Category: Australian News

Newcastle Museum has unveiled a sneak peek of its next major exhibition and there’s one minor difference to the items on display – their size. 

From a scaled-down cityscape made for the movies, to a model train 160 times smaller than its life-sized inspiration, Model Newcastle provides a chance to discover the big stories told by little things. 

City of Newcastle Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning Julie Baird, Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge and City of Newcastle Head of Exhibitions & Cultural Collections David Hampton take a sneak peek at the installation of the Model Newcastle exhibition, which opens at Newcastle Museum on 27 September.

The exhibition, which opens on 27 September, delves into the intricate world of models and miniatures, featuring items from the Museum’s extensive collection alongside treasured creations on loan from the community. 

City of Newcastle Director of Museum, Archive, Libraries and Learning, Julie Baird, said Newcastle Museum plays an important role in telling stories of and for the people of Newcastle. 

“Models and miniatures are tiny worlds with big purposes that can explore the past, imagine the future and transport us anywhere in between,” Ms Baird said. 

“This exhibition has been a labour of love for all those involved, from the local and international designers, artists and makers whose craftsmanship is on display, to Newcastle Museum’s own Cultural Collection and Exhibitions team, who have worked tirelessly over many months to plan and produce a truly engaging exhibition. 

“From historical replicas to imaginative creations, all these little things have big Newcastle stories to tell as they spark joy and curiosity in audiences of all ages.” 

The exhibition includes collections of objects that reflect five distinct themes. 

Views of the City features models and miniatures with an architectural focus including one of Australia’s best model railways, Newcastle 1899, which depicts the Newcastle Railway Station precinct at the turn of the century. This theme also incorporates a model of the former Newcastle Workers’ Club, used during the coronial inquest into the 1989 earthquake.

Modelling the Imagination explores models made for entertainment, film making, and as an expression of creativity, such as a 3D-printed mechanical fish tank created by former Newcastle Herald cartoonist Peter Lewis, and the fantastical puppetry collection of one of Australia’s top marionette performers, Murray Raine.

Scale Engineering features replicas of engines and locomotives that have been scaled down in every detail, including how they work. Visitors will marvel at the expert creations of the Lake Macquarie Live Steamers Association, which is one of the longest running model societies in Australia having been active for more than 70 years.

On the Water taps into Newcastle’s marine history and features a variety of model ships, boats, ferries and tugboats including those created by the Newcastle Marine Modellers Association, which has been operating in the Hunter for more than 40 years.

It also includes a scale model of one of the world’s most famous sailing ships, the Cutty Sark, which visited Newcastle three times at the end of the 19^th century. The model was painstakingly built over 40 years by Peter Sharp, whose fascination with the history of Newcastle Harbour was sparked during his career with the Newcastle Water Police. 

Big Skills Miniaturised examines Newcastle’s legacy as a centre for manufacturing, drawing from the Museum’s extensive collection of apprentice pieces and demonstrator models. These were often used as part of the competency assessment of apprentices or by craftspeople as an opportunity to demonstrate or practice their skills.

There’s also plenty of hands-on, family-friendly fun at the exhibition, with a series of dollhouses inspired by civic landmarks and a miniature railway track to enjoy, as well as a chance to experience film making techniques using a post-apocalyptic model city created by Jack McGrath and the University of Newcastle.  

Lord Mayor Dr Ross Kerridge said the Model Newcastle exhibition captures the stories of Newcastle’s past, present and future. 

“Models and miniatures have been used for generations to entertain, educate, investigate and explain,” Cr Kerridge said.

“While many spring simply from the joy and creativity of their makers, others have a more practical or serious purpose, such as the Sugar Babe doll that helped to teach children with diabetes how to inject insulin and was used at the John Hunter Hospital.

“This is a fascinating exhibition with multigenerational appeal, which is sure to educate, inspire and delight visitors of all ages.” 

Model Newcastle: Big Stories, Little Things has been created by Newcastle Museum with support from the NSW Government through Create NSW.

