Category: Newcastle News

Novocastrians living and working in suburbs from Wallsend to Merewether can now sign up to receive free flood warnings that could potentially save lives.
The flood alert service is now being rolled-out across most of Newcastle following positive feedback in a successful trial among Wallsend residents in 2016.
As a result, seven new catchment areas have been added to the alert list. People can register to receive text messages, emails or voicemail alerts in these areas. Information about the flood alerts can be viewed online at www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/floodalert.

The service aims to provide an early warning to residents and businesses based on three key risks:
·         Flash flooding caused by intense heavy rainfall in urban areas
·         Mainstream flooding caused by inundation when the Hunter River breaks its banks
·         Ocean storm surges flooding in low-lying areas
Each warning carries a minor, moderate or major level of risk depending on the expected flood event likely to occur, and will also include a recommended action on how to respond.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the extension of the service would enable residents of low-lying areas to stay informed of local flooding in general.
“Flooding affects up to one third of all properties in Newcastle and it’s important for all residents to be aware of their flood risk – not just at home, but at work, school or other places you visit frequently,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Recent history tells us that flooding can occur in Newcastle very quickly and sometimes there can be less than an hour of warning between the beginning of a storm and the onset of flooding.
“Forewarned is forearmed and this alert service, delivered straight to people’s fingertips, will help keep them informed about a possible flooding event and give them time to consider their options to stay safe.”
To learn more about this service and to sign up online for free flood alerts, visit Newcastle.nsw.gov.au/floodalert.

Step out and fly right this Halloween, that’s the message as police remind pedestrians about staying safe while trick or treating.
Traffic and Highway Patrol’s Acting Assistant Commissioner Julie Middlemiss said this afternoon’s trick or treaters should remember to travel around their suburbs safely.
“We know the kids and some big kids will be setting out for the afternoon around the same time people are starting to arrive home from work,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Middlemiss said.
“Drivers need to remember to slow down in suburban areas, particularly where there are a lot of younger families who may be trick or treating.
“If you are supervising the kids while they are trick or treating this afternoon, it is important to use designated lights and crossings, where possible.
“You should make you and your group stand out by using torches and glow sticks, so drivers can see you.”
Acting Assistant Commissioner Middlemiss added it was important to remember not everyone marked Halloween each year – so it was best to stick to houses with decorations on their properties.
While we acknowledge the meaning of ‘trick or treating,’ ensure you respect people’s decision not to participate in the festivities, as damage to properties will not be tolerated, she said.

A man has been charged over an alleged act of indecency and assault on a train on the state’s Central Coast yesterday.
Just before 6.30pm (Monday 29 October 2018), it’s alleged a 27-year-old man boarded a northbound train at Wyong Railway Station and attempted to talk to two passengers – a 20-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl.
Police will allege the man committed an act of indecency and assault before getting off the train at Morisset Railway Station.
Officers from the Police Transport and Public Safety Command were notified and patrolled the Morisset Railway Station.
A short time later, police located a man at a bus stop outside the Railway Station.
The 27-year-old man from Wyong was taken to Toronto Police Station and charged with commit act of indecency with person 16 years or over and common assault.
The man was refused bail to appear at Toronto Local Court today (Tuesday 30 October 2018).

Newcastle Art Gallery has added 49 works of art with a combined value of more than half a million dollars to its collection, thanks to the overwhelming generosity of private donors and a challenge from Sydney-based philanthropists James and Jacqui Erskine.
The Gallery will debut these works of art and celebrate the donors through a special exhibition THE ERSKINE PLEDGE: a gift to Newcastle, showcasing 12 artworks donated by James and Jacqui Erskine as well as 36 from the collections of other private donors.
Another major acquisition for the Gallery, The First Immeasurable – Love (an unbounded heart) 2017 by artist Lindy Lee, will be unveiled as part of the exhibition. It was gifted by the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation, with the assistance of the Newcastle Art Gallery Society and private donors.
“These works of art are invaluable additions to the Gallery’s already substantial art collection and I want to extend my heartfelt thanks on behalf of the City to all of the donors, and particularly to James and Jacqui Erskine for spearheading this effort,” said Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes.
In 2017, the Erskines challenged the Foundation to raise donations of either cash or works of art to the value of $250,000 and pledged to match that amount with a donation of art from their own private collection.
Through the combined efforts of Gallery staff and the Foundation, the challenge was met by early 2018.
Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton said it was incredible to see the challenge met so quickly.
“This achievement highlights how working together can further advance the significance of Newcastle Art Gallery and the City’s collection for the benefit of our community,” she said.
“James and Jacqui Erskine laid down the challenge, and by doing so inspired more benefaction for the Gallery.
“Their generosity and commitment to Newcastle Art Gallery means that these fantastic works of art can be appreciated and enjoyed by future generations of Novocastrians.”
THE ERSKINE PLEDGE: a gift to Newcastle will be on display at Newcastle Art Gallery from 3 November 2018 – 28 January 2019.
The Erskines’ connection to Newcastle Art Gallery began when they were private lenders to the JOHN OLSEN: The City’s Son exhibition in 2016.
James Erskine said the couple is gratified with the success of the challenge for Newcastle Art Gallery.
“For those of us who have been fortunate enough to collect, a thought: The suit you die in has no pockets, ” he said.
“It’s a good feeling when many benefit from a few.”
In fulfilling their generous pledge, the couple donated 12 works of art to the Gallery’s collection by the following artists:

