Australia Post reminds Hunter residents to look out for posties as new tech is installed on vehicles

 BY JAMES CARTER    

Australia Post is reminding Hunter residents to watch out for posties as the busy Christmas parcel delivery period gets underway. 

With online shopping surging during the holiday season,  Australia Post expects a record-breaking Christmas and is using telematics, with data and video from devices installed in thousands of electric delivery vehicles, motorcycles, vans and trucks to help identify hazards, educate drivers and reduce risks on the road. 

Australia Post's National Head of Network Implementation Col Hindle said common incidents occur when reversing out of driveways or when dogs are not secured. 

"As Christmas and school holidays come around, we do see a lot of incidents," Mr Hindle said.

"The end game is just to ensure our people are going home safe and that we interact with the community in a safe manner." 

Australia Post will use video footage from cameras mounted on vehicles to improve service and ensure drivers meeting customer expectations by following road rules. 

The upgraded vehicles will also feature a duress button, which can be used during an incident get help. 

Australia Post Electric Delivery Vehicle
Source: Australia Post

Stop It, or Cop It on the Hunter's Roads

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Stop it or cop it.

That's the message to drivers during the Christmas period to deter them from taking risks and encourage greater responsibility for their behaviour on the road.

The new campaign from the Sate Government comes as the state's largest high visibility road safety Police Operation: Safe Arrival gets underway. Safe Arrival started last night at midnight and will continue until 11:59pm on New Years Day.

In addition double demerits are also in place from next Friday (22nd December 2017) until Monday 1st January for all speeding, mobile phone, seatbelt and motorcycle-helmet offencers and officers will be out in large numbers during that period targeting all types of dangerous driving behavious.

Chief Inspector Gerard Lawson said the key thing over the Christmas period on the road is to be patient.

"We know you've got to get there, don't rush to get there and be patient with yourself and your own timings and also be patient with other road users. Occasionally people make mistakes, let's not let those mistakes be fatal."

"While everybody else is getting ready to go away, our highway patrol and general duties police aren't on holidays, they're staying at work just to make sure everyone is safe and there will be plenty of police on the road doing speed enforcement and alcohol enforcement and all of our regular activity at this time of the year," said Chief Inspector Lawson.

Chief Inspector Lawson believes that while the double demerits during Operation Safe Arrival are a good deterrent for drivers to stay safe, we shouldn't need them, and should just remember that our actions on the road can affect more than just ourselves.

"But that shouldn't be the focus, you know it should be about doing the right thing and being patient with your neighbours and other road users so that everyone gets to where they need to go."

Minister for Police Troy Grant said motorists are continuing to take risks despite the number of fatalities this year and despite the number of police out on the roads.

"There will be more police tackling risky behaviour on our roads this Christmas as a part of Operation Safe Arrival and the message to motorists is clear - you're responsible for your own actions, you can either Stop it... Or cop it," said Troy Grant.

The Salvation Army Urging Hunter Families to Dig Deep this Christmas

BY SARAH JAMES

The Salvation Army is calling upon the Hunter to give back this Christmas as part of their annual appeal, with local families doing it tougher than ever.

Research commissioned by the Salvation Army has revealed that approximately 1.6 million Australians are unable to afford presents this Christmas.

During the holiday season, the Salvation Army is aiming to help more than 300,000 people by serving 10 000 meals and giving around half a million gifts.

Salvation Army area officer Mark Everett says donations are desperately needed in order to meet the high demand.

For those looking to contribute to the cause, presents can be donated at any Newcastle Permanent Branch until the 20th of December.

Light Rail On Track To Be Laid Over The Weekend

BY MATT JOHNSTON

Following the arrival of 12 kilometres of light rail track in Newcastle last Thursday, preparations are underway to have the track laid by the beginning of next week.A track slab will be poured at the intersection of Hunter and Merewether streets on the weekend, followed by the installation of the first tracks in the embattled project.

Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance is claiming this as an important milestone for the project. He's praised the team involved with the project for their hard work trying to maintain the works schedule. He says "it's all systems go" down at the site.

Mr Constance is claiming it as a win for the Berejiklian government, saying they're determined to just "[get] on with the job".

"It'll be a project that progresses very quickly, and at the end of the day,  the city is going to get a fantastic light rail project that is going to transform the community."

The work is "tracking along nicely", and although nothing can be guaranteed, Mr Constance is confident the rest of the light rail work will be delivered on time. He says this will not only benefit the wider community, but also the businesses that have seen a downturn in profit as a result of construction.

Both the Andrew Constance and Michael Cassel, program director for Revitalising Newcastle, are urging people to support the affected businesses. To show Novocastrains the CBD is still open for business, Revitalising Newcastle will be hosting a Christmas program that features rides and Christmas displays in Wheeler Place, story readings at Newcastle Museum, a treasure hunt, and Santa photos.

For more details, visit the Revitalising Newcastle calendar.

Photo credit: Revitalising Newcastle

Share the Dignity

BY MATT JOHNSTON

The festive season is a time for indulgence and spending time with friends and family. But tragically, incidences of domestic violence skyrocket at this time of year. And when women are forced to flee dangerous situations, important things are all-too-often left behind.