The exhibition opens on Saturday 27 September and runs through until February 2026. Tickets cost $10 for adults, $8 for concession, $5 for children aged five to 16 years, with children four and under free. Family tickets for two adults and two children can be purchased for $25. 

For more information and to book your tickets visit the Newcastle Museum website.

City of Newcastle has turned its focus underground as part of a new milestone in its landmark affordable housing project on Hunter Street.

A development application (DA) has been lodged to enable the investigation and remediation of any former mine workings located underneath the 4,125 sqm site known as Rail Bridge Row.

Chair of City of Newcastle’s Asset Advisory Committee, Cr Declan Clausen, said this work is essential to stabilise the site in advance of future construction and follows a range of site investigations.

“Much of our city sits above former underground mines, a reminder of our city’s industrial past. By securing the ground beneath us, we’re working for the future of inclusive, affordable living on the Rail Bridge Row site,” Cr Clausen said.

“Early site assessments, as well as remediation work undertaken in recent years on nearby sites suggests there may be former mine workings from the Dudley Coal Seam present underneath the Rail Bridge Row site.

“This DA will allow us to gather more detail on the site and enable us to remediate any workings that are located, as part of a comprehensive mine grouting and verification plan, which has received approval from Subsidence Advisory New South Wales

“Subject to approval of the DA, remediation works are anticipated to begin in March 2026 targeting the Dudley Coal Seam, which is located approximately 25 metres below ground level.

“Comprehensive Aboriginal and European heritage assessments have also been conducted in recognition of the site’s cultural and historical significance, to ensure no heritage items would be impacted by future excavations or mine grouting work.”

The Rail Bridge Row site was purchased by City of Newcastle from Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation in 2020 and is earmarked for a multi-storey mixed-use development, that will provide affordable housing units alongside ground-floor retail.

Chair of City of Newcastle’s Housing Affordability Working Party, Cr Elizabeth Adamczyk, said the project could pave the way for similar developments in the future at other City of Newcastle sites.

“This bold affordable housing project is another significant step forward in City of Newcastle’s work to ensure housing in every part of our city supports a flourishing and diverse community, with access to jobs and amenity and transport networks, for people of all incomes,” Cr Adamczyk said.

“With submissions for a Community Housing Provider to act as development partner currently under review, these foundational works send a clear signal to our community and potential future partners of this local government’s commitment to doing everything we can to foster a more accessible, inclusive and affordable housing system.”

The Rail Bridge Row site is located at 280 Hunter Street and stretches from Brown Street to near the intersection of Darby and Hunter Streets, opposite the Crown Street light rail stop.

Visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/rail-bridge-row for more information.

The Minns Labor Government has passed legislation strengthening protections against image-based abuse by outlawing the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfakes.

The Government has zero tolerance for image-based abuse, which is disproportionately targeted at women and girls and is the latest frontier in gender-based abuse.

AI-generated sexually explicit deepfakes are increasing in prevalence and have become more realistic amid advances in technology.

The material can be used as part of sextortion schemes, including where perpetrators threaten to release further explicit content unless victims comply with demands.

The circulation of this material can be extremely distressing, humiliating, degrading or intimidating.

The reforms expand offences related to the production and distribution of intimate images without consent, including covering those created entirely using artificial intelligence.

The amendments to the Crimes Act 1900 make the production of a sexually explicit deepfake designed to be a genuine depiction of a real, identifiable person an offence punishable by up to three years’ jail.

Sharing or threatening to share such images, even if the person hasn’t created them, is also a crime punishable by up to three years’ jail.

In addition to these new offences, the Government has criminalised the non-consensual creation, recording and distribution of sexually explicit audio, whether real or designed to sound like a real, identifiable person.

The Crimes Amendment (Intimate Images and Audio Material) Bill 2025 passed the upper house late Thursday.

It is already a crime in NSW to record or distribute intimate images of a person without their consent or to threaten to do so. This includes distributing photos that have been digitally altered, but not images wholly created using AI.

