Category: Newcastle News

A former member of the Finks outlaw motor cycle gang (OMCG) will appear at court today after Strike Force Raptor seized drugs and weapons and removed an entire kitchen allegedly built with stolen products from a home in the Lake Macquarie region.
As part of investigations into a malicious damage last month, police from Strike Force Raptor North executed a search warrant at a home in Booragul about 8.30am yesterday (Thursday 6 June 2019).
During the search, officers seized 3.3g of methylamphetamine, prescription medication, clothing, two electronic control devices, and numerous items suspected of being stolen including cabinetry, kitchen appliances, ceiling fans, doors and other building materials.
A 28-year-old man was arrested at the home and taken to Toronto Police Station.
He was charged with 11 offences, including goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, possess prohibited drug (x2), destroy or damage property, possess instructions for manufacture of prohibited drug, and use prohibited weapon contrary to prohibition (x2).
Police will allege in court that the man used stolen products to fit out his home kitchen and damaged a parked vehicle at Warners Bay on Friday 31 May 2019.
The man, who is a former member of the Finks outlaw motor cycle gang (OMCG), was refused bail to appear at Toronto Local Court today (Friday 7 June 2019).
 

A man has been charged with multiple offences following a pursuit in Lake Macquarie yesterday.
Police will allege in the early hours of Wednesday 5 June 2019, a house on Hurn Street, New Lambton, was broken into, where car keys were located, and a Porsche Macan was stolen from the premises.
About midday yesterday (Thursday 6 June 2019), officers from Lake Macquarie Police District sighted a Porsche on York Street, Teralba and attempted to stop it.
After the vehicle failed to stop, a pursuit was initiated and terminated soon after due to dangerous driving.
A short time later, the Porsche was sighted travelling through Cardiff, where it mounted a gutter and drove down a narrow grass laneway in-between houses, before crashing into a fence on Clinton Close, Cardiff.
A man exited the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A search was commenced with officers from Lake Macquarie and Newcastle Police Districts, the Dog Unit and PolAir and a short time later, a 24-year-old man was arrested in nearby bushland.
He was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, disqualified driving, drive conveyance taken without consent, larceny, use class A vehicle with unauthorised number plate affixed, goods in personal custody suspected being stolen, negligent driving, enter inclosed land without lawful excuse, go onto running lines, possess prohibited drug and two counts of possess prescribed restricted substance.
The man was refused bail to appear in Toronto Local Court today (Friday 7 June 2019).

Between February and May 2019, police will allege in court that two men robbed nine bowling clubs and a golf clubhouse, while armed.
In two of the incidents, the man allegedly assaulted a cleaner with a hammer and a staff member with a metal pole.
Following extensive inquiries, strike force investigators, with the assistance of specialist tactical officers, arrested a 24-year-old man at Fishing Point just before 7am yesterday (Thursday 6 June 2019).
Shortly after, detectives executed search warrants at the Fishing Point property, a home in Rathmines and another home in Bolton Point, where a second man, aged 36, was arrested.
A third man, aged 27, was arrested in Maitland later the same day, where all three were taken to Newcastle Police Station and charged with a combined total of 37 offences.
Investigations under Strike Force Bergs continue.

Australia’s Women’s Rugby team will play their first ever standalone Test on a No.2 Sportsground playing surface that meets international standards thanks to a decision to quarantine the pitch until the historic 13 July fixture.
The boutique day-time international against Japan, the first in which the Wallaroos will play another country outside the customary curtain-raiser format, could be followed by annual Tests at No.2, which will undergo improvements between now and game day.
City of Newcastle will upgrade the glassed area at the northern end of the grandstand – to accommodate merchandise sales and host volunteers – and construct two fire stairwells at the rear of the concrete bleachers to sidestep the need for event fire-wardens.
The Wallaroos will play a Test against Japan in July at No.2 Sportsground. Photo credit: Stu Walmsley
City of Newcastle Services Director Alison Murphy said the decision had been made in consultation with ground users to preserve No.2 after last weekend’s rain-affected matches and further downpours undid recent rye-grass sowing.
“Hosting the women’s rugby Test is an historic opportunity for the City and we are determined to do everything we can to make the Wallaroos an annual fixture, as women’s sport goes from strength to strength,” Ms Murphy said.
“Remediation works and the closure of the ground will provide staff with the opportunity to rehabilitate the surface to an appropriate standard for the Test.
“In the meantime, we will work with Wanderers Rugby Union Club and Newcastle Hunter Rugby Union to find alternative venues for training and competition games scheduled for No.2 on 22 and 29 June.”
Rugby Australia Head of Operations and Major Events Tony Harris backed the move to mothball the ground.
“We have every confidence in the City of Newcastle to have No.2 Sportsground ready for the Buildcorp Wallaroos first Test of 2019 against Japan, which will be broadcast around the world,” he said.
“We have been very impressed with the efforts of the City around this fixture and I know the team is looking forward to continuing their preparation for the International season when they convene in Newcastle on July 6.”  
The Japanese will be out to avenge their 29-15 loss to Australia at the 2017 World Cup in the Newcastle fixture, as well as a second match at North Sydney Oval on Friday July 19 July.
Two curtain raisers will be played before the 13 July Test:
11.15am   Hunter Women XV v Southern Inland Women XV
12.35pm   Australian Defence Force Women v NZ Defence Force 40 minute halves, 10 minute half time
3.05pm     Buildcorp Wallaroos v Japan

