Appeal to locate missing man – Newcastle

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing in the Newcastle area.

Ricky Wilson, aged 27, was last seen on the morning of Monday 5 August 2024 at Calvery Mater Hospital in Waratah.

When he could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Batemans Bay Police Station were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for his welfare due to a medical condition.

Ricky is known to frequent the Jesmond and Newcastle CBD areas.

Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Consul-General in Surabaya

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Glen Askew as Australia’s next Consul-General in Surabaya.

Indonesia is one of Australia’s closest and most important partners. We are deepening our cooperation under our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership to keep our region safe, grow our economies and transition to net zero.

Surabaya is Indonesia’s second largest city, with Central and East Java contributing almost one-third of national GDP and comprising a combined population of over 70 million people.

The Consulate-General in Surabaya is working to strengthen two-way trade and investment by implementing initiatives under Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, as well expanding people-to-people ties in a powerhouse region of Indonesia.

The Consulate-General also provides services to Australians in Surabaya, including consular assistance.

Mr Askew is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently Assistant Director, Israel-Gaza Taskforce.

He has previously served overseas in Papua New Guinea, Ghana and Indonesia and was a Peacekeeper with Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti and the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor (UNMISET) with the Australian Federal Police/United Nations.

I thank former Consul-General Fiona Hoggart for her contributions to advancing Australia’s interests in Surabaya since 2022.

Ambassador to the Organization of American States

Today I announce the appointment of Mr Jason Robertson as Australia’s Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS).

The OAS is the pre-eminent regional organisation in the Americas, with 34 Members and 75 Permanent Observers. It has four pillars: democracy promotion; human rights protection; security; and development.

Australia’s Permanent Observer status at the OAS, and the designation of our first Ambassador to the organisation, demonstrates our commitment to stronger engagement with the Americas on shared priorities.

These include support for strong interregional and multilateral rules and norms, promotion of human rights and cooperation on transnational crime.

Mr Robertson is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is currently Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Washington DC.

Mr Robertson has previously served as Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Beijing and as Consul-General in Guangzhou. He has had earlier postings to Australian diplomatic missions in Beijing, Islamabad and Belgrade and served in Sarajevo, Pristina and New York with the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations.

Appointment of Ambassador and Consul-General

Today I announce the appointment of highly qualified individuals to lead Australia’s diplomatic post in Surabaya and our representation to the Organization of American States (OAS).

Australia’s diplomats drive our engagement with the world, build influence, create opportunities, support Australians overseas and promote our national interests.

I am pleased to announce the following appointments:

I thank outgoing Consul-General Fiona Hoggart for protecting and promoting Australia’s interests in Surabaya since 2022.

CARE ABOUT COST OF LIVING? FREEZE RENTS

Today ACT Greens MLA Jo Clay has introduced a bill to help defend Canberra’s renters against the housing crisis, by putting a two-year freeze on rent increases  and imposing strict limits on rent increases in the long term. 

“It’s about time renters got a fair go in the ACT. For too long the returns of property investors have been prioritised by the government over the right of all Canberrans to a home,” said Jo Clay MLA.

“With the balance of power in the Legislative Assembly, the Greens have already helped to deliver nation-leading renters’ rights, under the leadership of Attorney General Shane Rattenbury.

“The housing market is cooked. More than 30 percent of Canberrans rent, and many are struggling to pay the rent week to week. They face terrible uncertainty. Many are worried and they can’t   afford to pay.

“For the average Canberran, less than one percent of rentals on the market are affordable.

“In the current inequality crisis, we must now take the next step and recognise the unequal burden of the ‘cost of living’ on renters.”

The Greens’ bill will introduce a two-year freeze on rent increases, impose a two percent limit on increases after those two years, and close loopholes that currently allow landlords to lift rents higher than this limit.

“If the Liberals and Labor are genuine about wanting to tackle the inequality crisis and relieve cost of living pressures, addressing the spiralling cost of rent is an essential step,” Ms Clay said.

“The time for talk is over, we need real action.”

Missing boy located – West Wallsend

A boy missing from the state’s Hunter Region has been located.

The 11-year-old was last seen at Wallsend about 8.50pm yesterday (Saturday 7 September 2024).

When he could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Following inquires, the boy was located about 1am today (Sunday 8 September 2024) safe and well.

Police would like to thank the public and the media for their assistance.

Appeal to locate missing boy – West Wallsend

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a young boy missing from the state’s Hunter Region.

Alexander – also known as Alex – Curran, aged 11, was last seen about 8.50pm today (Saturday 7 September 2024) at West Wallsend.