Existing court takedown powers will apply to these expanded offences.

The NSW Government has zero tolerance for the non-consensual production and distribution of sexually explicit material – regardless of how it is created.

The Labor Government is giving law enforcement and prosecutors the tools they need to go after those involved in this abuse, while deterring those considering creating this material.

The changes do not affect existing child abuse material offences that already criminalise the production, possession and dissemination of explicit material of a child.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“There is no place for gender-based abuse in NSW, and that includes through the use of deepfakes.

“These are important changes to keep women safe from this insidious form of abuse.

“This legislation sends a clear message: those who seek to target women using this technology now face serious consequences.”

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“We are making sure our laws keep pace with rapidly evolving technology and ensures women are better protected from all forms of AI-generated sexual exploitation.

“Non-consensual, sexually explicit deepfakes are a form of abuse disproportionately targeted at women and young girls.

“This bill ensures people who seek to objectify, intimidate or degrade women using AI can be prosecuted.”

Minister for Women and the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:

“The passing of this bill is another way the Minns Labor Government is building a safer New South Wales for women and girls.

“These new laws build on and modernise the existing framework by strengthening and expanding current offences to protect women from exploitation through explicit deepfake material.

“I thank the many stakeholders, including Full Stop Australia and Domestic Violence NSW, who provided crucial feedback in the development of this bill.”

NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Hannah Tonkin said:

“I’m pleased that we have seen the passage of legislation to criminalise AI-driven deepfakes. Sexually explicit deepfakes can be weaponised to cause immense harm in the real world.

“Women and girls are the main targets of deepfakes, and the impacts of their dissemination can be devastating.

“This legislation sends an important message that image-based abuse will not be tolerated, and it brings NSW in line with other jurisdictions that are striving to limit the impacts of this terrifying technology.”

Full Stop Australia CEO Karen Bevan said:

“We welcome the passage of this legislation, which strengthens legal protections for victim-survivors of image-based abuse.

“Technology-facilitated abuse is growing rapidly, with perpetrators continually finding new and dangerous ways to exploit emerging technologies.

“The legislation sends a strong message that this abuse is unacceptable, and perpetrators will be held accountable.”

Support: Anyone impacted by sexual violence can contact the NSW Sexual Violence Helpline 24/7 on 1800 424 017.

Chris Minns has once again turned his back on the people of Western Sydney, refusing to support an inquiry to get to the bottom of why patients continue to suffer at Blacktown and other western Sydney hospitals.
 
This week, more confronting stories were revealed about patient care in western Sydney hospitals. A mother was left in a filthy hospital room at Mount Druitt that hadn’t been cleaned. A man was left waiting 40 hours in the emergency department for a bed at Blacktown.
But this morning in the Legislative Council, Labor opposed the Opposition’s Notice of Motion to hold an Inquiry into Western Sydney health services.
 
Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said people in Western Sydney deserve better than a Premier who ignores their calls for improved healthcare.
 
“Whether it is patients waiting days in EDs, giving birth on couches, being forced to sleep on the floor, or waiting over 389 days for surgery at Westmead, people in Western Sydney deserve to know why Chris Minns won’t act.”
“Chris Minns must be afraid of the truth if he keeps refusing to support an inquiry into these hospitals,” Mr Speakman said.
 
Shadow Western Sydney Minister Robyn Preston said people in Western Sydney were sick of Labor’s excuses and spin.
 
“Every time there is an issue with Western Sydney hospitals the Premier promises to do better, but the problems keep happening and there are no solutions in sight,” Ms Preston said.
 
Shadow Health Minister Kellie Sloane asked how many more stories of patients suffering does Chris Minns need to hear before he finally steps up and acts.
 
“Patients in Western Sydney know there is a problem because they are living it. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and an inquiry will help find answers and come up with solutions for the systemic issues Western Sydney hospitals are experiencing,” Ms Sloane said.

