Police to address media as police operation continues – Port of Newcastle

Police will address the media this afternoon as a police operation continues in Newcastle.

170 have been arrested over unsafe behaviour in the water, serious disruption of a major facility, and other offences.

10 people also required assistance from police to return to shore.

The harbour remains open despite some serious disruptions.

The operation is ongoing.

Police have arrested over 100 people as a police operation continues in the Port of Newcastle.

Just after 10am today (Sunday 24 November 2024), a large group of people entered a shipping channel and interfered with the movement of vessels.

138 people have now been arrested after refusing to comply with a direction to move away from the channel.

The police operation is ongoing.

For their own safety and that of the other users of the port, police request that people refrain from entering the harbour with the intention to obstruct other users of the port. We also encourage all participants to follow the directions of police.

The community is reminded that under NSW legislation, the safe passage of vessels is protected. Unlawful activity may result in fines or imprisonment.

The NSW Police Force will adopt a zero-tolerance approach to actions which threaten public safety and the safe passage of vessels.

Three people have been charged as a high-visibility police operation continues in the Port of Newcastle.

About 1.45pm today (Saturday 23 November 2024), officers attached to Marine Area Command issued directions to a number of people to move away from a shipping channel due to safety concerns.

When two men – aged 27 and 59 – and a 26-year-old woman allegedly remained in the water, they were arrested and taken to Newcastle Police Station where they were charged with not comply with direction by authorised officer relating to safety.

They were all granted conditional bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Monday 13 January 2025.

A number of other people were not arrested on the water, but were assisted by police when they struggled to return to shore.

The police operation will continue over the weekend to ensure the safety of participants, the community, and users of the Port of Newcastle.

For their own safety and that of the other users of the port, police request that people refrain from entering the harbour with the intention to obstruct other users of the port. We also encourage all participants to follow the directions of police.

The community is reminded that under NSW legislation, the safe passage of vessels is protected. Unlawful activity may result in fines or imprisonment.

The NSW Police Force will adopt a zero-tolerance approach to actions which threaten public safety and the safe passage of vessels.

Three people have been arrested as a police operation continues in Newcastle.

About 1.45pm today (Saturday 23 November 2024), officers attached to Marine Area Command removed three people from the water at the Port of Newcastle.

Two men – aged 27 and 60 – and a 26 year-old woman, were arrested and taken to Newcastle Police Station where they are assisting police with their inquiries.

The police operation is ongoing and more information will be provided when it becomes available.

NTEU report lays bare the ‘corporate university’

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and Spokesperson for Tertiary Education, has responded to NTEU’s report “Ending bad governance for good.” 

Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

“The shocking extent and impacts of the ‘corporate university’ are laid bare by this report. It is obscene that staff have been robbed of hundreds of millions in stolen wages, yet VCs and executives walk away with hefty pay packets.

“The harsh reality is that staff and students have become expendable cogs in the machine of a corporate campus where staff and students are suffering, while the executive class is splurging on consultants and largesse. 

“Decades of neoliberal policies by governments and universities have made a mockery of universities as democratic institutions of public good.

“We need an overhaul of university governance to shift the balance of power away from the managerial class and corporate executives back to staff and students. 

“We need to reimagine better universities that are well-funded, accountable, democratic and transparent. Universities must be places of public good where staff have secure jobs and the best pay and working conditions, and students have fee-free access to quality education. 

“It is high time to fix these systemic problems, and the Greens support NTEUs calls for a parliamentary inquiry.” 

Greens call for Government to withdraw mis & disinformation Bill

Following a lengthy Senate inquiry, the Greens have today announced their opposition to the Government’s mis and disinformation bill and have called for the bill to be withdrawn. The Greens have heard evidence from experts, lawyers and the community that the Government’s approach doesn’t get to the heart of tackling the harms of mis and disinformation. There are serious concerns that handing responsibility over to tech platforms to self-regulate what is true or false will likely have unintended consequences that undermine the policy intent.

