A man has been charged over the alleged use of an alias to gain financial advantage in the Lake Macquarie region.
In November 2019, detectives from Lake Macquarie Police District established Strike Force Corymbia to investigate alleged fraudulent offences committed by a 53-year-old man.
After extensive inquiries, police executed a search warrant at a home on Watson Street, Ellalong, about 15km south of Cessnock, where they arrested a 53-year-old man.
During the search, police located and seized a number of items including laptops and mobile phones.
He was taken to Cessnock Police Station and charged with dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception, not specialist health practitioner take/use title as such and drive motor vehicle during disqualification period.
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court later today (Friday 12 June 2020).
Police will allege the man used an alias and business to receive monies from clients and fraudulently obtained over $10,000.
Police will further allege the man promoted himself as a specialist doctor to clients.
Investigations under Strike Force Corymbia are ongoing. Anyone who may have information which could assist investigators is urged to come forward.
Greens Push To Support Unis Defeated By One Vote
The Australian Senate has narrowly voted down a Greens motion to disallow parts of the Coronavirus Economic Response Package (Payments and Benefits) Amendment Rules (No. 2) 2020 that have the effect of excluding universities from accessing the JobKeeper wage subsidy.
The vote was defeated 30 votes to 31.
The Greens, Labor and Centre Alliance voted for the motion; the government, One Nation and Senator Lambie opposed it.
Senator Faruqi said:
“Universities are being smashed during this pandemic and the government has refused to throw them a lifeline.
“The government is fully aware that 30,000 jobs are on the line, but they just don’t care, because this is an opportunity to destabilise and weaken the university sector and lay the groundwork for further marketisation.
“Scott Morrison and his minister’s mistreatment of universities in this crisis is nothing but their ideology writ large. With a $60 billion underspend they don’t even have a financial justification to hide behind for excluding universities — or migrants and casuals — from JobKeeper.
“Shame on the Senators who claim to represent regional areas, but just voted to skewer any chance regional university workers in their states had of getting JobKeeper.
“The Greens will continue to fight the myopic, neoliberal corporatism that the Liberals use time and again to weaken public institutions and the communities which they are a part of,” she said.
Rio Tinto must sack boss and front Environment Committee: Greens
The Australian Greens have called on the chief executive of Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Chris Salisbury, to resign or be sacked over the growing scandal regarding his company’s destruction of the sacred Pilbara site.
The Greens will also move for Rio Tinto and the Federal Environment Minister to be called before the Senate Environment References Committee.
“The mining industry in WA have a long history of disregard of First Nations peoples connection to their sacred sites and land. The Aboriginal Heritage Act in WA is so weak because of the mining industry influence and their agenda of prioritising profit and access to land over all else,” Greens spokesperson on First Nations issues Rachel Siewert said.
“This site was knowingly destroyed and someone must be held accountable. Rio Tinto knew this site was of deep cultural significance and should have been protected, not blown up.
“This time Rio Tinto have been caught out and they will be held accountable.
“This must be the last time this wanton destruction occurs. All laws must be strengthened to ensure this never happens again.
“I am deeply upset for the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura people.”
“After this morning’s train wreck of an interview it is clear that Chris Salisbury needs to resign or be sacked,” Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP said.
“Rio can not just wash its hands and move on. They can’t walk away from this. Responsibility rests at the top and they need to be held accountable.
“Continuing to obfuscate and pretend they didn’t know what they were doing is just further injury.”
Chair of the Senate Environment References Committee Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said the Greens will move for Rio Tinto and the Federal Environment Minister to be called before the committee.
“Rio Tinto needs to be held to account for what they have done and the Environment Minister has serious questions to answer about her involvement or lack thereof,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“It seems lots of people knew about this and nobody did anything to stop it.
“More than 40000 years of heritage and history has been destroyed. If it was Stonehenge or the Pyramids there would be global outrage.
“Every Australian should be angry that our nation’s history has been trashed in the name of corporate profit.
“This has happened on Sussan Ley’s watch and if we are going to stop such wanton destruction from happening again we need to know what went so wrong and what changes are needed to the law to make this type of destruction illegal.”
