Category: Newcastle News

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on City of Newcastle’s finances is forecast to be $18 million by the end of June.
The March Quarterly Budget Review Statement to be considered by the elected Council later this month forecasts that City of Newcastle’s income will fall by $17.849 million at 30 June, when compared to the most recent budget update three months ago.
The impact of COVID-19 on the City’s bottom line is furthered through the Council-approved $5.5 million community support program that commenced in April and runs until the end of June.
A second round of support measures in response to COVID-19 will be announced next month as part of the 2020/21 budget.
The overall impact on this year’s (2019/2020) budget is now forecast to be an $8.33 million deficit. This compares to a forecast $4.138 million surplus immediately prior to the state and nation-wide lockdown measures started in March to contain the spread of COVID-19.
City of Newcastle will fund the $8.33 million budget deficit via its existing reserves.
The $18 million reduction in the City’s forecast income for this year is spread across multiple areas of City of Newcastle’s services and includes:

• Reduced waste volumes to the Summerhill Waste Management Centre
• Loss of ticket sales from the closure of Civic Theatre
• Loss of bookings from the almost-complete closure of the Stockton Beach Holiday Park
• Reduced Newcastle Airport dividend
• Reduced income from investments
• Reduced parking meter revenue
• Reduced traffic infringements.

City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said despite the $18 million COVID-19 hit, the organisation’s long-term financial sustainability remained sound.
“Just like the majority of businesses and organisations in our city and region, our income has been significantly affected by COVID-19,” Mr Bath said.
“However, because of the prudent management of the City’s finances in recent years, we have the ability to get through this economic downturn, all be it with a budget deficit this year.
“Our focus over the remainder of this year and next year will be to carefully manage our finances in order to respond to COVID-19, as well as fund projects aimed at supporting the local economy.
“We know that in times of significant economic downturn, the most effective way of supporting the local recovery is to fund community infrastructure. It’s for this reason that City of Newcastle will not take its foot off the pedal of our capital works program, which this year will be a historic $100 million.
“In March, Councillors unanimously adopted a $5.5 million Community and Economic Resilience Package.
“Among a broad range of support for our community, we have already initiated a $800,000 grants program to empower the community sector to support the most vulnerable, as well as offered interest-free rate deferrals for 15 months, and a 50 per cent discount to those small businesses renting a City-owned building.”
For the latest updates on the City of Newcastle’s response to the COVID-19 and changes to services, visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/covid-19

