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City of Newcastle’s Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme reached a major milestone after Councillors endorsed a planning proposal at last night’s Ordinary Council Meeting to bring it into effect.

The scheme sets out how contributions towards affordable housing will be collected from new developments.

Executive Director of Planning and Environment, Michelle Bisson, said the scheme showed that City of Newcastle was not just talking about the need for more affordable housing, but acting to achieve it.

“The Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme has been developed through extensive consultation and analysis to ensure that it is does not impact on development feasibility and overall housing supply,” Ms Bisson said.

“It is a transparent, evidence-based framework that provides certainty for developers and recognises the importance of affordably priced housing for Novocastrians today and in the future.”

The scheme was on public exhibition from November 2024 to February 2025, with amendments made based on submissions to clarify how it is to be applied, implemented and administered.

City of Newcastle’s Affordable Housing Working Party Chair Councillor Elizabeth Adamczyk said the scheme was a key initiative to work towards a target of 15% of all housing being affordable housing.

“Many households in Newcastle are already in rental stress which has only increased with the cost-of-living crisis, and our population is forecast to grow significantly, so making sure there are affordable rental housing options available right across our city is incredibly important,” Cr Adamczyk said.

“This is part of our comprehensive local approach to address the serious shortfall of available affordable rental housing that already exists in our city, and one that recognises it as critical social infrastructure that supports our diverse, inclusive, and strong community.”

Affordable housing is available to support very low to moderate income households experiencing housing stress, which occurs where housing costs are greater than 30% of gross household income after other basic living costs.

The scheme will now be forwarded to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for finalisation after which it will be phased in over time to allow developers opportunity to factor it in prior to purchasing sites.

The NSW Minns Labor Government has passed legislation to officially establish SafeWork NSW as a standalone regulator as it continues strengthening protections for workers.

The new structure ensures SafeWork NSW will become a strong, robust and fit-for-purpose workplace health and safety regulator.

Under the former government, SafeWork NSW was hidden within the Department of Customer of Service and was not able to fully fulfil the functions expected of the state’s work health and safety regulator. 

The new executive agency will be led by a SafeWork Commissioner, with recruitment currently underway.

The SafeWork Commissioner will lead the agency with clear authority to enforce compliance, promote best practices and engage meaningfully with workers, unions and businesses across all industries in NSW. 

The new standalone regular will also feature an Advisory Council of experts to provide advice to the Minister for Work Health and Safety and SafeWork NSW on how it can support both workers and businesses in creating the safest possible workplaces.

The Council will be made up of representatives from employer organisations, unions, a WHS expert and injured workers.  

These reforms to SafeWork NSW reflect the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to preventing workplace deaths, injuries and illnesses.

Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:

“Every worker has the right to go home safely at the end of the day.

“This bill passing the Parliament is important for worker safety in New South Wales.

“We are slowly turning things around at SafeWork NSW as we restore it to being a regulator with teeth.

“The former government let down workers when it came to safety, and we are cleaning up their mess.”

In a first for the NSW North Coast, women will be able to have both their breast and cervical screenings done in a single visit, thanks to a Mid North Coast Local Health District (MNCLHD) and BreastScreen NSW partnership.

The Cervical Screening Collaborative is an initiative of MNCLHD’s Women’s Health team, ensuring women have access to timely, effective screening with nursing support throughout the process.

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers, with more than 70 per cent of cases occurring in people who have never been screened or are overdue for their cervical screening.

A Cervical Screening Test every five years is recommended for eligible people aged 25 to 74 who have ever been sexually active. A quick and simple procedure, the test looks for a common infection called human papillomavirus (HPV) which causes almost all cervical cancers.

Under the pilot project, women will be offered a cervical screening appointment at the time of booking their routine breast screening with BreastScreen NSW, allowing them to opt in to the cervical screening.

The first monthly clinic was held in Port Macquarie with the aim to offer the dual screening service at Coffs Harbour, Lismore, and Tweed Heads in the future.

For women aged 50-74, a breast screening every two years is still the best way to detect breast cancer early, before it can be seen or felt. Aboriginal women are recommended to start screening at 40 years of age. 

Any woman who has noticed a change in their breasts, like a lump, should see their doctor without delay. 

For more information and to make an appointment at a local BreastScreen NSW clinic or mobile van, call 13 20 50 or book online on the BreastScreen NSW website.

