Mangoola Coal Mine Workers Fighting New Pay Agreements

BY LOUISE LIMBERS 

Concerns are being raised surrounding a proposed enterprise agreement at Glencore's Mangoola coal mine in the Hunter. 

According to the Mining and Energy Union (MEU), the agreement is said to introduce tiered pay structures, cut contractor earnings and embed a cheaper workforce, with contractor earnings estimated to fall by around $36000 as a result. 

The MEU's Northern Mining and NSW District president Robin Williams said the agreement is concerning for local workers.  

"In effect, they're putting in place an agreement that will reduce the rate of contractors by 10 or 20 percent," he said.

"It's really an introduction of a tiered wage system to reduce the current rate, and then they can use that rate as a comparative for contractors."

It follows a Fair Work Commission order given to the mine's labour-hire workers which lifted their pay to replicate that of permanent workers. 

Now, Mr Williams said the mine is taking a step backwards. 

"They can't just move to different industries," he said. 

"Those employees would have to accept those lower rates and continue to work for these contractors." 

Workers at the Mangoola coal mine are set to vote on the agreement from 31 March to 1 April.

However, despite being the main subject to the changes, contract workers won't have the ability to vote. 

Picture: Mangoola Open Cut Coal Mine

Senator Says Hunter Businesses Will Pay Following EU Deal

 BY OLI GOELDNER

Hunter-based senator Ross Cadell said Hunter businesses will face unprecedented costs with the new Australia-European Union Free Trade Agreement. 

Signed yesterday, the deal will see European goods, including food, wine and cars, become cheaper for Australian buyers. 

Under the agreement, the federal government will remove the five percent tariff places on European goods. 

Additionally, EU tariffs will be taken off Australian imports, including critical minerals, manufactured items and many dairy products. 

However, the deal poses infringements on the classification of multiple Australian produced food and wine products. 

It's reported Australian producers will be allowed to keep using the term "prosecco" for domestic sales, but they will have to be phase out the term over the next decade for exports. 

Domestic manufacturers will also keep the rights to describe their wares as parmesan and kransky, but other cheese names such as feta, romano and gruyere will eventually be phased out as well. 

Ross Cadell said it could have serious implications for several Hunter Valley businesses, including vineyards, abattoirs and dairy producers. 

"What they'll do is they'll have to shrink their markets again," he explained. 

"They'll have to find new markets by going out and spend their own money to try and find different places to sell things. 

"They'll have to look at repackaging things and renaming things, there's costs involved with that." 

He said he fears it may be the beginning of a hoard of new legislation adopted from European nations. 

"If the EU legislation on deforestation on these things comes in, are we going to lose our grazing land," he said. 

"Are we going to lose our farming land up in the valley?

"It's a real problem for us. 

"I just want our farmers to be able to farm, vineyards to be able to make wine, miners to be able to mine and make Australia stronger." 

Hunter-based Nationals senator Ross Cadell. Picture: NSW Nationals

Missing Sydney Girl Could Be In The Hunter Valley

 BY IAN CROUCH

Police believe a missing Sydney teenager could be in the Hunter Valley.

14-year-old Jade Baxter from Rossmore in Sydney's south-west was last seen on Macquarie Street, Singleton at about 9.00am on Friday March 13.

Police hold concerns for her welfare due to her age.

She's described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 140cm tall with blonde hair and green/blue eyes.

Police believe Jade could be in the Singleton, Cydesdale or Bellambi areas.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

 

Missing teen Jade Baxter

 

 

 

E Bikes Banned At Local High School

 BY OLI GOELDNER

A Newcastle high school has made the call to ban all e-bikes on school grounds following a string of accidents. 

Parents of Kotara High School students received a letter last week stating the vehicles would be banned from the first day of Term 2, Wednesday April 22. 

Traffic around the school, which backs onto Lexington Parade, is known to be extremely busy during peak hours, with several incidents reported between e-bikes and vehicles in 2025 and 2026. 

Principal Mark Snedden said they've seen a rapid increase in students using the bikes. 

"We're in a very congested area of Newcastle here in the morning at drop off and pick up time with all the buses," he said. 

