Category: Newcastle News

A trailbike rider has died in a two-vehicle crash in the state’s Port Stephens-Hunter Police District yesterday.

About 7.30pm (Friday 11 March 2023), emergency services were called to the intersection of McKeachie Drive and Oakhampton Road at Abberglassyn, near Maitland – after reports a trailbike rider had collided with another vehicle.

Witnesses rendered first aid to the rider – a man believed to be aged in his 20s – before the arrival of NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, he died at the scene.

The driver and single occupant of the other vehicle – a silver Nissan Dualis – a 17-year-old female – was not injured and was taken to Maitland Hospital for mandatory testing.

Officers from the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District established a crime scene and commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Raptor North officers have charged three people after a man was allegedly detained and threatened in Newcastle last month.

About 1am on Thursday 16 February 2023, a 31-year-old man arrived at the carpark of a fast food restaurant on Cowper Street, Wallsend, and met with a 29-year-old man known to him.

A short time later, another man entered his vehicle and allegedly threatened the older man with a knife.

He demanded cash before the 31-year-old man was able to escape the vehicle.

The armed man then left the car and drove from the scene in a separate vehicle.

The older man returned to his vehicle and later reported the incident to Newcastle City Police District, with the matter being referred to officers from the State Crime Command’s Raptor North.

Following extensive inquiries, Raptor North police arrested a 32-year-old man on the Esplanade, Speers Point, about 1.40pm yesterday.

Police then executed three search warrants at homes in Speers Point, Adamstown, and Macquarie Hills, from 2pm yesterday (Thursday 9 March 2023), where they seized about $25,000 cash, steroids, mobile phones, knuckle dusters, and suspected fraudulent documents.

A 29-year-old man was arrested at Macquarie Hills and a 34-year-old woman was arrested at Adamstown.

All three were taken to Newcastle Police Station and charged with take/detain person in company with intent to obtain advantage, participate criminal group contribute criminal activity, and deal with the proceeds of crime.

They were all refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court later today (Friday 10 March 2023).

An award-winning screenwriter and humanitarian has received a Key to the City of Newcastle after a compelling keynote speech at the annual Lord Mayor’s International Women’s Day Morning Tea at City Hall.

From her Newcastle home, Vanessa Alexander helped more than 100 Afghan women and their families at risk of retribution from the Taliban out of Afghanistan after the fall of Kabul in August 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fifty-six of these refugees are now living in or around Newcastle, 32 are in Ireland with the support of Ms Alexander’s sister, Elise, while others have resettled in Brazil and the US.

Some of the people pivotal to this mission joined Ms Alexander and Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes for a panel discussion, facilitated by Councillor Carol Duncan, including: Darwish Ahmadzai, who helped hundreds of women and children flee; Richelle Aiken, head of Friends of Refugees Newcastle; Megan Smith, Director at Prosperity Advisers, who helped find local jobs for women; and Tooba Azami, a female Afghan doctor who sought refuge in Newcastle on an emergency visa.

In addition to this, Ms Alexander is a writer and producer, best known for her work on Vikings: Valhalla (Netflix) and The Great (Hulu). For The Great, she was nominated for Best Comedy and Best New Series at the Writers Guild of America Awards in 2021. The same year, she went on to co-executive produce Valhalla from her bedroom in Newcastle during lockdown while home-schooling three children.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Ms Alexander exemplified the attributes of an ambassador for the city and embodied the spirit of the 2023 International Women’s Day theme, Embrace Equity.

“After the fall of Kabul, Vanessa was inspired to organise a group of local women to coordinate urgent and meaningful assistance for vulnerable Afghans, linking a global network of contacts via WhatsApp,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Hers is an incredible story of courage and hope, and I am proud to induct Ms Alexander as a City of Newcastle ambassador and give worthy recognition to her wonderful work with a Key to the City.”

Captivating a packed Concert Hall, Ms Alexander said she was honoured to accept the award for and on behalf of those who had helped coordinate support.

