Category: Newcastle News

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon has backed the call from local veterans for face-to-face services to resume at the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) office in Newcastle’s CBD.
The DVA Veterans Access Network (VAN) office was closed in March last year in response to COVID-19 and still hasn’t reopened its doors to the public.
Ms Claydon said she was contacted by tireless veterans’ advocate and DVA-sponsored volunteer, Gerry Bailey, about the impact the ongoing closure was having on veterans and their families.
“Mr Bailey has let me know about the distress that local veterans and their families have experienced at not being able to access this office during this exceptionally difficult time,” Ms Claydon said.
“He has also told me that the ongoing closure has led to anxiety in the veterans’ community that these important services may be suspended indefinitely.
“Many veterans rely on this drop-in service, especially those with physical, mental or social issues or disabilities which make face-to-face service delivery the most appropriate and comfortable form of contact for them.
“Indeed, the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) own website says the Veteran Access Network and Veteran Support Officers (VSOs) are two of its most important access points for clients.”
Ms Claydon said she believed the office could open in a COVID-safe way.
“The Newcastle Open Arms Veterans and Families Counselling office, which shares a back-office space with the VAN Office, returned to normal face-to-face services many months ago. Similarly, the NDIS offices, along with my own, are located only metres away and we both resumed walk-in constituent services many months ago.
“I understand the need to exercise caution, but this mustn’t be at the expense of access or service quality.”
Ms Claydon said wrote to the Minister after being told by the Department that there was no timeline for the reopening of the office.
“I’ve asked the Minister to put in place a firm plan for the imminent reopening the Newcastle DVA drop-in service,” Ms Claydon said.
“I’ve also asked him for his assurance that there is no plan to permanently close the Newcastle VAN office, change staffing arrangements or suspend services indefinitely.”

The Morrison Government has failed the people of Newcastle by not delivering a decision on the future of PEP-11 oil and gas exploration permit by the project’s scheduled expiry date today.
Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon said the Government’s failure demonstrated ‘grave contempt’ for the Newcastle community.
“The Minister has long known that this permit is due to expire today and he is well aware of the great community concern about its extension,” Ms Claydon said.
“He’s had every opportunity to fulfil his basic responsibilities, but instead he’s decided to prolong the anxiety for coastal communities from Newcastle to Sydney.”
Ms Claydon said it wasn’t good enough for the Minister to blame his NSW State Government counterpart for his failure to do his job.
“The Minister was on radio this morning saying he’s still waiting to hear from the New South Wales State Government about their formal position, even though the Deputy Premier has been utterly unambiguous about his opposition to PEP-11.
“My community shouldn’t have to pay the price because these Liberal Governments can’t seem to communicate with each other.”
Ms Claydon said it’s well past time for the Morrison Government to heed the community’s wishes and reject the extension.
“From day one, the message from the Newcastle community to the Minister has been crystal clear: Oil and gas rigs have no place in our beloved coastal waters.
“The community has rejected the project. The New South Wales Government has rejected the project. Federal Labor has rejected the project. Now it’s time for the Minister to do the right thing and put an end to PEP-11 once and for all!”

A woman missing from the state’s Hunter Region has been located safe and well.
The 20-year-old was reported missing to officers from Hunter Valley Police District yesterday (Saturday 13 February 2021).
Following inquiries and a public appeal, the woman was located about 1pm today (Sunday 14 September 2021).
Police would like to thank the media and community for their assistance.

An investigation is underway after five people were injured in a two-vehicle crash in the Newcastle area yesterday.
Just after 7.30pm (Saturday 13 February 2021), emergency services were called to Gordon Avenue, Hamilton, after reports of a crash between an Audi A4 and Hyundai Mighty small rigid truck.
Police have been told the vehicles collided near Everton Street, causing the Audi to hit a power pole, with the truck coming to rest on its side on top of the Audi.
The driver of the Audi, a 26-year-old man, was assessed at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics.
He was taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment and mandatory testing, along with his passenger, a 31-year-old man, who suffered a suspected broken arm.
The truck driver, a 46-year-old man, was trapped for a short time and freed by Police Rescue.
The other occupants, a 41-year-old woman and a four-year-old boy, were able to free themselves. All three were taken to John Hunter Hospital for treatment for minor injuries.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District established a crime scene, which was examined by specialist police from the Hunter Crash Investigation Unit.
Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the crash are ongoing, and anyone who may have dashcam footage or information is urged to come forward.