A former soldier of the Lambton Salvation Army will face court today charged over the alleged sexual abuse of two young boys in the 1990s.
In July 2018, detectives from Newcastle City Police District established Strike Force Georgiana to investigate allegations of historic child sex abuse by a former soldier of the Salvation Army at Lambton.
Following extensive inquiries, strike force detectives arrested a 69-year-old man at Newcastle Police Station about 9am on Wednesday 10 April 2019.
He was charged with three counts of sexual intercourse with person 10 or over and under 16, seven counts of aggravated indecent assault – victim under the age of 16, and five counts of commit act of indecency with person under 16.
Police will allege in court that the man sexually abused two boys separately on numerous occasions, both of whom he had met through his work with the Salvation Army at Lambton.
It is alleged the incidents occurred in the late 1990s, when the boys were aged 10 and 14.
The man remains in custody and will appear at Newcastle Local Court later today (Thursday 6 June 2019).
 

City of Newcastle celebrated a city-wide tree planting drive today and the upcoming installation of an environmental sensor network as part of World Environment Day’s global campaign to combat air pollution.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes helped plant a Port Jackson Fig in Centennial Park, Cooks Hill, this morning as the City’s Environment teams continued their work in driving rain to minimise carbon pollution on World Environment Day 2019.
The Fig will eventually grow to a height of 30 metres and is just one of 205 trees the City will plant before 23 June at parks and playgrounds in Cooks Hill, Broadmeadow, Wallsend and Shortland.
The Port Jackson Fig was winched into its new home via crane
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes helped in the planting efforts
“Our City has never been more invested in local and global climate issues than we are right now,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“Today’s tree planting and the ongoing projects our environment and smart city teams are working on are practical efforts we’re making following our commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Goal Development goals, which we incorporated into our 2030 Community Strategic Plan last year.
“While small in stature right now, this Port Jackson fig may absorb more than two tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere over its lifetime whilst producing oxygen, aligning perfectly with the theme of World Environment Day today, which is #BeatAirPollution.”
Also harnessing the environmental benefits of technology, the City will soon deploy up to 40 clusters of Internet of Things sensors right across the local government area, providing a comprehensive analysis of environmental conditions in real-time, including particulate pollution, flooding, humidity and soil moisture.

L-R City staff Angus Weingott, Michael Linsley and Matthew Warby with the Lord Mayor at Centennial Park
The Lord Mayor said the network had been designed to grow as new applications and challenges were identified, with data collected, communicated and aggregated on smart city technology platforms and made freely available to the public.
“By collecting real-time data on air quality and environmental conditions, City planners will be able to make more-informed decisions about the impacts of urban design decisions and better understand industrial processes,” the Lord mayor said. “Researchers can also use the data to inform projects to improve liveability and maintain urban amenity.”
The envirosensing network is a leading smart city application of the Hunter Innovation Project. Initial installation is funded by the NSW State Government as part of the Hunter Infrastructure Investment Fund.
The City of Newcastle received $4.9M for the Hunter Innovation Project to deploy smart city infrastructure across the city and local government area.
For more information about World Environment Day, visit https://www.worldenvironmentday.global.