Using offshore sand to save Stockton Beach will protect local homes and community land from the threat of coastal erosion as well as protect $2.5 million in public assets.
This is the finding of a cost benefit analysis undertaken as part of the Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP), which concludes initial actions to address coastal erosion will cost $19 million over five years, in addition to the requirement for mass offshore sand nourishment which will take an estimated $21 million investment followed by $12 million in maintenance every decade.
Coastal engineers have recommended an initial mass marine sand nourishment campaign of 2.4 million cubic metres to restore the beach and protect coastal assets. It also identifies actions to take over the next 12 months to address immediate risks, while the NSW Deputy Premier’s Stockton Erosion Taskforce determines a legal pathway to secure the required volume of sand from approximately two kilometres offshore.
Research undertaken as part of the CMP has also found that 112,000 cubic metres of sand is being lost each year, far more than previously estimated.
Immediate actions include an initial sand nourishment program of 50,000 cubic metres from land-based (or other permissible) sources, while undertaking essential protection works to the ends of existing seawalls to address the imminent risk of losing both private property and community assets.
The draft Stockton Coastal Management Program is based on years of engagement with the local community, includes the latest expert engineering advice, and provides a way forward that has sand nourishment as the cornerstone of the program.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the Stockton CMP struck a balance between the needs of a sandy beach for the community to enjoy, and protecting coastal assets and properties from erosion.
“The call for mass sand nourishment for both beach amenity and asset protection has been very clear, and through cost-benefit analysis we’ve confirmed this option stacks up with a $2.5 million return on investment,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We’re thankful the NSW Government and in particular the Deputy Premier has recognised the importance of this issue and has committed to using its many agencies to deliver a mechanism to get sand onto Stockton Beach.
“We are now at a critical point in delivering an outcome for Stockton which is why it’s so important for the community to have their say on the plan before it goes to the NSW Government at the end of June.”
Members of the Stockton Community Liaison Group (CLG), which was formed in 2018 and has met formally 21 times, stressed the importance of the public exhibition period.
Barbara Whitcher, Chair, Stockton Community Liaison Group, Stockton resident:
“It’s my hope that the Stockton CMP is considered by the broader community in context, that is City of Newcastle defining its preferred long-term management option while addressing what it can do now.
“Now is our chance to present a united front between the Stockton community and City of Newcastle so we can get the outcome we need,” Ms Whitcher said.
Simon Jones, President, Northside Boardriders, Stockton resident:
“I’m glad that the plan put forward is one which is focussed on returning the sandy beach that I enjoyed as a kid so as the next generation of Stockton can swim, surf, fish and make friends on the beach like we did.
“While the Stockton CLG represents a good cross-section of the community, it’s so important that the broader community takes advantage of this public exhibition period to have their say,” Mr Jones said.
Professor Ron Boyd, Professor Earth Sciences, Stockton resident: 
“The Stockton CLG has been providing technical background for the local community and also giving plenty of feedback to City of Newcastle on issues that are important to Stockton.
“My hope is that the Stockton community can achieve some agreement through the public exhibition process so that we provide a consensus position to City of Newcastle and as a result, generate a strong Coastal Management Program submitted to the State Government,” Professor Boyd said.
Callan Nickerson, Stockton Surf Lifesaving Club President and CLG member:
“While it has been a sometimes-frustrating process, City of Newcastle has listened and recognised the importance of the beach to Stockton’s identity and the wellbeing of the community,” Mr Nickerson said.
Every coastal council in the State is currently preparing a CMP in line with the NSW Coastal Management Act 2016, with a deadline of December 2021.
City of Newcastle will become one of the first to submit a CMP at the end of June, in line with a direction from the Local Government Minister.
The Stockton CMP is on public exhibition until 10 June 2020.
You can view the draft Stockton CMP at www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/stockton.
Key facts:

• The Stockton CMP area stretches from the northern harbour breakwall to Meredith Street.
• Sand lost from the Stockton CMP area is now estimated at 112,000 cubic metres per year, which is far more than previous estimates.
• The required volume of sand for mass nourishment for the Stockton CMP area is estimated to be between 1.8 and 4.5 million cubic metres initially, depending on the sand source, followed by maintenance campaigns every decade, making marine offshore sand the only viable source.
• Existing seawalls at Stockton will be repaired, while also being extended at each end with minimal buried structures to protect private and public assets from immediate risk.

Key figures:

• Delivering the initial 50,000 cubic metre sand nourishment from available land (or other permissible) sources, protection structures, and other seawall maintenance and associated work is expected to cost $9 million in the first year and a total of $19 million over five years.
• Mass offshore sand nourishment is expected to cost $21 million for an initial campaign followed by maintenance campaigns every 10 years at $12 million.

A man will face court charged over the alleged online procurement of a child following an investigation by Strike Force Trawler detectives in the Lower Hunter Valley.
In March this year, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crime Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from Maitland.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking with a 13-year-old girl and engaged in conversations about sex acts he wished to perform on the teenager and shared sexually explicit material with her.
It will also be alleged that the man arranged to meet the girl in person.
Following extensive inquiries, strike force detectives arrested a 36-year-old man at Waratah Railway Station about 10.10am yesterday (Tuesday 12 May 2020).
A subsequent search warrant was executed at the man’s home address, where mobile phones, tablets, a laptop and a hard drive were seized by officers.
He was taken to Waratah Police Station and charged with using a carriage service to procure person under 16 years for sexual activity.
The man was refused bail and appeared via video link at Newcastle Local Court yesterday (Tuesday 12 May 2020), and is next due to appear at the same court today (Wednesday 13 May 2020).
Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by the CEIU into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU; and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.
The Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate matters against children and adults, including sexual assault, serious physical abuse, and extreme cases of neglect.
Anyone with concerns about suspected child abuse or exploitation should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. People should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon has welcomed the announcement of almost $2.7 million in funding to the Hunter Medical Research Institute and the University of Newcastle for ovarian cancer treatment research.
Ms Claydon said this is one of a series of projects supported under a Federal Government funding commitment that was secured by Novocastrian Jill Emberson before her death from ovarian cancer in December 2019 .
“The HMRI / University of Newcastle grant is part of the Federal Government commitment of $20 million that would never have come about if it hadn’t been for Jill’s tireless advocacy for increased funding for ovarian cancer research,” Ms Claydon said.
“Even when Jill was extremely ill and debilitated from this terrible disease herself, she never wavered in her fight for fairer funding for ovarian cancer research and treatment.”
Ms Claydon said the funding would allow HMRI and University of Newcastle researchers to undertake a drug repurposing project to treat forms of ovarian cancer that aren’t responsive to current treatments.
“This project has the potential to fast-track new ovarian cancer treatments by looking at the potential of existing drugs that have already undergone the extensive vetting and safety tests needed to secure approval for human use,” Ms Claydon said.
“It will use artificial intelligence to narrow down the field of drugs that show promise.”
Ms Claydon said the survival outcomes from ovarian cancer are still ‘diabolically low’
“Ovarian cancer has the lowest survival rate of any women’s cancer with only 46 per cent of women surviving after five years.
“Compare that to breast cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of more than 90 per cent now. That’s the benchmark we should be aiming for.”
Ms Claydon promised to continue Jill’s fight for greater investment in ovarian cancer in Canberra.
“Jill founded the Pink Meets Teal campaign to build a community of advocates calling for  fairer funding for ovarian cancer. I’m pleased to be able to do my part and continue Jill’s mission in the Federal Parliament.
“I will continue to raise this issue with the Government and call for the funding we need to secure the outcomes Australian women deserve.”

