I WRITE in relation to Wednesday's piece on the William Tyrrell investigation ("'Every option' probed", Newcastle Herald 17/11.
In the article, the Police Minister David Elliott, responding to a question about AVO proceedings presently before the court, is quoted as saying: "It is a matter of public record that police are issuing AVOs. We need to be cautious about how we discuss that in the public domain so smart lawyers don't use our comments to neutralise a conviction." Leaving aside the obvious point that AVO proceedings do not result in a conviction because the relief they seek is an order restraining unlawful conduct, the Minister's reported use of the term "smart lawyers" in a pejorative sense reflects an unfortunate view among some police that the work of lawyers is somehow antithetical to the work of police and that all lawyers should be demonised.
The minister's remarks display an astonishing ignorance of the roles of the legal profession and the police service in a democratic society where allocation of power and responsibility for the administration of justice is distributed between the parliament, the judiciary (of which the legal profession forms part) and the executive arms of government (of which the police service forms part). The reason for that division of power is to ensure that we remain a healthy and robust democracy where each arm of government fulfills its allocated constitutional role and people's rights are respected. The minister's views about the legal profession would no doubt be welcome in autocratic regimes such as North Korea or China. They have no place here.
Dr John Woodward, University of Newcastle Law School conjoint lecturer
Reckon with your own waste
NEWCASTLE doesn't want Sydney's toxic waste dredged up from Middle Harbour. Newcastle has enough contaminated industrial waste of our own lying around which hasn't been treated.
A Mayfield harbourside site is mentioned as a "temporary" dumping site before the waste is transferred to unspecified waste treatment works. Where are these waste treatment works? A temporary dumping site at Mayfield will become a permanent site, destroying valuable harbourside land.
Why don't the good burghers of Mosman set aside their own "temporary" dumping site on the shores of Beauty Point or Northbridge?
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
France fracas has done us damage
THE current rot within our parliamentary democracy cannot entirely be blamed on the PM. However, in my opinion he has cunningly exploited a failing system and hoodwinked a gullible electorate to maintain control.
We should not underestimate the serious times we live in, regarding international security, trade, climate change, COVID and parliamentary accountability. Australia is in a precarious position in all matters and now more than ever an intelligent, honest adult is needed to lead our nation.
I believe this Trumpist PM has destroyed our reputation overseas. His interaction with the French and the abandonment of our interpreters in Afghanistan in my view means that no foreign leader could trust him, no foreign ally would support us. Domestically he has back flipped on just about every issue and has been caught so many times now telling untruths that it is hard to keep count. The fact that he is willing to compromise our future in order to appease the Barnaby Hillbillies without one iota of transparency, is disgraceful.
Mr Morrison's removal now by the Governor-General or his own party will not solve all the flaws in our government, but in my opinion it will be an important start.
Tony Emanuel, Pomona
Go steadily with the statistics
PETER Logan ("Difference race, similar story" Letters, 12/11), unfortunately "made-up numbers" and the loss of millions of dollars sound all too familiar given what happened here in NSW with the lockout laws. When the counterproductive laws were implemented in Newcastle back in 2008, attendance to pubs and clubs dropped drastically, which I believe was never taken into account when those championing the laws were boasting about the drop in violent assaults.
After the alleged masterstroke of the laws in Newcastle, they were implemented in Sydney in 2014, leading to a loss of thousands of jobs when over 270 Sydney venues shut down, and a 2019 parliamentary inquiry revealed that the lockout laws cost Sydney's night time economy an estimated $16 billion dollars per year.
Despite all this, the laws were still retained until 2020 because the scheme was still constantly hailed as an alleged grand accomplishment. Even the former NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics Director Don Weatherburn himself brought the supposed success of the lockout laws under fire after then premier Mike Baird's use of dodgy data and misleading figures. Yep, you've got to love made-up numbers, cherry picked numbers and doctored statistics. They can be used to "prove" anything.
