JEFF Corbett's idea of paying rent to Aboriginal Land Councils for occupation of land which "always was, always will be" Aboriginal land has merit ("Pay rent or lip service", Herald, 21/11).
Since white occupation of Australia, there has been a clash of cultures based upon differing values and perceptions.
White Australia saw Australia as 'terra nullius' (empty land), and proceeded to sell and occupy land based on this convenient legal lie. Aboriginals who occupied the land were not even regarded as fully human and certainly not as legitimate land owners. Many were exterminated or dispossessed of their land and placed on reservations or missions.
Aboriginal Australians saw the land as 'the land my mother'. Elders couldn't, on behalf of their tribe, sell land. The land owned Aborigines rather than they owned the land. So, from an Aboriginal view point, the land and its traditional occupants were inseparable.
Under the amended Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, traditional owners can now sell land in limited circumstances. But if they do so, they then lose title. They may lease or mortgage land, but lenders are loath to lend money on land they cannot sell, since most native title is inalienable.
Corbett's suggestion therefore makes sense. It would reduce disputes on land rights. It would provide Land Councils with a steady income that could then be used to provide additional welfare, health, education and housing for local tribal groups.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Origin refereeing blues
BRAD Fittler has done a wonderful job as NSW coach, especially this year, supporting them through such a tumultuous time. It's now time for us to support him.
In my opinion, this year's State of Origin decider was a shambles due to poor refereeing. I believe NSW were robbed of their series win because the referee refused to pull up Queensland on numerous occasions and to call a 'series winning' penalty, if not, a penalty try.
Let's all say what Brad's thinking and unable to voice - throughout the entire match I believe there were many times the ref should have pulled up Queensland for forward passes, being off-side, tackling too high and holding players. Brad won't come out and say too much in fear of being fined, so let's throw our support behind him and let the NRL know enough is enough.
High-calibre games call for high-calibre refereeing. If we don't want our game to turn into a farce, it's time to start putting the best of the best referees on the field.
Renata Pepper, New Lambton
Police vindicated after apology
FORMER NSW police officer Peter Fox has again been discredited ("Apology issued to top cop", Herald, 30/10). In 2014, in Volume 2 of the report of the Special Commission of Inquiry instituted by the NSW government following Fox's allegations of incompetence and corrupt conduct by police investigating sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy in the Hunter Valley, the inquiry commissioner made a number of damning findings against Fox, including that he "was an unsatisfactory witness in a number of respects" and that in his evidence he "made claims for which there was no proper basis".
Now, following commencement of legal proceedings for defamation by Detective Inspector Jeff Little in relation to allegations of falsehoods relating to him in Fox's book, Walking Towards Thunder, touted as an exposé of Hunter police investigations into sexual abuse of children by Catholic clergy, Fox and his publishers, Hachette Australia, have issued an apology to Mr Little, the lead investigator, thereby acknowledging that Fox's claims of what amounted to corruption and running a protection racket for the Catholic Church by police involved in the investigations, were without foundation.
This apology, and the mea culpa that necessarily accompanies it, provides justice and vindication, not only for Jeff Little, but also for the other honest, committed police who weremaligned in Fox's book.
The book has been withdrawn from sale by Hachette, presumably to be pulped. I won't hold my breath waiting for an amended edition of the book to appear.
John Ure, Mt Hutton
A few points to consider
IN his latest contribution to the Herald's opinion pages, Phillip O'Neill ("Riches flow when good projects get over the line", Herald, 23/11) wore his obsession with both me and climate change on his shirt sleeve.
After spending half of his piece praising Cessnock's new Bridges Hill Park and the wonderful activities it offers our local children, Phillip pivoted to the importance of preschool and lamented there were too many mums at the park when they could be at work.
Phillip then talked of the region's low female labour market participation and attributed this in part, to poor access to preschool. But the pièce de résistance was his claim it was all my fault because of my support for the coal industry.
