The Examiner went on to establish the “Line in the sand” campaign.

In stifling hot conditions on February 14, Port Stephens had two rallies, in Raymond Terrace and Nelson Bay, against the proposed merger with Newcastle Council.

Many, many people attended at least one of the rallies.

The Mayor addressed the rallies on the back of a flatbed truck, emerging to an Irish boxing ballad - a metaphor for what we as Port Stephens residents have to do.

And for those that didn’t get the metaphor, he was then blunt.

“We have to fight, and it might go fifteen rounds,” he said.

Well, we might be approaching the fifteenth now.

The council elections for areas not subject to a change were held last weekend and I suspect the results might make for some unpleasant reading for the NSW Premier Mike Baird and his Local Government Minister Paul Toole.

They may well be keen to avoid further headaches in the council amalgamation area.

Weary as we might be with the process, it’s time to send more letters to voice our position on the merger.

They don’t have to be nasty or vicious, but your message can be clearly made.

You can send them to premier@parliament.nsw.gov.au and office@toole.minister.nsw.gov.au

Ben Niland

Medowie

A big thank you to all the kind people who ran to my aid after I had a fall last Friday at St Vincent de Pauls, Raymond Terrace.

I am recovering well and feel so grateful for the kindness of strangers.

Norma Mankelow

Heatherbrae

According to Mr Baumann even  if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck it actually smells like a witch hunt (Examiner, September 8). 

John Foster

Nelson Bay

The Federal Government is cutting $2 billion in funding for aged care, with the cuts targeting people in residential aged care with the highest care needs.

As one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit providers of aged care services, UnitingCare Australia is deeply concerned at the impact of these cuts on the health and wellbeing of frail older people.

Our modelling shows that the average resident will have the funding to meet their needs cut by $6650 a year, and the frailest by as much as $18,000 a year.

Of equal concern is the flow-on effect of funding cuts of this size.

Public hospitals will face even greater pressure as older people wait longer to access residential care, with aged care providers forced to reconsider admitting people with complex health needs.

The aged care workforce will also suffer, as providers will be compelled to review, and potentially reduce, staffing levels.

This will affect nurses, allied health professionals and administrative staff and comes at a time of greatly increased demand for aged care services.

People in residential aged care are already suffering from a range of conditions such as dementia, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and mobility impairment.

They don’t need to suffer more as a result of these unfair cuts to aged care.

Martin J Cowling 

Acting National Director