Increase in Hunter firearm popularity triggers community concerns

BY SARAH JAMES

An investigation by Fairfax has revealed the number of registered firearms in the Hunter has increased from approximately 70,000 in 2012 to almost 100,000 in 2017.

During this same timeframe, the number of people holding a firearm licence doubled to more than 26,000.

In rural suburbs such as Aberdeen, Merriwa and Willow Tree, the number of firearms is higher than the adult population.

The overall increase in gun ownership nationally has raised concerns from Gun Control Australia, who fear the laws will soon reflect those prior to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

A spokesperson from Gun Control Australia, Samantha Lee, told 2NURFM a decline in gun laws in NSW has allowed gun ownership to flourish.

"Our gun laws are eroding at a fairly rapid rate...one of those erosions being the ability to accumulate a large cache of firearms per licence holder. This is exactly what the Port Arthur Agreement was meant to prevent to try and reduce gun deaths across Australia."

The second largest single stockpiler of firearms in NSW resides in the Cardiff-Edgeworth postcode 2285, owning 310 firearms.

"Statistics are showing that people are owning on average four to five guns each, and in some communities like the Hunter people are owning around one hundred guns each," she said.

However, owner of Thornton Hunting & Outdoors, Chris Barrett, argues that for many people in the Hunter region, owning a gun is often a necessary part of life.

"If you operate a farm you need a firearm in order to keep your stock alive, to keep your crops growing, it's an absolute necessity," he said.

"There is nothing wrong with legally owning, possessing and using firearms for legal pursuits such as sports target shooting, hunting and the destruction of feral animals that are really decimating our native wildlife."

While Gun Control Australia is pushing for the number of firearms per licence holder to be limited, gun advocates say this would inhibit serious sport shooters, with multiple firearms needed for different disciplines.

"One firearm is not going to cater to every single type of shooting event you want to be involved in," Mr Barrett said. "I would say to someone who wants to play golf 'how about you go out and use one club'. Not going to work. You need a number of clubs to get around the course. Firearms are the same."

While nearly 10,000 guns were handed over to NSW police during the 2017 National Firearms Amnesty, there are still concerns about the number of illegal firearms in the region.

"The illegal market is fed by the legal market. So the more guns that are available in the general community the more likely they are to be stolen and end up in the illegal market," said Ms Lee.

Mr Barrett echoed this sentiment, saying the real issue governments need to focus on is illegal firearms in illegal hands.

Source: ABC

Young woman dies in John Hunter after fatal collision

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

A woman has sadly died in the John Hunter Hospital after a two-car collision near Taree.

The crash occurred around 7:20 last night when a 40-year old woman in a Ford Falcon and a 19-year-old woman in a Mazda 2 collided on Old Bar Road, Old Bar, east of Taree.

After being trapped for some time, the young woman was released from the wreckage by emergency services and airlifted to the John Hunter in a critical condition, but tragically couldn't be saved.

The older woman was also taken to the John Hunter for hip, ankle and rib injuries but is currently in a stable condition, despite having been ejected from her vehicle.

She is undergoing mandatory blood and alcohol tests while police conduct crash investigations. 

Anyone who witnessed the crash is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. 

Maitland police charge man with heinous historical sex offences

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

A man has been charged with sickening historical child sex offences allegedly committed in the Hunter during the 1960s.

Last year, officers from Newcastle Police were alerted by the Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse about the alleged indecent assault of a then 3-year-old girl.

The 69-year-old accused was arrested around 9am yesterday morning at Maitland Police Station.

He was there charged with three counts of assault female and commit act of indecency on someone less than 16 years.

He's been granted conditional bail and will appear at Newcastle Local Court on Thursday, March 15.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000, and any information given will be treated in the strictest of confidence.

Police have issued a reminder that it's never too late to report sexual violence, and reports can be made at any police station.

Man Under Police Guard In Hospital After Pursuit Across Lake Macquarie Suburbs

BY IAN CROUCH

A man is under police guard in Belmont Hospital after he fractured his back during a police pursuit across the western and eastern side of Lake Macquarie.

Just before 11.30 yesterday morning, officers spotted a Mitsubishi Triton Utility which had earlier been reported stolen from Speers Point at the intersection of Victory Parade and Cary Street, Toronto and began pursing the vehicle.

The chase continued along Five Islands Road to Anzac Parade where road spikes were deployed, but the driver allegedly crossed the median strip into oncoming traffic and the pursuit was called off.

The utility as later spotted on Macquarie Road at Warners Bay where it left the road and hit a tree.

The driver fled from the vehicle, and a short foot pursuit took place.

A-24-year-old man was arrested and taken to Belmont Hospital for mandatory testing.

He remains in hospital under police guard after an x-ray revealed a fracture in his back.

Charges are expected.

Meanwhile, police called off a pursuit of a stolen Nissan Patrol at Glendale early Wednesday morning.

Officers noticed the vehicle on Lake Road at Edgeworth just after 3.00am and a pursuit was initiated.

However, the chase was terminated when the car crossed to the wrong side of the road a short time later.

The search for the vehicle continues.

