Scissor Scoundrel

A 13-year-old girl will face Broadmedow Children's Court, after Shortland residents allegedly found her inside their house early this morning.

The Bardia Road residents awoke after hearing noises, and allegedly found the youth with a pair of scissors.

Acting Senior Sergeant Robert Waugh says the home-owners detained the teenager before police arrived at the scene.

Noisy Neighbours

Police have praised Groovin the Moo revellers however Maitland residents were not so impressed with the noise levels.

Acts began performing at Maitland Showground around 11am and finished up around 10.30pm.

One residents complained to 2NUR.FM  that he could hear the event from 5 kilometres away.

Inspector Brain Tracy said the event often receives complaints from nearby residents and one of the headline acts did breach the Environment Protection Authority noise levels.

“Later on in the evening, around about 9.30pm one of the headlining acts was on, and the noise was very loud compared to the other acts. So we had our licencing police check with the event organisers… for a short time they were over (the EPA) limits so the music was turned straight down,” Inspector Tracy said.

The event at Maitland show ground attracted more than 16,000 people; police reported only 27 arrests for drug possession.

“We found that the audience was generally over eighteen,” Inspector Tracy said, “for that many people to have very minimal arrests and drug possessions, we were pretty happy with it.”

Police say this year’s festival behaviour  was moderately better than previous years. 

Dust Survey Results Released

Tighes Hill Community Group has released the preliminary findings of their survey on attitudes towards the coal industry.

The 'Coal Dust Free Streets' project aimed to find out resident's opinions on coal pollution, noise and the proposed fourth coal terminal.

The results show that 65% of residents are opposed to T4, over 70% support a curfew on train movements between 11am and 5am and over 85% believe covers should be implemented on waggons, stockpiles and loaders.

 

"This is a community that lives right on the door stop of the Carrington coal facility and they clearly think it's about time the industry cleans up it's act," said Zane Alcorn, from the Coal Terminal Action Group.

 

Mr Alcorn said modern coal terminal are entirely enclosed.

"Carrington is basically a dinosaur of the 1970s and there's a recent coal terminal in Western Australia and the stock piles and load facilities are completely enclosed. We know that technology is commercially available," he said.

Tighes Hill Community Group spokesperson, Charlotte McCabe agreed with Mr Alcorn.

"While in Newcastle we're still debating weather or not dust is a health issue for us here, in other parts of the world they've already worked out that it is very serious health concern and they've developed new technology for covering stock piles and train [waggons] and loaders," she said.

The Tighes Hill survey is a pilot for a wider survey early next year.

"We really hope we can see some good out comes from this survey," Ms McCabe said.

Newcastle in the spotlight as Special Olympics gets underway.

The Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games got underway at Hunter Stadium, with more than 2300 athletes attending the opening ceremonies.

Competition will begin today for 9 different sports, and people are encouraged to spectate the events which are admission-free.

Games Director Chris Hevrin says Newcastle is more than up to the task of hosting a great games.

“We had just under 25 000 people in the stadium, the atmosphere was just electric,” he said, “I’ve never seen so many people with a smile on their face and I don’t think I’ve ever been to an event, big concerts included, where people danced as much for the whole night. It was just amazing!”

The games have attracted athletes from 29 nations, and are the first to be held for the Asia-Pacific region.

“It just means so much to them and they’re representing their country, this is an very very special occasion for them. A lot them have ever been on a plane before, quite a lot have not seen any ocean [sic] before,” said Mr Hevrin.

The athletes are staying at various places around the Newcastle and Port Stephen’s area.

The events are free to spectate and the full schedule of events can be found on their website.

Bulga and Rio Tinto Battle Continues

Bulga residents have accused the government of colluding with Rio Tinto to expand the Mount Thorley Walkworth mine.

Rio Tinto lodged an application on November 12 to expand the mine into Saddle Ridge, the natural barrier between Bulga and the mine.

