Man Goes Missing From Upper Hunter Camping Grounds

 BY IAN CROUCH

Hunter Valley police are asking for help to find a man who's missing in the Upper Hunter.

42-year-old Jamie White was last seen at the Allyn River camping grounds at about 11.00pm on Monday night.

He's described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall with a thin build, black hair and black facial hair and was last seen wearing black winter clothing.

Jamie is known to frequent the Branxton area.

Missing man Jamie White

 

CCTV released in investigation into storage shed break-ins

BY JORDAN REGNIS

Police have released CCTV images of two men they believe were involved in multiple break-ins at storage sheds at Morisset last week.

Two men broke into 12 storage units after entering a facility on Advantage Drive last Wednesday (September 25).

Anyone with information which may help identify them is being urged to contact crime stoppers.

Draft Plan Paves Pathway for Lake Mac Tourism Boom

BY RAVELLE EATON

Lake Macquarie Council's Draft Destination Management Plan 2022-2026 has been released, with hopes it will lay the foundation to attract up to four million visitors within the next 10 years. 

The Plan lays out a target of 800,000 overnight visitors by 2032, with another 1.7 million day-trippers to explore key localities. 

Proposed actions include expanding Belmont Wetlands State Park, reinvigorating the use of the Catherine Hill Bay jetty and a master plan for the Lake arts precinct.

Other changes include improving visitor and recreation facilities at Rathmines and the feasibility of an indoor aviation attraction at Lake Macquarie airport with the aim to bring young people into the area.

Mayor Kay Fraser says it'll help capture an even bigger share of tourists.

"Geographically, we're also in a great position. we're easily in reach for Sydneysiders, as well as all the international visitors flowing into Australia through Sydney Airport," Cr Fraser said.

The plan is aiming to improve the current 2.2 million annual visitors to a target of 2.5-3.9 million, and for annual visitor spending to improve from $210 million in 2019 to $583 million in the next 10 years.

For more information or to provide feedback go to shape.lakemac.com.au/dmp before September 20.

Hunter locals encouraged to roll up sleeves for Easter blood drive

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter's being urged to think about donating blood this Easter, with concern supplies of O negative blood are at their lowest levels in 12 months.

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood will be keeping the doors open at its Newcastle and Maitland donation centres on Good Friday, in a desperate push for donors with the rare type.

Spokesperson Jemma Falkenmire says it's especially concerning approaching the back-to-back Easter and ANZAC Day long weekends.

"It's the time that we always see spikes in demand for blood, and particularly the emergency blood type, which can be used in really high volumes in emergencies like road accidents or traumas," Ms Falkenmire said.

"We have only one-and-a-half day's supply across the state of that blood type."

While O negative makes up 15 percent of hospital orders, just seven percent of people have the blood type.

It's in high demand, because O negative can be used in situations where emergency responders don't know the patient's blood type.

Ms Falkenmire says while not everyone knows their blood type, donating is a great way to find out.

"There's that really amazing group of people in Newcastle, about 2.5 percent of the local population, who are in there every two to three weeks donating blood," Ms Falkenmire said.

"We don't need those kind of regular donations from everybody, but what we do need is more people just to spare an hour or two of their time to come in and help us out, when things are this low."

Red Cross Lifeblood's hoping to have 4,500 across the country book a spot before Easter Monday, and another 7,500 donors through to ANZAC Day.

Ms Falkenmire says it can be intimidating, but it's a rewarding experience.

"You get a health check before you donate," Ms Falkenmire said. 

"We've got free chocolate Easter eggs to give out to people who come in as well to sweeten the blood donation deal.

"And your blood is helping to save lives within as little as 48 hours, so it's well worth the time investment of an hour."

If you think you're eligible to give blood, visit lifeblood.com.au or call 13 14 95.

Hunter police arrest person over $20,000 jewellery theft

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Police have charged a 40-year-old, over the alleged theft of $20,000 worth of goods from a Kotara jeweller. 

They were arrested at Carrington early Saturday morning, still wearing the jewellery. 

The items have since been returned, and the 40-year-old has been refused bail, charged with larceny of property worth more than $15,000 and breach of parole.

University of Newcastle researchers discover secret to decline in male fertility

BY DAKOTA TAIT

University of Newcastle researchers believe they might have figured out the reason why male fertility has plummeted over the past 50 years.

A new study has found environmental stressors, such as radio frequency energy and PFAS contamination, could affect men and their fertility. 

 

These sorts of stressors were originally not thought to be able to effect DNA, but could disrupt sperm through their RNA, and even prove lethal to embryos.

Dr Geoffry De Iuliis, Dr Shaun Roman, Professor Brett Nixon and lead author and PhD candidate Natalie Trigg made the discovery using a chemical called acrylamide as a stressor on sperm in the lab. 

The range of possible environmental stressors isn't yet known, but could be wide and even common.

Dr De Iuliis says the revelations are a game-changer for how we think about conception. 

"These more subtle environmental exposures, while not directly disrupting the DNA, can modify these RNA species, which we now understand are really important in directing that early embryo development process, so it certainly does have implications for fertility," Dr De Iuliis said. 

"Because we understand much of the mechanisms now, how the RNA species are affected, we might be able to manipulate this prior to IVF."

"So we understand what a good RNA profile is, in a sperm, and we might be able to modify that, which if you follow the logic through, would mean improving the quality of embryo development."

It's now suspected this process could be a critical factor in explaining why sperm fertility has declined over the last half-century. 

Dr De Iuliis says understanding this phenomenon also opens the door to new approaches to treatment.

"The big take home message I think from this is that it puts more emphasis on men's health immediately prior to conception," Dr De Iuliis said.

"The next part of this work will be to looking at educating people on this, particularly men, and they may have to take more responsibility in terms of their personal health."

Hunter Workers Protesting Harvey Norman CEO

BY GIORGIA WILSON 

Hunter Workers are protesting outside of Harvey Norman Kotara at 12pm today in response to the submissions opposing a minimum wage increase. 

Gerry Harvey, CEO of Harvey Norman, has been a vocal opponent of a minimum wage rise despite his company's profits more than doubled during 2020. 

The Fair Work Commission is expected to make a decision concerning the annual minimum wage review in early to mid-June. 

Hunter Workers supports the Australian Council of Trades Union urging the Fair Work Commission to increase minimum wage by 3.5% for Australian workers. This increase would offer a much-needed boost from the record low wage growth over the last 8 years. 

"Wages have been stagnant for some time now," says Hunter Workers Secretary, Leigh Shears. "There's a significant gap between the increase in the cost of living and peoples pay bracket."

Hunter Workers have campaigned to improve the lives, wage, working conditions and social services for all workers and their families within these communities. 

A significant minimum wage rise would come as a great relief to Hunter Workers who have been impacted by increased cost of living fueled by housing and rental market shortages. 

"It's going to be a domestic recovery," says Shear. "The economy cannot recover if our workers do not have money to spend."

Since JobKeeper was cut it is estimated there has been a 70% increase of Hunter people living in housing stress. Hunter Workers will continue to campaign for the things that matter for all workers across the region.

New Innovation in Understanding Child Protection for the Hunter

BY Giorgia Wilson 

A project by the University of Newcastle aims to develop a map of the historic perpetrator networks in the Catholic and Anglican Churches, charting their movements within the institutions. 

Dr Kathleen McPhillips, Senior Lecturer at the University of Newcastle School of Humanities and Social Science, is currently recruiting survivors and community members for the project focusing on the Hunter. 

"What we're doing is trying to see if there is evidence to establish whether there was an organisation of clergy perpetrators and not just a few bad apples in an otherwise good barrel as claimed by the Churches," said Dr McPhillips. 

This follows on from the Child Abuse Royal Commission findings for the Hunter region and involves using social network analysis to build a map of the network of clergy perpetrators and their supporters. 

Dr McPhillips says research suggests that child abuse was highly organised and facilitated by adults both within and external to schools and parishes. 

"We suspect there is a network" says Dr McPhillips, "we think that survivors have a lot of information that can help us put this map together."

Dr McPhillips' research is investigating public inquiry and church-based archives and documents, and interviewing survivors, their families, and the community to put together the picture of the movement of the clergy perpetrators and who they networked with. 

"The project is very important in terms of child safety" said Dr McPhillip's, "we will develop more skills to understand child protection and how that is best served." 

If you would like to take part in the project, Dr McPhillips can be contacted via email at kathleen.mcphillips@newcastle.edu.au or phone her office on 02 4921 5920

If you need help, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14. 

Dr Kathleen McPhillips

Catholic and Anglican Churches

Muswellbrook TAFE to Receive $1 Million Upgrade

BY CHARLOTTE LLOYD 

The NSW Government has announced a $1 million upgrade to Muswellbrook TAFE. 

The TAFE will receive two new connected learning classrooms, new equipment and a new learning space to offer fit-for-purpose hair, beauty and business training on campus.

New equipment will include gas welders, welding bay extraction fans, and auto-mechanical teaching equipment.

Speaking in the town on Wednesday, Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the new facilities will support a more integrated learning experience for locals.

“Currently hair, beauty and business students have to drive from the main Muswellbrook TAFE campus to attend classes at the council-owned Tertiary Education Centre. This new investment will ensure students can access modern, industry-grade facilities right here at their local campus,” Mr Lee said.

Initial planning has already commenced on the $1 million Muswellbrook facility with construction works to begin this year. 

The new equipment will be delivered by mid-2021 and the connected learning classrooms will be completed by mid-2022.

Image Credit: TAFE NSW