Investigators are appealing for information following reports of a child approach in the state’s Hunter region.
Police have been told, four girls aged between five and 16 were at a swimming pool on Cowper Street, Stroud, when they were approached by a man unknown to them about 3pm yesterday (Sunday 6 October 2019).
He made multiple comments towards the girls, to which they did not respond and left the pool. They returned to a nearby campsite and alerted their parents.
The man followed the children back to the campsite before leaving the location in a green hatchback.
Detectives from Port-Stephens Hunter Police District were notified, and an investigation commenced.
The man is only described as being in his mid to late 50s, with short white hair, wearing a dark-coloured check button-up shirt and cream shorts.
Anyone who may have seen a green hatchback in the area at the time are urged to contact Raymond Terrace Police Station on (02) 4983 7400 or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Month: October 2019
Man arrested after two officers stabbed – Lake Macquarie
A man has been arrested following a confrontation with police today, leaving two officers hospitalised with stab wounds.
Just before 1pm today (Sunday 6 October 2019), police were called to a service station at the intersection of the Boulevarde and Carey Street, Toronto, after reports a man was armed with knives.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District attended and were confronted by the man, still armed with two knives.
A number of shots were discharged by police; however, the man was uninjured, and two officers suffered stab wounds – one to leg and the other to the hand.
Both have been taken to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition and will undergo surgery.
The 25-year-old man was arrested and taken to Toronto Police Station.
Multiple crime scenes have been established with The Boulevarde and Carey Street currently closed as inquiries continue.
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
FINAL PIECE IN PLACE ON NEW M5 BRIDGES
A 30 tonne beam has been craned into place completing the final bridge on the new M5 project – the Super-T girder is the finishing touch on the new Gardeners Road bridge across the Alexandra Canal.
Minister for Roads Andrew Constance said the bridge would provide drivers with a direct link between Gardeners Road, Mascot and the St Peters Interchange.
“After more than 80 years, the community around St Peters and Mascot will soon have access to two new connections across the Alexandra Canal,” Mr Constance said.
“The Gardeners Road bridges are an important connection and will help alleviate congestion on local roads. They’ll also allow drivers to directly connect to the New M5 and M4-M5 Link Tunnels from Mascot via the St Peters Interchange.”
Mr Constance said the completion of the ten bridge structures was a significant milestone for the project and had also provided an economic boost to regional communities.
“The bridge pieces, including the 17 metre-long T-shaped ‘Super T’s’, were made at the Hunter and Coffs Harbour precast yards and all materials were locally supplied,” Mr Constance said.
“Production of these segments helped to create around 200 jobs over the past two years in regional communities stretching all the way to the mid-coast.
“Work on site has now turned to the construction of a major retaining wall within St Peters Interchange to help create the six hectares of new open space being delivered as part of the New M5.”
Drivers will be able to test out the bridges when the New M5 opens in 2020.
WestConnex is being delivered in four major stages, including the New M4 (now open), the New M5, opening in 2020 and the M4-M5 Link, opening in 2023.
When complete, WestConnex will provide drivers with a 33km, traffic-light free network.
Three charged after alleged drug supply – Lake Macquarie
Three people have been charged following a three-month investigation into the supply of prohibited drugs in the Lake Macquarie area.
In July 2019, detectives from Lake Macquarie Police District established Strike Force Birs to investigate the supply of prohibited drugs, predominately ‘ice’ around Lake Macquarie.
Following extensive inquiries, about 9am yesterday (Thursday 3 October 2019), officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District with assistance from Strike Force Raptor North, Operational Support Group officers and the Police Dog unit executed a search warrant at a home on Park Street, Argenton.
A short time later, a 25-year-old man was arrested at an address on Ellesmere Street, Booragul.
Crime scenes were established at both locations.
During search warrants at both of the homes, police allegedly located and seized various quanties of drugs, predominately methylamphetamine and GHB, a slingshot and ammunition.
In total, three people – two men and a woman – were arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station.
A 25-year-old Barnsley man was charged with nine offences, including supply prohibited drug on an on-going basis, supply prohibited drug greater than indictable quantity and supply prohibited drug. He was refused bail to face Toronto Local Court today (Friday 4 October 2019).
A 24-year-old Teralba man was charged with four drug supply offences. He was granted conditional bail to face Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 16 October 2019.
A 27-year-old Argenton woman was charged with three charges, including possess prohibited weapon and possess prohibited drug. She was granted conditional bail to face Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 16 October 2019.
Investigations under Strike Force Birs are ongoing.
Delay of endangered Sea Lion listing could determine its survival
The Federal Environment Minister has again delayed the assessment of flora and fauna species’ threat status in a move that could determine the survival of these species, including the Australian Sea Lion, the Greens say.
