Footage Released of Newcastle Light Rail Near Misses

BY OLI GOELDNER 

Newcastle Transport is urging residents to pay attention when around trams, following another year of near misses. 

CCTV footage released today shows a number of alarming close calls from pedestrians and vehicles near the Newcastle light rail over the past 12 months. 

Local tram driver Victoria Tonks said it can be very stressful, especially at peak times when the platform is crowded or when people are rushing to cross the road in front of a moving tram.

“Just a moment of distraction could have serious consequences," said Ms Tonks. 

"It’s terrifying when someone runs in front of you or jumps down onto the tracks." 

Keolis Hunter General Manager Arsene Durand-Raucher said the footage is a stark reminder of the risks people take around trams. 

The calls come alongside Rail Safety Week, being held until Sunday 17 August. 

“Every near miss leaves a lasting impact – not just for the person involved, but also for our tram drivers, staff and customers,” Mr Durand-Raucher said.

“We’ve been operating the light rail for more than seven years, and yet we continue to see some incredibly dangerous behaviour by both motorists and pedestrians.

“We continually see people jumping onto the tracks or running in front of moving trams, putting themselves and others at serious risk. 

"Emergency braking can result in falls for onboard passengers which can have life altering consequences.

Mr Durand-Raucher advised commuters should wait behind the white line on the platform, always cross at designated crossings and avoid rushing for closing doors. 

Footage of the incidents can be found on the 2NURFM Facebook page. 

A near miss from an attempted stunt at the Civic light rail stop. Picture: Newcastle Transport

Charges Dropped Against Port Of Newcastle Climate Protestors

BY LIAM COLLINS

NSW Police have formally withdrawn charges against 125 climate protestors involved in the 2024 Rising Tide People's Blockade of the Port of Newcastle.

173 people were arrested at the initial protest, the second Rising Tide-organised blockade of the port.

Climate Defenders Australia, who represented 117 of the arrestees, were among the most vocal in supporting the over 7,000 protestors who attended the blockade. 

"Facing criminal charges is particularly stressful and has an impact on all aspects of your life," said Climate Defenders Australia legal director Josh Pallas.

"They're not doing this for personal gain or anything like that, they're doing it to protect the places in which we live, work and play, for the people that we care about in the future."

A test case was held in June of this year, with all charges again dismissed by the court.

NSW Police were further ordered to pay $73,000 in legal costs for the defendants after a costs order in March.

Josh Pallas said they will continue to fight for the financial support of their defendants.

"We still haven't had our hearing about costs in the June test case, and we're going to claim for costs in relation to these cases as well," he said. 

"It will be a matter for the court to decide whether they grant that application of our or not."

The Port of Newcastle is the world's largest coal port, having exported an estimated 149 million tons of coal in 2025.

Rising Tide held another People's Blockade of the port last year, with over 100 protestors arrested afterwards who are in the preliminary stages of their cases.

Josh Pallas said he expects their cases will mirror that of the 2024 protestors.

"This is a vote of confidence for protesters that police are dropping these charges, one of the charges that any people are facing in 2025 is exactly the same charge," he said. 

"Hopefully it bodes well for 2025, but we're still just reviewing the evidence at this stage."

Flotilla of protestors during the 2024 protest. Picture: Rising Tide.

Shoal Bay Residents Voice Anger Over Pathway Consultation

BY APRIL BRACKLEY

A $1.25 million pathway project has sparked community uproar in Port Stephens, due to an alleged lack of consultation. 

Port Stephens Council proposed plans to close two existing Shoal Bay beach access paths and install a three-metre wide, 500-metre long concrete path between Halifax Holiday park and Harwood Avenue.

A funding application for the project was submitted by Council on November 24 2024, with Transport for NSW approving the funding on May 13 2025. 

However, residents said the first known community notifications occurring at the end of April 2026.

Construction on the major project is due to begin in September. 

The Shoal Bay foreshore between the locations currently functions as a place for shared community activity, existing as one of the few areas in Port Stephens left undisturbed by a road or formal pavement. 

The proposed plan has received substantial negative feedback, with concerns over it's intruding nature and a loss of familiar, direct ways of reaching the beach. 

This has led to community action, including a deferral request made in May of this year, in which 45 residents signed a letter formally asking the council to defer construction until March 2027.

There has been no indication of the council's agreement with the deferral. 

"We were very upset with the manner in which many residents' concerns were being dismissed as kind of selfish and self-interested," said Shoal Bay resident Trevor Watling. 

"It's actually about preserving this place for everyone and future generations."

Local community members have also been left in the dark regarding reasons as to why the project has been so aggressively pushed by the council. 

"Why does it have to go ahead so fast," Mr Watling added. 

"Why can't it be deferred and why did they submit this without consultation."  

The community are continuing their efforts to pause the project and have now established their own survey, receiving more than 280 responses.

Port Stephens Council Asset Manager John Maretich has been contacted for comment. 

Proposed pathway. Picture: Port Stephens Council 

Parliamentary Inquiry Calls For Mater To Be Made Public

 BY MAXWELL HARVEY

A parliamentary inquiry into mould and pest issues at Newcastle's Calvary Mater hospital has called for the termination of the hospital's public-private partnership (PPP).

