I HAVE read with interest the few comments about Peter Gogarty's opinion piece, ('White men: it is time to own it and act on it', Opinion 4/7) including one from Joanne Debono (Letters, 8/7) who mentioned all the good men in her life.
I, too, had a loving, responsible father, but learned a painful lesson as a primary schooler when the dad of one of my school friends revealed his naked self to me.
I learned to pedal fast past a park on the way to and from high school because there were men who flashed their private parts to young girls.
Later when I began going to church, I realised that had my father attended he would have been welcomed with open arms, and while churches were full of faithful, hardworking women they were kept in place, barely acknowledged and barred from leadership roles.
On my way to work I passed a building that housed young women who were pregnant and unmarried. They were branded immoral and sinful while the men who impregnated them were out and about sowing their wild oats.
I also learned that some clergy sexually abused and raped the children of their parishes, that sportsmen covered up each other's drunken and immoral behaviour while away, and that men started wars.
What concerns me is lack of progress regarding equality and justice and the very few men who have taken up Peter's public challenge of "Are you with me?" with a public response.
Julie Robinson, Cardiff
Renewable cash is only part of it
I BELIEVE that the NSW state government is guilty of double dealing in respect of its renewable energy zone in New England ('Renewable Energy Zone plan splits room', Newcastle Herald, 11/7).
It is offering a mere $79 million for grid connection for renewable energy expansion in New England. But, during the last several years, it has quietly approved 14 new coal mines or mine expansions and a number of large gas extraction projects. It also has plans for two new coal-fired power stations in the Hunter.
It is true that most of the thermal coal dug up in NSW mines is earmarked for export. The oft-repeated argument for exporting thermal coal, supported by Labor, for political expedience is that if we don't dig it up and sell it, other nations will, and Australia would miss out on jobs and exports. In my opinion this is a short sighted and morally bankrupt argument akin to a drug dealer arguing that if they don't sell heroin then someone else will, and they will miss out.
NSW should be closing coal mines, and not opening them. We should be rehabilitating mine sites and protecting valuable farmland, and not poisoning groundwater and creating more wastelands. We should be creating jobs in the renewables industry and not coal mining. We should be exporting renewables technology and not thermal coal. Surely the drought and the bushfires have taught us to become part of the solution to global warming.
Geoff Black, Caves Beach
Blame lies with the complacent
WELL, we are not surprised coronavirus is now back in NSW. Thanks a lot from all of us who did the right thing, self-isolating and avoiding crowds. Yet while we were doing this, these "it won't happen to me" types gather as always, massing together like a swarm of bees. Lo and behold, it's back.
This morning I had the pleasure of watching all of the local ones flocking together and practically sitting on each other's laps watching their children playing junior soccer in the pouring rain.
Once upon a time, long ago, Australians used to be considerate and aware of physical safety, but now it appears that this is no longer the case. I think that the only cure for this wanton abuse of the health of others is for the federal government to withdraw all virus funding, make it a criminal offence for any and all breaches in wanton and blatant abuse of the basic requirements of isolation. They should also criminalise panic hoarding of essentials. While they are doing this, totally ban mass gathering and impose massive fines for breaches. Make our judges impose hard sentencing and stop the limp-wristed approach they seem hell bent on giving.
This might seem to some as harsh and hard to accept, but in the long run I believe it will prove to be our only hope of returning to normality. Wake up Australia, we are better than this.
Dennis Crampton, Swansea
Options remain on the table
THERE has been much commentary in recent days from our Hunter Labor MPs regarding the Liberal Party's submission on the NSW Electoral district boundary distribution ('Liberals try to redraw Port', Herald 10/7).
What they have forgotten to mention is that Labor has also made a submission with radical changes to the political boundary landscape of the Hunter, in particular to the district of Maitland.
Under the ALP proposal large sections of the Maitland local government area would be redistributed to Upper Hunter in what I believe only can be described as enveloping.
