I researched the grants given to 11 regional cities plus Sydney around the time we received the $10 million grant for the Newcastle Art Gallery extension. I calculated the per capita amount and on that basis we should have received $210 million as a regional city, or $170 million using the Sydney grants.

Clearly we are taken for granted. Our previous requests to address this issue have been ignored.

If we had the support of the unions and gained another 5 per cent of the vote in the 1970s referendum, we would now have our own state called New England and this situation would now not exist. Our mining royalties alone would ensure greater funding of our infrastructure, arts and the extra cost of the government administration. For over 50 years we have been aware of the state ignoring our pleas for a better share of government grants.

If you ever want this situation to change, you must see your politicians personally and advise them of your anger and voting intention.

Australia's ban on nuclear energy is contradictory. Sydney has had a nuclear facility for the best part of 60 years; first at Hunters Hill, now at Lucas Heights. Trucks often travel back and forth through Sydney streets in the early hours of day transporting nuclear rods from other countries to be rejuvenated at Lucas Heights.

If anyone should be alarmed it's people living in the general area where these trucks usually travel or at Lucas Heights, yet no one seems to be concerned. I go so far to suggest if Sydney was to be attacked, the first target would be nuclear submarines sitting in Sydney Harbour, which apparently have approval without question.

I believe this ban on nuclear energy is more political than beneficial, thus the money already spent on renewable energy, with more to come, has been and will be a waste of money. To me, this shows politics will go to no end to do what they want to do, regardless of whether it's right.

What happened to laying all the cards on the table? This is Australia, not a socialist regime.

Surely we still have a choice?

I challenge Anthony Albanese to put this discussion to a referendum. Australia and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world with a ban on nuclear energy. Why?

It's embarrassing that the world sees Australia as a backward country, with no desire to accept the reality that nuclear energy is the best way to reduce carbon emission.

As for nuclear waste, I expect that in 80 years when nuclear rods can't be rejuvenated, science would have developed nuclear rods to last, or be rejuvenated almost indefinitely. The same can't be said for solar and wind farms that last 15 to 20 years before they become an environmental, waste disposal disaster.

REGARDING a recent letter ("Take profit motive out of care", Letters 9/3): there is little doubt the corporate approach to care ultimately ends with an effect on quality of care and service.

As corporations take on short term rhetoric of cost cutting the profit motive can come to dominate and compromise quality and care. It is not only health; look at power prices, airlines or banks to name a few. The outcomes from privatising have clearly not benefited the public at large.

Governments of different persuasions all have been guilty. The point of taxing the rich to give to the government to fix the problems the government created doesn't really define the problem or allow us to fix it, in my view. Governments can't regulate common sense, and autonomy for communities works far better than regulation.

Policies that favour community organisations, especially in education and health care, can assist with tax rebates for those organisations. To pay for it, governments can become more efficient and cut a few costs themselves. We all know where plenty of savings can be made.

The privatisation of government assets and the privatisation of not-for-profits have a lot to answer for.

IS it too late for Newcastle to ask Frank Gehry or one of his building architect disciples to design a landmark building for the city that doesn't have a straight line and resembles a square box?

WHY isn't Sonia Hornery MP looking at getting us the new trains between Newcastle and Sydney instead of attacking what looks like a well-run Newcastle council?

ANYBODY check that petition for Scott Neylon's signature? ("Petition calling for Newcastle council CEO to quit tabled in parliament", Herald, 13/3). He's been inexplicably absent from the letters at a time when his mate has needed his morale-boosting missives like never before. Hate to think the bro-mance has run its course.

AN NRL player has copped an eight-week penalty from an overenthused judiciary for calling another player a "monkey". Anyone who has played sport at a competitive level would attest to being called worse and laughed it off.

AS far as Donald Trump is concerned all his political foes are crooked, yet he is the only one before the courts. For the sake of security in the South Pacific and West China sea, I hope American voters see him to be the egotist that he is.

GLEN Wilson ("Clear answer on what hit bees", Letters, 14/3), I'm across the news. Killing productive hives was totally wrong as European bees widespread in the bush would have spread Varroa mite just as quickly. There's no cure for stupidity.

To offer a contribution to this section: please email letters@newcastleherald.com.au or send a text message to 0427 154 176 (include name and suburb). Letters should be fewer than 200 words. Short Takes should be fewer than 50 words. Correspondence may be edited in any form.