THANK you Denise Lindus Trummel (Letters, 7/12) for your beautiful words regarding to Robert "Bob" Douglas Bannister.
Bob was my uncle. I am one of 38 first cousins descended from him and his nine siblings. My father, Jack, was one of the ten, and Bob was the last of them. Bob died the other day at age 102. He was much loved and admired.
At his 100th birthday celebration we learned that Bob had been a member of the Chatswood Salvation Army Corp for 40 years, and a member of the Tighes Hill Sallies for 40 years before that. Living such a long time ensures a life of long chapters.
Bob's birth was registered at Ashford, north of Inverell. His parents moved the family to Tighes Hill in 1927 when he was nine years old. Later, he and his wife Edna and their children lived variously in Maryville, Waratah, Cooks Hill and eventually Turramurra.
Bob's life was a great gift to his family and to all who knew him. It demonstrated that we shape our lives by the choices we make, but he'd also acknowledge that our lives are also buffeted by the vagaries of chance. He worked as a Salvationist helping those who'd made poor choices or for whom chance had dealt a poor hand. Bob Bannister was an exemplary Sally and uncle. As you say, his kindness will be remembered.
Roland Bannister, Newcastle
Steps towards inclusion
I HAVE reflected on Michael Parris' story ('Councillors approve 'Spanish Steps' talks', Newcastle Herald 10/12) about City of Newcastle resurrecting the proposal to install a set of steps from the mall to the cathedral, described romantically as similar to the Spanish Steps in Rome. My visit to the 138 steps did not reveal inclusive provisions for all society to share. Surely the proponents are endorsing a view corridor rather than a set of daunting stairs which, as presented, would preclude many Novocastrians from enjoying.
Edward Duc, Merewether
Border battle can cut both ways
CHINA has begun a policy of maiming Australia economically. One of the targets is coal and we are told there are a number of ships anchored off the China coast forbidden to unload. According to its website Yancoal Australia Ltd (Yancoal) is Australia's largest pure-coal producer.
The site also proclaims Yancoal also manages the Cameby Downs and Premier coal mines in Queensland and Western Australia respectively, on behalf of its majority shareholder Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited (Yanzhou) and the Ashton, Austar and Donaldson underground mines in New South Wales on behalf of Watagan Mining Company Pty Ltd (Watagan).
Is the coal from these sites also under embargo? If not, why not? Until the Chinese government ceases its contemptible economic strategies and continues contravening our free-trade agreement I believe none of Yancoal's products should leave Australia.
Brian Roach, Whitebridge
Lobbing overseas stirs high prices
LIKE many Australians I love lobsters. Recently the overseas market for lobsters has taken a hit; China has left millions of dollars of lobsters rotting on their docks, but lobster farmers have continued to farm them. When they sell lobsters overseas they get a return of 500 per cent on their catch, but when they sell lobsters to the Australian market nothing has changed.
For the last two years lobsters have been sold for $95 per kilo. if the lobster farmers are so desperate to sell their catches, why not reduce the local price? I believe that the local price for lobsters should be around $50 or less, which would mean more sales nationwide and make more people consider purchasing lobsters all year round. Make lobsters affordable and they will not have to rely on China. This is why I don't feel sorry for lobster farmers; I believe they have been ripping off Australians because of the high price they get from China.
Dion Cominos, Merewether Heights
No data on beliefs, only votes
JOHN Ure (Letters, 9/12) points out that when I and Peter Dolan referred to the proportional increase in votes for Donald Trump from non-coloured and specifically African-American voters, our numbers still demonstrated that "huge numbers" voted against him. Absolutely true. In my Short Take I said that the "vast majority" of African-Americans voted for the Democrat candidate, as usual. But it was a lower proportion than the previous election, which was lower than the two elections before that, in which Barack Obama understandably had the highest proportion ever.
My point was not to prove that African-Americans do not see Mr Trump as racist. It's hard to prove or disprove a claim about the beliefs of millions of people in another country. But more voted for him this time than last time.
