Labor holds on to Hunter seats as Albanese sworn in as PM

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Counting continues for the 2022 Federal Election, but Labor has managed to hold on to its four Hunter seats, with the party poised to make Government.

Leader Anthony Albanese was sworn in as Prime Minister on Monday morning, though it's not yet clear if he'll lead a majority government, or a minority with confidence and supply from a Greens and independent-packed crossbench.

Scott Morrison conceded as early as Saturday night, and resigned from the Liberal Party leadership.

Closer to home, Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon has kept her seat, despite a surge toward Greens candidate Charlotte McCabe.

Shortland MP Pat Conroy gained a slight swing over Liberal competitor Nell McGill, meaning he'll serve a third term and could grab a position in Albanese's cabinet.

Paterson MP Meryl Swanson achieved victory in Paterson, despite Liberal challenger Brooke Vitnell narrowing the margin to make it the closest seat in the region.

The Coalition also pressed hard in Hunter, but visits by Scott Morrison, Barnaby Joyce, and John Howard weren't enough to propel Nationals candidate James Thomson into parliament.

Labor candidate Dan Repacholi is now set to take over the reins from the retiring Joel Fitzgibbon. 

Nationals MP David Gillespie remains the region's only Coalition partner, comfortably holding on to his seat of Lyne for a fourth term.

Image credit: Dan Repacholi.

Greens make final pitch to Hunter voters ahead of election weekend

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Greens have made a last-minute pitch to Hunter voters, just days out from the Federal Election.

It's considered a real possibility the minor party could hold the balance of power from the crossbench, offering confidence and supply to the next Government in the case of a hung parliament.

The party's promising to address local issues including housing affordability, for dental to be included in medicare coverage, climate action, and a 10-year job-for-job guarantee scheme for coal workers through the energy transition.

Senate Candidate David Shoebridge says mining jobs won't stick around, and the major parties need to prepare today.

"It's remarkable that both other major parties seem to think that coal's future will go on indefinitely," Mr Shoebridge said.

"We know that's not true, and we need politics to be honest about this, but also ensure that coal-dependent communities and coal-dependent economies have not just a lifeline, but a prosperous post-coal future."

The party's pushing a six percent wealth tax on billionaires, as well as a crackdown on tax avoidance and subsidies for corporations, to help fund the policies.

Greens Senate Candidate David Shoebridge and Newcastle Candidate Charlotte McCabe.

Prepoll booths open for business, but some Hunter locals forced to vote outside

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Prepoll booths have opened across the Hunter this week, as voters rush to beat the crowds on May 21.

There were still waits of up to ten minutes at a booth on King Street in Newcastle's CBD.

But some voters in wheelchairs had to have their ballots brought out to them, after they struggled to make it up the stairs at the polling booth.

A centre at the Toronto Amateur Sailing Club told a similar story, with many people with disabilities also finding it difficult to make it up the narrow stairs.

It's understood neither site, both in population centres, has ramp access, Labor's Candidate for Hunter Dan Repacholi writing on social media, there was "heavy machinery travelling along the walkway".

Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon and Mr Repacholi have both written to the Electoral Commission about the issues.

Image credit: Dan Repacholi.

Federal prepolling opens in the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Hunter residents can now cast their vote early ahead of the Federal Election, with prepoll centres opening across the region from Monday morning until May 21.

People who can vote on the day should hold off at the moment, but if you're not sure if you'll be able to, there's no need to register.

If you're a voter in the electorates of Hunter, Newcastle, Paterson, or Shortland, here's where you can get in early to cast your vote:

• Belmont Scout Hall - 52 Ernest St, Belmont
• Pasterfield Sports Complex - 18C Horizon Ave, Cameron Park 
  
• Cessnock Performing Arts Centre - 198 Vincent St, Cessnock 
  
• 224 Pacific Highway - 224 Pacific Highway, Charlestown
  
• Cooranbong Community Services Centre - 614 Freemans Dr, Cooranbong 
  
• Kurri Kurri Senior Citizens Centre - 132 Barton St, Kurri Kurri 
  
• Living Hope Maitland Church of Christ - cnr Garnett Rd & Mitchell Dr, East Maitland 
  
• Maryland Conference Centre - 207 Maryland Dr, Maryland 
  
• Stan Thiess Memorial Centre - Victoria Park, 173 Hill St, Muswellbrook 
  
• All Saints Church - 25 Church St, Nelson Bay
• 2/239 King Street - 2/239 King Street, Newcastle  
• Raymond Terrace Community Church - 10 Richardson Rd, Raymond Terrace 
  
• Maitland City Salvos - 1A Bunning Ave, Rutherford 
  
• Singleton Youth Venue - cnr Pitt & Bathurst St, Singleton 
• Toronto Amateur Sailing Club Inc - 27 Victory Row, Toronto  

Casual work emerging as Hunter hot topic on the campaign trail

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A new report from the country's peak union body has found, casual workers in the Hunter and Australia are earning, on average, $350 less a week than workers in full-time or part-time positions.

The Missing in Action on Secure Jobs report, released by the Australian Council of Trade Unions earlier this week, estimates around 4.15 million workers across the country are employed in insecure work, such as casual work, labour hire, employment in the gig economy, and rolling fixed-term contracts.

Polling data included in the report found 80.9 percent of insecure workers were dissatisfied with the current state of housing affordability, and 69.4 percent were dissatisfied with the Government's failure to increase wages.

It's reignited the discussion around insecure work in the Hunter, just months after a Senate inquiry, which heard concerns from local mineworkers and staff at the University of Newcastle, among others.

The Resources Minister was in the Hunter on Monday, claiming a Labor-led government would be crippling for local jobs, especially in mining and energy.

But Hunter Workers Secretary Leigh Shears says the current government needs to step up itself.

"They don't want to talk about it," Mr Shears said. "Workers have been raising them for a long, long time.

"The Morrison Government has had plenty of opportunities to rectify to some of these problems, and identify problems in workforce employment, security, and wage increases, and they've chosen to ignore it or look the other way.

"It's all tactics, employment tactics, to drive down our wages and conditions across industries."

Hunter Workers is calling for job security to take centre stage on the campaign trail, with a focus on introducing 'Same Job, Same Pay' laws to level the playing field for labour hire workers.

There are also calls for the Government to introduce a clear definition of casual work, provide stronger rights for gig economy workers, limit the use of fixed-term contracts, and make it easier to transition to a permanent position.

Mr Shears says people shouldn't have to live with uncertainty or work more than one job just to get by.

"I suppose I'd encourage working people and people across our region to recall what's important to them, and have a look at the Government's record over the last nine years," Mr Shears said.

"And Scott Morrison's record, when he talks about jobs and when he talks about other sorts of things that sound and look good for working people in our communities, remember his record."

Seven days left to enrol to vote in the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Federal Election's been called for May 21, meaning the Hunter only has seven days to make sure we're enrolled to vote.

All Australian citizens aged 18 years or older need to be signed up by 8pm on Monday 18 April.

We're also being reminded to check our address, in case we've moved house in the past few years.

If you're not correctly enrolled or fail to vote without a reason, you could face a $20 fine.  

You can check your status or enrol for the first time at www.aec.gov.au/enrol/.