“Some of those people join us today on the panel. Darwish helped over 300 women and children to safety, and it inspired me to set up a Dungog Refugee support group who helped me secure Darwish a job and housing there. Richelle established Friends of Refugees Newcastle and provided support to the first 25 refugees who arrived, including housing Tooba and her brothers. Erin Beard, a social worker, was the other half of this mighty effort. Megan, together with Richelle, Rosanna Fuller and Lisa Toohey, helped me relocate a young female accountant by giving her and funding her skilled visa,” Ms Alexander said.

“While I was personally involved in helping close to 100 Afghan women and their families, the ripple effect was manyfold as hundreds more received crisis support through the network Darwish and I established with the Canberra based woman’s activist, Susan Hutchison.”

The morning tea raised $3,200 through a raffle and online donations for Ms Alexander’s chosen beneficiary, refugee support service Talent Beyond Boundaries, adding to the $1,800 raised in 2022 for suicide prevention charity R U OK? and $3,100 for domestic violence organisation Got Your Back Sista in 2021.

There will be plenty of options to soak up the atmosphere of the Newcastle 500 outside of the racing precinct, with City of Newcastle supporting a series of fun, free events this weekend.

Racing fans can kick off their experience with the ultimate Supercars signing session at Gregson Park in Hamilton from 4.30pm to 7pm tomorrow, Thursday 9 March.

Get there early and check out the pristine display of cars from Newy Car Club while the younger members of the family have fun behind the wheel on the free mechanical car ride before all 25 drivers from the Newcastle 500 arrive for the official autograph session at 5pm.

Make a night of it by grabbing a bite to eat from the food trucks on site or picking up a tasty takeaway meal from nearby Beaumont Street before settling in for an evening picnic amongst the buzz.

Car enthusiasts can check out some of Newcastle’s coolest cars with another display from Newy Car Club members at Newcastle Museum forecourt from 8.30am to 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The enviable display will have something for everyone to ogle, from the high end luxury of an Aston Martin, Lamborghini and Ferrari to the classic appeal of a Holden HSV R8 and Ford GT500 Mustang among others.

Family fun will also be on offer in Civic Park from 11am to 3pm on Saturday and Sunday, with free activities for all ages. Gets hands-on with the toddler messy play stations, race your mates on the jumbo slide, get colourful with free face painting, partake in fun interactive workshops including a community mural wall and enjoy some special performances and live music each day.

Keep track of all the details across the weekend by visiting whatson.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/the-fun-starts-here

Families are celebrating City of Newcastle’s ongoing investment in recreational spaces, with the completion of the first of five new playgrounds this year being upgraded across the city.

Vera Wilson Park at Beresfield was officially opened to the public today as part of City of Newcastle’s (CN) annual playground improvement program, with Loch Ness Drive Park in Fletcher, Harold Myers Park in Birmingham Gardens, Avon Street Reserve in Mayfield, and Waratah Park all set to be completed within coming months.

Upgraded equipment at Vera Wilson Park caters for a range of ages, with swings, challenging climbing components, slides and multi-play units. Other features of the upcoming playgrounds include a new stairway at Fletcher and a mini trampoline at Waratah.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said up to five of Newcastle’s 134 local playgrounds are replaced each year under a commitment to delivering improved recreational opportunities for families across the local government area.

“The park was originally named in 1969 after Beresfield Progress Association life-member and British Empire Medal recipient, Vera Wilson, for her dedication to improving the Beresfield area including this playground on Beresford Avenue,” Cr Nelmes said.

“As a member of the Beresfield Progress Association, Miss Wilson was a trailblazer and frequently advocated for improvements to the park, so it’s wonderful to unveil the newly upgraded Park in honour of her legacy for future generations and the Beresfield community to enjoy.

“A community event will be held at Vera Wilson Park on Tuesday 18 April at 12pm, showcasing how our local parks and playgrounds are places where our community can come together to relax and interact.

“The turnout at previous local playground community opening events reinforces the important role these public spaces play within local neighbourhoods, which is why we continue to invest in playground projects.”

City of Newcastle has invested more than $9.5 million in playground projects during the past five years, including the recently opened $2 million Wallsend Active Hub.

