Category: Newcastle News

A $30 million windfall generated by the inaugural Newcastle 500 flowed through Newcastle’s local economy last year, according to an independent research centre’s analysis of mobile phone data, banking records and business transactions.
The Hunter Research Foundation Centre (HRFC) found the maiden race strengthened the city’s capacity to host major events and generated an estimated $30.1 million in gross revenue.

The analysis does not include the direct economic benefit or flow-on effects in neighbouring areas including Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Cessnock.
Councillors will consider the HRFC report, Newcastle 500 Supercars Event Economic and Non-economic Impact Assessment, commissioned by City of Newcastle, on Tuesday night.
Economic benefits in it include:
• $8.94 million in direct expenditure by visitors
• $9.71 million in the flow-on effects
• $4.97 million in direct local expenditure by Supercars
• $6.5 million in flow-on effects of Supercars Australia’s local spending
“This report confirms what many Novocastrians already knew – the inaugural Newcastle 500 was an outright economic success for the city, with $30 million in direct and indirect economic benefits,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“Almost 83,000 visitors to the City enjoyed themselves in Newcastle East and Cooks Hill over the three days, accounting together with local attendees for the 192,000 figures previously reported.
“What’s new in this report is the banking data that shows Supercars fans spent up big, with the research demonstrating how the money flowed through the city.”
Visitor outlays were calculated based on transaction data from nine Australian banks.
As most visitors paid for their accommodation costs well in advance of the three-day event, this spend was not included in the report analysis. With it included, the direct visitor expenditure for overnight stays would be considerably higher than the $191 identified in the report.
Costs associated with Council’s multi-million dollar East End civil works program were also excluded on the basis that these scheduled works were brought forward several years to enable the Newcastle 500 to be staged in 2017.
The direct economic injection to local contractors and suppliers amounted to $4.97 million, with an additional $6.5 million in flow-on effects, while the study found 22 out of the 31 food and beverage outlets at the event were from the Newcastle local government area.
“While this research means we can now quantify the economic boost for the city, the advertising benefits from the phenomenal media coverage with regard to long-term tourism are harder to quantify, even though the value of coverage is estimated at $1million,” the Lord Mayor added.
“Mainstream media, the report notes, recorded an audience of 8,641,042 people and social media posts reached 630,000 users, so the race also brings with it enormous potential for tourism growth at a time when the city has never looked so good.
“We wanted to host the event to give the city an economic boost, promote it to the world and celebrate Novocastrian pride and I believe this report provides an emphatic endorsement of that decision.”
HRFC included as part of its analysis the results of a business impact survey commissioned by the Newcastle East Residents Group, which drew 243 responses from businesses inside and outside the event precinct. A range of people were interviewed as part of the study including opponents of the race and members of community groups.
The report identified a range of other benefits for the city, including:
• Familiarising local businesses with operating methods for large events
• 15,000 hours of local labour used by the event’s caterers
• 1,932 local workers allocated tickets
• 744 volunteers gained experience and promoted Newcastle
The total cost of the report including purchase of Telstra and major bank data was $156,000.

