A serving NSW Police officer has been charged with multiple domestic violence related charges.
Yesterday (Thursday 26 September 2019), about 11.50am, officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District and Traffic and Highway Patrol Command attended a property in South Maitland and arrested a 60-year-old man.
The senior constable, attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station. He was charged with three counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, three counts of common assault, three counts of intimidation and illegal access to computer system.
The alleged domestic violence offences relate to multiple incidents dating back to 2015.
The unlawful access to police records system allegedly occurred in May 2018.
The man was granted conditional bail which includes no contact with his alleged victims. He will appear at Maitland Local Court on Wednesday 16 October 2019.
The officer’s employment is under review.
Woman dies following head-on crash – Maitland
A woman has died following a head-on crash in Maitland this morning.
About 2.30am today (Friday 27 September 2019), emergency services were called to Cessnock Road, Maitland, following reports a Kia Rio and a Ford Falcon sedan have collided head-on.
The female driver and sole occupant of the Kia Rio, believed to be aged in her 50s, died at the scene and is yet to be formally identified.
The male driver and sole occupant of the Ford Falcon sedan, believed to be aged in his 50s, sustained a back injury. He was taken to hospital for treatment and will also undergo mandatory blood and urine testing.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District with assistance by officers from the Newcastle Crash Investigation Unit will investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Cessnock Road is closed between the New England Highway and Gillieston Road while the scene is being examined.
Motorists are advised to visit www.livetraffic.com for the latest traffic information.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Australian Greens Senators Welcome NSW Abortion Decriminalisation
Greens Senator for NSW, Dr Mehreen Faruqi and Greens Spokesperson for Women, Senator Larissa Waters, have welcomed the decriminalisation of abortion in New South Wales.
Senator Faruqi said:
“This is an absolutely incredible moment and I am escstatic that, after over a century, abortion is out of the Crimes Act.
This is a victory for women who for too long have been denied their bodily autonomy as the law considered them criminals for exercising their reproductive rights. It is a credit to the community and campaigners for their work in demanding change to end patriarchal laws.
“I am so proud of the role the Greens have played in progressing this reform. Two years ago, my bill to decriminalise abortion was debated and the campaign has continued. Now we must fight for expanded access to abortion for all women across the state”.
Senator Waters said:
“History has been made with abortion finally decriminalised in NSW today.
“Congratulations to all the women, pro-choice advocates, feminist activists, my Greens colleagues and everyone who has fought long and hard for this momentous change helping women make better, safer decisions about their body.
“Decriminalisation of abortion is a significant first step, now need to make abortion affordable and accessible for all women across Australia, especially in regional areas. Access to abortion is part of every woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.”
Detectives release CCTV as inquiries continue into Newcastle aggravated break-in and assault
Police will address the media to appeal for information relating to an aggravated break-in and assault in Newcastle earlier this year.
About 12pm on Thursday 11 July 2019, two men gained access to a unit block on the corner of Young Road and Market Street, Broadmeadow, and forced entry to a unit.
The occupant, a 31-year-old man, was assaulted, before the two men fled.
The injured man presented at John Hunter Hospital with head injuries later the same day and police were notified. He has since been released from hospital.
Detectives from the Criminal Groups Squad Strike Force Raptor North are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
As the investigation continues, detectives have released CCTV and are appealing for assistance from the community to identify two men who may be able to assist with their inquiries.
Greens call for more support for low income renters following shocking Productivity Commission report
Greens Spokesperson for Housing, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has reacted to a new Productivity Commission report showing that two thirds of low income renters spend more than 30% of their income on rent, the commonly used benchmark for identifying rental stress. Half of those remain ‘stuck’ in stress four years on.
Senator Faruqi has called for the Federal Government to review and increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance.
Senator Faruqi said:
“When even the Productivity Commission concludes that rent assistance hasn’t kept up with rising rents, you know we have a problem. The Federal Government needs to step in and commit to increasing rent assistance.
“It is unacceptable that so many people already on low incomes are falling into financial stress just to put a roof over their head. Everyone has the right to a safe, secure and permanent home.
“We know the situation is getting worse. We need urgent interventions, coupled with significant financial resources and reform of the housing system, or more and more people will be without a home.
“The Productivity Commission has also pointed out wide disparities around the country in conditions for renters. That’s why the Greens have consistently called for a national standard to protect renters”, she concluded.
Opinion Piece – Absence of Planning Bound to Cost Australia Dearly in the Future – Monday, 23 September 2019
A popular genre of computer game allows players to design and create civilisations from the ground up.
Players build roads, water supplies and industrial precincts. As their cities grow, they attract workers whose taxes fund further building, allowing the player to build wealth, raise armies and conquer the world.
The heart of these games is planning. Players have to make sure their civilisations have the infrastructure necessary to sustain development.
