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City of Newcastle confirmed as a key player on the Deputy Premier's Stockton Erosion Taskforce

City of Newcastle has welcomed news that mass sand nourishment for Stockton Beach is a step closer following the Deputy Premier’s announcement of the Stockton Erosion Taskforce’s membership and terms of reference.
Minister Barilaro made the announcement during a visit to Newcastle earlier today, where he confirmed City of Newcastle would play a key role with the Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and a senior City engineer on the Taskforce.
^{(L-R): Member for Newcastle Mr Tim Crakanthorp MP, NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro, Dr Ron Boyd, Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Mark Armstrong, Geological Survey of NSW.}
The Taskforce has been formed following the placement of the City’s draft Stockton Coastal Management Plan (CMP) on public exhibition. The CMP is a long-term plan to manage the erosion at Stockton which includes working with the Taskforce on a pathway for mass offshore sand nourishment.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the official formation of the Taskforce was a critical step in achieving the best outcome for Stockton Beach and the Newcastle community.
“It is important that City of Newcastle plays a key role on the Stockton Erosion Taskforce and today’s announcement will allow that to happen,” the Lord Mayor said.
“We have developed a draft Stockton CMP in partnership with the local community, and in collaboration with the NSW Government, knowing that the Deputy Premier is committed to working closely with us to address long term erosion at Stockton.
“This issue is bigger than us as a City and any one Government department, which is why the Taskforce is so important in cutting through silos and determining a clear pathway for mass sand nourishment.
“I met with the Deputy Premier today to again discuss the future of Stockton Beach and I look forward to working with him and the Taskforce from our first meeting next month.”
“On behalf of the City of Newcastle, I thank the Deputy Premier for his ongoing commitment to finding a long term solution to address coastal erosion at Stockton Beach.”
The purpose of the Taskforce is to provide advice and recommendations to both the NSW Government and City of Newcastle on such issues as sand sourcing, actions to mitigate loss of community amenity and seeking the priority capital and operational funding required.
The Deputy Premier will Chair the Taskforce, which will also feature representatives from the Worimi Aboriginal Land Council, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, Department of Regional NSW, Port of Newcastle and the NSW Coastal Council.
The Chair of the Stockton Community Liaison Group, Barbara Whitcher, will also take up a position. Two other community representatives will also hold positions on the Taskforce along with the Member for Newcastle Mr Tim Crakanthorp MP.
To find out more and provide feedback on the draft Stockton CMP, visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/YourSay

Special Activation Precinct great win for region

City of Newcastle has welcomed the announcement of a Special Activation Precinct at Williamtown that’s expected to generate jobs and boost the greater Newcastle economy.
The Special Activation Precinct covers up to 10,000 hectares of land in and around Newcastle Airport and RAAF Base Williamtown and means the State Government will tailor infrastructure investment to support local needs.
Essential services that businesses need to operate will be provided by the NSW Government and may include roads and utilities such as water, electricity, stormwater, waste management and digital connectivity.
^{(L-R): Deputy Mayor Port Stephens Council Chris Doohan, BAE Systems Director Aircraft Sustainment and Training Andrew Chapman, The Hon. Taylor Martin MLC, Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, Deputy Premier The Hon. John Barilaro and The Hon. Catherine Cusack MLC – Parliamentary Secretary inside a BAE Systems hangar at Williamtown.}
Aligning with the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan, the project could spur upgrades to Newcastle Airport’s runway and terminal, the M1’s extension to Raymond Terrace and new road links to the airport and Port of Newcastle.
“The announcement of a Williamtown Special Activation precinct is great news for Newcastle and the Hunter, bringing thousands of skilled jobs along with unlocking key development lands,” the Lord Mayor said.
“It’s especially welcome at a time when thousands of jobs have been lost in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie due to the coronavirus pandemic, because the Special Activation Precinct will provide direct and indirect jobs for decades to come.
“Special Activation Precincts have a high potential to create significant employment and drive investment in engine industries, those that employ a higher proportion of people in our region compared to others.”
^{Deputy Premier The Hon. John Barilaro co-piloted by Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes.}
The Special Activation Precinct will build on the defence, aviation and technology commercial activity of the Astra Aerolab announced last year.
The 76-hectare site adjoining the airport and Williamtown RAAF Base, home to Australia’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet, will become the country’s pre-eminent space for aviation, defence and aerospace-related manufacturing, maintenance, research and education.
Paralleling the twin aerospace developments will be passenger growth at Newcastle Airport, with a minimum 2.6 million-passenger throughout expected by 2036.
The anticipated growth and expansion of passenger flights will be supported by improved public transport between the airport and city centre, as well as runway surface and freight-handling capacity upgrades.
New employment opportunities will also arise from domestic and defence aircraft maintenance.

