Don't forget the swimmers in baths project
MY father was president of the Newcastle Baths swimming club in the 1950s and our weekends were very much about the pool and the club.
I left Newcastle at 18 and lived in Woolloomoloo for the next 40 years. I became president of the Andrew Boy Charlton Pool in Sydney's botanical gardens. I played a very active role in saving the pool and having it restored, a fact that was always acknowledged by Lord Mayor Frank Sartor.
The purpose of my letter is to say learn from the mistakes Sydney City Council had made with their pools. Sydney council freely acknowledges it got the Prince Alfred Park rebuild totally wrong. There was an obsession with the visual and a complete disinterest in the practical.
Those of us that used the pool said it was about winning architecture and environmental awards rather than a user friendly pool. The council admitted this in their research on their latest pool to open, to make sure the same mistakes were not repeated.
The pool at the domain had many issues in the beginning. Most of these were directly linked to disregarding the comfort of the swimmer.
A simple example is zero shade.
So my advice to those that are involved in the Newcastle baths project, ensure it is a great visual experience but don't forget the people who will use it being thought of.
John Franks, Nelson Bay
Time to banish same-sex schools
ALMOST everybody is asking how we address this terrible issue facing our country.
First we need to acknowledge the source of the abuse and that is mainly from young males. We need a significant change in attitude and that should be done within the family cell but also at school.
Late last year I was astounded at the proposed end-of-school antics from a private Sydney boys school. Absolutely disgusting.
I propose that we rid ourselves of same-sex schools and make every school co-educational. Boys and girls need to mix so that they can appreciate each others' experiences.
The transition from same-sex to co-educational should not be too difficult. I see that my old school, Newcastle Technical High, is now co-ed and is probably better for the change.
Let's get talking about this - no more same-sex schools.
Stan Keifer, Arakoon
Animals doing their best to survive
ACCORDING to the Oxford English Dictionary, "feral" has three meanings: "existing in a wild or untamed state"; "having returned to an untamed state from domestication"; and "of, or suggestive of, a wild animal; savage".
I have to believe that every feral animal in Australia comes from a heritage of domestication. At different times they were brought to Australia; then were lost, they ran away or were dumped.
While I honestly regret what has happened to a lot of our Australian wildlife, shouldn't those who have not cared for their pets have the finger pointed at them?
Cats, dogs, foxes, brumbies etc were allowed to become feral through someone's neglect. Stop blaming the feral animals; they are only doing what they can to survive in the wild.
Wal Remington, Mount Hutton
NRL having a bet each way
I ABHOR the behavior of the person who attacked Josh Morris on social media for his outstanding performance in the NRL game on the weekend.
I can't believe the weak-mindedness of these people who do this, after all it is their decision to make these bets and multibets, as they are called, and if you lose you lose. I believe the NRL must make an extremely strong stand against this behavior.
In saying that though I think the NRL should hold some sort of blame for this, after all they are making a nice income from all of the bombardment us TV viewers get from the advertisement of these betting schemes each week. Bet responsibly!
Allan Crosdale, Cessnock
Dam is not best way forward
IN A report of the community and stakeholder survey into the options to secure the future of the region's water supply, Hunter Water managing director Darren Cleary ("Community support for conservation" Herald, 22/3) in the article said "strong relative support for all options meant none should be ruled out".
Mr Cleary obviously couldn't have read the results of his survey in depth before making the statement. Twice as many people opposed dams (24 per cent) as opposed to climate independent and environmentally friendlier options (8-13 per cent).
I would say that this demonstrates very clearly that there is not strong support for unreliable dams. The 2019 relatively short drought reinforced the vulnerability and risks of relying on the Williams River catchment dams for 94 per cent of our water supply.
The survey results confirm the construction of a new dam with the uncertainties of predicted climate challenges is not the best way forward to guarantee a reliable water supply into the future.
Ken Edwards, Clarence Town
Bushfire prevention advice
NOW is the time to prepare for future devastating bushfires. Putting them out long before they take hold.
How could this be achieved, you ask? Well it's this simple:
1. The federal government adheres to the Bushfire Royal Commission's recommendation to become involved in eliminating bushfires across the continent.
2. Involve Australia's best pilots by forming nation-wide squadrons of RAAF pilots, available for interstate service, especially those who could retrain in large water-bombing aircraft and Elvis-style helicopters who wish to keep those skills when retiring and entering civilian life. (During the devastating 2019-2020 bushfires we witnessed four civilian helicopter crashes and three deaths of American volunteers when their large water-bombing aircraft was lost.)
3. It has been proved state governments can't cope with these emergencies as was witnessed in NSW when the then fire commissioner watched and watched fires started from isolated lightning strikes in October 2019 then left to take hold. There were no firefighting aircraft available worldwide when the California fires were raging.
4. The 33 civilians who lost their lives, over 2000 homes lost or damaged, the trauma and misery Australians suffered and are still suffering is intolerable in a wealthy, first-world country.
5. The devastation of our fauna and flora and oxygen-generating forests is also intolerable. The earth's climate has changed and is always changing. Failure to adhere to the Royal Commission's recommendations should see heads roll.
Brian Watson-Will, Corlette
SHORT TAKES
AFTER doing so well in controlling the virus, our government has been pretty abysmal in rolling out the inoculations. I received a letter from the British National Health Services in January advising me I had an appointment for a jab on the 10th of February. I am an Australian citizen and haven't lived in the UK for over 50 years. Here in Australia I have to make an appointment myself. I am in the over 70 category but my own doctor is not on the list of only 20 practices in the Hunter area giving the inoculations. This is less than I expected of the Australian government. Really disappointed.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
THE conversations, released by police, between Jarryd Hayne, Mitchell Pearce and two unidentified men (SMH 24/3/21 'Hayne vilified victim in tapped phone calls') are prime examples that some men just don't understand how their attitude and language show a great disrespect for women.
Deb Gadd, Adamstown
THANK you, Barney Langford, (Herald opinion 24/3), for spelling out the modus operandi of the anti-PC brigade. Sadly, their targets are never successful, straight, white males but those who are already disadvantaged by the system: refugees, ethnics, the poor, the unemployed, LGBTI, the disabled and women. Their single goal is to maintain their entrenched privilege that they believe these groups are eroding. Scott Morrison said that women should not be advanced to the detriment of men. Enough said.
Joan Lambert, Adamstown
IT seems to me that names are being broken in this day and age. Back in the day it was the sticks and stones that did the damage, names never worried me.
Mick Porter, Raymond Terrace
PRIME Minister Scott Morrison is usually a pragmatic but increasingly tricky leader. The vaccine rollout and the shambolic Omnibus legislation point to a government in disarray.
John Butler, Windella Downs
COMMUNITY consultation yet again demonstrates a strong preference for climate independent water supply options. With climate change being the significant factor in water security for the Hunter region, can we trust Hunter Water Corporation to adopt the smart option?
Sally Skuse, Chichester
I BELIEVE the arrival of the First Fleet, some 18 years after Cook's arrival, could hardly be called an invasion. This was not the Royal Navy with all guns ablazing and thousands of troops sent here to decimate Aboriginal people. The First Fleet came in peace with the personnel and equipment to establish a colony in what is now Sydney, just a tiny part of a huge country unknown to them, without the intention to harm anybody.
Steven Busch, Rathmines
I'M wondering if Alison Orme could explain to me how they can produce the metals, glass and other materials used in renewable systems without fossil fuels if the wind don't blow and the sun don't shine. The batteries are dead. Just a thought.
