IT is not sustainable for the Supercars race to be held in Newcastle East. The negative effects it has on local residents and businesses should far outweigh the nod from Newcastle Council for this race to continue.
As lovely as Newcastle East is, it is not Monaco and nor should it be. Newcastle has unfortunately borne the brunt of being the poor cousin to Sydney and seems to latch onto ridiculous proposals to try to propel it onto the world stage. We need to push back on this race, it is not for us.
There will be other opportunities and won't it be wonderful when it works for just not the event holders but for the people of Newcastle.
Catherine Graham, Newcastle
Life in Hunter's border towns
OUR rates and council pick-ups and load maintenance under the control of Lake Macquarie City Council, yet we are under the electoral roll of Cessnock Council. It's therefore confusing who to contact regarding local concerns in Cameron Park.
For instance, if you live in this area and are trying to find a safe place to cross these busy roads, there are no safe pedestrian crossings. Instead there are those so-called safety zones where if you are elderly, have kids, pets or on a motorised scooter, you have to run the gauntlet, especially where these safety islands are located. A good example is the roundabout opposite the Cameron Park Aged Village on North Lakes Drive. Other islands on these medium strips have trees or shrubs either side that obscure motorists' views of pedestrians, and to add to the unsafe conditions we have a spat of unregistered motorbikes, flying along on one wheel. So who do we call?
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
Liquor law sanctions needed
HAVING been taken aback by the liquor "restrictions" during a night out as being Prohibition Era but also acutely aware of the public violence associated with their introduction, I think the only solution is unfortunately to keep restricting shots and high-potency drinks to midnight.
Regarding the loading up before going out, where does the RSA responsibility to not serve patrons already affected come in?
There needs to be tougher enforcement on public drunkenness by the police, venues and also society.
While the old drunk tank would no longer work due to what I perceive as much higher underlying propensity to violence, it must be rammed into the few perpetrators that their unacceptable behaviour will be curtailed by reintroducing an enforceable list of offenders. Public violent offenders must simply be excluded from licensed premises if they cannot behave in a civilised manner to their fellow citizens.
Actions must have sanctions.
Ray White, Tingira Heights
Perrottet is entitled to his faith
I WRITE in relation to some sections of the media's early character assassination of the new NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet, since the resignation of Gladys Berijiklian.
I am aghast reading articles by The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and the publicly funded SBS and ABC leading with the descriptions "devout Catholic" or "conservative Catholic" in bold-text as if to portray the new Premier as some right-wing Tony Abbott-style monster out to wield divine influence over women's reproductive rights. Many are strategically stating his anti-abortion position after mentioning he's a proud "father of six children".
I'll take the liberty to note what has repeatedly been omitted: Mr Perottet has stated and practiced that he supports a conscious vote for all MPs on such legislation as assisted dying and reproduction rights, which this reader is ecstatic at. It's 2021, this media can do better and give the bloke a fair go without dragging religion into it.
Brendan Tate, Merewether
Party room victory to be costly
BEWARE the extreme right in the days ahead. They are a dangerous breed who are intent on running their game to their rules. They have just bluffed the NSW moderates into endorsing Dominic Perrottet as the new Premier, over the very reasonable Rob Stokes. Rob Stokes would have made a very, very good Premier but is considered to be too nice. Already the extreme right have "promoted" Matt Kean beyond of the Environmental Ministry. In my opinion Matt Kean has been doing an excellent job on environmental issues, but perhaps too good a job in the opinion of the extreme right.
Watch for more aggressive moves from the new leadership. Forget about assisted dying in this state. We're in for a rough time ahead.
Stan Keifer, Arakoon
Past premier not so popular
I WISH the media would stop referring to Gladys as popular. She certainly wasn't popular with me or anyone I know. Aside from the ICAC investigation, I believe the former premier created the conditions that predictably allowed the Delta variant to spread from Sydney to regional NSW, re-infecting Newcastle several times.
