Category: Newcastle News

A Shorten Labor Government will fund the rebuilding of Boscawen Street Bridge at Wallsend to protect against future flooding.
This election is a choice between Labor’s plan to invest in local infrastructure or the LNP’s bigger tax loopholes for the top end of town.
Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon said Federal Labor had agreed to Newcastle City Council’s $3 million funding request for the rebuild.
“This will drive business confidence in the region and bring peace of mind to the whole community,” Ms Claydon said
“While 12 years have passed since the terrible superstorm that wrought a trail of destruction through Wallsend, residents and business owners still brace themselves every time it rains hard.”
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes welcomed the funding, saying it was a priority under the Wallsend Flood Mitigation Strategy.
“Boscawen is one of the three Wallsend bridges that need rebuilding, along with Tyrell Street and Nelson Street, in Wallsend,” Cr Nelmes said.
“Council is delivering the new Tyrell Street Bridge and has asked the NSW Government to provide funding for the Nelson Street Bridge, so Federal Labor’s support for the re-construction of the Boscawen Street Bridge will make a big difference to flood mitigation in Wallsend.”
State Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery, who has been a long-time advocate of the project, said it would resolve some serious flooding risks.
“A number of issues have been identified, including the low clearance on the bridge, the handrails and the intermediate piers, which pose a high risk of trapping materials in extreme weather conditions, causing blockages and leading to severe flooding,” Ms Hornery said.
“Removing the intermediate piers and creating a single-span structure will improve the flow capacity in large flood events for Hunter Water to undertake channel-widening in the future.”
Ms Claydon called on the Liberals to match the funding commitment.
“I wrote to the Deputy Prime Minister requesting Government support and was directed to a program that Boscawen Street Bridge isn’t even eligible for,” Ms Claydon.
“The Liberals need to show their support for the people of Wallsend by committing to investing in the Boscawen Street Bridge rebuild.”

Fitness enthusiasts who frequent Stockton’s foreshore for their outdoor exercise pursuits will now have another reason to step out and stay in shape.
City of Newcastle will install six new outdoor fitness stations along Stockton foreshore to help residents and visitors to the seaside suburb remain active.

The stations, similar to the one recently installed along the Fernleigh Track at Adamstown, will include a bench press, stretching station, cycle seat, shoulder press, sit up bench, aerobic walker, and pull up, chin up and dip bars.
Six fitness stations will be located along the Stockton foreshore within walking distance of the Active Hub

All six stations will be built within walking distance of the recently completed $2 million South Stockton Active Hub. Work is expected to start in mid-May and take about five weeks to complete, weather permitting.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the provision of new exercise parks such as this would help meet the City’s population growth targets and reduce obesity and health risks.

“By building these new parks we are also increasing our commitment to supporting the community to be physically active, contributing to improved health outcomes and lowering obesity levels,” the Lord Mayor said.
“When complete, the facility will contribute to Stockton’s already thriving outdoor lifestyle, which was recently bolstered thanks to the completion of the $2 million all-age South Stockton Active Hub skate park and children’s playground.

“We all know that getting active improves our sense of wellbeing, so we are very pleased to be delivering these new facilities for Novocastrians to stay fit and healthy.”
The $2 million South Stockton Active Hub was opened just before Easter

Port Waratah Coal Services co-funded the stations and Chief Executive Officer Hennie du Plooy said Port Waratah is delighted to partner with City of Newcastle to deliver the fitness stations for the community of Stockton.
“Our Community Investment and Partnership Programme is something we are very proud to share with Newcastle, and the fitness stations along Stockton foreshore is one way we can help deliver positive benefits to Portside communities,” Mr du Plooy said.
The equipment is part of the City’s Outdoor Exercise Facilities Strategy, funded by City of Newcastle and a grant from Port Waratah Coal Services. It also supports the City’s collaboration with a major University of Newcastle research project called Ecofit to encourage outdoor community activity and exercise.

Police have charged a man with numerous offences following two alleged carjacking incidents at Beresfield yesterday.
Just after 2pm (Sunday 5 May 2019), a 21-year-old man approached a 51-year-old woman as she was entering her car in a carpark in Anderson Drive.
The man allegedly pushed her against the car, before taking the keys and driving away.
As he drove through the roundabout at Anderson Drive and Glenwood Drive, the car collided with the gutter and crashed, and the man left the car.
He then allegedly approached another car which had stopped at the crash site and attempted to remove the driver from the car. When the driver refused to leave the car, it is alleged he punched him several times through the open window.
The driver was able to drive away from the scene and the man ran into nearby swampland, where several witnesses chased him and restrained him until police arrived.
As police were arresting the man, several other people attempted to intervene, and a struggle commenced with the officers.
Police deployed OC spray and two men, and two women were arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station.
During the struggle two officers were injured, one with a suspected fractured wrist.
The 21-year-old man was charged with aggravated assault to take and drive motor vehicle, assault with intent to take and drive motor vehicle, resist police, destroy property, intimidate police, and drive unlicensed.
The men aged, 24 and 27, were each charged with resist arrest, assault police and hinder police.
The three men were refused bail to appear in Maitland Local Court today (Monday 6 May 2019).
The women aged, 25 and 27, were charged with resist arrest and were both granted conditional bail to appear in Maitland Local Court on 29 May 2019.