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

“Breast and cervical screening can save lives, and I urge all eligible people to get screened when they’re due.

“This pilot provides a seamless experience where women can choose to attend both breast and cervical screening services at the same time.”

Minister for Women, Jodie Harrison:

“Many women have busy lives and often put off important health checks.

“I encourage all eligible women to make the most of this innovative service and book in for the screenings that could save their life.

“The integration of these services means they can get both of these important checks done at the same time. It’ll help increase cervical screening rates on the Mid North Coast, ensuring early detection and better health outcomes for women.”

Minister for the North Coast, Janelle Saffin:

“Offering a combination of screenings for breast cancer and cervical cancer is a progressive win for women’s health in Lismore, Tweed Heads and Coffs Harbour.

“Every woman knows these health checks can be a bit uncomfortable, but they are absolutely necessary.

“Being able to opt in for this dual screening service is convenient and increases the chances of early detection, potentially saving more women’s lives.”

Labor Spokesperson for Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour, Cameron Murphy MLC:

“This integrated service will be seamless and life saving. We know that early detection of cancer is crucial and hopefully this new combined service prompts every eligible person to use it.”

Quotes attributable to Labor Spokesperson for Tweed, Emily Suvaal MLC:

“Early detection and prevention are key to delivering effective, timely care that can save lives and provide overall better health outcomes for women.

“This initiative will provide efficient and easy access to regular screening for women in the Mid-North Coast, helping them to manage their health on top of their busy lives.

“This is just one part of the Minns Labor Government’s ongoing efforts to improve health outcomes for people in rural and regional New South Wales.”

Professor Tracey O’Brien AM, Chief Cancer Officer and Chief Executive Cancer Institute NSW:

“As a working mother I know how busy life gets so it’s fantastic that we can provide a service that makes it easier for women to prioritise their health and get their cervical and breast screening in one location.

“The self-collection option to the Cervical Screening Test is now giving people a choice on how to do the test, helping break down barriers and encouraging people to take advantage of life-saving screening.”

MNCLHD Women’s Health Clinical Nurse Consultant Renee Bell:

“We know that time is precious and providing women with the opportunity to fulfil two commitments to their health at one location is both convenient and beneficial.

“Our Women’s Health team is excited to be able to offer this timely screening process to the women of the Mid North Coast.”

The NSW Government is continuing its commitment to rebuild the state’s manufacturing industry with the launch of an $800,000 pilot program aimed at boosting productivity, reducing costs and increasing competitiveness.

The Lean Manufacturing Pilot Program will provide small-to-medium-sized manufacturers across regional NSW with funding to undertake audits by professional consultants that will identify ways to re-organise their manufacturing operations.

Lean manufacturing is an internationally recognised business management process that revolves around the principles of continuous improvement, waste elimination, and a customer-centric approach.

It focuses on creating products more efficiently by eliminating unnecessary steps, saving time and using fewer materials in the production process. This approach helps businesses produce goods with fewer resources, without compromising on quality.

More efficient processes mean production lines manufacture fewer products with defects, which in turn reduces operating costs related to providing returns and waste disposal.

For example, a regional food manufacturer might reorganise production lines to improve efficiency, implement preventative maintenance to reduce equipment breakdowns and implement just-in-time inventory management to reduce excess stock and waste.

The audits, undertaken as part of the program, will offer tailored recommendations to help businesses identify inefficiencies, streamline operations, reduce waste and increase productivity, while also highlighting training opportunities for staff.

Several major companies have successfully implemented lean manufacturing to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and enhance productivity over the past decades including Toyota, Ford Motor Company, Boeing, General Electric and Nike.

Many regional NSW companies such as the Bega Group in Bega, Donaldson Australia on the Central Coast, Belmore Engineering at Tamworth, Flavourtech in Griffith and Tyree Transformers at Braemar have also successfully used lean manufacturing principles.

Manufacturing is a key driver of the NSW economy, contributing nearly 30 per cent of Australia’s total manufacturing output.

In regional NSW, the sector generates $32 billion in sales and employs 84,000 workers, reinforcing the need for continued support to strengthen and future-proof the industry.

