Category: Newcastle News

Police remain at the scene of a fatal single vehicle crash in the Hunter region.
About 10.15am today (Tuesday 3 December 2019), emergency services were called to Leggetts Drive, south of Pelaw Main, following reports a vehicle had left the road and collided with a pole.
A driver was located deceased at the scene; they are yet to be formally identified.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District attended and established a crime scene.
As a result of the crash, the vehicle caught alight and has sparked several spot fires around the area.
Leggetts Drive is currently closed in both directions between Neath Street and Lake Road. All vehicles are advised to use the M1 Motorway or the Hunter Expressway.
Drivers are urged to avoid the area as firefighters work to extinguish the blazes.

I recognise the commitment and determination of those taking part in the climate change ‘Solidarity Sit Down’ in Newcastle today to highlight the Morrison government’s unconscionable lack of action on climate change.
If there ever was time to act on climate change, it is now, as we witness some of the most severe and widespread fires Australia has ever seen.
While no weather event can be attributed directly to climate change, there can be no question that it is feeding longer, more intense weather patterns and an increased likelihood of natural disasters.
This isn’t about politics. It’s about scientific reality. Climate change is real and it requires real leadership to address it.
The Morrison Government urgently needs to get over its pathological aversion to science and take meaningful action on climate change.
Regretfully, the Liberals have not only failed to deliver an energy policy and set a wholly inadequate emissions reduction target, but they’ve also set about trying to axe every mechanism put in place by the former Labor Government to assist.
Labor went to the last election with a strong plan to reduce emissions and meet Australia’s climate targets. Regretfully, we weren’t able to form Government.
While Labor remains deeply committed to real action on climate change, it’s the Morrison Government that must ensure that Australia does its share to avoid a global climate catastrophe.
I encourage students and activists to keep putting strong pressure on the Morrison Government to act in the interests of the planet and future generations, as I and my Labor colleagues will continue to do.

A man will re-appear in court today charged over child exploitation offences and the attempted sexual assault of a young girl in the Hunter region.
In June this year, detectives from the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation following reports a man attempted to sexually assault a young girl known to him.
The investigation was assisted by the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team (NSW-JACET), which comprises of members from the Australian Federal Police and NSW Police Force.
Following extensive inquiries by the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad and NSW-JACET, detectives arrested a 34-year-old man at a home in the Hunter region about 1pm on Saturday (30 November 2019).
Shortly after the arrest, police searched two homes in the Hunter region, where detectives seized several electronic storage devices.
The man was taken to Cessnock Police Station and charged with attempt sexual intercourse with child under 10 years (DV x5), use carriage service transmit/publish/promote child porn (x2), possess/control child abuse material using carriage service, produce child abuse material, disseminate child abuse material, and possess child abuse material.
Police will allege in court that the man attempted to sexually assault the girl at a home on a number of occasions between December 2018 and June 2019.
It will be further alleged that the man produced, sent and received child abuse material online.
He was refused bail and appeared at Newcastle Bail Court on Saturday where he was formally refused bail to re-appear at Cessnock Local Court today (Monday 2 December 2019).
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.

A girl has died in hospital after being found in a vehicle at Port Stephens last week.
Emergency services were called to a home at Tanilba Bay about 4.30pm on Tuesday (26 November 2019), after reports a five-year-old girl was found unresponsive inside a car parked in the driveway of the home.
The girl was airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.
She died early this morning (Sunday 1 December 2019).
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District will prepare a report for the information of the Coroner.

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward after a pedestrian was killed and the vehicle involved failed to stop at Maitland last night.
About 11.30pm (Saturday 30 November 2019), emergency services were called to Flat Road, near the intersection of Paterson Road, Bolwarra, following reports of a crash.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended and found a male pedestrian who had been struck by a vehicle.
The 62-year-old man was treated at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to John Hunter Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.
The vehicle left the crash scene and was last seen travelling south on Paterson Road.
Officers from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit attended and examined the crime scene.
Investigators are now appealing for anyone who may have witnessed the crash or have dashcam vision or information about the vehicle involved to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A report will be prepared for the Coroner.

