Monday 8 December 2014

Attempted Stabbing at Rathmines

A woman is due to front Toronto Local Court accused of attempting to stab her husband in the neck with a pair of scissors.

Police were called to reports of a domestic dispute at a house on Harborne Avenue at Rathmines last night, arriving to find the man with cuts to his neck.

He was treated for non life-threatening injuries at the scene by paramedics.

A 44-year-old woman was arrested - she's been granted bail to face court today charged with assault and breaching an Apprehended Violence Order.

Body Discovered at Lorn

Police are trying to determine the identity of a body found floating in the Hunter Rover at Lorn near Maitland.

The body of the woman, believed to be middle-aged or an older person, was discovered by a kayaker at about 11.30 on Sunday morning.

Police say the body appears to have been in the water for several days.

Knights Captain Victim Of Break-In

Newcastle Knights captain Kurt Gidley has been forced to tackle an intruder who broke into his Merewether home with two others over the weekend.

He heard the three boys coming in the front door just after midnight on Saturday and chased them onto the street, tackling one while the other two were later arrested by police.

One of the boys later returned to his house with his father to apologise - he's since been charged.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

Racial Abuse

The Hunter's Muslim community says racial attacks against them have been increasing in recent weeks.

In one case two female medical students were verbally abused by a car load of men outside Maitland Hospital last week because they were wearing a hijab headdress.

It's estimated about 15-hundred Muslims live in Newcastle - around 400 are university students.

Bushfire Season Starts

The Rural Fire Service is warning us to prepare for an even more dangerous bushfire season this year in the Hunter.

The official bushfire danger period kicks off today as the latest figures show 25 per cent of residents caught up in the Port Stephens, the Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands fires last year did not have a bushfire survival plan in place.

Lower Hunter RFS Manager, Jayson McKellar says residents need to take responsibility for bushfire safety.

Teen Girl Charged Over Stabbing

An 18-year-old girl has been granted strict conditional bail after being charged with stabbing another teenage girl several times with a pocket knife at Kahibah.

Police were called to bushland near Flaggy Creek Reserve at about 9 last night where the girls had been socialising with a group of people.

It's alleged the 18-year-old got into a fight with the 17-year-old girl, stabbing her in the chest, stomach, arms and hands.

The victim is recovering in the John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition.

Police charged the 18-year-old with reckless wounding - she's due to face Belmont Local Court later this month.

Friday 26 September 2014

2pm Hunter News Fri 26/09/14 read by Thandi Chindove


1pm News Friday 26/09/14 Read by Thandi Chindove


Midday News 26-9-14 Read by Belinda De Lasheras


Lake Macquarie Housing Plan On The Skids

Another Lake Macquarie housing development is set to be rejected because of the risk of flood and rising sea levels.

Council staff have recommended the three storey residential and commercial development at Dora Creek be refused.

It comes after developments at Swansea and Carey Bay were also opposed because they could be affected by future sea level rise.

No Gaol Time For Poker Machine Addict

An Aberdare woman who stole almost 10-thousand dollars from her employer to feed her poker machine addiction has avoided time behind bars.

Casey Maybury has been given a one year suspended gaol sentence, 300 hours of community service and has been ordered to repay the money.

The 20-year-old stole the cash from a loan business in NEWCASTLE last year and has also been placed on a 3-and-a-half year good behaviour bond.

School Violence On The Rise In Hunter and Central Coast Playgorunds

There's been a disturbing rise in playground violence at Hunter and Central Coast Schools, prompting a call for more support for teachers and principals.

There were 288 reported incidents last year - an increase of 74 per cent since 2012.

Students filming fights, sexting, threatening and violent behaviour towards teachers, as well as students bringing knives and drugs to school are all of particular concern.

Shadow Education Minister, RYAN PARK says students are coming to school with much more complex emotional and behavioural problems compared to a decade or two ago.

He believes there's a need for more specially trained counsellors and support staff, while teachers also need to be better equipped to handle difficult students.





8.30 News Fri 26.9.14 Read By Ian Crouch

7.30 News Fri 26.9.14 Read By Ian Crouch


6.30 News Fri 26.9.14 Read By Ian Crouch


Thursday 4 September 2014

Midday News Thurs 4.9.14 Read By Siobhan Caulfield


Macquarie Generation Sale Goes Through

The new owner of the Upper Hunter's two power stations has assured workers and contract employees it will honour their employment agreements.