Industry research by Binder Dijker Otte (BDO) suggests that adopting lean manufacturing can boost small-to-medium-sized businesses’ profit margins by up to three times, depending on their size and turnover.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development designed the pilot program following in-depth industry consultation, which highlighted the need for more support in adopting lean manufacturing principles to ensure regional manufacturers remain globally competitive.

The Lean Manufacturing Pilot Program is part of the NSW Government’s ongoing commitment to supporting manufacturing industries across the state as they navigate rising costs and market challenges.

Expressions of interest for the audits are now open to eligible manufacturers and will close at 4pm on Monday 31 March 2025, with funding allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information about the program, including guidelines and Expression of Interest details, go to www.nsw.gov.au/LMPP or email economic.programs@dpird.nsw.gov.au.

Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty, said:

“The Lean Manufacturing Pilot Program is an important part of our ongoing support for regional manufacturers across the state, helping them overcome the challenges posed by rising supply chain, energy and labour costs.

“This program is an important step towards ensuring the long-term success of our regional manufacturers.

“We know that by supporting regional businesses to improve their operations, we’re strengthening the entire economy of regional NSW, creating more local jobs and enhancing the long-term sustainability of our regions.”

Minister for Industry and Trade, Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“NSW manufacturing fell in nine out of 12 years under the previous Liberal-National Government, and the Lean Manufacturing Pilot Program is a prime example of how the Minns Labor Government is working to rebuild local manufacturing right across the state.

“Support for local manufacturing is also an integral part of the Minns Labor Government’s recently released Industry Policy.

“Central to the Industry Policy are three new local manufacturing targets, which demonstrate a real commitment to supporting local manufacturing to promote a dynamic, sustainable, and diversified economy.”

HunterNet Chief Executive Officer Ivan Waterfield said:

“Lean manufacturing plays a crucial role in the future of the NSW manufacturing sector. By focusing on eliminating waste and improving efficiency, it helps manufacturers reduce costs and enhance productivity.

“In a time of scarce resources, a strong Lean culture helps manufacturing companies improve their efficiency and their P&L.

“The Lean Manufacturing Pilot Program by the NSW Government is a significant step towards supporting regional manufacturers in becoming more competitive on a global scale and is something that HunterNet fully supports and endorses.”

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a woman missing from the Newcastle area.

Katrina Johnson, aged 30, was last made contact with family members on Thursday 6 March 2025.

When she could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Northern Beaches Police Area Command were notified on Thursday 18 March 2025 and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts, with ongoing inquiries being made by Newcastle City Police Area Command.

Police and family hold concerns for Katrina’s welfare.

She is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, of thin build, with pink and blue hair and several tattoos over her body.

Katrina is known to frequent the Sydney and Newcastle areas.

Anyone with information about Katrina’s whereabouts is urged to contact Newcastle Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a man missing from the Newcastle area.

Logan Wilson, aged 27, was last seen in New Lambton about 2.20pm on Monday 17 March 2025.

When he could not be located or contacted officers from Newcastle City Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

There are concerns for Logan’s welfare as his disappearance is out of character.

Logan is described as being Caucasian in appearance, about 170-175cm tall, medium build and brown hair.

He is known to frequent the New Lambton, North Lambton, Rankin Park, Kotara, Adamstown, Cameron Park and Glendale areas.

Anyone with information about Logan’s whereabouts is urged to contact Newcastle Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The Minns Labor Government has written to energy companies asking them to defer electricity bills and waive a fee for NSW households and businesses hit by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred, to further ease the pressure on those recovering from the natural disaster.

Residents and business owners in northern NSW have experienced substantial disruptions to their power supply due to ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. It delivered heavy rain and severe winds to large areas of Northern NSW, causing extensive damage to the area’s electricity distribution network.

A total of 84,000 homes and businesses experienced power outages across various communities from Tweed Heads to Grafton, and west to Armidale. Some lost power multiple times.

Essential Energy will waive the daily access charge for customers for the period they were without power.

While energy retailers have not played a role in relation to the power disruptions, Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe has written to 22 companies requesting their cooperation in supporting customers who live in local government areas included in the natural disaster declaration. The Minister has asked them to:

• waive the daily power supply charge for customers for the period they were not supplied electricity (by passing on the waiver being provided to retailers by Essential Energy)
• defer any electricity bills that are due to be sent to customers for 14 days
• defer any disconnections or repayment requirements for 14 days for affected customers in debt or with any amount owing on their account
• provide additional information about payment plan options and NSW Government financial support if customers find they are unable to pay their bill as a result of the cyclone impacts.

