Hunter MP urges action on koala habitat in Hawks Nest

 BY JAMES CARTER 

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington is pushing the NSW government to buy land in Hawks Nest that locals consider to be a koala habitat.

Ms Washington has written to NSW Environment Minister Matt Kean with concerns that the sale could be catastrophic to local koala conservations. 

Local residents have reported frequent koala sightings at the site and in the letter Ms Washington is pressing the Minister to take action before the expression of interest ends. 

The six hectares of land has been advertised by Commercial Collective as a 'once in a generation opportunity' and is taking interest for the site until July 8. 

The land is adjacent to existing residential areas and is zoned for low and medium residential development and environmental conservation. 

Ms Washington says that maintaining the Koala population was crucial to Port Stephens. 

"People move to these areas, people Holiday in these areas, Port Stephens is renowned for its beauty because of its environment we must preserve this elements to ensure for the economy's sake let alone for biodiversity's sake, Ms Washington.

Image: Kate Washington MP Facebook

Abbott vs Washington: Mambo Wetlands battleground for pre-poll

BY JARROD MELMETH

Independent Port Stephens councillor Jaimie Abbott has been officially endorsed as the Liberal Party candidate for the State seat in the March 2019 election.

In 2013, Cr Abbott unsuccessfully contested the federal seat of Newcastle but managed a swing of 3.7 per cent to the Liberal Party.

Cr Abbott was elected as an independent east-ward councillor in the 2017 Port Stephens local elections.

Cr Abbott said whatever the outcome, she would still remain on Port Stephens council until the end of her term.

"When I first got elected, I made the pledge that I would always put my community first and nothing will change that. It is at the forefront of every decision I make on council," Cr Abbot said.

One of the major issues of contention for Port Stephens in the lead up to the March elections is the NSW Governments sell-off of the Mambo Wetlands at Salamander Bay, which Ms Abbot says she is a strong advocate for and will not be changing her stance on the issue under new leadership.

"I moved a motion at council last year, which was supported unanimously, which included compulsorily acquiring the site and I still believe that is the best way forward to make sure that we can return the land back into public ownership," Cr Abbott said.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington said she congratulates Cr Abbott on the endorsement but does not know what to make of her position on the Mambo Wetlands.

"She is a Liberal Party member. She has claimed to have influence with the Premier. Why on Earth the land has not been returned to public hands yet? I don't know," Ms Washington said.

L-R: Liberal Candidate for Port Stephens Jaimie Abbott & incumbent MP
Kate Washington.

MP Labels Mambo Wetlands Buy-Back Plans "A Flop"

BY JARROD MELMETH

It has been two years since the NSW Government sold the Mambo Wetlands at Salamander Bay and six months since the Premier wrote to Port Stephens Council indicating that the government would explore its options for purchasing the site back.

In her letter, the Premier said the government was looking to purchase the land through the Coastal Lands Protection Scheme which is used to bring coastal lands into public ownership. The Department of Planning administers the scheme, which receives an annual budget allocation of $3 million for strategic acquisitions.

In Parliamentary question time, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington asked the Minister for Planning when the Department will make a determination on the application to repurchase the Mambo Wetlands site at Salamander Bay using the funding from the Coastal Lands Protection Scheme.

Minister for Planning Anthony Roberts responded saying the Department of Planning has offered to purchase the land but "at this point in time the owner of the Mambo Wetlands site has not accepted the offer."

Ms Washington said if the owner is not willing to sell it back, the government must use its powers to compulsorily acquire the land.

"The government could have already acquired the land. The government knew when they sold it off, how precious this land was. Once they did it they said it was a mistake. They are responsible for fixing their mistake and they have the power to do it," Ms Washington said.

In March, the NSW Labor opposition committed to buying back the land if it forms government in the March 2019 state election.

Mambo Wetlands Site at Salamander Bay.
Photo: Port Stephens Examiner.

"We're being abandoned": Williamtown Contamination Saga Sees No End

BY JESSICA ROUSE

"We're being abandoned."

It's how residents living in the Williamtown red zone feel after the Department of Defence came to give them yet another map of the contaminated area and revised guidelines on how to deal with it.

More than 250 residents packed into the Murrook Cultural Centre last night to see an updated Human Health Risk Assessment from Defence including a new map with four colour-coded risk zones, which appears different to the one issued by the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) just two weeks ago.

The risk assessment aimed to assess the potential human health risks of exposure to PFAS impacted soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, seafood, and others.

