Coal workers know the end is coming
CHRIS Bowen's message that coal workers are "smart, hardworking people who want to talk about their future and their role in a renewable economy" is a smart and respectful message ("Coal workers part of solution, not problem", Letters, 26/3).
Despite what coal-activists such as Matt Canavan may say, coal workers know that the industry has a limited lifetime and that the future for their children is elsewhere.
Many are using their relatively high incomes to put their children through tertiary education.
While it is common political practice to focus on the here-and-now, all Australians, and particularly young Australians, crave visionary leadership.
Candidates that offer "practical vision" at the next election will be voted in.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
'Pie in the sky' thinking
IAN King's solution for encouraging people to country towns to work in primary industries is big on theory, but lacks substance (Letters, 27/3).
The fruit industry in particular, has, for many years benefited by paying low wages for what is extremely tedious and physically hard work.
Rather than let their crops rot on the tree, wouldn't it be better to pay a decent wage and make a smaller profit.
This would appear a windfall for all parties involved.
Ian assumes there is ample readily available accommodation in country towns and that families would be willing to accommodate casual workers.
How does he substantiate this statement?
His scheme is based solely on supposition and to my way of thinking is very much, simply, pie in the sky.
Robert Tacon, Adamstown Heights
We mustn't let bullies win
I AM not surprised with the tariffs on Australian wines as this is the simple evidence of the bully boy nature of the Chinese government we have always known.
After years of discussions a "Free Trade Agreement" was signed with China by the Australian government on December 20, 2015.
This agreement granted China huge and direct access to the Australian economic and business structure.
As such, China now has ownership of many Australian businesses including John Holland Construction and ownership of many farms throughout the country.
This agreement gave the right to employ some Chinese nationals at the local Chinese rates but have them work in Australia within their organisations that they have acquired.
It also gave them the right to own production of coal from the ground to the destination in China, this also applies to other industries as well, hence limiting taxes by inflating before tax costs and minimising sale prices until its arrival in China.
In recent years we have seen this Chinese government culture that has placed tariffs on imports into China from non-Chinese enterprises, demonstrating that the intent of the free trade agreement was always to control and manage the whole trade and business dealings with Australia.
This agreement simply must be torn up immediately and the Chinese ownership within Australia must be reversed completely.
The Chinese government does not honour agreements nor do they act as a friend as they have proved that they are bullies and must be resisted and have the ears pinned back forthwith.
Milton Caine, Birmingham Gardens
Population central to problem
PROTESTERS are still barking at the moon when it comes to their beliefs to prevent climate deterioration.
Over the years, I have repeatedly indicated that the only way that we can save our planet is to reduce our ever increasing population, and to get contraception worldwide under control, otherwise we won't have an existence for our children little alone their children.
We are heading towards Armageddon unless we get our heads out of the sand and use logical, lateral common-sense thinking to resolve climate problems.
We, the population are the problem, and while our butts face the ground that is reality.
Stop protesting over issues that you can't control and focus on issues that you can control.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
Anyone for tennis, Jeff?
I WOULD like to express my opinion on Jeff Corbett's article "The sport of managing", (Herald, 27/3).
Corbett stated he has a belief that if he had played team sports as a child he would have been better skilled to be a successful team leader as an adult.
If he could have looked outside his "man/codger cave" he would have realised there is another human gender called female who haven't played rugby league, cricket and other team sports, yet they have been successful leaders.
We know the former PM Julia Gillard loved her Aussie Rules and didn't play the game however she was a great leader and team player.
I do believe from what Corbett said in his article if he had played rugby league he would have been in the sin bin more than on the field.
Corbett should not be excusing his lack of leadership with not playing with males in a team, but instead regretting he didn't play mixed tennis to be a better man.
It was interesting to see Corbett's article was on the front side of the two-page featured poster spread for the rugby league 300-gamer titled "Pearce".
Was it a case Corbett, on reflection, wanted to now become a part of a team and lead from the front?
Ann Carmody, East Maitland
A project worth considering
WATER facts the community needs to know. Israel recycles 90 per cent of its waste water. Hunter Water recycles around 13 per cent.
A kilolitre equals 1000 litres, or one cubic metre measures one metre by one metre; a megalitre equals 1000 cubic metres.
If we placed these cubes together in a straight line, a megalitre would equal 1km in length.
The Burwood treatment plant discharges 50,000 cubic metres, or 50 megalitres, per day into the ocean.
In a straight line it would equal 50km in length wasted per day.
The distance from Newcastle to Cessnock by road equals 49km, in one week it would equal 350km wasted.
The distance of Newcastle to Boggabri by road equals 346km.
Recycling the Burwood treatment plant's water would increase Hunter Water's recycling volumes from 13 per cent to 52 per cent.
There is a water recycling exchange option that can harvest every drop of this water.
Hunter Water, why is this project not on the table?
Joseph Taranto, Bellbird Heights
SHORT TAKES
IF Stuart Bonds, the bloke who nearly knocked off Joel Fitzgibbon at the last election, ever thought that Malcolm Roberts and Pauline Hanson from One Nation Party were in parliament to help workers then I think he was delusional, and I wondered at the time how so many people in the electorate could be conned into thinking One Nation was a party to help workers.
Fred McInerney, Karuah
SPARE me the BS Matt Canavan. Equal pay for equal work does not exist for casuals in the coal industry. Even with loadings added they are paid about $40,000 a year less than permanents for doing the same job. This was proven discriminatory in the courts, but with the help of Pauline Hanson and Malcolm Roberts vote these court victories have been legislated away. These people are not on the side of mineworkers or of any workers.
Chris Peters, Newcastle
FINGAL Beach was closed for swimming over the weekend, and probably for a couple of weeks as well as many other beaches due to flood runoff. Yet I was not surprised to see tourists swimming, parents and kids in poo soup water. What don't people, or parents in particular, understand about swimming in that filth? The doctors are going to be flat out with infections of all sorts. Common sense ain't too common.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
LYN Rendle (Letters, 27/3) and Steve Barnett (Short Takes, 26/3), we need people like you. Lyn, you are amazing; a shining light at the end of a few very bleak weeks. Yes, ordinary decent women and men, leading by example and working together, will heal our great country. Steve, you speak for so many of us white, working class males, doing our best to lead by example, willing to accept responsibility when we get it wrong and expecting all others to do the same. Surely that's not unreasonable.
Dave McTaggart, Edgeworth
I BEG to differ with Robert Dillon (Sporting Declaration, 27/3) saying Mitchell Pearce was harshly treated for his 2016 incident. Really? In this day and age drunkenness is no excuse for bad behaviour. Maybe they were too lenient on the others, but Pearce definitely got what he deserved.
Debra Forbes, Wickham
TIGERS! Tigers! Tigers! If Laurie Nichols (God rest his soul) had he been alive today he would be rejoicing all the way back to Sydney after his beloved West Tigers convincingly defeated a team of "oh how good am I", "self-opinionated", "show ponies" and "big heads", the Newcastle Knights. The first of many wins to come for the Tigers and many losses for the Knights.
Neil Fletcher, West Wallsend
SHAME on you, Newcastle Knights. Mitchell Pearce deserved much better.
