A man has been charged following two pursuits through several Hunter suburbs overnight.
Shortly before 11pm yesterday (Monday 1 June 2020), officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attempted to stop a blue Holden Cruze for the purpose of a random breath test on Trafalgar Street, Nelson Bay.
When the vehicle failed to stop, police commenced patrolling for the vehicle, eventually locating it in Fingal Bay.
Police attempted to stop the Holden a second time on Rocky Point Road, Fingal Bay, before the vehicle allegedly drove off at speed.
Police initiated a pursuit which continued through several suburbs including Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay, Corlette, Salamander Bay and Anna Bay, allegedly reaching speeds in excess of 150 km/hr in a sign-posted 50km/hr zone.
Officers lost sight of the vehicle and terminated the pursuit.
Further police were deployed when they located the vehicle on Marsh Road, Salt Ash, and initiated a second pursuit.
Road spikes were successfully deployed on Nelson Bay Road, Salt Ash, with police continuing to pursue the Holden along Richardson and Medowie Roads, before the vehicle stopped on the Pacific Highway north of Six Mile Road.
A man and a woman both exited the Holden and fled into nearby bushland.
A short foot pursuit ensued with the assistance of the Dog Unit before police arrested a 31-year-old man and a 29-year-old woman.
Police will further allege they located methylamphetamine during a person search of the man.
Both were taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station where the 31-year-old man was charged with six offences, including police pursuit, supply prohibited drug, drive whilst disqualified and breach of bail.
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Tuesday 2 March 2020), where he was formally refused bail to appear at the same court on Monday 15 June 2020.
The 29-year-old woman was released due to medical reasons and inquiries are continuing.
Month: June 2020
Netball NSW Statement re Community Sport return
Netball NSW is disappointed by the announcement from NSW Sports Minister Geoff Lee today regarding the return of community sport as Covid19 restrictions continue to be eased across the state.
Since the Covid19 Pandemic began our netball community at all levels has played a huge role in the collective national effort to put those most in need first, but today’s announcement goes no-where near far enough to ensure community sport itself does not fall victim to the national emergency.
Community sport includes the whole community. Not just those under 18 years of age. Senior players are the backbone of clubs, associations and competitions everywhere. They are the coaches, managers, umpires and administrators. If they can’t participate, all sport – not just netball – is in jeopardy.
Netball NSW has been proactive in working with stakeholders, including our valued clubs and associations, to ensure safe and innovative approaches are taken to competitions in 2020. The organisation has also offered to make itself available to meet with the Health Minister and Chief Medical Officer but is yet to receive a response.
It is unfathomable that as shopping centres start to look like it’s Christmas Eve, and pubs can allow up to 50 people, adults can’t participate in sport.
Netball is not alone in this battle. There are many sporting organisations on the brink of insolvency who may now have to refund every dollar to senior players. It is a financial disaster for community sport.
All sports need financial recovery assistance urgently. The State Government requested, and received, detailed financial information eight weeks ago, but no progress has been made.
It is very important to note that Netball NSW is not in the business of profit to pay huge wages of a tiny minority of elite athletes at the pointy end. Our elite and community games share a deep bond, as last week’s letter to the Premier highlighted.
As a non-profit organisation for over nine decades, every cent is counted and spent to ensure a better outcome for netball as a whole. Thanks to that the game has provided a safe outlet to promote well being and team work.
Without senior players and officials, the whole netball ecosystem cannot function. What we need most of all is a return date for these key partners in our game.
We urge Minister Lee to address this matter immediately. Failure to do so will be detrimental to everyday sport participants across the state.
ABS data demands more for women from Government
Today’s ABS Household data survey provides further confirmation that the impacts of COVID crisis are falling disproportionately to women. The Greens are calling on the National Cabinet to ensure that addressing these disparities is at the forefront of any recovery plans.
The ABS results reveal that women are almost three times as likely as men to have looked after their children full-time on their own during the crisis.
The ABS results also confirm reliance on unpaid care work, with one in eight adults taking on additional caring responsibilities for a vulnerable person outside their household because of Covid-19.
Greens Senate Leader and Spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters, said:
“The health and economic crisis highlights the unequal burden of unpaid care work that has long been carried by women. As we plan our recovery, we must look at better ways to acknowledge the value of care work and give families more options to fairly distribute caring responsibilities.
“Universal free childcare and more flexible workplace arrangements are an essential part of that.”
“The government must invest in recovery in ways that address gender inequality”
Read the ABS’ Household Impacts of COVID-19 Survey here:
https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/4940.0
Govt-stacked inquiry set for self-congratulations not action on Domestic Violence
The Greens have criticised the Morrison Government’s plans for a stacked inquiry into domestic and family violence, saying more funding is needed for frontline services, not another inquiry which is designed to endorse the government’s inadequate response to the national crisis.