The four risk zones carry varying levels of contamination. Defence also issued its own set of precautionary guidelines for each of the zones. In the risk assessment, Defence advises residents to follow the precautions to "minimise their exposure to PFAS pending further information becoming available."

But it's feeling like too little too late for residents who are begging for an escape.

Lindsay Clout, the President of the Fullerton Cove Residents Action group believes the meeting last night was a joke.

"Make no mistake what happened last night was the Department of Defence walking away from the responsibility of this contamination. They spent two hours last night telling us that we, the community, now have to manage the impacts of this contamination."

"It's more of the same, which is nothing. I mean, the Department of Defence must have the biggest mirror in the country because pretty well every question that was asked of them last night their response was 'we will look into it'," said Lindsay.

Department of Defence representatives admitted no human blood tests were included in the data they collected to create their map of the contamination zone, adding to the frustration of residents.

"[Port Stephens MP] Kate Washington asked the question 'was there any blood testing results included in the construction of the map' and the answer was no. And she asked 'how is it a human health risk assessment can be presented without human health results?' And the disturbing thing is that defence didn't even understand the question," said Lindsay.

Lindsay couldn't believe the incompetence he witnessed at last night's meeting particularly when it came to Defence's list of guidelines for residents.

"But the paradox of the whole issue is, Defence keep putting out this statement that there are no known health impacts from the chemical, yet they're telling us don't eat your eggs, don't grow your vegetables in the contaminated area, don't drink the bore water, you have to be cautious with this, you have to be cautious with that,"

"And then they tell us well it shouldn't really matter because there are no known health impacts from it. It's just out of control."

EPA v. Department of Defence

In early November, the red zone was expanded to include another 250 properties in Fullerton Cove and Salt Ash.

The EPA's map and report were based on the same data as Defence's map but they instead divide the area up into three zones. In one zone, the risk is high and strict restrictions are in place and in the two other zones contamination is either confirmed or potentially present and those have less strict precautions.

"The Defence risk assessment provides people with some background to the science and the data but we recommend that people focus on the EPA map which provides them with all of the information that they need to follow the precautions and keep themselves safe on their properties," said Northern Region Director of the EPA Adam Gilligan.

Environment Protection Authority map fo the contaminated zone.

Department of Defence map of the contaminated red zone.

There are differing precautions listed between Defence and the EPA. For instance according to Defence eating home-grown fruit and vegetables is acceptable in some areas, but according to the EPA guidelines, all residents are advised not to eat anything grown on their properties.

Adam Gilligan said they understand the horrible time residents are having and want to help holding numerous drop-in sessions, and are happy to meet with residents one-on-one.

He adds now it's also time to move into an ongoing management phase at the site because the contamination isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

"So we are continuing to work with Defence to get more done to stop contamination leaving the base first and foremost and also do ongoing monitoring to make sure that we continue to assess the levels of contamination in the environment."

The EPA was at two information sessions being held today in Williamtown, and will be at Salt Ash Primary School tomorrow from 3:30pm until 6pm for any residents who couldn't go along today.

The EPA's findings and advice can be found here.

The summary of the Department of Defence's risk assessment can be found here.

In the end, Lindsay said it's all infuriated him even further and he doesn't know who to believe.

"Well, in my opinion, none of it. The only person I believe has any credibility on this issue at all is Professor Mary O'Kane, NSW Chief Scientist but they don't seem to be listening to her."

 "I just despair at where we're going, we're being abandoned, and now we're being given the responsibility to deal with contamination."

Bus drivers underpaid under new transport boss

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

Things haven't gone as smoothly for Newcastle bus drivers since the city's public transport was taken over by Keolis Downer last month.

Drivers say they're being underpaid hundreds of dollars, leaving them out of pocket with the prospect of more payment delays.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington quizzed the transport minister on the issue in parliament yesterday, asking if the underpayment was an example of what he meant by greater efficiencies under privatisation.

It sounds like everyone knows and are trying to rectify the problem - Transport Minister Andrew Constance says the company told him they're aware of the issue and are working to fix it as soon as possible.

Foley: Medowie High School will happen under Labor

BY JARROD MELMETH

15 years after a Medowie High School was first put to parliament, the NSW State Opposition have reconfirmed their 2015 election promise to build the school.

In 2015, NSW Labor went to the polls promising a new $40 million high school during its first term if elected.

NSW Labor Leader Luke Foley was in Medowie on Tuesday to announce the re-commitment and to also call on the government to deliver the project.

