Newcastle Herald Letters to the Editor: Monday August 14, 2023

Like these residents, I was hoping that the cathedral would still remain at the crest of the hill and that we would retain some of the unique landscape which sets Newcastle apart from other cities. The view across the harbour from Stockton has been stunning, but is gradually becoming dominated by bulky high-rise buildings such as those fronting Newcastle beach, and more and more high rise to the city's west.

We only have one chance at preserving this special hillscape. We need those in control of development to limit high rise in the East End to ensure views north and south over the harbour continue to to be unobstructed as much as possible. We should learn from the overdevelopment in the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sydney and other dense cities around the world that retaining historic precincts and green spaces adds to their value and appeal.

THERE'S a $10 million federal funding opportunity for Swansea channel dredging infrastructure, funds to purchase a dredge and install a permanent sand transfer system (STS) pipeline to pump the dredged sand to nourish the seriously eroded Blacksmiths Beach ('Bring barrels back: call to pipe sand from Swansea dredge', Newcastle Herald 4/8). The council has an opportunity to bring Blacksmiths back from the no-surf blues.

Lake Macquarie City Council can reinstate our surf by pumping sand into the inshore area at Blacksmiths breakwater. For this project to be successful and deliver the ultimate benefit I believe the council needs to design and install the STS pipeline all the way to Blacksmiths breakwater. The crucial link is the pipeline from Awabakal Avenue to the breakwater, delivering sand to the inshore surf zone area to reinstate sand banks and creating waves for surfing. This is a final plea to embrace this opportunity that is funded and guarantees the Blacksmiths Beach sand transfer system pipeline is delivered all the way to Blacksmiths breakwater. The government funding window is closing, and it will be a travesty if this incredible opportunity is missed to deliver both safe navigation in the Swansea channel and great waves returned to Blacksmiths Beach. I believe the council must include an STS pipeline to Blacksmiths breakwater in the Swansea Channel dredging infrastructure project.

VERY well observed Bruce Gain ('Noise isn't the only cost', Letters, 2/8). It seems many people make the very false assumption that the cancellation of live music only affects musicians, but it of course results in all the types of workers you mentioned losing shifts, as well as putting Uber/taxi drivers and even cleaners at a financial disadvantage. I wonder if any of this has ever occurred to those who try to stop live music (or if any of this even bothers them).

Furthermore, Adamstown Bowling Club manager and booking agent Matt Field has said that over $100,000 has been invested from the club into live music in the last five months, and that a study by the NSW Live Music Office has shown that such spends generate three times the revenue for the local economy. This means that if the club stopped hosting live music altogether, we'd actually lose over $300,000 from the local business economy in five months alone. I also wonder if this sort of economic impact, or the possible drop in their property values as a result, has ever occurred to those who try to stop live music.

THERE are laws in place to keep our children safe. These range from speed limits at school crossings and pool safety regulations to cyber-safety codes. But where are the climate safety laws? The dangers of a warming climate are becoming ever-more apparent, with record-breaking weather disasters becoming more frequent and intense. The Black Summer Fires are one example. Families were forced to leave their homes and live in temporary accommodation, in some cases for years. Perhaps even more alarming were the health effects. Studies show that breathing in the bushfire smoke has caused an increase in premature births and lung problems in children. The natural disasters that threaten our children's safety are made worse by pollution from fossil fuels. Our government has a responsibility to stop approving coal and gas projects and help protect our children from climate harm. This needs to be written into law.

RECENT political coverage including the Voice debate, the consultant fees scandal and the ongoing saga of the report into the Brittany Higgins matter must leave us, the public, wondering when a child care manager is appointed to run the crèche.

CLIVE Jensen ('Who should define Aboriginality?', Letters, 5/8) wants a test for Aboriginal people to prove they are Aboriginal. Who gives us white fellas a licence to do that? Mr Jensen, what would be your response to someone if they asked you to prove you were an Australian because they didn't think you looked Australian to them?

BILL Slicer ('Vote won't be the final word', Letters, 9/8), I'm pretty sure most other countries couldn't give a tinker's cuss what happens here. They have their own problems, especially countries like New Zealand and Canada which went down the treaty path. It's also embarrassing that you again use the "R" word, obviously aimed at 'no' voters. It's such an easy accusation but so far from the truth. Perhaps you should stick to critiquing the Knights and Jets.

SURPRISE surprise, another 'yes' voter labelling 'no' voters racist ('Vote won't be the final word', Letters, 9/8). How pathetic. I wonder if Bill Slicer would call proud Indigenous leaders Jacinta Price and Warren Mundine racist. I strongly doubt it. Personally I believe the only thing those comments are is uninformed.

A SIMPLE and effective solution to Katrina Sweeney's letter ('Warriors, slackers or struggles', Letters, 10/8) is to not buy so much. Kids, that I know, don't eat wholesome food; instead dining out and uber gorging. The pandemic of unhealthy living has been here for a while.