Category: Newcastle News

A man has died following a two-vehicle crash in the state’s Hunter region.

Just after 4.30pm yesterday (Thursday 23 November 2023) , emergency services were called to the New England Highway, Ravensworth, following reports a ute and sedan had collided.

The driver of the sedan – a 60-year-old man – was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics; however, he died at the scene.

The driver of the ute – a 57-year-old man – was taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Innovative new technology is being trialled by City of Newcastle (CN) to help improve parking management and safety across the Local Government Area.

Licence plate recognition technology mounted to the roof of an electronic vehicle (EV) will assist CN parking officers detect vehicles that exceed timed parking restrictions or that are parked illegally.

With more than 6,500 customer requests received by CN each year relating to parking issues, the new technology will supplement foot patrols to improve the efficiency of parking compliance and enable staff to focus on other educational based activities.

In line with neighbouring councils in the Hunter, tickets generated will now be issued by Revenue NSW via Australia Post to the registered vehicle owner, rather than attached to windscreens by parking officers.

The new technology and streamlined process will play an important role in supporting safe parking and enforcement across Newcastle.

City of Newcastle parking officers are reporting an increasing number of incidents of aggressive and inappropriate behaviour from members of the public while undertaking their work on Newcastle streets. These new measures will help provide a safer working environment for staff.

Local business precincts are also set to benefit with improved short-term parking turnover and making parking more readily available for the community.

Neighbouring councils in the region have already rolled out similar technology and CN is trialling this technology with an EV car.

City of Newcastle’s ‘On the street’ Parking Plan 2021 and associated Parking Implementation Plan 2021 highlight the need to support enforcement activities currently undertaken by CN parking officers.

United Services Union (USU) Official Luke Hutchinson welcomed the trial for the safety and wellbeing of CN parking officers.

“This technology will provide improved workplace conditions for parking officers by decreasing their interaction with members of the public and better enabling them to carry out their work safely, in all weather conditions,” Mr Hutchinson said.

“City of Newcastle has the USU’s full support in taking action to address the challenges parking officers face in the workplace and look forward to the outcomes of the trial.

“The USU calls on all members of the community to treat all workers with respect especially when they are endeavouring to provide equitable access to the city for everyone.”

For more information visit City of Newcastle’s parking webpage.

Accessing one of Newcastle’s busiest coastal precincts will become safer and easier for pedestrians and cyclists under City of Newcastle’s plans to upgrade the Bar Beach crossing.

The community are being invited to have their say on the staged proposal, which would see a raised pedestrian and bicycle crossing installed between Empire Park and the Cooks Hill Surf Club.

This would replace the existing marked crossing and refuge island on Memorial Drive. The installation of landscaped kerb extensions and a new narrow median would also be used to create a safer and more streamlined solution for all road users in this area.

A new shared pathway between Bar Beach Avenue and the Memorial Drive crossing is proposed for the second stage of the project, creating a new off-road link for cyclists between Bathers Way and Parkway Avenue, including an upgraded facility for crossing Bar Beach Avenue.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the project would deliver improved outcomes for the community in one of the city’s most popular coastal destinations.

“City of Newcastle is committed to ensuring community members are able to safely and easily navigate our footpaths, cycleways and road networks,” Cr Nelmes said.

“The precinct surrounding Bar Beach is heavily utilised by pedestrians and cyclists accessing Empire Park, the Cooks Hill Surf Club, Bathers Way and the beach itself.

“We look forward to working with the community on our plans for these important pedestrian and cyclist upgrades to improve safety and accessibility in this area.”

The project is the latest investment to be made by City of Newcastle in the surrounding precinct, with a range of works underway to enhance accessibility and recreational opportunities in the area including upgrades the to the floodlighting and cricket practice nets at Empire Park.

City of Newcastle is continuing to remediate storm damage and improve accessibility at Bar Beach to ensure safe access for all beach users.

This includes the recent completion of a temporary beach access ramp, the replacement of temporary water-filled barriers with upgraded balustrade fencing, and enhanced beach access for surf club vehicles.

Rehabilitation works to the promenade area are currently in design, which will include the construction of a new permanent accessibility ramp, new stairs, upgrades to seawalls and the installation of new handrails. The reinstatement of four beach access points between Bar Beach and Merewether Beach are also planned.

