Month: November 2023

Next steps in protecting Newcastle’s cultural heritage

The community is invited to help guide future heritage planning as the city continues to undergo significant revitalisation by identifying which streets, buildings and places contribute most to Newcastle’s cultural identity.

City of Newcastle (CN) has undertaken a comprehensive review of its existing Newcastle City Centre and Newcastle East heritage conservation areas (HCA) with the draft report findings to be publicly exhibited, following endorsement by the elected Council at Tuesday’s Ordinary Council Meeting.

The report outlines the current planning context, assesses the appropriateness of boundaries, and identifies items that contribute to or detract from each heritage conservation area in the city centre.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said it is essential to review and update the conservation management strategies, policies, and planning framework for these areas to ensure their heritage value is understood and protected for future generations.

“The buildings, streets, and precincts of these two HCAs have experienced significant change brought about by the recent economic revitalisation of Newcastle City Centre,” Cr Nelmes said.

“Recommendations outlined in the report incorporate an analysis of feedback made during early community engagement to better understand what people feel contributes to Newcastle’s heritage significance and cultural identity.

“The review found residents living within the two HCAs generally want to maintain and conserve the special character of these areas. The community also identified several distinct character areas for protection and conservation, particularly in the Newcastle City Centre HCA.”

The methodology used in the report is based on NSW Heritage criteria and is consistent with City of Newcastle’s commitment to heritage conservation under its Heritage Strategy and Heritage Policy.

“Following public exhibition, further community and industry feedback will be used to help investigate how and where land use protections for these areas could best be applied for continued revitalisation of the Newcastle City Centre while ensuring our rich and diverse cultural heritage remains protected and conserved,” Cr Nelmes said.

The draft Newcastle City Centre Heritage Conservation Areas Review Report will go on public exhibition from Monday 6 November to seek community and industry feedback, with a report going back to the elected Council following the exhibition period.

Visit newcastle.nsw.gov.au/yoursay for more information.

Call for tender to construct new community facility at Blackbutt Reserve

City of Newcastle is moving ahead with the creation of a new multipurpose community facility and kiosk at Blackbutt Reserve, with the contract for construction to open for tender tomorrow.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the project supports the final stage of the Carnley Avenue Recreation Area Masterplan, detailed within the Blackbutt Plan of Management 2012.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes with Blackbutt Reserve volunteer Liz Alder in front of the existing kiosk, which will be replaced by a new multipurpose community building and kiosk.

“As the green heart of our city, Blackbutt Reserve welcomes countless locals and visitors each year who take advantage of the picturesque walking trails, unique wildlife exhibits and family-friendly playgrounds,” Cr Nelmes said.

“The construction of this multipurpose facility and kiosk will be a significant step in delivering our shared vision for Blackbutt Reserve, to further enhance the visitor experience and complement the amenity and playground upgrades.

“The new facility will be designed to suit the unique environment at Blackbutt Reserve, and will replace the existing kiosk, which was installed as a temporary facility.

“Construction of the new building and kiosk is expected to begin in early 2024 and be completed by the end of that year.

“This project will ensure the much-loved Blackbutt Reserve continues to create memorable experiences for Novocastrians and visitors now and into the future.”

An artist's impression of the proposed community facility and kiosk to be built at Blackbutt Reserve.

Alongside a licensed café with an undercover dining and seating area, the multipurpose community facility will feature a community space, enabling groups to gather and collaborate and host events, and for school groups to visit and learn about our environment.

Optimising views over Blackbutt Reserve, the new facility and kiosk will be inclusive and accessible, catering for people with mobility and other sensory impairment issues.

Tender submissions can be made from tomorrow via www.tenderlink.com/newcastle

City of Newcastle celebrates sporting life of Deaf community through Australian-first exhibition

Experiencing what it’s like for an athlete to watch lights instead of listening for the starter’s gun is just one of the features of Australia’s first major exhibition to explore the importance of sport in Deaf culture.

“More Than Sport – History, Culture and Connection in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities” officially opened at Newcastle City Library today ahead of the 60th anniversary of the Australian Deaf Games, which will see more than 1000 athletes, officials and visitors converge on Newcastle and Lake Macquarie for the week-long event in January next year.