High speed rail down the east coast would completely transform the economies of the regional cities along its route, as it has done in Europe.CREDIT:RAIL EUROPE
If they skimp on roads and water supplies, for example, community sentiment goes sour, residents leave, the civilisation collapses and the player has to start all over again.
Of course, in the real world, it’s not that simple. We can’t just start the game again if we get it wrong.
That’s why it is critical governments ensure that they respond to population growth with commensurate infrastructure investment or risk real damage to our quality of life.
The simple lesson from those computer games is that government must invest adequately to meet the demands of growth with the investment required to deal with its effects.
The current federal government is failing in this task.
Over the five years to 2018, total annual infrastructure investment in this country was down by 17 per cent compared with average levels during the period of the former Labor government.
In the same period, the national population, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, increased by 1.5 million, or 6.5 per cent.
The outcomes of this under-investment are manifest across our big cities, most notably with traffic congestion.
According to the recently released Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey, the average daily commuting time for Sydney workers climbed from 61 minutes in 2002 to 71 minutes in 2017.
It is a tragedy that traffic congestion means many Australian workers spend more time driving to and from work each day than they spend at home with their children.
One of the first decisions of the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison government was the cancellation of all federal investment in public transport projects that were not already under construction.
Tony Abbott set out the reason for this approach in his book, Battlelines.
“Mostly, there just aren’t enough people wanting to go from a particular place to a particular destination at a particular time to justify any vehicle larger than a car and cars need roads,” he said.
The cuts and delays to urban rail projects has had an ongoing negative impact. Australians are paying by having to waste more time stuck in traffic.
Malcolm Turnbull and Scott Morrison changed the rhetoric on public transport, but they have failed to restore Mr Abbott’s cuts, instead leaving the heavy lifting to states.
While the government announced an Urban Congestion Fund in its May 2018 Budget, not a single project has begun.
Indeed, only about 30 per cent of all money allocated to rail and road investment in the 2019 Budget will be invested within the next four years.
The government should bring some of this investment forward. In Sydney, it could speed up work on the Western Sydney Rail line and also get behind the proposed Western Metro to Parramatta and beyond.
This investment would also satisfy the Reserve Bank’s ongoing calls for increased infrastructure investment to stimulate the economy, creating jobs and economic activity in the short term, while boosting productivity over the medium to long term.
Infrastructure investment as an essential component of economic and social policy.
It’s about giving Australians the services they are paying for through their taxes, but also driving economic growth that will benefit their children and grandchildren.
It can also boost regional development.
High speed rail down the east coast would completely transform the economies of the regional cities along its route.
It would make regional cities more attractive as places to set up new enterprises and create new jobs, which would take pressure off the capital cities.
Anthony Albanese
Vera Deacon given City’s highest honour
Writer, philanthropist and passionate historian Vera Deacon has been named a Freeman of the City in recognition of her contribution to Newcastle’s heritage, conservation and local history at a special ceremony at City Hall today.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Vera was a well-deserved recipient who would join an esteemed list of 13 other Novocastrians to be awarded the City’s highest honour.
“The City of Newcastle deeply appreciates Vera’s immense contribution to the ongoing preservation and interpretation of our rich local history,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Steadfastly involved in progressive social and political movements, Vera is a trailblazer for women and has a keen sense of social justice and equality.
“We thank Vera for her many contributions to our community and know that while she may shy away from being singled out in this way, there are none more deserving of this wonderful honour.”
Vera was born in Mayfield and raised on two of the Newcastle’s original estuary islands on the Hunter River – Dempsey Island and Mosquito Island (also known as Moscheto).
During her childhood, she developed a deep and enduring connection with the waterway that continues to this day through her conservation and literary works.
After spending most of her married life in Sydney Vera returned to Newcastle in 1997 following the death of her husband Stanley.
Moving to Stockton where she could remain close to her beloved Hunter River, she joined the local historical society and began to piece together the history of the estuary islands, sharing the fruits of her research and the memories of other former residents in a series of award-winning stories.
She has dedicated countless hours to restoring the health of the estuary, volunteering as part of the Kooragang wetlands rehabilitation project on Ash Island.
Preserving the city’s history and heritage continues to drive the Stockton resident, who has made regular donations to the University of Newcastle’s Cultural Collections during the past 18 years. The Vera Deacon Regional History Fund was set up by the university and named in her honour to recognise and build on her generosity, with donations, including Vera’s, used to collect, document and digitise regional history archives.
“Through her generosity and passion, Vera has ensured that current and future generations of Novocastrians will be able to access the records and accounts of those who have come before them,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The stories of our past play an important role in weaving the fabric of our society, both now and in the years to come.
“Newcastle’s stories will continue to be remembered and passed on, thanks in part to the Vera Deacon Regional History Fund and the altruism of its namesake.”
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Vera was a well-deserved recipient who would join an esteemed list of 13 other Novocastrians to be awarded the City’s highest honour.
