Category: Newcastle News

A man has been charged with drug supply after an operation in Newcastle yesterday.
On Friday (23 August 2019), officers from the Police Transport and Public Safety Command were conducting a drug dog operation between Broadmeadow, Hamilton and the Wickham interchange.
A 20-year-old male was searched by Police who located 27 MDMA tablets inside his bag.
He was arrested and taken to Newcastle Police Station.
He was charged with supply prohibited drug and granted conditional bail to appear at Newcastle Local court on Thursday 12 September 2019.

Diversions are in place after a fatal crash on the Central Coast.
About 7.20pm (Saturday 24 August 2019), a vehicle was travelling north on the M1 Pacific Motorway at Cooranbong when it left the road, rolled, and caught fire.
The driver and sole occupant died at the scene.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District are in attendance. A crime scene has been established and will be forensically examined.
Diversions are in place on the M1 between Freemans Drive and Palmers Road.
For the latest on traffic information visit www.livetraffic.com.
 

City of Newcastle has engaged a local agency with over three decades of experience helping Hunter businesses thrive, under a new Business Improvement Association (BIA) support services contract.
Purser Corporate Communication (Purser) has been appointed in response to independent recommendations made to improve the use of Special Business Rate funds, which are collected to promote, beautify and develop the City’s business precincts.
City of Newcastle Director Strategy and Engagement Brett Smith said Purser would provide a range of support services to BIAs, allowing them to focus on planning and executing projects and events that make vibrant business districts.
“By providing a shared resource for BIAs to manage their administrative and compliance obligations, we are freeing-up their time and resources to focus on delivering great projects and events that will activate, promote and enhance their precincts,” Mr Smith said.
“Purser will act as the key point of contact between the City and each BIA. They’ll be responsible for ensuring that requirements, such as business plans, annual reports and other administrative material is adequately developed and provided as required.
“The City is confident that Purser will help bridge a key gap in the BIA process, ultimately rewarding the community with improved events and projects over the next 12 months.”
Purser Managing Director Meg Purser said that the new BIA model provided opportunity for businesses to support growth and economic opportunity across the city.
“The revised BIA structure has been designed to enable a panel of business people to develop and manage promotional and marketing strategies, as well as beautification projects that enhance their precinct, attract business and encourage visitation.
“It will also provide the opportunity for each precinct to work closely with other BIAs and the City of Newcastle particularly for larger scale initiatives and activations,” Ms Purser said.
Engaging a BIA Support Service is a key outcome from the independent review into the BIA model, which considered concerns about administrative inefficiencies and compliance obligations.
Established in Newcastle in 1984, Purser Corporate Communication provides specialist communication and community engagement services to the business, not for profit and public sectors.
The consultancy has undertaken extensive work across both public and private sectors and more specifically with business representative organisations and economic development projects to develop public affairs, strategic engagement and management plans that add value to corporate objectives and wider community outcomes.

What will Newcastle look like in 20-plus years’ time, with more than 35,000 additional residents and 19,500 new dwellings?
City of Newcastle is asking the community to help shape the future of our growing Local Government Area, which is projected to grow by around 25 percent to a population of 202,000 by 2040.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the opinions and wishes of Novocastrians were essential to the City’s planning process.
“This is a unique opportunity to shape how our city evolves into the future. Newcastle has so many wonderful and unique features, so we want to make sure we maintain and enhance them as we grow,” the Lord Mayor said.
“It’s important our strategic planning allows us to make the most of the exciting opportunities for our city and to manage growth effectively in line with what our community wants to see.”
In March 2018 the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) was amended, which introduced new requirements for councils to develop Local Strategic Planning Statements (LSPS). The Newcastle LSPS will set out the 20-year vision for the land use of our local area, the special characteristics which contribute to our local identity, shared community values, and how growth and change will be managed in the future.
The Lord Mayor said there was a focus on engaging young people, so the future of Newcastle reflected the values of tomorrow’s ratepayers.
“The LSPS community consultation period is open now and aims to speak to a broad cross-section of residents, including the City’s youth, who will be beneficiaries of the strategic planning we do now for our city in 2040,” the Lord Mayor said.
“A ‘Big Picture’ Newcastle activity sheet provides local youth with a chance to offer feedback on what they love about their City, how improvements can be made and what needs to be maintained to ensure the City of Newcastle remains an incredible place to live.”
A series of community sessions will be hosted at the TAFE NSW Tighes Hill campus, Newcastle Pride Fair, the University of Newcastle, Newcastle Library and the Olive Tree Markets.
Community members have until Wednesday, 11 September to have their say. More information about the community consultation period including an online survey can be found here.

Two men have been charged over an alleged aggravated break and enter in the Lake Macquarie region.
About 1.30pm yesterday (Monday 18 August 2019), an aggravated break and enter occurred at a home in Belmont.
The offenders stole jewellery, passports and personal items, and were seen leaving the scene in a Toyota Corolla.
About 3pm the same day, officers from Lake Macquarie Police District sighted the vehicle at a home on Kambora Close, Windale.
About 6pm, officers executed a search warrant at the address. Inside the home, police arrested two men, aged 26 and 27, who were located hiding in a roof cavity.
Proceeds from the break and enter were allegedly located in the home.
The two men were taken to Belmont Police Station.
The older man was charged with fraud and driving offences, as well as aggravated break enter and steal in company.
The younger man was charged with an outstanding domestic violence and prison warrant, as well as domestic violence offences and aggravated break enter and steal in company.
They were both refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 20 August 2019).

