I NOTICED what was on the key infrastructure list for Newcastle ('High priority', Newcastle Herald 27/2), and that an extension to the light rail and the Glendale interchange were not among them. While up an upgrade of the Broadmeadow entertainment and sports precinct and extensions to Newcastle Airport may be good ideas, if people are to easily and conveniently go to them then good transport will be a must.
Much has been said about the need for good public transport in Newcastle, but recent developments like the closure of the railway into the city, the light rail in Hunter Street and the new timetables after privatisation of the buses suggest the opposite is happening. Newcastle, the Hunter and Lake Macquarie need a good transport system if current traffic problems and issues with revitalisation are to be dealt with.
Decisions about how and where a transport network is to be put need to be made by planners and engineers; those who know what they are doing, not politicians or developers. How long will it be before we see some good sense?
Peter Sansom, Kahibah
Rule of law could bring in reform
IN reference to Kate Bow (Letters, 4/3) I do not know if the Christian Porter is guilty of the rape allegations made against him. Only he knows the truth. He strenuously denies the offence took place and it would seem there is no chance of a successful prosecution against him. The Opposition is calling for an independent inquiry, and perhaps because of his position in the government there is merit in such an inquiry.
The danger is people for too long have been able to make allegations current and historical which simply do not stand up to any form of scrutiny. The accused person can suffer considerably particularly if they are innocent. Basically any of us can make allegations against someone that can cause damage. Should the allegations prove to be false then the accuser in most cases walks away unscathed. There are civil options available to the accused however they are expensive and can add to the damage already caused. Most tend to just leave it, and pick up the pieces.
Should it be established Mr Porter is guilty he must face the full force of the law. I would think a lengthy period of incarceration. Should that not occur, then as federal attorney-general Mr Porter with the states has a real opportunity to bring in laws to ensure in cases where there has been deliberate conspiracy to spread untruths, those responsible be held to account and in some cases face charges.
Brynley Hill, Black Hill
Private flaws are not public's fault
THE federal government privatised aged care and have been handing out billions of dollars to their private sector friends to run these facilities. Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic was flaring, we found out that some of these homes were understaffed, the workers untrained, and the residents were not being treated or fed properly. So why isn't the government asking these private companies what have they been spending all this allocated money on instead of asking people to pay even more tax to prop up the private sector and keep the heads of these companies living the life they are accustomed to on taxpayers money?
The minister for aged care has been very silent about this. After all, he is the one responsible for allocating this money and in my opinion he doesn't even know what it has been spent on. But I think it would be fair to say that the executives of these companies would know where the bulk of the money went to .
Barry Reed, Islington
Profiteering must end in aged care
310 pages of a report, with nothing new, that details why 10 years ago I in a public meeting at Gosford stated the details of a change of direction for aged care based upon the principle that aged care delivery must deliver better care to the person than they would reasonable to deliver to themselves assuming no health restrictions, anything less was not worth discussing. To fund this, a levy on income that is paid into a fund that is protected from future government misuse.
Levies are only good if the management of them is separate from eager hands that are willing to spend in the now and not care about the future. Actuaries must be able to calculate how much is needed and this must be protected from the sleight of hands of governments and their officials. Perhaps an enhanced Auditor General should have direct oversight of such funds, totally separate from government and reporting directly to the public all matter related to the fund. However the path forward must include a government bond release to cover immediate upgraded expenditure and a well-managed plan to pay back the bond, as well a single agent with enforcement powers to give strong and surprise oversight visits to all nursing homes and home care connections.
Profiteering from aged care must be wound back, since even some of the high-profit businesses in this area are reportedly delivering appalling care to their residents and clients. I believe charges must be considered for the staff and the management where serious neglect is detected.
Quantity, quality and a more complete care work ethic among staff must ramp up immediately. To not have on the premises at all times at least one registered nurse to 50 residents/ per floor is totally unacceptable, even before considering the care level of the facility. Obviously high-care facilities will need more to deliver prompt and adequate care to the residents.
Milton Caine, Birmingham Gardens
Pension was never an easy ride
I ADMIT to being puzzled by Milton Cain's letter (Letters 3/3) because the 1909 aged pension was never contributive, so not cumulative, until Labor established the National Welfare Fund in 1946 with a 7.5 per cent levy on all taxpayers. This money "disappeared" in the 1950s and '60s, so it had nothing to do with Whitlam or Keating.
Then I became mystified, because apart from the tweaks of any government Keating changed nothing about the pension and it continued on and still does as under the Liberals. The pension has never been, and I'm sure was never meant to be, easy to live on. It has always been means tested, however they disguised it. Seeing a future financial cliff for taxpayers, Keating's scheme encouraged and helped people to save for their own retirement with the pension and part pension still there to help.
Fancy words and phrases don't change the simple facts
Colin Fordham, Lambton
Ratepayer's ban is a bad look
THE council's action towards Christine Everingham ('Council bans resident over staff exchange', Herald 4/3) is nothing but ridiculous. It looks like, if you oppose the council you will be sent a lawyers letter and banned from visiting their building for a year. How absurd.
John Fear, Newcastle East
SHORT TAKES
REGARDING Newcastle art gallery funding ('Council lifts art gallery cut to $16m', Newcastle Herald 24/2), I do believe the state government is simply not interested in funding our art gallery. We have had to kiss their feet all the way. It is interesting that the Wagga Wagga recital hall received $20 million dollars, being the electorate of our premier's ex-boyfriend.
Colin Rowlatt, Merewether
COON Cheese, now Coon Island. Isn't this taking political correctness to extremes?
Peter Newey, Hamilton
I WOULD like to ask Ian Thomas (Letters 27/2), who thinks the "government should be given credit for doubling JobSeeker to $1100 per week", how much credit should the government be given. The people on barely above award wages receive $1100 a week. For a 40-hour week of work, I receive nowhere near this amount. It is very frustrating reading reports of welfare recipients.
Bryn Roberts, New Lambton
TOO much political correctness, not much common sense
Ken Stead, Lambton
LAST Friday it came apparent to me that Darren Brollo from the minority Animal Justice Party is supporting Rochelle Wood and the minority community group that are seeking to protect the most murderous of pest species in Australia, the cat. Given the cat is well known for a horrifically high rate of killing Australian Animals we all know this is an injustice for the Australian animals that, unlike cats, have a right to roam free in Australia. My question is, are you interested in protecting all Australian Pest Species such as Cane Toads, Foxes and Fire Ants or just the biggest killer - the cat?
Glen Wilson, Cardiff
IS there a bigger goose in Australian politics than Steven Miles of the Labor party? He held the press to show himself tearing up a $30 million bill from NSW for us paying for quarantining thousands of Queenslanders when their home state wouldn't let them in. So now the poor NSW tax payers are up for $30 million because of this show pony and his boss Palaszczuk.
Don Fraser, Belmont
IT seems Dave McTaggart (Short Takes 26/2) is a retrospective mind reader in double. Claiming the woman Scott Morrison forced unwanted physical attention on by forcibly shaking her hand was confused and ScoMo was just helping her out. How else could Dave know? People will come up with anything to excuse their favoured politicians.
Colin Fordham, Lambton
A STICKER on a back car window I spotted today read "Australian born and bred". I felt very proud but then asked myself who it may offend if it read "Australian born because my great, great, great, great grandparents stole some bread"?
Bryn Roberts. New Lambton
TO the NRL players crying the new rules might make the wrestling match faster, just go off and have a break.
