Month: August 2021

Newcastle caters for ageing population in city planning

City of Newcastle has partnered with Hunter Ageing Alliance to better integrate age-friendly actions such as accessibility improvements and community connections into forward planning.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said exploring ways for Newcastle to adapt to an ageing population is an important focus for City of Newcastle as it plans for the next decade given one quarter of locals will soon be over 65 years of age.
“An age-friendly city and community enables people at all stages of life to actively participate in community activities and treats everyone with respect,” Cr Nelmes said.
“By working with Hunter Ageing Alliance, we can develop ways to increase community participation for our older residents as well as exploring ways to increase affordable age-friendly housing, employment, training and education opportunities.
“As Newcastle’s population ages, it’s vital we make planning decisions to increase accessibility in our city and to create a place where it is easy for our elderly members to stay connected to others.”
Cr Nelmes said that the work with Hunter Ageing Alliance coincided with community consultation on a new ‘Social Strategy’ which would identify and propose actions to address barriers to social inclusion and make Newcastle a more liveable and connected city.
“Beyond health, welfare and economic issues, we are prioritising social engagement, life-long learning, connectedness and community development for our ageing citizens.
“By collaborating with industry partners, other government departments, not-for-profit organisations and our community, we share in a common goal to prioritise and plan inclusive responses affecting our community and provide a platform for further policy advocacy.”

City services and facilities COVID-19 lockdown update

Many of City of Newcastle’s publicly facing facilities will be closed to the public from today in line with the seven-day lockdown announced by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian for areas of the Hunter, including the Newcastle local government area.
The following City of Newcastle facilities are closed:

  • Blackbutt Reserve (other than bush trails for essential exercise)
  • City of Newcastle libraries including the return shoots
  • City Administration Centre at 12 Stewart Avenue including the customer service centre and the digital library
  • City Hall
  • Civic Theatre and Civic Digest
  • Community centres and halls
  • Fort Scratchley
  • Newcastle Art Gallery
  • Newcastle Museum
  • Tighes Hill Animal Facility
  • Visitor Information Centre

Essential services including kerbside waste collection and patrols of beaches, ocean baths and public areas by City of Newcastle lifeguards and rangers will continue, while Beresfield Childcare Centre will remain open.
City of Newcastle staff will continue to undertake essential construction and maintenance services in a COVID-19 safe manner and in accordance with relevant Public Health Orders.
Summerhill Waste Management Centre is closed for domestic customers but will remain open for essential commercial waste services and kerbside collections.
Swimming centres remain closed across Newcastle in line with the seasonal schedule.
City of Newcastle will continue to provide customer service via telephone and online web chat between 8.30am and 4pm Monday to Friday.
We encourage our community to follow the Public Health Order and the Stay at Home restrictions.
For information regarding the lockdown or Public Health Orders visit www.health.nsw.gov.au/COVID-19
Information regarding individuals or businesses who are or may be contravening the current NSW Health Order should be reported to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Regional apprentices build stronger communities

A record number of new apprentices and trainees are being hired to work on vital road and transport infrastructure, helping to keep jobs and money in the regions.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said applications were now open for a record 76 placements as part of the Transport for NSW Apprentice and Trainee Program.
“As we roll out our record $71.5 billion transport regional infrastructure program, we’re committed to engaging locals to continue learning in their local community and set them up for work at the end of their training, helping keep jobs in the regions,” Mr Toole said.
“Since the program launched in 2015, nearly 90 per cent of roles have gone to those living in regional areas, helping communities bounce back from drought, bushfires, flooding and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This program provides great employment opportunities for job seekers or people who are looking to change careers, while at the same time developing skills and knowledge within regional communities to support future infrastructure needs.
“Many apprentices and trainees go on to secure permanent employment at Transport for NSW, with 80 per cent of participants whose programs ended in 2020 and 2021 appointed to roles after or during their program.”
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said Transport was committed to developing a diverse workforce, with women accounting for 40 per cent and Aboriginal people accounting for 24 per cent of apprentices and trainees.
“This program is about giving people the chance to work in the public service, as well as improving Aboriginal and female representation across the transport sector,” Mr Constance said.
“The program opens up opportunities across six disciplines, including civil construction, business administration, bridge carpentry, heavy diesel mechanical, electrical, and a new program for project management.
“I’ve seen first-hand how this program has changed lives by building a skills legacy to meet future needs within the local community.
“As we continue to invest in road and infrastructure projects, it is important we have people on the ground who have the skills in maintenance and operational delivery.”
Applications for the Apprentice and Traineeship are open from today to midnight 22 August 2021. For more information or to apply visit Apprentice and Trainee Programs | Transport for NSW