The Environment Department’s website was quietly updated this week to show Minister Sussan Ley has granted extensions to 36 species currently being assessed for listing under the EPBC Act.
“This is an extremely critical time for the Sea Lion which is facing the enormous threat posed by Equinor which plans to drill for oil in its habitat, the Great Australian Bight,” Greens Spokesperson for the Environment and Senator for South Australia, Sarah Hanson-Young said.
“Equinor’s Environmental Plan is currently before NOPSEMA for assessment and the regulator is required to consider the presence of listed species in the proposed drilling site.
“A listing change for the Sea Lion from ‘Vulnerable’ to ‘Endangered’ could significantly affect the assessment so the fact the Minister has deferred it again is very concerning.
“I think a lot of people will be asking whether this is a move designed to limit the emphasis placed on the Sea Lion while this proposal from Big Oil is being considered.”
Senator Hanson-Young said when a species is listed under the EPBC Act a ‘Recovery Plan’, or at the very least ‘Conservation Advice’, will be provided which could make all the difference to that species’ survival.
“We are in the middle of an extinction crisis and yet once again we have an Environment Minister failing to ensure the protection of threatened species,” she said.
“If a species isn’t listed at all under the EPBC Act then it won’t even be referred to in an environmental assessment for a project like a new coal mine or oil and gas exploration – how convenient for the Liberal Party’s political donors in the fossil fuel industry.
“Minister Ley has some explaining to do because the future of our threatened flora and fauna is in her hands.”
Proposed Uni Performance Funding Rules Miss the Mark
Australian Greens Senator and Education Spokesperson, Dr Mehreen Faruqi, has responded to the Government’s announcement today that it will weight ‘graduate employment outcomes’ at double the weighting of other measures in newly announced performance-based funding measures for universities. Senator Faruqi is a former academic with the University of New South Wales.
Senator Faruqi said:
“This whole ‘performance funding’ measures push has been misguided and poorly thought out from the start. Now, what they have come up with completely misses the mark and serves only to further undermine universities independence and financial security.
“By tying funding to arbitrary performance measures they are trying to reshape what a university is. Universities should be places of learning, research and innovation where students learn to think critically, but the Liberals want them to operate as businesses and students are consumers, focused narrowly on just ‘employment outcomes’.
“The Government has completely ignored the university sector, unions and experts’ advice that their plan won’t deliver the amount of funding needed. Universities are desperate for a real funding increase.
“The Greens have a plan to fund free undergraduate university and TAFE, and boost university funding by 10 per cent to improve learning and teaching conditions, reduce class sizes and enable researchers to pursue solutions to the big problems of our time,” she concluded.
New On Demand transport service to be trialled in Newcastle
Novocastrians will soon have a new flexible transport service at their fingertips to take them between Newcastle’s innersuburbs and the city centre.
City of Newcastle, in partnership with Keolis Downer, will trial an ‘On Demand’ transport service allowing people to book a ride to collect them from a convenient, nearby pick-up point, and take them to a local transport hub or other point of interest in the city.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the service would allow people in Newcastle to explore new ways to get around.
“The trial of the On Demand service is just another way Newcastle is forging ahead as a modern and smart city,” the Lord Mayor said.
“It presents a new and flexible way for commuters to make their journey into the city for work and has the potential to remove cars from the city centre opening up more car spaces in and around the city.
“The trial’s aim is to encourage Novocastrians and visitors to take advantage of public transport options in the City. The service area has been designed to support public transport use by including key transport nodes such as Newcastle interchange and Broadmeadow Station.
“It’s a stress-free way to travel to work, head into the city to shop or attend appointments.”
Transport on Demand is an emerging alternative to fixed route public transport. It is characterised by users being able to request pick-ups at times of their choosing via an app – like Uber, but significantly cheaper. It is regarded as a cost-effective way of connecting people to major transport nodes and routes. It uses smaller vehicles and only runs where there is demand.
Bookings can be made quickly and simply through the Newcastle Transport app with journeys expected to cost a flat fare of $3.20.
Three vehicles, two six-passenger cars and a 11-passenger van with wheel-chair access, will be rolled out to service the trial area, taking in the East End, Civic, Market Town and the Newcastle Interchange from places such as Beaumont Street Hamilton, Broadmeadow Station, Merewether, The Junction, Bar Beach, Hamilton South and The Hill.
The On Demand trial supports the City’s long-term planning and ambition for higher levels of public transport patronage and active travel creating a more pedestrian-friendly city centre.
The On Demand Service trial will operate in peak hours between 6.30am-9am and 3.30pm-6pm Monday to Friday, and is expected to kick off by the end of the year and run for 12-months.
This project is part of the City’s award-winning Smart Moves Newcastle program, which received $5 million in grant funding through the Federal Government’s Smart Cities and Suburbs Program.