Two men will appear in court after a public place shooting in the Hunter region earlier this week.
Police attended an address on Wollombi Road, Muswellbrook, shortly before 9pm (Wednesday 1 May 2019), following reports shots were fired into the air.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District established a crime scene which will be forensically examined.
No one was injured during the incident.
Following inquiries, about 12.10pm yesterday (Friday 3 May 2019), officers executed a search warrant at a home in Muswellbrook and arrested a 19-year-old man.
He was taken to Muswellbrook Police Station and charged with armed with intent to commit an indictable offence and possess or use a prohibited weapon without permit (x2).
He was granted conditional bail to appear at Muswellbrook Local Court on Monday 17 June 2019.
About 1.50pm (Friday 3 May 2019), a 19-year-old man attended Muswellbrook Police Station where he was arrested.
He was charged with stalk intimidate intend fear physical harm (x2), fire firearm in or near public place, use unauthorised firearm, and possess prohibited drug.
He was refused bail to appear at Wyong Local Court today (4 May 2019).

A Shorten Labor Government will provide $40 million over four years to emergency relief organisations across the country, including over half a million dollars for organisations in Newcastle.
This election is a choice between a Shorten Labor Government supporting people doing it tough, or bigger tax loopholes for the top end of town under the Liberals.
The Morrison Government is cutting the funding for many emergency relief services at the end of the year.
Labor will reverse these cuts and provide a much-needed funding boost to the sector.
In Newcastle this will mean Labor will deliver an extra $491,000 to the Samaritans Foundation for emergency relief services over the next four years.
Labor will also restore the $73,000 that the Liberals cut from emergency relief funding for Muloobinba Aboriginal Corporation.
Without this funding Muloobinba Aboriginal Corporation will no longer be able to provide emergency relief to First Nations families in need.
These services provide support to vulnerable people who have nowhere else to turn by providing food hampers, funding for fuel to attend specialist medical appointments and other financial assistance.
The charities and not-for-profits that do this important work are increasingly stretched and need more resources.
A Shorten Labor Government will also support Australians in financial hardship by:

• Doubling the number of financial counsellors across the country.
• Expanding low-cost alternatives to pay day loans for low-income Australians, providing safe and fair credit options when things get tough.
• Reversing the Morrison Government’s $5.5 million cut to emergency relief organisations across the country and providing a much-needed top up to the emergency relief sector.

Many vulnerable Australians are falling through the cracks. Labor will make sure our charities and not-for-profits have the resources they need to support our fellow Australians.
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR NEWCASTLE SHARON CLAYDON SAID:
“I have met too many families in our community who are in crisis and in need of a helping hand. The Morrison Government’s cruel cuts put services that support vulnerable people at risk.
“The Muloobinba Aboriginal Corporation and the Samaritans Foundation of Newcastle provide essential services to our community. Only Labor can make sure they’re properly funded to keep doing this important work.”