I have five points for Phillip. First, I helped secure funding for the Bridges Hill Park. Second, preschool is the responsibility of state governments. Third, the coal mining sector accounts for tens of thousands of jobs throughout the region and more and more women are featuring at all levels of its operations. There would be many more adults in the park if it were not for the coal mining industry.
Fourth, a key focus for me during my time as a local MP has been intergenerational unemployment and the need to break the cycle through early years learning. The only real gains were made during the six years of the Labor government through programs like the Building the Education Revolution.
Finally, a key to female participation is access to affordable childcare, a federal government responsibly. That's why it was a key focus for Anthony Albanese in his recent Budget reply speech.
Joel Fitzgibbon, federal Labor MP for Hunter, Cessnock
Industry in one-way decline
A WOULD-BE politician, Stuart Bonds, criticises a current politician, Joel Fitzgibbon, for being a politician (Letters, 20/1).
"We (coal miners) aren't asking to be saved," he says. Mr Bonds should speak for himself, because he doesn't represent the many thousands of Australian coal miners across the country. He represents the One Nation political party.
There wouldn't be enough space on this page to summarise the evidence that coal is a dying industry. Just one example - in its most recent report on global energy trends (October, 2020), the International Energy Agency (far from a hotbed of "greenie" radicals) concludes that for the first time since the industrial revolution, coal-fired power will constitute less than 20 per cent of the world's energy by 2040, by which time gas demand will also be in decline. In other words, fossil fuels will soon be again just fossils.
The end for the industry, when it comes, will likely be swift and brutal. Projects "on the table" won't save it. Neither will Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party.
Without a comprehensive transition plan, coal miners will suffer most. It seems to me that any politician, aspiring or current, who wilfully stands in the way of such a plan is anything but their friend.
Michael Hinchey, New Lambton
SHORT TAKES
I WOULD like to congratulate Donna Page on a fine and fair set of articles and comments on the City of Newcastle office move (Herald, 21/11). This is superb reporting at its best. Please keep up the pressure as we have to question the motives of those refusing to disclose information. Is it that they have something to hide from the ratepayers? We also have to question if the refusal to release information is an attempt to hide poor decisions, brought about by a rubber stamp council? Keep up the pressure.
Sandy Buchanan, Largs
THANK you to Deborah Richards for your hilarious Perspectives column in the Herald Weekender on Saturdays. More please!
Sandra Iceton, New Lambton Heights
SAW a good Aussie movie the other day, Rams. I loved the movie, a down to earth movie. Go and see it and support the Australian film industry.
Richard Ryan, Summerland Point
POOR old Joel Fitzgibbon, I reckon he's moved so far to the political right now when he looks to his left he can see Stuart Bonds from One Nation and Barnaby Joyce.
Rick Hoswell, Elermore Vale
KIDS and Santa (Shane Tull, Short Takes, 21/11). Some people just don't get it. The people working this sector are mostly aged pensioners, like me. With COVID-19 still with us the last thing we need is scores of potential carriers sitting on the knees of people in the highest risk category. It's a disgrace that some people think that is OK.
Doug Hoepper, Garden Suburb
RIPPED off again, two weeks in a row. I went to New Lambton Pool for a dip on Saturday; no signs out the front, paid our full entry fee. Inside, the Olympic pool was closed for a swim meet, the diving pool was closed, and the other small pool was roped off halfway for swimming lessons, so we had a small area to enjoy, but it's only 0.9m deep. So ripped off again. Why are we paying full price? Not happy Jan.
Peter Rossetti, New Lambton
I THINK damming rivers, and necessarily destroying fertile valleys, is a last resort. We have many, better, options including not wasting as much water in the first place. It seems to me that Hunter Water is trying to ride rough-shod over people's concerns, and opting for the dam option for expedience or plain politics. Dams also create major problems for the wildlife that depend on the natural flow of those rivers necessarily blocked by dams. Wake up Australia.
