admin – Page 767

Mitch Revs painted Elton John piano to go under the hammer for women and children in need

A unique upright piano hand painted by renowned Newcastle artist Mitch Revs to honour Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour will be auctioned at the Newcastle 500 next month to benefit women and children escaping domestic violence.

Donated by Venues NSW and Scentre Group, which commissioned the artwork for Elton John’s crowd-drawing McDonald Jones Stadium appearances in January, the colourful and eclectic working piano is the centrepiece of the fourth annual charity function at Fort Scratchley on Saturday 11 March.

Nova for Women and Children Team Leader Fiona Edwards, Got Your Back Sista Founder Melissa Histon, artist Mitch Revs, McDonald Jones Stadium Venue Manager Dean Mantle, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, and Westfield Kotara Centre Manager Kelly Lewis with the Elton john themed piano, which is being auctioned for charity.

The fundraiser has garnered more than $61,000 to date for City of Newcastle’s charity partners, Got Your Back Sista and Nova for Women and Children, thanks to the support of community and business leaders.

For the first time, bidding on this item will be open to the public online via AirAuctioneer to allow keen Elton John fans and collectors to get in on the action, with the piano on display at Westfield Kotara, Level 2 near Specsavers until the event.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said City of Newcastle was thrilled to once again partner with both charities for the event’s highly anticipated return.

“We’re proud to continue to support these local charities, which provide vital assistance to women and children in need,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Unfortunately, domestic and family violence continues to affect too many people. This inaugural event was on White Ribbon Day and provided a unique opportunity to raise awareness and much needed funds to help combat the issue. With drawcard prizes like this, we are hopeful to raise lots of funds to support our local charities, Nova for Women and Children and Got Your Back Sista.”

Got Your Back Sista runs programs, fundraising events, campaigns, and the Village People Op Shop in Islington and provides referrals to external support services. Founder Melissa Histon said the organisation was grateful for City of Newcastle’s and Supercars’ continued support.

“Women often come to us with little more than the clothes on their backs. They reach out because they’re in crisis and need individual support to navigate leaving an abusive situation, finding the right legal and financial support, and rebuilding their lives,” Ms Histon said.

“This would not be possible without the ongoing support of community and business leaders.”

Nova for Women and Children supports women and children to access crisis, medium and long-term accommodation and provides specialised, ongoing casework. CEO Kelly Hansen said a competitive environment for government funding and donations, long housing waitlists and increasing everyday living costs added extra pressure.

“A lack of safe, affordable, long-term housing has left women and children living in or at increasing risk of domestic and family violence, creating bottlenecks in crisis and transitional accommodation,” Ms Hansen said.

“The extra support to help some of the most vulnerable people in our community is most appreciated.”

Backed by board members and volunteers from each organisation, Histon and Hansen will address guests at the event before a raft of auction items go under the hammer, including accommodation at the five-star Crystalbrook Kingsley and QT Newcastle hotels.

Bidding on the piano closes at 5pm, Saturday 11 March with the winner to be announced following the event.

Pharmacy plan to allow easier access to medications and treatments

NSW will be the first state in Australia to allow pharmacists to renew prescriptions for the contraceptive pill as part of a fast-tracked plan to make it easier for people to access important medications and treatments.

Under a re-elected NSW Liberal and Nationals Government it will be more convenient and cheaper for women to visit their pharmacist with consultations related to the contraceptive pill and UTI treatments to be free for a 12 month trial period.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said this pharmacy plan would transform healthcare with people able to book online to see a pharmacist or simply walk into their local pharmacy and get the care they need.

“This is about making it easier and quicker for people, particularly women, to access important prescription medications and treatments,” Mr Perrottet said.

“It’s harder than ever to get into a GP and that’s why these changes will make a real difference to people who need to access a range of prescriptions and treatments.

“It’s clear changes are needed at the federal level to help our GPs but NSW is not going to sit back and wait, instead we’re fast-tracking these important reforms to give people the care they need now.”

Under our pharmacy plan, the NSW Liberal and Nationals will:

Cover the cost of the patient consultation fee for the treatment of UTI and the contraceptive pill;
Commence the prescribing trial for the treatment of UTI’s on 1 April 2023; and
Accelerate the commencement of the trial for the renewal of oral contraceptive pill prescriptions to 1 July 2023 and allow pharmacists to extend an original script issued by a GP or nurse practitioner in the past 2 years.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said many pharmacists already help women in need of emergency contraception, so extending the scope of what they can prescribe enhances their role in providing this care.

