Turnbull Plans Drought Tour, Excludes Hunter Region

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will visit drought-affected properties across NSW and Queensland this week, and Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon is questioning why he's not coming to our region.

The PM will talk with farmers in areas like Dubbo and Boulia on a three-day tour to gain suggestions for future drought policy, but Joel Fitzgibbon believes the government is already failing to provide relief to those farmers who need it.

In 2013, a new COAG agreement was struck which outlined five objectives:

1. Assist farmers to adapt and prepare for climate variability
2. Encourage self-reliant farming approaches to manage business risks
3. Ensure access to support payments which are specific to farmers
4. Ensure access to social support services
5. Provide a framework for jurisdictions' responses throughout drought

As part of the deal, the progress of these plans was to be tracked with correspondence to a body called the Standing Committee on Primary Industries.

However, four months later that Committee was disbanded and Joel Fitzgibbon believes this has contributed to the demise of our drought assistance measures.

It comes as some farmers who've been on government assistance benefits with a maximum period of 3 years have their scheme draw to a close.

It's understood the Prime Minister was in Scone over the weekend to visit three of his own properties, and Joel Fitzgibbon wonders why he wouldn't stop in for a chat with Hunter landholders.

"He has to stop overlooking the Hunter region and listen to farmers on the ground," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

"[PM Turnbull] says he's doing that this week but I fear it's really just an opportunity to get his face on our TV screens because over the last five years he's totally abandoned drought policy."

Federal Labor says it's not the first time the Hunter has been overlooked, citing the disappointing May budget.

"The Hunter was overlooked in Malcolm Turnbull's budget and now we're missing out on his drought tour whether you're producing vegetables near Maitland, beef in the Upper Hunter or dairy in Gloucester you're affected by drought - and we should be in his itinerary."

Digging for clues: Malcolm Turnbull will ask farmers in areas affected by 20 years of drought what they want to gain most from government help. Image: Financial Review. 

Family law reform not certain to address Newcastle backlog

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

Following the announcement of a new judicial appointment at Newcastle's Federal Circuit Court, Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon says she welcomes the move but is dubious whether a backload of family law cases will now be improved.

Mr Terry Betts will take the reigns of the Court, following Judge Steven Middleton's transfer to Queensland in April. 

Ms Claydon wrote to Attorney General Christian Porter at the time, fearful there would be a long lapse before a replacement was announced - as the process has taken as long as seven months in the past.

Newcastle forms one of the nation's biggest registries, with just three judges to carry out hearings, and is a microcosm of an Australia-wide crisis gripping the underresourced family law system.

Terry Betts' appointment came on the same day the Attorney General announced the amalgamation of the Australian Family Court and Federal Circuit Court, in a bid to cut through red tape and stop cases being heard across the different jurisdictions.

It will create a single point of entry for all family law and general Commonwealth law matters through the new combined tribunal, and appeals will be held by a single judge of the Federal Court.

The Law Council of Australia is yet to give their response to the merger, with President Morry Bailes saying they'll need to comb through the finer details of the plan - however agree something needs to be done to shake-up the current system.

"Decades of chronic underfunding of the court system and legal aid has largely contributed to the lengthy delays and backlogs experienced today," Mr Bailes said.

He believes an increasing number of self-represented plaintiffs and defendants due to high legal fees is also chewing up vital time and leading to unjust outcomes.

"Further investment in the courts and legal aid is still required to deliver the best outcomes for children and Australian families," Mr Bailes concluded.

Sharon Claydon is echoing that sentiment and believes more consultation is needed within the Newcastle legal fraternity to assess the merger.

"My Labor colleagues and I are very keen to see the detail of this legislation, because we don't have any of that before us at the moment," she said.

"There's been no mention of any extra funding or resources in the government materials that have been released to date...

"We also know there's been no consultation with practitioners or family law support groups about this merger - had that taken place and there was some funding, we might've been in a position to bring about some relief."

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon addresses a judge shortage at the Newcastle Circuit Court in June 2017. Image: The Herald. 

Department of Health deny cancer link: PFAS report

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

The Department of Health has today released its submission from the Expert Health Panel into PFAS contamination.

The study found there are health effects connected to PFAS foams, such as increased cholesterol and uric acid in the blood; lower birth weight in babies; reduced kidney function; changes in thyroid and sex hormones; later starting age for menstruation in girls; or early menopause.