$1 BILLION FOR WORLD CLASS BUSINESS PRECINCTS ACROSS REGIONAL NSW

The Deputy Premier John Barilaro today announced the fifth Special Activation Precinct in NSW to be established in Williamtown, bringing the total investment for Special Activation Precincts to $1 billion, attracting new investment and creating thousands of new jobs.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro today visited BAE Systems in Williamtown and announced the brand new Precinct would be a national and international defence and aerospace hub.
“With the fifth Precinct announced today, we have essentially created a roadmap for investment across this state,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Special Activation Precincts are about making it easier and more attractive for businesses to set up in regional NSW, create more jobs, and grow our regional engine industries such as freight and logistics, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, agribusiness, tourism, hospitality and defence.
We estimate that these precincts will create at least 15,000 jobs across the regions, but we expect that number to climb.
“Precincts have already been announced for Parkes, Wagga Wagga, Moree and the Snowy Mountains and today I’m very happy to add Williamtown to that list, as we create a network of world-class hubs across NSW to fuel regional economies for decades to come.”
The Williamtown Special Activation Precinct will turbocharge the region’s growth as a national and international defence and aerospace hub. The NSW Government will explore 10,000 hectares around the Port Stephens local government area, including Newcastle Airport and surrounds, and will build on the Government’s existing $11.79 million investment into the Astra Aerolab precinct through the Growing Local Economies Fund.
“Special Activation Precincts are master-planned precincts that will offer investors benefits such as streamlined planning approvals, Government led infrastructure and studies, and a business concierge service,” Mr Barilaro said.
“This is about attracting more money to regional NSW, creating job and career opportunities for locals and people who are keen to re-locate, and cutting red and green tape to support job growth in the wake of COVID-19, bushfires and drought.”
The Deputy Premier also announced a $5 million commitment from the Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund for master planning and business case work for the Williamtown precinct, which will begin soon and involve extensive consultation with the community, local councils, businesses and industries.
This investment comes from the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund which is dedicated to delivering transformative infrastructure projects that will benefit regional NSW for generations to come.
Visit www.nsw.gov.au/WilliamtownSAP for more information.

TAFE FEE-FREE COURSES PASS 100,000 ENROLMENTS

The NSW Government’s fee-free TAFE NSW short courses has passed 100,000 enrolments since being introduced in April as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the enthusiasm for upskilling during this period of restrictions shows TAFE NSW is a vital educational provider.
“To pass 100,000 enrolments in such a short time is truly a remarkable result. Every part of NSW has embraced the 21 fee-free courses on offer in some way,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This program is assisting people look for a new job or allowing career progression at a time when we are facing enormous economic and social challenges.”
Some key points about the initiative include:

54 per cent of enrolments are from regional NSW;
46 per cent of enrolments are from metropolitan NSW (Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong);
‘Statement of Attainment in Medical Administration Skills’ was the most popular course in regional NSW;
‘Statement of Attainment in Team Leader Skills Set’ is the most popular course in metropolitan NSW; and
48 per cent of students are studying with TAFE NSW for the first time.

Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee took the opportunity to note the Queensland Labor Government copied the idea to offer fee-free TAFE courses as part of their COVID-19 response.
“As happy as I am for the Queenslanders to pass 7000 enrolments at their last check, if it was a State of Origin match, the score would show a big win for the Blues by a mere 93,000 enrolments,” he said.
Please click here for more information about the TAFE NSW fee-free short courses.