Greens Senate Leader and Spokesperson on Women, Senator Larissa Waters, said:
“Setting up another inquiry is pretty insulting when this Government continues to ignore the findings of previous domestic violence inquiries, and two weeks ago colluded with Labor to shut down a Senate DV inquiry months early with no hearings or recommendations.
“Countless inquiries into DV have been held and the Morrison government keeps ignoring the recommendations.
“With 23 women killed by violence in Australia so far this year, it’s time the government took action and properly funded frontline services so no survivor is turned away.”
“Sending this urgent issue to another inquiry, to a Committee which is government-dominated and excludes the Senate, shows the Government is desperate to sing its own praises because nobody else is.
“The Government has allocated just $150 million from the $1.1 billion package to addressing domestic and family violence – that is pittance when violence is at epidemic levels.
“This Government should not expect praise for promising miniscule funding increases that do not meet increased service demand and withholding the billions needed for effectively tackling domestic and family violence.
“The proposed terms of reference also ignore the difficulties many women experience in accessing the justice system. The Government must examine the legal impediments to safety, including the inadequacy of funding to the legal assistance sector which is making the situation worse for women suffering violence.
“Despite concerns regarding this latest inquiry, the Greens welcomed news that the Women’s Safety Council will continue under the National Cabinet, and called on the government to prioritise coordination and resources to respond to the national crisis of violence against women. “
New Agreement Keeps Sydney Metro (Western Sydney Airport) Jobmaker Project On-Track
Construction will start this year on the around $11 billion Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport rail, locking in thousands of jobs and providing a long-term economic boost to the Western Sydney and New South Wales economies during the COVID-19 recovery.
Under a new agreement between the Morrison and Berejiklian governments, a further $3.5 billion will be injected into the project, which will service the greater Western Sydney region, in time for the opening of Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport in 2026.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the investment was a further demonstration of the Coalition’s commitment to transforming Western Sydney into an economic and jobs powerhouse.
“It also demonstrates our partnership approach to creating jobs with the New South Wales Government. Working with state governments on bringing forward and investing even more in major infrastructure projects is central to our JobMaker plan to restore our economy,” the Prime Minister said.
“The new Metro and the new airport will deliver billions of dollars and thousands of jobs to Western Sydney, while establishing the infrastructure needed now and into the future.
“Construction is already well underway on the airport, and later this year works will start on this new Metro service which will link the suburbs of Western Sydney to the rest of Sydney.
“Getting work started on this project and many other infrastructure projects across New South Wales and Australia is critical to my government’s JobMaker program as we rebuild the economy during COVID-19.
“Late last year we agreed to bring forward $4.2 billion worth of infrastructure investment across Australia to secure jobs and support the national economy, and we continue to look at further opportunities to accelerate projects in all states and territories.”
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport was a key part of the state’s record $100 billion infrastructure pipeline.
“Now more than ever we need projects that provide jobs to support families and this project is major economic stimulus right in the heart of western Sydney,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This project is moving forward, through the hard work that has been carried out by the Federal, New South Wales and local governments over the past year.
“The opportunities this mega project will provide are vital as our economy recovers from the financial impact of the COVID-19.”
The Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport includes six proposed metro railway stations, including:
- Two stations within the airport site, at the airport terminal and at the airport business park;
- A station serving the commercial heart of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis;
- A station at St Marys, interchanging with the existing suburban railway station and connecting customers with the rest of Sydney’s rail system;
- A station at Orchard Hills; and
- A station at Luddenham to service a future education, innovation and commercial precinct.
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure Alan Tudge said Western Sydney residents will reap the benefits of this investment well before the first train leaves the station.
“This project will support 14,000 jobs, bringing new opportunities for the people of Western Sydney, closer to home.”
“It represents an economic stimulus in the middle of Western Sydney, supporting jobs for electricians, carpenters, plumbers, tunnellers, surveyors, crane and forklift operators and truck drivers.
NSW Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said supporting the airport and Aerotropolis is a key part of the Western Sydney City Deal, a 20-year agreement signed in March 2018 by the Commonwealth Government, NSW Government, and eight Western Sydney councils.
“The Metro Western Sydney Airport project will be a game-changer for the region, providing the backbone for the economic and broader development,” Mr Ayres said.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance says the new line will service greater Western Sydney and the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.
“This new metro railway line will become the transport spine for the region, connecting travellers from the new airport to the rest of Sydney’s public transport system.”
The Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport is being funded on an equal joint basis by the Commonwealth and New South Wales governments under the Western Sydney City Deal.
The $5.3 billion Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport is being fully funded by the Commonwealth Government.
