Newcastle Airport positioned for international flights and national defence

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Federal Government has announced huge investment in Newcastle Airport, shaping the Hunter up as a new heartland for tourism and defence.

BAE Systems has received an $80 million contract over five years, to provide ongoing support for Australia's F-35A fighter fleet at Williamtown RAAF Base.

The Government's committed another $60 million to increase funding for the F-35A Industry Support Program.

A $164.9 million contract has also been awarded to Downer EDI Works to improve airfield infrastructure not only for military aviation, but to enable civilian international flights.

Patron Senator for the Hunter Hollie Hughes says it will benefit the economy in more way than one.

"At the end of the day, we're going to see a much more substantial runway, we're going to see much more substantial jobs and regional tourism created from that," Ms Hughes said.

"This is going to be a boom for all Novocastrians, very, very quickly."

Construction is expected to begin early next year and wrap up by late 2023. 

It's hoped local businesses with supply 75 percent of the total contract value.

The works contract alone is expected to support around 300 jobs.

Newcastle Airport CEO Peter Cock says the potential in opening Newcastle up to the world is even bigger.

"We really think that getting our region to Singapore, really then gives those connections, but also importantly the traffic in, you've got access to a number of markets, because Singapore's such a huge global hub," Mr Cock said.

"Also not forgetting the freight - we need to get our amazing green produce out into Asia."

The possibility of permanent international routes from Newcastle Airport have long been touted.

The Federal Government initially announced this commitment in May this year.

It's hoped the Airport could host at least two international flights a day, in addition to domestic services.

Mr Cock says it's a whole new chapter for the Hunter.

"We're trying to partner with the NSW Government now, so we get all the tiers of government combining into this project," Mr Cock said.

"We've done a 50 year vision for this airport. We think it's between five and ten million people - so think Gold Coast, think Adelaide Airport."

"That's what this region needs, if we're going to be the airport the region deserves and service the economic activity, not be a handbrake."

Two new COVID cases in the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter New England region has recorded another 12 fresh COVID-19 infections. 

There are currently 197 active cases across the district. One of these is in hospital with the virus, but there's no one in intensive care.

4,390 cases have been detected across the Hunter New England Health District since August 5.

CASE BREAKDOWN

MOREE PLAINS - 6

Moree 6.

MID COAST - 4

Wingham 2, Taree 1, Tuncurry 1.

NEWCASTLE - 1

Mayfield 1.

SINGLETON - 1

Singleton 1.

STATEWIDE

NSW has recorded 403 new local cases and one death.

151 people are in hospital with the virus, including 25 in intensive care.

The statewide vaccination rates are currently at 92.9 per cent double dose and 94.7 per cent single dose.

EXPOSURE SITES

There are no local exposure sites to report.

Federal funding to benefit Dungog RSL

BY MIA GORSEVSKI

New federal funding is set to benefit an Ex-Services Club at Dungog.

These grants will share the importance these servicemen and women have served since the 1950's with community targeted programs.

The Dungog RSL is installing a new Roll of Honour in their Memorial Club to pay respects to our local service personnel. 

Federal Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie said, "We are supporting Dungog RSL under the Saluting Their Service program." 

"Deigned to preserve our wartime heritage and involve local communities in projects that highlight the service and sacrifice of service personnel."

This commemorative Grant has been created to involve communities in supporting those who served our nation by recognising the heritage while incorporating a large range of activities and projects.

Three clubs have accepted grants to support this initiative, including:

• Dungog RSL Sub-Branch - $4,000 to install a new Roll of Honour.
• Forster Tuncurry RSL Sub-Branch - $2,205.55 for veterans' advocacy and advice.
• Wingham RSL Sub-Branch - $3,000 to support volunteer activities.

The Forster Tuncurry RSL has secured a grant for ex-service personnel club to continue to respect those serving.

Along with this as part of the Governments commitment, The Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) program, is developed to offer advice and assistance to local veteran and defence community since their work.

Ex-servicemen and women may reach to these programs for pensions, welfare work, advocacy and advice on these areas.

The Wingham RSL has also been successful in securing the federal funding through the Volunteer Grants 2021. 

With this, there are more than 50 successful projects throughout local communities.

"I am delighted to be announcing this funding support for three local clubs who are doing so much to promote appreciation of our servicemen and women and the roles that they have played in shaping our nation," Dr Gillespie said.

Dr Gillespie says she will continue to contact community organisations to congratulate them the federal funding acceptance for the volunteer work they continue to complete. 

Support your local club by attending and sharing these wonderful programs and initiatives set to honour and pay our respects to the servicemen and women across our nation.

Further applications are currently open for the program, closing on February 8th 2022. 

Federal Member for Lyne, Dr David Gillespie.