Detailed design work is also continuing for the play space at Gregson Park and on the fully-fenced accessible play space and waterpark in Foreshore Park as part of the implementation of CN’s adopted Newcastle Harbour Foreshore Masterplan.

To stay up-to-date with the progress and to find out about works in your neighbourhood visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/works

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is warning that unless the New South Wales Government acts on new payroll tax obligations for general practice, patients in the Hunter will face higher fees to see their GP and some practices may be forced to close.

The RACGP has been advocating for a fair go for practices for more than a year after a new interpretation of payroll tax law in a NSW tribunal ruling. The tribunal found that tenant GPs, who pay a percentage of their earnings to a clinic rather than being paid a wage, count as employees for payroll tax purposes. This disrupts established business models for practices, which now face the unenviable choice of charging patients more or shutting up shop.

The Queensland Government has agreed to a grace period until 2025, giving GPs and practice teams two-and-a-half years to ensure they are tax compliant. However, other jurisdictions, including NSW, have so far remained silent. Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick has been “in talks” with NSW Treasurer Matt Kean on this issue, but there is no sign yet of any relief for hardworking practices in NSW.

A recent survey of almost 1,300 GPs and practice staff found that:

• just 3% of practices are in a position to absorb the costs associated with GPs becoming liable for the tax
• almost one in five respondents said that their practice would close should state and territory governments change the current payroll tax interpretation and start considering tenant doctors as employees
• a staggering 78% said they would be forced to raise fees, meaning patients would be paying more for every GP consult.

RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins said the NSW Government needed to act decisively to save general practice care.

“This Sick Tax could cripple general practice care in Newcastle and the broader Hunter region,” she said.

“While practices around the country, including in the Hunter, already pay payroll tax on employees such as receptionists and administrative workers, a sweeping extension of payroll tax following the New South Wales tribunal ruling will represent a huge increased tax burden beyond the margins of most practices.

“Practices in the Hunter will have little choice but to either pass the cost on to patients by charging more or face the prospect of shutting up shop. Some patients won’t be able to afford increased out-of-pocket costs, so they will delay or avoid the care they need and end up in a hospital bed with a far more serious condition. As a result, the entire health system will suffer for years to come. I believe that all patients deserve better, everyone should be able to access high-quality general practice care regardless of their postcode.”

RACGP NSW Chair Professor Charlotte Hespe said that the NSW Government should pay close attention to what GPs and practice teams are saying.

“Patient care must come first,” she said.

“I’m not surprised that respondents to the survey are so alarmed and that more than three quarters of those surveyed said that they would be forced to raise patient fees if new payroll tax obligations are imposed on them. That includes some practices ending bulk billing and moving to a private billing model and others substantially increasing their private billing fees. It is also no shock to learn that so many practices would have to shut up shop at a time when we face a GP shortage in many communities, particularly outside of major cities.

“In rural and remote areas, this will leave some communities with no practice to turn to. This is a disaster just waiting to happen and something that must be averted at all costs.”

Newcastle GP Dr Fiona Van Leeuwen said that any new payroll tax obligations would have a host of complex and unintended consequences.

“The closer you look at this, the more worrying it all gets,” she said.

“The ruling potentially has many impacts, including the ability to share complex chronic care of patients, being able to teach, as well having an after-hours roster. State and territory leaders have been on the record as saying that our health system is broken, and Mr Perrottet said fixing it is ‘our most urgent national priority’. The very least the NSW Government can do is take steps to protect patient care by exempting practices from this new tax burden.

“I will say it until I am blue in the face – practices should not be slugged with this additional tax on top of everything else we are dealing with. Medicare rebates have not kept pace with the costs of providing high-quality care and the Medicare freeze has taken $2 billion from general practice care.

“We are urgently repeating our calls for an exemption in every state and territory, including NSW. The NSW Government must act to ensure people in Newcastle and the broader Hunter region can access high-quality affordable general practice care when they need it.”

