SOME people would oppose the idea of Newcastle City Council spending up to $8 million upgrading soccer facilities to support the push to bring the World Cup to Australia. It is a lot of money, even spread over several years, and by its own account the council is hardly awash with dollars.
But the idea does have merit.
Newcastle is an important soccer-playing centre and the World Cup bid could well be the ideal opportunity for a long-overdue upgrade for some of the city's rundown sporting facilities.
World Cups are major tourism events, and if Australia won the right to stage the event in 2018 or 2022 Newcastle would rightly expect to host at least one competition match and to provide a training base for a visiting team.
That would provide appreciable economic benefits for the city, making it reasonable to consider what investment might be needed to help attract a worthwhile slice of the World Cup pie.
Spending has been proposed for the city's No.1 and No.2 sportsgrounds, New Lambton's Arthur Edden and Harker Ovals, Adamstown Oval and the Wanderers ground at Broadmeadow. Projects suggested include better lighting, seating and media facilities, among other improvements.
Lord Mayor John Tate has sensibly suggested exploring the possibility of state or federal financial assistance for upgrades associated with a World Cup bid. That is an obvious first step before any final decision on the question.
If the council decides to make a significant investment in its soccer grounds it must ensure the money is spent in a way that maximises the benefits to the city's sportspeople.
Properly designed and executed improvements would serve to both support Australia's World Cup bid and to modernise some of the city's key sporting facilities, with benefits potentially lasting for decades.
Old and vulnerable
A RECENT surge in crimes against lone elderly people is worrying social workers and law enforcement agencies alike.
Several incidents have occurred over the past several months, with one particularly sickening incident last Friday in which a 94-year-old woman had petrol thrown in her face by an intruder.
The woman had taken the precaution of removing money and valuables from her home and putting them in the care of trusted relatives. This is an example which, if widely followed, might serve to remove one of the main incentives for such crimes.
Old people are seen by a certain underclass of sociopathic criminals as easy targets, and as the population ages more people will become vulnerable to such attacks.
Sadly, it is becoming necessary for older people and their neighbours and relatives to take active steps to minimise risks as far as possible.
That means being more watchful and security-conscious at every point. Keeping small valuables away from home is also worth considering.
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