A 'Cool' Result for Newcastle East Public School

BY XANTHE GREGORY

Newcastle East Public School is celebrating today, after securing air-conditioning units for the new classrooms being built at the school.

Original plans for the new classrooms did not allocate funding for cooling units.

Parents from the school contacted State Member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp, who pushed for the government to reprioritise funding towards installing air-conditioning in NSW classrooms.

"A future Labor Government will prioritise air conditioning our local schools over knocking down and rebuilding stadiums in Sydney," said Mr Crakanthorp.

The MP is referring to Labor's $300 million election pledge to 'Cool Schools,' which was adopted, and raised, by NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrotet's 2018 Budget, offering a $500 million package in force now.

As a result, the Newcastle East Public case was reviewed by Education Minister Rob Stokes, who agreed to install the units in the new classrooms.

Mr Crakanthorp said "this is a win for common sense, the Government should not be building new classrooms and not providing the basic services associated."

Newcastle's 2304 Now A Nicer Place To Live

BY IAN CROUCH.

It's been regarded as one of Newcastle's most polluted postcodes for years, but new data shows that's all changed.

The National Pollution Inventory shows there's been a marked decline in air pollution in suburbs within the 2304 postcode over the past 5 years.

2304 takes in Kooragang, Mayfield, Mayfield West, Warabrook and Sandgate.

An analysis of air quality data shows levels of 16 major airborne pollutants like ammonia, fluoride, oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide had fallen dramatically.

The reductions are being attributed to tougher pollution controls placed on major industry in the area.

However, residents say dust pollution continues to be a big issue - especially coal dust from the coal loaders, coal trains and coal trucks.

Although dust pollution has also dropped significantly in the postcode, the data shows fine particulate pollution from Port Waratah Coal Services coal loading facilities increased by 77 percent over the past five years.

It's thought the switch from vehicles which use unleaded petrol to those which use diesel at the PWCS sites is the reason behind the rise - diesel fueled vehicles produce more PM2.5 particulate emissions than unleaded vehicles.

The installation of automated dust management systems at Mayfield has resulted in better air quality. A requirement to improve dust management from coal wagons has also been introduced.

Port Waratah Coal Services Kooragang Coal Terminal Picture: pwcs.com.au