A man has been charged after allegedly assaulting a police officer as he was being arrested for trying to evade a NSW-Victorian checkpoint on the weekend.
Three police officers and two Defence Force personnel were manning a border crossing at Federation Way at Corowa when a car, with three people on board, was stopped about 4.50am on Saturday (1 August 2020).
The 22-year-old female driver and a 25-year-old woman in the front-passenger seat presented valid permits and ID; however, police allege a man travelling in the back seat provided false information.
After checks revealed the man was wanted on seven outstanding warrants – including a revocation of parole warrant – the 21-year-old man attempted to run from the vehicle, allegedly punching a senior constable in the face, knocking him to the ground.
Police and Defence Force officers intervened and arrested the man after a short struggle.
He was taken to Corowa Hospital due to concerns about the effects of suspected drug ingestion. Officers seized drug paraphernalia when the vehicle was searched.
The driver returned a positive roadside drug test for methamphetamine and had her licence suspended for 24 hours. Any further action will depend on the outcome of the secondary testing.
After the man was released from hospital, he was taken to Corowa Police Station where he was charged with assault police in execution of duty, and resist officer in execution of duty.
He was also charged with the outstanding warrants.
The Ashmont man was refused bail to appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Wednesday (5 August 2020).
The senior constable has been treated for facial swelling and bruising; all officers were checked and released.
Author: admin
Woman charged with deliberately coughing on police – Wagga Wagga
A woman has been charged with deliberately coughing on a police officer in the state’s south west.
About 11.15am yesterday (Sunday 2 August 2020), officers from Riverina Police District attended a home on Tarakan Avenue, Ashmont, following reports of a domestic violence incident.
On arrival, police arrested a 27-year-old man outside the home, before attempting to speak with a 24-year-old woman.
The woman allegedly told the man to cough on police and informed attending officers that they were both waiting on results of a COVID-19 test.
The woman then allegedly moved in front of a male constable and coughed deliberately in his face, twice, before letting two large dogs off their leads.
The man was released pending further inquiries and the pair was permitted to attend a COVID-19 pop-up clinic for testing.
As a result of the incident, the two officers were taken for COVID-19 testing. They have since returned negative results.
The woman has since been charged with not comply noticed direction re spitting/coughing – COVID-19, stalk/intimidate intend fear physical etc harm and resist or hinder police officer in the execution of their duty.
She was granted conditional bail and is due to appear in Wagga Wagga Local Court on Wednesday 16 September 2020.
Weekend COVID wrap: 16 PINs issued for breaches of Public Health Orders
Police have issued a total of 16 Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) for non-compliance with COVID-19 Public Health Orders across the weekend.
In addition to the nine people fined following indoor gatherings at East Jindabyne and Maroubra that exceeded the 20-person limit, as reported yesterday (Sunday 2 August 2020), police issued another seven PINs following eight incidents of failing to comply with noticed direction in relation to section 7/8/9-COVID-19.
From 5.30am on Friday (31 July 2020), officers from Sydney City Police Area Command were patrolling Hyde Park South and monitoring a group who had gathered for an unauthorised public assembly. When the group exceeded 20 people about 11am, a move-on direction was issued to the spokesman before formal directions under the Public Health Act were issued to each participant. After the spokesman refused to comply with directions and attempted to incite the rest of the group, he was arrested. He then refused to provide his details and was subsequently taken to Day Street Police Station. The 47-year-old man was identified and issued with a $1000 PIN.
At a second, yet unrelated, unauthorised public assembly at a university at Camperdown, officers from Inner West Police Area Command were monitoring a group from about 11.30am on Friday. After numbers in the group increased to about 40 people, police issued a formal direction under the Public Health Act. Two men, aged 34 and 38, failed to comply with the move-on direction and were each issued a $1000 PIN.
Just after midday on Friday, officers from Liverpool City Police Area Command attended a hotel on Scott Street, Liverpool, to speak with a 44-year-old woman after it was determined she provided false compassionate reasons on her entry permit to travel into NSW from Victoria. Police informed the woman her application had been rejected, her permit was invalid and directed her to return to Victoria. She was also issued a $1000 PIN.
As part of proactive compliance operations, officers from the Mid North Coast Police District attended a licensed premises on East Street, Crescent Head, about 7.30pm on Friday. Police spoke with the male licensee about their COVID-Safe Plan and issues raised during a previous inspection. While conducting the walk-through, the officers noted that the premises was full, but only nine names were recorded on the register. Further, tables and chairs had not been removed to ensure physical distancing and it was not being observed.
The 50-year-old man was subsequently issued a $1000 PIN.