Energy bill support for those doing it tough during COVID

Households across NSW who need help paying their energy bills will be able to access up to $1,600 per year in financial support during the current COVID lockdown.
Energy Minister Matt Kean said the NSW Government is increasing the caps under the Energy Accounts Payments Assistance (EAPA) scheme to ease some of the cost-of-living pressures borne by households during this COVID Delta strain outbreak.
“The current COVID outbreak has put an increased strain on some household budgets, with more of us staying at home during these winter months,” Mr Kean said.
“In this difficult time, we want make sure households in NSW not only keep the lights on but keep their families safe, warm and comfortable. That is why NSW energy customers facing hardship will be able to access up to $1,600 per year in bill support.”
“Don’t hesitate if you need bill support, log onto the Service NSW website and register for an energy voucher assessment.”
The EAPA assessment threshold has been temporarily increased from $300 to $400 per assessment, meaning the annual maximum limit of vouchers per household has increased from $1,200 to $1,600. The duration of the increased limits will be reviewed on an ongoing basis in light of lockdown circumstances.
EAPA representatives can also help customers to contact their energy retailers to get customers onto hardship plans, further protecting customers during this difficult time.
Residential energy customers can easily apply for EAPA vouchers directly through Service NSW to schedule an assessment without having to leave their house.
The NSW Government also offers six other rebates to help with energy bills. Residents looking to save on their energy bills are encouraged to visit the Energy Saver website found HERE.

Digital Photo Card trial extended to Sydney's West

About 140,000 more customers from Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains who have a plastic NSW photo card ID can now access a digital version through the Service NSW app, thanks to the trial of the technology being expanded this week.
Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said the expansion to 60 more postcodes follows a successful trial of the Digital Photo Card in the Penrith and Blacktown areas, which has seen 6560 people participate, with 98 per cent giving the technology the thumbs up.
“Close to 20 per cent of photo card holders live in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains so it makes sense to expand the trial to this region,” Mr Dominello said.
“Plastic photo card holders in the trial areas will be able to use their mobile device with businesses who check ID, such as pharmacies, liquor stores and major retailers. The technology is safe, contactless and easy to use, making life easier for customers during the pandemic.
“Eligible existing photo card holders can opt-in for the digital version from the Service NSW app, or when a customer is issued with a new Photo Card or updates their details, they can simply refresh the app to update their digital card, without having to wait for a plastic card to arrive in the post.
“This builds on existing successful digital products made available via the Service NSW app, including checking in safely to venues and the Digital Driver Licence, which has been downloaded by about 3.3 million licence holders, representing almost 59 per cent of drivers.”
The trial will further test the functionality and effectiveness of the Digital Photo Card ahead of the state-wide rollout.
The Digital Photo Card will also remain available offline if the card holder remains logged into the Service NSW app. It is hosted securely on the Service NSW app, which is locked with a PIN.
The full list of postcodes on the extended trial is here: https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/nsw-digital-photo-card/participating-postcodes-and-suburbs

Support for senior Australians as COVID-19 restrictions continue

Senior Australians affected by ongoing lockdowns can access vital support services to ensure they stay socially connected and maintain their health.
Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services, Richard Colbeck, said it was important older Australians and their families – particularly those living across hardest-hit local government areas in New South Wales and South East Queensland – understood what was available.
“Challenges remain for senior and vulnerable Australians as we continue to navigate the impact of the pandemic, particularly the effect of the Delta strain,” Minister Colbeck said.
“Staying connected and healthy has never been more important.
“Aged care services remain open and available to those who need them, especially for isolated Australians.”
The Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line (1800 171 866) is an important first step for any older Australians who need support or assistance.
Additionally, Australian Government has provided the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) with $4.3 million to help deliver education, information and advocacy services for senior Australians and their families.
This extends to making information accessible for residential aged care residents and their families in areas most affected by lockdowns.
OPAN also offers a Wellbeing Check service to ensure the provision of emotional or social support, particularly for those people who have reduced or cancelled home care services due to pandemic concerns.
It is available to both Home Care Package or Commonwealth Home Support program recipients.
“We know due to concerns about COVID-19, some senior Australians have reduced or cancelled their in-home aged care services,” Minister Colbeck said.
“We want to ensure people have the best information when making these decisions, as reduction of services may negatively impact health and wellbeing.”
Minister Colbeck said vaccination remained the key defence against COVID-19.
Almost 80 per cent of senior Australians aged 70 years and over have received a first dose COVID-19 vaccine, which demonstrates strong demand.
In addition, more than 86 per cent of people of any age in residential aged care have received their first dose and 83 per cent are fully vaccinated.
“Vaccination is the best protection against hospitalisation and death due to COVID-19,” Minister Colbeck said.  “Jabs can now be arranged through your GP, Commonwealth vaccination clinic or state and territory run vaccination clinics.”
For senior Australians with mobility issues, it is encouraged that you contact your GP to discuss the possibility of a home visit to receive your vaccination.
The Government continues to strongly encourage all in‑home and community aged care workers to get vaccinated.
Senior Australian COVID-19 support numbers and advocacy supports

