Letters to the editor Thursday May 31 2018

Have all these dogs been vaccinated? If not, I believe the risk of spreading diseases is great. There is also only one water container at the base of the bubbler for use by all those dogs. It’s not sufficient, and another way to spread disease. Thirdly, there are owners who are not controlling their animals. During one visit a dog jumped up on a little boy's back and knocked him down. The owner did nothing.The dog ran off and did the same thing to another child. The owner still sat and did nothing.

The dogs are running wild and come close to knocking people over. It is dangerous, especially for some of the older owners. There are no toilets in the area and only one covered seat. In summer it will be too hot, as there is very little shade. More trees need to be planted and more covered areas. 

I hope that when Lake Macquarie City Council looks at doing this at Croudace Bay they consider these problems. The area needs to be enjoyable for both dog and owner. I don't think council was prepared for so many dogs using this facility.

LIKE so many of you out there, I am sick of the lack of communication both inside and outside government departments such as Centrelink and Housing NSW.

I have just received a message from Centrelink, a reminder about a phone appointment that I didn't even know I had that said if you want to reschedule ring them. So I just tried to contact them and keep getting cut off - you can't even get through on their lines. They could at least stop using the message about providing quality customer service (bang goes my blood pressure). I tried to ring to complain, but whoops – no getting through there either.

Perhaps the government could employ some people to work there, or maybe they are all having an afternoon siesta? Half their luck. Now don't get me started on forms. Where do they magically disappear to? Do the fairies magically spirit them away? Even when they input them into their computers, in my experience they still can’t find them.

A few tips: always take names, always get copies and always get them to stamp forms with the date. Methinks it’s time for a protest or two. Any solutions, anybody? I'm usually a happy person but frustration has got the better of me.  

SADLY when Gladys and her political cronies eventually leave government, the problems being aired via letters (Letters 29/5), which I believe are a real picture of the situation facing Newcastle, will be left behind with no way to be rectified.

I have not been able to digest the spin being fed about the situation that Newcastle is being led into, and of course spin is a political form of manipulating truth. 

My sympathy goes to those businesses already ruined. How can “buzz” help them now or in the future?

This state is in a mess, with hopeless rail and road transport in chaos and ridiculous projects (new football stadiums, the moving of the Powerhouse Museum and others) on the drawing boards. The successful running of a chook raffle would leave one with wonder if it could achieved by these politicians.

WHAT a heartbreaking story of the passing of another one of our heroes (“Tony’s turmoil”, Herald 25/5). After 28 years serving the community, there was no support for him when he needed it most.

Why aren’t our essential service staff supported by the system? They put their lives at risk the moment they put on their uniforms and face situations on a daily basis that would cause nightmares. 

Maybe we need to return to the days of strong unions who stood up for their members to ensure safety in their workplace. My heart goes out to their families who have lost family members due to the stress and lack of support in their workforce.

We would like to thank you all for the great job you do. Always being just a phone call away to help us. May God bless you all and keep you safe in your job.

UNFORTUNATELY a member of Northern NSW Football staff was used in what was an inappropriate, unauthorised and inaccurate hoax in Saturday’s Newcastle Herald. 

A letter was published purportedly from club development officer Phillip Andrews surrounding the Northern NSW Football initiative of Silent Saturday.

The Silent Saturday initiative was painted as an attack on parental support and spoke of recording footage and putting in place disciplinary action for parents who were found acting inappropriately.

The letter was not written by Phillip, the letter is not a representation of the Silent Saturday initiative and the letter does not reflect Northern NSW Football’s policies or procedures. Silent Saturday acts as a reminder to parents and spectators about the ill-effect negative commentary can have on young players and encourages spectators to provide positive reinforcement such as clapping. Similar initiatives as Silent Saturday are used across other sports to encourage supportive behaviour.

Northern NSW Football encourages parents and families to provide positive encouragement and cheering at matches on the weekend and at no point are Duty Officers or any of our volunteers encouraged to film others.

The naivety of the author is such, that they did not even reflect the activities which were undertaken on the day. Our teams were on the ground at a number of fields over the weekend and witnessed the success of Silent Saturday amongst clubs, spectators and of course, the young players.

Thank you to everyone who participated and supported the initiative as it was intended and not as it was portrayed in this letter.

EDITOR’S NOTE: On Saturday May 26, the Newcastle Herald published a letter headlined ‘Spectators should expect to be out of action’ from Phillip Andrews of Northern NSW Football. The letter was not written by Mr Andrews. The Herald apologises to Northern NSW Football, Mr Andrews and readers for the error.