Greens’ opposition means the bill cannot pass the Senate. The Government has failed to address the significant concerns that have been raised by many in the community, and the Greens are today calling on the Government to withdraw the bill.

Greens spokesperson for communications and Senator for South Australia, Sarah Hanson-Young said:

“The Greens understand that mis and disinformation is a growing danger to democracy, public discourse, health and safety both in Australia and around the world and needs to be tackled. 

“However we are concerned this bill doesn’t actually do what it needs to do when it comes to stopping the deliberate mass distribution of false and harmful information.

“It gives media moguls like Murdoch an exemption and hands over responsibility to tech companies and billionaires like Elon Musk to determine what is true or false under ambiguous definitions. It does little to stop non-human actors like bots flooding social media and boosting dangerous algorithms.

“There has been strong community opposition to this bill, and experts have also raised serious concerns. The Government has failed to address these.

“As such, the Greens will be opposing the bill. The Government should listen to community concern and withdraw this legislation.

“Instead, the Government needs to focus on comprehensive reforms that tackle the business models and dangerous algorithms that fuel division and damage democracy, and legislate a duty of care so these platforms prevent harm in the first place.”

Novocastrians invited to have their say on future of affordable housing

City of Newcastle is a step closer to increasing the range of residential options across the city with its Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme now on public exhibition.

The planning proposal was endorsed by Councillors at the December 2023 Ordinary Council Meeting and the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure has now determined it satisfies pre-exhibition conditions.

The scheme proposes to add affordable housing provisions to the Newcastle Local Environmental Plan 2012, which will enable a condition of consent for new residential and mixed-use developments to make contributions towards affordable housing, where a new development is greater than 540m2 or benefitting from zoning uplift.

Contributions will be in the form of a financial subsidy, a dedication of land or completed dwellings to City of Newcastle and would be managed by a community housing provider and used to maintain, build, and develop affordable housing. 

Affordable housing is available to support very low to and moderate income households experiencing housing stress, which occurs where housing costs are greater than 30 per cent of gross household income after other basic living costs. 

Executive Director of Planning and Environment, Michelle Bisson, said the scheme modelled construction costs, taxes, location, land value, and return on investment to retain residual value and ensure viability and feasibility. 

“I am particularly pleased to have received endorsement from the Department’s Housing Policy Team who commended the work of our City of Newcastle team,” Ms Bisson said.

“Our planners have developed a rigorous methodology to establish appropriate contributions rates for development in different parts of the city.”   

With the latest forecasts showing the population is set to increase by 41,150 residents to 202,050 by 2041 in the Newcastle LGA, with need for almost 20,000 new homes, City of Newcastle is committed to supporting the increase of affordable housing in the city.

City of Newcastle’s Housing Policy sets a target of 15 per cent affordable housing across the city on privately owned land, and 25 per cent on government land, consistent with benchmarks to deliver affordable housing and housing diversity. 

City of Newcastle’s Affordable Housing Working Party Chair Councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk said the scheme has been carefully developed in consultation with housing experts and industry stakeholders and refined through an extensive development feasibility assessment.

“Our team has done incredible work to ensure that we can increase our supply of housing and maintain development feasibility, while increasing the availability of much-needed affordable housing across the city,” Cr Adamczyk said.

“With ever increasing numbers of people in our community experiencing housing stress, affordable housing is an important social infrastructure that supports liveability and wellbeing by enabling a strong, diverse, and inclusive community.

“This scheme is consistent with the objectives of the Newcastle 2040 Community Strategic Plan and our community’s vision for a liveable, sustainable, caring, and inclusive city.”

Community members are invited to provide feedback on the planning proposal and Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme via City of Newcastle’s Have Your Say page until 2 February 2025.

Government expands support for families who lose loved ones to road crimes

The NSW Government last night has passed legislation to deliver on a key election commitment to expand support for families who have lost loved ones in road crimes.