Deaf Sports Australia General Manager Phil Harper, Deaf Games Australia co-patron Katie Kelly OAM, Deaf Sports Australia President Hannah Britton and Councillor Margaret Wood attend the opening of More Than Sport at Newcastle City Library.

Curated by Deaf Sports Australia, which is also celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2024, the accessible exhibition at the Library’s Lovett Gallery will showcase stories from across Australia and around the world through a series of videos, photographs and memorabilia.

Archival footage of Deaf sports, legendary Australian Deaf and Hard of Hearing athletes and major tournaments such as the 2005 Melbourne Deaflympics and Australian Deaf Games will be displayed without any accompanying sound to help create a ‘deaf’ atmosphere, with videos featuring people signing in Auslan (Australian Sign Language). Text-based stories will also have QR codes to access an Auslan translation.

Deaf Sports Australia General Manager Phil Harper said competitions in Australia can be traced back as far as 1895, when the Victorian Deaf cricket team faced their South Australian counterparts. The first deaf sports club, the Melbourne Deaf Cricket Club, was established in 1881.

“Sport has been a key motivator for people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing to connect with one another for more than 140 years,” Mr Harper said.

“The curatorial team that put this exhibition together is comprised of several people from the Deaf community. They’ve developed the content to celebrate our history, our pioneers and champions, as well as the role technology has played in improving our access to sport.”

Australia’s proud history in Deaf sports is highlighted by recognising John Lovett, a giant in Australian and international Deaf sports and through our athletes such as gold medal winning paratriathlete Katie Kelly OAM, dual Commonwealth Games swimmer Cindy-Lu Bailey OAM, the most successful woman in Deaflympics history, as well as skier Andrew Swan, a Deaflympics Winter Games gold medallist and Frank Bartolillo, an Olympian in fencing.

Visitors can view memorabilia from different eras, as well as the John Lovett trophy, which is awarded to the winning state or territory at the Australian Deaf Games.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said City of Newcastle is proud to help the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community mark a new milestone.

“Newcastle prides itself on being a liveable and inclusive city so we’re delighted to showcase the past, present and future of Deaf sport in Australia,” Cr Nelmes said.

Councillor Margaret Wood, co-chair of City of Newcastle’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee said the community-driven exhibition has been developed as a collaboration between City of Newcastle Libraries staff and members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community.

“I want to encourage Novocastrians to visit the exhibition and also attend an event during the Australian Deaf Games in January, where competitors from all over Australia and Pacific Island nations will utilise 12 venues across our city during this major sporting event,” Cr Wood said.

The “More Than Sport – History, Culture and Connection in Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities” exhibition will be on display at the Lovett Gallery until March 2024.

School students will be provided with a workbook as part of an exhibition experience, which features fun activities such as learning more about Auslan.

For more information go to: https://newcastle.nsw.gov.au/library/experience/exhibitions

For details about the Australian Deaf Games go to: https://whatson.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/event/the-2024-australian-deaf-games

Spotlight on NSW’s abundance of critical minerals and high-tech metals

Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos this week met with key stakeholders to discuss the NSW Government’s approach to its new Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy.

The industry roundtable marked an important step in collaborating with the sector to directly inform the NSW Government’s renewed strategy.

To be released in 2024, the new strategy will consider new opportunities to encourage domestic processing and manufacturing, boost regional economies, develop skills and training, and safeguard the state’s clean energy supply chain.

More than 40 stakeholders from the sector attended the event at NSW Parliament, including representatives of mining companies, industry bodies and unions.

Discussions at the roundtable focused on ways the NSW Government could support the sector to unlock the full potential of NSW resources, encourage investment and leverage the state’s strong ESG credentials.

NSW has an abundance of critical minerals and high-tech metals that are crucial for developing low-carbon economies and achieving the state’s net zero goals.

Critical minerals and high-tech metals are essential components in electric vehicles, smartphones, computers, solar panels, batteries, and a range of defence and medical equipment.

The consultation with the industry comes shortly after the Federal Government announced a $2 billion expansion in critical minerals financing.

The funding was welcomed by the industry as a way to provide support for processing and to strengthen Australia’s position as a world-leading provider of critical minerals to drive the global transition to net zero.

Minister Houssos also gave the opening ministerial keynote address at the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC), the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

During the speech the Minister promoted NSW as an attractive and stable investment destination, highlighted the state’s skilled and well-trained workforce and highlighted its plans to engage more in mineral processing.