About 2.45am on Saturday (1 August 2020), officers from Tweed/Byron Police District were called to a house party on Melaleuca Drive, Mullumbimby Creek. Police saw a large number of people inside and outside the house, none of whom were appropriately physically distanced. The 53-year-old male resident told police he was aware there were too many attendees but wasn’t worried because he believes Coronavirus is just a flu. The group was dispersed, and he was subsequently issued a $1000 PIN.
Officers from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were patrolling the Springdale area on Saturday, when they stopped a vehicle on Burley Griffin Way just before 11am. Checks revealed the 24-year-old female driver was disqualified from driving and was in breach of her self-isolation requirements as she had returned from Victoria on 20 July. Police issued the woman with a $1000 PIN and a Court Attendance Notice for drive while disqualified before directing her to return home to complete the self-isolation period.
Police continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health and safety of the community.
Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 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.
Nine PINs issued overnight as parties shut down across NSW
Nine people will be issued Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) for non-compliance with COVID-19 Public Health Orders after police dispersed two indoor gatherings across the state that exceeded the 20-person limit.
About 11pm yesterday (Saturday 1 August 2020), officers from Monaro Police District were called to resort on Kosciuszko Road, East Jindabyne, following a noise complaint.
Police were directed to a room where loud music was being played and discovered 27 people inside. Only eight were actually staying at the resort.
Seven men – aged 31, 29, 26, two aged 27 and two aged 24 – and a 29-year-old woman, will be issued with $1000 PINs for failing to comply with a ministerial direction
The remaining people inside the room were moved-on after their details were taken by police.
In a separate incident, officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command were called to a unit on Anzac Parade, Maroubra, just before 1am today (Sunday 2 August 2020), after reports of a loud gathering.
Police arrived to find a large group of people at the unit, in excess of the 20-person limit, and were told it was an after-party for an earlier birthday celebration.
The party was shut down, with attendees moved-on from the location.
The resident, a 29-year-old man, will be issued a PIN for not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 COVID-19.
Meanwhile, emergency services were called Mosman overnight due to concerns that two teenage girls needed medical attention after attending an unauthorised party.
Officers from North Shore Police Area Command and NSW Ambulance paramedics were called to Whiting Beach, off Athol Wharf Road, shortly before 9pm (Saturday 1 August 2020), after two girls were found unconscious.
The girls, believed to be aged 16, were taken by paramedics to Royal North Hospital where they were treated for the effects of alcohol.
Fire and Rescue NSW officers were called to assist with the retrieval as the site had to accessed by about 50 steps down to the beach.
Police were told between 20-40 young people had been gathered drinking on the beach before the girls were found unconscious.
Many of the partygoers had left the scene before emergency services arrived; however, police inquiries continue into the party, which is believed to have breached current COVID restrictions.
Police continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health and safety of the community.
Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 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.
Police and ADF arrest wanted man at NSW-Victoria border checkpoint
A police officer has been assaulted during the arrest of a man wanted on seven outstanding warrants, when he tried to evade a NSW-Victorian border checkpoint this morning.
Three police officers and two Defence Force personnel were manning a border crossing at Federation Way at Corowa when a car, with three people on board, was stopped about 4.50am today (Saturday 1 August 2020).
The 22-year-old female driver and a 25-year-old woman in the front-passenger seat presented valid permits and ID; however, police allege a man travelling in the back seat provided false information.
After checks revealed the man was wanted on seven outstanding warrants – including a revocation of parole warrant – the 21-year-old man attempted to run from the vehicle, allegedly punching a senior constable in the face, knocking him to the ground.
Police and Defence Force officers intervened and arrested the man after a short struggle.
He has been taken to Corowa Hospital due to concerns about the effects of suspected drug ingestion. Officers seized drug paraphernalia when the vehicle was searched.
The driver returned a positive roadside drug test for methamphetamine and has had her licence suspended for 24 hours. Any further action will depend on the outcome of the secondary testing.
Police are waiting for the man to be released from hospital.
The senior constable has been treated for facial swelling and bruising; all officers have now been checked at hospital and released.
Latest government rort must be investigated by the Senate
Senator Larissa Waters will call the Senate to vote on an inquiry into the Coalition’s rorting of government grants, which will include the Shine Energy’s controversially won federal funding to investigate a coal-fired power station at Collinsville, QLD.
Waters said the inquiry has never been so important, following reports today showing links between Shine Energy and multinational mining giant, Glencore.
“The Coalition is out of control. Another week, another article exposing their systematic and strategic misuse of public funds to buy election outcomes,” Senator Waters, Greens Leader in the Senate, said.
“That is why on the first sitting day back in parliament, we’ll urge the Senate to vote to set up the inquiry into the Coalition’s flagrant pork barrelling and use of funding programs as an election slush fund.