The proposal excludes suburbs in the south such as Gillieston Heights, Mount Dee, and Farley; to the west with Anambah, Windella, and Lochinvar; whilst in the north removing Maitland Vale, Mindaribba, and Bolwarra Heights but not Bolwarra. Meanwhile everything in the middle remains Maitland.
Whereas it is clear that a distribution is needed across the Hunter due to the fast growing population in the central Hunter, it is prudent for criticism to be pointed only at the Liberals whilst other parties including the ALP, Nationals, One Nation and the Greens also have made submissions. Perhaps the MPs raising this criticism should be reminded that they also live in glass houses.
Mitchell Griffin, Maitland councillor
Lease holds the key to port pitch
THE level playing field argument for a container terminal ('Newcastle builds container team', Herald 14/7) originates with the two Acts of Parliament that authorised the state government to lease Port Botany and Port Kembla (2012 Act), and the Port of Newcastle (2013 Act) to the private sector.
Parliament was not told about the government charging a fee on Newcastle containers. Indeed, Parliament only found out in July 2016, courtesy of the Newcastle Herald. It was not until September 5 2019 that Parliament was told by Premier Gladys Berejiklian that the fee is in fact a penalty. Parliament did not authorise a penalty in the 2012 and 2013 State Acts. In its current court action, the ACCC is alleging that the penalty is illegal under the Commonwealth Competition Act.
Greg Cameron, Wamboin
SHARE YOUR OPINION
Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name and suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words. Short Takes should be fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited and reproduced in any form.
I DO not like the hi-vis kit the Knights players wore when playing against the Cowboys. I realise the shirts are sponsored, but it is too much like the Tigers kit and could be confused if worn playing against them.
Elizabeth Giles, Pimpama
RESISTANCE to the advances of scientific discovery and the exponential growth of human knowledge is all too common throughout human history. One need not go back to Copernicus when the Catholic Church determined the orthodox beliefs of the day. The anti-vaxxers and the pro-smokers are still around. The religious and ideological extremists still let beliefs override knowledge. In recent centuries both economic and population growth have occurred at incredible rates across our planet. In the same way that we have learned more about the causes and cures of once-rife diseases so has mainstream scientific opinion informed us about the dangers of a warming planet. The solutions are not beyond our grasp, but the will to embrace them is fragile for many who recognise the need for action but hesitate to pay a price now. The current pandemic is instructive: there is always a price to pay now in order to secure a better future.
John Buckley, Floraville
I BELIEVE pub and club owners are playing with people's lives for the sake of chasing the dollar. Clubbers you are no better, for the sake of getting your rocks off or the chances of hooking up, you are equally guilty of possibly infecting and sentencing people and families to a death penalty. Wake up and smell the roses you ignorant, inconsiderate party-goers. Consider the ultimate outcome; you might be the cause of your family's death and you will be one of the 19 mourners allowed at their funeral. Was your blatant disregard of COVID restrictions worth their demise? Your call. At a minimum your greed and wants will result in all borders closing again. Thanks.
Graeme Kime, Cameron Park
ANYONE that is interested in renewables should watch a film Planet of the Humans on YouTube. It is produced by Michael Moore (he produced "An Inconvenient Truth" with Al Gore). It is very interesting to say the least.
Gillian Young, Pelican
WHILE people from all walks of life, including professionals and academics, have their say on a preferential power supply often with evidence the truth of the matter is it's not up to them. The people, or powers to be, who make and distribute the electricity will have the final say, as they have a duty of care or responsibility to their customers to provide a continual power supply without stoppages. Failing this, they can be expected to reimburse many losses due to power failure, which can amount to millions of dollars for each minute the power is down. So rest easy at night knowing the lights will still work come the morning; not because the best, safest or cheapest power is being produced, just the most reliable. It's not safe or cheap if it doesn't work.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
THE POLL
ARE tighter coronavirus restrictions ahead for NSW after the Sydney outbreak?
