Category: Newcastle News

Police are appealing for community assistance to locate a man missing from the Lake Macquarie Police District.
John Gregory O’Neill, who goes by the name of Greg, is aged 72, and was last seen leaving his house in Prospect Road in Garden Suburb about 1.30pm today (Monday 18 May 2020).
Mr O’Neill is described as being Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall with a medium build. He is clean shaven and has grey hair.
He was last seen wearing a navy-blue wind-breaker jacket, dark brown pants, a dark coloured baseball cap and believed to be carrying a grey gold umbrella.
He was reported missing to officers from Lake Macquarie Police District after he failed to return home and a search has commenced.
Police and family hold serious concerns for Greg’s welfare as this is totally out of character.

Anyone who sights Greg or has information about his whereabouts, are urged to immediately contact Belmont Police Station on (02) 49228899 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are investigating the suspicious death of a baby in the state’s Hunter region.
Just after 3pm yesterday (Sunday 17 May 2020), a seven-month-old boy was taken to Muswellbrook Hospital in an unresponsive state.
Despite the efforts of hospital staff, the baby was unable to be revived.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District were notified and commenced an investigation.
A crime scene was established at a home in the Hunter region and examined by specialist forensic officers.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted to establish the cause of death; however, it is being treated as suspicious.
No further information is available at this time.

City of Newcastle acknowledges that the 2020 Newcastle 500 will not form part of the revised 2020 Supercars Australia Championship series following the impact of COVID-19.
“The Newcastle 500 is the largest event on the local calendar. The loss of this event in December 2020 and the tens of thousands of overnight bookings, is devastating for accommodation and hospitality providers, who are already under financial pressure from measures required to stop the spread of COVID 19,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“Hunter Research Foundation found the Newcastle 500 generates $30.1 million annually for the Newcastle economy alone. The $30.1 million benefit of the event would be far higher if the direct economic benefit in neighbouring areas including Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Cessnock were included.
“As the finale of the Supercars Australia Championship series, the Newcastle 500 brings widespread exposure for our city. This 2019 event weekend recorded 344 media stories from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 November, reaching a combined domestic audience of more than 14 million people, with an estimated value of over $2 million.
“According to Supercars Australia the TV audience for Newcastle 500 peaked at more than 1.8 million viewers with an average of 1.3 million people viewing the three-day event.
“We look forward to the return of Supercars to Newcastle.”

A man will appear in court today after allegedly choking a child in a domestic-related incident in the state’s Hunter region.
About 2pm yesterday (Saturday 16 May 2020), a 27-year-old man was at a house in Rutherford, about 7km north-west of Maitland, when he allegedly became involved in an argument with a 44-year-old woman and became aggressive.
Police will allege in court that he turned and grabbed a five-year-old boy by the throat with both hands and lifted him off the ground, before letting him go onto a lounge.
The man left the house and the incident was reported to officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District, who commenced an investigation.
Following inquiries, officers from Sydney City Police Area Command arrested the man at a hotel on Castlereagh Street, Haymarket, about 9.45pm.
He was taken to Surry Hills Police Station and charged with intentionally choke person without consent (DV).
The man was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court today (Sunday 17 May 2020).

A man has died following a light plane crash in the state’s Hunter region today.
About 10.15am (Sunday 17 May 2020), emergency services were called to a property on Denton Close, Windella, after reports a light plane had crashed into a backyard.
The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft was removed from the wreckage by witnesses and despite attempts to resuscitate him, he died at the scene.
He is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be a 44-year-old.
Officers from Port Stephens Hunter Police District established a crime scene and commenced inquiries.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority have been notified.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