Police are appealing for community assistance to locate a woman missing from the state’s Hunter region.
Anne-Marie Munro, also known as Annie, aged 20, was reported missing to officers from Hunter Valley Police District when she failed to return to her home on Moore Close at Singleton yesterday (Saturday 13 February 2021).
She was last seen in the Singleton area around 8pm on Friday (12 February 2021) and has not been seen or heard from since.
Police and family hold concern for her welfare due to the disappearance being out of character.
Annie is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 160cms tall, of medium build, with brown hair and brown eyes.
She was last seen wearing a white striped t-shirt, dark pants and black shoes, carrying a jacket and black backpack.
Anyone who may have information on Annie’s whereabouts is urged to contact Singleton Police Station on (02) 6578 7499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are searching for a driver after a car crashed into a house in the Hunter region last night.
About 8.45pm (Friday 12 February 2021), a silver Nissan Maxima sedan left the road and crashed through a brick front fence, before hitting the house on Alma Street, Raymond Terrace.
Both the driver and front seat passenger of the vehicle ran from the scene prior to the arrival of police.
A couple who were inside at the time of the crash were not injured, however, the home was significantly damaged.
NSW Fire and Rescue attended to assess the house and an exclusion zone was established.
As inquiries continue, officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District are appealing to the public for information to identify the driver.
In particular, police would like to hear from anyone who might have dash cam footage of the incident or who might have been driving around Raymond Terrace at the time, to come forward.

City of Newcastle’s inaugural festival of arts and culture will officially get underway today with a mix of live music, quirky theatrics and thought-provoking visual and performing art.
The first iteration of New Annual offers an eclectic and dynamic program running from 12 to 21 February, kicking off with a packed schedule of free and ticketed events this weekend.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said more than 100 individual event sessions including over 50 free activities throughout the 10-day period will allow everyone to experience the fun and festival atmosphere of the City’s newest flagship event.
“In 2019 we embarked on an ambitious journey to create and deliver a first-class cultural festival, which will one day become a leading arts event on the national calendar,” Cr Nelmes.
“Funding from Create NSW has assisted with the planning and delivery of this inaugural event, including the commissioning of five festival-specific works from local artists and companies, and we thank the NSW Government and the Minister for the Arts Don Harwin for their support.
“Months of planning and hard work will culminate this weekend in a dynamic event with broad appeal, attracting new audiences to the wealth of talent that exists within our thriving grassroots arts and cultural scene.
“Our focus for the program has been to provide a mix of free and ticketed events, which will ensure every member of our community can enjoy the New Annual experience, and I can’t wait to see everything it has in store for us.”
New Annual’s 10-day program will feature more than 100 artists involved in dance, live music, art displays, exhibitions, talks, workshops and community activations.
The opening weekend includes a fantastic line-up of ticketed shows as well as plenty of free events in the city, such as the Olive Tree @ New Annual market in Civic Park, the first of the Locally Made and Played live music shows across 16 Newcastle venues and family-friendly Up and Up street art workshops in Museum Place.
Cr Nelmes said the festival offered a diverse and inclusive program, with City of Newcastle working collaboratively with members of local indigenous communities including Worrimai man Luke Russell, a member of the Guraki Aboriginal Advisory Committee, to ensure it also reflected Newcastle’s rich indigenous culture.
“New Annual provides a vehicle through which we can tell our city’s story, share our histories and understand our identity,” Cr Nelmes said.
“The Awabakal and Worrimai communities have cared for this country we call Newcastle for more than 60,000 years and have carried rich and diverse arts and cultural practices and knowledge through many generations to contemporary life.
“New Annual is committed to working alongside the local Aboriginal community to provide a space to understand and celebrate the extraordinary contribution of our indigenous population to our city life.”
One of the spaces being used to explore these cultural practices will be the ‘Pavilion of Sand’ in Wheeler Place, where a range of free workshops led by representatives of the Worrimai and Awabakal communities and demonstrations will be on offer throughout the festival including net weaving, song and dance demonstrations and an Awabakal language workshop and storytelling.
An exhibition of significant Aboriginal artists from around Australia, curated by Emily McDaniel, will be on show at Newcastle Art Gallery, while Speaking in Colour will deliver weaving workshops to create three sculptures inspired by the coastal landscapes of the Awabakal and Worrimai country.
Newcastle Museum will also provide an insight into traditional cultural life with its Nourishing Waters exhibition, which gives viewers a glimpse into the cultural practices and stories behind the fishing tree, spear and kuueeyung (traditional canoe) that are on permanent display.
The exhibition uses a viewer’s smartphone to deliver an augmented reality experience where they can see and hear how the Worrimai people worked in close community to fish for food in the rivers and bays of Mulumbimba (Newcastle).
The augmented reality experience is voiced (partly in language) by Mr Russell, who said New Annual provided the perfect opportunity to share traditional practices with the wider community.
“As we continue to reawaken the knowledge and stories of the Worrimai people, we are thankful to have the continued support of City of Newcastle,” Mr Russell said.
“Working towards the New Annual to showcase our old people’s traditional practices has been another exciting step forward for us and City of Newcastle.”
New Annual’s program has been designed with the flexibility to operate as a COVID-19 Safe event. To find out more visit www.newannual.com.
New Annual – Opening Weekend FREE Events
SATURDAY 13 FEBRUARY
All day

• Chalk the Walk, Newcastle CBD
• Makers & Traders Audio Station and Map, starts at Civic Digest

