Concern Proposed Boundary Changes to New Lambton Public, May Unfairly Force Students to Change Schools

BY ISABEL EVERETT 

Wallsend MP, Sonia Hornery is calling on the Education Minister, Sarah Mitchell, to step in and further the consultation period with parents on proposed boundary changes to the intake zone for New Lambton Public School.

Ms Hornery was reportedly contacted by concerned parents late last week after they discovered they had only 24 hours to lodge objections to the Department of Education proposal.

The proposal would see sections of New Lambton Heights that are close to the school, shifted into the intake zone for Wallsend South Public School.  

Some students would be forced to travel more than 3km to school, instead of the 700m they currently travel.

Ms Hornery has called on the Minister to ensure there is a comprehensive consultation period and a thorough review of the current and proposed boundaries is undertaken.

“This whole process has been rushed and the community are rightly up in arms over the way the whole process has been undertaken,” said Ms Hornery.

“Major decisions like this should involve a comprehensive consultation period with the community who will be impacted.  Instead we have a ham-fisted attempt at getting this change through with the majority of people excluded from having a say.

“I understand the school is at capacity and some changes need to be made, but the proposed changes are ridiculous and simply don’t make sense.

“It is obvious when you look at the proposed changes that someone in Sydney who has never visited the area has drawn the new boundary lines.

“No consideration has been given to the impact that Stage 5 of the Newcastle Inner City Bypass will have on the ability of students and parents to get their children to school safely.  The lack of a school bus service would mean parents would be forced to drive their children to school on already congested roads or have their children walk to school, crossing a number of major roads.

“The current and proposed maps are mind boggling to say the least and I invite the Minister to sit down with me and concerned parents to review the changes and look at other alternatives,” Ms Hornery said.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Several Injured in Collision on Carnley Avenue, Involving Allegedly Stolen Car

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Several people have been taken to hospital following a collision in New Lambton on Carnley Avenue this morning, allegedly involving a stolen car.

Two cars allegedly collided at the intersection of Orchard Town Road near the Blackbutt Hotel, at around 8:10am this morning.

A traffic pole has been knocked down.

Emergency services were called to the scene, with a  24-year-old woman freed from her vehicle after becoming trapped.

Another passenger also sustained neck and back injuries after becoming trapped in their vehicle.

One the patients reportedly said she had been exposed to COVID 19, with paramedics using protective equipment.

Police allege one of the vehicles involved in the accident was stolen.

The intersection is currently blocked, with the crash causing heavy delays from Newcastle Intercity Bypass to Bridges Road.

    Intersection of Orchard Town Road and Carnley Avenue 

John Hunter to receive Australia's Biggest Hospital Solar Panel Installation

BY MEGHAN RICHARDSON

Australia's largest hospital solar panel project is set to begin at John Hunter Hospital this year. 

The $3.2 million dollar project will begin in June or July and is slated to be finished by December.

The panels are estimated to cover 85% of the hospital's roof space, equivalent to 12,000 square meters. 

The project is part of an $8.1 million dollar package that will install solar panels at various hospitals across the region. 

The initiative is expected to produce approximately 10% of the electricity currently used, with estimated savings of over 2700 MWh per year, which equates to the amount of energy used to power over 200 homes. 

Executive Director of Infrastructure and Health for New England Health, Ramsey Awad says this will save the hospital over $800,000 dollars a year once the installation is up and running.

"That money will be put back into front line clinical services, whether that be the emergency department, community health, theater or out patients," Mr Awad says. 

"We're hoping as the largest hospital in this region that other smaller facilities will follow." 

The project is part of an wider plan by New England Health to move towards becoming carbon and waste neutral.

Minister for Health, Brad Hazzard, says that hospitals consume a significant amount of energy and using roof space to generate power will reduce dependency on the grid. 

“By making our hospitals more energy-efficient, these solar projects will help bring our costs down, freeing up funds that can be invested back into the health system.”

The first hospital in NSW to have solar panels installed was Port Macquarie in 2018 and has reportedly saved over $200, 000 since then.