Police launch new appeal in search for Patrick Thaidy, one year after his disappearance

BY DAKOTA TAIT

Police have launched a new appeal to the public in the search for missing man Patrick Thaidy.

The renewed search comes a year after the 60-year-old vanished from his home on Delasala Drive in Macquarie Hills at 12am.

At least a dozen officers from the Police Rescue squad are on the scene at Bayview Street at Warners Bay, where the man was last confirmed to have been seen. 

They'll use a drone for aerial searching efforts, as well as undertake a ground search in bushland.

Detective Acting Inspector Nathan Costello says police are hoping to provide the family with closure. 

"There's a steep decline - officers will abseil down and make their way along the base of that steep ravine,"  Mr Costello said.

"We've also got the drones, and they'll do grid pattern searches predominantly along the bush parallel with Bayview Street."

The Lake Macquarie Police District has ruled out a number of leads across New South Wales, and say the 60-year-old has a history of wandering off.

"Mr Thaidy had been reported on a number of prior occasions wandering the streets at Cardiff, at Warners Bay, at Macquarie Hills," Mr Costello said.

"He does suffer dementia, widely known in the community, and often members of the local community would return him to his home."

"We are following up that misadventure as a possible."

Mr Thaidy's family are deeply concerned for his welfare, and are desperate for him to return home.

Officers are hoping to close the case, and are calling on the public to provide any information which could help their efforts.

"Police have done a land search of this bush previously, and have also searched using a cadaver dog," Mr Costello said.

"That identified some quite inaccessible areas, very cliff-like terrain, and today's search will focus on those areas."

Four new COVID cases across the Hunter

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Hunter New England region has recorded another 7 fresh COVID-19 infections. 

There are currently 218 active cases across the district. One of these are in hospital with the virus, but there's no one in intensive care.

4,378 cases have been detected across the Hunter New England Health District since August 5.

CASE BREAKDOWN

MID COAST - 3

Harrington 2, Wingham 1.

NEWCASTLE - 2

Merewether 1, Warabrook 1.

LAKE MACQUARIE - 2

Cardiff South 1, Glendale 1.

STATEWIDE

NSW has recorded 260 new local cases and two deaths.

155 people are in hospital with the virus, including 28 in intensive care.

The statewide vaccination rates are currently at 92.8 per cent double dose and 94.7 per cent single dose.

EXPOSURE SITES

There are no local exposure sites to report.

University of Newcastle researchers discover secret to decline in male fertility

BY DAKOTA TAIT

University of Newcastle researchers believe they might have figured out the reason why male fertility has plummeted over the past 50 years.

A new study has found environmental stressors, such as radio frequency energy and PFAS contamination, could affect men and their fertility. 

 

These sorts of stressors were originally not thought to be able to effect DNA, but could disrupt sperm through their RNA, and even prove lethal to embryos.

Dr Geoffry De Iuliis, Dr Shaun Roman, Professor Brett Nixon and lead author and PhD candidate Natalie Trigg made the discovery using a chemical called acrylamide as a stressor on sperm in the lab. 

The range of possible environmental stressors isn't yet known, but could be wide and even common.

Dr De Iuliis says the revelations are a game-changer for how we think about conception. 

"These more subtle environmental exposures, while not directly disrupting the DNA, can modify these RNA species, which we now understand are really important in directing that early embryo development process, so it certainly does have implications for fertility," Dr De Iuliis said. 

"Because we understand much of the mechanisms now, how the RNA species are affected, we might be able to manipulate this prior to IVF."

"So we understand what a good RNA profile is, in a sperm, and we might be able to modify that, which if you follow the logic through, would mean improving the quality of embryo development."

It's now suspected this process could be a critical factor in explaining why sperm fertility has declined over the last half-century. 

Dr De Iuliis says understanding this phenomenon also opens the door to new approaches to treatment.

"The big take home message I think from this is that it puts more emphasis on men's health immediately prior to conception," Dr De Iuliis said.

"The next part of this work will be to looking at educating people on this, particularly men, and they may have to take more responsibility in terms of their personal health."

BREAKING! Firefighters Battling House Fire At Maitland

 BY IAN CROUCH

Fire has destroyed a home at Maitland early Tuesday morning.

Crews from Maitland, Rutherford and East Maitland were called to the single level home on the corner of the New England Highway and Johnson Street just before 1.30am.

It's taken them 3 hours to extinguish and mop up the fire.

Police say no-one was home at the time.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way.

EARLIER:

Fire crews are battling a house fire at Maitland.

Firefighters were called to the home on the New England Highway just before 1.30am on Tuesday.

Police say it appears no-one was home when the fire broke out.

Crews are having difficulty accessing the deep seated fire in ceiling insulation

The New England Highway is closed to westbound traffic and this is likely to remain closed for some time.

More to come.