$8 Million for Health in Nelson Bay

BY MATT JOHNSTON

The state government has announced $100 million in funding to create new HealthOne facilities across the state, and refurbish existing facilities. Eight brand new HealthOne facilities were announced, including one in Nelson Bay.

Credit: Port Stephens Examiner

Eight million dollars is going towards building the facility at the site of Tomaree Community Hospital, says Duty MLC for Port Stephens Catherine Cusack. This will be Port Stephens' second facility after Raymond Terrace, and the fifth full service for the Hunter New England health area.

Ms Cusack says Nelson Bay was chosen because of the expanding population and its growing need for a diverse range of health services. "It was ideally located in terms of additional demand for service and we're very pleased as we constantly seek to expand the amount of health services available that Tomaree Community Hospital was one of those selected".

Funding for the project has already been approved, and preliminary work is underway to determine the exact structure of the new facility. Ms Cusack says quite a bit of design work and consultation is still required. As of yet, there is no timeline in place for the construction of the new services.

"This will bring together general practitioners with community health and other health professionals across multidisciplinary teams. So it's got a lot of homework that has to be done until the actual, physical construction begins. But certainly, that work is already underway."

"It's fantastic to upgrade health services again on the peninsula, having just announced the new X-ray facilities". Ms Cusack says the funding for the project will come in addition to the funding already allocated for the new X-ray machines.

X-Ray Services Announced for Tomaree Community Hospital

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

X-ray services are finally coming to Tomaree Community Hospital after years of community campaigning.

Local politicians gathered to make the announcement this morning, thanking the community for their dedication to the issue.

Liberal Duty MLC for Port Stephens, Catherine Cusack says the new services should be up and running by next year.

"It will take around 8 weeks for that physical work to take place and then a power upgrade will be required in order to operate the machinery in there so fingers crossed, everything going according to schedule, the new x-ray services will be delivered from February of next year."

This will be a big relief for locals who currently have to travel hours to the John Hunter Hospital just to get a simple x-ray. 

From left: Port Stephens Councillor Jaimie Abbott, Glen Dunkley,
John Nell and the Honourary Catherine Cusack

"Around 700 people hopefully won't have to make that 2-hour return trip to John Hunter anymore. Their x rays will be able to be taken here locally, the images can be assessed locally and if it's beyond the expertise of those doctors, they will be able to be transmitted instantly to other doctors," said Catherine Cusack. 

Among those in attendance at the announcement were Port Stephens councillors Jaimie Abbott, Glen Dunkley and John Nell, as well as Port Stephens MP Kate Washington.

She says it's great to see these services coming to Tomaree and it's something which will benefit countless residents and visitors in the area.  

"This is going to be a service that people from Medowie and further down towards Newcastle are going to be accessing alongside so many visitors that come to our peninsula. It's not only just a cost saving, this is about ensuring people get timely advice about their medical needs when they need it, where they need it." 

Councillor, John Nell says he personally wants to see x-ray services up and running as soon as possible, given the number of injuries which tend to occur over the summer time. 

"The service is really needed because there are lots of people particularly playing sport and in sport, you get all sorts of silly accidents and having an immediate x-ray is very beneficial. Over the summer time and Easter... young kinds being young kids, they run around and then all of a sudden, things happen so it's great to have this service," he said. 

 

Cusack Resigns In Explosive 9 Page Email To Premier

BY IAN CROUCH

Premier Gladys Berijiklian will have to appoint a new Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter following the shock resignation of Catherine Cusack.

The Upper House Mp sent a scathing 9 page email to the Premier which was leaked to the media.

In it she criticised the government's Upper House leader and recently appointed Energy Minister, Don Harwin saying "we are working with Don's dreadful performance", saying he is no orator, easily flustered and has wafer-thin skin.

Catherine Cusack went on to say she would join the cross bench if the Premier continued to say she made her ministerial appointments on merit.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter Kate Washingtion says the region has lost a good representative, "She consulted the community well, she consulted with local MPs well. I felt she was doing a better job than Scot MacDonald had been doing in that role in the past year and had achieved more perhaps in the 5 weeks she was there, so it is really disappointing to see that she's resigned from this position," she said.

Catherine Cusack

Kate Washington

Tourle Street bridge taking shape

BY JARROD MELMETH

The Tourle Street and Cormorant Road duplication at Koorangang is well and truly underway after a major milestone was met with the installation of all bridge piles.

The project was announced in April 2016, with work starting a month later and is being funded by both Federal and State governments aiming to improve traffic flow which often results in bottleneck conditions.

Work is expected to be completed by the second half of 2018 and will feature 3.8 kilometres of road wich will be duplicated between Industrial drive, Mayfield West and Egret Street at Kooragang, providing two lanes in each direction along with a second Tourle Street Bridge.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Catherine Cusack said it's great news for long-suffering motorists.

"For those motorists at the moment who are having to endure all the restrictions that all the road works are placing on the roads.

I want to reassure them that significant progress has been made, and we are really looking forward to this project finishing on budget and on time next year," Ms Cusack said.

Current condition of the project on the Tourle Street Bridge.

Funding For New Facilities At Nobby's

BY ARIANA GATTI and GARY-JON LYSAGHT

A $1.5 million project plan was unveiled today to develop the iconic Nobby's Headland precinct.

The NSW Government is providing at least half a million to the project which will see viewing decks, a cafe, restaurant, conference facilities, a play area and an outdoor exercise area established.

The new developments around the Newcastle coast will be open to full use by the community, with stage three commencing soon.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Catherine Cusack says the funding is coming from the proceeds of the long-term lease of Newcastle Port.

Cusack says, "It's Newcastle's working harbour that's produced the revenue, it's the passionate community and volunteers who have designed the project and made it happen".

The project will be administered by local business group, Newcastle Now, and director Chris Leck said corporate and community support is being sought to fund the project.

Leck says, “One of the strategies that we have is for a crowdfunding campaign,” he said, adding he couldn’t be certain when it will be launched.

“I’m not sure exactly when, but shortly, so that the community have an opportunity to get behind it as well.”

Stage three of the project will involve the internal fit-out of the catering and conference facilities in the existing buildings on the site.

Catherine Cusack Announces Funding For Nobbys Development

Newcastle Now Director Kris Leck

Cusack Sets Hunter Agenda

BY IAN  CROUCH

Newly appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Catherine Cusack says council amalgamations will be one of her top priorities for the region.

Former Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald will retain his Central Coast responsibilities but now becomes the Parliamentary Secretary for Planning following a re-shuffle of state cabinet.

Catherine Cusack has told the Herald the yet-to-be finalised council amalgamations were a handbrake on the region's growth and has described the Williamtown contamination issue as a disgrace which needs urgent attention.

Catherine Cusack