Labor To Control Newcastle City Council.

BY IAN CROUCH

It will be a new era on Newcastle City Council with Labor gaining the balance of power for the first time in 40 years.

The ALP picked up another two spots at the council elections to have six councillors as well as Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes.

The Liberal's only have one seat on Council, with party officials blaming the result on a backlash against the state and federal governments.

The final makeup of council is:-

Lord Mayor, Nuatali Nelmes (ALP), with six ALP councillors, 4 independent, 1 Liberal, 1 Greens making up the 12 spots on council.

Ward One:

Emma White (ALP)
John Church (Ind)
John Mackenzie (Greens)

Ward Two:

Kath Elliott (Ind)
Brad Luke (Lib)
Carol Duncan (ALP)

Ward Three:

Declan Clausen (ALP)
Peta Baartz (ALP)
Andrea Rufo (Ind)

Ward Four:

Jason Dunn (ALP)
Matthew Byrne (ALP)
Allan Robinson (Ind)

Labor Holds The Reigns On The New-Look Newcastle City Council

Meryl Swanson calls on Health Minister in wake of international PFOA and PFOS findings.

BY JARROD MELMETH

Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson is calling on the Health Minister Sussan Ley to explain the ramifications of the "draft risk profile" for PFOA adopted by United Nations group The Stockholm Convention's Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee.

The Stockholm Convention is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from chemicals.

The "draft risk profile" states "PFOA, its salts and related compounds are persistent, bio accumulative and toxic to animals and humans" and that "PFOA and it's salts and related compounds are likely, as a result of their long-range environmental transport, to lead to adverse human health impacts."

Health Guidelines in Australia are that "there is currently no consistent evidence that exposure to PFOS and PFOA causes adverse human health effects."

Meryl Swanson says she wants to know whether these findings will have any effect on Australian Guidelines.

"I have written to the Health Minister to ask her to explain the ramifications of this advancement and the adoption of the draft risk profile from the United Nations and find out what that means for us here in Australia. Are we taking that into consideration when we're weighing up whats happening with Williamtown."

"We need to make sure that we are getting world class information on what is happening in terms of research across the globe so that we get the very best solutions."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten will be meeting with Williamtown residents today.

Federal Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson. Photo Courtesy
of Facebook.

Hunter Infrastructure Fund Board Disbanded

The advisory board to the $450 million Hunter Infrastructure fund abolished

BY MICHAEL LANGHAM

The State Government's decision to quietly disband the Hunter Infrastructure and Investment Board has been criticized by board members and NSW Labor.

The board established in 2011 advised the use of 450 million dollars in funding, with projects such as the New England highway upgrade and John Hunter children's hospital among others.

"Instead of a highly qualified board of Hunter locals making decisions for the region we are again left with Sydney making the decisions it wants," said Newcastle MP Tim Crackenthorp.

The ALP has labelled the Baird government's decision as a 'betrayal' to the Hunter.

Labor Commits To CSIRO Jobs

BY IAN CROUCH

 Scientists at the CSIRO Energy Centre at Mayfield West are welcoming Labor's funding commitment to support the sector.

A Shorten Labor government would inject a further $250-million over 4 years to reverse what the ALP describes as senseless cuts to jobs and research under the Abbott-Turnbull government.

The CSIRO Staff Association says scientists employed in the public sector need to know their jobs are secure.


Unions claim 18,000 public service jobs have been axed under the Coalition government.

Labor candidates Pat Conroy, Meryl Swanson and Sharon Claydon sign a pledge to support public sector jobs