Ausgrid Industrial Action Put on Hold.

BY DANIELLE RIES.

Ausgrid workers in the Hunter region and across NSW have put planned industrial action on hold as they have given their conditional support for a workplace agreement which will help deliver them wage rises for the first time in four years.

Employees opted to take industrial action unless a new wage deal was struck.

Negotiations are currently underway to increase the wage by 2.75 percent over the next three years along with a one thousand six hundred dollar bonus for each employee.

Employees are also after protection against forced redundancies in line with the NSW Governments privatisation employment protections.

Electrical Trades Union Secretary Dave McKinley says negotiations underway is more than just a pay rise.

"The main negotiations are around trying to ensure we get maximum employment in the Hunter region and the rest of the Ausgrid region.

"But its also to give the company a certain amount of flexibility so they can remain profitable and in turn keep employment levels up". 

He also believes the employees should be treated better regarding pay.

"Throughout this negotiation, we've been trying to find ways to make the company a little bit more profitable and in turn keep levels of employment up across the Ausgrid region, purely so that we don't raise prices for electricity but at the same time the employees get a fair and reasonable wage increase but also keep their jobs". 

Credit- Ausgrid Official Website.

Shark Detection for Blacksmiths

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Summer just got a little safer for beachgoers at Blacksmiths with a funding boost for shark protection.

Lake Macquarie Council were successful in their bid to the state government for funding for drone equipment and training for staff on a 14 week trial.

$33, 290 will be put towards the trial as a part of the NSW Government's Shark Observation Grants Program.

Brad Sutton, the Lifestyle Services Manager at coucil said they'll be able to use the footage if they need to, but generally the same protocols if they spot a shark will apply.

Image surf-forecast.com

"We will be able to share that through media releases as well as maybe on our website any aerial photographs that we have of the sharks. But I guess the important thing is and the take home message is that we will act on that information immediately and close the beach as appropriate."

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot Macdonald said, "Improved survelliance on beaches provide a clearer line of vision for surf lifesavers to spot sharks and are also useful for spotting people in distress."

Brad Sutton said the trial will give them a better idea of how operating a drone fits in with lifesavers day-to-day work.

"The drone technology has been proven to be effective is sighting sharks from the air, part of what we will be looking at is how compatible is driving a drone for a lifeguard given their other safety obligations."

In the end though, anything that will keep surfers, swimmers, rock fishers and beachgoers safe at the beach can only be a good thing.

"For every person that is fatally attacked by a shark, 100 people drown on our beaches so our focus is still highly on water safety and promoting those safety messages. This year has been a significantly busy start to the year, in the first two weeks we've had 172 rescues," said Brad Sutton.

Spat Overshadows Significant Step in Construction of new Maitland Hospital

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A traditional turning of the sod ceremony at the site of the new Maitland Hospital at Metford has been overshadowed by a spat between Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison and Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald.

In front of gathered media yesterday afternoon, Scot MacDonald made it abundantly clear he wasn't happy Jenny Aitchison was there.

He asked her if she was invited and said he wasn't "really happy" she was there because she'd been trying to derail the project for the last two years.

"She hadn't been invited to the sod turning so, you've got to be suited up, we said to her, were you invited, she said no. It's very clear it's not appropriate to have people on the site who are just there to cause mischief," said Scot MacDonald.

He toured the site with representatives from Health Infrastructure and Hunter New England Local Health District inspecting the preliminary work and looking at the concept design for the new hospital.

Concept design for new Maitland Hospital at Metford. Image supplied.

Jenny Aitchison has hit back this morning, accusing Scot MacDonald of spreading lies.

"There's no basis in fact of it, everyone knows that I have been in favour of the hospital for the last two years, the lobbying that I've done has actually secured another $50 million for the project than what the government promised in the first place,"

"It's ensured that the commencement of the works actually happened before the end of this year, something that the government earlier this year said would only start in 2018," said Jenny Aitchison.

Scot MacDonald makes no apologies and didn't back down, calling on Jenny to get on board with the plan because really it's too little too late.

"She's being led by her shadow minister who is actually potentially causing a roadblock to this so you know, my call would be to Jenny, get on board, its a very very large project, there have been enough delays the money is on the table, let us get on with it."

The State Government announced in July it would seek a not-for-profit organisation to operate the hospital and providers are being invited to give their proposals for the site in partnership with the NSW Government.

Jenny Aitchison said Scot MacDonald is just being a bully.

"He's been a bully from the start really and it was just interesting that finally, I guess the media was there when he's launched one of his tirades and that's all it is, there's no basis in fact with it, everyone knows I've been in favour of the hospital for the last two years."

A part from the shock war of words between the two parliamentarians, yesterday was a significant step forward for the hospital's construction.

The enabling works at the site being carried out by Donnelley Constructions Pty Ltd and is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

A new roundabout will be built on Metford Road as a part of the enabling works. Fencing and signage have been erected to establish the site and services will be upgraded including a new water main and the relocation of the above and below ground services such as gas main, power and communication cables.

Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald with Gavin Thompson, Project Director,
Health Infrastructure and Eddie Pirillo, Executive Lead - New Maitland Hospital, Hunter New England Local Health District

Blueprint for the Future of Newcastle

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A blueprint for the next 20 years of living in Newcastle has been created with everything from transport needs to housing.

The Draft Greater Metropolitan Plan has been released this morning looking forward to what the region should look like in 2036 and what challenges it presents.

Gary White, the NSW Chief Planner was in Newcastle this morning to announce the plan and said the city is a great example of one that has completely transformed from being just an industrial town.

"It's all about telling a story, a very exciting story about a city transforming itself from an industrial base into a new world economy over the next 30 years, it's a city which I believe will be talked about around the world as being an exemplary example of how a community transforms itself."

"When you start to hear things about cruise boats coming into your harbour when you start to hear about the strength that's coming out of the education sector, the strength that's coming out of health, your starting to see the front end of the very exciting process of the transformation of Newcastle," said Gary White.

The plan includes plans for the continued revitalisation of Newcastle, the growth of and our use of aerospace, and being strategic about the delivery of housing and jobs.

Local Mayors, Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald and
NSW Chief Planner Gary White at Fort Scratchley this morning.

Gary White says looking forward it's important to think strategically particularly when it comes to jobs.

"We need to create jobs in the right sectors, the sectors such as education, the sectors such as health an also recognising that there's a creative economy and a creative manufacturing economy. There are sectors associated with defence, they're all emerging, they're all opportunities that are presenting themselves for our future community as we go forward."

Greater Newcastle is expected to grow to 700,000 people in 2036 with the potential to continue growing well past that date.

"I believe in 10, 15, 20 years time people will be very proud to say they've come from Newcastle because I think it will be an exemplary example of a city that has transformed itself into a modern economy," said Gary White.

The plan is on exhibition until February 28 next year
http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area/Greater-Newcastle-metropolitan-planning 

Long Awaited Concept Designs for the Newcastle Cruise Terminal Unveiled

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Cruise ship passengers will soon get a first class welcome when they arrive in Newcastle.

The long-awaited concept designs for the Newcastle Cruise Terminal were released this morning.

The $12.7 million terminal will be built at the Channel Berth where passengers will be able to see harbour views and more easily move around, while the position in the harbour will allow for bigger cruise ships to visit Newcastle more often.

The design is influenced by Newcastle's working harbour. Image supplied.

Port of Newcastle's CEO Geoff Crowe said construction will be undertaken throughout next year and be finished by the end of 2018.

"The tenders for the lead construction firm open today and a principal contractor will be appointed early in the new year. So we are pushing pretty hard to make sure we meet that deadline and to also ensure we deliver the cruise terminal by the end of next year," said Geoff.

It's estimated that already cruise shipping in Newcastle injects around $11 million per annum into the local economy. Once finished, its expected the number will jump to around $26.7 million.

"As Novocastrians, we are proud of the contribution the port makes to the region's economy and this project will provide a welcome boost to businesses throughout the Hunter," said Geoff.

Image supplied.

The purpose-built facility will stretch over 3,000m2 and include facilities for passenger drop-off and pick up, coach parking and vessel provisioning.

It will give passengers a more professional experience as well. Geoff said it will be good-bye to the white marquee which goes up whenever a cruise ship pulls into the Port.

"I think most people are getting a bit tired of the white marquee go up and down. It's done a very good job for a number of years but the cruise terminal will replace the white marquee and it will give us a permanent, professional visiting experience for our passengers visiting the Port."

Image supplied.

State Government Throwing Millions of Dollars into Stopping Food Waste

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Australians waste 400,000,000 tonnes of food each year, but now organisations in the Hunter can apply for grants to bring that figure down.

In a bid to cut down on the 345 kilograms of food Aussies throw out per household, the NSW Government is throwing millions of dollars worth of grants the Hunter's way to bring the waste down.

Councils and food relief agencies in the Hunter can apply for a share in $2 million in grants to help rescue surplus food before it gets sent to landfill.

Image www.foodwise.com.au

"Landfill is filling up prematurely which is obviously a problem for us as well, but if you can make better use of that surplus food, instead of just throwing it away help people who are in a difficult situation to meet those family budgets and meet the needs," said Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Scot MacDonald.

Grants of up to $200,000 are available over two years to support local projects that raise awareness and improve education on food rescue.

The OzHarvest is a local organisation across Australia who collects quality excess food from commercial outlets and delivers it directly to more than 1000 charities supporting people in need across the country.

"Supermarkets do a really great job, instead of throwing it away they call these organisations that distribute it amongst the community that really needs it and importantly though they do need a lot of infrastructure I've noticed when you do visit the depots,"

They've got a lot of freezers, a lot of fridges, shelving all of those sorts of things and that's primarily what these grants are aimed at," said Scot MacDonald.