Newcastle Herald readers have their say: Our 'sophistication' will show at ballot box

The trial was a farce and they didn't like the answers that would have come from that so the NSW government and City of Newcastle got in early.

Pray they are right on their predictions or there will be hell to pay, especially if it happens before the local government elections in September. They are saying Novocastrians are now more sophisticated and that will definitely show out at the ballot box should there be any incidents from the removal of the lockouts.

Ratepayers and taxpayers have been thrown under the bus on this one in favour of 'out of towners' and the AHA.I am certainly not a 'tea teetotaler or a wowser' but it is extremely clear to 'sophisticated' residents that the NCC is 'owned' by the AHA.

CAN'T people manage to organise themselves to be where they want to be, in relation to entertainment venues, before 1:30am?

You can still have music in the same place after that can't you? What could be the reason people want to be wandering around from venue to venue after 1:30am?

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From witnessing behaviour when we didn't have lockout laws when Newcastle East was the CBD, it is much safer for all members of the community to be able to enjoy what the city has to offer.

People who live in the city still have to listen to inebriated people walking the streets in the early hours but the level of alcohol-fuelled violence is much, much less than it was. Show the data - I'm sure it will speak for itself.

I HAVE already noticed that drivers are driving slower since unmarked mobile speed cameras were introduced in NSW this year.

There is no telling where the cameras will be stationed.

Sensible drivers keep to the speed limits anyway; stubborn drivers that need a prod will be fined once before keeping to the speed limits; the rest (a minority), who will be fined multiple times, are called - well I think you know what they are called! I remember driving in Perth 15 year ago. Their mobile cameras were hidden in bushes and everyone drove to the speed limit.

There are major benefits from driving legally, apart from saving lives. I have not been fined for speeding nor caused an accident for 40 years. All we need now is something to stop drivers tailgating.

GEE, wasn't Scott Morrison quick out of the blocks in declaring Albo's announcement of an ALP government dropping the import and, GST tax of some models of electric cars an attack on an Australian icon.

Going straight for Albo's jugular, or Achilles' heel (dependent solely upon which appeared most convenient,) our Scotty declared the ALP policy on electric vehicles would put an end to our much loved "utes".

It was pure genius on Scotty's part to come up with a scare campaign vehicle (no pun intended) straight off the bat. But hang on, didn't Michaelia Cash say during the 2019 election campaign "we are going to stand by our tradies, and we are going to save their utes?" Yes, she did! So, I must cancel out my earlier praise of "Scotty from marketing" and accept the reality that he is possibly the most bone-idle Australian prime minister we have ever had. Caught out once again stealing other people's ideas and claiming credit for them.

IF you ever needed a prime example of how Coalition governments discriminate against their citizens, then ponder this: many large companies in the country received millions of dollars under the Jobkeeper program while it lasted.

Many of these said companies made huge profits during this time due to online sales booming. Large bonuses where paid to executives.

The federal treasurer says the money received can be paid back but it is not compulsory. Compare this to the way this government hounded and treated people under the "Robodebt" scheme and continued to do so even when the scheme was declared illegal. This government supports the "haves" and demonises the "have nots".

KEN Stead (Letters, 1/4), when we lived in South Australia it had the dearest power due mainly to its small population and extensive grid, and its reliability was affected by being on the end of a single mains supply from Victoria. All this changed when SA pursued an ambitious renewables program that now provides the majority of its power. SA power is now among the cheapest of the states.

Since the installation of the large Tesla battery, ridiculed at the time by the federal government, it is also among the most reliable. The proposed construction of an additional mains transmission connection from western NSW will further improve the reliability in both states, as SA is now a significant exporter of power.

I WANT the women in my life to enjoy the same freedoms we men do. For that to happen men and women need to ask and answer some hard questions.

Joanne Lowther criticises the behaviour of men "leering and ogling young (scantily clad ring) girls" ('Give respect a sporting chance', Letters, 29/3). Fair enough, but those girls chose to do what they did and got the reaction they should have expected. Would the reaction have been any different if the audience was female and the models male?

ANOTHER day, another person claiming all men have no understanding of the problems confronting females (Merrie Carling, Letters, 1/4).

It's becoming almost as monotonous as the daily unfunny cartoons ridiculing the PM. I'm still waiting for an explanation of, a defence of, or (Buckley's chance) an apology for the outrageously offensive message on that shirt at the recent women's march.

Since nothing has been forthcoming, are we to assume that most women think that we aging, straight, white men are the cause of all their problems? This is what we don't understand and by demonising us as halfwits, I'd say you have lost a lot of sympathy and support from the overwhelming majority of blokes in that category who are decent and respectful of what we obviously understand is a worthy and necessary cause.

THE inquest into the assassination of JFK took around 12 months, while the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse took five years. Yet the inquiry by the World Health Organisation into the origins of COVID, took a week. Could somebody put me straight?

IT seems Labor voters in Lake Macquarie are unknowingly actually voting Liberal. It's the same in Port Stephens.

I, ALONG with many thinking Australians, can't honestly understand why we are still importing, what are now up to 11 mutations of the COVID-19 virus. We live on the largest island in the world with a large moat and yet our federal government is still allowing virus-affected back into our country, with the state governments not coping. We are all inconvenienced and in fear of catching these debilitating viruses, even after those who are vaccinated still being carriers on their person and clothing.

CARL Stevenson, Jesus wore a dress so who knows what gender Jesus was. As for God, there are many to choose from, I'll stick with Bart Cummings. Giddy up.

DENNIS Crampton (Short Takes, 31/3) is correct in saying Anastasia Palaszczuk looking after the safety of her constituents is typical of Labor. That is the very reason why her state recently re-elected a Labor government. I could say it to be typical behaviour of the federal Coalition government to attempt to ignore recent alleged disgusting depravities occuring in Parliament House without taking appropriate immediate action equivalent to their disgusting nature. But I won't say it.

WELL Queensland, you voted her in. For a handful of COVID cases in Brisbane people 1000 kilometres north of the capital had to stay indoors, close their shops and now wear masks. How stupid is that?

WHEN I write it is often out of frustration. Today is a good day. Governments, state and federal, cannot reduce the bounty of love and kindness I see in my family. We have trauma and sickness and unfulfilled dreams. A system that does not support us and so we look after each other. Lemonade is not produced from those lemons ruling our lives. It is the strength and courage of families like ours that stand together in tough times. Be angry when you need to. Scream when you have to then move forward with joy in that one good day appreciating those around us that make it work.

WHO wants to drink treated sewage? All these wonderful water saving methods suggested by Hunter Water are wonderful, provided the cost comes out of the levies paid to Sydney and not out of borrowings needed. As for recycling sewage into drinking water, it may be OK elsewhere, but good luck trying it in Newcastle.