Category: Newcastle News

Newcastle will celebrate the cultural richness of its First Nations during NAIDOC Week with a march from Civic Park and a City of Newcastle program for the senses.

Awabakal Corporation will kick off their annual Community Day at Civic Park on Monday with a flag raising ceremony and morning march from Civic Park, followed by a family-friendly celebration at Foreshore Park.

The Awabakal Community Day, supported by City of Newcastle, will feature singing, dancing, stalls, rides and chances for cultural connection inspired by this year’s NAIDOC theme – “Keep the fire burning! Blak, Loud and Proud”.

NAIDOC Week celebrations will continue with activities across City of Newcastle libraries and the Museum, designed to create connections with culture for the next generation.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said NAIDOC Week is a calendar highlight for City of Newcastle, offering a chance to celebrate the oldest living cultures of Australia’s second oldest city.

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aren’t just in the fabric of Newcastle, they are the first people of this place we love today,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Newcastle has a long and rich history of standing side-by-side with our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to enact positive change, including being the first city in Australia to raise an Aboriginal Flag over a civic building under Lord Mayor Joy Cummings,” Cr Nelmes said.

“NAIDOC Week is an extremely important time of year and an opportunity for our community to acknowledge that the story of Australia began far before European settlement, while recognising that First Nations peoples have occupied and cared for our land for over 65,000 years.”

Awabakal Corporation CEO Jason Smith said NAIDOC is a marquee week for his organisation and for celebration of Aboriginal culture by City of Newcastle and the community.

“NAIDOC Week means a great deal to all of us at Awabakal and it’s pleasing to see what City of Newcastle does to engage Aboriginal people this week and every week,” Mr Smith said.

“The Guraki Aboriginal Advisory Committee is just one vital initiative City of Newcastle helps facilitate. The events this NAIDOC Week, including the march from Civic Park and the Awabakal Community Day in Foreshore Park supported by City of Newcastle, are highlights any Novocastrian should experience.”

Councillor Deahnna Richardson, a proud Wiradjuri woman, said Newcastle Museum Park, Newcastle City Library and Wallsend Library will all host NAIDOC Week festivities.

“This year’s theme – ‘Keep the fire burning! – is a call to elevate our mob and our spirit,” Cr Richardson said.

“We’re creating new connections to our culture for the next generation with a range of events delivered in partnership with local First Nations groups. These activities are designed to celebrate the rich history and diverse cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the oldest continuing cultures on the planet. We’re lucky in Muloobinba to live among the cultures of Awabakal, Worimi and many other people. I can’t wait for NAIDOC Week to kick off.

“I encourage our community to celebrate our Indigenous culture this NAIDOC Week and take advantage of the free events on offer throughout the city.”

Newcastle Museum will host Darkinjung woman Sarah Corrigan on Tuesday with Rainbow Crow Collective: Tastes of Australia, a chance to try bush tucker including syrups and finger limes, and take home a recipe card to continue the culinary journey. 

The Museum will also screen The Last Daughter, the documentary directed by Wiradjuri author Brenda Matthews with Nathaniel Schmidt that holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

On Thursday the festivities move to Newcastle City Library with a stringybark rope-making masterclass by Uncle Amos Simon. The proud Worimi, Birpai and Wiradjuri elder will be sharing Language and music including a silent disco.

Rainbow Crow Creative will cap off the city’s NAIDOC Week program on Friday at Wallsend Library and then Newcastle Museum with low sensory sessions of the popular Wayapa earth connection practice, which uses mindfulness and Indigenous inspired movements to create a healing space through yarning, sharing and connection.

NAIDOC Week will be celebrated across Australia from 7-14 July to recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

For more information on the Awabakal march and Community Day visit: https://www.awabakal.org/events/naidoc2024

Trains are not running on the Hunter Line due to a police operation until daylight tomorrow. Buses will replace trains between Newcastle Interchange and Maitland/Scone/Dungog. Buses will not run to the normal train timetable. Please allow plenty of extra travel time.

A woman will face Court after being charged following an unauthorised protest in the Hunter Valley last night.

About 6.45pm (Thursday 4 July 2024), police were called to the rail corridor at Belford, near Singleton, following reports persons had allegedly entered the rail corridor and were causing obstruction to trains.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District, with assistance from Police Rescue, attended the site and arrested a 65-year-old woman from Bega.