It was also announced that NSW would again be hosting IMARC with the conference remaining in Sydney in 2024. This year’s conference attracted a record number of delegates from across Australia and overseas.

Submissions on the new NSW Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy are open until 17 November 2023.

Have your saylaunch on the critical minerals and high-tech metals strategy.

Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos said:

“NSW has globally significant deposits of critical minerals and high-tech metals. Showcasing the state at IMARC is an opportunity to capitalise on their increasing global demand and drive investment to the state.

“This is the second year Sydney has hosted the biggest mining event in the Southern Hemisphere and we’re pleased it will return once more in 2024, with the NSW Government as host partner.

“This year more than 8500 delegates gathered. This record attendance is testament to the strength of our mining and exploration sector.

“It was great to hear the views of industry at the roundtable. The new strategy will provide certainty and stability for the sector as it embarks on a new period of growth.

“We are collaborating closely with the industry and with unions to establish a clear framework to guide government action and support the critical minerals and high-tech metals sector in NSW.”

NSW Director of the Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) Lucy McClean said:

“We thank the Minister for Natural Resources for taking the time to meet with industry to discuss the importance this strategy will have for the minerals sector.

“NSW has so much to offer the global economy and the new strategy is an opportunity to help build a strong exploration and mining sector to support our future.”

Chief Executive Officer for the NSW Minerals Council Stephen Galilee said:

“Mining is a key contributor to many regional communities across NSW. The minerals industry is deeply intertwined with the history and economic development of many communities across the state.

“An effective critical minerals and high-tech metals strategy will complement the NSW Government’s commitment to supporting the industry and provide a solid framework for the long-term future of the resources sector in NSW.”

NSW Government trucking in emergency fodder for Tenterfield fire-affected farmers

The NSW Government has today trucked in an initial 200 tonnes of emergency feed to Tenterfield so farmers impacted by the local fires can access feed. The fodder supplies are being trucked into Tenterfield due to the minimal local supplies.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Local Land Services (LLS) are operating an Agricultural and Animal Services Functional Area (AASFA) in the Tenterfield area so that emergency assistance can be offered.

Assistance available for farmers includes:

  • Emergency fodder
  • Emergency stock water (where there is an immediate animal welfare concern)
  • Animal assessment and veterinary assistance
  • Stock euthanasia and burial
  • Livestock feeding and management advice
  • Care of animals including pets and companion animals in evacuation centres.

Landholders must register their requests for emergency fodder by contacting the Agricultural and Animal Services hotline on 1800 814 647launch to access support.

Once a landholder registers for emergency fodder, AASFA will urgently assess their need and contact them to schedule a pickup from a local distribution point or arrange a delivery time.

Primary producers should report damage including stock and fodder losses, damage to crops, pastures, fencing and other farm infrastructure through the Natural Disaster Damage Survey.

This will ensure we understand the severity and distribution of the damage and can target resources and assistance in the appropriate areas.

Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty said:

“The NSW Government is moving quickly to ensure farmers in Tenterfield have what they need, including fodder.

“We have received 58 requests for assistance, this includes 51 requests for fodder, five for emergency stock water, and two for animal assessment.

“This is in addition to 207 tonnes of emergency fodder that was distributed to fire affected landholders in the Kempsey area last month.

“I encourage landholders with animal welfare related issues to contact the Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline on 1800 814 647launch to access support.”

NSW Ambulance welcomes new paramedics and emergency call takers

Almost 50 new paramedic interns and trainee emergency call takers will join NSW Ambulance after they were officially inducted into the service at a ceremony today.

Minister for Health Ryan Park congratulated the 24 graduate paramedics and 24 trainee emergency medical call takers, who will start in their new roles in the coming weeks.

“This is the 7th class of NSW Ambulance graduates this year and I’m proud to see them graduate to serve their communities,” Mr Park said.

“Our paramedics are on the frontline of healthcare in NSW, caring for people when they are at their sickest and most vulnerable.

“I know these new recruits will continue this tradition of dedication and service.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan welcomed the new starters, who were welcomed and honoured at a ceremony at Sydney Olympic Park, attended by family and friends.

Dr Morgan said the new recruits would provide welcome reinforcements during a busy time for emergency health care.

