Clowns Caught In Crossfire

Ruby The Clown. Photo Courtesy Maitland Mercury. 

BY MICHAEL LANGHAM

A hunter children's entertainer has been forced to change her business practices, following the 'Creepy Clown" trend sweeping across the nation.

Ruby The Clown experienced a case of mistaken identity whilst driving home from one of her shifts, being verbally abused whilst stopped at a set of traffic lights.

Entertainers and business owners are taking measures to protect staff and reassure parents that their outfits are child friendly.

Ruby says she has advised her staff to remove makeup after shows and insists "the phone is still ringing, people are still booking clowns... I personally think this is a passing fad."

There have been 19 sightings of people in clown suits between Friday to Tuesday, with police saying they will take a tough stance against this behavior.

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.

Aboriginal Land Council Lodge Claim to Marina

Source: Newcastle Herald

BY MICHAEL LANGHAM

The NSW Aboriginal Land Council has lodged a claim over the the site where the Pelican Marina once stood in Lake Macquarie.

The Crown land has been left vacant following part of the marina's structure collapsing in February.  

The claim is currently being considered by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, with the Aboriginal Land Council intending to transfer the site to Bahtabah Local Aboriginal Land Council.

Bahtabah CEO Michael Green says a successful claim would benefit the community and future generations.

"It became vacant crown land, so that's why we put a claim over it; and what happens with that is for future generations," he says.

Under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, land councils are entitled to lodge claims over unused or unneeded Crown Land.