I THINK that most Australians have had enough of the ongoing bullying of our export industry by China. Personally I have decided to take my own stand and where possible not purchase Chinese-made goods.
It is easy in supermarkets where I find the major Chinese product is in the seafood section and we have a superior choice at the local fishermen's co-op. The difficulty is in clothing and small appliances. If the product is made in China I will continue to look for an alternative. It's not easy but it is possible, or in the recent case where I could not find a suitable pair of shorts I decided my existing ones would last a little longer.
Major retailers need to start looking for alternative suppliers and I am sure they are out there. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and now maybe the time for change
Frank Carter, Kahibah
Criticism can flow both ways
WE should not worry too much about the vile propaganda being spread by little puppets of the Chinese Communist Party. The best way to bring these people to account is to ignore them.
After all, they are the spokespersons for a murderous regime that detains without trial, sends thousands of Uyghur people to detention camps for so called re-education, harvests the organs of prisoners, massacres demonstrators (as in Tiananmen Square.) Not to mention that this is a regime that reneges on trade agreements and reneges on the deal with the British on Hong Kong.
China is in a race to the bottom. It is destroying its environment and is facing massive water shortage and pollution problems. It uses its vicious diatribe to cover its problems and frighten the masses to enable the elite to stay in power. The world is waking up and the more China continues this behaviour the further its standing in the world diminishes.
Sandy Buchanan, Largs
Soldiers write their own history
IN response to my recent letter pointing out the irony between the alleged unlawful killing of innocent Afghan civilians by a small group of SAS soldiers and the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese civilians on orders of US President Truman, Peter Devey (Letters, 1/12) makes the extraordinary assertion that President Truman was justified in ordering the bombing of the two Japanese cities because the Japanese government had refused repeated demands to surrender.
To put it in simple terms, this is the classic defence to totally disproportionate behaviour: "see what you made me do because you wouldn't do what you were told?" Mr Devey also accuses another letter writer and myself of being "somewhat disrespectful of Australian military history". I have absolutely no idea of what Mr Devey means by this, but if the allegations against the SAS soldiers are proven to be true then it is they who will have been disrespectful of Australian military history, not Mr Ramsden or me.
John Ure, Mount Hutton
Loyalty to fossil fuel misplaced
THE recent Barnaby Joyce, Matt Canavan and Davd Gillespie visit to the Hunter highlights the unswerving loyalty to fossil fuels in conservative sections of state and federal politics today. Years of Coalition government have led to record high power prices and record manufacturing job losses despite Australia now being ranked as the world's largest exporter of coal and gas.
The Nationals' fanatical support for more coal mines in Queensland plus massive new fracking gas fields in farm and woodlands around Narrabri, is not just cynical and stupid, it is endangering our economy and our environment. We are on the brink of accelerated global warming to a possible five degrees or more by 2300. Any profit from this industry is dwarfed by the damage bill from record droughts and fires that we are starting to see in Australia; an estimated $100 billion in 2020 alone.
Study after study shows that renewable energy is now cheaper, more reliable, and creates more new industries and jobs than dirty coal and gas, while details of any proper economic modelling by the Coalition remain elusive. The best thing the Nationals could do now is get out of the way of the majority of Australians, who want a sustainable economy and a habitable planet.
Michael Schien, New Lambton
Dammed if they do forge ahead
AFTER the axing of Tillegra Dam, the Institute for Sustainable Futures (University of Technology, Sydney, 2010) noted that "during the period of 2008 to 2010, Hunter Water was unable to fill the Grahamstown Dam due to poor catchment management resulting in a blue green algal bloom. The Balickera Pump to Grahamstown Dam was not switched on due to concerns over water toxicity. The dam's storage levels dropped over this period, but there was no physical shortage of water in the catchment. This example shows water toxicity and poor catchment management currently outweigh drought as the greater threat to the Lower Hunter's water supply. This threat will not be alleviated by building another dam."
And so the story continues 10 years later. Time to move towards more sustainable and innovative water supply options Hunter Water. Dams are dinosaur technology.