The Victims Rights and Support Amendment (Victims Support Counselling) Bill 2024 will make counselling available through the Victims Support Scheme to family members of a person killed in a motor vehicle crash where someone is charged in relation to the crash.

Under the changes, family members will also be eligible for counselling support if charges cannot be laid because the offender has died or cannot be located if there is sufficient evidence to establish that an offence has apparently occurred.

An eligible family member will be able to access 22 hours of approved counselling, with further hours available if approved by the Commissioner of Victims Rights.

Currently, most incidents involving motor vehicles are excluded from being ‘acts of violence’ under the Victims Rights and Support Act.

Family victims of road crime experience the same trauma as any other family who has lost a loved one because of a criminal act. This legislation will ensure they receive counselling as they navigate their loss.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“This legislation delivers on our election commitment to offer grieving families the counselling support that they deserve.

“Family victims of road crimes will be able to access critical mental health support through the Victims Support Scheme.

“We have listened to the community and delivered legislation that will make a real difference.”

New and upgraded public schools for the growing Wentworth Point community

Wentworth Point families are set for a major education boost as the Minns Labor Government marks the beginning of a major expansion to Wentworth Point Public School, while construction nears completion at the new Wentworth Point High School.

Major upgrades to Wentworth Public School will see the delivery of 26 new classrooms, seven new multipurpose spaces, three new support classrooms and an internal renovation to the school’s library. The upgrade will allow for the removal of all 16 demountables and lift the capacity of the school from 400 to 1,000 when works are completed in mid-2026.

The beginning of upgrade works on the public school come as works near completion at the neighbouring new multimillion-dollar Wentworth Point High School. Students are set to begin classes at the new public high school from Day 1, Term 1 2025.

The new high school will cater for Year 7 students from Wentworth Point, Sydney Olympic Park, Newington, Silverwater and Rhodes in 2025, with an additional year of schooling added each year.

Stage 2 of the high school is now in planning, with construction set to begin in early 2025, which will deliver a new multipurpose hall for sports and performance, new outdoor spaces, games courts, canteen facilities and a sports field which will be open to the community outside of school hours.

Improvements to Wenworth Point education infrastructure is long overdue, following the former Liberal National Government failing to deliver on promised upgrades, and instead leaving school communities to rely on temporary demountables filling the school playgrounds.

This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild public education, which includes a record $3.6 billion to upgrade and build new schools in Western Sydney, addressing a school infrastructure backlog left after more than a decade of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“I am pleased to see upgrade works begin at Wentworth Point Public School today.

“While the population in this area grew significantly over the last decade, the Liberals and Nationals failed to plan for the schools needed in the Wentworth Point community.

“Our major investments in Wentworth Point mean families will now have certainty that their children can attend a world-class public school in their local area.”

Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said:

“It is fantastic to see upgrade works starting at Wentworth Point Public School.

“We had to fight hard for our new high school, this major public school upgrade and the long-awaited Peninsula Park, which are all now underway.

“I am proud to be part of the Minns Labor Government that is delivering for our community.”

Principal of Wentworth Point Public School Jayne Muir said:

“I am excited about the upgrades and the prospect of developing an educational precinct on the Wentworth Point Peninsula.

“When our school first opened in 2018, we started with just 152 students, with a designed capacity of 419. Fast forward to 2024, and Wentworth Point Public School is in its seventh year of operation.

“We are now projecting an enrolment of over 740 students by the beginning of 2025. This rapid increase underscores the pressing need for expanded facilities to continue to provide a high-quality learning environment.”

Principal of Wentworth Point High School Melissa Johnston said:

“I am delighted to be building the foundations of a new school community, commencing with Year 7 in 2025.

“The modern six storey facility located along the beautiful Parramatta River provides flexible learning spaces for mainstream and support unit students and offers high quality specialist facilities to support diverse learning pathways and post school options,” Ms Johnston said.

