This afternoon I had a routine PCR test which has returned a positive result for COVID-19.
I will be isolating and will continue to work from home.
I encourage anyone who is unwell to test and to take any extra precautions to keep their families and neighbours well.
A woman will appear in court today charged in relation to an alleged murder at Stockton last year.
About 7.45am today (Tuesday 6 December 2022), Homicide Squad detectives and officers attached to the Newcastle City Police District executed a search warrant at a home on Stone Street, Stockton.
A 23-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and was taken to Newcastle Police Station where she was charged with conceal serious indictable offence.
Strike Force Childowla was formed by detectives from State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad to investigate the death of Graham Cameron, then aged 54, after his body was found in his Stockton home on 26 July 2021.
A man, also aged 23, remains in custody charged with Mr Cameron’s murder.
The woman has been refused bail and will appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 6 December 2022).
Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a missing man from the Maitland area.
Andrew Fernando, aged 55, was last seen in Coonamble at about 6.20pm on Monday (5 December 2022).
When he could not be contacted by friends and family, officers attached to the Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were notified and immediately commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.
Police and family hold concerns for Andrew’s welfare.
Andrew is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 180cm to 190cm tall of medium build.
He was last seen wearing a white shirt with horizontal black stripes, black cargo style shorts and black thongs.
Andrew is known to frequent the Maitland, Coonamble, Sydney and the North Coast.
Inquiries reveal that he may be driving a white Toyota Fortuna, with registration DBQ14A.
Anyone with information into Andrew’s whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Greater support will be extended to victims of domestic violence as City of Newcastle (CN) doubles leave provisions for affected employees under its proposed new Enterprise Agreement (EA) 2023.
Up to 20 days of paid leave will be accessible to employees in domestic violence situations to take the necessary steps to find safety for themselves and their families, along with a raft of other leave provisions and enhancements offering greater flexibility.
Returned service people will be honoured by being granted paid leave to attend Remembrance Day and ANZAC Day with their fellow comrades, whilst apprentices and trainees will be given a leg-up with 100 per cent of their tool allowance covered.
City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said in-principle agreement had been reached in relation to the Enterprise Agreement 2023 with many enhanced provisions available that provide greater support and flexibility for employees and their families, whilst meeting the City’s financial sustainability objectives.
“City of Newcastle is pleased to provide industry leading benefits and employment conditions to our employees that reflect our organisation’s commitment to inclusion, diversity and equity,” Mr Bath said.
“Together with the unions and delegates, we’ve made key improvements that address what our employees told us is important to them in a 2021 survey.
“As one of the first councils in NSW to lead the way in domestic violence leave provisions back in 2018, we remain committed to providing ongoing support to staff that are victims or survivors and stand in agreement with the United Nation’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.”
USU Official Luke Hutchinson hailed the success of negotiations for City of Newcastle employees.
“The USU is proud of this agreement that reaffirms our long-standing history of delivering improved pay and conditions for our members at the City of Newcastle,” Mr Hutchinson said.
“This agreement provides improved workplace conditions that will enable optimum services for our community and delivers industry-leading and socially progressive conditions such as access to cultural leave, miscarriage leave, improved parental leave, and improved family and domestic violence leave.
“This agreement challenges the rest of the Local Government sector to embrace the progressive elements of the agreement. And provides our members some instant relief to address the current inflation crisis impacting workers across our communities.
“USU members have unanimously supported this agreement proposal. It is a testament that both parties can achieve a great outcome for the workers, Council, and the community.”
The Enterprise Agreement 2023 will be submitted to the Industrial Relations Commission for ratification in mid-December 2022, and is proposed to commence from the 1st pay period after 1 January 2023.
At this point in time, casual Civic Theatre employees will also transfer over from the Live Theatre and Concert Award to the new Enterprise Agreement 2023.
As outlined in City of Newcastle’s (CN) recently published 2021/2022 Annual Report, CN spent $349 million in the last financial year to provide services and facilities to more than 167,300 residents. A $100 million capital works program was delivered, and the organisation managed $1.91 billion of assets including roads, bridges, drains, land, halls, recreation and leisure facilities, libraries and parks for the benefit of the local community and visitors.
The report also highlights CN’s commitment to engaging with the community with over 10,000 community members providing feedback on 22 projects spanning strategies and plans, transport, parks and recreation and facilities and services. Newcastle’s new Community Strategic Plan, Newcastle 2040, was part of the engagement with the community undertaken in 2022 with more than 5,000 community members contributing to shaping the vision for Newcastle.
During 2021/2022, our volunteers contributed more than 7,839 hours to a broad range of programs, continuing to provide an invaluable resource for our community, contributing to natural areas and increasing our cultural and community connections, helping make Newcastle a wonderful place to live.