Woman Arrested in Relation to Baby's Death at New Lambton

BY MADELAINE MCNEILL

Strike Force Wandearah detectives have arrested a woman in relation to the death of a 6-month-old boy at New Lambton in February.

The 26-year-old was arrested in Marrickville yesterday and charged with do act with intent to pervert the course of justice, failure of provide for child causing danger of death, and drive whilst disqualified.

The baby boy died at John hunter Hospital on February 10.

It was later determined he died as a result of a traumatic head injury.

A 28-year-old man arrested in February remains before the courts.

Elderly Woman Escapes Serious Injury As Car Slams Into New Lambton House

BY IAN CROUCH

An elderly woman has had a lucky escape after a car ploughed into her home at New Lambton.

Police say a man lost control of his Holden Commodore station wagon  at the corner of Russell Road and Royal Place just before 11.00pm on Sunday, crashing through the garden and into the front bedroom of the home.

The 73-year-old woman noticed the headlights of the car as it careered towards her and tried to get out of the way but was hit by flying debris as the front window broke and the bedroom wall partially collapsed - she was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

The house sustained moderate damage.

A 27-year-old Adamstown man was arrested - he's been charged with disqualified driving and is due to face Newcastle Local Court today.

Motorbike rider collides with car at New Lambton

BY JESSICA ROUSE & JARROD MELMETH

A motorcycle rider has suffered a serious leg injury after colliding with a car in New Lambton on Monday night.

NSW Ambulance said they were called to the scene just after 6pm where they treated a man in his late 40's who is believed to have suffered a near-amputation of his right leg and a suspected broken arm. 

The man was taken to the John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition.

It's believed the 24-year-old female driver of the car was turning right onto regent street from Rugby road when she collided with the motorcyclist.

The woman was uninjured.

Man Charged Over Fatal Hit and Run in New Lambton

BY JESSICA ROUSE

A man has been charged after he allegedly hit and killed a man with his car in New Lambton.

At about 2:45am yesterday morning a 44-year-old man driving a Holden Statesman on Railway Road hit a 54-year-old man who stepped out on to the roadway.

The driver allegedly failed to stop, and drove from the scene.

The 54-year-old pedestrian suffered critical injuries and was rushed to John Hunter Hospital where he sadly died a short time later.

A crime scene was established, and at about 8am yesterday police arrested the 44-year-old man allegedly responsible for the incident.

He was taken to Waratah Police Station where he was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death, fail to stop and render assistance after impact causing death, negligent driving occasioning death, fail to stop and assist after impact causing injury, and not give particulars to injured person.

He was granted conditional bail and will face Newcastle Local Court on January 25.

Police are still appealing for any witnesses to the incident to come forward.

Daunt Bones to be Reconstructed Before Autopsy

BY GARY LYSAGHT

A forensic expert will arrive in Newcastle next week to reconstruct the skeleton of murdered carpenter Christopher Daunt.

An autopsy will follow the reconstruction in an effort to determine the cause of death.

Police have alleged Daunt was bashed to death by Christopher John Robertson in March 29 last year.

It is alleged the attack happened at Robertson’s New Lambton home.

Robertson was arrested last week before detectives discovered the remains of Daunt at Seahampton.

Strike Force Retractor was established to assist in uncovering the body of Daunt and piecing together the final hours before his death.

Police have continued the search for Daunt’s possessions, with the investigation leading them to bushland near Cameron Park.  However, they failed to find anything.

Daunt and Robertson had been close friends, with allegations that the two were also involved in the local drug trade.

Community survey on intersection upgrade

Community feedback is being sought on the proposed 2-million dollar upgrade on Newcastle Road at Lambton to improve traffic flow and safety.

The design includes installing traffic lights with pedestrian crossings at the Lloyd Road intersection, and providing right turn access from Newcastle Road onto Morehead Street.

The call follows an alarming statistic, in the five years to June last year there were 47 crashes on the stretch of road, which resulted in 17 injuries.