  • Older Persons COVID-19 Support Line – 1800 171 866
  • Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement – 1800 22 22 00
  • My Aged Care Contact Centre – 1800 200 422
  • Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) – 1800 700 600 www.opan.com.au

A translation and interpreter service is available to access the above numbers (131 450). Senior Australians who require an interpreter can call this number select the language they speak and provide one of the COVID-19 support numbers to access the information in their own language.
Mental health services are also available for COVID-19 support:

Decade of discoveries as Newcastle Museum notches up 10 years at Honeysuckle

It’s welcomed almost 1.5 million visitors, won 20 state and national awards, displayed 71 exhibitions and held thousands of special events – but after a decade at Honeysuckle there’s still more to discover at Newcastle Museum.
Today marks the 10th anniversary since the Museum opened its doors at Honeysuckle after transforming the former Railway Workshops into a state-of-the-art cultural facility.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said Newcastle Museum is one of the jewels in the city’s cultural crown.
“Newcastle Museum plays a key role in the rich diversity of experiences that help attract visitors to our city,” Cr Nelmes said.
“The award-winning Museum is on the cutting edge of contemporary museum practice and has been nationally recognised for its innovative exhibitions, which create insightful and immersive ways to interpret and preserve our city’s fascinating history.
“Upgrading and expanding this critical facility through its move to Honeysuckle saw the Museum become a cornerstone of the wider Civic cultural precinct.
“I’m proud to see how much it has achieved during the past 10 years and I can’t wait to experience what else it has in store during the next decade and beyond.”
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes (middle) and Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird (right) celebrate the 10th anniversary milestone with long-time Museum visitors Sasha Pyatetskaya and her sons Brooklyn and Sebastian Skrynnik.
Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird said it had been amazing to see the transformation both within the Museum’s Heritage-listed buildings and in the surrounding landscape over the years.
“The Museum’s transformation will continue following the mass planting of various native tree species in four sections of Museum Park yesterday as part of the Museum’s Living Labels project, Ms Baird said.
“The trees and shrubs planted relate directly to objects within the Museum’s collection and offer a new way to interpret and understand Newcastle’s geography and history, providing a living connection between the natural landscape and the stories of our past.
“We plan to celebrate the Museum’s significant milestone with activities across the next 12 months, kicking off with a 10th anniversary exhibition showcasing specially commissioned works by much-loved local artist Trevor Dickinson, whose colourful, larger-than-life murals including the Newcastle Museum Photowall have formed such an intrinsic part of the Museum and its surrounds.
“Newcastle Museum is a celebration of our city and we are a significant element of the lives and identity of Newcastle’s people.
“Newcastle Museum is committed to telling the stories of both ordinary and extraordinary Novocastrians through our collections, exhibitions, and audience engagement – this is who we are, where we’ve come from and where we’re going.
“This facility plays a major role in Newcastle, not just as a tourist attraction but as an inclusive and accessible space that educates, entertains and benefits the community in so many ways.”
Among those who have benefitted from the Museum since it moved to Honeysuckle is 10-year-old Sebastian Skrynnik, whose parents immigrated to Newcastle from Russia and have been taking him to the Museum since he was a baby.
“We’ve shared a lot of great memories inside these walls,” Sebastian said.
“It’s where I came a few times a week as we couldn’t afford to go to preschool or playgroups – but the museum gave me a place that had everything I needed. I remember playing here with so many different kids, exploring and learning.
“My parents came to Australia to give me a better life, and what they found for us was a new family and a community that’s part of my life now.”
The Museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm. Current exhibitions include the self-curated The Castanet Club: an exhibition you can dance to! and a travelling exhibition from the Monash Gallery of Art showcasing the work of John Gollings, Australia’s pre-eminent photographer of the built environment. Coincidentally, Gollings was commissioned to photograph the Museum when it was first opened at Honeysuckle.
Newcastle Museum Fast Facts

  • Newcastle Museum was established in 1988 in the restored former Castlemaine Brewery in Newcastle West as a major Bicentennial project.
  • It temporarily closed in 2008 to allow for its shift to the former Honeysuckle Railways Workshops, which were the original preferred site for the Museum.
  • The relocation involved the major refurbishment of the three existing Heritage-listed railway buildings. The Locomotive Boiler Shop is now home to Supernova, the New Erecting Shop is home to Fire and Earth, and the Blacksmith’s and Wheel Shop now house enclosed exhibition spaces and the theatrette. A new Link Building was constructed to form a connection between these spaces and contains the main public foyer and orientation spaces.
  • The Museum re-opened on 4 August 2011. In the first six months it welcomed 100,000 visitors through the doors to explore the innovative and interactive new displays including the drama of the Fire and Earth show, which interprets the excitement, colour and noise of the steel making process and remains the Museum’s most popular permanent exhibit today.
  • In the past 10 years, Newcastle Museum has welcomed 1,423,972 visitors, accepted 2,615 object donations, won 20 state and national awards including the 2021 Museums and Galleries National Award and displayed 71 exhibitions across a diverse range of topic areas.
  • The Museum welcomed its one millionth visitor to the Honeysuckle site in October 2017.