What does this mean? Perhaps most people of colour in the US see all Republican Presidential candidates as racist, and Trump no more so than usual - but the votes say he was less on the nose with them after four years than before. It doesn't suggest he was seen as racist and threatening to a greater extent than his predecessors.
Michael Jameson, New Lambton
A question of tree change
I AM not energy conscious; I drive three cars, one off road that's very thirsty. My house has all day air conditioning; I don't have solar panels or a solar heater, nor ever will. I produce more C02 than the average Aussie, yet I believe I have a net zero number regarding my personal contribution of C02.
How is this possible? My house is surrounded by hundreds of trees; I have my own personal oxygen farm. My trees grow and absorb CO2 all day, every day. They don't cost money; they are nature's purifiers that come free, so why do some think mankind can outdo Mother Nature?
I think the answer is in the question. Could we be brainwashed into believing money is the answer to climate change, or is climate change a creation to collect money, thus failing to see the obvious?
Try driving to Mt Sugarloaf, breathe in the fresh air and look out over Newcastle and Lake Macquarie; it's magnificent. You can hardly see a house for the trees. Newcastle is well placed to be a carbon net zero city; not in 30 years' time, but right now without doing a single thing, nor spending a single penny. So why the panic?
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Don't trade our workplace laws
ANY worker who thinks they will be better off under new industrial relations laws being put forward by the federal fovernment may be in for a shock. These laws are only designed to make it easier for employers to hire people, which means less pay and conditions for workers in some industries. Workers will always be worse off under a Coalition government and yet they continue to vote them into power.
Darryl Tuckwell, Eleebana
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 in any form.
SHORT TAKES
YESTERDAY while working on my home brewing experiment God appeared to me in a vision and revealed there is no daylight saving in heaven but it is widespread in hell.
Brian Rose, Adamstown
GREAT news to see the planned closure of Integra and Liddell in the Hunter Valley ('Deadline for Hunter mines', Newcastle Herald 9/12). There will be several years' work for retrenched miners to rehabilitate these sites along with environmental restoration of coal extraction grave sites.
Pat Garnet, Wickham
HAS anyone ever witnessed a cyclist being pulled over for an roadside breath or drug test? There are a lot of deadbeats getting around on push bikes in my opinion.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
IN reply to Stan Keifer (Short Takes, 9/12), no doubt the national anthem was sung in the Eora language because the game was held on traditional Eora land, but you raise a good point. It is to be hoped that future Indigenous renditions of the anthem will be in the language of the location it is sung.
John Ure, Mount Hutton
IN relation to Brian Watson-Will's letter (Letters, 9/12): the F-22 Raptor is the best fighter plane ever built. The only problem with Australia purchasing it is that the US Congress has passed a non-export order; unfortunately it's US Air Force only. I can't see any US administration changing the law.
Peter C Jones, Rathmines
IT is now 12 months since the City of Newcastle finished roadwork from the Clyde Street railway gates to Chinchen Street. This has left the footpath and gutter to do. Is there a timeframe on this work, as basically it has been ignored for over 12 months?
Jim Bell, Mayfield
GEOFF Black (Letters, 8/12) is probably right in saying that any blast from Orica's Kooragang stockpile would be devastating all the way to Charlestown. Williamtown, the main tactical fighter base for the RAAF in Australia, is even closer to Kooragang with no intervening hills. But I'm sure the RAAF have thought of that and are comfortable with the safety assurances of Orica and the government. Haven't they?
Ross Whitelaw, The Hill
I COULDN'T agree with you more, Geoff Black (Letters, 8/12). I think we also need to consider the extreme danger in trucking explosives by road. How often are these shipments occurring? There is room to manufacture at Orica's site between Kurri Kurri and Newcastle and a lot less risk. If there is an accident or terrorism at Kooragang, lives will be lost from Fern Bay to Charlestown. The EPA should not renew Orica's licence; put Novocastrian lives before profit.
Narelle Heaney, Wickham
BREAKDANCING and skateboarding are going to be included in the next Olympic Games for the first time. Seriously? What next, line dancing and scooter riding? Although, if ever they make pork barreling an Olympic sport the Libs. Federal and State are a lay down misere to take gold, with daylight a distant second.
