It's a regional Bankstown, with 20 per cent of our population being under the age of 9, and 15 per cent between 10 and 19 - yet still there are no schools.

There are no safe pedestrian crossings, but numerous supposed safety islands situated near roundabouts screened in overgrown median strips. Lake Macquarie council carries out surveys on area demographics but, in my opinion, don't do enough to cater for this growing population.

The road system around, and through, this area is getting beyond a joke. More micro suburbs are popping up around Cameron Park but the road system doesn't cater for the additional traffic. When you come off the Newcastle Link Road, pictured, onto Lake Road or Minmi Road to Edgeworth, it's often gridlock. This is due to poor planning of road infrastructure. This area is only going to get bigger. It's already spreading out to West Wallsend, and north of Edgeworth.

How about planners make some real plans about future development and make our once-tranquil suburb safe for all residents.

STEPHEN Galilee, the CEO of the NSW Minerals Council, says that an "increase in mining royalties ... (is) short-sighted, and potentially very damaging to the Hunter economy" (Why raising royalties is not the answer', Herald, 23/8)

Of course he would say that because he is paid to represent the interests of domestic and international mining companies - not the interests of Australian residents.

Australia is called a "Commonwealth" because we all own the natural resources of the land. The federal government website states: "Royalties are levied to ensure that state and territory governments, representing the people of the states and as owners of the minerals, are compensated for the extraction of their natural resources".

The coal industry is enjoying super profits right now and governments are right to seek a greater share of that bonanza to help provide the services that their communities desperately need such as health, education and housing.

Professor John Quiggin, from the University of Queensland's School of Economics, said such a policy was a "good way of capitalising on current high coal prices, which are unlikely to be sustained ... raising these rates is not going to lead anyone to close down". We elect governments to look after our interests, not those of wealthy company owners.

THANKS to Scott Bevan for the series of articles on Newcastle Harbour. Well done.

The articles helped some of us "oldies" remember the harbour back in the 1950s. Ships tied up all along Lee Wharf, sometimes two abreast. Railway wagons on Wharf Road, with cargo either going onto the wharf or being accepted from the wharf.

A ship tied up to the Hannell Street Dolphins, a tanker at the tanker wharf, and maybe a ship on the old floating dock. Sixty milers loading under the hydraulic cranes, larger ships loading in the basin, pin bosses expertly knocking the pins out of the timber railway coal wagons, coal trimmers pushing the coal back into the sides of the ships tween decks.

Ships of many nations and from well-known companies, like Blue Funnel, Blue Star, Port Line, Bank Line, Adelaide SteamShip, Union S.S. and many more.

The pilot vessel Birubi tied to a buoy off Dyke Point, and what a lovely sight it was when the Birubi sailed out to drop off a pilot or pick one up off an outward bound ship.

Tugs berthed near the harbour entrance. A small ship berthed and discharged cargo at Kings Wharf (now Queens Wharf).

What about all the shipping companies that lined Watt Street between King Street and Scott Street. As the saying goes "them were the days", thanks for the memories.

TOMAGO Aluminium is the "state's largest consumer" of electricity. Aluminium smelting, to be commercially viable, relies on gargantuan amounts of cheap, reliable, electricity ('The multibillion-dollar cost of decarbonising Hunter industry', Herald, 23/8).

It is arguable that aluminium smelting only exists in the Hunter because Neville Wran's government over-invested in power-generating capacity back in the 1970s when upgrading the Hunter's power plants. Excess power was sold off cheaply to newly established aluminium smelters.

Since NSW has been late in investing in renewables, held back by politics and coal interests, it seems unlikely that Tomago Aluminium will have switched to renewables by 2029. In the meantime, Tomago and other aluminium smelters may need to move their operations to places where power supply is cheap and plentiful.

THERE is a lot of discussion about Australia's need for increased migrant intake, both skilled and unskilled, to fill vacant positions. I find this situation appalling. Not only should we, as one of the world's richest countries, be training all the skilled workers we need, we should also be offering skilled workers, and skills training, to our less well-off neighbours.

Several decisions have led to this parlous situation. Universities are now expected to operate as businesses, and, in my opinion, with little commitment to research. The TAFE system has been gutted, so that private providers could flourish. Preliminary trade training in high schools has been reduced.

In the cities and in the regional and rural areas, Australia is experiencing a crisis in housing. Where are these migrants to live?

SOME commentators, deliberately or unwittingly, highlight the effects of radiation exposure due to nuclear power stations, submarines, etc, as though it was the only source of radiation we as humans are exposed to. We live in an environment of radiation exposure from naturally occurring radioactive elements in the soil and stones, and are bathed with cosmic rays entering the earth's atmosphere from space.

We receive internal exposure from radioactive elements which we take into our bodies through food and water, and through the air we breathe. Additionally, we are exposed to varying amounts of radiation from sources such as dental and medical X-rays, etc. For example, in some European and North American countries, the leading cause of radiation exposure is from a naturally occurring radioactive gas called radon. The World Health Organisation estimated that exposure to radon caused 84,000 lung cancer deaths globally in 2019. There are benefits and risks in the use of any source of electricity production and narrowing our views and comments to suit an ideological position does not do justice to any rational debate.

STEPHEN Galilee, the sale of finite, natural resources should always be at market price. A fixed royalty rate does not do this ('Why raising royalties is not the answer', Herald, 23/8). Your argument is the same as saying a real estate agent should pocket most of the money when a place sells for twice what was expected. Much turns on Australians' natural resources being commercially managed. Those resources are infrastructure, that is, capital funding. Australia has been seriously short-changed for long enough.

TO David Stuart, the evidence that Scott Morrison acted improperly is plain to see. Our form of government is the Westminster system, which governs by Cabinet, not a presidential system. Are you clear now?

I HAVEN'T given up on my morning walk but it has become a "dodging the doggy-do dance" as I make my way through doggy do, cyclists, scooter riders, prams, unrestrained dogs and children, and even the odd remote-controlled car. Walking is supposed to be relaxing.

WHEN the Sydney Roosters are beating Wests Tigers 48-0 in the 54th minute, and the Channel Nine commentators are laughing, there is something seriously wrong with rugby league. Went to bed disgusted.

I'M looking for someone really good, who happens to be a lawyer.

WELL said Dayne Steggles, Marie-Lise Bouic and George Paris (Letters, Short Takes, 22/8). Newcastle needs more car parks, not less.

GEOFF Black's letter ('In fear of the next flood', Herald, 20/8) belies humanity's continual hope and drive in spite of nature. However, who will be to blame in 10 years for the inevitable drought and fires, and a further 10 years for the next round of flooding? We will have spent all the public money with many citizens becoming energy poor (a new breed of man-made poverty) and no government to be accountable.

GEOFF Black, I asked the question previously ... could all the rain we have had be attributed to the massive volcanic eruptions early this year in Tonga. Well Professor Ian Plimer seems to think so but what would he know, he's on the wrong side of politics. It is a fact after volcanic eruptions rainfall increases significantly. Earth is overdue for a mega volcanic eruption this will cause rainfall and flooding of biblical proportions. Now that is scientifically proven climate change

WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.