AFTER recent reports regarding year 12 students not being able to attend their end of school year formals ('All dressed up, nowhere to go', Newcastle Herald, 24/8) it's unfortunate that COVID-19 has turned everybody's world upside down. People through no fault of theirs have suffered and some have lost their lives.
I sympathise with students who, also through no fault of theirs, under covid social distancing rules are unable to attend their well-earned formals. Given the exemptions and numbers placed on weddings and football games, to mention a few, surely these young adults could have their formals, albeit with perhaps only a limited number allowed on the dance floor and seating arrangements as per social distancing regulations. They have earned their one night of celebrations with their fellow students.
Surely rules could be set out to accomplish both. Allow them this exemption during these uncertain times. Their adult future should start with compassion and appreciation into the future. Get behind these kids and allow them this night.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
State has suffered enough
AS one knowing both great business success and failure, I ask that for not merely Victoria but Australia's sake Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews not extend his state's coronavirus lockdown.
My wife and I are in our mid-70s. Our very brave eldest daughter is nearing her fifth of probably six weeks of total lockdown. That has meant not one visit from her mum, husband or her children has been permitted as she is in the wonderful Olivia Newton-John Cancer Centre at the Austin. My 96-year-old Aunt Peg is the last of my 26 uncles and aunties, with my parents long gone.
Premier Andrews, you can throw all the Victorian taxpayers' money at this and that. However, business (the true creation of wealth and sustainable employment) cannot just turn on a switch and create instant employment. It simply can't be done (or the damage you've done be undone) in an instant. Sure, new businesses will (as they always do) emerge, however just like sporting or academic careers starts have to be made, most often with gradual build ups.
Please, Mr Andrews. To start businesses, loans have to be raised, and guaranteed, usually against the family home. Are you and your cabinet going to put all your, family homes and other assets up to support/start businesses to employ Victorians (and our future taxpayers)?
Howard Hutchins, Chirnside Park
Out in force, but might be overkill
AT the end of my street, a small cul de sac, a three-unit complex is nearing completion. As a consequence of the building activity, Newcastle council was required to repair a small section of the roadway outside the new unit complex drive entrance. The area required to be re-tarred was about eight square metres
At 6.45 am today, three council workers turned up and stood in the early morning sun for about half hour until a fourth worker turned up sometime later. Three of these men then stood around looking at the job site and at times doing some road sweeping while the fourth unfolded a camp chair from the council truck and sat in it on the footpath enjoying the sun. Not a good look for the public.
This mainly non action continued until 9.30am when another council truck with the road tar turned up. The re-tar job was completed in about 20 minutes.
When the council employees had left I spoke to the unit complex builder. He could not believe the number of men sent to this small job site and the cost to ratepayers for a job that would normally be carried out in the private sector by two persons. He was even less amused when the council employees allegedly told him they were on $1000 each per week. Is this the council that once claimed to be at world's best practice and could afford a nine-day fortnight? In my opinion world's best time wasting would be a more appropriate title.
SUBHEAD
David Kinder, Merewether
Vaccine qualms not all conspiracy
SANDY Buchanan (Short Takes, 26/8) "the same basic process" is not used to produce all successful vaccines. Many current vaccines are grown in non-human cell lines and even chicken eggs, bacteria or yeast. The Vatican actually allows Catholics to get vaccines that use historical foetal cell lines if no alternatives are available, when the risk to public health outweighs legitimate concerns about the vaccine's origin. Of course there is the duty to lobby health authorities for ethical options.
But you don't need to be religious, or an anti-vaxxer, to have moral qualms about a vaccine ultimately derived from an abortion. As for "terrible child abuse and cruelty", I see one ethical connection with abortion: the vulnerable and voiceless victim. However, no one cannot prevent abuse and cruelty that has already happened, only try to make amends and prevent its recurrence.
Peter Dolan, Lambton
Trucking with trouble in expansion
AS a resident of Wangi Wangi, I and many others are stunned to find that there is a proposal by Centennial Coal to transport coal on Wangi Road to the tune of approximately 208 truck movements a day ('Truckloads', Herald 13/8). This involves the trucks crossing traffic at an already dangerous intersection then travelling towards Toronto through other busy intersections which are again also quite dangerous.
I believe the reason for Centennial Coal proposing these coal movements by road is basically the coal is of such poor quality that it has to be mixed with higher quality coal at another site. In my opinion Centennial Coal should just close down the operation and not put people's lives in jeopardy just so they can sell the low-quality product. The mine has had its day. The residents of this area should have been informed way before this as it has apparently been in NSW Department of Planning hands since May 2020. Again, our government lets us down placing dollars before people.
Stephen Robinson, Wangi Wangi
It borders on a double standard
COVID-19 has drawn some interesting ideas and comments from a wide range of people. From my observation, a lot of people have been very lucky and a lot of people have been very careful, which contributed to the luck others enjoyed. Then there were those that were not so lucky, probably through absolutely no fault of their own in most cases.
NSW and Victoria would in my opinion be the best demonstration of that assessment of the situation. It appears that some of the security guards in NSW were perhaps guilty of the same neglect of duty as those in Victoria, fortunately without the dire consequence the Victorians suffered.
The big difference of course is that the blame seems in Victoria to lie squarely with the government and the Premier, whereas in NSW the blame lies anywhere else, at least to some people who would like to politicise the whole terrible situation.
Fred McInerney, Karuah
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SHORT TAKES
RECENTLY a probably very expensive commission submitted a report on last summer's bushfires ('Climate change, fires linked: NSW premier', Newcastle Herald 26/8). One wonders what is actually being done. Drive just from Toronto to Morisset, and have a look at the volume of underbrush between the many millions of trees. I believe there has been no reduction in this since the last very damaging fire season, and the new season is nearly upon us.
Bill McCall, Bonnells Bay
IN reply to a question as to why vehicles like the new ferries were not built locally ('Labor calls for ferry contract to be torn up', Herald 25/8), the premier on Wednesday said we must buy them because we are not very good at building them. I am sure that all workers that have been employed in the shipbuilding industry would like to thank the premier for her vote of confidence in their ability. I will stand with them as they hope Ms Berejiklian and her government are wearing your life jackets when in the future they suffer the same fate as the Titanic.
Darryl Tuckwell, Eleebana
FORMER Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been lured overseas to be appointed president of the UK Board of Trade. This has got to be Australia's best ever export.
Dennis Petrovic, Rutherford
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says that the state can't build good trains. What's wrong with the Tangaras, Gladys? They were built in Newcastle. What's wrong with the harbour ferries, Gladys? They were built in Newcastle. In my opinion, you and Andrew Constance are a national disgrace.
John Bonnyman, Fern Bay
STEVE Barnett (Letters, 26/8), I propose a tax on all meat and animal-based products. The western diet containing meat, dairy and eggs kills far more people than smoking. The west has far higher rates of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. This is because our diet is animal based. The western world is full of overweight, greedy, animal-eating hypocrites that are quick to judge smokers.
Dan Kirkpatrick, Karuah
SCOTT Morrison's glasses become fogged up since he wears his mask over his glasses. I believe this shows that he is unused to wearing a mask. Perhaps he should try a gag instead. Then we would have less tedious spin, obfuscation, and hype.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
THE POLL
SHOULD this year's HSC students receive special dispensation due to the COVID-19 pandemic?