WORKPLACE SAFETY MONTH – INDUSTRY ON NOTICE
NSW businesses and employees have been put on notice about their obligations to make workplaces safer, following after a number fatalities and serious injuries in the lead-up to National Safe Work Month, which begins today.
Minister for Better Regulation and Innovation Kevin Anderson said SafeWork inspectors have been called to incidents in recent times involving workers from a range of sectors including manufacturing, construction, agriculture and transport.
“We want everyone to make it home to their family at the end of the day, which is why we are reminding everyone of their obligations and responsibilities, not just from employers to their employees, but employees’ obligations to each other.
“It is clear that more needs to be done to get the safety message through to people, which is why this month the NSW Government will be rolling out a number of new initiatives which aim to protect workers from serious injury or death.”
To mark National Safe Work Month this October, inspectors will make the construction industry the focus of its next falls from height blitz with businesses and workers across NSW being reminded of their obligations of staying safe whilst working at heights.
“Since April this year, SafeWork NSW has been targeting unsafe scaffolds, visiting more than 700 construction sites and issuing 832 notices, including $109,000 in on-the-spot fines or falls risks,” Mr Anderson said.
“While inspectors have seen some improvement in scaffold safety recently, the level of risk is still unacceptable with 44 per cent of scaffolds having missing parts, while on 36 per cent of sites it appeared unlicensed workers had altered or removed scaffolding components,” Mr Anderson said.
“That is why we need to strengthen laws and change attitudes to target risky behavior, before someone gets hurt, or dies.”
FAST-TRACKED TAFE NSW FACILITIES FOR MEADOWBANK EDUCATION PRECINCT
The NSW Government will fast-track delivery of the State’s first technology-focused TAFE NSW campus by 12 months with thousands of students expected to benefit.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the NSW Government is investing in a world-class education precinct at Meadowbank.
“I am proud to announce the delivery of the new digital technology hub at TAFE NSW Meadowbank will be accelerated by 12 months to match the construction schedule of the two new schools,” Mr Lee said. “This means a new primary school, a new high school and new TAFE NSW facilities will all be delivered at the same time.”
Mr Lee said technology was at the forefront of the revitalised TAFE site, transforming training delivery to be more digitally interactive and industry focussed.
“The new industry standard training facilities will enhance the capacity of TAFE NSW to deliver technology-focussed, specialist training in emerging ICT areas such as cyber-security.
“The new state-of-the-art facilities will equip students with the job-ready skills employers are calling for – with industry collaboration and a digital focus embedded into the design.”
Member for Ryde Victor Dominello said fast-tracking the project and aligning construction timelines was great news for the Ryde community.
“Australia’s Silicon Valley is in our own backyard so it makes sense to have a technology focused TAFE in Meadowbank,” Mr Dominello said.
“Ryde is being transformed into an education and employment powerhouse and this new TAFE will prepare students for the jobs of the future.”
TAFE NSW will lodge a State Significant Development Application for the Multi-Trades and Digital Technology Hub in mid-October following consultation. The new TAFE NSW facilities are scheduled to be open alongside the school in 2022.
NSW GOVERNMENT DELIVERING AN AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE
Minister for Energy Matt Kean has today announced the next stage in the $75 million NSW Emerging Energy Program, which encourages private sector investment in cutting edge large-scale electricity and storage projects through feasibility and capital grants.
Feasibility grants worth a total of $7.1 million have been awarded to 10 electricity projects to help get them shovel ready so that we can meet the States future energy needs. These projects are spread across seven locations in NSW, including Broken Hill, Yass and Armidale.
21 projects have also been shortlisted to receive capital funding to assist with the construction of on-demand electricity. The shortlisted projects include over 700 megawatts of on-demand electricity capacity across six technologies, including pumped hydro, gas, biogas, solar thermal, virtual power plants and batteries. The successful recipients will be announced in the first half of 2020.
“The NSW Government is committed to delivering affordable, reliable and cleaner power for NSW. The Emerging Energy Program does just that,” Mr Kean said.
“AEMO’s latest report identified that NSW is well placed to handle the summers up until Liddell’s retirement in 2023 but we’re planning for the future, looking at how we can harness tomorrow’s technology today by encouraging private capital to build the 21st century grid,” Mr Kean said.
“These projects will help show the way for new technology, making it easier for other projects to come online, increase competition and put downward pressure on prices,” Mr Kean said.
“The transformation of our electricity system is going to drive an energy construction boom, as the projects awarded feasibility grants could see almost $2 billion in private investment,” Mr Kean said.
Successful applicants can work with the Clean Energy Finance Corporation for finance through its Dispatchable Power Program.
For more information about the Emerging Energy Program visit: energy.nsw.gov.au/emerging-energy