Letters and short takes July 24 2023

Breakfast was fantastic. The lady in charge was kind, caring and professional while the young man (who I thought was female ... oops, sorry) waited on us with absolute care. The breakfast staff were all delightful but the two mentioned were fabulous.

The following week we all stayed at Bannisters at Soldiers Point. This time we enjoyed Birubi Point, Boat Harbour lookout, the camels and a lovely walk around Shoal Bay before an early check in. Sitting on the balcony we drank our complimentary drink, ate nibblies and were treated delightfully by San, Coban and Mitch. The sunset was the end of a lovely afternoon.

Thank you Bannisters and The Anchorage for your great service. Thank you to all who treated us with kindness, showed us great hospitality and made us feel we were so important. Great service and kindness goes a long way. How lucky are we in the Hunter. Anyway, thank you again. My 93-year-old mum loved and enjoyed it immensely.

WHY must turbine blades be hauled from the Port of Newcastle to wind farm sites much further inland? I believe there is a danger this poorly-planned haul is going to feed the propaganda machine of the road train lobby. They will badger newbie ministers into spending vast sums on road and bridge upgrades, which in turn will send a torrent of their dangerous vehicles into the Lower Hunter. Railways are just part of the coal chain, they chant. Conservation-minded ministers should insist these oversized objects are unloaded from ships in Whyalla or Port Pirie and railed close to Dubbo before they take to the road system.

LINDA Burney, Noel Pearson and many other advocates of a 'yes' vote are telling us what they believe needs attention with respect to the lives of our Aboriginal brothers and sisters ('Voice for hope: Pearson call to vote Yes', Newcastle Herald 17/7).

All Australians are well aware of the massive funding which is given each year to many entities dealing with Aboriginal affairs, so if the problems are known and the dollars have been taken up year after year, surely the people administering this ongoing massive funding bonanza have fallen short if so many of these problems still exist? I therefore ask, will a 'yes' vote at the upcoming referendum guarantee that we rectify these issues? Problems confronting both Aboriginal and all other Australians cannot be fixed just by altering our long-serving constitution; common sense and competent administration is what is needed. I believe the Voice is a furphy and a distraction.

I THINK we've let economists have far too much influence on our country and society. It saddens me to hear of the Productivity Commission recommending against Australian manufacturing. Economists have been ramming nonsense about supposed benefits of becoming a services-based economy for far too long. It's left us as a nation completely exposed to the whim of tourist agencies and international commodity fluctuations, and our political class bragging incessantly about economic growth when all that's really been achieved is digging stuff out of the ground and selling it. Even our education sector has become a commodity.

We desperately need to invest in local manufacturing and actual productivity and transition our education system towards creation of a resourceful, rather than resource-based, nation. Such transitions are costly in the short-term but the economic and wellbeing rewards can be immense. Governments clearly have a leadership role in this respect but we won't see them take it unless we demand it of them.

I HAVE been following proceedings in the Senate about the inquiry into the government's use of consulting firms for the provision of advice. Those in the crosshairs appear to be the group known as the big four firms.

City of Newcastle has engaged one of the big four to help consult on whether or not the Supercars race should stay in the city for another five years. Having followed the current Senate inquiry and read various past reports commissioned from various members of the big four, my personal opinion is that it seems when you engage them for advice, you often get what you pay for.

ALL the rugby league tragics are seeing real football in a real World Cup. I reckon the powers that be should be going hard for the men's World Cup.

RECENTLY I spent time in Belmont Hospital and I cannot give enough praise to the staff for their cheery, comforting expert attention to all patients. They listened to our hopes and fears and went the extra mile. Belmont Hospital is heaven for the sick, and there are angels all around.

RIP, Commonwealth Games, the biggest anachronism in world sport. For once Daniel Andrews has got it right.

FOR the last 235 years governments have told Indigenous Australians what's good for them - with disastrous results. The Voice means Indigenous Australians would advise governments about what they think is good for them. It's really that simple.

LET'S keep this going. Where do you live? Carro, Iso, Wicko, Bero, Tarro, Singo, Jeso, Catho, Tronno, Stocko... the mind boggles.

ONE can only hope we, the ratepayers, remember the Labor-dominated council's handling of the latest pool tender and vote with our feet next year. Many thanks however, to local state member Sonia Hornery and the council members who supported her efforts to prevent this from happening.

A MAKARRATA is:

A) A reconciliation process within the Uluru Statement from the Heart

B) Don't know, don't care

C) A rodent exterminator employed by McDonalds

D) Something to do with the Voice Referendum

If you chose A or D then you are somewhat informed and should vote "yes" or "no". If you chose B or C, then you are not informed enough to be voting in the referendum.

Ireland's Denise O'Sullivan and Matilda Mary Fowler in the sides' Thursday clash.

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