“We will maximise the flexible learning spaces through student transition programs and staff inductions with explicit expectations regarding optimal teaching and learning.”

Clinician scientist wins NSW’s top cancer research prize

One of Australia’s leading clinician scientists and founder of national genomic cancer medicine centre, Omico, Professor David Thomas, received the state’s highest accolade for cancer research at the NSW Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research tonight.

Professor Thomas, who was crowned Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year, is a leader in the development of precision oncology in Australia, which has extended the lives of thousands of incurable cancer patients through the use of genomics.

Professor Thomas founded Omico, a not-for-profit genomics organisation that accelerates access to precision oncology using technology to detect unique genetic and molecular variations in a person’s cancer to identify new targeted treatments.

Professor Thomas has also led the development of sarcoma research in Australia for the past 20 years, having founded the Australasian Sarcoma Study Group. His work changed the global clinical practice for giant cell tumour of bone, and effective early detection strategies for patients with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, a rare hereditary disorder that increases a person’s risk of cancer.

NSW Premier Chris Minns, Minister for Health Ryan Park and Minister for Medical Research David Harris also presented seven other prestigious awards, celebrating the individuals and teams working to improve cancer outcomes in NSW, at the event in the NSW Parliament.

  • Outstanding Mid-Career Researcher –Associate Professor Nicolas Hart,National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Research Fellow in Cancer Survivorship at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), for enhancing patient safety and quality of care for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in cancer care.
  • Outstanding Early Career Researcher – Dr Ashfaq Chauhan, a postdoctoral research fellow and coordinator of the Healthcare Engagement and Equity Research stream within the Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University, for enhancing patient safety and quality of care for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in cancer care.
  • Rising Star PhD Candidate  Dr Robert Rawson,Tissue Pathology Staff Specialist at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for his innovative research focused on assessing the pathological response to neoadjuvant therapy in melanoma.
  • Outstanding Cancer Clinical Trials Unit – The Clinical Trials Unit at Melanoma Institute Australia, for its investigator-led trials, and leading the way in advancing melanoma and non-melanoma research, enrolling around 400 patients annually in diverse clinical trials.
  • Cancer Control Innovation –The Zero Childhood Cancer Program team, for demonstrating unprecedented collaboration, bringing together clinicians from child cancer treatment centres across the country and leading national research partners to deliver Australia’s first precision medicine program for children with cancer.
  • Improving Equitable Outcomes – Associate Professor Mei Ling Yap, radiation oncologist and clinician researcher at South Western Sydney Local Health District, The George Institute for Global Health and the Ingham Institute at UNSW, for her dedication to achieving equity in cancer control both locally and globally through increasing access to radiation therapy.
  • Consumer Engagement in Cancer Research –awarded toLucy Jones, CEO Neuroblastoma Australia and consumer advocate passionate about advancing neuroblastoma research, for working tirelessly to raise awareness of the disease and fund research aimed at creating more targeted, effective, and less toxic treatments.

Each winner also received funding towards their research as part of their prize.

The NSW Government, through the Cancer Institute NSW, has awarded more than $324 million in cancer research over the last decade.

For more detailed information on award recipients, visit https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/events/nsw-premier-s-awards-for-outstanding-cancer-resear/2024

Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales said:

“NSW is a global leader in cancer research.

”We’re committed to continuing to invest in research to improve our understanding of a disease which devastates communities across our state.

“On behalf of the people of NSW, I’d like to thank the award winners and our incredible cancer research community, for working together to better understand and treat this insidious disease.”

Ryan Park, Minister for Health said:

“With one person in NSW diagnosed with cancer around every 10 minutes, almost all of us will feel the impact of this disease during our lifetime.

“Better understanding and treatment of cancer would be impossible without people like Professor Thomas and I’d like to thank him and everyone working across NSW who help reduce the impact of cancer.”

David Harris, Minister for Medical Research said:

“For people with cancer, research and clinical trials provide options and hope.