The curtain will come down one last time tonight bringing Come From Away’s record-breaking Newcastle season to a close, after sweeping audiences to their feet for a standing ovation after all 23 shows.

More than 21,500 theatregoers attended from across the Hunter and beyond, who flocked to the Civic Theatre during Come From Away’s three-week extended run to share in the incredible real-life story of the 7,000 air passengers from around the world who were grounded in Newfoundland Canada in the wake of 9/11.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Come From Away has impressed theatregoers during its Newcastle debut and whet the city’s appetite for more musical theatre already proven on Broadway.

“Newcastle has waited 30 years to see the return of a professional Broadway production and Come From Away has been well worth the wait. Having smashed previous box office ticket sales records, our city’s appetite for live musical theatre is alive and well,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Attracting a professional Broadway production of this calibre is a testament to Newcastle’s growth as a world-class cultural city and indicative of our thriving live performing arts scene. As a city, we can’t wait to welcome the next Broadway hit to Newcastle.”

Of the more than 21,500 theatregoers, almost 50 per cent of tickets were purchased by visitors outside of Newcastle and the Hunter, from intrastate destinations like Narrabri and Bellingen to interstate destinations like Tasmania, delivering a ripple effect to accommodation providers, local businesses and the wider visitor economy.

Local accommodation providers like QT Newcastle have been welcoming guests from far-flung country NSW to Melbourne during the past three weeks according to General Manager Michael Stamboulidis.

“We’ve been run off our feet with guests here to catch a glimpse of Broadway,” Mr Stamboulidis said.

“Our accommodation/theatre packages have been popular among theatregoers and the hotel has seen high demand whilst Come From Away has been showing.”

Among the opening night crowd was Canadian-born super fan Zarina Varley Scott, who travelled to Newcastle from Sydney’s Northern Beaches to experience Come From Away’s Newcastle debut.

“This is the ninth time I’ve seen Come From Away, in various locations around the world, and I couldn’t wait to see it again in Newcastle. It did not disappoint,” Ms Varley Scott said.

Novocastrian Di Flemming was also thrilled to see Come From Away in Newcastle at the historic Civic Theatre on the opening night.

“It was a rollercoaster of a ride, I had the best time,” Ms Flemming said.

The Minister for Hospitality and Racing the Hon. Kevin Anderson has today officially opened the new multi-million dollar Muswellbrook Greyhound Racing facility in the NSW Upper Hunter Valley.

The Minister, the Member for the Upper Hunter David Layzell, and Greyhound Racing NSW Chief Executive Officer Rob Macaulay attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the upgraded facility – including latest safety measures – to enable imminent TAB race meetings.

“Muswellbrook is a greyhounds heartland and this funding will ensure the long-term success of the club and the health and safety of greyhounds,” Mr Anderson said of the $1.2 million investment the NSW Government has made to the project through the Capital Grants Fund.

“The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has worked hand in hand with the greyhound industry to support track upgrades, including the one at Muswellbrook.

“I first visited the track back in 2021 and the club was concerned about the future of greyhound racing in the region. There was a real risk that the doors would close on Muswellbrook greyhound racing.

“How far we have come in the last two years. I know that Muswellbrook is buzzing with excitement at the return of TAB quality race meets here in the Upper Hunter.

“Right across Regional NSW there are major track safety upgrades being delivered in places like, Gosford, Gunnedah, Goulburn, Kempsey and Grafton, with more to come. The support for these safety measures has meant NSW is leading the way in greyhound safety and welfare management.”

GRNSW purchased the track from the Greyhound Breeders, Owners & Trainers Association back in 2021 with the target of rebuilding the facility, and the focus of the rebuild at Muswellbrook – as it is with all track upgrades – has been firmly on safety.

Among the work conducted at the track has been a full refurbishment with the remediation and re-profiling of the track and the turf surface, a new safety rail, safety padding on the turns and in the catching pen, and the installation of a Safechase lure system has all been installed.

The kennels have new insulation and air conditioning installed, new starting boxes and new synthetic mats at the boxes are in place, and a new swabbing bay and stewards’ room have been built.