“The community pharmacist has an important role to play in providing healthcare and allowing them to do more will benefit patients and help ease the pressure on other healthcare providers, including GPs and hospitals,” Mr Hazzard said.

Minister for Women, Regional Health and Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the trial will make a huge difference to women across the State, particularly those living in rural and regional NSW.

“The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has heard loud and clear that the process of getting a script for your UTI or your birth control pill needs to be made simpler,” Mrs Taylor said.

“We know that the GP shortages in the bush are blowing out appointment wait times to days and even weeks. This reform will ease the pressure on primary care and ensure women are able to get the help they need, when they need it.”

NSW Health will work with participating pharmacists who will be required to undertake additional training for these specific conditions to ensure safe prescribing practices.

The NSW Government has partnered with the University of Newcastle to design and implement the clinical trial.

Data gathered from the clinical trial will be used to inform any future changes to the role of pharmacists in the healthcare system.

Under the NSW Government’s pharmacy reforms, residents of NSW have also been able to access additional vaccinations from pharmacists since November 2022.

Man located deceased in water near Nelson Bay

The body of a man has been located in the water on the State’s north coast.

About 9.10am yesterday (Saturday 18 February 2023), officers from Port Stephens Water Police responded to a report that a body had been located approximately 60m offshore by a member of the public in Swan Bay – approximately 20km west of Nelson Bay.

The body was recovered by police and returned to shore.

Whilst the body is yet to be formally identified it is believed to be that of a 44-year-old man.

There are no suspicious circumstances.

An investigation into the incident has commenced and a report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Man charged over alleged child procurement – Hunter Valley

A man has been charged after allegedly attempting to procure a child in the Hunter Valley Region earlier this month.

On Tuesday 7 February 2023, a 14-year-old girl allegedly received messages via a social media platform from an unknown male.

A number of messages were exchanged before the person sending the messages attempted to convince the girl to meet him.

Police were alerted and officers from Hunter Valley Police District commenced an investigation.

About 8.30pm on Friday 17 February 2023, detectives arrested a 29-year-old man at a home in Cliftleigh.

He was taken to Cessnock Police Station where he was charged with procure child for unlawful sexual activity.

He was refused bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court today (Saturday 18 February 2023) and was formally refused bail to appear before the same Court on Monday 20 February 2023.

Giant boost for Western Sydney Aussie Rules

Greater Western Sydney Giants will transform its training and community centre at Sydney Olympic Park into a new centre of excellence thanks to a $15 million grant from the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the project would provide a home ground for the Giants AFLW team, as well as high-performance facilities for the club’s AFL, AFLW and netball teams.

“Women’s sport is experiencing exponential growth and this project has a particular focus on creating more opportunities for women and girls in AFL,” Mr Perrottet said.

“The $15 million investment to develop new facilities will also help the Giants expand its community outreach program, by increasing access and utilisation for grassroots community sporting clubs and schools in Western Sydney.”

Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the funding will support the installation of new lighting, scoreboard, oval fencing and a swimming pool complex.

“This program is bridging the gap between elite sport and the grassroots, by bringing our sporting heroes closer to the community and creating strong links with pathway and development programs,” Mr Henskens said.

“Since 2017 the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has invested more than $2 billion in grassroots community sport, through infrastructure grant programs and the nation-leading Active Kids voucher program.”

The Centre of Excellence Fund aims to improve talent pathways by providing funding towards the development of integrated high-performance sporting and community facilities.

Projects funded through the program must include multi-purpose facilities, enabling organisations to expand community programs and engage with the community.

GIANTS CEO David Matthews said this is a significant announcement for the football club and for women’s football in New South Wales.

“This project is imperative for us to continue to grow and expand our training and community facility for our AFL, AFLW and netball teams and work towards developing a dedicated AFLW stadium right here at Sydney Olympic Park,” Mr Matthews said.

“This project will enable all stakeholders to deliver on our collective objectives of better servicing the communities of Western Sydney and providing economically responsible solutions to a host of needs from grassroots sport to the elite level.

“We thank the NSW Government for their continued support of the development of the GIANTS’ centre of excellence and our female pathway opportunities.”

Record funding boost for surf life saving

A re-elected NSW Liberal and Nationals Government will inject $23 million in to Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) to deliver vital new rescue equipment to help keep people safe along our coastline.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the funding would deliver additional rescue vehicles, jet skis, Emergency Response Beacons and communications upgrades right across the state.

