THE proposed developments around Catherine Hill Bay and Moonee Beach has three groups of local residents arguing with developers, and Lake Macquarie City Council is trying to adjudicate the stoush ('Catho combo', Newcastle Herald 9/3)
Residents want better and more facilities and amenities. Developers want maximum profits from sale of residential blocks with minimum costs of providing facilities. Residential developments where developers have provided inadequate facilities abound in NSW. What about something as basic as a bus service, for instance?
The old Nords Wharf jetty, decaying and condemned, was originally built for the expected life of Wallarah coal mine. The suggestion that this jetty be converted into a futuristic hotel, pictured, has got to be fanciful. The hotel would have to be built from scratch after the unsafe jetty was demolished. The cost of building and maintaining this hotel would be enormous. The hotel guest tariff would also need to be enormous to justify this cost. I cannot think of any other hotel in the world that has been successfully built out over coastal waters with high-energy waves.
Geoffrey Black, Caves Beach
Medowie school doesn't add up
THE data does not support the need for a public high school in Medowie, I asked for the factual evidence as to why it's needed but only get the public narrative. "Currently more than 1000 children travel out of Medowie each day to attend high school."
One would assume by this statement "travel out of" they must be from there, but Medowie only had 855 high school age students (ABS 2021). The last big push was in 2015. According to Medowie ABS data 2011-16 the high school students numbers, are: public -10%, Catholic +41%, other +16% and growth +151 persons, the lowest growth over a 20-year period. ABS data from 2011-21 for high school student numbers shows public +9%, catholic +113%, other +33%.
Declining public school enrolments and increases in others have been published by numerous newspapers. The new Catholic high school in Medowie will have a capacity of 1190 by 2025, therefore freeing up 1190 places elsewhere and catering to the trend away from the public education system.
Port Stephens Council's Medowie Planning 2016 predicts population maximum to be an estimated 17,500 by 2036 and dwellings to increase by 2580. ABS 2016-21 indicates 735 of the homes built and population increase of 1885, which equals 2.56 people per dwelling (some areas over 50s).
There is limited land available for housing an ageing population and declining birth rate, approximately 1.6 per woman. Dwelling and population numbers can't guarantee bums on seats in classrooms. We don't need another $55 million of debt; families are already struggling with the cost of living.
Pauline Pietsch, Salt Ash
More memories in disaster's wake
REGARDING the Stockton Bight military disaster, I was working in a shop in Newcastle on March 8th 1954, when a friend came in and told me my boyfriend's picture was on the front page of the Newcastle Herald.
He was with the 16th Company RAASC Army Pipe Band. They were going up to Gan Gan Army camp on the Ducks. The band instruments were sent up by road. When a storm sprang up out of nowhere, he was ready to jump overboard, but the man driving the Duck was a regular army man and said to him "you have more chance staying on board".
They were washed up on Stockton Beach. He came with the Drum Major lying beside him (Bobby Clifford). I believe there was a young boy on board. I married my boyfriend (Alex Douglas) later that year.
Pamela Douglas, Teralba
Where does Supercars cash go?
I DISAGREE with Allan Llewllyn, and the many that want the continuation of the Newcastle Supercars 500 in the East End. It may be okay for those who are either retired without young children, those who do not live in the East End and those whose businesses are thriving while others have lost. But, what about the outer communities around the city? What have we gained by hosting this event?
All I can revel is; disruption in the middle of summer (hottest days, can't get to the beaches), no communication on road closures, like the Sunday traffic jam, and businesses going bust (without blaming the COVID pandemic. There's limited access to sites and most of all, where does the money from the event go?
Does Newcastle have a share in the proceeds to compensate for those who have been neglected during construction and actual events or even have proceeds help with on-going projects without raising our land rates? Does Newcastle City Council intend to compensate businesses who have lost most of their livelihood during preparation and actual race days of the event because of their decision making?
It is those who are selfish enough to say they want the race to continue who are truly the minority. They do not know, understand or live through the suffering of those who are affected by the car race in six weeks of preparation for only three days of racing and then two weeks of dismantling.