South Australian Labor members have dumped on their home state
South Australian Labor members have dumped on their home state today, backing the legislation to build a nuclear waste dump at Kimba on SA’s Eyre Peninsula, the Greens say.
SA Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
“Labor has today dumped on South Australia and backed a site selection process for a nuclear waste dump that has been dodgy from the start.
“South Australians have already said no to nuclear. Today, every South Aussie should be asking why their elected representatives from the major parties have refused to listen to them.
“There is not broad community support. Traditional Owners have rejected the proposal but their views have been dismissed. Communities living along potential transportation routes have not been consulted.
“The Greens referred the legislation to a Senate Inquiry for scrutiny of the laws and the process that led to this point. That Inquiry has not yet reported, nor has it held hearings in affected communities.
“I urge Labor to reconsider their support for this bill before it gets to the Senate. SA won’t forgive them for dumping radioactive waste in our foodbowl and putting our clean, green reputation and our state’s key grain export industry at risk.”
POSTAL SERVICE CUTS TO HIT QUEANBEYAN
Queanbeyan is among the areas set to be hardest hit by new Morrison Government regulations that will let Australia Post scale back services, slash jobs and cut wages.
People in regional areas already wait longer than those in cities for their mail, and changes recently announced by the Government will push those wait times out even further.
In Queanbeyan:
- The regulations will slash the frequency of postie delivery rounds by half; and
- Mail delivery timeframes will blow out from 3 business days to 7 full days.
Nationally, these changes will leave the jobs of up to one in four posties in limbo and put many other indirect jobs at risk.
There was no consultation on these regulations before they were announced, and there was no opportunity to examine their merits. Further, the Government has given no guarantees that the changes won’t be made permanent following the coronavirus crisis.
This is a cheap shot on the workers of Australia Post and people in regional communities.
At a time of economic uncertainty across Eden-Monaro and regional Australia, now is not the time to be slashing jobs or services in regional areas.
The boom in parcel delivery is an opportunity to preserve and create jobs — not to cut them.
Long-term actions for Stockton’s coastline get the tick of community approval
City of Newcastle’s proposal for mass-offshore sand nourishment and immediate minimal buried seawall extension works in the draft Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP) has received broad support through public exhibition, with 162 community and 19 agency submissions in total.
The City completed the 28-day public exhibition period on Tuesday. Seventy four percent of submissions were supportive of the Stockton CMP.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the high number of submissions showed how important a positive outcome for Stockton Beach was to the community.
“The level of feedback on the draft Stockton CMP is appreciated given the community engagement occurred during COVID-19 restrictions,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Staff had to work around typical face-to-face engagement activities in order to ensure the community’s voice was heard in the review of the CMP.
“Within days of the draft Stockton CMP going on public exhibition, more than 2,000 information packs including a summary of the plan, frequently asked questions and a reply paid feedback form and envelope were sent to each property in Stockton to ensure everyone had a chance to have their say,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The City also presented comprehensive information on the draft CMP on its website, including an animation, videos featuring Stockton Community Liaison Group Members, and the full report, together attracting more than 3,000 visitors and 436 downloads of the report over the exhibition period.
“The response from the community has been truly impressive and widely supportive, including well-informed, constructive feedback on the draft CMP and its recommendations.
“Two thirds of the total feedback received was from Stockton residents, while other submissions were received from as far afield as North Narrabeen.
“Half of all submissions showed specific support for mass, offshore sand nourishment as the preferred option for beach amenity and coastal protection, while other key points included identifying other sand sources and options for fast tracking the process.”
Stockton Community Liaison Group (CLG) Chair Barbara Whitcher said the CLG was supportive of City of Newcastle’s management actions detailed in the CMP.
“City of Newcastle has worked closely with our CLG and delivered an outcome which we broadly support, being mass sand nourishment and minimal buried seawalls,” Ms Whitcher said.
“While we remain vitally interested in exploring in more detail the causal effect of Stockton’s erosion, and funding sources, we generally support the Stockton CMP.”
City of Newcastle’s CMP team will now review the community feedback as well as that from industry stakeholders, and finalise the document including a summary of the issues raised during the public exhibition period, for Council consideration on 23 June 2020. It will then be submitted to the NSW State Government for certification review.
