NSW Coalition Promises $102 Million to Redevelop Scone Hospital

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The NSW Coalition has made it's largest pre-election funding commitment to date, with $102 million pledged to redevelop the Scott Memorial Hospital at Scone if re-elected on March 25.

Deputy Premier Paul Toole made the announcement this morning in the ultra-marginal seat of Upper Hunter.

Minister for Regional Health, Bonnie Taylor says the redevelopment will deliver a new state-of-the-art hospital building, consolidating services now at different sites across the hospital campus.

The commitment also includes an upgrade to worker accommodation. 

Image: Monument Australia

NSW Greens Launch Plan to Tackle Domestic Violence

BY OLIVIA DILLON

The NSW Greens have launched their plan to tackle domestic and family violence across the Hunter and the state. 

The minor party has committed to fully fund and deliver on the recommendations of the NSW Women’s Alliance 2023 Election Platform, calling for action to end gendered violence. 

This includes funding frontline and recovery services, increasing legal assistance for women, and delivering primary prevention programs. 

The party has also put a call out to all Newcastle state election candidates to commit to funding the Domestic Violence Resource Centre run locally by Jenny's Place. 

Greens MP and Spokesperson for Domestic Violence and Abuse Abigail  Boyd, says $500,000 isn't a lot to ask to fully fund the service. 

She also said it's about time money was spent to enact lasting change. 

"You can see the other parties are very happy to commit funding to greyhound racing and to subsidies for the fossil fuel industry."

"There are so many streams of funding that we could cut out of the budget and direct towards domestic violence funding that would actually make a real difference," Ms Boyd said. 

Image: NSW Greens

Paterson Candidate Calls for an End to Campaign Slurs

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Liberal candidate for Paterson Brooke Vitnell is calling for an end to "grubby gutter politics", after being targeted by vandals and online trolls over her appearance. 

Ms Vitnell has faced a barrage of sexual slurs throughout her campaign. When speaking to The Daily Telegraph, she said she has been repeatedly attacked on Facebook because of her looks, with some users employing inappropriate symbols to depict her face and body. 

She also said she has had to reprint more than 800 campaign posters since the announcement of the election, and lost more than 100 corflute signs in one evening to vandals in what she called a "coordinated attack" against her. Some signs were torn down and others were graffitied with sexual imagery. 

One of Ms Vitnell's largest campaign signs in the region had to be reinforced with screws after being stolen six times, but was then defaced by vandals who spay-painted male genitalia next to her face. 

Ms Vitnell expressed her disdain for the attacks, and claims they escalated significantly in the lead-up to the opening of pre-poll voting today. 

"I certainly don't think this happens to male candidates in marginal seats. This is a coordinated attack by those opposite to disparage me based on how I look and attack my character, because in tight contest they don't have anything else left to do other than attack people with disparaging sexual remarks and try to discredit them," she said. 

Her call to end the abuse also stems from fears the barrage of slander will deter women from entering politics in the future. 

"Grubby politics need to be a thing of the past. We need more women in our parliament. We need more women to put their hand up and represent their community," Ms Vitnell said. 

"Our Parliament needs to be representative of our country. 51% of our population are women and they need to be encouraged to put their hand up, not deterred, because if they do, they'll face sexist sledges and remarks." 

In response, Paterson MP Meryl Swanson has come out in support of Ms Vitnell, describing the situation as appalling. 

"I am sorry you have been targeted in such a way. I know how you feel and I find it appalling. My team and I delete such comments as soon as we are aware of them, and expect all candidates to do the same. In my experience it is usually not 'those opposite' who make such comments but people who are just vile in nature."

Ms Vitnell said the attacks would not deter her from her campaign in the lead-up to the election. 

"All it does for me is harden my resolve that I want to fight for this community. It encourages me to keep on going."

Image: Brooke Vitnell's Facebook Page

Awareness Campaign For Cessnock Bushland

BY ARIANA GATTI

Cessnock City Council has just launched a new campaign to raise and bring awareness to the importance of the current sustainable state of the surrounding bushland.

The new campaign comes in conjunction with two short films that were recently produced by General Manager and Head of Conservation at the Australian Reptile Park, Tim Faulkner, after his extended visit to the area.

Image Sourced: http://www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/council/news/TimFaulknervisitsourbushland

Both films saw the team up between Faulkner and Project Coordinator from BirdLife Australia, Mick Roderick in order to highlight the significance of flora and fauna of the region to potential visitors and tourists, as well as the impact of illegal dumping and logging.

The bushland around Cessnock is host to many endangered species of flora and fauna which still flourishes as a result of the area being the largest remnant of open land vegetation within the Hunter Valley.

The campaign to educate locals and tourists alike received funding from the NSW State Government through its Environmental Trust.

The environmental-based short films will be available to the public by the end of the month on Cessnock City Council's FaceBook page and website.

Sustainability Officer for Cessnock City Council, Karinda Stone, says the films will be very helpful in generating interest in the regions bushland.

"They will just be short, little films that we'll get out on social media to help raise people's awareness of what's around our area".

"We want people to be aware of the unique wildlife in our region, and with that knowledge, be able to help us protect the bushland that we've got in order to preserve those species", she says.

Image Sourced: http://www.cessnock.nsw.gov.au/environment/weeds

The Call To Cover Construction-Site Rubbish

BY ARIANA GATTI

Construction around the Maitland and Hunter regions has caused more disruptions and pains than just noise or eyesores.

The litter coming from populated work sites from left-over building materials and general rubbish has been blown all over the Maitland suburbs and is now causing unrest amongst the community.

Complaints from residents have been directed to Maitland City Council for them to address the rubbish exploding onto surrounding properties and main streets.

Member of Maitland Council, Robert Aitchison, is hoping to launch an effective campaign not just locally but Statewide, to push for all useable skip bins on construction sites to be completely covered.

With the tops of the sizeable bins being left open at the end of the day and with seasonal conditions in motion, rubbish is being blown out of the areas and falling into backyards and waterways.

A notice of motion to carry out this campaign will be the height of Tuesday night's Maitland local council meeting's agenda, to activate this practice as soon as possible.

Cr Aitchison says he aims to gain support from other environmental organisations to help effectively roll-out the campaign.

"There shouldn't be any funding required, but we want to try and secure some grants hopefully through the EPA and that's to go towards all construction sites to have and use skip bins", he says.

"It's very difficult to try and enforce the garbage bins, particularly at the moment when you put a DA in, there are regulations about what you do with the rubbish".

Image Sourced: https://www.skipbinsgoldcoast.co/