The NSW Government along with the Australian Government is working together to provide support to the affected area. A personal hardship grant with payments of $180 for individuals and up to $900 per family is available through Service NSW for essential costs such as food, clothing, medicine and emergency accommodation. To be eligible, individuals must have been subject to an evacuation order or have experienced a power outage of more than 48 hours.

Customers whose ability to repay their energy bills has been impacted by Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred can also apply for NSW Government Energy Accounts Payment Assistance (EAPA) support to help pay their energy bills. EAPA helps people experiencing difficulty paying their electricity and/or gas bill due to a short-term financial hardship, crisis or emergency to stay connected to essential services. EAPA can only be applied to current, unpaid energy bills.

Minister for Energy, Penny Sharpe said:

“It is important we provide as much support as possible to households and business owners who are recovering from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“I have written to energy retailers asking them to join Essential Energy in providing relief to customers in the natural disaster zone, and thank them in advance for any assistance they can offer.”

Minister for Recovery, Small Business and the North Coast, Janelle Saffin said:

“Every bit of support counts for families, households and businesses doing it tough in the wake of this natural disaster.

“Thank you for your consideration of this request during this difficult time for the residents and businesses of the Northern Rivers and North Coast.”

Further information:

• Essential Energy is one of three distribution network operators in NSW. Essential Energy, Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy are responsible for the distribution lines in a specified region:
  • Essential Energy – Riverina, South Eastern region, Northern NSW and Central Tablelands
  • Ausgrid – Sydney’s north, Central Coast and Newcastle
  • Endeavour Energy – Blue Mountains, Western Sydney, Illawarra and South Coast
• Energy retailers such as Origin Energy, AGL, Red Energy and EnergyAustralia buy electricity from the market pool and contract with generators to manage prices.
  • Retailers then sell electricity to households and businesses. Most customers only ever interact with their retailer, which sends them their quarterly bill.
  • There are 22 energy retailers with customers in the region affected by the natural disaster from 3 March 2025.
• To assist customer recovery from the impacts of ex-cyclone Alfred and the extended periods of time without power, Essential Energy is offering financial and non-financial support. For more information visit the Essential Energy website.

The Albanese Labor Government unequivocally condemns and stands against antisemitism in all its forms.

The rise of antisemitism is abhorrent and there is no place for the kind of hate speech and attacks we have seen recently in our country.

The firebombing of the Adass Israel Synagogue was a crime of cowardice and prejudice.

It was an attempt to threaten and silence the Jewish community, in Melbourne and right around Australia.

We won’t stand for that.

We are committed to ensuring that this community rebuilds.

That’s why the Government will provide $30 million for the restoration of the Adass Israel Synagogue and community centre in Ripponlea, Victoria.

We will also provide funding of up to $1.2 million for security upgrades to the current buildings due to reopen this year.

This funding decision will be reflected in next week’s Budget.

It is in addition to the $250,000 we funded towards the replacement and restoration of Torah Scrolls housed in the Synagogue.

There can be no place in Australia for antisemitism.

The Government is taking action to stamp out this scourge.

That’s why we’ve:

• Established Operation Avalite with the AFP to combat acts of antisemitism
• Imposed new counter-terrorism financing sanctions on Terrorgram
• Introduced a landmark ban on the Nazi salute and hate symbols with penalties of 1 year imprisonment and/or a fine of up $16,500
• Criminalised doxxing – the malicious release of personal information – which the Opposition voted against
• Are working with states and territories on a national database to track and coordinate on antisemitic incidents
• Committed $25 million for improved safety and security at Jewish sites across the country, including schools – in the weeks following the 7 October terrorist attack
• Funded an additional $32.5 million for security measures for schools and synagogues
• Passed legislation to criminalise hate speech
• Announced more than $100 million for countering violent extremism

A teen has been charged with pursuit, trespass and resisting arrest for his alleged involvement in stealing multiple cars in the Raymond Terrace area earlier this month.

About 11.55pm Saturday 15 March 2025, emergency services were called to Benjamin Lee Drive, Raymond Terrace, following reports of a crash.

Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District arrived and found an abandoned Mitsubishi utility had hit an unoccupied Toyota utility.