Mr Macaulay said the new track is something Hunter locals can be proud of, as a venue and economic driver for the region.

“Muswellbrook is the latest major investment into track facilities in the State. The strong support of the NSW Government, Minister Anderson and local MP Dave Layzell have made this possible,” Mr Macaulay said.  

“We are all excited about what it means to the Upper Hunter. We estimate the facility will bring an additional $20 million into the Muswellbrook economy, and 20 additional jobs.

“This is what greyhound racing does within local communities, it supports livelihoods of participants and flow on benefits throughout the towns.

“The reason why we are investing in these tracks around the State is to bring all of our racetracks up to the safest standard for our greyhounds, and we have done exactly that here at Muswellbrook.

“The safety and welfare of our animal is paramount and that is not just rhetoric.”

Mr Macaulay said the first TAB meeting at Muswellbrook, which had earlier been scheduled for March 11, would be rescheduled.

“Unfortunately nature has intervened, and the grass laid on the track has not completely knitted,” he said. “It’s one of those things out of our control, but as a result, because the track isn’t yet 100% ready, we will not compromise for the sake of scheduling. I look forward to announcing the new date shortly.”

Mr Macaulay also pointed out that it hasn’t been and won’t be just industry participants who have benefited from the rebuild of the Muswellbrook track.

“The local community will see an influx into the economy from those coming to race, and, as part of a new GRNSW policy initiated last year, local suppliers are the preferred supplies for work,” he said.

“Among the works which local suppliers have been used for, include track and turf including ongoing maintenance, kennels, wash bays and the tower, consultancy, irrigation and onsite security.”

The completion of the upgrade at Muswellbrook will offer participants another state-of-the-art venue in the region to race at, as well as The Gardens in Newcastle and the Maitland track.

A man reported missing from the Lake Macquarie area has been located safe and well.

The 59-year-old was last seen by a friend at West Wallsend about 9.20pm yesterday (Friday 3 March 2023).

When he didn’t return home and could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Following a public appeal and a geotargeting message sent to the West Wallsend area, the man has been located safe and well at West Wallsend.

Police would like to thank the public and the media for its assistance.

Swimmers will be able to dip more than just a toe in the water during the cooler months of the swimming season with water heating upgrades planned for Wallsend and Mayfield Swimming Centres.

Thirty kilowatts of rooftop solar panels and heat pumps will be installed at both Wallsend and Mayfield pools to regulate pool water temperatures to around 25 degrees.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said City of Newcastle is committed to maintaining and investing in our local swimming pools to ensure the community members, sporting clubs and visitors can continue to enjoy the highly valued recreational facilities each year.

“Newcastle’s aquatic facilities play an important role in our community and City of Newcastle is committed to investing in quality upgrades to our local pools,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Our inland swimming centres are utilised 30 weeks per year, from the start of the September school holidays through to the end of the April school holidays, and enhance the lives of community members, sporting clubs and visitors that enjoy our facilities for sporting and leisure, active living and social connection.”

Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said City of Newcastle is committed to using renewable energy for its inland pool operations, working to achieve net zero emissions by 2030 as part of the City’s adopted Climate Action Plan.

“Currently, the pool heating systems at Wallsend and Mayfield Swimming Centres are ageing and ineffective, which impacts the way patrons utilise our facilities throughout the season,” Cr Clausen said.

“City of Newcastle is investing $400,000 in pool heating upgrades as part of projects approved in this year’s budget. Rooftop solar panels generate electricity, which support the power needs of the heat pump, as well as supply additional power to the facility’s energy needs, with any excess energy returning back to the grid.”

The installation of rooftop solar panels and heat pumps at Wallsend and Mayfield Swimming Centres are scheduled for completion before they reopen in September.

City of Newcastle remains committed to providing high quality aquatic facilities at Lambton, Wallsend, Beresfield, Mayfield and Stockton. The City continues to advocate to the NSW Government and Opposition for funding for a year-round aquatic facility, requesting that both sides of Government commit funding to match the significant pool announcements made elsewhere in NSW in recent weeks.