Newcastle Art Gallery’s next exhibition VIRGINIA CUPPAIDGE: the nature of abstraction is a survey exhibition of work celebrating Cuppaidge’s return to Australia.
After more than 40 years living and working in New York, the Australian-born abstract painter has returned to Australia to live and work in Newcastle. Her retrospective exhibition, opening Saturday 11 May, will feature works of art painted in New York.
Cuppaidge’s practice is embedded in the abstract; the works of art selected celebrate her acute understanding of the landscape and mastery of light, balance, colour and form.
Born in Brisbane in 1943, Cuppaidge studied art in Sydney before moving to New York in 1969 where she remained for more than 40 years. Newcastle Art Gallery has collected Cuppaidge’s works of art since the 1980s and this exhibition provides yet another opportunity to develop a project that showcases a prominent artist from the collection.
“Drawn from the Gallery’s holdings are three monumental paintings, Saix 1974, Valoniah 1979 and Center Of The Beginning 1988,” explained Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton.
“It’s fantastic that we have Virginia’s work in the collection. As an expatriate Australian artist living overseas and a young female artist working in 1970s New York, she was living in one of the art capitals of the world when some extraordinary shifts were taking place in the international women’s rights movement.
“In line with the title of the exhibition, Virginia’s works of art also help us explore the very nature of abstract art. She is an important artist with immense skill and considerable international renown.”
About Virginia Cuppaidge (left)
Virginia Cuppaidge studied in Sydney with Desiderius Orban, Stanislaus Rapotec, Marea Gazzard, John Olsen and Robert Klippel before moving to New York in 1969 to ‘see the best abstract art going on at the time and live in the art museums.’
Although Cuppaidge lived in New York for more than 40 years, she came to the realisation that her abstract work is routed in her Australian experience (she believes the Australian landscape is in her system).
Cuppaidge’s exhibiting career has traversed the American, Canadian and Australian art scenes, with 33 solo exhibitions and numerous public commissions and awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1976.
Virginia has exhibited in USA and Australia. Galleries include: Stella Downer Fine Art – Sydney, Rosenberg + Kaufman Fine Arts – New York, Robin Gibson Gallery – Sydney, Gallery A – Sydney, AM Sachs Gallery – New York, Bloomfield Galleries – Sydney, Susan Caldwell Gallery – New York. In 1973 Cuppaidge held her first first solo show in New York City at AM Sachs NY. Virginia was adjunct associate professor of art at C.U.N.Y, Borough of Manhattan Community College, and Bronx Community College, 1992–2008.
Virginia CUPPAIDGE Valoniah 1979 acrylic on canvas 198.0 x 305.0cm Purchased 1980 Newcastle Art Gallery collection
Since early 2017, Virginia has lived in Newcastle, and is currently writing “The New York Stories”. An account of arriving in New York in 1969, meeting up with Australian sculptor Clement Meadmore, adapting to the huge metropolis, working at the Max Hutchinson Gallery in SoHo, and surviving as an artist in New York City for five decades.
VIRGINIA CUPPAIDGE: the nature of abstraction (11 May – 21 July 2019) Newcastle Art Gallery. Entry is free.
Explore Newcastle Art Gallery’s future exhibition program

Two people, including a police officer have been charged over an alleged assault in the Port Macquarie region.
It’s alleged on Saturday 23 March 2019, an off-duty female officer, attached to the Northern Region, and a 43-year-old man, assaulted a 53-year-old man during an incident at a licensed premises on Owen Street.
Following inquires, the 42-year-old senior constable was served with a Future Court Attendance Notice for the offences of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and fail to quit licenced premises.
The man was served a Future Court Attendance Notice for the offences of assault and fail to quit licenced premises.
Both are due to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court on Wednesday 19 June 2019.

Budding young musicians and rockstars in the making will get a new Music Hub in Newcastle to jam and record if Labor is elected.
This election is a choice between a Shorten Labor Government with a plan for vibrant local communities, or more cuts and chaos from the Liberals.
Senator Kristina Keneally joined Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon to announce the funding for a Music Hub in Newcastle on behalf of Shadow Minister for the Arts, Tony Burke.
Senator Keneally said Atwea College had been awarded $350,000 to create a rehearsal area, live performance space and recording studio at The Creative Arts Space on Beaumont Street, Hamilton.
“The facilities will be accessible to community members and disadvantaged young people who don’t have access to anywhere they can practice,” Senator Keneally said.
“This funding will allow for soundproofing and electrical works, upgraded lighting and a stage extension. It will also fund some fabulous new equipment like speakers, amps and instruments.”
Ms Claydon said the project was a perfect fit for Newcastle.
“Live music has long been the lifeblood of Newcastle, but it’s getting harder and harder for young people to find the space to hone their skills,” Ms Claydon said.
“Atwea will also provide professional musicians who will be on hand to give mentoring, training and support to the next generation of artists and to connect them to Newcastle’s music community.”
Atwea College Executive Director Rowan Cox said the funding would help foster Newcastle’s music culture and provide much-needed updates to the Creative Arts Space in Hamilton.
“The Newcastle Music Hub will give young Novocastrians access to professional equipment and give them the skills and experience to pursue their musical ambitions,” Ms Cox said.
“The jam spaces and recording studios will be available for young members of the community to book time in.  In the recording studio, they will be offered supervision and support by Atwea trainers. Atwea also plans to restart Open Mic Nights and Battle of the Bands to create more opportunities for live performances for local artists.”
Music Hub funding is provided under Labor’s Soundtrack Australia policy – the most comprehensive contemporary music policy by an Australian Government.
From encouraging more Australian children to learn and play music, to assisting young bands reach overseas markets, to more support for live music and ensuring fans aren’t being ripped off when they buy tickets – Labor wants to see more Australians making music, listening to music, and seeing live music.