Police were told after the crash a group of unknown young people had exited the Mitsubishi – which had allegedly been stolen from a Tenambit home – before fleeing the scene prior to police arrival.

No injuries were reported, and police commenced an investigation into the incident.

About 3.30am Sunday 16 March 2025, police were called to Joseph Sheen Drive, Raymond Terrace, following reports of vehicle theft.

Officers arrived and were told a Nissan SUV had allegedly been stolen by two unknown young people.

Following inquiries, police located the allegedly stolen car driving on the New England Highway, East Maitland, about 10.10am the same day.

Police directed the driver of the car to stop; however, when they allegedly failed to do so a pursuit was initiated.

The pursuit continued through the Rutherford, Farley, Telarah and Bishops Bridge areas, with the allegedly stolen SUV reaching speeds of 150km/h in 80km/h speed zones.

Police terminated the pursuit after the SUV stopped on Old Maitland Road, Sawyers Gully, and two young people exited the car and attempted to flee the scene.

Officers continued to pursue the young people on foot and arrested a 14-year-old boy nearby.

He was taken to Maitland Police Station where he was dealt with under the young offender’s act.

Following further inquiries, police arrested a 13-year-old boy at Maitland Police Station today (Tuesday 18 March 2025).

He was charged with drive conveyance taken without consent of owner, be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner, police pursuit – not stop – drive recklessly, enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse and hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty.

The boy was granted strict conditional bail to appear before a children’s court on Wednesday 16 April 2025.

Police will allege in court the 13-year-old was the driver of the Nissan SUV and a passenger in the Mitsubishi utility.

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to support regional NSW with $15 million now available for communities in the Southern Basin affected by the Federal Government’s water buybacks to develop new job and investment projects.

The NSW Minister for Agriculture, Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty made the announcement in Griffith today [Thursday 13 March] as part of wider ongoing consultation with communities affected by the buyback program.

Minister Moriarty also met with business leaders from across the Riverina in Griffith at a round table concerned about the program.

The $15 million now available is the first round of funding under the $160 million program which will deliver targeted support to affected communities.

This initial round of funding is designed to provide immediate support to create jobs and boost local economies and will be targeted to the nine Local Government Areas of Balranald, Berrigan, Carrathool, Edward River, Griffith, Hay, Leeton, Murray River and Murrumbidgee.

Organisations eligible for the Early Investment Round can apply for $50,000 to $1 million for programs, initiatives and capital investment projects and between $250,000 to $4 million for infrastructure projects. Funding will be rolled out until the $15 million is exhausted.

Projects that would be considered for funding could include enabling infrastructure or technology upgrades to support business, plant and equipment for increased productivity or targeted workforce skills and capability development programs.

At the roundtable representatives from the region’s business community provided feedback about the types of investments that could support them to create and retain jobs.

This meeting is part of a wider consultation process helping the NSW Government understand the needs of Basin communities and will inform the roll out of future financial support.

The NSW Government will continue to consult widely, with further roundtables planned throughout the Southern Basin, to understand community priorities and the investments needed to strengthen local economies exposed to water recovery measures.

The remaining $145 million under the Sustainable Communities Program will be available for all exposed and vulnerable NSW Basin communities. This support is expected to commence in the 25/26 financial year, after detailed consultation with these communities occurs.

For more information on the Early Investment Round and to apply, visit nsw.gov.au/scp 

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“The NSW Government is committed to getting money out the door as fast as possible to support NSW Basin communities against the impacts of water recovery measures, including the Australian Government’s water buybacks.

“While we don’t support water buybacks, we do believe that investing in infrastructure and programs to support local business and industry is crucial to building strong, vibrant regional communities.

‘This first $15 million of funding gives communities the opportunity to get on the front foot.

“I encourage organisations based in the nine eligible Local Government Areas to take advantage of this first round of funding that will support them to grow and thrive well into the future.”

Serena Hardwick, Regional Director Business NSW said

“We look forward to working with Government to ensure that the funding helps to build capability and capacity in our local business community. ”

“Investment to assist businesses in the region increase productivity, foster innovation and commercialise their research and development will not only see benefit to our local economy but contribute to the economy”

“With a large skill and workforce gap, this is an opportunity for us to consider how we can, as business, foster a skilled future workforce and rewarding career pathways with this investment.”