“Our volunteer surf lifesavers are the lifeblood of our coastal communities, working tirelessly to protect people right up and down our state’s coastline,” Mr Perrottet said.

“This is the biggest investment that any state government has committed to SLSNSW in its 116-year history and will equip our volunteers with the equipment they need to continue to keep people as safe as possible.

“Importantly, these new rescue vehicles and jet skis can also be used during other natural disasters like floods, providing greater protections to communities right across the state.”

Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the funding includes an additional $5 million for an expansion of the successful Surf Club Facilities Program.

“Surf clubs are community hubs for our coastal towns and we are doubling the size of this program so that dozens more facilities can undergo renovations and improvements,” Mr Henskens said.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the funding commitment for SLSNSW comes at a critical time.

“This summer is not over yet but we’ve already experienced record numbers of rescues and sadly drownings. This extra funding will go a long way towards ensuring our volunteers are better supported to keep our communities safer and stronger,” Ms Cooke said,

SLSNSW President George Shales said an investment in lifesavers is an investment in community safety.

I welcome today’s announcement, which is a significant increase on previous SW Government support for our thousands of volunteers and hundreds of staff. Every single dollar will make a difference to the equipment and resources our volunteers rely on, helping us to save more lives,” Mr Shales said

The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s $23 million funding commitment consists of:

22 new rescue vehicles and 68 new jet skis, which can also be deployed during other natural disasters like floods;
40 additional Emergency Response Beacons, enabling lifesavers to remotely monitor unpatrolled sections of the SW coastline;
Additional emergency management staff permanently based in Regional NSW;
Radio communications upgrades along the south and north coasts; and
An additional $5 million for the Surf Club Facility Program (taking it to $15 million in total), which is administered by the Office of Sport to develop facilities that increase participation in surf life saving for all people, increase usage and improve safety.

There are 76,000 SLSNSW members, of which 21,000 are frontline volunteers who patrol 129 coastal locations every weekend and public holiday between the October long weekend and Anzac Day long weekend.

Australian disaster experts to be deployed to assist New Zealand emergency

A team of Australian disaster experts will be sent to New Zealand to assist with the response and recovery in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle.

A state of emergency has been declared in New Zealand, after heavy rain caused devastating flooding on the north island.

An impact assessment team, made up of 25 expert officers from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and contributions from other jurisdictions, will be deployed to regional areas of New Zealand within the next 24 hours to assist Fire and Emergency New Zealand with the response.

Should New Zealand require any further assistance in the coming weeks, Australia remains ready to assist.

More than 70 emergency responders were also recently despatched to Turkiye, where they are currently assisting with the response and recovery in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said:

Our close relationship with New Zealand has meant we have been able to mobilise assistance quickly in response to this disaster.

Whether it be as far away as Turkiye or as close as New Zealand, we stand ready to do our part to help our international counterparts in times of distress.

Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said:

We are sending some of our best response and recovery experts to help our friends in New Zealand.

Unfortunately, over the past few years we have become experts in flood response and recovery, and these teams will be of great help to the New Zealand authorities.

In the wake of our Black Summer bushfires, the New Zealand government moved quickly to provide assistance here on the ground. Their crews also supported our State Emergency Services during the recent floods.

Our neighbours have been there for us, and we are more than willing to return the favour in their hour of need.

Community to have its say on future of Newcastle 500

Residents, businesses and racegoers are being invited to have their say on the future of the Newcastle 500 as community consultation on the event kicks off.

Submissions will open tomorrow for the online survey, which forms the first part of a comprehensive consultation strategy prepared and implemented by KPMG to guide the decision about future Newcastle 500 events in Newcastle.

The strategy was finalised after being placed on public exhibition for six weeks throughout December and January, with the online survey launched during bump-in for the Supercars season-opener event.

The survey can be completed via the City of Newcastle website from Saturday 18 February and will remain open until three weeks after the event, which is being held from 10-12 March 2023.

In-person surveys around the event precinct during the race period will provide insight into attendees’ behaviours including visitation to local businesses, while a random telephone survey will follow the event to capture a range of views from across Newcastle’s demographic profile.

Three post-event stakeholder workshops with residents, business and industry representatives will also be held to understand the perceived benefits and challenges presented by the Newcastle 500.

CEO Jeremy Bath said the feedback would help guide any decision made by City of Newcastle should Destination NSW and Supercars Australia propose a five-year contract extension of the the event in Newcastle.

“We’re committed to undertaking broad community consultation using an evidence-based methodology to understand the opinions of the Newcastle community and ensure that key stakeholders have their voices heard and considered,” Mr Bath said.