City of Newcastle is seeking support from State and Federal Governments for a dedicated Local Infrastructure Stimulus program, with funding for both large-scale infrastructure projects and a Local Government New Deal aimed at protecting jobs and delivering community infrastructure.
The move would bridge the gap between State and Federal Government COVID-19 stimulus packages and increase local employment by fast-tracking shovel-ready infrastructure projects.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said in times of crisis, local government was often the first to respond and rebuild at a grassroots level.
“As one of the single-largest employers in rural and regional communities, Councils like City of Newcastle are best placed to kickstart shovel-ready projects and get people back into the workforce,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Such a move, when supported by State and Federal stimulus, has the power to create legacy community infrastructure, sustain local services and employment and drive the local economy, as was the case during the early 1990s recession when the Federal Government formed the Local Government Capital Works Program.”
Priority projects previously endorsed by the NSW Government as key to significant job growth across Greater Newcastle include Coastal Management Planning and Erosion Management, particularly at Stockton Beach; flood mitigation works at Wallsend; the Greater Newcastle Light Rail Expansion; and affordable housing initiatives.
With a diverse workforce of more than 1,200 staff, City of Newcastle has been significantly impacted by Government-mandated closures and restrictions aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 – particularly community and cultural facilities such as Newcastle Museum, City Gall, the Civic Theatre, the Stockton Holiday Park and Newcastle Art Gallery.
Ineligible to receive the $1,500-per-employee, per-fortnight JobKeeper subsidy, the City has opted-in to the Local Government (COVID-19) Splinter (Interim) Award, backed by the Office of Local Government NSW and United Services Union, to identify opportunities to retain and redeploy affected staff.
The Lord Mayor thanked staff for their commitment to serving the Newcastle community despite the disruption to day-to-day life.
“Staff have been exceptional in their effort to continue to deliver a high level of service for our community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Now more than ever, it is vital that the State and Federal Governments partner with local government to support shovel-ready projects that can grow our economy and support our workforce.”

Eight people have been charged following a high-visibility operation across the Hunter this week.
Operation Northern Engage is a proactive operation aimed to target repeat offenders and increasing crime trends across the southern zone of the Northern Region.
The operation was conducted in Cessnock and Singleton on Wednesday 6 May between 3pm and 11pm, then across Lake Macquarie yesterday (Thursday 7 May 2020) between 3pm and 11pm.
Officers from the respective police districts (Hunter Valley and Lake Macquarie) were supported by 25 officers from the Northern Region – including the High-Risk Domestic Violence Offender Team, the High-Visibility Police Unit, the Police Dog Unit, the Hunter Region Enforcement Squad, Operation Utah officers and operational staff.
Some of the arrests as part of the two-night operation included:

