Letters to the editor April 3 2019

I also pasted the same story into the incoming minister's Facebook messenger account, and I phoned his office and informed his staff of the need to reverse this decision urgently. As he is not yet sworn in, his staff are at a disadvantage to comment but they are at least now informed.

We know this was done by the department because no Minister was at the table, and therefore blame is difficult lay. We also know if the dam wall is a problem, the liability lays with the power station to fix the wall and not the centre.

I believe this land will most probably appear as a potential development site unless this is reversed. I seek all of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie community's assistance to reverse this appalling situation.

FOR some time I have had similar experiences as Ian King, (Letters 1/4). Although we are registered on the unwanted calls list, the scammers persist. I would like to add to Mr King's list solar panel "surveys" and recorded messages alerting us to an internet "problem".

Telstra have said that they can't offer any assistance as the phone calls are generated from overseas. 

What I found most frustrating was that I felt like a sitting duck, but there is a remedy: buy a whistle. When you are very sure that you are dealing with a scammer or unwanted caller, blow hard then hang up. It doesn't stop them completely, but I feel a lot better for my response.

If more people adopted this strategy I'm sure scammers would think twice before engaging in their criminal activities.

AT Telstra, we highly respect and value people who report scams. We were therefore disappointed to learn of Gary Foster's recent experience (Letters 30/3) when he contacted us, and apologise unreservedly. We have invited Mr Foster to get in touch with us to discuss his specific experience.

It is concerning to see increasing incidents of companies or individuals contacting people claiming to be from Telstra when they're not. We have measures in place to help educate and protect people who may receive this type of contact. We encourage readers to contact us on 1800 260 270 or visit telstra.com/verify if they would like to report details of a potential scam, or learn more about how to protect themselves from this type of activity.

Following Mr Foster's experience, we will increase coaching for our support staff on better handling callers that report scam or phishing issues to us. We thank Mr Foster for bringing this to our attention.

LOOKING south down Hannell Street at Wickham from the Fishermen's Co-op, I am reminded of the streetscape of the 19th century. Wonderful Wickham and its uninterrupted connection with our beautiful harbour! How lucky we are to have this preserved precinct due mainly to the disinterest of developers, because there was no money in it.

Now with the Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation's Big End of Town developments including a massive transport hub, train interchange and railhead, arterial road routes, intersections and tram rail head, the chances of saving the crowning glory of the Hannell streetscape, Henry Lawson's literate beginnings in the Wickham School of Arts and the built surrounds, are growing slim. We need historical, social and architectural significance preserved in the HCCDC's plans for these buildings before they are cut down.

CALL me a sceptic, but I have my doubts about the validity of the nameless "shooter" advocating for NSW's current gun laws (Letters, 30/3).

A NSW D licence allows an AR-15 for pest destruction, but if I use that rifle for target shooting I can go to prison. Shooting animals is okay; paper or steel targets a criminal offence.

It's just one of many examples of the contradictory mess shooters must navigate.

I believe registration of firearms is a complete failure. Registration has not solved nor prevented a single crime; it just provides a convenient database for thieves in the inevitable event of a data breach, which we have seen in both Victoria and Queensland.

Gun laws should be the subject of an objective, evidence-based review, which would result in significant relaxation of the onerous and ineffective restrictions applied to the most law-abiding sector of the community.

YESTERDAY I made another phone call to my sister, Janice, in Christchurch to see how was faring after the tumultuous, recent events in that city (Letters 26/3). 

Janice told me that she and her husband recently drove over to their former suburb of Linwood and went for a walk around the mall where they used to shop. The mall is located right at the end of their old street and adjacent to the local mosque; the other site in the shootings.

Inside the mall, they saw a large group of Muslims.

When my sister approached them she said, "We are so sorry. We don't know what to do. Is it okay if we give you a hug?"

"Sure," came the reply. "We are just like you. We just want to live in peace. It is not your fault."

After many hugs all around my sister asked why there were so many of them at the mall on this occasion and she was told that they'd all just come from the mosque next door for a coffee. They'd all just attended a funeral and they had some time to fill in before the next funeral!

Their sense of calm and forgiveness is to be admired.

As an outsider, looking in, I find the healing within the Christchurch community is heart warming and the best possible answer to those who want to create fear and division.

Janice went on to say that, to the people of Christchurch, the killer has no name, no nationality and no race.

He is just the killer and is not deserving of any identity or recognition.