The important work of CSIRO’s flagship Energy Centre in Newcastle is being compromised by an arbitrary staffing cap.
Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon and Shadow Minister for Science, Employment and Industry Brendan O’Connor met with Newcastle representatives from the CSIRO Staffing Association today to discuss the issue.
“Labor is concerned that the Morrison Government’s cap on public sector staffing numbers is hurting the CSIRO and undermining its role in advancing science and innovation,” Mr O’Connor said.
“The CSIRO staff association recently made a submission to a Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee inquiry outlining the impact of the 5,193 person cap on full time staff on Australia’s scientific capability.
“The submission highlights reports of increased use of external contractors, which is putting a number of major projects at risk and is sidestepping secure local jobs.”
Ms Claydon said, “The Government’s irrational Average Staffing Level policy has capped staff numbers at 2006/7 numbers. This has essentially created a staffing freeze that is forcing CSIRO researchers to fill vacancies with external contractors at a premium price.
“Staff have told me that job vacancies are being placed on hold even if projects have private external funding.
“Not only does this mean that taxpayers are spending more to get less, this also undermines the pay and conditions of existing workers and locking a generation of STEM graduates out of long-term scientific work.”
Mr O’Connor said research and innovation like that at the CSIRO is under threat under the Morrison Government which is overseeing an overall downward trend in R&D under their watch.
“This is the world-class institution that invented wifi, plastic bank notes and Aerogard, to name just a few,” Mr O’Connor said.
“It’s foolish to shackle Australia’s top scientists from making new important breakthroughs.
“The Morrison Government has no regard for scientists and this staffing cap is a clear continuation of their war on science.”

A man missing from the Muswellbrook area has been found safe.
The 42-year-old was last seen about 5am yesterday (Friday 29 November 2019) on Hebden Road, near Lake Liddell.
About 12.50pm today (Saturday 30 November 2019), the man was found at the Lake Liddell mine.
Police would like to thank the media and public for their assistance.

An investigation is underway after two men died in a microlight aircraft crash in the state’s Hunter region today.
About 12.20pm (Saturday 30 November 2019), emergency services were called to a property on Paterson Road, Woodville, about 10km north of Maitland, following reports of an aircraft crash.
Upon arrival, a wreckage and the bodies of a 44-year-old man and a 71-year-old man were located.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District established a crime scene, which was examined by specialist forensic police.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash has commenced and as inquiries continue, anyone with information is urged to contact Maitland Police Station on (02) 4934 0311 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
The Sports Aviation Federation of Australia is assisting with the investigation.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

A teenage girl has been charged following an alleged armed robbery at Charlestown overnight.
About 9pm yesterday (Wednesday 27 November 2019), a female employee was preparing to close at a restaurant on the Pacific Highway, Charlestown, when a teenage girl entered the store and allegedly threatened her with a broken bottle.
The worker ran out of the store and alert another staff member in the carpark who notified police.
The girl fled the store with cash and the employee’s mobile phone.
Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District attended and conducted extensive patrols of the nearby area.
A crime scene was established and forensically examined.
About 11.30pm, police spoke with a teenage girl leaving another fast food store on the Pacific Highway, Charlestown.
During a search, police allegedly located the employee’s mobile phone and a sum of cash in her possession.
The 15-year-old girl was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station.
She was charged with armed robbery and refused bail to face a children’s court today (Thursday 28 November 2019).

Two hydroponic set-ups have been uncovered during a search warrant at a Hunter home yesterday.
About 9am (Wednesday 27 November 2019), officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District sectors attended a home on Warraba Road, The Branch, and spoke with a 36-year-old man.
Police executed a search warrant at the property where they allegedly located and seized more than 11kg of hydroponic cannabis, several cannabis plants, two hydroponic cannabis setups and drug paraphernalia.
It’s estimated the street value of the cannabis seized is more than $150,000.
The 36-year-old man was issued with a court attendance notice for the offences of cultivate prohibited plant, possess prohibited plant, possess prohibited drug and supply an indictable quantity of prohibited drug.
He is due to face Dungog Local Court on Wednesday 15 January 2020.