Monday 26 May 2014

Dartbrook Bridge repairs

Aberdeen's Dartbrook Bridge is getting some repairs over the next two days

The nearly 100 year old bridge suffered damage from large vehicles clipping a section of the bridge and a load restriction had to be put in place to prevent accidents

The restriction had caused school buses and heavy vehicles to take an alternative route

Hunter groups lobbying to save jobs

An alliance of business and union groups has formed to save Hunter jobs

The Australian Industry Group, Hunter Business Chamber, Hunternet and Newcastle Trades Hall Council have joined up to lobby the state government about building train carriages in Hunter rather than buying them overseas.

“Whilst we welcome the announcement and the investment decisions that are going to be made in relation to passenger rail in the future, we’re just mindful of the fact that we don’t want the state government to miss out on what could wonderful opportunity to support manufacturing capabilities in the hunter region,” said Hunternet CEO, Tony Cade.

The NSW government wants to spend $2.8billion on 65 new intercity trains.

“Certainly an off the shelf imported product may present more difficulties than a locally produced high quality product that we have the capabilities and we have the resources to be able to supply” said Mr Cade, “the advantages by having a locally manufactured product include the impacts on keeping capabilities in the region, obviously incomes paid in the regions will contribute to tax”.

The group co-signed a letter to Premier Mike Baird about the issue.

Greens MP: Special Commission lacks direction

Greens MP, David Shoebridge has urged the government not to delay in releasing the report from the commission into child sex abuse in the Hunter.

Mr Shoebridge says the public needs to review the effectiveness of the commission themselves.

“People in the Hunter in particular have been given an expectation of what this report will deal with and assess this institutional failure to deal with child abuse in the Hunter,” Mr Shoebridge said.

The report form the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry into child sexual abuse in the Hunter is expected to be handed down this week.

The inquiry was supposed to look into alleged cover-ups by the police and Catholic Church however, Mr Shoebridge claims the commission focused too much on whistle-blower Peter Fox.

“Peter Fox… has been in the witness box for some 14 days that’s close to institutional abuse of the whistle-blower and it doesn’t seem like anything like the same attention has been applied to the church and the police.”

Mr Shoebidge said the inquiry has become a “side show” and had lost direction.

“Have the inquiry run in a more balanced consideration of, yes, the allegations and the veracity of Peter Fox but also the obvious failings of the church and polices seeming inability to deal with that,” Mr Shoebridge said.

Red Shield Appeal raises over $200,000

The Salvation Army has announced it raised more than $200,000 across the Hunter over the weekend

600 volunteers door-knocked around the region as part of the Red Shield Appeal Doorknock Weekend

The Salvation Army says it attempted to cover as much of the Hunter region as possible however not all doors were knocked.

If you would still like to donate to the appeal you can do so by calling 13 SALVOS (13 72 58 67)

Midday News Mon 26.5.14 Read By Belinda De Lasheras


8.30 News Mon 26.5.14 Read By Ian Crouch


7.30 News Mon 26.5.14 Read By Ian Crouch


Friday 16 May 2014

Budget cuts Fitzgibben

Labor says families in the Hunter will be hit with new taxes following this week's announcements of budget cuts to the health system.

The opposition claims the cuts will mean an increase in emergency department waiting times and a reduction of the number of hospital beds across the region.

According to Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibben families in the Hunter could be among "the hardest hit" by the budget's proposed changes.

Midday News Fri 16.5.14 Read By Thandi Chindove


8.30 News Fri 15.5.14 Read By Ian Crouch


7.30 News Fri 16.4.14 Read By Ian Crouch


6.30 News Fri 16.5.14 Read By Ian Crouch