“The Greens have called for a Senate inquiry into rampant pork-barrelling of federal grant programs. The Supporting Reliable Energy Infrastructure program that awarded $3.3M to Shine Energy prior to any application should be investigated as part of that inquiry.
“This is Sports Rorts on a whole new level. Shine Energy had no relevant experience and no past projects. They have a clear connection to Glencore, a mining magnate that would directly benefit from the power station’s construction and has been lobbying the government to support the coal industry.
“We support calls for an auditor general investigation into how an inexperienced company secured $3.3M for a feasibility study, especially if supported by a wealthy multinational mining corporation.
“Propping up a project that was championed by the Nationals in North Queensland, but rejected by the existing UNGI program is yet another example of this government using public money to suit its own political interests.
“We’ve seen grants awarded with no criteria, grants that ignored the criteria but were in marginal seats, and now grants with criteria drafted specifically to suit a pre-selected project after the funding decision has been made.”
Senator Waters, who is the Greens spokesperson for Democracy, said today’s revelations vindicate the Greens’ ten years of calls for a federal corruption watchdog.
“It’s been almost a year since the Senate passed my bill for a federal ICAC with teeth. But the Morrison government is refusing to call the bill to a vote in the House of Representatives.
“I ask the Coalition: why are you so afraid of public scrutiny?”
AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING IN NEED OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
The Australian manufacturing sector is in critical need of a comprehensive future plan from the Morrison Government to drive employment and boost GDP as Australia navigates the deep recession we are in.
Federal Labor welcomes the release today of the AMWU report A Fair Share for Australian Manufacturing, which outlines a detailed plan for the future of the industry, which is so critical for encouraging well paid, highly skilled secure jobs.
The AMWU report highlights the critical need for reform of high energy costs, and skills and training. It explores a plan to deliver, “400,000 new manufacturing jobs, a further 265,000 in supply chains – all of them working together to put that famous Australian Made label on an extra $180 billion worth of products every year.”
The report stands in stark contrast to the failure of the Morrison Government to outline a plan for manufacturing in last week’s Budget update.
COVID-19 has demonstrated just how vulnerable Australia is to global supply chain shocks. The Liberals’ lack of a economic plan is leaving Australia, and the manufacturing sector, dangerously exposed to turbulence in the global economy.
While some of our manufacturers have adapted to produce much needed Personal Protective Equipment and other essential suppliers during COVID-19, Australia needs a more sophisticated manufacturing plan than just responding to crises.
The only plan the Morrison Government currently has is to rip $1.8 billion from research and development. Research and Development is inextricably linked to a recovery led by advanced manufacturing, and the manufacturing sector is the second largest spender on R&D.
As we look to the future and how we best emerge from the health crisis and recession, the Morrison Government must do more to support the Australian manufacturing sector. A strong local manufacturing industry will create jobs and long term export and trading opportunities
They need to come up with a genuine plan to get the economy moving again.
COMMONWEALTH MUST HELP FUND PAID PANDEMIC LEAVE
The Morrison Government must help fund a universal paid pandemic leave scheme to ensure every Australian worker who needs to stay home to prevent the spread of COVID-19 can do so without financial penalty.
A paid pandemic leave scheme is a critical measure to protect both workers and public health by preventing further COVID-19 outbreaks. It should have been introduced months ago.
Workers cannot be forced to choose between paying their bills and protecting their colleagues, customers and patients. Whenever we force that choice on people the community is put at risk.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said “about 80 per cent” of the state’s new infections since mid-May have been ” driven by transmission in workplaces.”
A universal paid pandemic leave scheme could have prevented some of this terrible toll.
Unless we get a universal scheme we will have more community transmission, leading to more outbreaks and economy-smashing lockdowns. We cannot afford not to do this.
Some employers have established their own schemes and Labor welcomes that. The Fair Work Commission has also granted paid pandemic leave to some aged care workers, and the Victorian Labor Government has also introduced some payments.
But it must go further. The Government must step in and help fund a scheme to reach all workers.
Labor believes the scheme should be available to any worker, regardless of industry or employment status, who needs to be away from work to: undergo a COVID test; isolate while awaiting a result; isolate if a test is positive; or isolate if directed to do so by a public health officer.
An estimated 3.7 million Australians don’t have any access to paid sick leave or the other protections of permanent employment, including casuals, contractors, freelancers, sole traders and gig economy workers. And many permanent workers have exhausted their sick leave entitlements.
Without pandemic leave, many will continue to turn up to work when they’re sick or should be isolating.
Labor first called for paid pandemic leave on March 10 – 142 days ago.
But Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter dismissed our call at the time, saying the Government would not “jump to a solution in anticipation of a problem”.
The Government says it is now considering the idea.
There is no excuse for any further delay. The Government must act immediately.