Community members can log on to www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/yoursay by 18 December to provide feedback on the concept designs for the Bar Beach pedestrian and cyclist improvements.

A new accessible changeroom at Wallsend Swimming Centre has been completed as part of an estimated $1.25 million of accessibility improvements for City of Newcastle’s (CN) inland pool network.

The work is the first accessibility project to be prioritised under the unanimously adopted Inland Pools Strategy 2043, which sets out a strategic path to enhance and protect Newcastle’s public pools for the community during the next 20 years.

Its completion means that all five of CN’s swimming centres now provide accessible amenities, ensuring a more inclusive swimming experience for all members of the community.

Future projects proposed in the Strategy include the installation of accessible entry into each of CN’s 50-metre pools, with investigations into the most appropriate means for improving access into the pools now underway.

Refurbished accessible changeroom facilities are also proposed for Lambton Swimming Centre as part of improvements in the future.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said improving access to the city’s pools was a priority for CN.

“City of Newcastle is committed to maintaining and investing in our network of inland swimming centres to ensure they continue to meet the expectations and evolving needs of more than 320,000 people who visit them each year,” Cr Nelmes said.

“That’s why we developed our Inland Pools Strategy 2043, which sets out an investment plan for Newcastle’s network of public swimming pools to ensure they are fit-for-purpose in the long term and made accessible to all members of the community.

“Accessibility is an issue facing councils across the region given almost all local pools were built more than fifty years ago.”

Councillor Margaret Wood, co-chair of CN’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee, praised CN for completing the accessible changeroom at Wallsend Swimming Centre this season.

“Ensuring accessibility into, around and within activity spaces for all members of the community regardless of their age or ability is one of the key principles used to guide the investment and improvement direction of our Inland Pools Strategy,” Cr Wood said.

“The completion of the new changeroom at Wallsend Swimming Centre sees this priority become a reality and will be a welcome addition to this popular community facility.

“With accessible changerooms now available at all five of CN’s swimming pools, City of Newcastle has ensured a more comfortable and inclusive experience for everyone visiting our pools this summer.

“I look forward to seeing future projects continue to improve access to our pools for all members of our community.”

The four-decade relationship between City of Newcastle (CN) and its Sister City in Japan has been commemorated in person thanks to the visit of a delegation from Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

The COVID-19 pandemic prevented the milestone being marked in 2020, making it almost 43 years to the day since Newcastle’s first female Lord Mayor, the late Joy Cummings, joined the Mayor of Ube to sign the agreement.

Current Ube Mayor Keiji Shinozaki, his fellow councillors and members of the Ube-Newcastle Sister City Friendship Society were greeted by Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk, Councillor Margaret Wood and Councillor Katrina Wark at Blackbutt Reserve, where a tree was planted to commemorate the 40th anniversary before the Japanese delegation had the chance to meet some local wildlife.

Cr Nelmes said the relationship between the two cities has delivered countless benefits over the years.

“Despite being 7,700 kilometres apart, Newcastle and Ube have developed strong connections in education, youth exchange, economics, sport and art, with Newcastle Art Gallery holding one of the largest collections of Sodeisha ceramics outside Japan,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Local high schools such as Newcastle, Merewether, Kotara and Wallsend have participated in annual student exchanges with Ube, which provide an immersive cultural experience, while the University of Newcastle’s Language Centre embraces Japanese language, art and culture.

“There’s an event called the Newcastle Fair in Ube, where visitors can experience the cultural aspects of Newcastle. In 2019, Ube City gifted the winners of the Japanese Speech Contest held in Newcastle a trip to attend this fair.

“I’m proud to represent City of Newcastle and continue the legacy of Joy Cummings, who was instrumental in the establishment of the Sister City link, believing the port harbour cities with similar populations and industrial backgrounds in coal exports and steel manufacturing had much in common.”

A symbolic exchange of gifts took place 43 years ago with City of Newcastle presenting Ube officials with an inscribed plaque bearing the city’s coat of arms, while Ube provided Newcastle with a Kabuto (Samurai Helmet).

