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Where can you take a seat in the Lord Mayor’s chair, fight off a giant tyrannosaurus rex and have your mugshot taken as Newcastle’s ‘most wanted’ – all in the same day?
Only in Newcastle.
Our city’s iconic street art, including Trevor Dickinson’s Instagram-ready photo murals at Newcastle Museum, provide visitors and Novocastrians alike with fun, interactive experiences.
But few know exactly where all these amazing artworks live – and that’s where the ‘Pin the City’ project comes in.

It’s a new, interactive online mapping tool that uses people power to pin the locations of their favourite works to a virtual map and create conversation around it.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the Pin the City project was part of Council’s aim to showcase the city’s most prized public assets – our people and their talents – to the world.
“Public art is an important part of the city’s changing landscape,” the Lord Mayor said.
“It tells a story, brings life to our streets and creates a thriving, inclusive and happy community where people are able to express themselves and their creative licenses.”
“So the next time you’re posing in front of a life-size painting or passing a brightly emblazoned mural or mosaic, make sure you stop, snap and send it to the Pin the City board for the whole world to see.”
Once you upload an image of an artwork and it’s live, a pin will appear showing users where it lives, and you will have made a great contribution to the city’s ever-evolving art scene.

Thanks to your efforts and those of others, users can then not only locate the work and see it for themselves but also leave comments and start an online discussion.
The information that is added and verified by City of Newcastle staff will ensure that future generations will know who the artist was and when the work was commissioned.
For more information or to make a start on the mapping process, head online to https://newcastle.mysocialpinpoint.com/art-mapping#/ and being pinning your personal favourites to the board.

Following is a summary of the Ordinary Council meeting for Tuesday 23 October 2018. NB: it is not a full record of resolutions.
Lord Mayoral Minute – Recognition of Jill Emberson
Council recognised Jill Emberson, ABC Newcastle broadcaster, for her contribution to raising awareness of ovarian cancer in our community.
Lord Mayoral Minute – Smart parking app success 
Council noted the success of the Easy Park pay by phone application with over 5,000 unique user downloads since March 2018 and will look to incentivise increased usage of the app in future.
Executive monthly performance report
The report was received.
Adoption of 2017/18 annual financial statements
Council received and adopted the annual financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2018.
Tabling of Pecuniary Interest Returns – Annual Report
Council noted the tabling of the report.
Internal reporting – Public Interest Disclosures Policy
The policy was adopted.
Draft Section 6.03 Wickham of Newcastle Development Control Plan 2012
Council resolved to adopt draft Section 6.03 Wickham for inclusion into the DCP.
Supercars 2017 Impact Assessment Report
Council received the report.
City Marketing and Engagement Policy
The 2018-2021 City Marketing and Engagement Strategy was adopted.
Planning Agreement – 5 Hall Street, Maryville
Council endorsed the Planning Agreement and authorised the CEO to execute the agreement. The approved plans include a protection zone to ensure the existing mangroves are retained and protected.
Stevenson Park Concept Landscape Masterplan
Council resolved to place the Stevenson Park Masterplan on public exhibition for 21 days and to receive a further report back to Council following the public exhibition.
Notices of Motion (NOM)
Verge gardens
A NOM was supported noting the approach adopted by a number of major Australian local authorities allowing residents to establish verge gardens, and to develop a draft Verge Garden Policy for Council’s consideration.
Skate bowl on South Newcastle Beach
An amended NOM was supported commiting to a review and finalisation of the coastal engineering report to ensure the proposed skate bowl does not negatively impact on the beach and coastline, and to engage in broader community consultation on the project.
Works program financial details
An amended NOM was supported for the City to provide a quarterly update of the 2019/20 works program to Council and the community via its website.

Newcastle’s public schools will benefit from a massive $14 billion investment in school funding promised by Federal Labor today.
Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon said the funding would repair the damage done by cuts to Newcastle schools levied under the Turnbull Government.
“The Federal Government abandoned signed contracts with the New South Wales Government. This resulted in $14.5 million worth of cuts to Newcastle schools – or an average of $350,000 per school over 2017 and 2018,” Ms Claydon said.
“These cuts have meant fewer teachers, less individual attention and less support to help kids achieve their potential.
“Labor’s record investment is equivalent to hiring 13,000 extra teachers or 23,000 more teachers’ aides across the country.”
Ms Claydon said that two-thirds of students in Australia attend public schools.
“Public schools have borne the burden of the vast majority of the Government’s ideological cuts, despite the fact they educate the majority of our disadvantaged kids,” Ms Claydon said.
“All kids deserve a great education regardless of their background or their family’s finances.”
Ms Claydon said that investment in education is one of the best ways of driving future prosperity.
“Education is transformative – for individual kids, for communities and for the wider society,” Ms Claydon said.
“While the Government is focusing on backing in tax breaks that disproportionately benefit wealthy investors, Labor is investing in the future through our children.”