The scores are in and the results are official – The Hunter is home to five of Australia’s top restaurants, with the recently released national Good Food Guide awarding restaurants in Pokolbin, Mount View and Broke with hat-status.
Pokolbin was a standout, with Muse Restaurant receiving 2 hats, and Muse Kitchen and Restaurant Botanica achieving 1 hat respectively. Mount View’s Bistro Molines and Broke’s Margan Restaurant also received one hat.
The Guide of independent, anonymous reviews is written by a panel of trusted restaurant critics and recognises the best Australian restaurants nationally with ‘hats’, symbolised by a chef’s toque.
To secure a coveted spot in the Guide, restaurants in New South Wales and Victoria must score at least 14 out of 20, while all other states must score a minimum of 15.
To achieve a hat is a pinnacle of a chef’s career and a restaurant’s history, and the term ‘hatted’ has become embedded in the Australian lexicon.
More than 500 restaurants from across the country were reviewed for this year’s Guide, with 264 of these receiving hat status, ranging from one to three.
Only seven restaurants nationally achieved the top accolade of three hats, and they include Attica (VIC), Brae (VIC), Momofuku Seiobo (NSW), Minamishima (VIC), Quay (NSW), Restaurant Orana (SA) and Sixpenny (NSW).
The catalogue of influential Guide editors includes founding editors Claude Forell in Melbourne and Leo Schofield in Sydney – along with Terry Durack, Jill Dupleix and Matthew Evans – who have charted the growth of the restaurant industry in Australia, and helped to shape it.
It is this rich 39-year tradition that the 2019 Good Food Guide editor Myffy Rigby upholds, ensuring the Guide remains Australia’s pre-eminent restaurant bible.
“The second annual national Good Food Guide is a reflection of the thousands of voices that make Australia one of the most diverse and delicious places to eat in the world. The Guide is a celebration of the industry as a whole. Every one of the restaurants featured is a summation of all those moving parts. We recognise the hard work of all those Australian restaurants and everything they do to enrich the scene.”
The score breakdown for reviews and awarding of hats is:
 
14                    Good
1 hat               15 Very good
2 hats             16 Great
2 hats             17 Excellent
3 hats             18 Outstanding
3 hats             19 Incredible
3 hats             20 Perfection
 

A man has been charged following an investigation by Strike Force Trawler detectives into the alleged online procurement of a child for sex.
In July 2018, detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad’s Child Exploitation Internet Unit (CEIU) began engaging online with a man from the Hunter region.
Police will allege in court that the man believed he was speaking with a 14-year-old girl and engaged in highly-sexualised conversations and made arrangements to meet with the child for sex.
Following extensive investigations, a 42-year-old man was arrested by strike force detectives in a shopping centre carpark at Salamander Bay, about 10am yesterday (Thursday 18 October 2018).
Shortly after the arrest, a search warrant was executed at a Tanilba Bay home, where investigators seized two laptops, and an electronic storage device.
The man was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with use carriage service to procure person under 16 years for sex.
He was refused bail to appear at Raymond Terrace Local Court later today (Friday 19 October 2018).
Investigations are continuing.
Strike Force Trawler is an ongoing investigation by the CEIU into the sexual abuse and exploitation of children facilitated through the internet and related telecommunications devices.
Regular covert online investigations are conducted by the CEIU; and police in NSW work closely with their law-enforcement colleagues interstate and overseas.
Anyone with information about internet predators should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au/
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. We remind people they should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.

A man has been arrested over the disappearance of Leisl Smith, who went missing from the Central Coast in 2012.
Leisl Smith, then aged 23, was last seen about 1pm on Sunday 19 August 2012, leaving her Wallarah home.
Concerned family members alerted police when she failed to return home and she could not be located or contacted.
Extensive searches were conducted for Leisl; however, police have been unable to locate her.
Strike Force Wehl – comprising detectives from Tuggerah Lakes Police District – was subsequently formed to investigate her disappearance.
Leisl’s car, a Honda Accord, was found abandoned at the Tuggerah Railway Station car park on Wednesday 26 September 2012.
Strike Force detectives spoke to a then 42-year-old man before searching two properties in Wallarah and Brookfield on Thursday 4 April 2013, seizing a number of items.
Further properties were searched bordering the Golden Highway at Merriwa, approximately 60km west of Scone, in the upper Hunter Valley.
The investigation has been ongoing since this time.
About 5.10pm (Thursday 18 October 2018), detectives from Tuggerah Lakes Police District
arrested a 48-year-old man on the Gwydir Highway, west of Inverell.
He was taken to Inverell Police Station where he was charged with murder.
He was refused bail and will appear in Inverell Local Court on Friday 19 October 2018.

