Letters and short takes May 27 2023

One has to wonder why.

I have in the past had several letters published, most recently ("If we can't see progress, neither can tourists", Letters 3/2), asking the same questions as Paul Scott. Again, I seemingly garnered no reaction from the Newcastle council, parliamentarians or the public.

As Scott pointed out, Jerry Schwartz says he needs a construction certificate. The City of Newcastle says it hasn't received an application.

Wouldn't it be advisable for someone to take the bull by the horns and contact Jerry Schwartz, call him in to the council for a conference to sort out this disgraceful state of neglect for the once iconic and beautiful heritage building?

In my opinion the local state member should be involved by now as his office is only a short stroll from this sad, neglected building.

As we now have a newly elected state government, perhaps the elected member could look at the government taking control of the building due to its heritage listing. Probably pipe dreams there, though.

However, by now someone in power should be talking to Jerry Schwartz about the lack of progress and how genuine he is in refurbishing the former post office when he is able to spend money elsewhere on many other building projects.

I have also raised concerns about the other neglected iconic building languishing in neglect.

There have been many promises of restoration for the Victoria Theatre in Perkins St and a government grant given, and yet I see no sign of any work happening.

By now I believe the NSW Heritage Council should be involved in both of these buildings.

For me It's time the council and the local state member stepped in and asked Jerry Schwartz what has caused so much delay in restoring this great building.

AMANDA Vanstone suggests that politicians dump their team mentality in favour of a focus on policies ("The boring, simple fix for politics", Opinion, 25/5). Hooray!

But this, from one of the most divisive ministers we've ever had and a member of the most divisive government we've ever had?

Why can't the national Voice just be legislated?

Because legislation can be overturned on the whim of any new government, as would happen when we're unfortunate enough to see reactionary ideologues of Ms Vanstone and Peter Dutton's ilk back with the reins of government.

Indigenous progress goes nowhere in Australia because Australian governments have never properly involved Indigenous people in significant decisions.

Every other lobby group takes precedence.

I believe Ms Vanstone knows it and wants to keep things just as they are. Is wilful ignorance better or worse than racism?

AMANDA Vanstone has a point. Voters need plainer English and less political rhetoric. They need policies rather than politics.

Parliamentary debate should be more constructive, with less slagging off against people and policies put up by both sides.

But if Australian politics goes down the American path, we should expect more political rhetoric and disinformation ("The boring, simple fix for politics", Opinion 25/5).

Ms Vanstone advises voters should think of politics as a team sport. I accept that MPs should be team players. They should resign their parliamentary seats rather than betray their parties and constituents alike by refusing to vote for party policies or sitting on the cross bench.

But more and more voters are becoming disillusioned with the policies of the major parties. During the last federal election, they voted in a record number of Teals and independents.

It seems that major parties prefer the way politics was done in the past.

Recently, bizarrely, we had both major parties combining to block Teal amendments that would have required Infrastructure Australia to report on its $120 billion spend on major road and rail projects.

Voters and taxpayers should be outraged at this closing or ranks, and lack of transparency. After all, it's their money. And a lot of it.

PETER Devey ("Historical accounts not so rosy", Letters, 24/5), in his attempt to negate the Voice, claims that "Australia before the British was hardly a paradise" which didn't permit "the population to rise above a few hundred thousand".

The Bureau of Statistics suggests the range of the population in 1788 was between 300,00 and 1 million.

The underlying premise of Mr. Davey's letter is that First Nations people never rose to the heights achieved by the British Empire in 1788 and therefore the "superior" culture of the British actually benefited the First Nations people.

Sociologists refer to this privileging of one's own culture over "inferior" cultures as ethnocentrism, whereby one judges cultures different to our own from the perspective of our own culture as being inferior. If one judges other cultures from the standpoint of our own culture, every other culture must by definition be inferior.

The whole history of colonialism reflects this view that the "savages" needed to be "civilised" and only the introduction of British/French/German/Belgian/Spanish culture with their varying brands of Christianity (pick one) could civilise those less cultured.

The ludicrous nature of this position is best illustrated by the saga of Burke and Wills. With all the knowledge of their western civilization, with all their (for the times) sophisticated technology, they perished in an environment that First Nations people had lived effectively in for 60,000 years. So who were the savages?

The Voice referendum simply seeks to acknowledge the original inhabitants of our country and the wrongs that have been done to them for nearly 250 years.

We should accept their offer to us to move forward together in the knowledge that they are the original knowledge holders of this country, and warrant our engagement with the reconciliation process.

I SUSPECT the incident involving a 95-year-old resident Tasered at a nursing home can possibly trace its origins to training, both for the staff at the facility and the police constables who attended the call.

Instead of viewing body-camera vision from the constables' jackets, I would suggest maybe authorities should openly view the training schedules or modules undertaken by the carers who called in the police and the training that the police give their officers to handle situations at dementia facilities to defuse situations like this.

I imagine incidents must occur in a regular basis at these homes, and such a review would help determine the appropriate changes or training needed to prevent these horrific events.

SAD news that Maclean's Booksellers is for sale ('Buy the book shop', Newcastle Herald 23/5). The skilled staff are always helpful and happy to share their knowledge and experience with their great selection of books. The owner said "We are more than just a little shop". They are much more and will be sorely missed.

MANY years ago when I was working in the main street of Toronto, myself and the men in the work crew were entertained daily by the local butcher and the owner of the newsagency. They would trade a tirade of barbs at one another, mainly about their professions and what they sold in their shops. Some of the antics they displayed were comical and they would end up laughing at one another and return to their shops. Could you be that butcher from Toronto, Steve Barnett? Just wondering.

DAVID Winwood (Short Takes 25/5), any person elected to our parliament; Indigenous or otherwise is there to represent every Australian. They are not there to deal with the huge imbalance like black deaths in custody, housing, health, incarceration of youngsters, targeting by law enforcement officers and legal representation.

GEOFF Black (Short Takes, 25/5), who gives a rat's if you can see the wind turbines? It's not as if they will blanket out all viewing. I can't see what people are whinging about. Do people sit on shore all day, everyday and cry if something happens to be in the distance? Find something worthwhile to whinge about.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Herald for publishing Pope's View on Wednesday (Opinion 24/5). The wit of Pope's cartoons regularly makes me smile, but this one broke my heart as it reflected back the reality of Australian politics, and unfortunately it seems, the reality of Australian society.

I HAVE read the letters recently about Stan Grant, racism and how it affects us all. I have an issue with racism myself. The NRL have a football match at the start of the season that allows only Indigenous players to take part, as well as an Indigenous round during the season. If this is not racism against the white football players then what is it? It does concern me that racism is alive and well in some circles for the benefit of a minority group.

WE know that 80 per cent of Indigenous Australians support a Voice to Parliament and recognition in the constitution, Steve Barnett. Those that don't are free to do as they please and vote as they choose, along with the old white blokes.