“I know all who are graduating today have worked incredibly hard throughout their training,” Dr Morgan said.

“I thank them for their commitment and warmly welcome them into NSW Ambulance.

The graduate paramedics will be posted across NSW for 12 months to complete their on-road internships before taking permanent positions in metropolitan and regional areas.

The emergency medical call takers will be posted to Triple Zero (000) control centres in Sydney, Dubbo and Charlestown.

“As demand for our services continues to grow, we remain committed to providing world-class care to our patients,” Dr Morgan said.

The graduates will start their new roles from tomorrow.

Top primary school students make a beeline for 20th annual Premier’s Spelling Bee

Primary school students from across NSW will today converge on Sydney as they compete for the titles of best spellers in the state at the 20th edition of the Premier’s Spelling Bee.

Some 1,720 students from 880 public schools were involved in the competition ahead of today’s finals in Ultimo.

The finals will see 30 students from years 2-4 (junior) and 30 students from years 5-6 (senior) take part.

These students won their school spelling bees before competing in regional finals.

Introduced in 2004 as a fun way for primary school students to enjoy spelling, the annual Premier’s Spelling Bee is now celebrating its 20th anniversary.

The competition encourages students to improve their vocabulary and spelling, along with broader literacy skills, in combination with the English K-6 Syllabus.

The junior winner from last year, Saarth Deo, returns in 2023 to compete in the senior final.

This year’s youngest competitor is Jay-Hanz Mesa, is in Year 2 at Cabramatta Public School.

Students from outside Sydney are well-represented in the 2023 competition with 22 regional schools taking part, including from Pottsville Beach Public School, Molong Central School and Bulli Public School.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns said:

“I’m proud to be supporting the 20th edition of this event in our public schools.

“Literacy is a key plank in our education system.

“To be able to engage students in a fun competition that shines a spotlight on language skills is a win for everyone.”

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“It’s wonderful to see that the Premier’s Spelling Bee has struck such a chord with primary school children across the state.

“Getting our children interested in the lifelong skills of reading and spelling is a wonderful achievement, and it’s great to see this competition going strong after 20 years.”

Disaster assistance extended to the Clarence Valley

Disaster assistance has been extended to the Clarence Valley Local Government Area (LGA) following severe bushfires on 13 October 2023 in New South Wales.

Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) and is also available for people impacted by bushfires in the Inverell, Kempsey, Kyogle, Mid-Coast, Mid-Western, Port Macquarie-Hastings and Tenterfield LGAs.

The assistance available includes:

  • help for eligible people whose homes or belongings have been damaged, including assistance for people to meet immediate needs, grants to replace essential household items, and grants for essential structural repairs to homes
  • support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets
  • concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers, sporting and recreation clubs, and non-profit organisations to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property
  • freight subsidies for primary producers to help transport livestock and fodder.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the bushfire caused significant damage across the region.

“This is a really intense time for people affected by these dangerous fires, and I want to recognise the collective effort from agencies across all levels of government and thank those heroes working to get these fires under control,” Minister Watt said.

“The Albanese Government is supporting impacted communities with this emergency assistance, so recovery can get underway for those directly affected.

“We continue to work alongside the NSW Government to collect information and fully understand the impact of this disaster.”

NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said bushfire impacted communities, landowners, farmers, and primary producers will be supported in their clean-up and recovery from bushfire.

“We are continuing to assess the impacts of fire events as quickly as possible, with disaster declarations like these the crucial first step in unlocking assistance for those in need,” Minister Dib said.

“In recent weeks thousands of volunteer firefighters have been out across NSW firegrounds.

“Firefighters have faced challenging conditions across NSW and I would like to thank them for their ongoing response to the fires and their commitment to protecting communities.

“This is a challenging time for the community and this important disaster assistance will provide bushfire affected residents with vital support to help them get back on their feet.”

For information relating to financial assistance, replacing lost documents, location of your nearest recovery centre and more, please contact Service NSW on 13 77 88launch or visit www.service.nsw.gov.au

To apply for a concessional loan or primary producer grant, contact the NSW Rural Assistance Authority on 1800 678 593launch or visit The Rural Assistance Authority websitelaunch.

Further information on disaster assistance can be found on the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s website.

