Newcastle Herald Letters to the Editor and Short Takes for Monday, May 1, 2023

The night before we departed, packed and ready to go, it started. Our tour company called at 10:30pm to advise that Germany's airport staff were striking. Being a proud unionist, I thought no problems; bung one on over the weekend, then back to work. Not in Germany, apparently. The representative said we could cancel or go, and they would transfer us to ensure we made our cruise.

After two years of waiting due to COVID, I said we were still going. She called back later and said we would go to Singapore, from there we'd travel to Istanbul with a six-hour layover, then on to Budapest. I said it was fine, as long as we were going. "Oh, they're doing lock repairs on the Rhine but they should be finished by the time you get there," she said.

Forty hours later in Budapest, our Scenic Tours rep took us to the hotel. The next morning we found out our two-week boat trip would be cut short by one week and the rest of our voyage would be by bus tour and motels. Scenic Tours were terrific; great boats, great service. Despite everything, I could not fault the company. Two days after coming home I got a message to say a refund would be forthcoming.

My message is to take steps to protect your trip and enjoy yourself. Life is too short. Also don't read any tales of holiday woes before you go away.

I DON'T get it. There doesn't appear to be recognition of the massive overnight rises in prices across the major supermarkets.

As someone who has done his own shopping for 20 years, while I favour one supermarket I visit the other, and also their main two competitors frequently.

Since COVID eased, I have watched and accurately predicted amazing price hikes in most products. Many of them are managed (for want of other words) subtly, with cunning and in my view nefariously. For example, frozen foods like fish appear at "half price" for a week and reappear carrying perhaps a 10 to 20 per cent mark-up on their former prices. Next time you are offered a "half-price special", it will of course be significantly dearer than it is this week and the shift in consumer perception is complete.

I see the target of those who determine inflation control as perhaps misdirected: the producers and retail sellers are hiking up the prices, and perhaps it is not their fault either, but it is not the consumers who are to blame here. In a word, at the moment we consumers are being rorted. Now there's a thought to play around with, Dr Chalmers.

I WISH to point out to Robert Martin ('Green power isn't all sunshine', Letters, 24/4) that organic solar cells, such as those pioneered by the University of Newcastle, are 99 per cent recyclable. Furthermore, the manufacturing process is such that they could be produced by the printer of the hardcopy of the Newcastle Herald, during their pause between print runs. A lucrative side hustle?

Solar is not all photovoltaics. There is solar thermal, using existing steam power generators, with the existing deficits of deoxygenated hot water (fish kills).

Oh, and your coal fired power station generators need a rebuild every dozen years. You are not without landfill potential.

AS a long-term Parramatta supporter I treat anything coming out of the Roosters system with great cynicism, but a recent article by Dan Walsh about how their coach Trent Robinson is the face of a new online training program designed to equip coaches with tools to challenge homophobia forced me to reconsider that assessment.

Mr Robinson deserves significant applause, and his views on inclusion of everyone are refreshing. Concepts that 'all are welcome' and ensuring there is nothing in the environment which deter anyone are welcomed as being not only refreshingly simple, but traits of decent and humane ways of running an organisation.

My Parramatta loyalties aside, I stand with Trent Robinson.

YES Peter Devey ('Climate claims need questioning', Letters, 26/4), I too believe that Jasmine Stuart, the young lady given a full page to try to justify her part in the recent coal train disruption, is the victim of misinformation but I believe there's a deeper issue here.

Where does this information come from? I can only assume it's being taught in schools and universities. What is disturbing is her use of terms like scared, terrified, crisis and catastrophic. This is typical of so many young folk these days, and I think emblematic of why many of them need mental health support. In my opinion our education system is to blame and, as I have written previously, what is being taught is tantamount to child abuse.

PETER Devey accuses climate action advocate Jasmine Stuart of ideology stemming from "misinformation" ('Climate claims need questioning', Letters, 26/4). This got me wondering where reliable information comes from these days.

Scientific documents from reputable organisations like the CSIRO seem appropriate sources of information. As such, I refer Devey to the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO report State of the Climate 2022. The report outlines that "Australia's climate has warmed by an average of 1.47°C since national records began in 1910".

The report also explains that there has been an increase in extreme heat events, larger and more frequent fires, and changes in rainfall patterns amongst other climatic impacts associated with global warming. In short, Ms Stuart is right to be concerned. Each of us has a responsibility to address this most pressing of issues.

I AGREE with Winsome Lambkin (Short Takes, 25/4) that her name means charming and is not a play on the male name Winston as suggested ('Why parents reach for unusual names', Topics, 20/4).

I well remember Winsome Cripps, an Australian sprinter who was a member of the 4x100 yards relay team which broke the world record in the semi final at the Olympic Games in Helsinki in 1952. Unfortunately, the girls lost the final when the great Marjorie Jackson dropped the baton during a changeover at a time when a gold medal looked certain. Winsome and Marjorie made no mistakes when they later won gold in the 1954 Empire Games relay final. Should be more Winsomes, I reckon.

NOT a single coal fired power station should have closed before the government could guarantee that the moment it closes down the loss of electricity output will immediately be replaced by a renewable source equal, at least, to the amount of energy lost. It would be desirable to increase the replacement amount to cover future development.

THE federal government must abandon tax cuts and raise the JobSeeker payments in the coming budget. You cannot give tax cuts to the wealthy and ignore the plight of people on welfare. That is not how a Labor government stays in power.

PETER Devey ('Climate claims need questioning', Letters, 26/4): according to NASA, NOAA, the European Union's Earth Observation Programme, World Meteorological Organization and every other reputable climate agency in the world, the last eight years have indeed been the warmest on record. Maybe if Mr Devey sought better information outside the Sky News climate change denial echo chamber he would realise this.

IN relation to the article by Peter Gogarty ('Faith-based leadership rules diminish us all', Opinion, 26/4), he singles out the Presbyterian Church for condemnation. No doubt Mr Gogarty would be aware that numerous non-Christian, faith-based organisations made similar submissions, however he was not critical of them. Why?

WE'RE starting to recognise the Indigenous people who fought in 20th century wars, but what about those who fought in the war of 1788? They weren't abroad fighting British or American wars, they were defending the country from invaders right here at home.

QANTAS is recommissioning its planes as business picks up and as the risk of COVID infection eases. Qantas' mainstay, Airbus 380s, are currently under wraps in the Mojave Desert. They are being unwrapped and put back into service. But don't they have rattlesnakes in the Mojave Desert? I have seen the movie Snakes on a Plane, and I have my doubts about Qantas. If I fly Qantas in future, I for one, when going to the toilet, will lift the toilet seat slowly and carefully and inspect for rattlers before proceeding.

IN response to Michael Hinchey (Short Takes, 25/4), Fr Bob accused Cardinal Pell of punishing him for being "open to all" and described his exit as a "dishonourable discharge". Tony Abbott also told us that the invasion of Aboriginal communities was a "good thing" for Australia. Let's not forget.

I SUSPECT Cardinal Pell would have said that "a saint for our times" is not Tony Abbott's call to make, and I think being likewise honoured, whether it's by Tony Abbott or Michael Hinchey (Short Takes, 25/4) would sit uncomfortably with Fr Bob Maguire. Best, in my opinion, to let both the deceased rest.