She was taken to Singleton Police Station where she was charged with five offences – cause obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock, enter enclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse, cause/attempt to cause train or tram in motion to be stopped, interfere with equipment without permission and destroy/damage/obstruct mine shaft/duct/airway.

She was refused bail to appear before Singleton Local Court later today (Friday 5 July 2024).

A woman will face court after being charged following an unauthorised protest in the Hunter Valley this morning.

Just after 7am (Friday 5 July 2024), police were called to the rail corridor at Glennies Creek, near Singleton, following reports a person had allegedly entered the rail corridor and was causing obstruction to trains.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District, with assistance from Police Rescue, attended the site and arrested a 27-year-old woman from Victoria.

She was taken to Singleton Police Station, where she was charged with enter inclosed non-agricultural lands serious safety risk, cause obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock, and enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse.

She was refused bail and appeared before Singleton Local Court today (Friday 5 July 2024).

Some trains are running late up to 30 minutes due to flooding on the tracks at Cockle Creek earlier. Services will be less frequent and trips may take longer than usual. Stops may also change at short notice. Buses may also supplement some trains between Newcastle Interchange and Fassifern. Please allow plenty of extra travel time, listen for announcements, check information screens and transport apps before getting on trains.

Lake Macquarie residents will benefit from work completed to install a noise wall on the M1 Pacific Motorway northbound near Currans Road.
Transport for NSW Director Region North Anna Zycki said the NSW Government funded the $8.1 million project to help reduce traffic noise for residents.
“The NSW Government views road traffic noise as an important issue and is committed to improving the daily lives of residents living near arterial infrastructure such as the M1 Pacific Motorway,” Ms Zycki said. 
“Around 25,000 motorists use this section of motorway northbound every day.
“Work included surveying, vegetation clearing and building a 408-metre noise wall on the motorway.
“We also want to say a big thank you to the local community and motorists for their patience while we completed this work.
“Some minor finishing work will continue this month however traffic restrictions will no longer apply.”

A man has been charged with several drug supply offences following an investigation into the supply of prohibited drugs in the state’s north.

In February 2024, police from Lake Macquarie Police District formed Strike Force Picatinny, to investigate the alleged supply of illegal drugs in the Lake Macquarie area.

On Wednesday 3 July 2024, following extensive investigations, police executed search warrants at homes in Windale and Gateshead, where they located a quantity of illegal drugs including commercial quantities of methylamphetamine, and other quantities of cocaine, heroin, 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), cannabis, an amount of cash and other items which police will allege are proceeds of crime. The seized drugs have a combined street value of $150,000.

A 43-year-old man was arrested near the Gateshead property and was taken to Belmont Police Station where he was charged with thirty seven offences:

Thirty two counts of supply prohibited drug offences
Three counts of possess prohibited drug
Two counts of deal with proceeds of crime
He was refused bail to appear before Belmont Local Court today (Thursday 4 July 2024).

Sheriffs in Newcastle, Gosford and the Hunter will stop work and protest outside Newcastle courthouse at 8.30am tomorrow over a staffing crisis and poor pay.

This action, which will last two hours, will have a severe impact on courts’ ability to function.

The Office of the Sheriff has difficulty recruiting and retaining Sheriffs due to the poor pay.

While Sheriffs’ duties have ballooned over the last decade their pay has failed to keep pace.

Sheriffs, (formally ‘Sworn uniformed Sheriff’s Officers’), both enforce the law and provide court security. 

Sheriffs are a crucial part of law enforcement. They enforce orders issued by NSW Local, District and Supreme Courts, the High Court, the Federal Court and Family Court.

Sheriffs enforce writs, serve warrants and Property Seizure Orders issued under the Fines Act 1996.

Their security duties involve maintaining the security of court complexes, many of which have airport-style perimeter security and scanning to ensure the safety of judges, magistrates, lawyers and the public. 

There are over 300 Sheriffs across the state attached to over 170 courthouses. Only 44 courthouses will be affected by tomorrow’s action.

Sheriffs have tried to play by the rules, said Stewart Little, General Secretary of the Public Service Association which represents Sheriffs, but they have just been ignored for over two years.

“In mid 2022 there was an agency restructure and the senior leadership of the Office of the Sheriff got a significant pay bump,” said Mr Little.

“In 2023 there was a review of Sheriffs’ pay but the report was never released under ‘cabinet in confidence’.