Caption for image above:
Lindy LEE, The First Immeasurable – Love (an unbounded heart) 2017 mirror polished stainless steel, LED lighting
155.0 x 55.0 x 55.0cm Gift of the Newcastle Art Gallery Foundation with the assistance of the Newcastle Art Gallery Society and public donations 2018 Newcastle Art Gallery collection

City of Newcastle will host business and community leaders at a fundraising event during the Newcastle 500 to help power a global campaign to end violence against women.
The Fort Scratchley function will be held on Saturday 23 November, the penultimate day of Supercars Australia’s 2018 season, for White Ribbon Day which falls on Friday 22 November,  in support of the City of Newcastle’s charity partner Got Your Back Sista.

^{Got Your Back Sista’s team of Mel Histon, Jo Buckingham and Janine Chandler with Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes.}
“With the eyes of the world focused on Newcastle for the Supercars Finale, we have seized a great opportunity to shine a light on this very important issue,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“White Ribbon’s message is focused on engaging men, so a sporting event that attracts millions of male viewers is the perfect vehicle to keep the momentum of recent years going – not only in raising awareness of everyone’s responsibilities when it comes to domestic violence but also to raise precious money to fund more sanctuaries for victims.
“I’d like to thank Supercars Australia on behalf of the city for providing 100% of the tickets to the function and joining us in the name of White Ribbon Day and Got Your Back Sista.”
Got Your Back Sista became the City’s first official charity partner through Council’s Community Impact Program established last year.
Founder Melissa Histon will address the 150 prominent local business and community leaders before a charity auction that will see items go under the hammer.
“The luncheon is a great opportunity to share our message that domestic violence is never acceptable and that we are there for anyone suffering its terrorising effects,” Histon said.
“Got Your Back Sista is a Newcastle based charity focused on helping women and children who have fled domestic violence to set-up a safe home free from violence.
“We work to help women start their lives again and live independently, so we are profoundly grateful for the support of both the City of Newcastle and Supercars.”
Costs for the fundraising event were approved as part of the City’s 2018/19 budget.
Fort Scratchley, equipped with marquee and outdoor furniture, is available for hire on Friday and Sunday of the Supercars weekend, with the expected income from those days slated to offset the cost of staging Saturday’s event.
White Ribbon Day is part of the global White Ribbon Campaign, which symbolises the idea of men giving up their arms, and is committed to creating societies in which all women can live safely.
Formed by a group of men in Ontario in 1991 in response to a massacre of female university students, today the movement promotes healthy relationships, gender equity and compassionate masculinity in more than 60 countries.

The head of the United Nations office in Australia is the special guest of our UN city today just months after City of Newcastle adopted the UN Sustainable Development Goals as part of our long-term strategic plan.
Christopher Woodthorpe, Director of the United Nations Information Centre, is a keynote speaker at a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Symposium at Newcastle City Hall.

^{Christopher Woodthorpe with Josh Wilkes and 94-year-old Hamilton resident Jean Campbell}
“The SDGs are our plan for a better world for all, and it’s inspiring to see how City of Newcastle is pursuing this aspiration,” said the Canberra-based UN veteran, a regional spokesperson on the multilateral program adopted in 2015.
This morning he caught up with Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and another of the City’s on-the-ground SDG flagbearers, Josh Wilkes. As a bin positioner for our Waste Management team, Mr Wilkes practices at least five of the SDGs on his daily rounds.
He drives across the local government area ahead of garbage trucks – and in their wake – to help around 200 people with mobility challenges by taking out their bins and then tucking them back inside again.
“This is a fantastic example of how we already put the spirit of the SDGs into practice in an attempt to make life better for residents in a smart, liveable and sustainable global city,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The SDGs explicitly include disability and persons with disabilities 11 times, so I’m delighted to show Mr Woodthorpe how the City of Newcastle is changing our processes and practices to align with them while improving services to our community.”
Today’s symposium, organised by the City in partnership with the Australian Library and Information Association, is looking at how the UN SDGs can be applied to the arts sector.
Representatives from the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museum (GLAM) sector from across the Hunter Region are discussing how they can collectively embrace and further the goals.
The 17 UN SDGs are an urgent call for action by all countries – developed and developing – in a global partnership to end poverty and other deprivations, improve health and education, reduce inequality and spur economic growth.
The bin positioner role emerged from the City’s Social Strategy, out of which also came the capability to support residents recently displaced from non-compliant boarding houses.
The City will begin engaging with the community next month to update the strategy, which will be closely aligned to the SDGs, and refresh our goals to further support social connections in our communities.
The 17 sustainable development goals to transform our world are:

GOAL 1: No Poverty
GOAL 2: Zero Hunger
GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being
GOAL 4: Quality Education
GOAL 5: Gender Equality
GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality
GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
GOAL 13: Climate Action
GOAL 14: Life below Water
GOAL 15: Life on Land
GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions
GOAL 17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal
The City of Newcastle was officially made a UN City in 2016 when the UN’s training arm announced that the University of Newcastle would host an International Training Centre for Authorities and Leaders in Australasia and the Pacific region.

