As the director responsible for hosting the city's recent cultural festival New Annual, it's appropriate to respond on the record to Cr John Church's suggestion that attendance figures were "spin doctored" (Festival was wonderful, but at what cost? 19/3).
Unfortunately, Cr Church has misunderstood the report provided to councillors documenting the audience attendance at the two-week festival. The 23,215 figure quoted by Cr Church was for attendance at the free events only. Approximately 10,000 people also purchased tickets to New Annual events, many of which were sold out.
The 'more than 30,000' attendance figure quoted in the report does not, as claimed by Cr Church, include staff or performers. Rather the figure was for the whole event based on ticket data and verified attendance, and did not include the numerous people, locals and visitors, who also enjoyed bespoke activations like Chalk the Walk which were not ticketed.
Further, had the New Annual Festival not been subjected to COVID-19 restrictions on audience numbers, the overall attendance would have been even greater than the estimated 30,000.
Independent economic analysis shows that the $1 million cost of the New Annual (which includes costs from last year when the event had to be postponed due to COVID-19, as well as a $100,000 grant from the NSW government) created a $14 million economic impact over the two week festival period including a 12 per cent lift in accommodation bookings compared to the same period last year (pre COVID-19).
Crucially, the $1 million investment was a lifeline for the recovery of the city's arts sector reeling from the impact of COVID-19. The investment supported the employment for more than 500 artists and 250 event staff. New performances commissioned during the COVID shutdown were, for some, the only source of income when other events were forced to shut down.
Brett T. Smith, Director Strategy and Engagement, City of Newcastle
'Absolutely furious' over councillor's claim
DOES Cr Carol Duncan believe The Friends of King Edward Park are responsible for the bomb threat by an anonymous alleged member? It's like saying an entire elected council is responsible for the adolescent antics of one of its members, or the whole ALP is responsible for the behaviour of one of its members.
As a member of FOKEP, I find her suggestion very offensive. Indeed, I'm "absolutely furious". Does that mean that she is suggesting FOKEP is responsible?.
Why would the FOKEP's representatives at council's public voice meeting apologise (or otherwise be "tone deaf" (sic) about something that has nothing to do with the FOKEP? Was she "tone deaf" about the important issues raised by the FOKEP representatives in their presentation?
I find the threatening behaviour of this anonymous person appalling (like any reasonable person). However, as an aside, as a Labor councillor, I received plenty of anonymous threatening and abusive phone calls from, I believe, functionally aligned ALP members. Please take note - my interest in the park on behalf of community groups goes back many decades.
I also find her comment that the park's future is only of interest to the "privileged few who live nearby" appalling. The membership is drawn from many who don't live nearby as well. In any event, so what?
Cr Duncan said it's of significance to the "entire region" (true) which is a reason for having it properly protected. In fact, being on the State Heritage Register means it is of significance to all of NSW. That should be her focus.
It's worth noting that many heritage professionals believe it's the finest belvedere coastal park in Australia. Let's not focus on pecuniary interests wanting the bowling club site not included but on the main issue, Cr Duncan.
Keith Parsons, Former Chair, Newcastle (NCC/CoN) Strategic Heritage Committee
Nothing trivial about threat
I WISH to comment on "Friends of King Edward Park member behind Newcastle council bomb threat." (Herald, 18/3).
At my all-girls high school in Newcastle during the 1970s there were a number of bomb threats, always coinciding with exam time, and we would be evacuated to the oval.
We used this time productively, sun baking, gossiping and speculating on whose boyfriend made the call. There was no sinister intent suspected by us.
It was stated that the Friends of King Edward Park member who it is claimed to have made the bomb threat to council said "he didn't mean it".
Would that excuse be accepted if he phoned an airport?
In my opinion, FOKEP's latest attempt to have the parks headland heritage-listed makes their previous Land and Environment case appear disingenuous as there was emphasis on the Indigenous link to the headland.
The principle of land rights is to allow Land Councils, in this instance Awabakal, to deliver tangible economic, social and cultural benefits to aboriginal communities.
Why then would FOKEP attempt to prevent the owners, Awabakal from developing their land, if they wish to? We all know the answer to that!
In 2005 there were a number of Newcastle families who lost loved ones and were injured in the Bali bombings. Some children were orphaned.
The bomb threat by an unnamed FOKEP member should not be dismissed as trivial and the person should hang their head in shame.
Mary Stronach, Newcastle
No wonder women are angry
LOOKS like the t-shirt worked! (Ray Cross, Short Takes, 19/3), I'm all for equity and equality. However, equity and equality do not exist for women.
You cannot argue with statistical facts. More women are raped by men, more women are murdered by men. Women are not treated equally as there is a gender pay gap. There are a lack of women in positions of power, in both business and politics.
Who can blame them considering how many men treat women. It's 2021, the old school ideas of women from the early 20th century are both outdated and plain wrong.
Men, would you want your daughter or mother treated with so much disrespect?
Real men treat women equality and with respect.
Ryan Adamson, Hamilton South
SHORT TAKES
RAY Cross and Tony Phillip (Short Takes, 19/3) confirm to me that 1950s men are well and truly still with us. They simply do not understand.
Margaret Smith, Adamstown
WOW, just think, once upon a time Newcastle had its own Hollywood! (Road to unearth shanty town, Herald,18/3). Wow, just think, once upon a time you could get off the train in downtown Newcastle and catch a tram all the way to Wallsend! What happened? Progress? A lack of foresight? Greed? Less than intelligent politicians? Oh well...
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
WHAT a lot of fuss going on to get vaccinated. The front line people are our priority to get vaccinated and stop the spread of this virus to the general population. Australia has done a fantastic job of limiting deaths and the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In the end we will all be vaccinated eventually. Let's keep calm and keep doing what we have been doing in the past year. Great job, Australia. The rest of the world is envious. They need the vaccine more than us, much more than us. In the meantime relax and enjoy our good way of life.
Peter Selmeci, Murrays Beach
WHY do some letter writers think we can control the carbon produced by others, by not selling them coal or by selling coal we are responsible for the carbon it produces in other countries? Coal is not sold with conditions attached, needing our approval of how it is used, no more than expecting auto manufacturers to be responsible for damage their cars inflict caused by the driver. Our handful of coal fired power stations, and the carbon they produce, are our responsibility, not the thousands elsewhere using our coal.