City of Newcastle is encouraging residents to continue social distancing as parks, playgrounds, skateparks and beaches re-open in line with a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.
Under a new Public Health Order, from today outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed across the state and leaving the home for leisure will be permitted.
“I’d like to thank and commend the Newcastle community for their co-operation and understanding in observing social distancing rules and stay-home orders over the past couple of months,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“From today we have removed restrictions on outdoor spaces and re-opened playgrounds, skateparks and outdoor equipment including basketball and netball courts.
“We ask the community to continue to respect the NSW Government health restrictions by maintaining social distancing and continuing to practise good hygiene to ensure everyone can enjoy our public spaces.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to adhere to the restrictions, so when there’s 10 people at a skatepark or basketball court, users are encouraged to respect everyone’s right to access the facility.”
Blackbutt Reserve’s open space areas will re-open to the public ahead of the Carnley and Richley Reserve playgrounds on Saturday following scheduled maintenance Friday. Animal encounters, wildlife exhibits and shows remain suspended under the current social distancing and public gathering restrictions.
The red-and-yellow flags are back up at Newcastle Ocean Baths, Merewether Ocean Baths; Nobbys, Bar and Merewether beaches in line with winter-season patrols, with lifeguards continuing to encourage social distancing while monitoring swimmers.
More information will be known soon on organised sport as the City follows the national guidelines for the resumption of sport and recreation activities, and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment https://ais.gov.au/health-wellbeing/covid-19
The NSW Office of Sport is working on the development of guidelines for each sport in line with the AIS Framework.
While continued restrictions on gatherings mean the City’s cultural facilities, such as libraries, Newcastle Museum, Civic Theatre and the Art Gallery, remain closed, a range of experiences are being offered online, from Art Gallery exhibitions to animal feeding at Blackbutt.
Civic Digest Café will resume table service for up to 10 patrons, in line with the easing of restrictions on hospitality businesses, and continue its takeaway service.
While the City’s face-to-face customer service desk remains closed, customers can instead access support between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, on (02) 4974 2000, on webchat or via our online Customer Request Form

Police have located a hydroponic cannabis set-up following an alleged domestic violence incident yesterday.
About 4.40pm on Thursday (14 May 2020), officers attached to Port Stephens – Hunter Police District received a domestic-related complaint and attended a home at Lowe Street, Clarencetown.
Officers spoke with the occupant, a 39-year- old woman, but the man had fled the scene.
Officers later stopped the man at Lemon Tree Passage in a Holden Commodore, where he was arrested and taken to Raymond Terrance Police Station.
After receiving further information, a warrant was executed at the Lowe Street home.
During a search of the home, officers located and seized an elaborate hydroponic set-up contained within an internal room. Cannabis plants in various stages of growth, including seedlings (24) small plants(19) and mature plants (24), was located.
Officers returned to the property on Friday (15 May 2020), to continue the search, where police located an amount of firearms ammunition.
The man was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm (DV), two counts of contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (Domestic), stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm (Domestic), use unregistered class A motor vehicle, use uninsured motor vehicle, use/consume/waste electricity without authority, possess ammunition w/o holding licence, possess prohibited plant, cultivate prohibited plant and possess prohibited drug.
He was refused bail to appear at Raymond Terrance Local Court today (Friday 15 May 2020)
Inquiries continue.

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon has used the last day of the Parliamentary sitting to give a speech calling on the Morrison Government to rethink cuts to bulk billing incentives as doctors increasingly struggle with the pressures of COVID-19.
Ms Claydon told the Parliament that Newcastle was one of 14 areas nationally that were targeted by the Morrison Government to remove bulk billing incentive payments.
“It’s astonishing now to think that the Prime Minister started this year of 2020 with a fresh round of cuts to Medicare bulk-billing. The loss of that incentive payment is estimated to cost the Newcastle and Hunter region some $7 million,” Ms Claydon said.
“Doctors have already had to start making decisions about not bulk-billing those vulnerable people in our community. It’s already happened. And, indeed, I have lost GPs. I have had GPs’ surgery doors close.”
Ms Claydon warned that the pandemic was adding to the pressure for GPs.
“This is a time when our GPs are under even more pressure. Many of them are now reporting to me that they are doing a lot of unpaid work, calling people after hours who are trying to get advice and follow-up information around COVID-19 at the moment. Simultaneously, there’s been a reduction in the number of face-to-face visits to GPs.
“A doctor of many decades in my community, summed up the feelings of his colleagues when he wrote, ‘We feel that primary care doctors have been abandoned by the government and left to fend for themselves in the front line of this pandemic.’ – I don’t think I could have put it any better myself.”
Ms Claydon called on the Government to reverse the cuts immediately.
“At a time when this pandemic has really made abundantly clear the importance of strong, universal primary healthcare in this nation, it is astonishing that the government should even contemplate proceeding with this cruel scheme to cut bulk-billing incentive payments,” Ms Claydon said.
Ms Claydon said more than 3,000 Novocastrians had signed her petition against the Government’s bulk billing incentive cuts.