Under Gladys' rules Sydneysiders also infected QLD, VIC, ACT, SA, NT and WA as well as New Zealand - I believe all because she didn't have the guts to properly lockdown Sydney when the first case of the Delta variant was identified.
Instead, she tried to parse the city into haves and have nots - with the expected disastrous results. Just a couple of months ago, one side of King Street in Newtown was in lockdown while on the other side businesses were allowed to operate. How do you get people to take that seriously? In my view Gladys had no idea how to inspire and lead people to work together toward a common goal. We deserve a leader who knows how to lead.
Joanne Jay, Cooks Hill
Uncertain don't deserve hate
IN relation to Steve Evans' article ("Anti-Vaxxers: May they be shunned in the streets", Opinion 2/10) I have a number of issues I would like to address.
Firstly, I know plenty of people who have had every other vaccine and simply won't have this one due to what they believe to be a lack of evidence of their efficacy.
Secondly, nobody was asked to have a pencil, desk or seatbelt medically attached to them, so the analogy of voting, schooling and seat belts doesn't hold water. Not to mention not wearing a seatbelt, donkey voting or choosing to homeschool your kids does not exclude you from working at your chosen profession.
Thirdly, the vaccines have their own raft of issues that need to be considered individually since while it may stop someone from getting COVID, if it kills them in the process it can't really be considered an effective measure, can it?
I think this author needs to have a little think before he espouses hate speech against people who (as is their right to do so under Australian law) decide not to have this vaccine!
Sandra Sweeney, Newcastle
SHORT TAKES
A MAN who gave all for his beloved Blacksmiths, Lake Macquarie, Surf Lifesaving, mine safety, the WHRS and his family. 'Founding father' of the Lake Macquarie Games and the Lake Macquarie Sports Star. Instrumental in gaining support for numerous National and State surfing events to be held in our Region. Cliff was a giver, always selfless and putting his community first. Above all he was a true gentleman, a trusted colleague and a damn good bloke. Thank you Cliff.
Gary Wilson, Bobs Farm
WHEN people smile at my daughter in a wheelchair with a low immune system, I wonder: do they care if they are looking out for our most vulnerable, or are they portraying a facade that is something that they choose? It seems to me a nullification of humanity, and this makes me feel sad for all concerned.
Jane Musgrave, Adamstown Heights
GLADYS (the Ruby Princess) did not do a wonderful job of battling the plague. That was and is being done by the frontline workers who she dudded out of a raise. Perhaps if she'd pork-barrelled the ICAC things would be different?
Peter Ronne, Woodberry
SURELY Tony Mansfield (Letters, 5/10), you'd have a different view of the Supercars if you were told where and when you could and couldn't leave your home. Although it is OK to drink all the alcohol you want in the resident zone literally inches from the action. I'm glad there are safety barriers.
Bryn Roberts, New Lambton
PRIME Minister Scott Morrison and assistant attorney general, Amanda Stoker claim that the ICAC ruins "lives and careers" of politicians. Well how about the federal government and their handling of the bushfires, vaccine roll-out, the Robo Debt, in which some people actually lost their lives due to it, the sports rort. It seems that the federal government doesn't want an independent watchdog. Typical lack of accountability from this incompetent government.
Ryan Adamson. Hamilton South
IT'S guaranteed, no matter where we live in Australia, we will all come into contact with COVID-19 at some time in the future once major restrictions are removed. Those people refusing vaccination for themselves and dependent on others appear prepared to play Russian Roulette with their chances of major illness and even survival when their turn comes. Madness.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
THERE should be no place for the influence of religion in the political arena. Our new Premier must work for the good of all, not according to the rules of Shia, Sunni, protestants or Catholics.
Elizabeth Watson, Swansea
RECENT contributors from Newcastle East have been ridiculed for speaking out against the Supercars event. You don't have to live in the East End to believe that this event is so wrong. It should not take place so near to anyone's homes, or prevent easy access to the coastal strip and businesses. Where is the common sense?