Three people have been charged during a joint operation between NSW Police Force and Corrective Services NSW at Cessnock Correctional Complex.
On Saturday (27 October 2018), police from Hunter Valley Police District Target Action Group assisted CSNSW officers in the operation, focusing on the screening of visitors to the centre.
During the operation three offences were detected including a charge of drive whilst suspended, a 34-year-old man charged with possess prohibited drug (2 grams of methamphetamine) and a 28-year-old man was charged with introduce item to correctional facility (tobacco).
Field Court Attendance Notices were issued for these offences. Court dates are yet to be set.
Another small quantity of cannabis was seized from a vehicle however no charges are expected due to insufficient evidence of possession.
Further operations are expected.

Police are appealing for information after a man was hit by a car near Taree last night.
Emergency services were called to Wingham Road, Wingham, just after 9pm (Sunday 28 October 2018), following reports a man had been struck by a Landcruiser.
The 30-year-old man was treated at the scene by paramedics before being airlifted to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.
The driver of the Landcruiser, a 74-year-old woman, drove a short distance before contacting Triple Zero (000).
Officers from the Crash Investigation Unit attended the scene and are continuing to follow a number of lines of inquiry.
Any witnesses, or anyone with dashcam footage or other information that may assist the investigation, is urged to come forward.

The City of Newcastle has become a major sponsor of the Newcastle Jets W-League team for the second consecutive year, celebrating the partnership at the team’s season launch tonight.
The $20,000 sponsorship of the local W-League team, which narrowly missed out on making the premiership decider last year, will see the squad one again promoting the city throughout the 2018-19 season.

^{Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes with Jets CEO Lawrie McKinna}
The deal, approved under an annual application process, will once again see the iconic “Newcastle – See Change” tourism logo on the back of players’ jerseys and the team act as ambassadors for the city.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said she was thrilled that the City would again partner with the Jets after they were instrumental in showcasing our City last season.
“The performance of the women’s team during last year’s competition was amazing,” the Lord Mayor said.
“On the back of this, they are brilliant ambassadors for Newcastle through the work the players and coaches are doing off the field. As well as promoting the city around the country, they’re helping to activate the inner city through matches at No.2 Sportsground and making for double celebrations at McDonald Jones Stadium when they play ahead of the men’s A-League team.
“Their successes are also helping cultivate home-grown talent, with youngsters also finding inspiration in guest appearances by Matildas representative Emily van Egmond.”

The Jets W-league team will play four home matches at No.2 Sportsground, with two double-header matches before the Jets A-League team at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The W-League team will kick off their 2018-19 season against Melbourne Victory away this Thursday.
Westfield W-League Coach Craig Deans said the partnership with City of Newcastle proved invaluable in the 2017-18 season.
“To have City of Newcastle back on board is really important for us,” Deans said.
“Their overall support and the access they’ve provided to No.2 Sportsground has given us a training base we can call our own.
“It’s had a massive impact, we love playing and training there – I can’t thank them enough for their support.”
Since announcing the inaugural partnership deal with the Jets last year, the City has welcomed a number of major football announcements including the Matildas’ 2019 World Cup qualifier against Chile at McDonald Jones Stadium on Tuesday 13 November.
“Newcastle is beginning to boast a very strong track record for supporting elite women’s sport,” Cr Nelmes added.
“First we welcomed the Matildas, who hosted football giants Brazil on Newcastle soil, then we had the Australian women’s netball team play against England last month, and of course we have been selected as Australia’s bid for the 2021 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
“We are a healthy, active and vibrant city undergoing major revitalisation and our continuing sponsorship with clubs like the Jets will open new doors for Newcastle as a major tourism destination.”

Two prisoners who escaped from a minimum security correctional facility in the state’s Northern Tablelands yesterday have been located.
The two men aged 49 and 32, were reported missing from the facility on the Gwydir Highway, near Glen Innes, about 4.30pm yesterday (Friday 26 October 2018).
About 10am today (Saturday 27 October 2018), officers attached to the New England Police District were involved in a short pursuit with a car on the New England Highway at Armidale.
The pursuit was terminated and the car was abandoned in Beardy Street. Police searched the area and located the two men in a nearby house. They were arrested without incident and taken to Armidale Police Station.
The 49-year-old man was charged with inmate escape lawful custody, take and drive conveyance, police pursuit – not stop, larceny, enter enclosed lands and drive unregistered and uninsured car.
The 32-year-old man was charged with inmate escape lawful custody, being carried in a conveyance and enter enclosed lands.
The men will appear in Armidale Local Court tomorrow (Sunday 28 October 2018).