From 9am – The Savage Divide, The Owens Collective
From 10am

• We Can Be Heroes and VOID, Newcastle Art Gallery
• Up & Up: Create Your Place, Museum Lawn
• The Olive Tree Market at New Annual, Civic Park
• Pavilion of Sand: Net weaving workshops, Wheeler Place
• The Hangar: Family Fun, Civic Park
• 1×4, Nourishing Waters and Sea, Space & Beyond, Newcastle Museum
• False Sense of Security, The Lock-Up

10.30am – Art Cart with Jasmine Craciun, Newcastle Art Gallery
2pm – VOID: Opening Weekend Talk, Newcastle Art Gallery
3pm – Meet the Artists: Pony Express & False Sense of Security, The Lock-Up
5pm – Civic Bar Beats: DJ Chuan
7.30pm – The Looby Film, Civic Playhouse
SUNDAY 14 FEBRUARY
All day

• Chalk the Walk, Newcastle CBD
• Makers & Traders Audio Station and Map, starts at Civic Digest

From 9am – The Savage Divide, The Owens Collective
From 10am

• We Can Be Heroes and VOID, Newcastle Art Gallery
• Up & Up: Create Your Place, Museum Lawn
• Pavilion of Sand: Eel and fish trap weaving workshops, Wheeler Place
• 1×4, Nourishing Waters and Sea, Space & Beyond, Newcastle Museum
• The Savage Divide, The Owens Collective

From 11am – False Sense of Security, The Lock-Up
4pm – Civic Bar Beats: DJ Tone

Planning certificates provided by the City of Newcastle to people considering buying a property will now include reference to strategies supporting live music and the night time economy.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the new planning certificate notification informs prospective property purchasers that Newcastle supports live-music and advises that the City has a vibrant night time economy.
“This is a key action from our After Dark and Live Music strategies to support our local live music and creative industries while raising awareness among residents,” The Lord Mayor said.
“Newcastle boasts almost 100 live music venues, with many operating in mixed uses areas with residential neighbours.
“Placing information about live music and night time activities on planning certificates will assist in managing the expectations of those who move into the city and are surprised by the levels of background noise.”
City of Newcastle Councillor Carol Duncan said the addition of a planning certificate notice demonstrates a strong commitment to developing an activated and vibrant City.
“This initiative recognises that Newcastle is increasingly a creative and global city that must be shared by its residents in order for our night time economy to be strong, which in turn makes the city safer and economically stronger” Cr Duncan said.
“The new notification provides greater transparency for purchasers on the importance and significance City of Newcastle gives to our live music and creative industries.
“The new notification supports a vibrant City with a growing night time economy by acknowledging that noise can be experienced from live music venues and events.
“While the right of residents to not be unduly impacted by noise late at night remains in place, this is a way we can support Newcastle’s rich creative scene which is a major contributor to our local economy.
“A truly thriving and diverse night time economy will play a part of the city’s growth and success moving forward.”
City of Newcastle’s Live Music Strategy (2019) and Newcastle After Dark: Night Time Economy Strategy (2018) were unanimously supported by Council and support live music and the night-time economy which play a key role in accommodation, events, cultural and business uses in the City Centre and Town Centres.

Final preparations for the inaugural million-dollar New Annual festival are almost complete as City of Newcastle prepares to kick off its flagship cultural event this Friday.
With a massive pop-up installation known as The Hangar creating a theatrical-style carnival atmosphere in Civic Park and the Pavilion of Sand installation providing a base for indigenous cultural expression in Wheeler Place, Newcastle’s Civic precinct is putting on a new look for the 10-day event.

But it’s not just the city’s cultural heart undergoing a transformation for New Annual, with dozens of cultural shows to play their part throughout the city extending as far away as the Summerhill Waste Management Centre. Other locations include the Newcastle Art Gallery, Newcastle Museum, The Station, the Carriage Sheds at Foreshore Park, Miss Porter’s House, The Lock Up and Timeless Textiles.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said New Annual was a transformative, citywide event that would enhance Newcastle’s reputation as a hub of art and culture.
“After months of planning, it’s wonderful to see this amazing infrastructure taking shape,” Cr Nelmes said.
“By transforming well-known sites across Newcastle and using both traditional and non-traditional venues to deliver the artistic program, New Annual gives locals and visitors the opportunity to see the city in a new light as they discover new work, fresh perspectives and unexpected performance spaces.
“Over time the festival will grow to become a significant generator of cultural tourism, positioning Newcastle as an innovative and creative community with a vibrant cultural history, an amazing depth of talent within its performing and visual arts sector and a bright future as a smart, liveable and sustainable global city.”
New Annual provides a much-needed opportunity for local and touring artists to get back on stage and in front of audiences following COVID-19’s debilitating impact on the performing arts sector.
More than 100 visual and performing artists will take part in over 50 free and ticketed events during New Annual, which runs from 12 – 21 February. It will include dance, live music, art displays, exhibitions, presentations, talks, and activation events.
New Annual’s program has been designed with the flexibility to operate as a COVID-19 Safe event depending on Public Health Orders. To find out more visit www.newannual.com.