That tradition continued when Mayor Shinozaki and the Japanese delegation attended a welcome reception and dinner on Monday at City Hall, where more gifts were exchanged and a treaty was signed to recommit the Sister City relationship.

The tour of Newcastle continued on Tuesday with the Ube City officials visiting the CSIRO Energy Centre at Mayfield West, the Port of Newcastle, Nihon University’s Newcastle Campus and the Anzac Memorial Walk.

CN currently has three other adopted Sister City relationships including the Californian city of Arcadia, the English city of Newcastle upon Tyne, and the central western NSW town of Dubbo.

The relationships are designed to promote and encourage friendship and cooperation between local governments, business leaders and the wider community, in addition to facilitating cultural exchange programs and economic development.

Innovative new technology is being trialled by City of Newcastle (CN) to help improve parking management and safety across the Local Government Area.

Licence plate recognition technology mounted to the roof of an electronic vehicle (EV) will assist CN parking officers detect vehicles that exceed timed parking restrictions or that are parked illegally.

With more than 6,500 customer requests received by CN each year relating to parking issues, the new technology will supplement foot patrols to improve the efficiency of parking compliance and enable staff to focus on other educational based activities.

In line with neighbouring councils in the Hunter, tickets generated will now be issued by Revenue NSW via Australia Post to the registered vehicle owner, rather than attached to windscreens by parking officers.

The new technology and streamlined process will play an important role in supporting safe parking and enforcement across Newcastle.

City of Newcastle parking officers are reporting an increasing number of incidents of aggressive and inappropriate behaviour from members of the public while undertaking their work on Newcastle streets. These new measures will help provide a safer working environment for staff.

Local business precincts are also set to benefit with improved short-term parking turnover and making parking more readily available for the community.

Neighbouring councils in the region have already rolled out similar technology and CN is trialling this technology with an EV car.

City of Newcastle’s ‘On the street’ Parking Plan 2021 and associated Parking Implementation Plan 2021 highlight the need to support enforcement activities currently undertaken by CN parking officers.

United Services Union (USU) Official Luke Hutchinson welcomed the trial for the safety and wellbeing of CN parking officers.

“This technology will provide improved workplace conditions for parking officers by decreasing their interaction with members of the public and better enabling them to carry out their work safely, in all weather conditions,” Mr Hutchinson said.

“City of Newcastle has the USU’s full support in taking action to address the challenges parking officers face in the workplace and look forward to the outcomes of the trial.

“The USU calls on all members of the community to treat all workers with respect especially when they are endeavouring to provide equitable access to the city for everyone.”

For more information visit City of Newcastle’s parking webpage.

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will visit the Hunter and Central Coast regions next week when it resumes it rural and regional outreach program to bring anti-corruption initiatives and training to centres across the state.

The visit, to be based in Newcastle and the Central Coast, marks the first time the program has been conducted since it was put on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This will also be the first outreach visit for the Commission’s current Chief Commissioner, the Hon John Hatzistergos AM, who said he is very keen to see this important initiative resume.

“The Rural and Regional Outreach program is an important way for the Commission to connect with public officials and communities outside the metropolitan area, in a way that is more personable than remotely tuning in to workshops and talks,” Chief Commissioner Hatzistergos said.

“While we are, of course, now in an age when having that remote connectivity is very important and a way of life, I believe that the experience of sharing information in person is invaluable. The Commission will conduct workshops as part of this visit to help state and local government agencies learn the latest ways to prevent corrupt conduct. We will also be conducting activities to help raise awareness in the broader community about corruption risks and the roles and functions of the ICAC, and as part of that I am looking forward to hosting my first Community Leaders Forum in Newcastle next Tuesday morning.”

The community leaders’ forum on 28 November will feature a panel discussion with Chief Commissioner Hatzistergos, NSW Ombudsman Paul Miller PSM and Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC) Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson SC. The agency leaders will discuss the roles of their organisations, and how the community can contribute to helping oversight agencies fulfil their functions.