A member of the Nomads Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMCG) has been charged over a shooting at Cooks Hill in July.
About 2.20am on Wednesday 25 July 2018, police were contacted following reports of a public place shooting on Darby Street, Cooks Hill.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District attended and located bullet holes in the exterior of an apartment block. No one was injured.
A crime scene was established and examined by specialist forensic officers.
Detectives from the Criminal Groups Squad’s Strike Force Raptor North commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
On Friday 27 July 2018, a 42-year-old man was charged with multiple firearms offences following the search of a home in Cooks Hill.
Following further investigations, today (Thursday 18 July 2018), an additional charge of discharging firearm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was added to his charges at court.
He is next due to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday 24 October 2018.

Police will address the media after launching an investigation into the reported sexual assault of a teenage girl in the Hunter region yesterday.
About 3.30pm (Wednesday 17 October 2018), a 14-year-old girl alighted a bus on the Pacific Highway near South Street, Windale, and walked along Yertala Close before entering scrubland, where she was approached by an unknown man armed with a knife.
The girl was dragged into the bushes and sexually assaulted. The man then ran from the scene and is believed to have driven away in a silver vehicle.
Police were notified after the girl reported the incident when she arrived home.
Emergency services attended the girl’s home before she was taken by NSW Ambulance paramedics to John Hunter Hospital for examination. She has returned home into the care of her family.
Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad and Lake Macquarie Police District have established Strike Force Kielpa to investigate the incident.
A crime scene has been established off the Pacific Highway, near South Street, which is currently being examined by specialist forensic officers.
Local police are also conducting a high-visibility policing operation throughout the area to complement investigative strategies.
The man has been described as being aged in his 30s or 40s, with a heavy build, a large belly and legs, a prominent nose and lips. He was last seen wearing a black hooded jumper, long dark-coloured pants, and white sneakers.
Investigators are urging anyone who may have been in the Windale area yesterday afternoon and noticed something suspicious to contact police.
In particular, they are seeking dash-cam vision from motorists who may have been travelling on the Pacific Highway or South Street between 3pm and 4pm to provide copies either to Belmont Police Station or upload it through the Crime Stoppers online reporting page.

LAMBTON’s Mia Witherdin, 4, hopes to convince onlookers at a local war memorial in 100 years’ time that coins, USB sticks and newspapers actually once served a purpose.
The items will be among a host of contemporary curiosities buried this Saturday as part of a time capsule to replace another by left by unsung heroes from the Great War a century ago.

^{St John’s Primary School students Remy Whitson, 9 and Elliot Guest, 9 with Mia Witherdin, 4 (middle).}
“Thank you for putting that time capsule in the ground a long time ago and another one this Saturday,” says Mia, who may well live to address the 22^nd century event to unearth the new capsule.
While 140 Lambton men were off fighting World War One, a number of their wives, mothers and sisters formed the Lambton Ladies Committee to raise money to pay for Lambton Park’s Memorial Gates.
Their makeshift time capsule, buried in a bottle beneath the gates a few weeks before armistice, is the only such World War One commemoration in Australia.
When recently unearthed, a newspaper reporting the declaration of war and decaying pennies were found inside.
The 100-year-old bottle was painstakingly dug up – and the new time capsule prepared – to officially salute the 30 visionary women who together mourned 27 local men who didn’t return from the war.
“Saturday’s event will be a community celebration of a resilient group of women with enough spirit and foresight to leave us a link to that disastrous time for the world and the defining event of their lives,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“Everyone in the Hunter is invited to turn out to be part of an important piece of local history.
“The City of Newcastle unanimously resolved to help excavate and replace the time capsule by supporting the project with around $60,000 in funds and in-kind support, and Ward 3 Councillors Rufo, Clausen, Winney-Baartz and I will be there on Saturday as very proud representatives of the City.”
^{Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes pictured with Elder Street Early Childhood Centre students Lucas Wang, 5, and Mia Witherdin, 4.} 
Descendants of the Ladies Committee will attend the celebration together with Sydney man John Estell. He will bring the engraved golden trowel his great grandfather, then the local state member, used to lay the foundation stone.
Scores of local kids – Mia among them – will also be there after receiving commemorative medallions from Hunter Development Corporation to encourage them to return in 2118.
The centenarians will then be charged with explaining the contents of the second time capsule, which was built with 21st century smarts, including high-grade stainless steel and an air filter.
“Once closed and sealed, inert argon gas will be pumped into the 26-litre box through one of two valves to avoid mould and oxidation,” City of Newcastle heritage specialist Tom Smith said. “The other one will be used to expel any impure air.”
Lambton community historian Robert Watson said archaeologists, volunteers and a stone mason recently took around nine hours to exhume the old time capsule.
“The whole excavation was a painstaking process because underneath the foundation stone was solid a block on concrete with the glass bottle inside,” he said.
“The rolled-up newspaper was pretty damp and in a bad state of decay and we could barely read anything on a penny because of the corrosion.”
The new capsule will also contain:

• A letter from Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes
• A letter from His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley
• A letter/document from Newcastle Museum with a contemporary interpretation of World War One
• A letter from Terri-Lee Darcy/Auntie Phyllis to consider Aboriginal cultural heritage and stories/family experiences
• A contribution from Lambton Jaffas Football Club
• A contribution from Lambton Swimming Pool
• Photo of RSL guard of honour set against backdrop of the Gates
• Photo and names of the Newcastle City councillors
• Cr Rufo’s Council badge
• A copy of the invite to the event
• A USB stick with a copy of My Country video and VR package from 2018 NAIDOC Week and another containing photos of 1918 capsule and its retrieval
• A copy of all 54 issues of The Lambton Local
• A copy of the names of the Anzac Ladies Club’s members
• RSL charter
• Sonia Hornery – RSL book
• Photos of pre and school kids – whole of school / preschool or classes
• St Johns photo
• Stamps and Armistice Commemorative coins from 2018
• Photos documenting original time capsule from International Conservation Services
• The Story of Lambton in Lambton book by Julie Keating
• A street map of Lambton with current lot & DPs
• Old RSL relic items – two bullet shell cones and the Lambton-New Lambton RSL Sub- Branch Constitution, 1938.
• Current issue of coins.
• Program from Lizottes
• Music from This Land

A man has been charged after allegedly indecently assaulting a young employee at a Hunter region take-away shop.
Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation earlier this week after receiving reports a teenage girl had been indecently assaulted while at work.
Following investigations, a 74-year-old man was arrested by detectives at a shop on Tarean Road, Karuah, just before 10am yesterday (Tuesday 16 October 2018).
He was taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station and charged with four counts of indecent assault-person under 16 years.
Police will allege in court that the girl was indecently assaulted on a number of occasions while working alone with her employer at a take-away store at Karuah.
The man was refused bail and appeared at Raymond Terrace Local Court yesterday, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Tuesday 6 November 2018.
Investigations are continuing.
 

Nominations have opened for Newcastle’s 2019 Australia Day Awards.
Lord Mayor of Newcastle Nuatali Nelmes said the city was looking for inspirational role models to be nominated for Newcastle’s Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Community Group of the Year.
Traditional hard-copy nomination forms can be downloaded from City of Newcastle’s website and can also be completed and lodged online.

^{Mark Hughes receiving this year’s Citizenship Of The Year Award from The Lord Mayor.}
“These awards recognise an individual’s or group’s outstanding achievements and contribution to the community for the past year,” Cr Nelmes said.
“This could be in the through arts, science, engineering, sports or any other field of endeavour. The aim is not just to award people with high profiles – we also want to hear about the quiet achievers who work tirelessly and often thanklessly to make the world a better place.”
Our current Citizen of the Year is Mark Hughes, whose Foundation has raised more than $1.75 million for brain cancer research.
Previous winners include Newcastle refugee advocate Sister Diana Santleben,  legendary athlete Kurt Fearnley, and former University of Newcastle Chancellor and clinical psychologist Professor Trevor Waring.
“Nominating someone is simple, so we want to see as many worthy people as possible nominated and considered for these annual awards,” Cr Nelmes said.
Nominees must be residents of the Newcastle local government area, except for Community Group of the Year which can be from outside the LGA in exceptional circumstances.
They must be Australian citizens and must be turning at least 16 years of age in 2018.
A panel of judges will consider each nomination on its merits, with the awards presented at a ceremony on Australia Day, 2019.
To access nomination forms go to Australia Day nominations