Adz Carter, Newcastle
Festive or festering, we can decide
ADZ Carter: mate, the Sydney music scene of the 1980s was the pinnacle for live music in Australia. Doing my apprenticeship in Sydney, I was lucky enough to be there.
The last few years my partner and I have spent a lot of time in Adelaide; the city has residential apartments everywhere and pre-COVID the music scene was great.
We were there last March for the WOMAD Festival and Fringe Fest which runs for the whole of March. The pubs are packed; the whole city is buzzing, street performance, open mic nights in the pubs, buskers and bands everywhere.
Radelaide, as it's known, is referred to as the Festival City. Unfortunately I'm concerned Newcastle is gaining a reputation as the festering city as far as entertainment is concerned. Remember, it's better to get down than get up.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
Free speech isn't everything
SELF-doubt is not an uncommon phenomenon, especially when circumstances are of one's own making, and little restraint has occurred to amend the dilemma. It is seemingly so with the now-shunned councillor Allan Robinson ("Robbo: I wish I never, ever went on council": Herald 11/11).
Allegedly ongoing repugnant, homophobic and sexist slurs emanate from the councillor to the extent that his behaviour even reached the floor of NSW Parliament in the form of a censure proposition to curb his manner ("MP condemns Robinson": Herald 1/8/19).
He has been on the council since the 2012 election in an independent role, as an alliance associate, but it seems that even this now three-member council group has set him adrift. Though free speech is an underlying aspect of a free society, ongoing slurring and repugnant intonations are far from appropriate. They undermine the decency of affinity, as I expect the forthcoming council election will show.
Bob Allen, Hawks Nest
SHORT TAKES
A BIG thank you to the brave young people putting their bodies on the line in an effort to save us from climate catastrophe ('High risk', Newcastle Herald 18/11). I believe our political system is broken, corrupted by vested interests. Peaceful civil disobedience is our last and best hope.
Jane Morton, Northcote
WOW, the NSW police commissioner speaks of 160km/h passenger trains roaring over to Kooragang Island ("Protest's coal hard reality", Herald 17/11). Why aren't there any going to Sydney or Canberra? How dare those protesters stand in the way of such unexpected progress.
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
IN my opinion these Blockade Australia idiots who trespass on rail land and climb onto rail tracks and bridges should be charged under Safe Work laws instead of getting a slap on the wrist ('Protest's coal hard reality', Herald 17/11). I believe their stupidity is putting emergency services at risk as well as taking them away from more important work.
Ken Stead, Lambton
OFF with his head! Our PM is accused of lying by all Labor voters (naturally) leftist B-grade journos and Albo and his cohorts ('Scott Morrison 'doesn't believe' he has told a lie in public life', Herald 12/11). Let's list other PMs who definitely have lied; Hawke, Keating, Rudd, Gillard, Turnbull, just to name a few. If you know anybody who hasn't told a lie, I suspect you'd be lying. Everyone take a deep breath and get over it.
Don Fraser, Belmont North
FORGET your burning planet, we have a major crisis according to Monash University; the use of sporting terms such as sportsmanship and man on is destroying the fabric of society. Well, as Cheech and Chong would say, far out man. Surely this needs fixing. The two dudettes calling for change are education experts; Laura Afley and Ruth Jeans. I say that there's nothing wrong with the King's English, man.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
WHO in their right mind would buy a COVID testing kit imported from China?
John Bonnyman, Fern Bay
IT was delightful to read another intellectual and factual laden comment from Darryl Tuckwell in this paper, (Short Takes, 17/11). I am sure many readers of these pages want to read worthwhile comments and not continuous personal political rants.
John Cooper, Charlestown
REGARDING Graeme Kime's letter on Monday (Letters, 15/11 I'm fairly sure the BP service station you commented about was on the corner of Koree Street and Brunker Road. I can't remember the name of the lessee, but I remember they sold all types of BP racing fuel.