• A 28-year-old unlicensed woman was subjected to a roadside drug test which returned a positive result. She was taken to Cessnock Police Station to conduct a secondary test.
• A 17-year-old girl and 20-year-old man were stopped by police in Speers Point where police allegedly located methylamphetamine inside their vehicle. It’s further alleged the teenage girl was unlicensed. The man was issued an infringement notice for driving offences while the teenage girl was issued with a youth caution.
• A 33-year-old man was arrested in relation to contravene AVO, assault (DV) and drive vehicle whilst disqualified. He will face Cessnock Court next month.
• A 29-year-old man was charged with supply and possess prohibited drug. He will face Maitland Local Court in July
• A 17-year-old man was found in possession of an amount of cannabis, MDMA and a knife in Heddon Greta. He will be dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.

Northern Region Operations Manager, Detective Superintendent Wayne Humphrey APM, said high-visibility policing continues to remind the community we are on the streets to protect them.
“Policing has certainly looked different in the past few months, but officers across the Hunter have continued their daily duties – targeting repeat offenders and keeping crime rates down.
“This operation is just another example of how we can continue to utilise our resources in innovative and productive ways,” Det Supt Humphrey said.
Similar operations will continue to be rolled out across the Northern region.

Police are appealing for public assistance after a homeless man was assaulted and robbed in the Hunter region.
Shortly after 5am yesterday (Wednesday 6 May 2020), police have been told a 45-year-old man was asleep in a tent along the Elcom Fire Trail, off Old Maitland Road near Cessnock, when he was awoken by the sound of a motorbike.
He unzipped his tent when two unknown men demanded his vehicle and keys.
When the 45-year-old refused, the pair assaulted him several times with a baseball bat.
The homeless man fled his tent while the pair took his wallet and car keys, before fleeing in the man’s white Mitsubishi Pajero – with NSW registration plates AIB 56K.
He returned to his campsite and contacted police.
He was taken to Cessnock Hospital for treatment to injuries to his back and shoulder.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District have commenced an investigation into the incident.
As part of their inquiries, officers wish to speak with two men who may be able to assist with their investigation.
The men have both been described as being of Caucasian appearance, aged in their 30s, and were last seen wearing dark clothing, with their faces covered by motorbike helmets.
Police are urging anyone who may have dashcam footage from Old Maitland Road in the early hours of Wednesday morning, or who may have seen a white 2000 Mitsubishi Pajero with NSW registration plates AIB 56K, to contact Cessnock Police on 4991 0199 or to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.

In 1959 Tom Gleghorn held his inaugural solo exhibition at Newcastle Art Gallery. Sixty-one years later, he is homeward bound.
Newcastle Art Gallery is staging the first major survey of work by Tom Gleghorn OAM, regarded as one of Australia’s finest and influential abstract expressionists.
HOMEWARD BOUND: the art and life of Tom Gleghorn will feature paintings and drawings from Newcastle’s collection, including the new major acquisition Landscape Altar – MacDonnell Ranges  1986, as well as works of art on loan from private and public collections.
Drawn from across the artist’s extraordinary career of more than 70 years, the exhibition will also feature a new documentary created by journalist and author Scott Bevan specially for the exhibition.
“We are deeply honoured to be staging the first major survey of Gleghorn’s work,” Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton said.
“His ability to evoke a strong sense of immersion within his compositions, his connection to the Australian landscape, as well as his mastery of colour and form, is strongly represented within this exhibition.
“As a highly respected senior artist, Gleghorn has influenced the Australian artistic community through not only his own practice, but his commitment to education. This survey is long overdue.”
Now aged in his mid-nineties, Gleghorn has maintained a sense of kinship with Newcastle and Lake Macquarie throughout his life.
Born in England in 1925, he migrated to Australia with his family at the age of two. He was a student of renowned artist William Dobell and grew to be a contemporary of artists such as John Coburn and Robert Dickerson.
Due to current restrictions, the exhibition will launch online on Saturday 9 May at 12 noon via Newcastle Art Gallery’s social media and website.
“Despite the difficult circumstances, the Gallery team has worked hard to continue to stage the exhibition,” Morton said. “We’ve developed several exciting ways in which our audience will be able to engage with the exhibition while our doors are temporarily closed.”
KEY EXHIBITION DATES 
Saturday 9 May, 12 noon – Virtual tour launch of HOMEWARD BOUND: the art and life of Tom Gleghorn via Newcastle Art Gallery website and social media