actions of the pedestrian.

In my early days, the police school lecturing squad would attend all primary schools and instil in us our personal responsibilities with road safety. I can also remember when pedestrians were fined for "jaywalking". It would be interesting to know when that last happened. Perhaps some policing of the pedestrian laws might go a long way towards pedestrian safety, especially when pedestrians disobey the "don't walk" signal. Otherwise, what is the point of having the laws in the first place?

WHEN I read your article "Coalition fears erosion of services in aged care" (Herald, 10/8) I was amazed at the gross display of ignorance of the problems in aged care by the Coalition spokesperson for employment, Michaelia Cash.

It is patently evident in my opinion that Ms Cash has never bothered to read the report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care which listed a litany of abuse and neglect that was allowed under the watch of the Morrison government.

The royal commission made it plain that a lot of for-profit operators were more interested in the directors bonuses and fast cars than services to the aged.

As a 93-year-old who will need care in the future, I want my carers to be rewarded more than the carers for the stray animals at the dog pound. I believe that after a life of service to my community and family, I and my fellow aged are entitled to compassionate care that is not placed second to the desire of directors for profit and bonuses.

The royal commission made detailed recommendations to reform the care industry and chief amongst those was that carers be properly paid commensurate to the value of their work in caring for older Australians.

The royal commission also stated that operators must be compelled to be transparent on how they spent the billions of taxpayer funds given to them for our care. I am pleased that the Albanese government has started to carry out the reforms as set out by the royal commission.

If Ms Cash bothered to read the report, I am sure she would congratulate the Albanese government for its urgent action to reform the care industry that was ignored for so long by her government.

IT was good news to hear that we finally have a government which has had a meeting with all states and territories, plus teachers and ex-teachers, to come up with a review to overhaul curriculum reform for our primary and high school students.

Part of the reform should be about the need to raise wages for all teachers, because of their commitments to teaching our young people toward the next stage in their lives.

What doesn't need to happen in the reform is to pay bonuses to some teachers who may achieve better results than some others. The bonuses should be a pay rise to all.

As for people who complain about teachers having too many holidays, I would like to see those people put in front of about 30 children, who all have different personalities for just one day. I don't think they would last the day. Teachers definitely earn the holidays they have each year.

THE United States House of Representatives has approved a major bill to fight climate change, with the Inflation Reduction Act committing US$530 billion on clean energy initiatives.

This includes billions of dollars in subsidies for industries investing in renewable technology. Not only that, Americans will benefit from various incentives such as A$13 billion in rebates to electrify their homes, and tax credits of about A$11,000 to electrify their cars; thus saving them money and creating jobs in the process.

The clean energy race is clearly on, and Australia needs to keep up. The federal Labor government is legislating a Climate Change Bill which targets renewable energy transmission and reducing emissions of big businesses. But Australian domestic emissions need to be addressed too, and can be achieved through incentives such as subsidising electrical appliances and energy efficient measures, rooftop solar and batteries. There is much to learn from the US's historic climate win, and the Albanese government will be wise to learn from our climate ally.

IF the human race was to focus on preventing hostilities between war-mongering nations instead of trying to control mother nature, then we just might have a chance at saving our planet.

If a nuclear war were to erupt between America, China, Russia and North Korea, it is projected that five billion people will perish. I suppose this is one way of controlling global warming, for without population we have no carbon emissions, no deforestation, no ocean pollution, no animal extinction, no need for fossil fuels.

So all you concerned protesters, woke evangelists, gender diversity concerned generation should focus on matters that really count and will make a difference to our existence and the longevity of our planet.

You could rewrite new history, rather than trying to rewrite history that has already happened.

THERE is no need for a costly and time-consuming referendum to change our Constitution to allow an Indigenous Voice to Parliament to be legislated.

As a result of the 1967 referendum it is already possible to do so.

Therefore, if Anthony Albanese is truly concerned about the terrible plight of some of our Aboriginal women and children in remote Australia, he should put together the necessary legislation for such an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and get it passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate as soon as he can.

IF the people of Newcastle want streets without parking then they will need to build tiered carparks somewhere close by, otherwise forget it. I'm disabled and can't walk far, so they will need plenty of disabled parking spaces in the street.

CONGRATULATIONS to the teachers and students at St Francis Xavier. Loved the article in Topics about how they studied glass, making a marble and then their challenge. Found myself wishing I was there. Loved marbles as a kid and used to collect all sorts. Always amazed at the colours and how they got inside the glass. Well done.

AFTER much deliberation and subsequent disappointment I have decided to forgo my morning exercise walk and become a couch potato. This once enjoyable wander is now fraught with danger, as I manoeuvre around copious amounts of doggy do. I run the risk of being mowed down by a speed hungry cyclist or scooter jockey, intent on breaking the world speed record as they zoom past, while exhibiting no consideration in their quest to achieving the prize.

THE comments on the upcoming jobs summit, about unlocking women's participation in the workforce were spot on. However, some parents are single without choice, and the parent is often in an essential service. The comment on having mature aged and experienced workers and ditching qualifications, for in-home childcare specifically is something I have been asking for too. As a provider there are plenty of workers but just too much unnecessary paperwork.

THE Herald recently published a story for me about The Mater at Waratah and the professionalism of its staff. While my words covered the entire hospital as my family has been utilising their care for years I actually meant the emergency department for this visit. From the triage, office, x-ray, doctors and particularly the nurses we extend our best regards to all in emergency.

IT is my understanding that natural gas is composed of 70 to 90 per cent methane which is a potent greenhouse gas and a major contributor to global warming. Before net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 can be achieved in Australia, it will be necessary for the use of natural gas to cease, and for the sake of our younger generation, well before the 2050 date, if at all practicable

IMAGINE if all these secret dealings happened in the real world, or on the Labor side, instead of the former government, they would be terminated on the spot. They say silence gives consent. The shame of it all for democracy.

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