City of Newcastle has opened applications for three separate funding programs worth a total of $265,000 in a bid to empower community groups to make the city a better place.
The 2019-20 funding round includes:

• Up to $65,000 via the City’s Economic Sponsorship
• Up to $140,000 via the Arts and Cultural Organisations program
• Up to $60,000 via the Community Assistance grants for projects, services or activities that will enhance and or create vibrant and activated spaces

The Mind Our Mullets project received the City’s support last year 
“Organisations should look to take advantage of the funding available to promote their own – and the City’s – economic and cultural development,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“We want to see emerging and established artists, cultural groups and commercial entities thrive in our City, and this funding is allocated to help them do so. These funding programs help deliver activities that foster a sense of community, build capacity within our community, strengthen our economic base and enhance the quality of life for our residents”.
Up to $20,000 will be made available for successful applicants under the Economic Sponsorship, and a maximum of $4,000 will be offered to each project that secures a Community Placemaking grant.
Organisations successful in the arts and cultural category will be provided with an annual contribution of $70,000 for a maximum of three years to help cover the cost of their ambitious projects.
Last year, funding across a range of sponsorship and grant programs contributed to projects with a direct expenditure of $1.25 million and provided support for business growth and employment while encouraging innovation, community capacity building, placemaking and developing the visitor economy.
The Mind Our Mullets project received support last year to increase awareness of and change waste management behaviours around Islington and Throsby Creek catchment.
The Greater Hunter Technology Festival at Broadmeadow, which showcased innovative companies and start-ups and allowed school, university and TAFE students to display their projects, also benefitted.
The latest round of City funding follows the opening of last month’s Event Sponsorship Program (ESP), which closed last Tuesday. The $280,000 ESP program provides up to $20,000 each to groups keen to stage community events, major community events, major destination events, commercial events and business events throughout the City.
For more information, or to apply to this year’s programs prior to the 1 July closing date, visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/community/grants-sponsorships.

Police are seeking information from the public to locate a man missing from the Hunter Valley.
Matthew Warwick Brooker, 47 old, was last seen on Sunday 4 May 2019 when he left his workplace at Scone, after feeling unwell and has not been seen since.
Family became concerned and reported him missing to police.
He is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 170–175cm tall with a medium build. He has brown hair and possibly a moustache and/or goatee beard.
He is known to frequent the areas of Sydney City, Darlinghurst, Kings Cross and the Eastern Suburbs.
He is possibly driving a 2013 white Volkswagen Up! with NSW registration plates CMH15F.
Family and police are concerned for Mr Brooker’s welfare as this is out of character.

Sharon Claydon MP has been officially declared as the re-elected Federal Member for Newcastle today.

Ms Claydon said she was “honoured and humbled” to have the support of Novocastrians for a third term and promised to continue to be a “fierce advocate” for the city.
“Newcastle has a critical role to play, and much to gain from, the inevitable transition to a low-carbon economy and I will continue to argue that we should have a key seat at the decision-making table to ensure that workers and communities like ours are not left behind.
“I will also be laser-focused on mounting the case for a Newcastle container terminal to create new jobs and a more diverse economic base for the entire region.”
Ms Claydon said one of the great disappointments of the national result was that Labor wouldn’t be in Government to deliver on the local commitments she had made for Newcastle.
“I’m incredibly proud that I was able to secure $25 million worth of Labor commitments for our community, including the rebuilding of Boscawen Street Bridge in Wallsend, the revitalisation of Throsby Creek and $3.5 million worth of projects to create jobs and drive university participation,” Ms Claydon said.
“I am writing to the Prime Minister and relevant Ministers, calling on them to respect the strong endorsement of the people of Newcastle by honouring the commitments Labor made during the election.”
Ms Claydon urged people who were disappointed with the national election result to get behind Labor.
“The best antidote to a regressive conservative government is a strong and united labour movement,” Ms Claydon said.
“I would encourage anyone who wants to see a fairer, more inclusive country to get involved and have a voice in the policies and priorities that Labor pursues from here.”
Ms Claydon said that while it was time for reflection and renewal, she cautioned against moving away from Labor’s fundamental principles.
“While we obviously need to explain our policies more clearly and bring Australians with us, we mustn’t abandon big thinking.  We must stay true to Labor’s core mission of fighting for a fairer world where everyone gets to share in our national prosperity.
“With determination, unity and a commitment to our core values, I am confident we can return to Government in three-years’ time.”
PHOTO: Sharon Claydon being declared as the Federal Member for Newcastle by Peter Hunter, AEC Divisional Returning Officer – Newcastle