BREAKING! Truck Crash and Diesel Spill Closes Southbound Lanes of M1 Pacific Motorway

 BY IAN CROUCH

All southbound lanes of the The M1 Pacific Motorway are closed between John Renshaw Drive and Lenaghans Drive at Lenaghan due to a truck crash diesel spillage.

Newcastle Fire Command says a B-double has lost one thousand litres of diesel from its fuel tank.

Several fire crews and the Newcastle Hazmat unit are at the scene.

NSW Fire and Rescue says the freeway is likely to remain closed for several hours while the spill is cleaned up.

A spokesperson from for the Transport Management Centre says the truck was travelling in the northbound lanes of the freeway just before 3am when it crashed through the median strip fencing, ending up facing north in the southbound lanes.

Southbound traffic is being diverted at John Renshaw Drive and the Hunter Expressway

The disabled truck on the M1 on Friday morning Picture: Live Traffic

The Wollotuka Institute Celebrates 40th Anniversary

BY OLIVIA GOELDNER

The beloved Wollotuka Institute will be celebrating its 40th anniversary at the University of Newcastle today. 

Beginning in 1983, Wollotuka originated as a support program for Indigenous students and has grown to be a pioneering example of First Nations excellence. 

The University of Newcastle now leads the country in Indigenous student enrolment, support and retention.

The milestone will be celebrated across two events, a public event and an invitational dinner, to be held at the University's Callaghan campus this month. 

Jordan Perry from the Wollotuka Institute says the hard work of those involved is worth celebrating. 

"We're looking after students, setting ground-breaking research agendas and also teaching the new generation coming through," he said. 

He said cultural safety is of the upmost importance for First Nations students. 

"Having Wollotuka here and having that hub where they can feel at home amongst their people is the most important thing to me."

Image: National Indigenous Times

Police Appeal For Help To Locate Missing Man From Beresfield

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Port Stephens Hunter Police have issued an appeal for help in locating a missing man from Beresfield. 

Samuel hasn't been heard from since 7:30pm on Wednesday the 22nd of November, 2023, and police and his family would like to make contact with him to make sure he's okay. 

He's described as Caucasian, about 170-180cm tall, with a medium complexion, brown hair, brown eyes, and a beard. 

Anyone who's seen Samuel or knows where he is, is being urged to call Maitland Police or Crime Stoppers. 

Essential Workers Being Priced Out Of Rentals In The Hunter

BY OLIVIA GOELDNER

A recent graph produced by Anglicare Australia shows the lack of affordability when it comes to rental housing in Australia. 

Hunter renters are among the most affected with the graph revealing housing affordability for essential workers is at less than 1.5%. 

Nurses, childcare educators and aged care workers are among the worst impacted, with many full-time workers unable to find suitable housing. 

Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers, said essential workers are being priced out of their homes. 

"These are great professions and great roles and yet our community has housing too expensive for them to live," she said. 

Pressures are not only coming from pricing, but availability, with rental vacancy rates falling below 1% in the past 12 months nationally.

Kasy Chambers says change needs to occur at a national level.

"This is going to be a difficult crisis to solve... but we can't keep putting it on the back-burner. 

There's never a good time in terms of money, but there's no better time than today." 

More Accessibility Improvements On The Cards For Newcastle's Pools

BY OLIVIA DILLON

Newcastle Council is coming through on it's promise to make the city's five inland pools more accessible for visitors. 

It's delivered a new accessible change room at the Wallsend Swimming Centre, as part of a $1.25 million commitment to make the swimming experience in Newcastle more inclusive. 

Councillor Margaret Wood, says there's an increasing demand for improved facilities.

"About 17% of our population have a disability, and we also have an ageing population and we know that disability tends to increase with age, particularly mobility issues. So, we want everyone in our community to be able to participate fully in these community facilities," she says. 

She says the next phase of works will focus on helping visitors enter the pools. 

"The next step along the way is to create accessible pools in all of our facilities, and that will involve investigations into which is the best way to allow people to enter our pools, so we're looking at things like platforms, lifts, hoists and the like."  

UPDATE! Caves Beach Man To Undergo Mental Health Assessment Over Alleged Sexual Assault Of 90-Year-Old Woman

BY IAN CROUCH/ OLIVIA DILLON

UPDATE:

A man remains in custody and will have his mental health assessed at a forensic hospital after he allegedly broke into a nursing home at Bateau Bay and sexually assaulted a 90-year-old woman.

Overnight a 34-year-old man was arrested at a home in Caves Beach. 

He did not appear in Belmont Local Court today when the matter was mentioned, and his solicitor made no application for bail. 

The matter has been adjourned until February, where it will be heard in Gosford Local Court. 

The woman is being treated in hospital for injuries to her arms, legs and head. 

EARLIER:

A man is due to front Belmont Court accused of sexually assaulting an elderly woman on the Central Coast.

It's alleged the man broke into an aged care facility at Bateau Bay at about 12.40am on Wednesday November 15 and assaulted and sexually assaulted a 90-year-old woman, who was not known to him.

She was taken to hospital and treated for serious injuries.

Following inquiries, strike force detectives went to a home at Caves Beach at about 7.30pm on Monday and arrested a 34-year-old man after he attempted to run from arresting officers.

He was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries to his arm.

He's now been charged with serious aggravated sexual assault and break and enter offences and refused bail pending his court appearance today (Tuesday 21 November, 2023).

Several items relevant to the investigation, including clothing were also seized from a property at The Entrance last Friday night.

Man Wanted On Alleged Aggravated Sexual Assault Related Offences Could Be In Newcastle

 BY IAN CROUCH

Police believe a man wanted over alleged aggravated sexual assault related offences may be in the Newcastle area.

34-year-old Brett Anthony Crawford, also known as Brett Ralph, may be travelling on public transport between Gosford and Newcastle.

He's described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall with a slim build, grey hair, facial hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is urged not to approach him, but to call Triple Zero immediately.

Wanted man: Brett Crawford