"There have been concerns raised by community members, as well as staff and parents, around the use of e-bikes and the safety of them with regard to other road users." 

He noted while the bikes are a useful form of transport for students, the safety risks are too large to ignore. 

"Under the Department of Education policy around to and from school, it's still a parent's priority to make a decision on how a student does get to and from school," he explained. 

"But, what I am able to do within the policy is make a decision on what things can be brought into school grounds.

"So the decision has been made to no longer house e-bikes on school." 

Principal Snedden also argued they don't have the proper storage facilities for the e-bikes as they are much larger than ordinary push bikes, whilst also featuring lithium batteries which can pose a fire risk. 

The ban comes alongside new state-wide laws giving NSW Police and Transport for NSW the power to seize and crush illegal e-bikes. 

The new legislation targets the growing number of throttle-only, high-powered e-bikes, which are said to fuel anti-social behaviour, community frustration and serious injuries. 

Picture: Department of Education

Calls For New Nature Reserves As Part Of Hunter Transmission Project

BY CHARLIE PROUDLOCK

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW is calling on the state government to re-think the Hunter Transmission Project.

The major initiative is set to incur a sweep of deforestation across a large portion of the Hunter's bushland, with the Conservation Council asking for additional nature reserves to offset it's predicted impact. 

It follows submissions from fellow environmental groups slamming the planned deforestation which will take place during to the project's construction, including at Olney, Watagan and Pokolbin state forests. 

In an effort to combat the impacts, the Conservation Council has released a report identifying 11 new strategic reserves to be added in conjunction with the major project, set to strengthen ecological connectivity across the region.

The listed reserves include 700 hectares of former BHP land at West Wallsend, 580 hectares adjacent to Newcastle Link Road, and about 3,000 hectares of land in the Hunter Economic Zone at Tomalpin. 

The Conservation Council's Policy and Advocacy Director Brad Smith said their main goal is to stop the decline in some of the State's most critically endangered species.

"The [Hunter Transmission] Project itself is about 100 kilometres long and the area it will disturb is about 1,000 hectares," he said.

"Of the 1,000 hectares, around 200 is endangered bushland.

"We're saying to just give those State forests back to National Parks.

"At the moment, they're being logged, and by removing the logging threat from those State forests, it would have a great impact for nature in the region."

Mr Smith went further to call on Newcastle Council to back them in their push for renewed ecological health in the region.

"We hope everyone would be on our side, because this is a good outcome for nature," he said.

"We know we need to get ahead with this transmission line and bring the solar, wind power to the businesses and home who need it, but we don't want to see nature sidelined in the process.

"This is really a once-in-a-generation opportunity to really take hold of some of these beautiful natural areas in the Hunter and protect them for everyone into the future."

Currently, project refinements are continuing to be made following field surveys, agency consultation and community feedback.

Picture: NSW Government. 

Police Seek Help To Find Morriset Man

 BY IAN CROUCH

A search continues for a man who's been missing from the Morisset area for more than a week.

32-year-old Codie Sams last seen at about 4.00pm on Friday 13 March 2026.

Police and family hold concerns for his welfare as he requires regular medication.

Codie's described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall with a medium build, short blonde/brown hair with a similar coloured beard and moustache

He also has a tattoo on his right hand.

Codie was last seen wearing a green hoodie, green pants and black shoes.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

 

Missing man Codie Sams

Man In Custody Accused Of Stabbing Muso At Merewether Club

 BY IAN CROUCH

A man is assisting police with their inquiries over an alleged stabbing in Merewether overnight.

Emergency services were called to the Merewether Bowling Club on Caldwell Street just after 7.30pm on Sunday 22 Mar 2026 to reports of an assault.

Police were told a man who was working as a musician at the club had been stabbed several times near the entrance to the club by another man.

The 69-year-old was taken to hospital in a serious but stable condition with stab wounds to his chest and back.

Just after 1.30am today (Monday 23 March 2026) detectives arrested a 53-year-old man at a Stockton home.

He was taken to Newcastle Police Station where investigations are ongoing.