The 2016 census has revealed that Medowie is home to almost 10,000 people, with almost 3,000 residents being aged between 0 and 19 years old. The census also shows almost 500 high school students are travelling outside of Medowie to attend school.

The nearest government high school to Medowie is Irrawang High School which, in 2016 had a maintenance backlog of $1.53 million and received only $1.1 million in funding from the State Government in May.

Hunter River High School is the next closest government high school to Medowie which also had a maintenance backlog of $1.46 million before receiving only $1 million from the same government funding.

NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley said only Labor is prepared to invest in what our public schools need.

"Six years of neglect means we now have a school overcrowding crisis.

"When it comes to investing in our children's education, Labor will do so much more than the Liberals and Nationals," Mr Foley said.

The calls for a public high school in Medowie first began in 2002, when the then Member for Paterson Bob Baldwin acknowledged the community's need for a high school in the area.

Last week NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian was in the Hunter boasting record spending on education in the state which Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington says is laughable considering Medowie is being shunned once again.

"I have been involved in the local campaign for the past 11 years and other people have been involved in it longer than me.

"We have known that we have needed a high school there for so long now and yet the current government continues to ignore the need and the demand from the community.

"It is about our kid's education and their health and well-being. When they are spending over two hours on a bus every day to get to and from school, that takes a lot of time out of their day and out of their ability to connect with their friends and the community.

"From everything I am doing in Parliament; I keep calling for it, I keep being told that it is not needed, so I am now convinced that the only way that we will see a high school in Medowie, is if Labor is elected in 2019," Ms Washington said.

Luke Foley & Kate Washington in Medowie on Tuesday.
Photo Source: Twitter @Luke_FoleyNSW

Death at Stockton group home

BY IAN CROUCH and JESSICA ROUSE

An investigation has been launched into the death of a disabled woman at a Stockton Group home.

Another resident is in hospital suffering serious health issues just weeks after moving into the group home.

The former centre resident and the severely disabled woman had only just moved into their new home when they experienced health complications believed to be linked to dehydration and feeding issues - the second woman is still recovering in hospital.

The quality of care is being questioned within the group homes with residents moving in from the Stockton Centre which is due to close.

The State Opposition says it highlights the concerns about transferring severely disabled residents out of the Centre, possibly into care which is not up to standard.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter Kate Washington says the government promised the high level of care given to Stockton Centre would continue at Group homes.

"Governments have been providing reassurances for families and advocates that the care will be what it needs to be and we just have very little confidence that government is doing that. The government instead tells us that with giving additional resources to the ombudsman as far as I'm concerned it's all far too late by the time its gone to the ombudsman," said Kate Washington.

Image Newcastle Herald.

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

Renewed calls to end council mergers

BY TYLER FARDELL

The government's controversial forced council amalgamations policy continues to be an issue with Shadow Minister for the Hunter Kate Washington calling for the mergers to be scrapped.

Ms Washington has stated her intentions to meet with new Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Catherine Cusack and discuss the issue.

“As the government's Hunter representative it is vital that Ms Cusack doesn’t just meet with Councils, but also with the residents and businesses who will be negatively impacted by forced mergers.”

The mergers were proposed over a year ago, yet there is still no definitive decision over many council's futures.

The proposed amalgamation between Newcastle and Port Stephens council as well Dungog and Maitland councils are still in limbo, which is having an impact on many council decisions.

The issue was put back in the spotlight when deputy premier Barilaro stated the would be no more 'mergers in the bush', however Ms Cusack says the mergers are a good thing.

Kate Washington

Mental health: the topic of conversation in Port Stephens

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Mental health is the hot topic this week in Port Stephens with MP Kate Washington kicking off by hosting NSW Mental Health Commissioner John Feneley alongside other mental health professionals at a community forum on mental health tonight.

The forum is part of the week long focus on mental health, with R U Ok Day on Thursday and World Suicide Prevention Day on Saturday.

Kate Washington says there is a severe lack of services in the area, and the aim of this week will be to raise awareness of this.

"We have very few services where people can turn when they need help and that is really critical in this whole setting. People need to know that they've got somewhere to go if they do need support."

Port Stephens Mental Health Forum
Time: 5:45 for a 6pm start. Conclude by 8pm
Venue: Wests Nelson Bay Diggers, Shoal Bay Rd, Nelson Bay
RSVP: 4987 4455 or portstephens@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Kate Washington calling for an Upper House Inquiry into Williamtown Contamination

BY JARROD MELMETH

State Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington is hoping for cross bench support for an upper house inquiry into the Williamtown contamination crisis.