“The consultation will explore themes of liveability, economic benefit or challenges and perceptions of the event, as well as its impact on the visitor economy.

“Should Destination NSW and Supercars decide they want to extend the Newcastle 500 for another five years, our elected Council will need to decide if we agree to again be the host city.”

A report on the feedback and insights from the community consultation to inform the decision about any potential extension of the Newcastle 500 will be prepared for Council to consider in the coming months.

Preparations for next month’s race are well underway, with bump-in by Supercars having kicked off on 1 February.

In addition to three days of racing around the street circuit, the event will treat music fans to a weekend of epic performances inside the race precinct, with a world-class line-up for two concerts that includes headliners Icehouse and the Hilltop Hoods and hometown heroes the Screaming Jets and Trophy Eyes.

Access to the Friday and Saturday night concerts is available for ticket holders of the respective race days, as well as those with a three-day event pass.

A series of free community events will also be held outside the race precinct across the weekend, with race fans being given the chance to meet all 25 Newcastle 500 Supercars champions at a driver signing session from 4.30pm on Thursday, 9 March at Gregson Park, Hamilton, with kids’ entertainment options also on offer.

Car enthusiasts are in for a treat from 8am to 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday when the Newy Car Club hosts a display of pristine vehicles at the Newcastle Museum Forecourt, while Civic Park will be transformed into a family-friendly fun zone from 11am – 3pm on the weekend with an epic 27m long slide, free face painting and tasty snack stalls. On Saturday, visitors can experience all things art and dance with hands-on creativity and messy play for toddlers, while Sunday will see local bands battle it out on stage while community members are encouraged to get involved in the drumming workshops and a silent disco.

Keep track of all the details across the weekend by visiting whatson.newcastle.nsw.gov.au

New lighting for South Nowra football fields

Two football fields at South Nowra will receive a major lighting boost through the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s $25 million Female Friendly Sport Facilities and Lighting Upgrades Program.

Liberal candidate for South Coast, Luke Sikora, attended the announcement which will make these fields safer and more welcoming to female athletes.

“Everyone should feel safe when they are playing sport in the community and this funding for lighting will be going to good use at South Nowra,” Mr Sikora said.

“Women’s sport is very popular and we want to encourage more participation with an investment like this into community sport.”

Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the $339,075 boost would help Shoalhaven City Council deliver high quality floodlighting for Fields 4 and 5 at South Nowra.

“Women’s sport is booming in NSW and this program will deliver the facilities women and girls need and deserve,” Mr Henskens said.

“This groundbreaking program will level the playing field by improving facilities that for decades have been predominately used by men, but now cater for a growing number of women’s and girls’ sporting teams.”

Since 2017 the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has committed more than $1 billion to deliver new and upgraded community sport facilities.

Member for South Coast Shelley Hancock said the facility is used by the football community throughout the year and this investment would help to boost female participation by providing a safer environment for women and girls.

“Community sport is a vital part of our social fabric and some of the biggest barriers faced by women and girls are the lack of female change rooms and amenities, as well as adequate lighting,” Mrs Hancock said.

“South Nowra Football Fields are not only heavily used throughout winter, they’re also used during summer for local football competitions. This funding boost to upgrade lighting will mean more women can play football safely at South Nowra.”

More information about the program is available online.

$8 million pilot to slash home energy bills and emissions

Slashing home energy bills and emissions is the focus of a new $8 million program to pilot innovative ways to fully decarbonise homes in up to three local communities across NSW.

Treasurer and Minister for Energy Matt Kean said the falling price of clean technologies like rooftop solar, batteries and heat pumps was making it easier for households to save money on their energy bills while lowering their carbon footprint.

“Households can save hundreds of dollars on their energy bills by upgrading to new, energy efficient appliances or installing rooftop solar, making it more cost effective to live in a zero emissions home,” Mr Kean said.

“This trial will focus on finding the best ways to save households money on their energy bills by installing zero emissions appliances and technologies.”

“This is all about using the latest technology to give people more control of their energy bills, while contributing to NSW’s target to reduce emissions by 70% by 2035.”

The NSW Government will run a competitive process to partner with the private sector to test cost effective ways to upgrade to zero emissions homes in an urban, regional and remote community.

Mr Kean said that no two homes were the same, from stand-alone homes in the regions to apartment blocks in the cities, making it important to trial the cheapest suite of zero emissions technologies across different communities.

The pilot program will launch in the second half of 2023 and will be voluntary for households in the selected communities to join.