Re-test aged drivers, but look at youth qualifications as well

I can live with that as long as they review the ages at when youth drivers can attain a black licence due to data and statistics related to hooning, speeding and car theft.

What's good for the goose should also be good for the inexperienced fledglings.

PAUL Scott's Monday column ("Lessons still to be learnt from the 'Train Wreck' episode", Opinion 13/5) is an example of the absurdity of the argument there's a lack of important projects for the area because of the region's safe Labor seats.

Well, guess what? A Liberal government was in office at the time of the initiation and introduction of the happy clappy light rail, resulting in the present disdain for its inception.

Whether it's Labor or Liberal government the point made by Mr Scott is that former Liberal NSW transport minister Andrew Constance's advice to the Herald that it has an obligation to be "very positive about this wonderful, wonderful place" was being patronising, condescending and ignorant, and the government singling out journalists for seeking to shine a light in dark corners is never a good look" was well made.

TRANSPARENCY and accountability of all levels of government, including local government, are two of the key foundations underpinning our democratic system of government.

In a democracy it is said that decisions made are to be transparent and regularly able to be scrutinised by the people (us) and the media.

It is one of the main differences between the communist and autocratic despot states like the secretive China or North Korea.

Year by year I see these key principles being eroded, in a number of ways, to serve a few to stay in power.

The GIPA Act was bought in for a very good reason - to hold decision makers within governments and their bureaucrats to account.

Thankfully there are avenues of appeal available, particularly when the information one seeks is about key leaders within our communities like politicians and top level bureaucrats.

I commend the recent comments of Ian Kirkwood on a 1945 book titled Animal Farm.

History has a poor memory but Animal Farm by George Orwell is a short and simplified tale of the abuse of power for the lucky few (in this case the pigs!).

This is a worthy read for even busy people and was once part of our school curriculum.

The message of this book is as powerful and potent for us today as it was when this book was written.

Politicians are there to serve the public, not themselves.

We simply must demand better of them and their bureaucratic enablers and hold them to account.

IF you are a regular reader of these columns you may know that I was taken into care by the sisters at St Patrick's orphanage Armidale as a two year old following the death of my mother and collapse of my father's health in 1930.

During my years of care with my older sister and brother, birthdays were ignored and allowed to go without notice. This remained a problem throughout my life even as I raised my own family.

However, while my fifth and ninth were ignored, it was not so for my 95th on 14th April as I was surprised to receive so many greetings and wishes led by a personal card from the Prime Minister.

This was followed by greetings from the Premier, the Governor, State and Federal members Speaker of the House and ones from the Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Port Stephens.

I record this to thank those responsible for organising these greetings that help me forget those early days.

I hope it also inspires others who had the bad fortune in their early years to believe things can change as my beloved sister was awarded two Orders of Australia and my brother, with the assistance of the government, became an obstetrician.

I have had a great life of community activism and subsequent rewards.

PETER Devey ("Was tough question realIy unfair?" Letters, 9/5), I wonder if Mr Devey will consider apologising to Keegan Payne, the Indigenous teenager from the NT who won a $1,000,000 in a fishing competition, as have both Peter Stefanovic and Sky News.

Keegan Payne has admitted to his indiscretion that was raised in the interview and has promised to pay back the money owed.

The victim was thrilled for the young man and spoke positively about him, and I have found nothing to suggest that the business went broke.

The same teenager was also being praised by Sarrita King, an artist from Darwin who, after crashing into several buffaloes which left her stranded on the side of the road, was rescued by Keegan and his mates.

These boys provided this assistance by towing the car back to safety even though it could have impacted on Keegan capturing the million-dollar fish. This should have been an uplifting story about a young Indigenous man but unfortunately people have attempted to sully this story.

JUST a reminder: American taxpayers are funding the genocide in Gaza. Not sure where Australia stands, but silence gives consent and complicity.

HOW long did it take for Hamas to commit the atrocities against Israel?

Quite a while, no doubt.

And how long did it take for Israel to respond when they were given repeated warnings of their attack?

Too long.

Now certain news outlets are accusing Australia of deserting Israel when I believe Israel deserted its own people.

I NOTICE some students at Newcastle university have discovered righteous indignation at the war in Gaza ('Students establish pro-Palestine camp', Newcastle Herald 14/5) while nothing is said about a much larger and deadly war; the invasion of the Ukraine.

If Israel is said to be guilty of genocide, surely Russia is just as bad if not worse, but nothing to be seen here in way of protests.

I NEARLY choked on my cornflakes when I read Andrew Whitbread Brown's letter ("Why do letters matter so much?", Letters, 14/5), saying the City of Newcastle council is well run and stable.

I wonder if he was writing tongue in cheek, trying to stir the pot.

THE Federal Labor and Liberal parties both seem hell bent on overpopulating Australia despite record high homelessness and rental costs. Could it be the multinational companies and big businesses are driving them towards that in return for their support? The more population, the more problems.