Category: Newcastle News

A man has been charged with additional drugs offences as part of a two-year investigation into a hydroponic house in the state’s Hunter region.
About 7.30pm on Saturday 24 March 2018, officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended a home on Honeysuckle Drive, Aberglasslyn, where they located a large amount of cannabis.
Officers established a crime scene, with Strike Force Devom set up to conduct an investigation into the alleged cultivation of cannabis.
Two days later (Monday 26 March 2018), strike force detectives executed a search warrant at the property, which they will allege in court had been converted into a hydroponic house.
Officers located and seized a number of items, including 321 cannabis plants and over 22kg of loose cannabis leaf.
As part of ongoing inquiries, police attended a home on Dimmock Street at Hunterview, near Singleton, on Wednesday 16 September 2020, where officers allegedly located and dismantled an elaborate hydroponic setup.
A 28-year-old man was arrested and charged; he remains before the courts.
Following further inquiries, police issued the man a Court Attendance Notice for cultivate large commercial quantity of prohibited plant yesterday (Monday 12 October 2020).
He is due to next appear at Muswellbrook Local Court on Monday 16 November 2020.

Almost three and a half thousand Novocastrians have signed a petition against the planned closure of Newcastle Centrelink offices.
Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon, who established the petition, spoke on behalf of signatories in a speech about Centrelink in the House of Representatives.
Ms Claydon said the Morrison Government plans to close both the Newcastle CBD and Mayfield Centrelink offices.
“Not content with capping staff and slashing resources, the Morrison government recently turned its attention to shutting down Centrelink’s physical presence in communities—the very offices that people go to when they need help,” Ms Claydon said.
“The first I heard was when the minister wrote to me to tell me that the government will be closing the Mayfield and King Street Centrelink offices to replace them with a single office in a yet to be determined location. He talked coldly of ‘consolidation’ – which of course we all know is Liberal code for cuts, cuts and more cuts.”
Ms Claydon said she was overwhelmed by the response to her campaign against the closures.
“It has been quite incredible, actually. I have received dozens and dozens of calls, letters and emails of solidarity. People wrote to me about how much they relied on Centrelink’s frontline services. They shared their personal stories about what those offices meant to them and their families, and they sent me copies of the letters that they had sent to the minister urging him to axe this stupid plan.
“If I was heartened by the letters of support, I was completely overwhelmed by the support for my community petition. Today, I’d like to formally record in the Australian parliament that 3,458 Novocastrians signed this petition which called on the government to axe this terrible plan and leave Newcastle’s Centrelink offices alone,” Ms Claydon told the House.
Ms Claydon said she had recently learned that the Newcastle closure was part of a bigger plan.
“Initially, we thought it was just the one office. Then we learned of another and another and another. It quickly became clear that they weren’t isolated decisions. No, they were part of a devious, coordinated plan to shrink Centrelink’s frontline footprint by stealth.
“Of course, the Morrison government wasn’t honest with the public about these plans, which will leave jobseekers—needy and vulnerable Australians—out in the cold.”
Ms Claydon thanked everyone who had participated in the Newcastle campaign against shutting down local Centrelnk offices.
“I’d like to sincerely thank each and every person who took the time to write, to call, to email or to drop in to my office to register their dissent,” Ms Claydon said.
“On this matter, there can be no doubt: Newcastle loudly, proudly and unequivocally said ‘no’ to these closures.”
Ms Claydon said Centrelink has always been there for Australians when they have been at their lowest ebb.
“When people face bereavement or disability they look to Centrelink for support. When they take on caring duties or get sick they rely on Centrelink to get them through.
“Indeed, it’s Centrelink that millions of Australians have turned to in recent months as COVID-19 restrictions threatened or destroyed an unthinkable number of jobs and businesses.”
Sharon’s complete speech on the Services Australia Governance Amendment Bill 2020 is available here.

A man has been charged with sexual offences alleged to have occurred near the Newcastle baths earlier today.

About 3.00pm on Sunday 11 October 2020, officers from Newcastle City Police District attended the Newcastle Baths on Shortland Esplanade, following reports a man at the beach a man had allegedly exposed himself towards a group of boys in the changeroom area of the baths.

The man left the baths a short time later and security at the baths notified police.

Officers from Newcastle City Police District commenced an investigation and arrested a 22-year-old man.

The man was taken to Newcastle Police Station and charged with two counts of intentionally do sexual act with child between 10 and 16, carry out sexual act with another without consent and wilful and obscene exposure.

The man has been refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court tomorrow (Monday 12 October 2020).

A man will appear in court today charged after crashing an unregistered car into a house in the Hunter region last night.
About 9.20pm (Saturday 10 October 2020), officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were patrolling in the Raymond Terrace area, following reports of a suspicious vehicle.
Police observed a silver Holden Commodore travelling on Links Road; however, it drove away in the opposite direction.
A short time later, the Holden was located crashed into a home on Scott Close, Raymond Terrace.
The crash caused extensive damage to the front concrete veranda of the home, estimated to be valued at more than $40,000.
The driver, a 23-year-old man, was arrested and taken to John Hunter Hospital for mandatory testing.
He was later taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, never licensed person drive vehicle on road and use unregistered registrable class A motor vehicle on road.
The man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Bail Court today (Sunday 11 October 2020).
Inquiries are continuing.

