Community invited to have say on Rising Tide's plans for 2025 climate action
As well as occupying Camp Shortland near Horseshoe Beach in Newcastle East, this year the group is applying to use Hamilton North's Richardson Park, opposite the showground.
Riding Tide community organiser Zack Schofield said the change was being made out of respect for the residents of Newcastle East and to ensure people had a safe and stable place to stay.
"But we are still planning to hold a big event at Camp Shortland on the Saturday night with free live music, which was a big draw card last year," Mr Schofield said.
An estimated 7,000-plus people participated and attended the 2024 event, involving more than 900 volunteers, Mr Schofield said.
"Our hope is that it will be much bigger again this year," Mr Schofield said.
"It grew substantially from 2023 to 2024, and I think that reflects public opinion both in Newcastle and around Australia about what it's gonna take to tackle the looming transition."
The coal industry needs to be taxed more to fund that transition, and that was the group's key message, he said.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said it was important for the community to have their say on the event.
"I know that there are strong views in the community about Rising Tide's People's Blockade and the associated protest activity, so we are seeking clear feedback during the public notice period," Cr Kerridge said.
"Councillors will then consider the proposed event after the close of the public notice period. This could include possible camping and activation of Richardson Park, and consideration of a concert in Camp Shortland.
"Council intends to consider this matter with several months' notice prior to the planned event to give organisers and the community a level of certainty."
Rising Tide is an ambitiously active climate action organisation that is calling for an end to new coal and gas approvals and a 78 per cent tax on coal and gas exports to fund the energy transition.
Its plans for 2025 include setting up amusement rides, live performances and live music at both Camp Shortland and Richardson Park, as well as camping at the Hamilton North site.
There have been 13 blockades in the Newcastle Harbour since 2006, with the intent to block the shipping channel given Newcastle Harbour's unique position as the world's largest coal port.
The community can have their say by emailing their feedback to events@ncc.nsw.gov.au from Monday, June 2, until the end of the month.
City of Newcastle has formally declared a climate emergency and has committed to the Paris Agreement, and adopted a target of net zero emissions from its operations by 2030.
THE community is being invited to have their say on this year's Rising Tide event months out from the November start date.
As well as occupying Camp Shortland near Horseshoe Beach in Newcastle East, this year the group is applying to use Hamilton North's Richardson Park, opposite the showground.
Riding Tide community organiser Zack Schofield said the change was being made out of respect for the residents of Newcastle East and to ensure people had a safe and stable place to stay.
"But we are still planning to hold a big event at Camp Shortland on the Saturday night with free live music, which was a big draw card last year," Mr Schofield said.
An estimated 7,000-plus people participated and attended the 2024 event, involving more than 900 volunteers, Mr Schofield said.
"Our hope is that it will be much bigger again this year," Mr Schofield said.
"It grew substantially from 2023 to 2024, and I think that reflects public opinion both in Newcastle and around Australia about what it's gonna take to tackle the looming transition."
The coal industry needs to be taxed more to fund that transition, and that was the group's key message, he said.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said it was important for the community to have their say on the event.
"I know that there are strong views in the community about Rising Tide's People's Blockade and the associated protest activity, so we are seeking clear feedback during the public notice period," Cr Kerridge said.
"Councillors will then consider the proposed event after the close of the public notice period. This could include possible camping and activation of Richardson Park, and consideration of a concert in Camp Shortland.
"Council intends to consider this matter with several months' notice prior to the planned event to give organisers and the community a level of certainty."
Rising Tide is an ambitiously active climate action organisation that is calling for an end to new coal and gas approvals and a 78 per cent tax on coal and gas exports to fund the energy transition.
Its plans for 2025 include setting up amusement rides, live performances and live music at both Camp Shortland and Richardson Park, as well as camping at the Hamilton North site.
There have been 13 blockades in the Newcastle Harbour since 2006, with the intent to block the shipping channel given Newcastle Harbour's unique position as the world's largest coal port.
The community can have their say by emailing their feedback to events@ncc.nsw.gov.au from Monday, June 2, until the end of the month.
City of Newcastle has formally declared a climate emergency and has committed to the Paris Agreement, and adopted a target of net zero emissions from its operations by 2030.
THE community is being invited to have their say on this year's Rising Tide event months out from the November start date.
As well as occupying Camp Shortland near Horseshoe Beach in Newcastle East, this year the group is applying to use Hamilton North's Richardson Park, opposite the showground.
Riding Tide community organiser Zack Schofield said the change was being made out of respect for the residents of Newcastle East and to ensure people had a safe and stable place to stay.