However, the report also stated the "health effect" reported in high-exposure areas such as Williamtown's Cabbage Tree Road is "within normal ranges," concluding there's "limited to no evidence" linking human disease to higher exposure.

"There is no current evidence that supports a large impact on a person’s health as a result of high levels of PFAS exposure," the report said.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) chemicals have been contained in firefighting foams widely used throughout Australia since the 1970s because they are highly effective at combating liquid fuel fires.

However the chemicals do not break down easily, can enter groundwater or travel long distances through soil.

Williamtown Residents feel the Federal Government has failed them. Image: ABC. 

An investigation by Fairfax last year concluded there have been 50 cases of cancer in just 15 years for residents living on Cabbage Tree Road, which is located near open drains seeping run-off from the Williamtown RAAF base.

However, evidence of a "cancer cluster" along Cabbage Tree Road was dismissed by NSW Health in February 2018 to the ire of Labor MPs who pointed out the study had "skewed the results" by including residents living outside the Williamtown Red Zone, as far out as Karuah.

18 out of the 50 cancer cases reported by Fairfax had been left out of the report.

In November 2017, the Expert Health Panel was established to inform the Federal Government on a $12.5 million further National Research Program into the effects of PFAS exposure.

Paterson MP, Meryl Swanson earlier this month criticised the Panel's late delivery, saying the report was over 60 days late.

She accused Health Minister Greg Hunt of "sitting on the findings."

The Department of Defence is facing class actions from cancer-affected Williamtown residents and those 500 people suing the government in Oakey, Queensland.

Meanwhile, NSW based firm, Shine Lawyers is conducting investigations into PFAS contamination in the Northern Territory's Katherine area and looks set to launch a class action too.

It comes as Port Stephens MP Kate Washington renews her plea for NSW Premier Berejiklian to ban PFAS firefighting foams which have contaminated properties at Williamtown, after reports the South Australian government has followed in the footsteps of Queensland and issued a ban.

For a summary of the report head to the Department of Health website.

Ongoing Issue: Meryl Swanson addresses media in Williamtown last year to decry the situation. 

Property Council embraces fast Sydney to Newcastle train idea

BY LAUREN FREEMANTLE

A plan to reduce train travel time between Newcastle and Sydney has been floated by the federal government.

The journey, which currently takes close to three hours, would be reduced by an hour as part of the Turnbull government's $20 million Faster Rail initiative, which allows the state government to draft a business case to secure funding.

The NSW Property Council has welcomed the plans, but wishes more concrete actions would be made to ensure it goes ahead.

Executive Director Jane Fitzgerald said the fast trains could benefit the Hunter enormously.

"The Hunter is very much a stand-alone region, it's a great city with a thriving local economy, great residential lifestyle and beaches," she said.

"Everything you could possibly want is in the Hunter.

"But it's also true that an increasing number of people are escaping Sydney because of the un-affordability of housing here.

"So if it was viable to have a very fast train link between Sydney and Newcastle," Ms Fitzgerald continued, "then I think the Hunter would only benefit from the residential influx that might bring."

Dated: a train currently servicing Newcastle to Sydney commuters. 

Newcastle University Hurt By Massive Government Cuts

BY: ALEX MURRAY

As semester commences for another year at the University of Newcastle, Labor says the Turnbull government's proposed $69 million cuts are threatening to tear a massive hole in their budget.

The federal opposition the overall funding loss across NSW amounts to $736 million.

The department of education data show the cuts will make it even harder for students to function in their institution and afford an education.

Students paying their HECS/HELP debt will also have a double whammy, with the salary threshold at which they have to start repaying their debt lowered by $10,000, making the prospect of affording their degree that much harder.

At a time where education-based skills and new age employment opportunities are on the rise, university education for young Australians is now more important than ever.

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon says, "Although great community campaigns have stopped these cuts in the Senate in the past, regrettably the government has decided to ignore these calls and sneak in $2.2 billion dollars worth of cuts."

"The University of Newcastle's losses are nothing to be sneezed at, while they (the government) are cutting higher education to profit millionaires and multi-national companies."

"There is no way that you can chop out $69 million from the University of Newcastle without it being felt on the ground and hurting students with a number of detrimental effects."

"This university over decades has built a range of good support programs for people in lower socio-economic backgrounds to come into tertiary education and finish the degree with higher prospects."

"All students should be getting onto their local members of parliament and making their voice very loud and clear that these cuts hurt students and families,." Sharon Claydon said.