16 News

A man has died after he was attacked in his home at Lake Macquarie this morning.
Emergency services were called to the home on Lonus Avenue at Whitebridge about 2.30am (Monday 17 December 2018), and found a 60-year-old man with a serious injury to his arm.
The man was treated at the scene by paramedics; however, he died at John Hunter Hospital a short time later.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District have established a crime scene and initiated inquiries.
They’ve been told three people – with their faces covered and armed with baseball bats and knives – broke into the home and attacked the man in his bedroom.
The man’s two brothers were home at the time but were not injured.
Inquiries are now underway by detectives from Lake Macquarie Police District, assisted by the State Crime Command’s Homicide Squad.
Police are investigating if this was a targeted attack.

Police will prepare a report for the Coroner after a child drowned in a backyard in Port Stephens yesterday.
About 6.40pm (Sunday 16 December 2018), police were called to a home on Marsh Road, Bobs Farm, after a 19-month-old boy was found unconscious in a backyard swimming pool.
NSW Ambulance paramedics attended and performed CPR, however, he died at the scene.
A crime scene was established and officers from Port Stephens Police District will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Initial investigations suggest there were no suspicious circumstances involved.

More than 40 people have been caught with drugs during a music festival at Port Macquarie over the past two days.
The ‘Festival of the Sun’ event was conducted within a holiday park at Port Macquarie between 13-16 December 2018. About 3000 people were in attendance.
Officers from Mid North Coast Police District conducted an operation to police the event, including a drug dog operation.
During the operation, 41 people were detected with drugs, including cannabis, MDMA, cocaine and LSD.
One man, aged 27, was allegedly found to be in possession of 55 MDMA capsules. He was charged with supply prohibited drug and possess prohibited drug.
He was conditionally bailed to appear at Port Macquarie Local Court on Wednesday 9 January 2019.
Other alleged offenders were issued field court attendance notices, infringement notices, cannabis cautions and warnings.
On-site medical services treated about 40 persons at the event for various issues.

A man has been charged following an alleged assault near Newcastle today.
About 2am (Saturday 15 December 2018), emergency services were called to Beaumont Street, Hamilton, following reports of an assault.
Police have been told a 25-year-old man and a 43-year-old man were allegedly involved in an altercation.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District attended and arrested the 25-year-old man.
He was taken to Newcastle City Police Station where he was charged with affray and behave in offensive manner in/near public place.
He was granted conditional bail to appear in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 17 January 2019.
NSW Ambulance paramedics attended the scene, however the 43-year-old man declined treatment.

Police have charged a man after he was allegedly found to be in possession of drugs and a firearm in a carpark at Lake Haven on the state’s Central Coast yesterday.
About 11pm (Friday 14 December 2018) officers from Morisset Police Transport Command were patrolling Lake Haven when they came across a Toyota Corolla parked across three car spaces at a fast food restaurant in Lake Haven.
The window of the car was open, and the engine was running as police took a closer look.
A man sitting in the driver’s seat was woken by officers who then searched his car.
Police allegedly located a loaded .22 pistol with ammunition, a sling shot, black handled spike/shiv, a small quantity of drugs believed to be cannabis, methamphetamine and pills, two mobile phones and drug paraphernalia.
The 30-year-old man was arrested and taken to Wyong Police Station where he was charged with firearm and drug possession and having custody of an offensive implement.
He was refused bail and will appear in Wyong Local Court today (Saturday 15 December 2018).

Novocastrians are bearing the brunt of ongoing cuts at Centrelink, with many being forced to wait for up to six months for applications for pensions or income support to be processed.
Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon said the number of Novocastrians contacting her for help after going months without income was distressing.
“My office takes too many calls from desperate constituents forced to live on nothing and navigate a system that seems rigged to demoralise and delay,” Ms Claydon said.
“With well over 35,000 Novocastrians on income support or pensions, the impact of these cuts has been felt widely across our community.
“Staff morale is also an all-time low with department jobs being cut and outsourced to labour hire firms.”
Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services Linda Burney said the Federal Government had cut and outsourced 2,500 Centrelink jobs in the past three years.
“Centrelink is in crisis under the Liberals. It’s under-staffed and under-resourced,” Ms Burney said.
“We have heard shocking stories of people waiting hours to speak to someone on the phone, or waiting months for their allowances or pensions.”
“The only winners of the cuts are labour hire firms who charge the taxpayer more, but pay their staff less.”
Labor has committed to invest in Centrelink’s workforce with 1,200 permanent, full-time, properly trained staff, who are best able to deal with the complex issues facing income support recipients.