Contracts to build the latest stretch of Newcastle’s landmark Bathers Way Coastal Pathway and a drawcard skating facility at South Newcastle Beach will be open to tender from Tuesday.
Site preparation work and cliff stabilisation will soon begin, before separate contracts are awarded in July for the latest instalment of the Bathers Way’s signature broadened pathway and an adjoining skate park and bowl.

The $11.7 million project, which will begin in August and take around two years to complete, will re-activate South Newcastle Beach with a kiosk, new public amenities, landscaping, artwork, shade and seating, exercise equipment and viewing areas.
“Construction companies are now invited to bid for these two contracts to transform a long-dormant part of Newcastle’s coastline,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“By renewing the site’s infrastructure and building new facilities, we hope to revive South Newcastle Beach as a vibrant and attractive place to visit.
“Completed sections of the Bathers Way have prompted 50 per cent usage increases, with Merewether one of the busiest due to its additional facilities, and we expect to see similar impetus from this revitalisation project.
“Increased foot and wheel-based traffic will, in turn, increase surveillance and reduce anti-social behaviour in a wider boost for businesses in Newcastle East.”
Part of The Newcastle Beach Community Infrastructure Project, the upcoming works will better connect King Edward Park and Newcastle Surf Life Saving Club before the final Bathers Way sections, through the park and along Memorial Drive, are delivered.
The project is partially funded through the State Government’s Restart NSW Fund and has been guided by the Bathers Way Community Reference Group (CRG).

Community feedback in 2018 on the original concept plan, which had a skate bowl extending onto the beach, prompted modifications that garnered overwhelming support in further community engagement last year.
“It’s a fantastic area that will be activated by a myriad of user groups and individuals,” Bathers Way CRG’s Skate Community Representative John Bogaerts said. “The area has been dormant for some time so this upgrade will mean it meets the community’s needs and will complement the rest of the existing Bathers Way.”
While a separate tender and contract will be awarded for the skatepark construction in parallel to the main Bathers Way tender, the former will be novated under the latter when both are awarded.
In preparation, minor construction work will commence in June, including drainage, maintenance of the cliff face and preparations to extend the existing rock-catch fence.
Tender submissions can be made from Tuesday via https://www.tenderlink.com/newcastle/

A free wellbeing toolkit designed to help people navigate financial, psychological and public health concerns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is now available to the community.
City of Newcastle has developed a COVID-19 Wellbeing Information Pack to support the community and local businesses through this challenging time.
The 34-page pack includes tips for boosting your immune system, like getting enough sleep and eating well; improving your mental health through mindfulness exercises; looking after your social wellbeing by staying connected with friends and family and more.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said COVID-19 had far-reaching impacts on almost every aspect of our lives, making access to resources like the Wellbeing Information Pack particularly important.
“Every one of us has been impacted by the coronavirus and we’re all doing the best we can to keep ourselves and our families safe and healthy,” the Lord Mayor said.
“City of Newcastle’s COVID-19 Wellbeing Information Pack contains useful resources to support the health of our community and connect people to the services they may need in this challenging time.
“We are living through history, so it’s OK to press pause and access the help you need to stay well – physically, mentally, socially and financially.”
The information pack links to support services such as Lifeline and Beyond Blue and references trusted news sources whilst providing tips to limit media exposure to reduce stress and anxiety.
There are also home workouts for adults and children to try, particularly for those working from home and home-schooling, while the Pack also includes financial resources and a directory of domestic and family violence support services.
The COVID-19 Wellbeing Information Pack is available via the City of Newcastle website and will be distributed across the city’s community and business networks. The City’s Emergency Services Relief Guide can also be accessed online.