Previously Rio Tinto planned to expand the Walkworth mine to within 2.6 kilometres of Bugla. After challenges from local group, Bulgra Mibrodale Progress Association, the application was over turned by the NSW Land and Mineral Association and is currently being challenged in the Supreme Court by Rio Tinto and NSW Government.

John Krey, vice president of the BMPA, said that the move is a breach of faith.

“The deed in 2003 and the Land and Environment court says they can’t touch [Saddle Ridge],” he said.

The New South Wales Minerals Council claim the expansion has received over 900 positive submissions.

Mr Krey said claims the positive submissions where the result of a marketing campaign by Rio Tinto and the Minerals Councils.

“You can tell the same lie 900 times but that doesn’t make the truth,” Mr Krey said, “we’re only a small town of 350 people; we don’t have the financial resources to do a campaign that the Minerals Councils and Rio Tinto have. So, yeah, they got a lot of submissions but you’ve got to look at the meat of the submission, and I think if you look at the submissions that said ‘no’ to the mine you’ll find there’s a lot of meat in that.”

Miner crushed by 400-tonne truck

Revensworth coal mine near Singleton will remain closed today as workers receive counselling following the death of a contractor.

The contracted miner is believed to have been on a routine break when her 4-wheel drive crossed into the path of a 250-tonne dump truck on Saturday night, crushing her vehicle.
Construction, Forestry and Electrical Union spokesman, Peter Jordan, says a lot of employees have been affected by the incident.

"When there’s a fatality on a mine site it’s an enormous impact upon fellow workers and in this particular case you’ve just got to work very closely with all employees to satisfy that their health and safety as well as their state of mind is right,” said Mr Jordan, “all employees should be able to go to work return home safely… it’s unfortunate that this female mine worker hasn’t been able to do that, I think that’s enough of an alarm bell to the industry to make sure that these incidents don’t occur again.”

Several agencies, including the CFEU, will be investigating the incident. Investigations will focus on how the woman missed several signs on her way to the T-intersection.
 
Mr Jordan said inadequate signage may be to blame.

“We’ll be examining what they mean by ‘give way signs’ as opposed to ‘stop signs’, because we’re told there way only a give way sign there… there has to be a complete overhaul of an understanding as to how, why and when light vehicles should interact such heavy equipment,” he said.

Police and inspectors from NSW Trade and Investment’s Mine Safety Investigation Unit are also investigating.
 

 

Port Stephens house wins Hunter Home of the Year

A Salamnader Bay home has won this year's Hunter Home of the Year at Housing Industry Association awards night.

Port Stephen's company, Sean Richards Building, constructed the house which is said to have "exceptional workmanship and out of the box design".

 

The house also won awards for 'Custom Built Home over $1 million' and 'Custom Built Home of the Year'.

 

Hunter HIA Deputy Executive Director, Craig Jennion, said that there were a few newcomers who did well and Nadin West Joinery won 'Kitchen Project of the Year' for the fourth year running.

The awards acknowledge the residential industry across the Hunter, the overall winners of major categories will go on to represent the Hunter at the Australian Housing Awards.

Mr Jennion said the Hunter often does very well on a national level.

"For a small region we've done very well [at the Australian Housing Awards]" said Mr Jennion, "multiple times the overall home of the year has come out of the Hunter".

Hunter Seat Retained by Fitzgibbon

The Federal Seat of the Hunter has been retained by incumbent Joel Fitzgibbon.
 
The Former Agriculture Minister experienced a swing of 8.6% against him, the largest against Labor in New South Wales.
 
Mr Ftizgibbon believes he will remain at the forefront of the party.
 
"I think it's important that I play a leadership role in the new government,” said Mr Fitzgibbon, “we’ve got a rebuilding process ahead of us.”
 
Mr Fitzgibbon has held the Hunter seat since 1996, and says he will fight for Hunter residents to restore the trust Labor lost while in power.
 
He claims his opponent used dirty tactics to try and win votes.
 