Driving EV charging into regional tourism hot spots

Residents and tourists in regional NSW can now drive their electric vehicles with greater confidence as the Minns government delivers more EV chargers through the Destination Charging Program.

Residents in regional NSW and tourists can now drive their electric vehicles with greater confidence as the Minns Government delivers more EV chargers through the Destination Charging Program.

Applications are now open for small to medium regional tourism businesses and councils to install EV charging infrastructure.

Successful applicants will receive 75 per cent of the cost of purchasing and installing up to four charge points at each site.

The $10 million allocated for round two of the Destination Charging Program is expected to support the installation at least 1,500 EV charge ports at tourism destinations. Destinations could include motels, wineries, cafes, restaurants, natural attractions, visitor information centres, museums, zoos and local government facilities.

Following the successful rollout of the chargers, a series of EV tourist drives will be developed to promote EV travel across NSW.

The Destination Charging Program is part of a $209 million investment in charging infrastructure which also includes $10 million in grants to retrofit apartments with EV chargers, $10 million for more kerbside charging and $149 million for ultra-fast charging infrastructure.

The NSW Government has also committed an additional $260 million in the 2023–24 Budget to underpin the rollout of a new NSW EV Strategy being delivered in partnership with industry stakeholders which is a key driver to achieving our state’s Net Zero emissions targets.

Find out more about EV destination grantslaunch

Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said:

“Providing EV charging plugs at regional destinations across our state will help make ‘range anxiety’ a concern of the past and give more drivers to confidence to make EV purchases.

“More EVs on the roads is an important part of the decarbonisation of our transport system and essential to meeting our net zero by 2050 target.”

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“The destination charging grants are another example of this Government putting the needs of regional people at the heart of its decision making.

“Regional residents as well as tourists deserve to have the confidence to be able to purchase EVs knowing the required charging infrastructure is available to them locally.”

Update on the creation of the Great Koala National Park

A Great Koala National Park on the state’s Mid North Coast is a step closer, with the establishment of 3 advisory panels to provide input into the creation of the park.

NSW Premier Chris Minns, Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe and Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty have today visited Bongil Bongil National Park near Coffs Harbour to see first-hand the areas that will form the park and meet scientists who are using drones to improve the accuracy of the NSW koala count.

The 3 advisory panels representing the views of industry, the community and Aboriginal groups will give feedback on the process of assessing land for inclusion in the national park. They will also provide information on economic, social, ecological and cultural matters.

The panels have been created to represent a broad cross-section of stakeholder views and facilitate data and information sharing. They will hold their first meetings before the end of the year.

The process of establishing a Great Koala National Park also includes an independent economic and social assessment which will consider the impacts on local jobs and communities. There will be an expert environmental and cultural assessment to safeguard the unique environmental and cultural heritage of the region.

The establishment of the advisory panels is another important step towards the NSW Government’s commitment to save koalas in the wild. This will be done while balancing the need to have a sustainable timber industry. $80 million has been committed to the Great Koala National Park in the 2023 to 2024 NSW Budgetlaunch.

Timber harvesting operations have stopped in 106 koala hubs within the areas being assessed for inclusion in the park. Koala hubs are areas where there is strong evidence of multi-generational, high-density populations of the iconic animal. These areas account for 42% of recorded koala sightings in state forests in the assessment area since 2000.

Premier Chris Minns, said:

“Inaction and neglect by the previous Coalition government saw the koala officially listed as endangered in NSW. Creating a Great Koala National Park will turn around the animal’s grim trajectory.

“The Industry, Community and Aboriginal Advisory Panels will ensure we consult with all stakeholders, to create a park that will both protect our native animals and create job, tourism and other economic opportunities on the Mid North Coast of NSW.”

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe, said:

“The government looks forward to working closely with the Industry, Community and Aboriginal Advisory Panels as the areas for inclusion in the park are assessed, and to receiving a wide range of knowledge and advice.

“The creation of a Great Koala National Park is the Labor Government’s most significant environmental commitment.”

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty:

“We are working hard across government to deliver our commitment to establish the Great Koala National Park and a sustainable timber industry for mid and northern NSW.

“I look forward to working with the panels and hearing how we can all work together to deliver this iconic undertaking of a Great Koala National Park, integrated Aboriginal knowledge and leadership, plus a sustainable timber industry that can deliver the products we need in the future.”