‘Sheriffs waited patiently, and were told the matter would be resolved in the 2024 budget, but when it was delivered in mid June nothing happened, and now they’ve been fobbed off again with some other made up bureaucratic process, so Sheriff’s have just had enough.

“Sheriffs are highly trained in what is risky and stressful work.

“Sheriffs need a solid pay bump to reflect the dangerous work they do, when enforcing court orders they’ll be entering people’s properties wearing stab proof vests, carrying capsicum spray, batons and handcuffs. It’s difficult work.

“Sheriffs put their lives on the line in courthouses to make sure judges, lawyers and members of the public are safe from crooks and criminals, yet they are paid the same as people with desk jobs and administration roles at the courthouse, it’s just not on,” said Mr Little.

A man has been charged following an unauthorised protest near Maitland this morning.

About 4am (Wednesday 3 July 2024), police were called to the rail corridor at East Maitland following reports a person had allegedly entered the rail corridor and were causing obstruction to trains.

Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District, with assistance from Police Rescue, attended the site and arrested a 22-year-old man from Queensland.

He was taken to Maitland Police Station where he was charged with enter enclosed non-agricultural lands – serious safety risk, cause obstruction to railway locomotive, and hinder working of mining equipment.

He was refused bail to appear before Maitland Local Court today (Wednesday 3 July 2024).

City of Newcastle will take on greater leadership in NSW through new accords with Upper Hunter, Muswellbrook and City of Coffs Harbour councils. 

Newcastle has entered memoranda of understanding (MoU) with two of our Hunter neighbours, as well as fellow regional coastal council Coffs Harbour. 

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Upper Hunter Shire Mayor Maurice Collison and Muswellbrook Shire Mayor Steve Reynolds at a recent meeting of the Hunter Joint Organisation.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the four councils will gain valuable expertise and a stronger collective voice from each MoU. 

“We’re in a unique position to both be a leader in the local government sector and to learn from the successes of other councils,” Cr Nelmes said.  

“As a financially sound and well-resourced council, we have plenty of success stories that are worth sharing and I look forward to exploring new opportunities through closer ties with our neighbours.

“Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Muswellbrook and the Upper Hunter are each vital parts of our state, and we’re stronger, smarter and better off when we collaborate.” 

City of Newcastle Acting CEO David Clarke said the accords would pool the knowledge of each council in many areas of expertise.  

“We’re exploring opportunities to share insights and capabilities, as well as the potential for staff exchange program with our MoU partners, which is a golden way to share the rich expertise of each council and just one of the many benefits of these agreements,” Mr Clarke said. 

“We’ve already applied for grants in partnership with some of the councils to fund projects together and had had success working with the NSW Government. City of Newcastle’s CEO Jeremy Bath has worked hard on this and deserves a lot of credit.” 

As part of the MoU, City of Newcastle’s planning team has already met with their Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter counterparts to outline Newcastle’s award-winning Accelerated Development Assessment program. 

City of Newcastle has applied for grant funding to roll out Accelerated Development Assessment – its streamlined determination tool for low-impact developments – to its three new MoU partners over the next 12 months. 

In the past year, Newcastle and Coffs Harbour have worked together on a range of submissions to the NSW and federal governments on issues that affect both large coastal councils. 

Coffs Harbour Mayor Paul Amos said the coastal council areas’ similarities made them logical partners.  

“This is a tremendous opportunity for Coffs Harbour to work closely with Newcastle on all manner of things, and the MoU will be of particular advantage in areas where challenges are common to both councils,” Cr Amos said.  

“It makes every sense for Coffs and Newcastle to align as two major regional, coastal cities – each with ambition for continual improvement.  

 “While the MoU is non-binding on either council for any actions, it paves the way for a mutually beneficial partnership.” 

Muswellbrook Shire Mayor Steve Reynolds said his council saw its Newcastle MoU as mutually beneficial. 

“We look forward to working with the City of Newcastle and exploring opportunities for joint advocacy and funding prospects to benefit the region and enhance our capability,” Cr Reynolds said. 

“Improved efficiencies and learnings will support better outcomes across the board.” 

Upper Hunter Shire Mayor Maurice Collison said his council’s new accord would bring a suite of benefits.  

“By collaborating across boundaries, we can share valuable knowledge and resources, leading to enhanced service delivery and sustainable regional growth,” Cr Collison said. 

“This MoU represents our commitment to working together for the economic and social prosperity of our communities. Our combined efforts will ensure that we are better equipped to address the complex issues facing local government.”