The Opposition, with support from the crossbench, successfully suspended standing orders in the Legislative Council today to secure the passage of the Workers Compensation Amendment (Firefighters’ Diseases) Bill 2025 through that House. The Bill will now proceed to the Legislative Assembly.
 
The Bill adds an additional nine cancers, including three cancers of the female reproductive system, to the list of presumptive firefighters’ diseases in Schedule 4 of the Workers Compensation Act 1987. This means firefighters who have served for the relevant qualifying period of five to fifteen years do not have to prove that they contracted the cancer as a result of their employment or volunteer service as a firefighter.
 
Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Damien Tudehope said the Minns Labor Government made an election commitment to address this issue as a priority.
 
“Instead, it has delayed any action while pretending to be working on it, but the Opposition and the crossbench united to support our firefighters by passing this legislation as a priority,” Mr Tudehope said.
 
Shadow Minister for Emergency Services Gurmesh Singh said Parliament must back in our firefighters ahead of the upcoming fire season.
 
“Firefighters need the presumptive cancer legislation to protect them against the added stress of having to prove their cancer is work related,” Mr Singh said.
 
“I urge all members of the Legislative Assembly to support the speedy passage of this legislation.”

The Australian Government is lowering the Russian Oil Price Cap and imposing targeted sanctions on a further 95 Russian ‘shadow fleet’ vessels.

The action to lower the Oil Price Cap, from USD60 a barrel to USD47.60, will drive down the market value of Russian crude oil and help starve the Russian war economy of oil revenue.

Australia has taken this action alongside our international partners, including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Japan. Australia maintains its total ban on imports from Russia of oil and refined petroleum.

Australia will also impose targeted sanctions on a further 95 Russian ‘shadow fleet’ vessels. With these additional listings, the Albanese Government has now sanctioned more than 150 shadow fleet vessels since doing so for the first time in June 2025.

Shadow fleet vessels are used to circumvent international sanctions and support Russia’s war economy. They also pose serious environmental and maritime safety risks by operating under deceptive practices, including flag-hopping, disabling tracking systems, and operating with inadequate insurance, to enable the illicit trade of Russian oil and other sanctioned goods.

Australia has imposed over 1,600 sanctions in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which support Ukraine in defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity. We will continue to take coordinated and decisive action to disrupt Russia’s ability to fund its invasion, including through constraining its oil revenues.

Australia renews its calls on Russia to immediately end this war and withdraw from Ukrainian territory. We remain steadfast in our support for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace for Ukraine.

Labor’s home guarantee scheme won’t ease the housing crisis. It will pour fuel on the fire. The experts are clear: it won’t work for single and low-income first home buyers. Labor needs to stop tinkering in ways that make the housing crisis worse, and do things that actually work. 

From October, under the scheme, borrowing limits will be increased and income caps lifted, which Treasury’s own modelling says will cause house prices to rise. 

The Greens say the scheme, while out of reach for many, will leave more people in higher levels of debt and drive up property prices, further fueling the housing crisis.

Greens housing spokesperson Senator Barbara Pocock:

“It’s reckless for the government to encourage first home buyers to spend more than they can realistically afford – repayments of over $1,000 a week are just not doable for most.

“Borrowing 95% of a mortgage when homes are eight times the average household income are a recipe for financial stress, not stability.

“This isn’t help — it’s hype. Even Treasury’s own numbers say it’ll push prices up. First-home buyers will be left paying more.

“Without additional housing supply, without addressing the root causes of our housing crisis, this scheme will just hike property prices. This will lock out even more first home buyers, especially single and low income earners, like teachers and nurses, unable to live close to where they work.

“This scheme is just smoke and mirrors — all it does is supercharge house prices and dump even more debt onto first-home buyers. It does nothing to tackle intergenerational housing inequality in Australia and it does nothing for tackling our housing crisis. 

“Experts agree these demand-side schemes drive prices up, with house prices forecast to increase by 9 percent next year. We need real change. That means cutting back tax perks for rich investors and building affordable homes where people live and work.