Now it's autumn, where is the heat to enjoy Nobbys or Newcastle beaches or even the Breakwall walk?
If truly, if you want a car race, then build a race track away from populated areas and let the community continue their lives as we always have; picnics, swimming, walks, sand and surf, barbecues and most all enjoying it with our families in the East End of Newcastle. Leave the city to the people of Newcastle; the Novocastrians, for we are the real supporters of this city, not the showboats that come once in a lifetime.
David Wilson, Waratah
Don't let the regional rort go on
PHILIP O'Neill is so on the money ('We let Macquarie Street treat us like mugs', Opinion 13/3). If we cop it again, there's no-one else to blame.
At the heart of it is infrastructure (not toll roads in Sydney), water, electricity, transport systems, communications. All of it is sold off for the next election handout, which then becomes regional neglect. Regional populations including Newcastle are 30 per cent of the Australian population yet provide 70 per cent of the GDP, largely through mining and agriculture. The only thing that is trending is regional populations in decline, unless you live three hours from the cities where you get population push from Sydney. This decline is worrying for the nation's long-term health, and our cultural heritage is under threat.
When premiers don't visit, we get the message. The Opposition shouldn't be too buoyed when their support base now seems to be inner-city elites. The only way at this election to give them the message is to vote away from the major parties and their affiliates. Lake Macquarie, for instance, is held by independent Greg Piper, who has represented the area well.
The Reserve Bank is not off the hook, either, proceeding the same way they did in the 1980s with the unnecessary disaster of 17 per cent interest rates. Give them the message as Peter Finch and Twisted Sister did: we're not going to take it anymore.
Grahame Danaher, Coal Point
SHORT TAKES
I HAVE to agree with John Bonnyman (Short Takes 13/3) that a lot of mortgage stress is self-inflicted, but a lot of the problem lies with the banks and other lenders who allow, indeed encourage, people to borrow to the hilt. Young, inexperienced home buyers are easily convinced to borrow as much as possible without allowing for the unforeseen expenses that can occur in life, thereby causing financial and often family problems.caution is a good thing when making such a big investment as a home loan.
Ian King, Warners Bay
I DON'T know Archie Goodwin from Adam. But surely given the ongoing situation at the Jets , he and other locals like Noah James need to be given a chance. Not only is the club owned by three other clubs, we are yet again weighed down by a stack of average players over the age of 30 and on decent money, plus other rejects from other clubs. There is no relegation from this comp, so why not go youth, go local, and see how we go? We can't do any worse.
Shane Tull, Redhead
INSTEAD of buying eight submarines for $368 billion, why don't we just sell Australian to China and give Australians $1 million each? That would solve the housing problem and still leave China with $367,974 million. Easy.
Bill Slicer, Tighes Hill
I was taken aback at lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes saying that in her opinion Supercars' opening day was all positive ('Supercars lauded a 'roaring success', Newcastle Herald 13/3). Furthermore, she indicated that everyone she spoke to were loving Newcastle, and were happy to see big events back after the global pandemic. Well, I wonder, did you actually take time to speak to any of the East End local residents that have been inconvenienced and corralled, also the business owners that have had to close?
OJ Keegan, Cooks Hill
A SUBURBAN bowling club has to stop outdoor music from bands due to one resident complaining, yet Supercars are allowed to create noise far above the legal decibel level despite numerous complaints and the council allows it. Go figure.
Dick McGuigan, Shortland
TO stop all the hoo-ha surrounding Newcastle Supercars, why don't we use electric vehicles. No noise, no petrol fumes, no carbon emissions, sustainable, will not cause catastrophic weather events. Best of all I would expect it all will be over in one hour due to flat batteries.
John Cooper, Charlestown
IT was pleasing to see that the results of this year's Oscars as published in the Newcastle Herald recognised that we do not just have 'actors' as is often reported these days. Awards were given for both best actor and best actress. Common sense I believe.
