Newcastle Herald Letters to the Editor: Wednesday, April 11, 2018

I've no issues with tickets given to supporters who parked their cars on the ground outside the stadium where large yellow signs clearly stating “no parking” were placed, but these tickets were issued on cars parked on industrial land a long way from the roadside and not restricting any access to buildings or footpaths.

These grass areas are parked on every day by the shops’ customers and staff and are very muddy and not maintained by the council. Many supporters around me were so angry they vowed not to attend any more games and to be honest after nine years of supporting the Knights and the Jets, I won’t be renewing my season ticket. My ticket, beer and food money will be spent in my local area of East Maitland, as people and the community are always put above profiteering from the city’s team supporters.

Newcastle council haven't provided adequate parking around the stadium for large crowds but seem intent on punishing those that do attend by sneaking around after the game has started instead of providing wardens to assist with parking. It seems that our very expensive V8 track is being paid for by the fans of our other city teams as they meet revenue targets. 

Regards, one very angry and disappointed fan.

YOUR editorial ‘When governments lose sight of people’ (Newcastle Herald, 7/4) so forcefully points out that the Liberal Coalition government has reversed their decision to withdraw their financial support for groups that advocate on behalf of “some of the most vulnerable in the community”.

The record of the state Coalition government’s abandonment of its support of people with a disability has been callous and cruel to those and their carers who are already bearing such an unjust share of suffering. For the Premier to say that the NDIS federal scheme allows the state government to wash its hands of any need for care in this sector shows, as your editorial states, the government has lost sight of the people and in this case those who cannot speak for themselves.

It is important to note that in Premier Berejiklian’s statement, covered in the same paper, our Glad was carefully to say that the funding was only extended till 2020, conveniently just after the next 2019 state election. As the Coalition government has given its clear intention to abandon the disabled completely after the 2019 election I call on all responsible and concerned people to vote for any alternative government that will not be so cruel to those in our society that need our care and support.

Every government, local, state, and federal has a duty to protect and make the lives of this “most vulnerable” group as stress-free and cared for as a wealthy nation like ours can afford and any government that ignores this will pay a price at the ballot box.

WHY do we put two avocados into a plastic bag? A couple of lemons and a head of broccoli into separate plastic bags?

We don't need to. Let us shake the habit of packaging and wrapping every item in plastic. Loose fruit and veg still go through the checkout "naked" aka without a plastic wrap. Plastic is killing our environment. 

Let's collectively take the challenge, change our habits and say "yes" to the environment.

MOVING on is easier said than done concerning the Iraq War. Approximately half a million Iraqi people died from war-related causes; more than 4000 American soldiers died; many, many more were injured both physically and psychologically.

Those who lost their lives are not just numbers; they are mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. 

Damage to infrastructure and the economy bring long-lasting problems. If John Howard, Tony Blair and George W Bush don't have trouble sleeping at night, they should because they involved us in a war based on a lie. There is no convenient drawer labelled 'over and done with' when it comes to war, Mike Sargent (Letters, 9/4), the consequences go on forever.

IN 1978 when I was working for Carrier Air Conditioning ACT, I was deployed to an address in Yarralumla, Canberra, to repair a domestic ducted AC system. Following rectification of the problem, the customer, a very distinguished looking gentleman, invited me to join him in a cup of tea, which we drank in his backyard.

The gentleman immediately sensed that I was very interested in energy efficiency, we spoke on the subject, and, when he found out I came from the Hunter Valley, the subject went towards solar electricity v coal. It was like being in a cave with a wizard. The wizard told me that, should the Simpson Desert be covered in a solar array, it would easily accommodate Australia's energy needs for a very long time. This would not be practical due to technical constraints such as remoteness, voltage drop, etc, but in principle, doable. Every rooftop in the country could easily make this statement a reality.

The gentleman's name, by the way, was Sir Mark Oliphant.

THIS Anzac Day, as our politicians pay homage to those that have given their all for their country, amongst all of Australia’s deployments they will acknowledge the 42 that have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq, our longest engagement that still has no end in sight.

But they will make no mention of at least, what I believe to be, the three times that number (true numbers hard to confirm as many go unreported) that have returned home only to take their own life as a result of the damage to mind and body from the horrors they have been through, the same can also be said of our Vietnam veterans. 

This is not right and should not be accepted. These men and their families deserve the same recognition, respect and to have their names added to the memorial plaques just as much as any other.