City of Newcastle has opened this year’s grants and sponsorship funding round worth half a million dollars to support events and initiatives such as Newcastle’s first homegrown comedy festival.
As the opening night of the four-day Newcastle Comedy festival nears, the City invites community groups keen to stage events in the next financial year to apply for $280,000 in funding under its Event Sponsorship Program (ESP).
The inaugural rib tickler was awarded more than $15,000 under last year’s ESP to deliver a barrel of laughs at Civic Theatre, pubs and live venues across the City from Thursday 23 May.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes with Newcastle Comedy Festival crew (bottom left) Chris Wedlock,
(top left) Andrew Milos, (top right) Alan Parry and (bottom right) Grant Gibbons
Festival director Andrew Milos, of the aptly named Big Dog Pod, said the funding was crucial to getting a locally produced event off the ground.
“I’m really glad we’ve got the backing behind us to do this because if I didn’t do it then someone from Sydney would have,” he said.
“It’s helped give us some breathing room to secure local comedy acts, such as Raw finalist Cameron James, and we’ve been able to approach second year sound engineering students from Newcastle University to help us out.
The ESP, applications for which are now open, provides funding for Community Events, Major Community Events, Major Destination Events, Commercial Events and Business Events. More than 35 events were sponsored under last year’s program, extending from local community based festivals through to international competitions such as the Port to Port Mountain Bike event.
The ESP will be followed by another $210,000 worth of grant funding through Economic Development ($70,000) Community ($60,000) and Recreational Facilities ($80,000) grant programs over the next few months.
Triple J Raw Comedy finalist Cameron James will be a local hit at the upcoming comedy festival
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the grants open the door for new ventures and groups to provide a welcome community contribution, or for existing organisations to build on their previous success.
“It’s the aim of the grant funding to support local talent and community groups as they evolve into successful organisations delivering outcomes year-in, year-out,” the Lord Mayor said.
“Last year’s funding across our range of sponsorship and grant programs has contributed to projects with a direct expenditure of $1.25 million and provided support for business growth and employment while encouraging innovation, community capacity building, placemaking and developing the visitor economy.
“I know in speaking with the organisers of the Newcastle Comedy Festival that they have big plans to grow the local comedy scene so it’s very important that we help them.”
Fore more information on the City’s sponsorship grants, visit http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Community/Grants-Sponsorships

Virtual and augmented reality demonstrations, an Internet of Things workshop and an intro to borrowable podcasting equipment will feature at Newcastle Library during the upcoming Hunter Innovation Festival.
City of Newcastle has partnered with festival organisers to help Hunter residents explore innovation in a friendly, hands-on environment as part of strategic smart city strategy adopted by Council in 2017.
“The City of Newcastle is proud to be on board with the Hunter Innovation Festival as Festival Partner in 2019, supporting an expanded program and providing the Library as a festival hub,” Lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“Newcastle has a long history of producing world-class innovation in heavy industries and we’re also punching above our weight in emerging industries, such as robotics and advanced manufacturing.
“Our smart city infrastructure and platforms are now attracting international attention and we’re working hard to diversify the local economy through a range of public works and economic initiatives.
“Social inclusion is an important part of this, so I’m delighted that library members will soon be able to borrow tech to create professional podcasts and that our libraries in general are spearheading the smart city charge – through virtual and augmented reality and even hosting school holiday STEM programs.”
The festival follows adoption of Newcastle Libraries’ 2019-2029 Strategy, which aims to deliver a world-class library for a smart, liveable and sustainable city.
“The Library is a gateway to understanding the knowledge economy, supporting an inclusive approach for the benefit of all citizens,” Newcastle Libraries Manager Suzie Gately said.
“A key part of our new strategy is partnering with stakeholders in the smart city ecosystem to promote initiatives to improve liveability, sustainability and local innovation.
“The Hunter Innovation Festival is a great event to show the integral role libraries play in introducing the community to new technology and providing resources and programs to bridge the digital divide. “
Festival highlights at Newcastle Region Library on Laman Street include:

• Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) Demonstrations – learn how the City uses VR for destination marketing and AR to bring its heritage collections to life
• Data is the new oil – a talk looking at the relationship between smart cities and data
• Get involved in your smart city – a workshop on how to incorporate the Internet of Things (IoT) into your daily life.
• Podcasting 101 – with the library soon to make podcasting tech available for loan, this workshop will help story tellers transform ideas it into great sounding audio
• Idea to Execution with SheStarts – a workshop for entrepreneurial women looking to take the plunge and start their own business
• Technology and Backyard Food Production – a look at how you can use smart tech to increase the productivity of your veggie patch and garden
• Six kids’ workshops including two Family Maker Labs and a Mars Rover Challenge

The festival runs from May 6 to 17 and will include more than 40 events in Newcastle and the Hunter including a Hackathon, Pitch Night, Business Bootcamp, a Humans v Robots debate, Hunter Research Foundation Centre’s Economic Breakfast with an international guest speaker, a Flash Mob, an interactive lighting installation in Civic Park and more.
Visit the HIF websit here for more.