“The City of Newcastle deeply appreciates Vera’s immense contribution to the ongoing preservation and interpretation of our rich local history,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Steadfastly involved in progressive social and political movements, Vera is a trailblazer for women and has a keen sense of social justice and equality.
“We thank Vera for her many contributions to our community and know that while she may shy away from being singled out in this way, there are none more deserving of this wonderful honour.”
Vera was born in Mayfield and raised on two of the Newcastle’s original estuary islands on the Hunter River – Dempsey Island and Mosquito Island (also known as Moscheto).
During her childhood, she developed a deep and enduring connection with the waterway that continues to this day through her conservation and literary works.
After spending most of her married life in Sydney Vera returned to Newcastle in 1997 following the death of her husband Stanley.
Moving to Stockton where she could remain close to her beloved Hunter River, she joined the local historical society and began to piece together the history of the estuary islands, sharing the fruits of her research and the memories of other former residents in a series of award-winning stories.
She has dedicated countless hours to restoring the health of the estuary, volunteering as part of the Kooragang wetlands rehabilitation project on Ash Island.
Preserving the city’s history and heritage continues to drive the Stockton resident, who has made regular donations to the University of Newcastle’s Cultural Collections during the past 18 years. The Vera Deacon Regional History Fund was set up by the university and named in her honour to recognise and build on her generosity, with donations, including Vera’s, used to collect, document and digitise regional history archives.
“Through her generosity and passion, Vera has ensured that current and future generations of Novocastrians will be able to access the records and accounts of those who have come before them,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The stories of our past play an important role in weaving the fabric of our society, both now and in the years to come.
“Newcastle’s stories will continue to be remembered and passed on, thanks in part to the Vera Deacon Regional History Fund and the altruism of its namesake.”
Second person charged following armed robbery near Newcastle
Detectives have charged a woman over her alleged role in an armed robbery at a licensed premises near Newcastle earlier this year.
About 10am on Thursday 18 April 2019, a man – armed with a firearm – entered a licensed premises on Station Street, Waratah, and threatened patrons before fleeing with cash.
No one was injured at the time of the incident.
Police from Newcastle City Police District commenced inquiries before the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad took carriage of the investigation under Strike Force Yard.
As part of their inquiries, a 32-year-old man was charged in April 2019. He remains before the courts.
Following further investigations, strike force detectives arrested a 32-year-old woman at a facility at Silverwater just before 9am yesterday (Tuesday 24 September 2019), where she was charged with robbery while armed with a dangerous weapon.
Police will allege in court that the woman assisted the man by driving a vehicle following the armed robbery.
The woman was remanded in custody to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Wednesday 25 September 2019).
Greens Slam Resumption of Cruel Live Exports to ‘Furnace-Like’ Conditions in Middle East
Greens Spokesperson for Animal Welfare, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has slammed the resumption of the live export of sheep to the Middle East.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The resumption of live exports to the Middle East, especially while temperatures are so hot shows the Government is just paying lip service to animal welfare.
“It is going to be over forty degrees in Kuwait over the next few weeks, which means thousands of sheep will continue to suffer cruel heat stress. We are quite literally putting these poor animals into the furnace of the Middle East heat for profit.
“Whether it is heat stress, overcrowding or spending weeks standing in their own filth, animals on live export ships suffer immensely. It’s time to end live exports once and for all,” she concluded.
Meeting Paris targets won't protect us from catastrophic global warming: Greens
Greens spokesperson for the climate crisis, Adam Bandt MP, has warned that the United Nations Climate Summit has made it abundantly clear that even if global Paris pledges are met, it won’t be enough to avoid catastrophic global warming.
“This summit made it crystal clear that even if Australia meets its Paris commitments, that won’t be enough,” said Mr Bandt.
“The world’s Paris pledges, including Australia’s, have us on track for a catastrophic 3.4 degrees of global warming.
“Scientists at the summit say we need to a least triple current Paris pledges to stay below 2 degrees, but instead Scott Morrison is lifting pollution. Scott Morrison is now a direct threat to life.
“It’s great to pull plastics out of the sea, but the biggest threat to our oceans is climate change and Scott Morrison is making global warming worse.”
“A true leader would front up to the UN Climate Summit, and explain why they’re desperately trying to open new coal mines in the middle of a climate emergency,” said Greens leader Richard Di Natale.
“Instead, Scott Morrison is too busy hanging out with his fellow climate denier Donald Trump and Australia’s richest coal baron – while unashamedly boasting that he shares many of the same backwards and views as his host.
“In an attempt to deflect blame for Australia’s carbon exports he’s urging China to reduce their use of fossil fuels – at the same time his Resources Minister is trying to flog off ever more coal to India. By seeking to ignore reality, he’s clearly found a mentor in the most dangerous US President in history.”