Mr Fitzgibbon’s opponent, Nationals candidate Michael Johnsen, refutes Mr Fitzgibbon’s claim auguring that Labor.
 
“Have a history of trying to blame others for their own failings,” said Mr Johnsen.
 
Mr Johnsen said the new government will deliver lower living costs to Hunter residents, “the promises around getting rid of the carbon tax and mining tax will have a have a significant impact when that occurs.”

Maitland Residents Invited to Talk About Rates

Maitland City Council is hoping to meet with residents to discuss future funding options.
 
Council is running seven drop-in sessions over the week so residents a chance to give feedback about the Council’s proposed rate increases.
 
General Manager, David Evans, says residents have already indicated support for rate increases to ensure current services. Mr Evans said rate revenue was council’s “largest single income stream.”
 
“There are two suggested increases one of 7.25% increase per year and one of 8.95% increase per year," Mr Evans said, "the two range between about at $86 a year increase for the 7.25% increase and about $106 a year increase for the higher one."
 
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) approved increases of around 3% to 3.2% a year.
 
“If Council does nothing but continue with the allowable increases approved by IPART each year, we would accumulate a deficit of over $92 million”, said Mr Evans.
 
The drop-in sessions follow on from Council’s rates survey released earlier this year.
 
The first session is tonight 5.30 ‘til 7.30 tonight at East Maitland Library.
 
More information can be found at maitlandyoursay.com
 

Tourle Street Bridge Duplication In Doubt

The Tourle Street Bridge duplication may not go ahead under the new government.

The $52 million project was announced a month ago by former Infrastructure Minister, Anthony Albanese.

 

The plan involved duplicating the current Tourle Street Bridge and upgrading a section of the bridge near Cormorant Road on Kooragang Island.

At the time the Liberal party refused to match Labor's commitment.

Newly elected Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon, said she will push the Liberal government to match Labor's commitment.

"It will be my role and the role of all the other Labor MP's in the region to get Mr Abbott and his Liberal government to make sure that they honour Labor's commitment," Mrs Claydon said.
 

Cash splash for baths

Newcastle City Council is calling on the State Government to fund $10-million worth of urgent repairs to the City Hall Clock Tower and  Merewether's Ocean Baths.

The loan would include 7-point-5 million dollars to replace steel rods pinned to the clock tower's sandstone facade, which have concrete cancer, and 2-point-5 million to install ramps and reconstruct the promenade at the Baths.

Councillor NUATALI NELMES says it's up to the O' Farrell Government to provide the money for the Baths, as they are located on crown land. 

"The work [at Merewether Ocean Baths] needs to be done but it's unfair on ratepayers that we have to pay interest on a loan to do work on state government land," Cr Nelms said. 

Greens call for resignation

The NSW Greens are calling on Energy and Resources Minister Chris Hartcher to resign, following his treatment of Fullerton Cove residents protesting coal seam gas drilling in the area.

The Minister is believed to be fighting the community on behalf of the gas companies, as C.S.G drill rigs are escorted into farms and forests.

 It comes as the State's Riot Squad is called into the area, to break blockades and arrest residents against drilling through wetlands and aquifers to Newcastle and Port Stephens.

Greens Mining Spokesperson Jeremy Buckingham says Chris Hartcher's failure to request a comprehensive assessment, means he should be dumped from the Energy and Resources portfolio.

EPA to commission Rutherford odour sampling

Years of complaints from Rutherford residents have finally prompted a investigation into mysterious odours at the Rutherford industrial estate.

The decision follows the receipt of the finished Rutherford Odour Investigation Project, an independent report, which recommends comprehensive testing be undertaken on at least nine sites of the industrial estate.

 Minister for the Environment and Heritage Robyn Parker said the NSW government is committed to addressing residents' concerns about potential odours near the industrial estate.

The EPA has taken on the advice and will today begin the process of advertising tenders for the odour sampling and modelling work.