Newcastle inner city residents have commended the Joint Queensland Parliamentary Committee’s report recommending reduced hotel closing times across the State.
These recommendations vindicate the hard struggle by local police and residents to make their streets safe and free from alcohol generated fear. They vilify the NSW government’s refusal to flow on the Newcastle decision elsewhere.
Clearly the [...]

The Dalgarno Institute and its growing Coalition of concerned citizens continue to applaud and support endeavours to abate the alcohol related distress inflicted on our community. For over 150 years our movement has initiated, backed and collaborated with recommendations on many issues, including the reduction of closing times across communities. We, of course applaud the [...]

Reducing our carbon footprint is no longer an option, it’s an environmental imperative, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun.
For World Earth Hour, Transition Town Newcastle will gather community members together on the top of Braye Park, Waratah. From this spectacular vantage point with 360 degree city views, we’ll see which suburbs are really [...]

Hamilton woman Akur Shanloy is in desperate need of help after flying to Nairobi in an effort to bring her sick husband back home.
Her husband, Marial, suffered a stroke while visiting relations in Sudan, late last year and has been stuck in a private African hospital for more than three months because his family has [...]

Dear Councillors,
I ask for your interest and support re the following brief for public access application (currently being processed):
Reaffirming LMCC Declaration (2002) of Lake Macquarie as a Refugee Welcome City
1. We are seeing the divisive refugee race-card being played again- each major party vying to be meaner than the other, this is [...]

Federal Labor Approves Empire Park Skate Park despite lack of consultation and community opposition
Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Grierson announced [3 March 2010] that the Labor Federal Government has approved the Newcastle City Council’s (NCC) application for $400,000 in taxpayer funding for a 1000sqm district skate park at heritage listed Empire Park which is opposed [...]

Statement by Roy Ah See Councillor for the Sydney/Newcastle region February 25, 2010, NSW Aboriginal Land Council

In the past few weeks, there’s been substantial media interest in the future of the Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council (KLALC).
The Newcastle Herald in particular has followed this issue closely, and I commend the paper for taking [...]

I wish to provide a snapshot of a wonderful achievement that the adolescents in our region are currently embarking on.
In the month of October, 21 Australian Army Cadet (AAC) Battalion won the right to represent the state of NSW in the Chief of Army Cadet Team Challenge (effectively the national championships for the Army [...]

.. never enough!
Kurri Kurri is gearing up for its 7th annual Nostalgia Festival on 26th – 28th March.
The town will transform into all the glory of the 1950’s and 60’s as we bring back the good times and Dance in the street.
There’ll be Rock n Roll, Classic cars, Hot rods, Entertainment, Dances, Market [...]

Council website has problems – this reduces community feedback and the deadline to nominate for the workshop or put ideas to council is way too early.

Newcastle City Council wants to chop down a row of 80-year-old Hill’s fig trees in Newcastle’s most beautiful street, supposedly because they’re worried they’ll hurt someone, even though they [...]

MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS
The Mental Illness and Substance Abuse (MISA) Lifestyle Support Program has been providing vital support to people experiencing mental illness and  alcohol and drug use issues on the north coast for the past 5 years.  
Tragically, MISA’s funding will come to an end in June 2010 and there [...]

Dear editor,
I’m not sure if your readers are aware that if they want to let Newcastle City Council know their ‘vision’ for Laman Street they need to do so by Feb 22nd which is this coming Friday.
Since the ‘charette’ or design workshop (and there’s another story) is not happening for a month it seems to [...]

To: Mr. James Strong AO Chairman , Woolworths Limited
Dear Mr. Strong
As Chairman of Directors for Woolworths Limited, one of Australia’s biggest companies, you hold a most important position representing the interests of nearly 400,000 individual shareholders, many of them quintessential ‘mum and dad’ Australian investors.
While we know that the [...]

Rivers SOS is comprised of over 44 groups around NSW campaigning to protect river systems from mine damage.
We are organising a Rally in the Gloucester area on Wednesday 10th February at 10.00 a.m. – Corner of Jacks Road and The Bucketts Way Gloucester.
This Rally is to alert the community about the expansion of coal and [...]

An article today in the local paper on a huge rise in premiums for a Merewether resident begs critical comment. This rise, a 250% increase on last year’s contents premium, is an example of an outrageous grab for money by the insurance company in question. The excuse – the resident is in a tsunami risk [...]

A massive drunken brawl involving police and a sea of empty grog bottles at king Edward Park has resulted in Newcastle residents calling for action from Newcastle Council and the police.
Newcastle ratepayers are once again left with a massive clean up bill.
Police were completely out numbered as over 1,000 young revellers trashed the park. Entrances [...]

The return on our investment
Dear Editor,
Louise Hall (Tillegra dam costs could soar to $1b – Jan 14th, Sydney Morning Herald) quite rightly reports on data ignored when Hunter Water prepared its application for planning approval of Tillegra Dam. By ignoring the data, the public were blinded from the fact that they will be footing [...]

The Coalition of Newcastle Resident groups supports effective alcohol controls on Australia Day to prevent a repetition of last year’s disgusting public drunkenness, violence and anti social behaviour.
The special day’s celebration and family enjoyment should not be spoilt by drunken idiots and yobbos. Many of the people intoxicated last year were under-aged.
Newcastle residents have been [...]

Your letter from Sara Donald (18/1) on the Swansea Public Housing issue needs to be put into perspective.
Firstly, as members of a caring, pluralist society we have to accept our share of social support to those people in the community who fall on tough times. This includes looking after veterans, the aged, people with disabilities [...]

Dear Editor,
I would like to respond to the claims made by David Borger, Minister for Housing, regarding public housing developments. He wrote:
The sheer majority of Cities and Towns across the State have been very accepting, very accommodating, of our plans to help their local needy by providing Stimulus homes”

We do not know of any “cities [...]