Letters to the editor: Wednesday, September 13, 2023

The recent fire in the 40-year-old Eraring coal-fired power station reminds us of this issue ('Firefighters extinguish Eraring blaze', Newcastle Herald 11/9). Even much newer plants, such as the so-called high efficiency low emission (HELE) Callide C coal fired power plant commissioned in 2001 can be dangerous. Callide C exploded in May 2021 and has been off-line ever since.

It is perhaps less well known that there have been almost 1500 fatalities in Australian coal mines over the past century. Or that, even now, about 800 deaths each year can be attributed to air pollution from our ageing coal-fired power stations, with the pollution spreading hundreds of kilometres from the regional plants.

The sooner we phase out coal, the healthier we, and our natural environment, will become.

And Eraring is not needed for energy security as claimed. It was recently reported in the Australian Financial Review that there is 10GW of untapped wind and solar energy within the existing grid in NSW alone. This is more than three times the capacity of the Eraring coal-fired power station, and it can be accessed using the latest data and digital modelling technology. So, let's get on with that and add the new iron-air battery storage. Extending the life of Eraring is an unnecessary backward step.

WE have all been horrified by the increasing number of deaths and injuries from speeding drivers, except, it seems, the NRL and their broadcast partners.

I don't watch commercial TV, except for sport, and have been concerned that most car commercials show cars and utes being driven fast and skidding around corners as a reason to buy the vehicle. Then horror is expressed at the increasing road toll and injuries as drivers repeat what they see in the commercials.

Now, as I watch the finals, every time there is a no-try, a car comes sliding around the screen as an encouragement to step on it so they don't get caught. But we know they will get caught, hopefully before they take another innocent person.

They used to show commercials of fast-food items, at least they were slow killers.

THE Voice to Parliament has nothing to do with party politics but it is constantly being dragged into the gutter and painted Labor red then Coalition blue ("Referendum camps find voices", Herald 9/9).

Put simply, the Indigenous Voice will be a representative group who, because of inclusion in the constitution, will always be assured of the current government's ear.

Why have so many Australians become negative, distrustful and sceptical?

We know the history of Indigenous people from stolen land and massacres to the stolen generation. We know about the removal, incarceration and abuse of children, deaths in jail, the gap in life expectancy, health issues and the inability to get affordable food into remote areas. On top of all this are the years of racist slurs.

I believe that these people, with their expert knowledge and relationship to land and their spirituality, have the ability to restore balance to our country.

Voting 'no' because of unreasonable suspicion and cynicism will cause a greater divide and rob our country of the chance for reparation and restoration. Voting 'yes' means a more hopeful, meaningful and inclusive future for us all.

I WROTE a piece recently on the need for intelligent planning when dealing with the housing shortage and what has happened in places where estates were poorly planned, or not planned at all.

I was listening to ABC Radio last week, and an example of poor planning was noted at Thornton. It would seem Thornton is a place where housing estates have been repeatedly extended with little or no thought given to access or providing additional infrastructure or services. The result being that, with only two access roads, getting onto the highway or main road can take an hour in peak periods.

It would seem that traffic congestion is a nightmare. The primary school is also struggling to cope with the increased number of students.

This is why I have repeatedly said that planning for towns, suburbs and cities needs to be done by those with experience and qualifications. Those who know what they are doing.

I wonder if anyone has learnt anything?

IN response to Mark Kenny ('How low can 'no' campaign go?', Opinion, 4/9), the John Howard photo tells its own story. What I see is anguish, maybe even fear, from the worry his party is on the wrong road. Think of his comment "maintain the rage". It is not a total commitment to the cause. Here is an opportunity for Howard to show some true statesmanship. If he is not in agreement with Dutton, he should say so. Not all Liberals want to vote 'no'. This is Howard's chance to be a real Liberal father figure. Look at the photo again and think about it. This referendum should be above party politics.

RIDDLE me this Anne O'Hara ('Backing Eraring the wrong move', Letters, 8/9), how does the environment benefit by closing one power station, when the other two produce just as much electricity and presumably burn the same amount of coal? Six of one and half a dozen of the other? More like ducks and drakes.

MIGHTY Knights to get the chocolates in New Zealand.

HOW strange. Once again, it seems only white men, politicians and others know best for Aboriginal people where the Voice is concerned. In my view, the white man speaks with a forked tongue.

STEVE Barnett is right ('Why October 14 matters to me', Letters, 11/9). What was Albanese thinking by putting the referendum on a big race day? The man has no idea how the inconvenience of voting will affect us well-off, privileged white fellas. Tell you what Steve, the biggest protest vote you can make is no vote at all. That'll send a clear message to the PM - teach him a lesson. I'll even pay your $20 fine.

IT'S good to read what is really important on October 14 ("Why October 14 matters to me", Letters, 11/9). I agree and I'll be writing my simple answer in the box early so that I can take part seriously in the real world of Caulfield and Randwick.

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