IT'S sad but inevitable that names with Italian and Greek heritage are now appearing in the funeral notices, with many being originally part of the first wave of European refugees that settled in Newcastle after World War II.
Our strict British way of life changed for the better; with food we had never tasted, home-made wine from almost anything and everything, and learning to live with people and cultures that were so different.
I reckon the most outstanding factor was the willingness to assimilate and become proud Aussies, thousands were employed at the BHP and associated industries and although not speaking much English, the first two words taught were doubler and overtime.
Many bought old broken-down houses where they all chipped in and rebuilt them; nothing was too hard. Hamilton was a favoured suburb, and thus Beaumont St became little Italy with pizza, pasta and a bottle of vino replacing the traditional fish and chips.
My only regret was calling them names that these days would be racist, but most took it as the Aussie way of communication and meaning no harm. In my opinion political incorrectness and what we now know as racial slurs were just a harmless way of life in that era.
The strange names we grew to accept as mates are no longer common in numbers. Looking back, it was one of the best parts of my life.
Carl Stevenson, Dora Creek
Exploiting nations hurts us all
NIKO Leka has written a very passionate article on the plight of asylum seekers on behalf of the Hunter Asylum Seeker Advocacy ('Impact of 'cartoon thinking' far from funny', Opinion 15/7). This is just one of about a dozen such refugee support groups which disappointingly are more than there are groups advocating for indigenous issues that are documented in the indigenous disadvantage reports.
The United Nations estimates there are 65 million refugees worldwide and the number is growing, so we need to find a solution rather than just treat the symptom. The reality is that our - meaning the developed world - economic policies that exploit vulnerable nations are contributing to this human calamity.
I believe religions that resist family planning have created disasters in Africa and the Americas from food shortages while our failure to address climate change will displace millions more. And to make it worse countries like Australia have cut overseas aid spending in order to make tax cuts for the chosen.
Don Owers, Dudley
It's all about striking a balance
HEWSON'S View is a pretty bleak one ('Seize the opportunity for university reform', Opinion 17/7). The opening sentences are always guaranteed to send the sun behind a cloud. Woe betide the reader who ventures further into his whingeing negativity. So it is genius, in my opinion, to place John Malouff's Mind Matters ('I don't care what you think but you should', Opinion 17/7) on the opposite page. John's wisdom and humour are antidotes to the dreariest of days.
Jennifer Bulley, New Lambton
Tale from the front lines inspires
I READ a post last week from a nurse, Lisa Peters, who was testing residents in Melbourne's locked down public housing towers which made me feel very proud; proud to be a nurse and proud of all nurses. Everyone who reads this post is sure to be reminded about what humanity looks and feels like. That Lisa bothered to take the time in her busy day, indeed it is likely that she is busier than usual during these COVID times, to write this story is a reflection of her character and professionalism. It reveals her respect, care and concern for the people she encountered during their sudden isolation. Equally she reveals their respect for her and their humanity.
Isabel Higgins, Valentine
Moving slowly can add up fast
I AM absolutely astounded at MidCoast Council management, who utilise state and council funds to research and build a pumping station to re-nourish Jimmy's Beach yet after a year of it being completed they have not signed off on an organisation to operate the system ('Cliffhanger', Herald 16/7).
The destruction caused by last week's storm event to the road and pipeline will now undoubtedly cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair, which again will come out of ratepayers pockets. It's been blatantly clear for months that any prolonged storm event would result in substantial damage. The best our council could apparently do was send a grader down last week to push a bit of existing sand around. Surely the mayor and general manager need to take accountability.
Greg Newton, Hawks Nest
Writer's making a different point
JOHN Cooper and Greg Hunt both believe that Michael Shellenberger adds to the "debate" about climate change through his book Apocalypse Never. Mr Shellenberger himself does not believe there is any debate about the reality of climate change. "Climate change is happening," he stated recently in The Australian. What he is debating is how humanity deals with climate change.
In 2016 he founded Environmental Progress, a nuclear industry lobby group. As an advocate for nuclear power and weapons, Mr Shellenberger has stated that nuclear is the safest source of electricity, low levels of radiation are harmless and nuclear waste is the best kind of waste.
Disturbingly, he asked in Forbes Magazine in 2018, "who are we to deny weak nations the nuclear weapons the need for self-defence?".
Shellenberger is not 'debating' climate change, just pushing a personal agenda. I'll go with what the other 97 per cent of the scientific world is telling us thanks.
John Arnold, Anna Bay
Letters spell out the problem
IF the Queen's representative can make decisions without her ('What will we learn from Kerr's letters', Herald 14/7) then the connection between the two is redundant. So, why have it?
Were I a monarchist, I wouldn't be celebrating the Whitlam dismissal. In my opinion the palace letters make it clear that it is an incident where the unelected representative of an unelected foreign head of state dismissed an elected government to prevent them democratically solving an impasse with a half senate election. Before then, a republican to an Australian was an American politician; if they had even heard of the word.
Colin Fordham, Lambton
SHARE YOUR OPINION
Email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name, suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words and Short Takes fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited and reproduced in any form.
SHORT TAKES
IT'S pretty cool seeing people walking adopted greyhounds; I'm even thinking about eating blue swimmer crabs again. I'm not quite prepared for flake and chips considering the shark attacks lately, maybe I should just stick with snags and mash. At least I know where snags come from.
Steve Barnett, Fingal Bay
NIB, give your members their money back for while they couldn't claim.
Bruce Cook, Adamstown
I THINK the reason the lord mayor doesn't want the fig trees cut down ('Call to save trees delays roadworks', Herald 17/7) is that she will get a clear view of Marketown from the penthouse across the street.
Ken Stead, Lambton
I HAVE developed a theory that the movement of large quantities of the earth's crust by mining and hole digging may be related to the earthquakes we have been experiencing. It may have just upset the balance and equilibrium of the crust we live on. Just a thought bubble to contemplate.
John Bradford, Beresfield
FINALLY, two months after my letter here (Short Takes, 15/5), my shame at Australia's response to coronavirus can start to subside, as some (not enough) Australians are being advised (it should be compulsory) to wear masks. Masks worn competently reduce the transmission rate. Waiting for a good pool of infection before trying this simplest and cheapest method to reduce the transmission rate, rather than doing it when there is almost no community transmission and therefore there is a chance of eliminating it entirely, is bizarre thinking in my opinion. Still, I think it is nice we have made the first tentative step towards sanity.
Sean Farnham, Kurri Kurri
SCOTT Morrison likened the COVIDSafe app to the slip, slop, slap message about sunscreen, and it seems apt. Slip, like on a banana skin? Slop, as in sloppy and poor design? Slap, as in a slap in the face to all of us? If it works, it's a great idea, but if it doesn't then don't stuff around, go to plan B. I think politicians need to think very carefully about what people think about being sold a dud. If it works, then encourage more downloads with the ample evidence from Melbourne and southwest Sydney. If it doesn't, then own up immediately and get a new app that works with iPhone too and recognises the aerosol situation and the 15-minute silliness. Start being sensible because you can't hide in the health experts' shadows forever. I have a nasty feeling we will need all the help we can get.
Vic Davies, Tighes Hill
ONE correspondent (Short Takes, 16/7) urges us to watch the Michael Moore produced film Planet of the Humans because it dismisses renewables. Yet a simple Google search of "Environmentalists say Moore film is wrong" returns a multitude of informed documents that say it is either outright wrong or outmoded, employing terms such as: flawed, debunked, archaic, "a blatant affront to science", "dangerous, misleading and destructive", "riddled with errors", and even "bull..it."