The report, which documents allegations of corruption, cover-ups, and maintenance failures, recommends ownership be transferred to NSW Health immediately.

Health Services Union Secretary Gerard Haynes has backed the report's findings, calling on the state government to enact its recommendations.

"The next steps are obviously for the government to consider the recommendations from the upper house inquiry," he said. 

"We are firmly of the view that public hospitals should be in public hands and controlled by the government.

"[The recommendation] moves away from the conflicting interests between he private sector and the public sector."

Allegations submitted to the inquiry date back to 2007, mostly relating to the continuous presence of mould in the hospital's cancer ward.

It is alleged that the presence of mould caused or contributed to the deaths of several people across almost two decades.

A review conducted by the Mater itself indicated that at least 16 invasive fungal infections occurred between 2019 and 2024, with further cases recorded in the subsequent two years.

About 120 families have registered for a class-action lawsuit into the alleged mould-related deaths.

At the start of the year, media highlighted continuous issues with mould and maggots in the Mater's cancer and ICU wards, prompting the state government to intervene.

NSW Health then announced $12.5 million for emergency remediation work, replacing cladding to prevent water leaks into the hospital.

Health Minister Ryan Park announced this week the external cladding replacement at the hospital had been completed, though broader remediation works are still underway.

Mr Haynes said the failure of the Calvary Mater sends a clear message that public-private partnerships are no longer viable.

"A lot of work has been done to get to this point," he added. 

"I think the recommendations are good and so it's now a matter for the government to be able to consider those recommendations and hopefully apply them as soon as possible."

Newcastle's Calvary Mater Hospital. Picture supplied. 

Skill Shortages Puts Hunter Businesses At Risk

BY MARLEY RAE

New research conducted by Business NSW shows three in four businesses in the Hunter are struggling to find skilled workers.

This year's biennial State of Skills report, which was based on survey responses by more than 500 businesses across NSW and the Hunter, found over 75 per cent of respondents reported skills shortages, 

It's slightly higher than the state average of 73.6 per cent. 

While the regional figure is below the post-COVID high of 2022 (89.1 per cent), it is markedly higher than shortages reported in 2019 (54.3 per cent) and 2017 (33.3 per cent). 

The report also found half of the respondents expect the shortage to cost them customer and commercial opportunities, with some warning their businesses may not survive if conditions persist.

Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the figures highlighted a concerning trend as skill shortages become entrenched with the local work force.

"These findings are consistent with what businesses across the Hunter have been telling us for some time," he said.

"The Hunter is not unusual and we've got a bit of a task to address a number of factors to try and address it."

However, the report also reveals competition for talent in the regional workforce are keen in the face of skills shortages, with 37.2 per cent of Hunter respondents noting the loss of suitable applicants to other employers during recruitment as a major challenge.

The shortages have prompted calls from Business NSW for a $200 million investment in apprenticeships, a comprehensive overhaul of regional, employer led skills compacts and income concessions for pensioners.

Mr Hawes believes workforce training, planning and skill development are essential amongst the Hunter's economic structural change.

"It's particularly critical in the Hunter if we're to get to these points of transformation in servicing new energy economy and growth in advanced manufacturing," he said.

"If we can get this right an get people who want to work back in the workforce, it's going help the region achieve it's transformation and goals it's setting itself.

"But if we don't, we've got a situation where people who are filling some of these skilled jobs are being tapped on the shoulder and not coming through the application process." 

Picture: Pexels

BREAKING! Teenage Boy Dies In Crash at Gateshead

 BY IAN CROUCH

Investigations are under way into a crash at Gateshead early Monday which left one teenager dead and another in hospital.

Police say a stolen Toyota Kluger crashed into a paddock overturned off Willow Road just before 3.00am.

One of the passengers, a 13-year-old boy suffered critical injuries but could not be revived and died at the scene.

A 14-year-old boy was taken to the John Hunter in a stable condition with leg injuries, where he remains under police guard.

Police say two other people fled the scene. 

Following inquiries, a 14-year-old boy and an 18-year-old man were arrested and taken to the John Hunter under police guard.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers. 

A report is being prepared for the Coroner

 

Pine Cone Pranks Cost Lake Macquarie Council Thousands

BY RUBY VAN DE WIJGAART

Lake Macquarie Council has spent more than $5000 removing traffic cones from the top of pine trees, as part of a new social media trend. 

Known as 'coning', the phenomenon has seen vandals scale 25-metre-tall Norfolk pine trees and other greenery, to place a traffic cone on top. 

The trend is said to gained popularity on New Zealand social media, but has quickly swept its way around Lake Macquarie, predominantly the eastern suburbs. 

Council is calling on anyone participating in the trend, with grave concerns for their safety as many of the trees have unstable branches and reach dangerous heights. 

The climbing also loosens branches, making it unsafe for the community to walk below. 

"There may be more [incidents] we're not familiar with but we're asking for public assistance," said Council's Presentation Manager Paul Pafumi. 

The trend also poses a risk to the health of the trees, with the traffic cones said to stunt growth and have lasting impacts. 

"This means that the tree would require removal, that would be at the coast of the council as well," said Mr Pafumi. 

Lake Macquarie Council are urging those with information to contact them or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Picture: Lake Macquarie Council