Letters Saturday September 10 2022: Passing moment with Queen Elizabeth II in Newcastle remembered a lifetime

Nine years later I joined the bank, however I never worked in the building where I first saw her just passing by.

IT is with profound sadness that I send a condolence message to the royal family, to all Commonwealth nations and to all readers of this paper. I was born in the same year she became Queen and so I have long held her to be my monarch. She has performed her duties extremely well and it is only fitting that her last official duty was to appoint a new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom only a few short hours before she became unwell and died. May God receive her into His care for eternity.

Today I have to acknowledge a new monarch, as we all need to and may God guide and direct our new monarch King Charles III. God save the King.

MICHAEL Parris ("No fix in sight for port freight deals", Newcastle Herald 7/9) makes a realistic assessment of the current political environment that surrounds what I believe is one of the grubbiest deals done by the government in this country. By effectively placing an embargo on a viable container terminal in Newcastle, the NSW government maximised the price paid for the 99-year lease on Port Botany and Port Kembla. Regrettably, much of these ill-gotten gains have since been squandered on major overruns on Sydney's light rail contract and the token light rail to 'nowhere' in Newcastle.

If the Hunter is ever to achieve its potential and not be ever subservient to Macquarie Street, then this container terminal and its benefits for the whole Northern NSW region could be the issue to drive this change. The recent federal election and the success of focused, high-calibre candidates in strategic seats has transformed federal politics. Could a strong field of independent candidates targeting the two main issues for our region, (coal mining transition and a modern container terminal), influence the outcome of the March 2023 election for Newcastle and the Hunter?

AS a war service veteran of 70 years old and a home owner, I've been hit with a City of Newcastle rate increase that takes half of my pension every three months. In my opinion there has been complete disregard of our complaints. All we get is delayed acknowledgements when we ring up to appease us, but no action comes about.

My green bin disappeared a fortnight ago and I was informed a replacement would take about three weeks. Ten days ago, a double mattress was thrown on my footpath. I reported that too, and am still waiting for removal. Reading about the rate payments, if we're a day late we'll be charged for every consecutive day that the payment is overdue. Given the long wait on some of the services mentioned above offered by the council, can I charge them the same as they've threatened to slug me? Twice I rang up explaining the situation to them, and still nothing happened.

IN 1970 475,000 cars were made in Australia, the 10^th highest count in the world. It made Australia one of only 13 countries able to design and develop mass market cars from scratch. Much the same applied for whitegoods, furniture, rolling stock, buses, tractors and shipbuilding, which alone added $1.7 billion to Australia's gross domestic product. We were also the third nation to put a locally built satellite into orbit, built a pilotless aircraft (Jindivik) and developed by modification one of the best fighter aircraft of that time (the Sabre), which was faster than the US version. All this happened when our population was 12.5 million and we didn't need skilled immigration because we trained local people. But then economists instructed governments that they should rely on the markets, cut red tape and curb spending on essentials like transport and education, pointing out that it would be far cheaper to get the skilled people like doctors and engineers from immigration. After 25 years of that we have apparently an even higher shortage of skilled people which necessitates a migration intake of nearly 200,000 at a time when housing and the environment are both in crises of their own.

MARIE-Lise Bouic, in my opinion, seems typical of many people these days. Her quip at the end of her piece (Short Takes 7/9) earlier this week that today's millennials, raised when childcare was first widespread, have turned out mostly OK is not the recommendation for the high expectations of the next generation. Mental illness is at an all-time high and there is no guarantee or support readily available to feel certain that won't continue for future generations.

As for Odessa Kout's letter enlightening us regarding the plight of childcare educators (Letters 7/9), I find it disturbing that parents whose children are suffering serious illness think it's OK to trust their care to money-making businesses. Parenting is and always has been the most important undertaking in our lifetime for those who undertake it. It's important, to quote Marie-Lise Bouic, "if we want young people to actually provide us with the next generation", they need more than free childcare. By now reasonable people believe you can't have it all and life is risky.

THE Albanese government is conveying mixed messages about its seriousness in tackling the climate crisis. On one hand, there is progress in the right direction; the 2030 national emissions reduction target is soon to be legislated at 43 per cent reduction of 2005 levels. Federal Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen is also making good headway with planned policies to reduce carbon emissions from big industries, promote the uptake of electric vehicles, and build an offshore wind farm industry.

On the other hand, Resources Minister Madeleine King has opened 47,000 square kilometres of Australian coast for oil and gas exploration. Last year's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report had reiterated the urgent need for 90 per cent of coal and 60 per cent of oil and gas reserves to stay in the ground for just a 50 per cent chance of limiting global warming to within 1.5 degrees. So, how serious is Labor?

WITH the reported increase in the sale of electric vehicles, together with the lack of off-street parking in most suburbs, can we also expect an increase in the sale of electricity extension leads?

I WONDER if Singleton council would make the Caledonian Hotel remove the flag from its rooftop if it was the Aboriginal flag? Or what about if it were the pride rainbow? I don't think they'd be brave enough.

IN reply to John Arnold (Short takes, 6/9) I sympathise with him over prayers before local council meetings and parliamentary sessions. Australia is now a secular country and for many councillors or parliamentarians the prayers would have no significance. But as a Christian I will continue to pray for all MPs and councillors that they will make wise decisions for the common good.

BIG thumbs up for the sound views of Rick Banyard and Mike Sargent, ('Botany link carries little benefit' and 'Leaders must weigh all the costs', Letters 7/9), on what should be Newcastle's bright role as a container terminal. Port Botany is a red herring.

I AM appalled at the comments by Ray Dinneen, who seems to be suggesting that certain newsreaders have an affliction (Short Takes 6/9). Not everybody is a literate newsreader like you were, or your young grandson who reads faultlessly hand-written greetings immediately upon opening his birthday cards. As he is a Dinneen and a whiz like his grandfather, why don't you send him down to read the morning news bulletins? I am sorry, but when I read your article I put curious emphasis on words that shouldn't be emphasised; but the word that I needed to put stress upon, the one saying what this article was all about, was just not there for me.

THE NRL circus rolls on. How can Taylan May be allowed to play and serve his suspension next year ('May's guilty verdict a lesson for Panthers', Herald 7/9)? The game is a comedy festival.

POLITICS is a contest of ideas. In this contest of ideas, words are bullets. Therefore, I believe using the words of your opponents is the equivalent of firing bullets at yourself. Unfortunately in my opinion the green socialist left, including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, are very clever at framing the public debate in words that support their own philosophical ideology and agenda.

MIKE Sargent's analogy of a formula one motor race is apt. When the cars finish going around and around, there is a winner.