Continuing To Make It Easier For Business To Operate During COVID-19
The Morrison Government is continuing to provide certainty to businesses about how they can meet their legal obligations by extending temporary regulatory relief in respect of online meetings and electronic document execution for a further six months.
The changes allow companies to convene annual general meetings, and other meetings prescribed under the Corporations Act, entirely online rather than face-to-face. The changes also give businesses certainty that when company officers sign a document electronically, the document has been validly executed.
These changes will be made under the instrument-making power that has been inserted into the Corporations Act 2001 as part of our response to the Coronavirus crisis.
The feedback that the Government has received from industry is that these temporary changes have provided certainty to business and helped them continue to operate through the coronavirus crisis. Under the social distancing measures that are currently in place, and the ongoing challenges in Victoria, it is difficult for shareholders to physically gather and for companies to execute documents in person.
Under the extension of the temporary relief measures, companies will continue to:
- provide notice of annual general meetings to shareholders using email;
- achieve a quorum with shareholders attending online; and
- hold annual general meetings online.
Meetings must continue to provide shareholders with a reasonable opportunity to participate. Shareholders will continue to be able to put questions to board members and vote online.
To execute documents, company officers will continue to be able to sign documents electronically, so for the duration of the extended relief, signatories will not be required to sign the same physical document. This will ensure that documents can continue to be properly executed at a time when ordinary business operations have been disrupted.
The current arrangements will be extended for another 6 months so that they expire on 21 March 2021.
The Morrison Government will continue to provide the necessary flexibility for businesses to deal with the challenges that have been presented by the coronavirus crisis and help facilitate the recovery on the other side.
Michael Bell wins KILGOUR PRIZE 2020
Local Mambo artist and art teacher Michael Bell has won the prestigious KILGOUR PRIZE 2020 with a whimsical double self-portrait.
Councillor Carol Duncan announced Michael Bell as the winner of the $50,000 art prize via a livestreamed announcement at Newcastle Art Gallery today.
Chosen from more than 350 entries and 30 finalists from across Australia, Bell’s painting Starting The after party (Two self-portraits) 2020, depicts the artist standing in front of another self-portrait The after party, which was a finalist in the KILGOUR PRIZE 2019.
The KILGOUR PRIZE 2020 was judged by Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton and invited judges Rachel Arndt – Gallery Programs and Touring Exhibitions Manager, Museums and Galleries of NSW, and Stephen Gilchrist – Curator and Lecturer Art History, The University of Sydney.
The judges were impressed by the composition of the winning painting and details of the studio throughout – the bottle of linseed oil, the motivational quotes stuck up on the wall, the tip of the dog’s nose on the canvas to the right – a nod to some of the artist’s most well-known dog beach works.
“The City of Newcastle is honoured to be the home of the KILGOUR PRIZE, which has firmly established itself as one of Australia’s major art prizes,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“This is highlighted by the immense quality of the works and artists who have entered this year. I congratulate Michael Bell on joining the list of accomplished artists to have taken out the KILGOUR PRIZE.”
Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton said it was a wonderful acknowledgement of a much-loved and highly respected local artist.
“Michael Bell’s career spans over 30 years. A teacher at the Newcastle Art School, Bell has been included as a finalist in exhibitions such as The Archibald Prize, The Sulman Prize and the KILGOUR PRIZE. Bell has also designed for iconic Australian brands such as Triple J and surf label Mambo Australia,” Ms Morton said.
The KILGOUR PRIZE is administered by Newcastle Art Gallery and funded via a bequest from Australian artist Jack Noel Kilgour, administered by The Trust Company, Part of Perpetual.
The KILGOUR PRIZE 2020 exhibition showcases the 30 finalists and is on display at Newcastle Art Gallery from 1 August to 15 November 2020.
People’s Choice Award
In addition to the overall prize, the KILGOUR PRIZE 2020 competition includes a People’s Choice Award of $5,000. Visitors to the exhibition can vote for the People’s Choice Award until 5pm Wednesday 21 October 2020. The winner will be announced Monday 26 October 2020.
KILGOUR PRIZE 2020 finalists:
Elizabeth Austin, Michael Bell, Andrew Bennett, Daniel Butterworth, Lileana Colarelli, Tony Costa, Greg Creek, Dagmar Cyrulla, Tracy Dods, Esther Erlich, Peter Gardiner, Craig Handley, Jacqueline Hennessy, Corinna Howell, Brittany Jones, Erik Krebs-Schade, Bronni Krieger, Kenneth Lambert, Kerry Mcinnis, Joshua Mcpherson, Anh Nguyen, Lori Pensini, Jordan Richardson, Melissa Ritchie, Ben Ryan, Lynn Savery, Wendy Sharpe, An Sheng, Oliver Shepherd, Kylie Melinda Smith