NSW leads the nation in apprenticeships and traineeships

NSW has recorded the highest number of apprentices and trainees in training of any state or territory in Australia with a 15 per cent increase in commencements in 2020 despite the COVID pandemic.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said recently released data from the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) shows NSW represents 30 per cent of the national total of commencements for apprenticeships and traineeships in 2020.
“The NCVER report shows NSW has the highest number of apprentices and trainees in training of any state or territory in Australia with an increase in commencements of 15 per cent compared to 10.6 per cent nationally during 2020,” Mr Lee said.
“This is a fantastic result, particularly considering the impacts of drought, bushfires and COVID-19 that have affected NSW in the last year.
“The Federal and NSW Government funded JobTrainer skills package and the Commonwealth Government’s Boosting Apprenticeship Commencements initiative, both announced in the second half of last year, are doing their job in bolstering apprenticeship and traineeship approvals in the last quarter of 2020 and into 2021.
“The impressive numbers are also a testament to NSW employers for keeping their young apprentices on board during COVID-19, and to our Training Providers for finding new and innovative ways to maintain training.”
The Apprentice Employment Network Executive Officer Jason Sultana said the increase in numbers was a reflection of just how important VET industries were to the State’s prosperity and economic recovery.
“Government initiatives to bolster apprenticeships has given employers the confidence to invest in the next generation of young workers,” Mr Sultana said.
“Investing in skilling tradespeople is also an investment in the State’s future and it’s great to see the Government backing our apprentices and training organisations.”
Key findings of the NCVER report include:

  • Apprenticeship and traineeship commencement numbers show an increase of 15 per cent for NSW compared to 10.6 per cent nationally during 2020 with the NSW total of 50,345 representing 30 per cent of the national total.
  • Apprentices and trainees currently in training in NSW in 2020 show an increase of 13.6 per cent compared to 2019.
  • NSW has more than 93,880 apprentices and trainees in training, representing 32 per cent of Australia’s total of 297,920.

 

Man charged following attempted armed robbery – Port Stephens-Hunter PD

A man will face court today after an alleged armed robbery attempt in the state’s Hunter Region.
About 4pm yesterday (Tuesday 3 August 2021), police responded to a report of an attempted armed robbery at a convenience store in Anderson Drive, Tarro.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended, secured a crime scene and commenced an investigation.
Police were informed by the 42-year-old male shop owner that a man allegedly entered the store with a large knife demanding cash and cigarettes. The owner challenged the man who fled the store without any property. No injuries were sustained to the shop owner.
About 6.50pm a 21-year-old man attended Maitland Police Station where he was arrested.
The man was charged with one count of attempted robbery armed with offensive weapon.
He was bail refused to appear in Maitland Local Court later today (Wednesday 4 August 2021).

Charges laid after Newcastle fatal shooting – Homicide Squad

Homicide Squad detectives have charged a man with murder following an investigation into the fatal shooting of another man at Newcastle last month.
About 12.45pm on Thursday 22 July 2021, emergency services were called to a unit at Darby St, Cooks Hill, following reports of shots fired.
Upon arrival, police located a 40-year-old man inside the unit with a gunshot wound to the chest.
Despite the efforts of emergency services, he died at the scene.
The man has been formally identified as Wesley ‘Wes’ Prentice from Rutherford.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District commenced inquiries, before detectives from the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad took carriage of the investigation under Strike Force Hibbard.
Following extensive investigations, Homicide Squad detectives , with assistance from officers from Newcastle City Police District, Tactical Operations Regional Support (TORS), Police Negotiators, Mid North Coast Police District and the Dog Unit, arrested a 35-year-old man near a caravan park at Bonny Hills about 5.45pm on Sunday (1 August 2021).
During a search of the man’s belonging, officers located a loaded firearm and cash. They were seized for forensic examination.
He was taken to Port Macquarie Police Station, where he was charged with murder, possess loaded firearm in public place, possess shortened firearm (not pistol) without authority and possess unregistered firearm in public place.
The Woodrising man was refused bail and appeared at Wauchope Local Court on Monday (2 August 2021), where he was formally refused bail to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court today (Wednesday August 2021).
As part of ongoing inquiries, Strike Force Hibbard detectives executed two search warrants at Bonny Hills and Windale.
During the searches, number of items were seized by police for forensic examination.
Investigations are continuing.