Expanded PBS medicines listings to provide new treatment options for over 170,000 asthmatics, and new hope for blood cancer patients
Australians with asthma and multiple myeloma will have broader access to life changing medicines as a result of expanded medicines listings on Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) from 1 June 2020.
The listing of Symbicort® (containing budesonide and formoterol) will now be available at PBS prices for adolescent and adult patients with mild asthma.
Symbicort will be available in two strengths of inhaler, Symbicort Turbuhaler® 200/6, and Symbicort Rapihaler® 100/3.
Asthma is a common chronic condition, and can become serious, especially if untreated. Almost 400 Australians die from asthma each year.
This medicine has previously been available for patients with more severe forms of asthma.
This expanded listing is estimated to provide new treatment options for over 170,000 patients with milder forms of asthma each year.
Patients would pay around $137 per year without subsidised access through the PBS. They will now pay as little as $6.60 per script with a concession card.
Patients with more severe forms of asthma will also benefit from the listing of a new pre-filled self-administered autoinjector pen, from 1 June.
The Nucala® pre-filled pen will be an important new treatment option for patients suffering from severe eosinophilic asthma, allowing them to self-administer their treatment at home avoiding the need to travel or attend a clinic to receive their monthly treatment.
Over 1,400 patients per year access Nucala® through the PBS and may benefit from the listing of Nucala® pre-filled pen. Without subsidy they would pay over $20,000 per year for treatment.
The listing of Revlimid® (lenalidomide) on the PBS Highly Specialised Drugs Program will also be expanded, to allow use in combination with Velcade® (bortezomib) and dexamethasone for previously untreated multiple myeloma.
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer that develops from plasma cells in the bone marrow.
It is estimated up to 2,300 patients may benefit from this listing each year, which might otherwise cost more than $64,000 per course of treatment.
Additionally, new PBS listings are being introduced for smaller maximum quantities of medicines for the treatment of short-term acute pain following surgery or injury.
The revised listings form part of a broader suite of measures to support appropriate use of opioids. These include education and awareness campaigns, changes to clinical guidelines and a national real-time prescription monitoring system.
Since 2013, the Australian Government has approved more than 2,350 new or amended listings on the PBS.
This represents an average of around 30 listings or amendments per month – or one each day – at an overall investment by the Government of $11.5 billion.
The Government’s commitment to ensuring that Australians can access affordable medicines, when they need them, remains rock solid.
All new medicines listings on the PBS are about saving and protecting lives.
$3 BILLION BOOST CREATES $100 BILLION INFRASTRUCTURE AND JOBS PIPELINE
The NSW Government has announced a new $3 billion acceleration fund to go towards job-creating projects, increasing the Government’s infrastructure pipeline to a guaranteed $100 billion.
The new $3 billion Infrastructure and Job Acceleration Fund will be used for smaller, shovel-ready projects touching every corner of the state, injecting up to an extra 20 thousand jobs back into the NSW workforce.
The Government will no longer proceed with the refurbishment of Stadium Australia, redirecting around $800 million towards the new fund for job-creating infrastructure projects.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said infrastructure would provide a path to employment, and economic recovery, firing up the economy.
“This guaranteed pipeline of $100 billion will be our best chance supporting the hundreds of thousands of people who have already lost their jobs in NSW,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We are now not only guaranteeing our infrastructure pipeline, we will be looking for opportunities to fast-track projects to provide jobs as early as we can.
The Government said the Stadium Australia rebuild was a sensible project backed by the people of NSW at last year’s election, but in the current health and economic climate it no longer makes sense.
The promised Parramatta Powerhouse museum will still be delivered through the infrastructure pipeline.
This project alone will create more than 1,100 construction jobs in Western Sydney, 2,400 indirect jobs, and keep hundreds employed once it opens. The Government is also looking at options to support the Arts community at Ultimo.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said the fast-tracking of projects would support jobs across the entire State and the Government was in the process of identifying them.
“The communities of NSW have been through an incredibly tough period with continued drought, horrific bushfires and now COVID-19 and the best path to recovery is creating jobs,” Mr Barilaro said.
“An unprecedented crisis calls for an unprecedented recovery and redirecting funding from Stadium Australia to job-creating infrastructure builds is the right thing to do for the people of NSW.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the clear advice from the Reserve Bank of Australia was that governments should do everything they can to create jobs and stimulate the economy as we emerge from the shadow of COVID-19.
“With around 500,000 people out of work in NSW we are focused on creating as many jobs as possible to shorten the lines outside of Centrelink,” Mr Perrottet said.
“NSW was an infrastructure led economy heading in to the pandemic, and now we will help drive the State forward by creating more jobs for the people who have been hit hardest with an infrastructure led recovery coming out.”