Young man's body found in Hunter River

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

A man's body has been found in the Hunter River.

Around midday today, police were called to the Hunter River near Nelsons Plains following the discovery of a body.

While the deceased man is yet to be formally identified, police believe the remains to be 18-year-old Lachlan Maas who disappeared from his home in Raymond Terrace on Sunday.

The death is not being treated as suspicious.

A report is being prepared for the coroner.

2NURFM Student Journalist Representing the Red Zone at National Summit

BY ANNABEL ROBINSON

The ongoing campaign to bring forward a resolution for families affected by the Williamtown PFAS contamination crisis will make its way to Canberra next week.

Newcastle University student and 2NURFM sports journalist Jarrod Sansom will represent the region at the National Youth Summit in the nation's capital this Saturday after winning a story-telling competion from ABC. 

Mr Sansom won ABC’s Heywire competition last year when he shared his horrific family story of growing up on a farm in Williamtown that backed onto the RAAF base which, since the 1950s, used fire extinguishers that contained toxic chemicals.

The Summit is opened each year, allowing students to speak about what it is like growing up in different rural areas. Each group of students, along with the winner are given the opportunity to go to Canberra to pitch ways they can help give back to their communities in need.  

Jarrod's family home along Cabbage Tree Road is now declared to be in the 'red zone' of Williamtown where the PFAS contamination lies. 

Affected 'red zone' in Williamtown

As the winner of the 2017 Heywire competion, Jarrod is given the opportunity to raise the health impacts residents in Williamtown now face resulting in the area having a local advocate to fight for a resolution and hold the Government to account. 

Last week Jarrod met with residents from the area so they could share their tragic family stories. He then spoke with the Williamtown and Surrounds Residents Action Group, Fullerton Cove Residents Action Group and the Salt Ash Community First Group to contribute to his understanding how the contaminated water has negatively impacted residents' lives. 

Residents of the area spoke about how the reports of a 52-case 'cancer cluster' that occured along Cabbage Tree Road must be linked. This connection became very real to Jarrod as he was the sixth generation of his family to live on the farm that was now declared to be surrounded by the contaminated water table due to carcinogenic substances entering the town's drainage system.

Jarrod's grandfather, along with three of his siblings all died of stomach cancer. Many of their old neighbours have been infected and fear the same fate.

His family will be tested next week.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson and Port Stephens MP Kate Washington met with Jarrod as they will asist him with his campaign which he will pitch at the National Youth Summit in Canberra.

Ms Swanson commended Jarrod for his commitment to informing young people about the PFAS contamination crisis that swept the country and says local residents are greatful to a young person that cares so much about the ongoing issue.

Jarrod says this oppitunity will give him a voice to do whatever he can do to push forward and defend his family and community who have been affected.

Heywire winner Jarrod Sansom and MP Kate Washington
Image: News of the area

Hunter Correctional Centre Opens at Cessnock

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

NSW Minister for Corrections, David Elliott is in Cessnock today to commission a new 400-bed Rapid Build Prison.

It follows a record construction time of 54 weeks.

The new prison will feature over 600 CCTV cameras and three perimeter fences, catering to both minimum and maximum security offenders.

Officers will have access to thermal imaging cameras to prevent contraband entering the prison, while an Immediate Action Team will work 24/7 to respond to potential incidents.

Over 1400 new corrections officers have been employed statewide as part of the government's $3.8 billion prison infrastructure program, with construction carried out by Sydney company Lend Lease.

According to Central Coast and Hunter MLC, Taylor Martin, 220 staff will be employed at the Hunter Correctional Centre.

Corrective Services Commissioner, Peter Severin said a heavy emphasis will be placed on prisoner rehabilitation at the new facility.

"This place will have a very structured day, meaning half the inmates will work in industries in the morning, the other half will work in industries in the afternoon and at the alternate time they'll be in classrooms," Mr Severin said, "so they'll learn work skills as well as literacy, numeracy plus therapeutic rehabilitation programs."

However it's not all good news according to Shadow Corrections Minister Guy Zangari, who says the rapid nature of the build exposes design flaws which pose a security risk.

"This pop-up prison is a recipe for disaster," he said, "The government...needs to ensure the welfare of the prison officers who are going to be looking after maximum-security inmates."

The Shadow Minister also believes the gaol will be too densely populated to ensure officer safety.

"In a normal prison setup, you'd have one or two inmates per cell. In this situation you're going to have 26 high-risk offenders in a dormitory," Mr Zangari said, "We know it's a pressure-cooker environment, things can escalate quickly."

It comes as the number of inmates housed in NSW prisons hits its highest number in history, at 13, 272 offenders.

Clayton Barr MP, Corrections Minister David Elliot and Taylor Martin MLC at the new Hunter Correctional Centre. 

Night work continues on John Renshaw Drive bridge at Tarro

BY JARROD MELMETH

Motorists are being advised of changed traffic conditions between Tuesday 30 January and Thursday 1 February for maintenance work on John Renshaw Drive Bridge over the New England Highway.

Roads and Maritime Services are carrying out the works which, involves replacing one bridge joint and damaged sound walls.

Works will be carried out between 7pm and 6am to reduce the impact to motorists, while lane closures and a reduced 40km/h speed limit will remain in place during the three day period.

Motorists are advised that the works may affect travel times and to follow the direction of traffic control and signs and keep to the reduced speed limits.

The John Renshaw Drive bridge over the New England Highway at Tarro.

800 homes without power in Maitland

BY JARROD MELMETH

Ausgrid are working to restore power to about 500 homes and businesses in Maitland.

Power went out to around 800 homes in Largs, Bolwarra Heights, Bolwarra, Lorn, Pitnacree, Raworth, East Maitland and Wallalong just before 9:30 this morning.

Ausgrid have since returned power to around 300 homes with the reamining 500 set to be restored by 11:30am.

Around 800 homes are without power in Maitland.

Flood Mitigation Grants Up For Grabs

BY MATT JOHNSTON.

Hunter councils are being urged to apply for grants under the state government's 2018 Floodplain Management Program.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald, said just because it's dry at the moment, doesn't mean we should be complacent.

The 2018 Floodplain Management Program is accepting submissions until April 27th to install flood-safety measures or buy back at-risk properties.

The program doubles investments put towards flood studies, risk management studies, and works such as levees and floodgates.

Scot MacDonald says it would be a wise investment from councils affected by floods to look into the program.

Last year nearly $9-million-dollars in grants were awarded to fund flood mitigation studies and structural works across the state under the program.

Upper Hunter Farmers Feeling the Pinch with No Rain In Sight

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's dry.

Very dry in the Upper Hunter.

It's getting closer to winter as each week goes by and without barely a drop of rain for some time farmers are racing the clock to grow feed to last through the colder months.

Dairy farmers Brian and Debbie Parker live on a property just outside Denman and they're beginning to feel the pinch from a significant lack of rain.

They've been working the farm for 20 years now and currently have 200 head of Jersey and Illawarra cattle. The last time they suffered a really bad drought was in 2006-2007 and they fear it could get really bad again.

"It's very dry. We have not had any decent rain since Cyclone Debbie. We got a couple of inches then and that was March last year."

"We're having to search further afield all of the time to source hay, we'll be down in Victoria soon! We really want to get some decent rain before Autumn ends, that would be the end of May, that's when the feed just doesn't grow because its coming into winter so we've got to get rain before winter," said Brian Parker.

"As soon as we can grow it [feed] we are feeding it off. There is no surplus feed at all. Actually last week I had to buy in my first load of hay - there goes $12,000 for a b-double from Cowra."

That load of hay could be just the beginning, if no substantial rain comes Brian and his wife Debbie could be shelling out thousands of dollars every month for one b-double load, at least. That will add to an ever increasing power bill and pumping water through irrigation systems more and more.

Scone. Image www.scone.com.au

Some farmers in the Upper Hunter are questioning just how much the State Government are helping them.

In 2015, the government took drought declarations away replacing them with the NSW Drought Strategy. The drought declarations did trigger the release of some subsidies when it was in place including transport subsidies which is something farmers are really missing.

It's understood that now instead of being declared in a drought and assistance being triggered that way, farmers have to get in touch with Local Land Services for help, and if they don't then they won't know about it.

"As far as I knew we needed to be [drought declared], we've had no support tell us that we can actually access those things so I didn't even know anything about it to tell you the truth. And I'm totally unaware of any of that... I'm very unfamiliar with this new system," said Brian Parker.

"Back under the old system we got freight subsidies and that did really help, I don't even know if that is still available," and Brian said he has never had any contact from Local Land Services or the government at any level to tell him there are options available to him or even where to go to look for them.

"We're too busy looking after everything on the farm, and we just need some advice, even an email in laymens terms - something."

"I'm not one to ask for too much help, but just to be aware of what's out there, and if there is something that I see applicable I'd certainly look into it but I don't see anything that's out there."

Image nbnnews.com.au

In the end though, it goes beyond cattle and hay.

"You just can't control the weather I mean we're in an industry, farming, so we go with the weather and it's tough times now, very tough times, but all you've got to do is look after your mental health too," which Brian Parker says from experience, having had trouble a couple of years ago.

"It's the constant work and the stress of it all really and that's what takes its toll on you. And you just wonder when its going to rain next, you keep looking towards the sky."

Concerns For Missing Raymond Terrace Teenager

BY IAN CROUCH

Police are asking for our help as they search for a teenager missing from Raymond Terrace.

18-year-old Lachlan Maas was last seen at his home on Shearman Avenue on Sunday.

There are serious concerns for Lachlan’s welfare and police are urging anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact them immediately.

Lachlan is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 170cm to 180cm tall, of a slim build, with black hair, and green eyes.

He is believed to be driving a green 1997 Toyota Rav4, NSW registration BW-45-VC.

He is known to frequent the Port Stephens and Maitland areas.

Anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact police immediately.

Police Hold Concerns For Missing Teen Lachlan Maas

Lachlan Could Be Driving A Green Toyota Rav4 Like This One