Coastal Councils across NSW are developing CMP’s in line with the Coastal Management Act 2016 with a deadline of December 2021.
City Taskforce Update 5 June 2020
MEETING OF THE CITY TASKFORCE
The City Taskforce, a collaboration of 17 leading organisations and employers, chaired by Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes City of Newcastle, held its fourth meeting today via Zoom. The Taskforce was formed to develop a collaborative approach to the City’s response to COVID-19, from crisis to recovery and beyond. City leaders focused their discussion on the first edition of The Newcastle Response, which highlights the challenges facing the community sector, as well as the forecasted impacts of the end of Government supplements, such as JobSeeker and JobKeeper, legislated to 27 September 2020. The Taskforce was also briefed on the Affected Industries Roundtable, facilitated by City of Newcastle on 4 June 2020, at which representatives from industries such as retail and hospitality, tourism, live music and arts and culture shared their experiences and local insights.
The Newcastle Response – Community Sector
City leaders endorsed the first Newcastle Response, forging their support as joint signatories to this powerful advocacy framework. The document presents case studies of the hardship and disadvantage Novocastrians have faced as a result of COVID-19, particularly vulnerable groups such as the elderly and temporary visa holders, with many turning to emergency relief services for the first time during the COVID-19 crisis. The community sector is bracing for further demand if Federal Government social security payments fall back to an inadequate level. The Newcastle Response calls upon State and Federal decision-makers, to whom it is addressed, to develop policy measures that support the financial sustainability of the community sector and establish dedicated engagement with First Nations and disability organisations.
In addition to The Newcastle Response being circulated to State and Federal decision-makers, Director Regional NSW, Ms Alison McGaffin, will act as a conduit between the City Taskforce and State Government Taskforces to facilitate discussions and form recommendations.
Future issues of The Newcastle Response will cover the tourism sector, affordable housing, arts sector, mental health and international student advocacy. An immediate need to support the containerisation work of the Port, and its subsequent impact on other sectors across the city, was also identified.
Affected Industries Roundtable
Among the industries that participated in City of Newcastle’s Affected Industries Roundtable, including retail and hospitality, hotels, live music, tourism, arts and culture, and Business Improvement Associations, there was a strong appetite to use the City Taskforce’s joint advocacy as a springboard for collaboration and policy action.
City leaders heard how these industries expressed concerns for what lay beyond September, when support measures end. For example, licensed venues, if still unable to operate at full capacity by then, anticipate a second jobs crisis, which would have a flow-on effect to local supply chains. With the retail and hospitality industry being a large employer of young people in the region, and the youth unemployment rate for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie climbing to 18.7% as a direct result of the pandemic, this has the potential to impact young workers at the start of their careers for years to come.
Industry Response Program
City leaders received an update on City of Newcastle’s Industry Response Program, which opened today. Expressions of interest are being sought from industry groups, businesses, community organisations and collaboratives for funding that will enable city-shaping outcomes that target the hardest-hit industries and population groups.
The University of Newcastle and the Hunter Business Chamber, both of which have representatives on the City Taskforce in Professor Alex Zelinsky and Mr Bob Hawes, have volunteered to sit on the Assessment Panel.
Infrastructure remains a priority
Infrastructure projects remain a key priority and focus of the Taskforce, not only in terms of job retention, but also job creation. Collective support exists for a large and diverse range of infrastructure projects across the City, as indicated in The Newcastle Response. This includes the Newcastle Airport expansion, complementing the recent announcement of a Special Activation Precinct at Williamtown; Newcastle Art Gallery expansion; as well as the containerisation of the Port of Newcastle to unlock trade and retail opportunities.
HUGE NEW JOBS PRECINCT UNLOCKED IN WESTERN SYDNEY
Plans for a major industrial precinct on the doorstep of the new Western Sydney Airport have been approved today by the NSW Government, paving the way for a significant boost to jobs and investment in the region.
Approval of the $2.6 billion Mamre Road Precinct, one of 12 key precincts in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis, will unlock 850 hectares of new industrial land and see the creation of new public spaces and conservation areas.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the green light for the Precinct is a significant step forward in securing Western Sydney’s future as a global hub for logistics and advanced manufacturing.