THOUSANDS OF NEW TREES TO BE PLANTED ACROSS GREATER SYDNEY

The NSW Government is investing nearly $5 million to plant thousands of new trees across Greater Sydney to expand the city’s green canopy in partnership with Greening Australia and Landcare NSW.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the partnerships will see 172,000 new trees planted in Greater Sydney’s parks, schools and communities over the next two-and-a-half years, with the first 32,000 to be planted by the end of 2020.
“We have connected with leading environmental organisations to increase our tree canopy cover, cool our communities and create great new green public spaces across the city,” Mr Stokes said.
“New trees today mean more healthy shaded public spaces and beautiful tree-lined streets for communities to enjoy now and for years to come.”
The NSW Government has signed two contracts totaling $4.77 million for:

100,000 trees to be planted across Greater Sydney, with a focus on Western Sydney with Landcare NSW; and
72,000 trees to be planted across parks and community spaces and schools across Greater Sydney with Greening Australia.

The two new partnerships will contribute to the NSW Government’s ambitious target to plant one million trees by 2022.
Landcare NSW CEO Dr Adrian Zammit said the project will help support the development of green spaces across Greater Sydney.
“With the support of the Greater Sydney Landcare Network we will help grow native canopy to cool our city with Landcarers helping landowners and community members participate in tree planting activities.
“Our shared challenge is not only to get the trees in the ground but to monitor and provide education to ensure they survive.”
Greening Australia’s Nature in Cities Director Paul Della Libera said the ‘Cooling the Schools’ program will establish native habitats and help cool urban areas.
“By working together with schoolchildren across Greater Sydney to increase the tree canopy cover in their neighbourhoods, we can lower temperatures and create healthier communities for both people and wildlife. This is particularly important in urban areas given rising summer temperatures.
“We will be partnering with Western Sydney University to identify and prioritise the communities with the lowest canopy cover and greatest vulnerability to the urban heat island effect.”

Missing Port Stephens man located

A man reported missing from Port Stephens has been located safe and well.
The 45-year-old man was reported missing to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District after leaving the Fingal Spit area about 5pm on Tuesday (26 May 2020).
Following inquiries, the man was located at Salamander Bay about 2pm today (Thursday 28 May 2020).
Police would like to thank the media and community for their assistance.

Federal Court judgement puts all native forest logging on notice

The Greens say that all native forest logging operations across Australia now face a cascade of legal challenges, after today’s Federal Court judgement showed that existing logging laws and operations are sending threatened species to the brink of extinction.
Australian Greens forests spokesperson Senator Janet Rice welcomed to this morning’s landmark Federal Court judgement on Friends of Leadbeater’s Possum Inc v VicForests saying:
“This is a hugely significant decision. It shows the provisions of our logging laws under the Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs) are not working to protect threatened species.
“The federal government and state governments have long argued that logging operations were fine and legal, but this case says that VicForests’ logging operations under the Victorian Central Highlands RFA are not working to protect threatened species including Victoria’s animal emblem, the Leadbeater’s possum, and the Greater Glider.
“The judgement says that logging’s exemption from our national environmental laws (the EPBC Act) will end in a swathe of coupes in Victoria, setting a precedent which puts all other native forest logging operations on notice.
“Native forest logging cannot continue if Australia’s threatened species are going to survive.
“This is a major warning to Commonwealth and state governments who are continuing to allow destructive native forest logging, showing that they face significant legal hurdles to continuing their work.
“It’s time to get out of native forest logging now.”
The Greens have a bill in the federal parliament to scrap the Regional Forest Agreements.
The full judgement of the Federal Court can be found here online.

