Letters December 3 2022: COVID lockdown rules were clear to most of us, so why don't fines stand?

If the rest of the population had reacted the same way as these selfish few, they would have been dying in the tens of thousands. The usual apologists were out in force crying about people from lower socio-economic backgrounds being targeted. I work in a low socio-economic area and live in a medium socio-economic area. Crime and the like are hardly on the radar where I live and constant in the area where I work. I believe it has nothing to do with any perceived disadvantage due to the circumstances. It has everything to do with the fact that there are a far greater number of no-hopers living in these areas, probably with similar hopers as their parents.

IN January 2021 Ian Kirkwood (reporter for this important and influential publication) was seeking truth, justice and the Novocastrian way.

Mr Kirkwood approached me as he was doing a story on the offensive smell emanating from Hunter Water's sewage pumping station located on the corner of Steel and King Street. Hunter Water have responded - you can see the old vent stack has been removed, and the pumping station and a new improved vent stack will be installed, along with improvements to the existing pumping to cope with overwhelming delivery of apartments in the coming years

Without the likes of Ian Kirkwood and other reporters fighting for truth and justice at the Newcastle Herald, who knows where we would be?

We now appear to have got rid of the smell, but what about noise, violence, and anti-social behaviour. Who is responsible for these issues? Have a look at McDonald's King Street early Saturday and Sunday morning and see the state of King and Steel streets and the surrounding area. Rubbish, food and every other imaginable form of litter. To Ian and the other Newcastle Herald journalists, thank you and please keep reporting on these issues.

NATIONALS leader David Littleproud said his party will not support the Indigenous Voice because of discussions he'd held with elders in his electorate. "Traditional owners in western Queensland, some of them said to me, 'I have no idea what this is, mate. It means nothing to me. It won't help me, so thanks for asking.'" The ABC asked him for a list of the people he has consulted but the request went unanswered. Surely that's a request that he should have been able to satisfy instantly, considering the vast number of elders he must have consulted with to arrive at such a position for his party. After hearing Littleproud's statement, Lynette Nixon, a Gunggari elder in his electorate said, "He hasn't consulted anybody in my community that I know of ... I think he needs to do more before he starts making statements like that." I think the Nats will do more as wiser heads in that party have since come out in support of The Voice.

I BELIEVE Greg Hunt embarrasses himself with his enthusiastic support for the "wonderful" Jacinta Price and her opposition to the Voice (Letters, 30/11). Every argument Price advanced is complete nonsense. She claims the Voice would be a "Voice for Redfern" and, along with her party leader David Littleproud, opposes a "one-size-fits-all" body for which the detail is lacking, yet former Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt has revealed that he twice tabled the official Co-design Report to federal cabinet, where it was ignored. It contains pages of detail that in my opinion demolishes Price's empty slogans, starting with the first recommendation in its summary:

Most significant is the strong support for local and regional structures, the members of the Local & Regional Voice should be chosen by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people rather than appointed by the government, and the design of the Local & Regional Voices should reflect the varying practices of different Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities-a Canberra-designed one-size-fits-all model would not be supported. There is much more "detail" in this 270-page document. Noel Pearson took down Price, describing her as "caught in a vortex of redneck celebrity", the rednecks being far right lobbyists the Centre for Independent Studies and the Institute of Public Affairs, who he suggested had been looking for an Indigenous person to "punch down" on their fellow Indigenous Australians.

I'M involved with the Merewether Community Garden and received this message last week. Managing a garden in a public park is sometimes difficult but very rewarding when acknowledged for our volunteers:

"I visited your beautiful garden patch yesterday, as a visitor from SA, a member of CGA (Community Gardens Australia) and a promoter and volunteer for community gardens local to the area I live in, it was very impressive to see yours. It had everything an organic, community included food forest could want and the space was alive with beneficial insects. It was also a great space for hard working hospital staff to sit amongst its tranquility.

Well done to all, it warms my heart to see such a successful and well cared for space, bringing community together and providing fresh, healthy produce. PS: love the green bin for the community to bring their organic waste for composting."

IN a recent story on Eraring power station's possible closure there was the acknowledgement that Cr Jack Antcliff represented council on Origin Energy's reactivated community forum. The council made it clear the transition away from coal has a minimal impact on employment, the economy and social wellbeing. Fair enough, but then it went on to say that Eraring has been the largest single site contributor to Lake Macquarie's economic health for nearly 50 years due to capital investment, consumption of materials and labour, and the purchasing of professional services. It failed to mention that Eraring burns 5.2 million tonnes of coal per year, producing around 14 million tones of CO2 as well as other harmful gases and particle emissions. The station has an ash dump with around 40 million tonnes which has leaked as estimated 685 tonnes of toxic material into the lake and forced the closure of Myuna Bay recreation centre due to the risk of collapse of the ash dam wall. Closing Eraring will reduce coal consumption by around a quarter and have immediate health benefits, but the ash dump will be with us for a long time.

HERE in the United States of Australia, we have USA brand Black Fiday Sales, Halloween. What next? Classes in speaking with an American accent, celebrating Fourth July, Thanksgiving, and Donald Trump's birthday. Grow up embedded media, this is enough to make me chunder over my no-frills baked beans.

The LNP has just been hammered in the Victorian election and not long ago suffered the same fate in a federal election. Will they ever learn from their mistakes? I do not think so. Their federal leader's reputation has just been shredded, firstly by a Federal Court Judge and then in a book written by a political journalist and still they vote to stand by him. Scott Morrison stood in Parliament this week and tried to defend himself against the indefensible. This man has no morals at all and should retire from politics now.

WHAT on earth makes people like Carl Stevenson persist in promoting some form of National Service training to solve our nation's perceived problems (Letters, 29/11)? Misbehaviour should be solved in the home, not on a parade ground. I beg to differ with Mr Stevenson's opinion that the first intake of National Service was enjoyable, and I speak from experience. The reintroduction of National Service during the Vietnam War was far from enjoyable.

ALAN Hamilton (Short Takes 30/11) what came to my mind watching the Victorian election was a reality check for the delusional devotees of Fox and Sky. Perhaps News Corp could report the news instead of manufacturing it, while it seems to me that Victoria's Liberals may as well turn out the lights and padlock the front door.

DON Fraser (Short Takes 1/12), Victorians aren't that dumb in regards to the re-election of the Andrews government. It just goes to show how much the LNP are on the nose to the Australian voters, federal and state. Look at Scott Morrison's being in total denial on his censure. Bring on NSW state election. Also, well said Barry Swan OAM (Letters 1/12)

I AM proud to be a member of the Baby Boomer generation, absolutely thankful for my parents's sacrifices to secure my future well-being, and proud of my hard work ethic and contribution to our country. I find so many purported news items these days defy logic. Back to the Future movie followers would be convinced there's been a divergence in the space-time continuum, to the unsustainable and dangerous parallel timeline we are experiencing. Let's quickly get back to a sensible future.

Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name and suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words. Short Takes should be fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited in any form.