In January 2019, the NSW Government announced 100 new high-visibility officers to be stationed at five regions across the state. In the Northern Region, six officers will be posted at Newcastle Police Station to service multiple police districts including:
The Northern HVP Unit consists of one Sergeant and five Constables; the officers commenced their first foot patrols last week.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt has introduced a Bill into the House of Representatives – Liability for Climate Change Damage (Make the Polluters Pay) Bill 2020 – which will make fossil fuel companies liable for damage from the climate crisis, granting climate victims such as recent bushfire survivors or tourism businesses affected by fires or reef bleaching the right to sue thermal coal, oil and gas companies for damages. Governments would also have the right to bring actions in their own right or on behalf of affected persons.
In Australia, regulators and lawyers have already advised that directors and companies may have climate-related liabilities, and in other countries actions have been commenced against fossil fuel companies for climate damage. This Bill will clarify the situation under Australian law.
Major fossil fuel producers and the owners and operators of coal-fired power stations will be liable for climate change damage. They will be liable in respect of all emissions since 1990 (when the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report was released and after which all emitters should have known the consequences of their pollution), or from any earlier time that the company had actual knowledge itself off the effect of its pollution. Companies will be liable in respect of the total emissions from their products, including Scope 3 emissions. Survivors of climate crisis events from 1 July 2019 will be eligible to sue polluters for damages.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt said:
“The world’s biggest polluters have known for decades that their products would harm life and threaten other businesses, yet they kept on selling them.
“Coal, oil and gas companies are decimating agriculture and tourism and wiping out homes and communities.
“The law made asbestos companies pay and now it’s coal, oil and gas’ turn.
“Fossil fuel companies are a direct threat to other Australian businesses and they should start to pay for the damage they have knowingly helped cause.
“The burning of coal, oil and gas has fuelled this summer’s devastating bushfires and floods, and worse is yet to come.
“When you do the wrong thing, especially when you knowingly do the wrong thing, there must be consequences.
“Coal, oil and gas are the tobacco and asbestos of our time.
“It shouldn’t be left to individuals, governments and other businesses to cover the costs of the damage fossil fuel companies have caused.”
Greens Senate Leader Senator Larissa Waters has today introduced a bill in the Senate to ban thermal coal mines in the Galilee Basin, effectively outlawing the Adani mine and Clive Palmer’s proposed coal mine.
She said opening up the Galilee Basin for thermal coal mining was a carbon bomb that would push global warming to unsafe levels and kill off the Great Barrier Reef.
“The Galilee Basin is a carbon bomb and in reality the science demands we don’t open up a single new coal mine,” Senator Waters said.
“We need to keep that Galilee coal in the ground and today I have a bill that will do just that.
“If the Galilee Basin were to be mined and it was a country, it would be the seventh largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world.
“Australia’s emissions continue to rise and millions of hectares of the country were burnt over Summer due to climate-fuelled bushfires. We desperately need a climate plan and that climate plan means getting out of thermal coal.
“We cannot afford to open up a new coal basin right when the rest of the world is embracing renewable energy and is transitioning towards an economy that can support workers and keep the planet liveable.
“It’s time we had a real jobs plan for Queenslanders, not fake promises of coal mines that we hope will never eventuate otherwise our climate is cooked.
“We need a genuine transition plan that supports coal-affected communities, re-trains them where that’s necessary and oft times it won’t be as those skills are transferable to other industries, especially clean energy or mine rehabilitation.
“Big coal is very generous in their donations to both the old parties, holding back action on climate change and renewable energy in this country for years.
“We must transition out of dirty polluting fossil fuels and towards the clean, jobs-generating export market future of renewable energy,” she said.
The Morrison Government is investing $1.6 billion to ensure the Australian Defence Force (ADF) can continue to deliver a potent air combat capability from the Northern Territory.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the Government had approved a further $1.1 billion program of works at the RAAF Base Tindal, on top of the $495 million already invested in New Air Combat Capability infrastructure.
“This investment is all about keeping Australians safe and putting Australians in jobs,” the Prime Minister said.
“Over 300 jobs will be created in the construction phase alone. The investment is part of the $8 billion we are spending over the coming decade on Defence facilities in the Top End, as part of the Defence White Paper and under our Developing Northern Australia initiatives.
“It will be integral to our Alliance with the United States, and increase the reach of Air Force capabilities in the Indo-Pacific.
“As part of these upgrades, RAAF Base Tindal will be able to deliver enhanced air-to-air refuelling and air support capabilities, ensuring we can support critical ADF operations – everything from air combat missions through to responding to natural disasters both at home and throughout our region.”
Under the redevelopment projects, $737 million will go towards upgrading the airfield including extending the runway, building a new air movements terminal, parking apron and extra fuel storage facilities.
An additional $437 million will provide critical base infrastructure upgrades, particularly engineering services on the base including power, water and sewage, as well as 108 new live-in units for Australian Defence Force personnel.
Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Linda Reynolds CSC said RAAF Base Tindal is one of our most important Defence bases.
“The 2016 Defence White Paper identified Northern Australia as strategically important, both for national defence and as a forward base for regional engagement,” Minister Reynolds said.
Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon. Melissa Price MP said Defence’s managing contractor will be required to maximise the involvement of local industry from the Katherine region and wider Northern Territory.
“Hundreds of locals will be employed to deliver these projects, with many more set to benefit from subcontract packages and supply chain work,” Minister Price said.
Public information sessions are scheduled for 27 February 2020 in Katherine and the following week in Darwin.
Subject to Parliamentary approval, construction is expected to commence from mid-2020, with completion expected by the end of 2027.
The Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Industry will open the recently completed $495 million New Air Combat Capability facility.
The completion of this facility will support the arrival of Australia’s cutting-edge F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft at RAAF Base Tindal in the years ahead.
“Under this project 64 percent of the total work packages were awarded to Northern Territory businesses, representing some $242 million being injected into the Territory’s economy,” Minister Price said.
“These completed works also contributed to local Indigenous employment, with an eight percent Indigenous workforce participation rate and three sub-contracts, valued at $27 million, awarded to Indigenous companies.”
Further detail on the proposed works can be found at https://www.defence.gov.au/id/RAAF-Tindal/Default.asp.
Regional NSW is still in the grips of the worst drought on record with 99 per cent of the state still drought affected, despite recent rain in coastal areas and some inland regions.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro today spoke with farmers, families and business owners in Yass, Boorowa, Cowra and Orange about the drought and reassured them that they have not been forgotten.
The recent downpours were a welcome relief, but people need to understand that many parts of the state did not receive a single drop and that 99 per cent of the state, particularly areas like the Far West, Central West and Southern NSW, remain in drought,” Mr Barilaro said.
“The drought is not over, far from it, and I want farmers, families and businesses to know that, while there has quite rightly been much attention given to firefighting and recovery efforts, our focus and commitment to drought support and response has not wavered.
“I am looking forward to the day I can say the drought has broken but that day is not today.
“The recent rain has given a lot of communities hope for the future but for those who have missed out it is a tough pill to swallow. We will continue to stand by them until this drought breaks.”
Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Adam Marshall said a further 50mm of rain is forecast on the North Coast for the coming week, following similar falls last week, however it will take months of sustained and widespread rainfall to break the drought.
“I’m sure many people have seen photos of green grass sprouting in some drought affected areas, but the reality is this recent growth is not that widespread and will provide only limited nutritional value for livestock,” Mr Marshall said.
“In farming areas, stored soil moisture levels remain very low, which shows the recent rainfall hasn’t provided the nourishing effect needed to improve conditions, while algal blooms and further fish kills remain a very real possibility across multiple regions.”
Mr Barilaro said as of February 2020, more than $1.9 billion has been committed to the Emergency Drought Relief package to help farmers and regional communities, on top of the $1 billion Safe and Secure Water program which is delivering water infrastructure that boosts drought resilience.
“We haven’t stopped and we won’t stop delivering for drought affected communities. Despite the bushfires, the bushfire recovery operation and despite recent rain, our commitment to regional towns suffering through this overwhelming drought is unwavering.”
For information about NSW Government drought support, go to droughthub.nsw.gov.au
One of the world’s leading experts on the mental health and social impacts of disaster will help lead long term recovery in the aftermath of NSW’s devastating bushfires.
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor and Bega MP Andrew Constance were joined by Professor Alexander McFarlane AO on Friday, 21 February as they led a meeting with stakeholders working to deliver recovery efforts across NSW.
Mrs Taylor said the experience of Professor McFarlane will be invaluable, especially as the diverse needs of communities change over time.
“The mental health of the people in fire ravaged communities is incredibly important, we want to make sure that as people rebuild their lives, they also rebuild their sense of wellbeing,” Mrs Taylor said.
“Bushfire recovery is well underway across the state, with different communities at different stages, but each will need access to mental health support for a long time into the future.
“Health experts, agencies, local community leaders, and everyone involved in the critical bushfire recovery process have come together to ensure ongoing, unified and co-ordinated support is provided to make sure no one slips through the cracks.”
Professor McFarlane has guided bushfire recovery efforts for decades, working on the Ash Wednesday and Black Saturday fires, as well as international disasters.
Mr Constance said it is important that we get this part of our recovery right.
“I don’t want to see tragedy follow tragedy, I want anyone affected in any way, shape or form to seek out support, either through their own community group or privately through one of our amazing networks,” Mr Constance said.
“We all need fire care of some description and it may not be now or next week, but we will all need it, I don’t want anyone to be afraid to ask for it.”
The NSW Government has previously announced a recovery package that includes $11.25 million for additional clinical positions which will boost the capacity of mental health teams in fire-affected communities to support people experiencing mental health consequences as result of the bushfires.
An additional deployment of 76 existing health and mental health staff to bushfire affected areas commenced on 6th January, and continue to provide support to affected communities as needed.
Mrs Taylor has urged anyone suffering from trauma or stress as a result of the State’s bushfire crisis to contact their local health service.
The Disaster Welfare Assistance Line is staffed with counselling support and can be accessed by phone on 1800 018 444
More help can be accessed via
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner following the death of a motorcyclist in the Hunter Valley yesterday afternoon.
Emergency services were called to Great North Road, Bucketty (40km north-west of Somersby), about 4.30pm (Sunday 23 February 2020), responding to reports of a crash involving a motorcycle and SUV.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District were told a man was riding north and a Mitsubishi SUV was being driven south, when the crash occurred in the southbound lane.
The SUV left the road, crashing down a ravine trapping the driver, while the motorcyclist was thrown down the same ravine.
Paramedics were winched by helicopter down the ravine to the injured motorcyclist; however, he died a short time after being brought up to the roadway.
He is believed to have been aged 59 and from Mardi.
A 44-year-old woman, from Paxton, was released from the wreckage of her SUV and escaped with relatively minor injuries.
She was taken to Wyong Hospital for mandatory testing.
Police were assisted at the scene by NSW Ambulance paramedics, Rescue helicopter crew, RFS and VRA volunteers.
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.
Civic Theatre and City Hall under comnstruction.
Manager Civic Services Delia O’Hara with Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace and the Lord Mayor.