The motion was introduced to parliament yesterday by Shadow Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe which has seen support from The Greens but has not seen any support from the government.

Kate Washington says she is now discussing possible terms of reference with cross-benchers.

"Hopefully if we can get their support we can have the motion voted on and passed, so that we can get it the inquiry underway as soon as possible."

It has been 11 months since the Williamtown contamination became public.

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington. Photo courtesy
of Facebook.

Newcastle Misses Out On World Cup

BY IAN CROUCH

 There's growing anger over the decision to exclude Hunter Stadium from hosting matches at next year's Rugby League World Cup.

Games will be played across the country including Cairns, Darwin and Perth, however Rugby League heartlands such as Newcastle and Wollongong will miss out.

Organisers say it's because the state government chose not to support the event - Shadow Minister for the Hunter, Kate Washington says the decision is mind boggling.

Kate Washington

Tomaree Community Hospital promised X-Ray Machine

BY BRIDGET GUNN

Labor Candidate for Paterson Meryl Swanson and State Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington have promised that Tomaree Community Hospital will receive $1 million for an X-Ray machine under a Shorten Labor Government.

This new X-Ray machine is expected to relieve stress on a range of emergency services including patient transport, ambulances and the John Hunter Hospital.

Meryl Swanson says the machine will be a vital addition to the Tomaree Peninsula, as the lack of access to basic health services is becoming increasingly dire.

"To think that an area like that, that has an ageing and growing population, we've got young people playing sport and they don't even have the capacity to get an X-Ray in their emergency department," says Ms Swanson.

"It's not good enough."

X-Ray Machine
Source: Middletown Medical Imaging

Port Stephens residents voice anger at merger meeting

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Port Stephens residents voiced their anger and frustration at the first meeting of the inquiry into the proposed merger between Port Stephens Council and Dungog Shire Council yesterday.

Fifty residents attended the meeting in Nelson Bay, expressing their anger at the Baird government’s forced amalgamations alongside Port Stephens MP Kate Washington.

Washington says residents feel the NSW government have failed their community.

“The community’s voice has been completely ignored, they all voiced opposition to it, we’ve been refused a plebiscite, no one is taking any notice of what our community’s wishes are. For a government, they are meant to work with communities, support communities, instead we are seeing a government imposing decisions on our community”.

On 12th May Premier Mike Baird and Local Government Minister Toole announced that 46 councils would be merged into 19 new councils.

The proposed mergers set to impact Newcastle, Port Stephens, Dungog and Maitland Councils, have been put on hold due to the ongoing inquiry into the proposed merger between Port Stephens Council and Dungog Shire Council.

The merger has received overwhelming community opposition with 803 submissions lodged prior to the latest Delegate report, 747 of which opposed the merger. Despite this, the Delegate’s report recommends proceeding with the merger.

Washington said, “We want to stand alone, we’ve earned the right to stand alone and we operate successfully in that manner. The government has failed to prove that there are any efficiencies moving or merging in any direction, but we’re being entirely ignored”.

Hunter school maintenance backlog soars

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The NSW Department of Education’s latest annual report revealed a $281 million underspend in Hunter schools.

In 2014-15, the Baird Government were committed to investing $14.2 billion on education. Instead, the Department’s own report found there the underspend of $281 million.

Schools in the Hunter are currently facing maintenance backlogs totalling $70 million, with Maitland High School at $1.6 million and two high schools in Raymond Terrace sitting at $1.5 million in maintenance backlog.

The maintenance backlog consists of basic issues such as toilet and sewer repairs, painting, replacing windows, fixing damaged rooves and other general repairs.

The report also revealed in 2015 the government decreased spending on maintenance in Hunter schools by $26.6 million dollars increasing the maintenance backlog.

Shadow Minister for the Hunter Kate Washington says that these small problems will only continue to rise, with the State Government failing to take responsibility.

"It continues to rise because government doesn't spend anything on fixing the small problems, so the small problems get bigger and bigger until it becomes this massive backlog and the government just puts its head in the sand".

"We've got the Federal government threatening to push more responsibility back onto the state government, the state government isn't taking the responsibility it needs to take already for our public schools. It's leaving a dire situation in our public schools".

There is also an increasing demand for a public high school at Medowie, as the community continues to grow making the underspend even more concerning.