Maitland MP Jenny Aitchison is calling on the community to support Share The Dignity's holiday campaign #It'sInTheBag. Women are encouraged to donate old (or new) handbags in reasonable condition, along with toiletries, to the charity.

Share The Dignity will then distribute the bags to local charities who help women in need. Ms Aitchison says when women are fleeing domestic violence or dangerous home situations, small but important things like shampoo or tissues are often forgotten.

"Coming up to Christmas it's usually a peak in numbers of domestic violence incidents. Often [the women] will just leave with perhaps their wallet and their keys and that's about it."

She says during this stressful time, mothers trying to look after their children and hold down their job can't afford to focus on the small items needed to stay comfortable and clean. This year, It's In The Bag needs shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, and sanitary items.

 "This is just a small part everyone in the community can play in trying to help these women feel that they are cared for."

She says the items don't need to be expensive or fancy, and everything helps in making women feel " clean and comfortable and safe" and to help keep their dignity.

Drop-off locations for donations include Ms Aitchison's office 34 Church Street Maitland, or any Bunnings Warehouse. The full list and more information is available at the Share The Dignity website. The campaign is running until December 2nd.

Accused murderer's trial begins

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The toddler who went missing from Scone more than 16 years ago still hasn't been found, but her mother and accused murderer's trial began yesterday in Newcastle Supreme Court.

The 44-year-old woman, who can't be identified for legal reasons, stands accused of murdering her 16 month old daughter between Christmas 2000 and Christmas 2001.

She was arrested in Scone last year when community services became involved with another child - she has been diagnosed with mental illness and Crown Prosecutor Lee Carr alleges when asked where her daughter was she gave varying accounts and never told authorities her exact whereabouts.

One such account includes the mother alleging she sent the toddler to live with an elderly couple. But investigations into the alleged couple found they didn't even exist.

The Crown said in his opening address: "the accused killed the child and disposed of the body. That body having never been found".

The trial continues.

Putty Road fatality in multi-vehicle crash

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The number of tragedies on the Hunter's roads continued to grow over this Christmas and New Year, with one motorcyclist dead and a second in a serious condition after a horror multi-vehicle crash on Putty Road yesterday.

Emergency services were called to the scene at about 1:30pm following reports three motorcycles and a small truck had collided.

The condition of the third motorcyclist is still unknown and the truck driver was uninjured but taken to hospital for mandatory testing.

NSW Police Operation Safe Arrival wrapped up last night with the finish of double demerits.

Petrol price hike in the Hunter

BY JESSICA ROUSE

With Christmas fast approaching, petrol prices in the Hunter are rising even further with an NRMA study finding Maitland has had the highest price hike in the past week, with unleaded petrol rising 11.6 cents per litre.

Prices at the bowser Goulburn isn't far behind with a 6.8 cent rise and Muswellbrook isn't much better averaging a 6.5 cent per litre price rise.

Regional areas across the state are experiencing higher than usual price rises with Buladelah paying 135.4 for unleaded and Gundagai paying not much less, 135.2.

Library Calls for Donations in Christmas Fine Amnesty

BY GEORGIA LUPTON

In an act of Christmas charity, Newcastle City Library is encouraging book borrowers with late fees to make a donation of non-perishable food or toiletries.

The 'Food for Five, Toiletries for Ten' initiative is being run in libraries across Australia and the world, helping residents to clear their name of overdue library charges in exchange for assisting those less fortunate.

This is Newcastle City Library's first time running the initiative.

Local emergency relief agencies including Street Care, OzHarvest, the Samaritans and Baptist Care will distribute the goods to Newcastle residents in need this Christmas.

Non-perishable food donations are worth $5 in fines and toiletries are worth $10.

Patricia Annetts from Newcastle City Library says anyone can make a donation.

Donations can be made until the 12th of December.

Donations of non-perishable food or toiletries can be made at Newcastle City Library 

Keep your Furry Friend Safe this Christmas

While we can expect ourselves in indulge a little this Christmas, Hunter residents are being urged to ensure foods and other hazards harmful to cats and dogs are out of reach of their paws.

The Newcastle Animal Referral and Emergency Centre (NAREC) at Broadmeadow has recently discharged Max, a 1 year-old golden retriever after underwent surgery to remove to skewer sticks from his stomach after he got a hold of them in the chaos of a family get together.

NAREC CEO Wendy Fisher says chocolate is also rather toxic to dogs and "certainly the more pure the cocoa, dark chocolate is more toxic than milk chocolate".

"Another hazard is tinsel and particularly cats like to play with tinsel and swallow it and that can cause a nasty effect in the intestines and cause rupture of the intestines in severe cases".

Keep their paws off hazardous food and ornaments

"Grapes and raisins can cause kidney failure in dogs, we don't know the mechanism and the toxic dose is not known".

Pet owners are also urged to be wary of the dangers of leftover Christmas ham or turkey fat.

More details on other common hazards for pets over Christmas can be found on the NAREC website.