“Australia’s housing system is rigged for the wealthy. It is working well for them, but it is failing everyone else. Negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts let cashed-up investors outbid everyday Australians — and young people, single people, low income workers are the ones paying the price.

“This government has an opportunity to fix the housing crisis — but if they keep dodging real reform, they’ll lock a whole generation out of ever owning a home.”

Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson for Higher Education, Senator Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to UTS’ decision to proceed with their proposal to close the School of Education & International Studies and School of Public Health, cutting hundreds of jobs and leaving students in the lurch. 

Senator Faruqi wrote to the Education Minister in August requesting that the Minister refer UTS to TEQSA to investigate any breaches of the higher education threshold standards.

Senator Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Australian Greens and spokesperson for Higher Education:

“It is a disgrace that UTS management don’t have a problem with forking out millions of dollars on private consultants and hundreds of thousands to attend extravagant alumni events abroad, yet have no qualms about slashing disciplines like education, international relations, and public health. 

“This decision flies in the face of all that universities should stand for – public institutions for public good. UTS management should hang their heads in shame for moving ahead with this disastrous plan.

“As per usual, it is the staff, students, and the wider community that will bear the brunt of terrible management decisions, while those making them continue to be rewarded with exorbitant salaries and lavish benefits. 

“Overhauling university governance is absolutely urgent. Staff and students deserve to be key decision-makers at their universities, not overpaid executives or corporate appointees.” 

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Sen Faruqi Letter to Minister Clare re UTS_0.pdf

The NSW Government have announced further planning reforms claimed to fast-track, streamline and see more houses built. The changes will include a one stop shop through a Development Coordination Authority, a climate resilience objective and make changes to community consultation and expand the category of smaller developments that slip through the system.

Greens MP and spokesperson for Planning Sue Higginson said:

“The Minns Labor Government has made it their clear mission to see developers build more new housing and development in NSW. In what certainly looks like a gift to developers, following the mantra of cutting proverbial ‘red tape’, the Minns Government will now establish the Development Coordination Authority which will cut out the advice of independent expert agencies. Limiting and filtering expert independent advice is never a good plan,”

“It’s telling that in their announcement, the Premier, Treasurer and Minister for Planning, didn’t mention this week’s Climate Risk Report that identified one million homes are at ‘very high risk’ and will be effectively uninsurable by 2050. Fast tracking houses is no solution as long as people are still moving onto floodplains, biodiversity is being trashed, climate resilience is merely an objective, and public and affordable housing is an after-thought,”

“We need certainty that new developments will not occur on flood or bushfire prone land, that development will not destroy more biodiversity and mature trees and that new homes are being built to the highest thermal standards. Under this Government we have already seen thermal standards reduced for some of their accelerated up-zonings,”

“While coordination is always a welcomed feature of any system, the establishment of the Development Coordination Authority seriously threatens the integrity of our planning system and decisions made. This new super-office will be responsible for every single development application or planning proposal – it’s a Trojan Horse that will remove the critical independent expert voices in Government agencies that raise serious and legitimate concerns. This has been on the wishlist for developers for a long time, and it looks like this bill will deliver,”

“We need firm and clear requirements that all new builds will have a best standard proportion of in-perpetuity affordable homes, and a minimum requirement for social housing. The Government needs to make sure that 30% of new builds are affordable homes, and 10% public homes,”

“Setting up the planning system to reward developers, so they can profit from building houses, won’t fix the housing affordability crisis which is where real housing pain is being felt – and it will do nothing for the 66 thousand households on the wait list for social housing,”

“We support appropriate and well planned new housing, that’s not in question. Where we disagree with the Government is how the community and expert advice should be involved in decisions, and making sure that we are taking on board the existential threat of the climate and biodiversity crises,” Ms Higginson said.

This afternoon, the ACT Legislative Assembly is set to pass legislation which will enshrine housing as a human right following the introduction of the legislation by the Greens in November of last year, their first parliamentary action of the term.