“NSW has some of the best cancer survival rates in the world and our well established research pipeline and overall excellence in cancer research is a key reason for these outcomes.”

Professor Tracey O’Brien, NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of Cancer Institute NSW said:

“Cancer is a global health challenge and while significant progress has been made in our understanding of cancer, it remains the leading cause of death in NSW, with sadly one in two people set to be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.

“Research and innovation is key to unlocking the answers we are all searching for and I’d like to congratulate and thank the incredibly passionate, talented and collaborative research teams in NSW who are working tirelessly to save lives and keep families and communities safe and supported.”

Professor David Thomas, said:

“It’s a great honour to be recognised for the work our teams have been leading, which is transforming cancer care. Genomics is a fundamental technology that provides answers to the two most common questions patients ask ‘why did this happen to me?’ and ‘what can you do about it?’

“After screening more than 15,000 incurable cancer patients, there’s no question that precision oncology can significantly extend life for one in three cancer patients. I am proud to see the growth of Omico’s national clinical trial network from eight cancer centres at conception in 2018, to 61 centres across Australia and New Zealand today.”

Grants awarded to groundbreaking electrification projects

The NSW Government is awarding more than $1 million in grants to support groundbreaking projects focused on reducing carbon emissions through electrification.

The Electrification & Energy Systems Network Seed Grant Scheme provides funding as part of the NSW Government’s Decarbonisation Innovation Hub. The Hub supports researchers, industry and government stakeholders in critical sectors to increase the uptake of new technologies in decarbonising NSW.

Funding is being awarded to exciting early-stage projects that are working to resolve the technical, economic, social and environmental challenges of electrification technology.

Grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 will enable collaborative projects between universities and industry.

The evaluation process, conducted independently by an Industry Advisory Board, has rigorously assessed and identified a selection of high-quality, impactful projects deserving of grants.

The awardees are:

  • University of Wollongong – Identifying and Removing Barriers for Electricity System Planning.
  • University of New South Wales – Develop device electrification functionality for the APVI’s SunSPOT solar and battery calculator.
  • University of Technology Sydney – Cost effective wireless energy harvesting from high voltage transmission lines.
  • Macquarie University – Powering E-Shuttles with Optimized Routes and Magnetised Cement Charging.
  • University of Sydney – Recycling of Lithium from Discarded Battery Materials.
  • Macquarie University – AI-driven energy management platform.
  • University of New South Wales – Open Platform for Real-time Renewable Energy Bidding and Trading.

This initiative is funded by the NSW Environmental Trust and Network Partners: University of Newcastle, University of New South Wales, University of Wollongong, University of Technology Sydney.

For updates on these projects and other initiatives visit: https://www.decarbhub.au/networks/electrification-and-energy-systems-network/

Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said:

“These projects are translating research-based technologies into real-life solutions to our current and future energy challenges.

“Electrification of our energy system is essential to reaching our Net Zero targets and mitigating the impacts of climate change on our environment and health. It will also ensure our community benefits from cleaner and more affordable energy.”

Prof. John Fletcher, Director Electrification & Energy Systems, NSW Decarbonisation Innovation Hub:

“I am delighted that we have reached this significant milestone in this early stage of the Electrification & Energy Systems Network.

“Our independent Industry Advisory Board worked hard to assess the 21 proposals and select the awardees. We now look forward to the awarded projects delivering their impact.”

Minns Labor Government strengthens penalties for blocking railways

The Minns Labor Government has put stronger sanctions in place for irresponsible and disruptive activities that block the passage of trains, endangering the safety of rail workers and disrupting passengers.

Legislation passed by the NSW Parliament last night put in place a maximum fine of $22,000 for the offence of “obstructing a railway”. Previously, the offence provision under the Crimes Act 1900 does not specify a fine.

The penalties for blocking the passage of trains now align with changes to laws, passed by the NSW Parliament in 2022, making it an offence to block or obstruct major roads, bridges and tunnels and major facilities like ports and railway stations.