“We’re getting on with the job of building a new city around the airport well before the first plane takes off,” Ms Berejikilian said.
“This land release will provide opportunities for international and domestic businesses to invest in Western Sydney, enabling major warehousing, logistics, manufacturing and circular economy operations to be established.
“It will also bring a huge jobs boost to the region, creating opportunities for more than 5,200 jobs during the construction phase alone.”
Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said the Mamre Road Precinct will also include 50 hectares of open space, including new cycling and walking paths that will open up previously inaccessible land to the public. A further 70 hectares of conservation land, including the Cumberland Plain Woodland, will also be protected within the Precinct.
“Not only does this rezoning secure much-needed productive industrial land, it also safeguards critical environmental areas and provides some fantastic new public spaces for the future residents of the Western Parkland City,” Mr Stokes said.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the rezoning is another milestone in the transformation of the Western Parkland City into a thriving hub, with new jobs, homes, infrastructure and open spaces.
“We already have interested businesses from the transport and logistics, pharmaceutical and data storage industries ready to move into the precinct and capitalise on its future connections to local, regional and overseas markets,” Mr Ayres said.
The first industrial estates for the Mamre Road Precinct are expected to be occupied from mid-2021.
The Mamre Road Precinct was one of 24 projects included in Tranche 2 of the NSW Government’s Planning System Acceleration Program that is fast-tracking planning assessments to keep people in jobs and the economy moving during the COVID-19 crisis. To date, the program has created opportunities for more than 16,400 direct jobs and almost $11 billion worth of economic investment across NSW.
For more information visit: www.planning.nsw.gov.au/mamreroad
FURTHER RESTRICTIONS TO EASE ON SATURDAY
NSW will ease further restrictions from this Saturday, 13 June, with food courts allowed to reopen, the number of people allowed to visit homes increased from 5 to 20, and the number of people allowed to gather outdoors increased from 10 to 20.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said these changes are another step towards seeing NSW reopen in a COVID-safe way.
“NSW acted quickly to introduce restrictions to tackle the spread of COVID-19 and I am determined for us to move as quickly as possible out of them,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We have been a world leader in dealing with COVID-19 and I want us to be an example on how to reopen an economy in a COVID-safe way.
“We will shortly have more to say on easing further restrictions across the state from 1 July, which will keep as many people in jobs as possible.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said every decision the NSW Government is making in relation to easing restrictions is informed by health advice.
“NSW has now gone two full weeks without detecting a single case of recent community transmission of COVID-19 – this is a testament to the hard work of the community,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The cooperation of the public and business, and our high rates of testing, remain our greatest weapons to stamping out community transmission so it’s vital people continue to come forward.”
Food courts must have a COVID safe plan in place when they reopen on Saturday, this will include:
- Abiding by the 4 square metre rule;
- A maximum of 50 people per separate seated eating area; and
- Enhanced hygiene and cleaning processes.
For the latest information please go to nsw.gov.au/covid-19
Woman refuses breath test while attempting to collect girl from school – Port Stephens
A woman who allegedly refused a police breath test has been charged after being arrested while attempting to pick up a young girl from a school in the Port Stephens area.
About 3.20pm yesterday (Wednesday 10 June 2020), a 60-year-old woman driving a Peugeot attended a school in the Port Stephens area to collect a nine-year-old girl who is known to her.
It’s alleged she hit bushes and small trees when parking, before exiting the vehicle to meet the girl.
School staff noticed the woman and attempted to stop her from driving away.
It’s further alleged she became aggressive and verbally abusive towards staff and police were called.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended and requested the woman undergo a breath test.
When she allegedly refused, the woman was arrested and while being placed in the police vehicle, she kicked out towards a male senior constable. He was not injured.
The woman was taken to Nelson Bay Police Station, where she refused to submit to a further breath analysis.
She was charged with harass/intimidate school staff member attending school, refuse or fail to submit to breath analysis and assault police.
The Nelson Bay woman was granted conditional bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court on Monday 31 August 2020.