Ken Kneipp, Dungog
Civility comes second sometimes
POOR Abraham Lincoln, co-opted again by Peter Dolan, this time to reference a homily on not setting ourselves up as better than others lest we infringe their rights and hurt their feelings (Letters, 27/11). Something like, I imagine, what happens when a woman who has agonised over having an abortion subsequently reads she's not "pro-life" and her decision should be criminalised.
For all his equanimity, Lincoln well understood the potential for disagreement, even offence, shouldn't deter important debates. The American Civil War attests to that. Donald Trump's pathetic post-defeat jeremiad has, in my opinion, reinforced the obvious; he is utterly unfit for public office, and a menace to democracy. And, in my opinion, there is therefore no conceivable basis in morality, religion or good governance for supporting him. If that discomforts some of his diehard fans, such is life.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
Poor form on the digital divide
IT would appear that if one does not have a mobile phone it is practically impossible to fill out any form submitted to you via email or on the web.
We are having a directory sent to us by a bookseller and Australia Post sent us via email a form to complete indicating if we wanted the book sent to our home or the local PO. There was absolutely no way we could complete the form as we did not have a mobile phone.
This has happened to us before. Surely there are a few reasonably normal people who have so far resisted having a mobile phone, but don't try and fill out a form sent to you via email.
Jan Garnsey, Morpeth
SHARE YOUR OPINION
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.
SHORT TAKES
IT was stimulating to read of this rethink ('City revives stairway on Mall car park site', Newcastle Herald 2/12). Not often in town planning do all the stars seem to be in alignment. Barney Collins in 2006 was ahead of his time, Horbury Hunt's masterpiece should be clearly visible from the Mall and Harbour. Approachable via such a corridor from the waterfront, it would be improved by a countering structure on the site of the demolished tower. The Iris people are doing a fine job, blending the new with the older ambiance, and should be given a chance to enhance it. Perhaps a small levy for public parking be paid by all benefiting businesses in the area to support the structures. This is a great chance for the best of urban design, including I hope, a fountain. A design competition might be considered.
Fred Whitaker, Newcastle
THERE'S a saying that all politics is local. There's another one, that politics is about those who can be bothered to turn up. Citizens of Newcastle have the chance to voice their views about the future of National Park, on the City of Newcastle website. If you hanker for more flourishing green spaces in the inner city then now's your chance. But hurry, the survey ends Monday.
Carl Boyd, Newcastle
IF you want to reduce the use of air conditioning, particularly in heat wave conditions with long hot afternoons and evenings, do away with daylight saving.
Steven Busch, Rathmines
I RECENTLY experienced two entirely different service providers in our area. After 43 years of driving and being a qualified mechanical fitter myself, it is not unreasonable to state that the experience I encountered at one large truck dealership/workshop was the worst of my life. In terms of time and cost for such a small problem, it was a filthy rip off. On the other hand, Darren and staff at Natrad Raymond Terrace I could not recommend more highly.
Gary Lobston, Fern Bay
GREG Hunt (Short Takes, 2/12) says that I provided a "one-sided argument" when I replied to his suggestion that Donald Trump has 75 million supporters. I wrote about Trump's support. This is called sticking to the subject, not being "one-sided". I agree with Mr Hunt that some of Joe Biden's supporters were "anti-Trump" voters. But that doesn't change the fact that many people who voted for Trump did not specifically support him, or that Trump's rusted-on support is more of a problem for the Republicans than the Democrats. Maybe Mr Hunt could stick to the subject and comment on those problems, rather than resorting to ad hominem attacks and "whataboutism".
Michael Jameson, New Lambton
THE borders are swinging open wide. I just get this feeling that everyone is getting ready to party. It is a feeling I had when Spain announced its holiday season earlier this year. I just hope that the China and SAS distractions don't unravel thinking too soon. Look at the US Thanksgiving revelries, and let's not get too carried away or gung-ho just yet. Maybe virus fatigue affects us all in different ways. It's December already, so have a good Christmas.