Many of the protesters causing mayhem in the Hunter Valley earlier this year were charged with obstructing a railway. This provision also covers people found to have assisted those who directly commit the offence.

Strengthening the penalty aims to deter extremely dangerous conduct that puts train driver, rail worker and passenger safety at risk.

Blocking railway tracks disrupts commuters and commerce and diverts the precious resources of NSW Police.

Hardworking train drivers should not have to work in fear, worrying about whether they will need to apply an emergency brake to avoid striking a trespasser. Everyone across our state should be able to use our rail network safely.

It is critical that we deter people from engaging in this behaviour, which could also see them killed on the tracks.

While recent rail line protest activity has centred on the Hunter region, this change will apply to every railway line in the state. The provision also covers blocking the passage of light rail vehicles.

While the Government respects the right of people to lawfully protest, illegal protests on railway tracks or on major facilities, which could cost lives, will not be tolerated.

Those found guilty of obstructing a railway, or damaging or disrupting major facilities, will now all face up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $22,000 (200 penalty units), or both.

By aligning the penalties for these offences, the NSW Government is sending a message about how seriously it views this kind of illegal conduct.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“This is about preventing dangerous and disruptive conduct.

“This conduct is already illegal, and we are sending a clear message with these stronger penalties.”

Not just trains but whole state held hostage to unions

NSW parliament rises for the last time this week, marking 20 months since the Labor government came to power in NSW, aided by the state’s union movement. In March 2023, Chris Minns and his team promised the world simultaneously to voters and to the unions who carried them to election victory. The euphoria that accompanied the Labor win has long lost its lustre and Chris Minns and his Labor ministers are now facing the reality of what is required to govern – and the consequences of being beholden to the union movement.
 
We have unions holding the government hostage – paralysing our public transport network and stranding commuters one week, elective and planned surgeries cancelled the next, while for nearly a year ongoing action from the Electrical Trades Union has delayed critical electrical connections, impacting everything from thousands of homes to billions of dollars of state-significant infrastructure.
 
What’s clear is that the unions which got Labor elected, which control Labor preselections, man booths on polling day and make donations to the ALP, are now running this state. The Labor Party that promised great reform has instead delivered paralysis.
 
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, NSW has lost nearly 26,000 “working days” to industrial action since the Minns government came to power, up-ending the lives of people. NSW has gone from being the “Premier State” to the “Strike State”.
 
Meanwhile, under the Minns Labor government, Sydney’s cost of living is spiralling. The overall cost of living in Sydney is 22% higher than Melbourne, 25% higher than Perth, 49% higher than Adelaide, and 41% higher than Darwin. Rent in Sydney is 36% more expensive than Melbourne, 45% higher than Perth, and 49% higher than Adelaide.
 
Sydney families pay $1000 more in rent each month than in Melbourne. That’s $12,000 a year more that Sydney families could be spending on their children, grocery bills, or saving for their future. Housing approvals and commencements in NSW have collapsed to their lowest levels in 12 years, rents have skyrocketed, and families are being priced out of their communities. Hospitals are going backwards, and cost-of-living pressures continue to get worse.
 
Labor has delivered at least 52 announcements of taskforces, inquiries and reviews, but no meaningful outcomes for the people of NSW. Instead, we have a weak Labor Premier and a small target government which hides behind empty promises.
 
We’ve seen this before. Between 1998 and 2011, NSW Labor promised at least five major rail projects – and none of them were delivered. Chris Minns is Bob Carr 2.0 – big talk, no action, and endless disappointment.
 
He is happy to cut the ribbons for projects delivered by the previous Coalition government, but he can’t lead when required.
 
The constant industrial chaos is a sobering reminder of a Labor government too weak to lead, too afraid to make decisions, and too paralysed to act. After nearly two years of the Minns Labor government, families aren’t better off – they’re worse off.