The successful delivery of our $100 million capital works program over the past 12 months is a great achievement for our organisation and the community, especially considering the additional challenges of COVID-19 and the number of weather-affected days during the year. It is a result that deserves to be celebrated, including the delivery of three local centre upgrades at James Street Plaza Hamilton, Mitchell Street Stockton and Shortland Local Centre. City of Newcastle also focused on integrated and accessible transport, with the finalisation of a 1.1km shared path along Watkins Street, Merewether, linking Glebe Road, The Junction, with Merewether Beach featuring new and upgraded crossings and making it safer for pedestrians and cyclists. The environmental portfolio also saw the continued protection and enhancement of CN’S natural environmental assets during 2021–2022, including the successful completion of the priority creek rehabilitation, including works at Sygna Close, Rankin Park; Blackbutt Reserve creek headwaters; Nereida Close, Kotara; and Waterdragon Creek, Kotara and the completion of the inland cliff line rehabilitation at Braye Park quarry, Waratah West.
Our 2021/2022 Annual Report is now available online for community members to view. To find out more about our progress and contribution to Newcastle, read the report here.
Sydney’s famed George Street has transformed into a dining extravaganza stretching 850-metres through the CBD which, along with another site at CommBank Stadium in Parramatta, is set to tantalise a sell-out crowd of more than 2,500 people.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said OPEN FOR LUNCH was a fantastic way of getting people into the festive spirit while also supporting businesses and showcasing some our state’s best hospitality.
“Summer is here and Sydney is bursting into life with a jam-packed calendar of events thanks to the NSW Government’s Sydney in Summer event series,” Mr Perrottet said.
“World-class events like OPEN FOR LUNCH support local hotels, bars, restaurants, tourism operators and small businesses while also bringing people together at this special time of year.
“This is about bringing our CBD back to life and ensuring visitors enjoy a summer to remember in our global city.”
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said the successful OPEN FOR LUNCH was the first course in Sydney’s unprecedented summer events calendar that promises a feast of entertainment and significant benefits for the NSW economy.
“Our Summer in Sydney celebrations kicks off with Sydney’s longest lunch in George Street and a culinary takeover of CommBank Stadium where diners will be blown away by the incredible talent of the city’s hospitality industry, beginning a phenomenal calendar of world-class events over the coming months,” Mr Franklin said.
“There are barely any spare seats at the OPEN FOR LUNCH table, with Sydneysiders and visitors reveling in the festivities of this unique dining event.
“This will be the best summer yet for Sydney as the NSW Government delivers fantastic events like OPEN FOR LUNCH that provide fun and entertainment for families and visitors right across the State.”
The NSW Government’s Sydney in Summer event series includes OPEN FOR LUNCH, Noël Sydney and ELEVATE Sydney.
Major events taking place in Sydney through to early 2023 include:
To find out more and plan your summer in Sydney visit www.sydney.com/events
New South Wales public school students will have access to some of the boldest and most innovative wellbeing programs, thanks to a new $2.5 million Student Wellbeing Innovation Fund.
The Fund will have two streams for grants:
Grants of up to $200,000 will be available, depending on the scale of the project.
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the Fund will act as an incubator for organisations developing programs or seeking to expand programs supporting student wellbeing.
“There is no one-size-fits all solution for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young people. That’s why it’s so important to give schools an opportunity to address local issues affecting their students through the bespoke programs this fund will help grow,” Ms Mitchell said.
Ms Mitchell said the Fund will provide a pathway for wellbeing providers to establish a more comprehensive evidence base and be eligible as a Department of Education Quality Assured wellbeing provider.
“We know in this ever-changing world, schools often have to find innovative and agile ways to support our students to thrive as confident, successful and lifelong learners,” Ms Mitchell said.
“This Fund will give providers the opportunity to support schools in innovative ways.”
Applications for the first funding round will open in early 2023.
Students in NSW will soon be able to put their best foot forward when applying for jobs and further study, thanks to a $24.5 million investment in the ground-breaking digital “Education Wallet”.
This comes as the NSW Government announces that tenders are now open to deliver the initiative.
Minister for Education and Early Learning, Sarah Mitchell, said the “Education Wallet” will give every student in the state an all-inclusive digital record of their skills and achievements in a Learner Profile that can be easily shared with future employers and further education providers.
“Students, industry and universities have been sharing with us what they want included in the learner profile, so it’s fantastic to take this next step towards delivering this amazing tool for NSW students,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Establishing a tailored, digital record of verified academic and non-academic achievements will help our students reflect on their skills and strengths, and share those easily with prospective employers and future education providers.”
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Victor Dominello, said that investment in the “Education Wallet” digital platform is an investment in our young people, who have to navigate a fast-changing world.
“We know the world is more digitally-focused than ever before, so this wallet will keep up with the changing technology and ensure our students have easily accessible and verified information saved in the one place,” Mr Dominello said.
“The Learner Profile will help students to articulate their skills, and make it easier for businesses to have access to verifiable academic and non-academic achievements.”
Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the platform is a win-win, which will open doors for students and support both education providers and industry.
“The “Education Wallet” will be a young person’s digital passport to further education and employment,” Mr Henskens said.
“This initiative will enable students to take control of their future by equipping them to demonstrate their skills and achievements to prospective employers, which will unlock opportunities and inspire them to secure a brighter future.”
The Education Wallet is just one of several initiatives the NSW Government is delivering to ensure students are job-ready, including the landmark NSW Curriculum Reform, piloting more HSC exams online, and enabling more VET courses to contribute to a student’s ATAR.
IT providers interested in supporting the “Education Wallet” initiative as a delivery partner, can visit the NSW e-Tendering website at NSW Government tender portal for more details.
A new $30 million program will ensure NSW remains a modern manufacturing powerhouse by attracting more investment in industries such as medical technology, digital systems, clean energy, defence and aerospace.
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Alister Henskens said the new Future Industries Investment Program would drive growth in emerging industries and ensure NSW remains at the cutting-edge of modern manufacturing.
“NSW is the manufacturing powerhouse of Australia and is home to a diverse range of innovative manufacturers that make and export world-leading products,” Mr Henskens said.
“We need to ensure our state remains ahead of the pack when it comes to the manufacturing of high-value products and that means backing businesses to establish and expand their operations right here in NSW.
“This is about driving more modern manufacturing jobs in our state and generating more export dollars for NSW.
“This work will build on our already significant investment in manufacturing, to support businesses to locate and grow in NSW, boost local productivity and take our sovereign capability to a new level, which will drive our economy for generations to come.”
The new program forms part of the NSW Government’s response to the Modern Manufacturing Taskforce’s report.
Initiatives identified in the response will be delivered under the coordination of industry expert and NSW Modern Manufacturing Commissioner Lisa Emerson.
Ms Emerson will next lead government, industry, academia and community partner engagement in the development of a new Modern Manufacturing Strategy that will support industry and NSW businesses to build the globally competitive capabilities that underpin economic success.
Ms Emerson said the strategy will consolidate existing plans and policies to ensure government efforts are directed efficiently, have clear measurable outcomes, and provide industry with the support it needs.
“Providing support for local manufacturers, particularly at the scaleup stage, and the promotion of advanced manufacturing capabilities including technologies, processes, business models and careers will be a pivotal focus of my tenure, as we work towards the goal of economic prosperity for NSW,” Ms Emerson said.
The Modern Manufacturing Taskforce’s Making it in NSW report and the NSW: The Home of Modern Manufacturing, the NSW Government’s response to the report, are available online.
“I thank the Taskforce members, led by Tony Shepherd AO, for their expertise in reviewing the current situation and presenting a bold and clear challenge for us to address for further improvement,” Mr Henskens said.
The Future Industries Investment Fund is an open, competitive grant program that will provide rebate support for eligible businesses that create a minimum of 20 ongoing net new full-time equivalent jobs in NSW; or invest a minimum of $3 million in capital expenditure (excluding assistance from this Program) within NSW as part of the overall project.
Applications will open on Thursday 8 December 2022, with further details available online.
The NSW Government has launched a major recruitment campaign in Willoughby to help ease staff shortages across the hospitality industry.
Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson said the Kickstart Your Career in Hospitality campaign will showcase the industry and highlight the range of long-term career options available throughout the sector.
“The NSW Government is already providing significant support to entice people to join the industry or upskill, through a variety of free short training courses. This will now be promoted by a targeted campaign to encourage people to consider starting their career in hospitality,” Mr Anderson said.
“Hospitality has traditionally been viewed as a short-term employment option, but this campaign highlights the broad range of opportunities that exist for people wanting a rewarding and long-term career.”
Member for Willoughby Tim James said this NSW Government initiative is a great way of highlighting the many fantastic reasons to join the hospitality industry, especially given the range of free courses currently available through the NSW Government.
“A strong hospitality sector is absolutely critical for communities in regional NSW, now and into the future. The Kickstart your Career in Hospitality program enables community members to train for free and get the skills needed for a job at a local pub, club, café or restaurant,” Mr James said.
The five week campaign has been designed in partnership with ClubsNSW, Australian Hotels Association and NSW Restaurant and Caterers Association.
It includes a mixture of video and display ads that can run across TikTok and in partnership with Pedestrian TV. The ads will drive audiences to nsw.gov.au/hospitalitycareer site, where they can explore a range of courses and job vacancies in the hospitality industry.
In a further boost for the industry, the Government has also recently launched a Hospitality Concierge service with a dedicated team to help new hospitality businesses start up, or existing ones to grow by expanding their offerings such as offering alfresco dining as we come into the Summer months.
The service will streamline application processes, and assist businesses and local councils to navigate the liquor licensing, planning and regulatory changes introduced through the 24-Hour Economy reforms.
Find a career to love in hospitality | NSW Government