Victims of immoral or illegal conduct by financial services institutions are invited to tell their stories at a banking roundtable in Newcastle on Friday.
Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon said she called the roundtable to shine a light on how the misconduct of banks and big finance is affecting people in the Newcastle-Hunter region.
“I’m aware of a number of shocking cases of misconduct that have had dire impacts on people and their families in our community,” Ms Claydon said.
“The roundtable will bring together banking victims and representatives from community organisations who see the impacts of banking misconduct in their work every day.”
Ms Claydon said she expected stories from the roundtable would help support the case for the Banking Royal Commission to visit regional communities like Newcastle.
“The Banking Royal Commission is doing great work bringing shocking evidence of appalling misconduct to light – from fees for no service, to predatory lending, contempt for regulators and straight-up breaches of the law,” Ms Claydon said.
“But the Commission has only been able to hear evidence from 27 victims, despite receiving over 9,000 submissions. This isn’t good enough. Australians right across the country deserve their chance to be heard.”
Ms Claydon said Morrison Government had repeatedly tried to block or diminish the scope of the Banking Royal Commission.
“Scott Morrison never wanted this Royal Commission. He ran a protection racket for the big banks for 600 days and voted against it 26 times. He called it a ‘populist whinge’ and a ‘reckless distraction’. And then he spent his last year as Treasurer trying to reward the big banks with a $17 billion tax cut.
“Labor called for this Royal Commission, Labor fought for this Royal Commission, Labor will allow victims to have their say, and Labor will work day and night to protect Australian businesses and consumers from this appalling misconduct.”

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon has seconded Shadow Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese’s push to again get high speed rail off the ground.
Ms Claydon said Newcastle was one of the cities that stood to benefit the most from an east coast high speed rail connection.
“High speed rail has the potential to be an absolute game changer for Newcastle,” Ms Claydon said.
“It will revolutionise travel, create a wealth of jobs and turbocharge the local economy.”
Ms Claydon said it is the fifth time Labor has introduced the Bill to the Parliament because the Government refused to schedule previous bills for debate.
“This Bill would re-establish the High Speed Rail Authority so it can get on with the critical work of planning and securing the land for the rail corridor before it’s built out by urban sprawl,” Ms Claydon said.
“A study done by the former Labor Government showed that high speed rail would return $2.50 for every $1 invested, but we need to get moving on it quickly.”
Ms Claydon said the Abbott Government scrapped the High Speed Rail Planning Authority when it came to power, and no progress has been made under Malcolm Turnbull or Scott Morrison.
“To date, the Liberals have shown a staggering lack of vision about Australia’s future infrastructure needs,” Ms Claydon said.
“The Government says it supports high speed rail but blocks any actual opportunity for progress, but this legislation offers a chance to turn things around.
“We need to heed Infrastructure Australia’s warning about moving fast or we’ll add hundreds of millions to the cost of securing the corridor.
“The Government is on notice. It’s time they stepped up to put the national interest above their own internal chaos.”

Two officers were allegedly assaulted after arresting a teenager who was wanted on an outstanding warrant in the Hunter region overnight.
About 12.45am (Tuesday 23 October 2018), police from Hunter Valley Police District attended a home on Fourth Street, Weston, after reports a teenager wanted on an outstanding warrant was at the property.
On arrival, they found a 16-year-old boy inside, who attempted to flee.
It’s alleged two senior constables stopped him and as they attempted to arrest him, a struggle ensued.
Neighbouring residents intervened, and it’s alleged both officers were assaulted – one was struck several times in the head and body.
As police attempted to restrain the teenager, he was tasered and OC spray was deployed.
It’s further alleged residents continued to intervene and one of the senior constables drew his taser until additional police arrived at the scene.
The boy was taken to Cessnock Police Station and charged with the outstanding warrant, resist officer in execution of duty, assault police officer in execution of duty cause aggravated bodily harm, possess prohibited drug, and possession of equipment for administering prohibited drugs.
He was refused bail to appear at a children’s court today (Tuesday 23 October 2018), where he was refused bail again to reappear at the same court on Tuesday 13 November 2018.

A man has been charged with a number of offences including assault after police were called to a hotel in Wickham yesterday.
About 7.35pm (Monday 22 October 2018), officers from Newcastle City were called to a hotel on Maitland Road following reports of an assault.
On arrival officers were told a 47-year-old man allegedly threatened a female staff member after he was asked to leave due to his level of intoxication.
It’s alleged the man punched a male patron before throwing a schooner glass towards him causing it to smash on the ground.
The patron suffered minor injuries – not from the glass – and didn’t require medical treatment.
Police arrested the man and during a search officers allegedly located a large amount of money and a billiard ball wrapped within a sock.
The man was taken to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with intimidation, common assault, goods in custody suspected of being stolen or unlawfully obtained and custody of an offensive implement in a public place.
He was refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 23 October 2018).