City of Newcastle tackles COVID-19 unemployment through action and advocacy

Youth unemployment has been identified as a focus area for the COVID-19 City Taskforce.
The Taskforce was formed by City of Newcastle and consists of 17 leaders and CEOs working to deliver localised responses to the economic and social challenges posed by COVID-19.
Hunter Research Foundation’s Lead Economist Dr Anthea Bill, who has been providing briefings to the Taskforce, highlighted in a forum with Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes on Monday that 18.7% of young people aged 15 to 24 in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie are now unemployed.
Nationally, swathes more have been left underemployed with their work hours reduced due to widespread closures and social distancing measures, bringing the national youth underutilisation rate – that is, unemployment and underemployment combined – to a staggering 37%, affecting more than one in three young people.
The Lord Mayor said this had been felt most profoundly throughout the City across the tourism, hospitality and retail sectors.
“We know from the City Taskforce’s joint, industry-specific response to COVID-19, that some sectors have been impacted more than others, and naturally this has affected specific population groups such as youth,” the Lord Mayor said.
“This has been a driving force behind the Taskforce’s advocacy work, directing support where it’s most needed.”
Since its inaugural meeting on 17 April, the Taskforce has jointly penned a letter to NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, urging the NSW Government to consider the plight of international students in the COVID-19 climate – many of whom have lost casual jobs and are unable to return home – and provide urgent financial assistance.
Looking at the bigger picture, the overall unemployment rate for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie jumped from 3.6% in January to 7.7% in April, with 9,900 people estimated to have lost their jobs between March and April.
“No economy is prepared to deal with the fallout from a global pandemic,” the Lord Mayor said.
“However, owing to City of Newcastle’s strong financial position going into COVID-19, we are committed to delivering a record capital works program next year as part of our broader range of community support, which will help create local jobs and provide training to ensure our youth have the necessary skills to be employable in the emerging economy.
“This in addition to our joint advocacy work with the City Taskforce, neighbouring Councils and State and Federal members to attract stimulus funding for catalyst areas, including the Newcastle Airport expansion and Port of Newcastle diversification, on top of the City’s $2.5 million investment in graduate, apprentice and trainee recruitment this financial year.”

Additional upgrades for streets around Mall

Wider footpaths for outdoor dining, new landscaping and a traffic closure to help activate two long-dormant laneways are among additional plans approved for streets surrounding Hunter Street Mall last night.
The additions to the East End Stage One Streetscape plan were unanimously greenlighted by Council after extensive stakeholder engagement and design development over the past 12 months.
The works include new landscaping at the old Mall bus stop at the junction of Hunter and Scott Street and an overhaul for the stretch of footpath between Perkins and Brown streets.

Keightley Street will be closed to through traffic to prioritise pedestrians ahead of a Melbourne laneway-style development currently subject to DA determination, which if approved will see laneway activations either side of Hunter Street under the 2018 streetscape plan.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the expanded plan dovetailed with Iris Capital’s transformation of the David Jones building into a five-star hotel and an exciting retail and hospitality proposal between Hunter and Keightley streets (modified image of Melbourne laneway left).
“The East End Stage One Streetscape Plan will guide the renewal of the public domain amid exciting private development that’s set to bring the area back to life,” Councillor Nelmes said.
“The scope of the original plan has been extended to include work between Perkins Street and Brown Street, taking in the redundant Hunter Street Mall bus stop. This area wasn’t included in the Light Rail project and needs rejuvenating together with Perkins, Newcomen, King and Scott streets.
“Plans for Market Street and Keightley Street will help transform them into a Melbourne laneway-style precinct, while the connections from Market Street Lawn will be improved for both pedestrians and cars thanks to two pedestrian crossings either side of a broadened Market Street driveway, which will make it easier to access the post office.”

^{Artist impression of landscaping on Market Street.}
A range of other new treatments to make the area west of the Old David Jones building safer and more attractive include:

Modifications to the intersection of Scott and Hunter, allowing increased pedestrian refuge to the western and southern sides of Hunter for landscaping and alfresco dining
Realignment of the intersection of Hunter, Scott and Brown streets with a raised pedestrian crossing at the latter
A separated bi-directional cycleway on the northern side of Hunter Street
Relocation of the King Street bus stop from west of Perkins Street to just east
A separated single direction cycleway on either side of Perkins Street

Provision for two separated cycleways on Perkins Street will ease access from King after a cyclist died in a collision with a truck turning into Perkins early last year.
The Hunter Street Newcastle East End Stage One Streetscape Plan was approved in June 2018 to complement the Mall’s overhaul by private investors.
The plan features new stone surfacing in and around the Mall, improved cycling access and better footway connections between Market Street Lawn and Christ Church Cathedral.
^{Artist impression of revitalised Hunter Street.}

THOUSANDS OF NEW TREES TO BE PLANTED ACROSS GREATER SYDNEY

100,000 trees to be planted across Greater Sydney, with a focus on Western Sydney with Landcare NSW; and
72,000 trees to be planted across parks and community spaces and schools across Greater Sydney with Greening Australia.