“The passage of this legislation is a landmark moment for social justice in Australia, with Canberra yet again leading the nation by enshrining the right to a safe home as the foundation for a fair and decent life,” said author of the Bill and Leader of the ACT Greens, Shane Rattenbury.

“This legislation introduced by the Greens will start the process of reshaping the way we think about housing is this city. It will create a new requirement, by law, for the government to treat housing not as a private asset for wealth creation, but as a foundational social good—just as we already treat education and healthcare.

“This will mean the government has a legal responsibility, as part of building a just society, to facilitate the fair provision of housing in either the private or public market.

“And if anyone in this city believes the government is not living up to this responsibility, they now have a legal mechanism to challenge decision making or change unfair laws so that the government works for the interests of the people, not the housing market.

“For too long, governments have been walking away from their responsibility to ensure and affordable and decent home for all. But today marks the beginning of an acknowledgement: housing is not a commodity; it is a human right.

“From now on, when new laws are introduced in the Assembly, the government will have to consider Canberrans’ fundamental right to housing. That means weighing how policies impact home security, affordability, access to essential services like water and electricity, and whether homes are well-located and accessible to shops and services.

“Across the country, Labor and Liberal governments have backed a cooked housing system that has eroded trust in democracy and public institutions. There was once no such thing as a ‘housing crisis.’ But years of privatisation, deregulation and distorting tax incentives have made it clear we need change.

“Here in Canberra, rents are at record highs, public housing is at record lows, and waiting lists grow longer every year. With mortgages and interest rates also soaring, the housing system is breaking—and when it breaks, it’s our political system that will fracture first, not the market.

“Enshrining the right to housing is a crucial step in trying to turn the tide and restoring trust in government as an institution that has a responsibility to make real people’s lives better.      

Angela Cartwright, CEO of Better Renting:

“Recognising housing as a human right under ACT law has the potential to deliver tangible, positive outcomes for renters. Despite important steps towards improving renting in the ACT, too many renters continue to live in unhealthy, energy inefficient homes while facing housing stress and instability.

“Inadequate rental protections particularly harm renters on low incomes, renters with disabilities, older renters, and people living in marginal or precarious tenancies, entrenching inequities and demonstrating the need for a major shift in how we view housing.

Craig Wallace, Head of Policy at Advocacy for Inclusion:

“We support the Human Rights (Housing) Amendment Bill 2025. People with disability face a two-pronged housing crisis in Canberra due to a lack of appropriate built form at a price point which is available to people who are often on lower incomes due to exclusion from the labour market, costs of disability and inadequate rates of income support.

“Enshrining the right to adequate housing will provide accountability mechanisms to protect our community members and provide a prompt for action. Too many people with disability are trapped in hospitals, group homes, nursing homes or unsafe circumstances due to a lack of accessible and affordable housing. Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disability recognises the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live in the community, with choices equal to others.

“This Bill will require government to consider housing as a human right, hopefully driving concrete action toward better housing outcomes for people with disability who too often face discrimination and inadequate support in housing”

Kym Duggan, Chair of the Social Justice Committee, St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn:

“The St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra/Goulburn believes enshrining the right to housing in the ACT’s Human Rights Act will strengthen protections for vulnerable people, improve government accountability, and lay a foundation for fairer, more inclusive housing policies and outcomes in our community. We encourage the ACT Government and all parties to demonstrate leadership and to support this amendment.

Rebecca Zappelli, Executive Director of Families ACT:

“Families ACT strongly supports the inclusion of the right to adequate housing. In 2021-22, 1889 families in the ACT were without a home, the second highest cohort being families with one parent and children.

“All children and families in the ACT should have access to safe and stable housing as a basic human right, creating the foundation for better developmental, economic, social and emotional outcomes for children and families to reach their full potential.

Ravi Krishnamurthy, President of the Australian Multicultural Action Network

“Housing is not just a policy issue – it is a fundamental human right. By enshrining the right to adequate housing, the ACT can ensure dignity, security, and inclusion for all, particularly for those most vulnerable in our community.