AGL Energy has this week completed it's $1.5 Billion purchase of Macquarie Generation from the state government.

The Bayswater and Liddell power stations near Muswellbrook will now be known as AGL Macquarie, with the publicly listed company keen to get on with a $400 Million overhaul of operations over the next 4 years.

Tenant Loses Everything In House Fire

Police believe a lit cigarette is to blame for a fire which destroyed a house at Cessnock last night.

Fire crews from Cessnock and Bellbird arrived at the weatherboard home in Hickey Street just before 9.30pm to find the house engulfed in flames.

Police say the sole occupant, a man in his early 20's, had been smoking in bed and dropped the cigarette, setting the bedclothes alight.

The flames quickly spread to the rest of the house

The man was able to escape unharmed.

Swansea MP Faces Corruption Watchdog

There are more claims of dodgy political dealings at the corruption inquiry, with a senior government staffer accusing Swansea MP, Garry Edwards of trying to hide an illegal donation.

John Macgowan claims he met with Garry Edwards and one of his staff last month over an envelope of cash received from developer and former Newcastle Lord Mayor, Jeff McCloy in 2011.

Macgowan has told the inquiry the staffer suggested not reporting the envelope to the ICAC as it had been handed on to the MP's then campaign treasurer, Max Newton, who's since died leaving no-one to confirm it had been received.

Garry Edwards insists he never checked the contents of the envelope before handing it over.

8.30 News Thurs 4.9.14 Read By Ian Crouch


7.30 News Thurs 4.9.14 Read By Ian Crouch


6.30 News Thurs 4.9.14 Read By Ian Crouch


Wednesday 27 August 2014

Midday News Wed 27.8.14 Read By Thandiwe Chindove


Beresfield Pool Lifeline

Entry fees to the Beresfield Pool are set to be slashed by about 40 per cent in a move aimed at making the facility more affordable for the community.

Newcastle Councillors voted last night to reduce the fees, making an adult entry ticket now $2.80 instead of the proposed $5.00.

Beresfield is the only pool which council will operate this swimming season, with the city's 4 other pools to be run by private operators.

It's hoped the reduction in entry fees will encourage more patronage in a bid to prevent the pool being closed down in 12 months time.

The new fee structure is being put on public exhibition for 28 days before being adopted in time for the summer swimming season.

Anglican Church Included In Child Sex Abuse Probe

The Newcastle Diocese of the Anglican Church has become a new focus of the Royal Commission into child sexual abuse.

The church has provided tens of thousands of documents to the Commission relating to every Newcastle Anglican Bishop dating back to the 1950s.

The current Bishop, Greg Thompson admits it was more than likely there were serial perpetrators in the Hunter and people of significant influence in the church who failed to respond to abuse allegations when they were first made.

Tragic Death At Newcastle Council Works Depot

Police and Workcover have launched investigations into the death of a Newcastle Council worker.

Emergency services rushed to the Works Depot in Turton Road at Waratah just after 6.30 last night following reports the 41-year-old man had injured himself, however he couldn't be revived.

General Manager Ken Gouldthorp has released a statement saying the council's hearts and thoughts are with the man's family and loved ones.

Police say it's not clear whether his death was the result of an accident or a health-related issue.

A report is being prepared for the Coroner.

8.30 News Wed 27.8.14 Read By Ian Crouch


7.30 News Wed 27.8.14 Read By Ian Crouch


6.30 News Wed 27.8.14 Read By Ian Crouch


Monday 2 June 2014

Rural men at higher cancer risk

Hunter men are being encouraged to have their prostate checked after a study from Cancer Council NSW reveled rural men have a higher risk of dying from prostate cancer than their major city counter parts.

The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, showed rural while overall survival rates had improved, rural men were 32% more likely to die from prostate cancer then men in major cities.

"There is a couple of reasons [for the disparity] we think that early detection really is a big contributor to these different rates, but also the distance to treatment is quite a barrier," said Shayne Connell, Regional Manager, Cancer Council NSW.

Survival rates increased from 57 to 84 percent but the inequity between rural and city patients was still prominent.

"Across the board we've had about 700 deaths in rural men over a 15 year period," Mr Connell said.

All men, particularly those with a family history of cancer, are encouraged to visit their doctor or call the Cancer Council help line on 13 11 20

7.30 Mon 2.6.14 Read By Ian Crouch


6.30 News Mon 2.6.14 Read By Ian Crouch


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)