A man has been charged after allegedly grooming a teenage girl online and meeting with her for sex in the Hunter region.
Detectives from the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad commenced an investigation following reports a 15-year-old girl had been sexually and indecently assaulted by a man she met online last month.
Police will allege in court that the pair met on a social media application designed for teenagers, where the man purported to be aged 17. They engaged in conversation before arranging to meet in person.
The man later advised he was aged 27, and the pair met in the Newcastle area on Saturday 29 September 2018, and allegedly had sex.
The incident was reported to local police last week before being referred to the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad for further investigation.
Following inquiries, detectives arrested a 35-year-old man at a home unit at Valentine about 7am yesterday (Monday 15 October 2018).
Shortly after the arrest, investigators executed a search warrant at the unit, before executing a crime scene warrant at a home at Whitebridge.
During the searches, police seized a number of items relevant to the investigation.
The man was taken to Belmont Police Station and charged with nine counts of sexual intercourse with person aged 14-16, two counts of indecent assault-person under 16, groom child for unlawful sexual activity, meet with child groomed for sexual activity, and use carriage service to plan for sex-person under 16.
He was refused bail and appeared at Toronto Local Court yesterday, where he was formally refused bail to reappear at the same court on Tuesday 30 October 2018.
Meanwhile, police are urging parents and carers to speak with their children about staying safe online.
Safe internet use – tips for parents:
• Be aware of how much time your child spends on the internet.
• Spend time talking to your child about the dangers associated with online conversations, particularly when communicating with someone that they have only ever met online.
• Spend time exploring the internet with your children and let them teach you about their favourite websites and applications.
• Keep computers or internet-enabled devices in a room the whole family can access, not in your child’s bedroom; monitor internet access on those devices.
• Consider installing filtering and/or computer blocking software provided by your internet service provider.
• Ensure you are able to access your child’s email and social media accounts and randomly check the contents.
• Check your phone bill for unusual outgoing calls and consider using ‘caller ID’ to identify incoming calls.
• Consult your telephone company for options designed to ensure privacy and security.
• Enquire with your child’s school, public library, and places they frequent to find out what internet safety measures they have in place.
• Information on internet safety is available on the NSW Police website at: http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/safety_and_prevention/safe_and_secure/online_safety
Tips for children:
• Do not send a picture of yourself to anyone you don’t know and never place a full profile and picture anywhere on the internet.
• Never give out your personal information, including full name, home address, phone number or school, over the internet.
• Never arrange a face-to-face meeting with someone that you have only ever chatted with on the internet.
• Tell your parents or another adult you know of any contact that makes you feel uncomfortable.
• Think carefully before uploading or sending images or videos to people over the internet. Once you press ‘send’ it’s definite and final – you can’t get it back or take it down.
• Information on youth issues, including online safety is available on the NSW Police website at:
http://www.police.nsw.gov.au/safety_and_prevention/safe_and_secure/young_people
More information and educational packages for parents and children are available from ThinkUKnow, a multi-agency program designed to educate and promote cyber safety: https://www.thinkuknow.org.au/
The Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad is comprised of detectives who are specially trained to investigate matters against children and adults, including sexual assault, serious physical abuse, and extreme cases of neglect.
Anyone with concerns about suspected child abuse or exploitation should call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or use the Crime Stoppers online reporting page: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au
Information you provide will be treated in the strictest of confidence. People should not report crime information via our Facebook and Twitter pages.