A man has died following a crash in the Hunter Region.
About 4.30pm (Monday 19 August 2019), a Mazda 3 was travelling on Noblet Street, Scone, when it travelled onto a dirt access road and crashed into a tree.
The driver and sole occupant, a 66-year-old man, was treated at the scene before being taken to Scone Hospital where he died a short time later.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District commenced inquiries into the incident and will prepare a report for the Coroner.

Surf life savers and surf-club members of all ages and abilities have welcomed a refurbishment of the Dixon Park Surf Life Saving Club with new change rooms, including space for female members, and accessible amenities, creating a more inclusive community facility.
The $640,000 upgrade was jointly funded by NSW Government through a Surf Club Facilities Grant, City of Newcastle, Dixon Park SLSC and Ability Links NSW and officially opened on Sunday 18 August.

Pictured left to right: President Hunter Surf Life Saving Heny Scruton, Lord Mayor of Newcastle Clr Nuatali Nelmes, CEO Hunter Surf Life Saving Rhonda Scruton, Ability Links NSW Jacinta Irwin, Leonie Miller and Belinda McDaid, Paul Murray President DPSLSC with DPSLC juniors.
Dixon Park SLSC President Paul Murray said because the Club has proudly attracted more women and families to surf lifesaving, the refurbishment is essential to its future growth.
“The refurbishment has made a huge difference to the quality of the Club facilities which are used by hundreds of members including our nippers, juniors and senior lifesavers as well as lifeguards and visitors,” Mr Murray said.
“The project has been a genuine partnership between Dixon Park Surf Life Saving Club and City of Newcastle which has produced a great outcome for our community.
The Lord Mayor of Newcastle Nuatali Nelmes said the much-needed refurbishment supports the City’s coastal revitalisation program which is helping Novocastrians and visitors enjoy the coastal lifestyle.
“Our local surf clubs are some of the largest community groups in Newcastle. By having quality facilities, like the refurbished Dixon Park Surf Life Saving Club, we can encourage young people, families and less mobile people to be involved in surf clubs, to be more active and to enjoy all the benefits of the living near the coast.”
The upgraded facility includes refurbished changes rooms, accessible showers and toilets and parents change rooms as well as new kitchenette, meeting room and small function space on the ground floor of the Dixon Park SLSC pavilion.

Police investigating the assault of a man in Hamilton overnight have requested phone vision of the incident.
About 1.45am (Sunday 18 August 2019), police attended the intersection of Beaumont and Clearly Streets following reports of an assault.
Police found three injured men, one with a broken nose and a displaced tooth, one with a cut lip and the other with minor abrasions.
A 30-year-old Tighes Hill man was arrested at the scene and taken to Newcastle City Police Station. He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and affray.
He was granted conditional bail and is expected to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 5 September 2019.
As police arrived at the scene a number of people were filming the incident and investigators are now appealing for those witnesses to contact Newcastle City police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

A woman has been charged with high-range drink driving while a child was in the car in the state’s Hunter region today.
About 11.55am (Thursday 15 August 2019), officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were conducting a stationary RBT operation on the New England Highway, Maitland when a red Ford Falcon was stopped.
The driver, a 34-year-old woman, underwent a roadside breath test and allegedly returned a positive result.
Upon inspection of her vehicle, police found a seven-year-old boy in the rear passenger seat.
The woman was arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station, where she underwent a breath analysis and returned an alleged reading of 0.227.
The young child was also taken to the station and cared for by police until a family member arrived.
The woman’s license was suspended immediately, and she was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for the offence of drive with high range prescribed concentration of alcohol.
She’s due to appear at Maitland Local Court on Wednesday 25 September 2019.
Port Stephens-Hunter Police District’s Acting Inspector Kristin Marshall said officers are continually dumbfounded by those who choose to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs with children in the car.
“With Operation Merret and Operation Chrome both underway in the Northern Region, we are committed to having every road user reach their destination safely,” Insp Marshall said.
“It’s these kind of selfish decisions that could have fatal and harmful consequences. If you are too intoxicated to drive, you need to find alternative travel arrangements.
“We continue to implore the community to slow down, wear your seatbelt, avoid handling mobile phones and take regular breaks to avoid fatigue.”
 

A house was destroyed by fire in the state’s Hunter Valley today.
About 5.20pm (Thursday 15 August 2019), emergency services were called to Gillards Road, Pokolbin, following reports of a house fire.
Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Rural Fire Service attended and found the home to be entirely engulfed. The fire was controlled, and emergency services continue to extinguish the fire completely.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District attended and established a crime scene.
The occupants of the home, a 68-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman, escaped the blaze uninjured.
The premises and its contents appear to be completely destroyed and the structure has been deemed unstable.
Investigations continue however, it is believed the fire started in a circuit board in the laundry and it is not being treated as suspicious.