"But we are still planning to hold a big event at Camp Shortland on the Saturday night with free live music, which was a big draw card last year," Mr Schofield said.
An estimated 7,000-plus people participated and attended the 2024 event, involving more than 900 volunteers, Mr Schofield said.
"Our hope is that it will be much bigger again this year," Mr Schofield said.
"It grew substantially from 2023 to 2024, and I think that reflects public opinion both in Newcastle and around Australia about what it's gonna take to tackle the looming transition."
The coal industry needs to be taxed more to fund that transition, and that was the group's key message, he said.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said it was important for the community to have their say on the event.
"I know that there are strong views in the community about Rising Tide's People's Blockade and the associated protest activity, so we are seeking clear feedback during the public notice period," Cr Kerridge said.
"Councillors will then consider the proposed event after the close of the public notice period. This could include possible camping and activation of Richardson Park, and consideration of a concert in Camp Shortland.
"Council intends to consider this matter with several months' notice prior to the planned event to give organisers and the community a level of certainty."
Rising Tide is an ambitiously active climate action organisation that is calling for an end to new coal and gas approvals and a 78 per cent tax on coal and gas exports to fund the energy transition.
Its plans for 2025 include setting up amusement rides, live performances and live music at both Camp Shortland and Richardson Park, as well as camping at the Hamilton North site.
There have been 13 blockades in the Newcastle Harbour since 2006, with the intent to block the shipping channel given Newcastle Harbour's unique position as the world's largest coal port.
The community can have their say by emailing their feedback to events@ncc.nsw.gov.au from Monday, June 2, until the end of the month.
City of Newcastle has formally declared a climate emergency and has committed to the Paris Agreement, and adopted a target of net zero emissions from its operations by 2030.
THE community is being invited to have their say on this year's Rising Tide event months out from the November start date.
As well as occupying Camp Shortland near Horseshoe Beach in Newcastle East, this year the group is applying to use Hamilton North's Richardson Park, opposite the showground.
Riding Tide community organiser Zack Schofield said the change was being made out of respect for the residents of Newcastle East and to ensure people had a safe and stable place to stay.
"But we are still planning to hold a big event at Camp Shortland on the Saturday night with free live music, which was a big draw card last year," Mr Schofield said.
An estimated 7,000-plus people participated and attended the 2024 event, involving more than 900 volunteers, Mr Schofield said.
"Our hope is that it will be much bigger again this year," Mr Schofield said.
"It grew substantially from 2023 to 2024, and I think that reflects public opinion both in Newcastle and around Australia about what it's gonna take to tackle the looming transition."
The coal industry needs to be taxed more to fund that transition, and that was the group's key message, he said.
City of Newcastle Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said it was important for the community to have their say on the event.
"I know that there are strong views in the community about Rising Tide's People's Blockade and the associated protest activity, so we are seeking clear feedback during the public notice period," Cr Kerridge said.
"Councillors will then consider the proposed event after the close of the public notice period. This could include possible camping and activation of Richardson Park, and consideration of a concert in Camp Shortland.
"Council intends to consider this matter with several months' notice prior to the planned event to give organisers and the community a level of certainty."
Rising Tide is an ambitiously active climate action organisation that is calling for an end to new coal and gas approvals and a 78 per cent tax on coal and gas exports to fund the energy transition.
Its plans for 2025 include setting up amusement rides, live performances and live music at both Camp Shortland and Richardson Park, as well as camping at the Hamilton North site.
There have been 13 blockades in the Newcastle Harbour since 2006, with the intent to block the shipping channel given Newcastle Harbour's unique position as the world's largest coal port.
The community can have their say by emailing their feedback to events@ncc.nsw.gov.au from Monday, June 2, until the end of the month.
City of Newcastle has formally declared a climate emergency and has committed to the Paris Agreement, and adopted a target of net zero emissions from its operations by 2030.
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The Advertiser
2 days ago
- The Advertiser
'Gullible council of Newcastle': Rising Tide application 'approved' under strict conditions
RISING Tide's divisive application to hold its 2025 People's Blockade on council-owned land in November has been handed 'in-principle' approval under strict conditions. The decision on will ultimately be in the hands of City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath once further public exhibition is undertaken on the newly-proposed Foreshore Park campsite. He will not make a decision on Camp Shortland. The council approved Rising Tide's application to hold a climate concert at Camp Shortland, but its push to use Foreshore Park will need to go back to the drawing board. The council's in-principle approval is not unconditional; Rising Tide organisers will need to submit a new event application for Foreshore Park, which will go back on public exhibition for an undisclosed period of time. The climate activist group will need to submit and maintain a valid 'