Memorial Bench Seat Unveiled In Hamilton To Honour 21-Year-Old Mackenzie Anderson

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The mother of a young Newcastle woman who was murdered during an alleged domestic violence incident is calling for more to be done to protect other women and children from harm.

21-year-old Mackenzie Anderson was fatally stabbed in front of her young son at her unit in Mayfield on the 25th of March, 2022.

Her ex-partner has been charged with murder and remains before the courts. 

A memorial bench was officially unveiled in Mackenzie's honour at Gregson Park in Hamilton this morning. (Monday the 11th of December, 2023). 

Her mother Tabitha Acret, said change needs to come from the top and the bottom. 

"My daughter's death garnered a lot of media attention and...it was quite overwhelming at the time, but that's how every death should have been be treated and not every death is treated like that; sometimes it's a small blurb, sometimes we don't hear much at all...and we count it," she said. 

"That's not what I want; those families don't want their children forgotten, but we also just don't want to keep seeing it happen." 

Ms. Acret is calling for both "upstream" and "downstream" approaches to violence, whereby charges and sentencing is tightened for offenders, and children are educated from a young age about right and wrong behaviors. 

She hopes the seat will serve as a reminder about how much needs to be done in order to protect other women and children from violence. 

"We just need to keep the conversation going." 

Friends, family, Newcastle Councillors and local domestic violence services came together together to unveil the seat this morning, which can be found on the western boundary of the park, near the Samdon Street entrance. 

If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text 1800 RESPECT. 

Three Men Sought Over Armed Robbery At Gregson Park, Hamilton

BY IAN CROUCH

Police are searching for three men over an armed street robbery at Hamilton.

An 18-year-old man was walking through Gregson Park off Tudor Street just after midnight on Sunday when he was approached by 3 men.

One of them pulled out a knife and demanded the young man's wallet, which he handed over before the trio left the area.

All three are described as being of Aboriginal appearance and in their late 20's.

The main offender is described as having a chubby build and was wearing a black hooded jumper and black Nike joggers.

The other two are about 195 centimetres tall with a solid and chubby build and wearing white and black hooded jumpers and black track pants.

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

Hamilton Community to Have Their Say on Gregson Park

BY ALICE PEART

The Hamilton community will soon be able to have their say on the future of Gregson Park with workshops by Newcastle Council planned for consultation with local residents.

Council passed a motion to prioritise planning at the site of the former Hamilton Bowling Club situated on the park.

The site has remained vacant for a number of years while it was subject to a development application which was recently withdrawn.

Councillor Carol Duncan said although it had taken a while the good news was the Council could start moving on the re-purposing of the site.

"We can start looking at what is required for an ongoing plan of management, and then once we have all of that sort of information we can then go back out to the community and bring in their involvement".

The Councillor said that although the development will not be happening in the immediate future, council was looking at a long-term management plan which would not be reliant on a single budgetary cycle.

Some suggestions reportedly put forward referenced the Sydney examples of Camperdown Commons or The Grounds of Alexandria as city-farm models.

The green "refuge", as the Councillor described it, is intended to be a feature of the future Newcastle CBD which is planned to be in walking distance of the park.

Workshops to consult the community will be taking place soon, Hamilton residents and workers interested in contributing are encouraged to keep up to date on the Council website.