Letters - Newcastle Herald -

We question the umpire

From Steve Phillips - 24th Feb 2004

Hunter Economic Zone's Gillian Summers (``Business leader strikes back over inquiry call for Tomalpin" Herald 21/2) says those opposed to her company's plans to clear 900hectares of threatened-species habitat near Kurri Kurri were not ``accepting the umpire's decision".

Is it any wonder, when, as the same article showed, the umpire seems to be playing for the other side? The article contained exerpts from a letter to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) from the Premier's Department, asking them for assistance in ``ensuring this development proceeds".

With regard to Ms Summers' claims about jobs, no one is opposed to more jobs in the Hunter. We just wonder why such a massive development must proceed in such amazing bushland, when there is so much unused and degraded land in the area. Steve Phillips Raymond Terrace February 23

This location is disastrous

From James Ryan - 24 Feb 2004

Gillian Summers (``Business leader strikes back over inquiry call for Tomalpin" Herald 21/2) is quite right - we do not accept the umpire's decision. We don't accept it because we think the umpire took sides, something an umpire should never do.

We believe both Cessnock City Council and the State Government were, in contrast to their responsibility to provide balance in decision making, very one-sided umpires. If Gillian Summers doesn't agree with us she should support a public inquiry.

Our concern is that the Hunter Valley may lose investment and job creation opportunities simply because a disastrous location was chosen without adequate assessment.