Workshops scheduled for this visit include corruption prevention for managers, which focuses on developing an understanding of the nature of corruption, how and why it occurs, and what managers can do to prevent it; fact-finder, which is an introductory workshop for those who may be required to conduct an internal fact-finding investigation into a complaint or allegations of staff wrongdoing, including misconduct or corruption; corruption prevention in procurement and contract management, which aims to assist managers and staff responsible for procurement to identify where systems weaknesses and corruption opportunities may lie; corruption prevention and grant administration; and corruption prevention for Local Aboriginal Land Councils.

The NSW Ombudsman is responsible for promoting public awareness and understanding of the Public Interest Disclosures Act 2022 (“the PID Act”) which came into effect last month. The Ombudsman’s Office will conduct workshops that will provide an outline of the new PID Act, focusing on the importance of a “speak up” culture as well as the key elements of the new public interest disclosure framework in NSW.

The Ombudsman’s office will also hold workshops on managing unreasonable conduct by a complainant, fundamentals of complains handling and administrative law in the public sector.

Approximately 70 people will attend the community leaders’ forum, including elected representatives and senior staff from local and state government agencies and community interest groups.

The Outreach program will run for two weeks, with workshops and visits to be held or undertaken in locations including Newcastle, Raymond Terrace, Swansea, Williamtown, Speers Point, Muswellbrook, Maitland, Scone, Singleton, Gosford and Wyong. In the lead-up to the program next week, school visits were undertaken last month in Newcastle, Hamilton, Erina, Erina Heights and Fletcher.

The ICAC rural and regional outreach program has proved highly successful since its inception in 2001. Previous visits have included to the Illawarra, western NSW, the south-east, the central west, the north coast, the northern inland, the south coast, the far west, Riverina Murray and the Blue Mountains. The Commission’s rural and regional outreach program was scheduled to visit the Hunter and Central Coast in 2020, but it was put on hold due to the pandemic. The last visit to the region was to the Central Coast in 2011, and Newcastle in 2008.

A man has been charged following an investigation into an alleged carjacking in the Lake Macquarie area yesterday.

Just before 2.30pm (Sunday 19 November 2023), police were called to Groves Road, Bennetts Green, following reports of a carjacking.

Police were told a man allegedly got into the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked on Groves Road, before driving away towards the Pacific Highway, with a one-year-old child asleep in the backseat.

The man stopped the vehicle in a carpark on Groves Road before getting out of the car and running across the Pacific Highway.

The child was not injured.

Following extensive inquiries, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District arrested a 27-year-old man at a home on Cherry Street, Windale, about 3pm today (Monday 20 November 2023).

He was taken to Belmont Police Station where he was charged with unlawfully take/drive motor vehicle with person in/on it, take & drive conveyance without consent of owner, and learner not accompanied by driver/police officer/tester.

The man was refused bail to appear before Belmont Local Court tomorrow (Tuesday 21 November 2023).

A man has died in hospital following a crash near Lake Macquarie earlier this month.

About 7.50am on Friday 3 November 2023, emergency services were called to Munibung Road, Cardiff, following reports of a single vehicle crash.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District arrived to find a BMW sedan had crashed into a telegraph pole.

The driver, a 35-year-old man, and the passenger, a 19-year-old man, were both treated at scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to John Hunter Hospital in critical conditions.

A crime scene was established, and officers attached to the Crash Investigation Unit launched an investigation into the incident.

Police have since been notified the 19-year-old man died in hospital on Tuesday (14 November 2023) . The driver remains in hospital in a serious condition.

Inquiries are continuing.

A man has been charged after a toddler’s leg was broken in the Hunter yesterday.

Around 10am on Thursday 16 November 2023, emergency services were called to a shopping centre on Main Road, Cardiff, following reports of an injured child.

Police were told a man riding an electric scooter had lost control before the scooter crashed into the toddler.

The man immediately retrieved his scooter and left the scene.

NSW Ambulance paramedics treated the four-year-girl for a broken leg and a laceration to her face, before taking her to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition, where she underwent surgery.

Following inquiries and a public appeal for information, officers from Lake Macquarie Police District arrested a man at Belmont Police Station, around 12.30pm today (Friday 17 November 2023).

The 37-year-old was charged with grievous bodily harm by negligent act (vehicle) and ride electric scooter on footpath.

The man was granted conditional bail to appear at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 29 November 2023.