When he could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold serious concerns for her welfare due to his young age and that he lives with a medical condition.

Alexander is described as Caucasian appearance, about 150cm tall, of thin build and short brown hair.

He was last seen wearing dark blue pyjamas with Dungeons and Dragons logos.

Alexander is known to frequent the West Wallsend area.

Anyone with information into his whereabouts is urged to contact Belmont Police Station or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Another Hunter Valley earthquake sounds alarms on Coalition’s nuclear scheme 

The third earthquake in two weeks in NSW’s Hunter Valley today highlights the serious questions about the Liberal National Coalition’s plans for nuclear reactors they are still refusing to answer, says Solutions for Climate Australia.

The earthquake’s epicentre was again very close to the existing Liddell power station, where the Coalition aims to build at least one nuclear reactor. Solutions for Climate Australia Senior Campaigner Elly Baxter said the Coalition has not answered the many questions already raised about safety, emergency response, radioactive waste and water availability at the site.

“Five of the seven sites proposed by the Coalition as suitable for nuclear reactors experience earthquake activity,” Baxter said. “Their energy spokesman Ted O’Brien told ABC Radio Newcastle that a nuclear reactor at Liddell would not proceed if it was deemed unsafe, but what about the four other sites? If these sites are ruled out, where will the Coalition build their nuclear reactors? And will those communities be informed ahead of the federal election?

“Meanwhile, the safety issues we raised two weeks ago remain unanswered. Would local firefighting volunteers handle the nuclear material? What training would local firefighting volunteers receive in handling nuclear radiation? Who would train them? Would the army come in to help? 

“How would iodine tablets be distributed to locals to try to reduce cancer risk? What would be the fallout zone and where would the local emergency staging area be? Where would nuclear refugees be accommodated?

“Would the Federal Government be responsible for the emergency management given under the Liberal National policy, the Federal Government would own the nuclear reactor?

“What would happen to the radioactive waste and who would be responsible for that? Where would the enormous volume of water come from to deal with the toxic, radioactive emergency?

“The safety issues highlighted by these earthquakes only compound our concerns that nuclear reactors will take far too long to build to protect Australians from the worst impacts of climate change.”

Emergency services alerted to earthquake near Muswellbrook

NSW Police and other emergency services have been alerted to an earthquake in the Hunter Valley this morning (Saturday 7 September 2024).

The earthquake recorded a magnitude of 4.7 near Muswellbrook.

Officers from Hunter Valley Police District have not been made aware of injury or damage to infrastructure.

Residents are advised to alert their local relevant authorities of any injury or damage.

NSW Labor abandons Closing the Gap targets as First Nations Remand numbers soar

During Budget Estimates it was revealed that the rates of First Nations children and young people on remand in the 12 months since June 2023 have increased by 43%. Of that figure, 29.8% of First Nations people are on remand for car theft, while 21.1% for break and enter. These figures reveal that not only are more First Nations children and young people coming into contact with the justice system since June last year, but that these young people are in remand due to the highly controversial changes to the bail laws that were rushed through the Parliament in April this year.

Under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap (Target 11), the NSW Government is committed to reducing the rate of young First Nations people in detention by at least 30 percent.

Greens MP and spokesperson for justice Sue Higginson said “We knew these laws were wrong when they were strong-armed through Parliament in April, but to see this soaring increase of young First Nations people in prison just months later, is absolutely devastating and damning,”

“First Nations people are already grossly overrepresented in the criminal justice system and we know the catastrophic impacts of this fact. Now shock-jock law-making has made certain that even more First Nations kids will be thrown into prison and it’s Premier Chris Minns and the Attorney General Michale Daley who have done this., This is what political failure looks like,”

“The increase in children and young people behind bars is worse than predicted, and it’s only half the story. The reality is that the majority of the children and young people locked up are likely there because they were denied bail under the changes NSW Labor rushed through NSW Parliament earlier this year,”

“We know that once a child or young person comes into contact with the criminal justice system their lives are irreversibly changed for the worse. These young, vulnerable people who need protection and care will more than likely cycle through our prison system for decades at an enormous emotional cost to themselves, their families and our communities,”

“NSW Labor is shattering any chance this state has of meeting our Closing the Gap targets. It is farcical for this Government to stand up and say they are committed to reducing youth incarceration rates on one hand, and on the other, legislate punitive law-and-order responses to lock away First Nations children and young people,”

“Under these laws these children have been targeted and rounded up like lambs to the slaughter. It is sickening how calculated the effects of these laws are, and this data reveals this in black and white,” Ms Higginson said.