Police are appealing for information to locate the occupants of a stolen vehicle, that was located crashed through a fence in the state’s Hunter region today.
About 1.30am (Saturday 10 October 2020), officers from Hunter Valley Police District were called to Bridge Street, Branxton, after reports of suspicious activity.
Upon arrival, police observed an unknown man standing next to a Holden utility, and subsequent checks revealed the vehicle had been reported stolen from a house at Singleton earlier in the evening.
As police approached the vehicle, it drove off along Russell Street and down Railway Street.
When the vehicle failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated, however, it was terminated due to safety concerns.
A short time later, police located the utility abandoned and on its side in a paddock near Standen and Corinda drives, after having hit a fence.
A search of the surrounding area was conducted, but the occupants of the vehicle could not be located.
A crime scene was established, with a number of items seized from the vehicle that will undergo forensic examination.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident is underway and investigators are appealing for anyone who may have seen the vehicle, or who may have information, to contact Singleton Police Station on (02) 6578 7499 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The 2020 Women’s Budget Statement released today by Labor shows that this year’s Morrison Recession Budget contains no measures to address significant job losses in industries dominated by women.
Since March, almost 200,000 have lost their jobs and 110,000 women have left the labour force altogether. At the peak of coronavirus restrictions earlier this year, more than 1 million women had no work whatsoever.
There is no doubt that Australian women have borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic and Morrison recession.
But despite racking up more than a trillion dollars in debt, the Prime Minister’s re-hashed “women’s economic statement” only allocated $240 million in new funding – 0.024 per cent.
In this year’s Budget, there is no new funding for frontline service providers to support women and their children escaping domestic violence.
There is nothing new to properly drive down the gender pay gap. There is nothing to bolster women’s superannuation or economic security in retirement.
There is no plan to lift the permanent rate of JobSeeker from $40 per day, tackle insecure work, create opportunities for women or to improve access to childcare.
There is no plan to reduce childcare fees to support women going back to work during the deepest recession in a hundred years.
At a time when women over the age of 55 are the fastest growing demographic facing homelessness, there is no plan to build more social housing or repair properties unfit for tenants to live in.
The Women’s Budget Statement was axed by Tony Abbott’s Government in 2014. Labor has produced one from Opposition every year since.

 
Labor Leader Anthony Albanese said:
“The lives of Australian women and girls matter. If we’re elected to lead Australia, we’ll reintroduce a Women’s Budget Statement to stop women from being left behind, like they are under the Morrison Government.”
“Only Labor will make sure no woman is held back, and no woman is left behind – because it’s the right thing to do.”
Shadow Minister for Women Julie Collins said:
“Women aren’t just facing many of the consequences of the coronavirus more harshly, we also know they’re doing much more of the dangerous frontline work to combat the pandemic.”
“The truth is the Morrison Government has taken no serious action on gender equality. It’s time to step up.”
Chair of the Status of Women Caucus Committee Sharon Claydon said:
“We know the things that perpetuate gender inequality in Australia. Now is the time to re-double our efforts to set about changing them – for the Morrison Government, that means equal representation and restoring budgets that support women.”

City of Newcastle is progressing the well-needed upgrade to Newcastle Ocean Baths, with tenders being called to restore the unique sand-bottomed pool and its promenades.
The Baths upgrade is a staged project, with the first piece of work being to restore the pools and lower concourse, while consultation and assessments continue for the upper concourse and pavilion.
Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said the pools upgrade had been guided by engagement with the Newcastle Ocean Baths Community Reference Group and broader public, with construction expected mid-2021.
“November marks Newcastle Ocean Baths’ 98th anniversary, and the signs of ageing are really showing around her pools and promenades,” the Deputy Lord Mayor said.
“Deterioration around the pools has become impossible to miss, with sections of the lower promenade literally falling into the ocean in recent storms.
“We’ve had some great feedback from the community about what’s important to them as we undertake these essential upgrades to Newcastle Ocean Baths’ pools, like retaining the iconic boardwalk, maintaining the historic sand bottom, and improving accessibility.
“We’ll be making some practical improvements like relocating the pool pumps so our staff can safely access them for maintenance, while ensuring that historic elements like the pump house remain in place.”
Acting CEO Ken Liddell said the immediate focus for the City was to deliver a safe and efficient upgrade to Newcastle Ocean Baths’ pools, while continuing assessments to inform the second stage of the project.
“The City commenced community consultation on the upgrade to the Baths in November 2019 and formed a community reference group (CRG) to help guide the project in March 2020,” Mr Liddell said.
“We have since had three formal CRG meetings since March, with an additional two focus groups delving into key issues including change rooms and the café/kiosk and community spaces.
“We’ve received feedback from members of the CRG that meeting digitally under COVID-19 restrictions has been challenging and has constrained open discussion and collaboration.
“The CRG has also recommended a multi-criteria needs analysis be undertaken on the site to guide conversations with the community and to ensure the upgrade delivered meets the needs of future generations.
“Based on this feedback and the importance of an informed, successful co-design process with the CRG for the Stage 2 pavilions restoration, we will continue investigations such as the needs analysis and more detailed condition assessments prior to resuming face-to-face engagement on Stage 2 when it’s safe to do so.
“In the meantime, we’re focussed on working with the CRG to share information and limit the disruption caused by the important Stage 1 upgrade to the pools.”
City of Newcastle has committed to funding the renewal of Newcastle Ocean Baths in full, and will direct the $9.5 million recovered from the Fred Ash building sale to the project.
The tender will be available on City of Newcastle’s website from tomorrow www.tenderlink.com/newcastle.

As part of the City’s response to COVID-19 overdue fines were suspended for an initial 6 months. However our community is continuing to face challenges so we’ve extended the fee free period to the middle of next year.
Since the pandemic we’ve had more than 1,300 new library members and we’re constantly looking at ways we can continue to provide them with more. More access, more services, and more ways to connect.
Extending our fines free period is another way we can offer more to all Library members. Plus we hope it will encourage new people to join and discover all their local library has on offer.
Membership is free and open to anyone who lives, works or regularly travels in the Newcastle region.  Find out more about becoming a member here or contact the Library team on 4974 5300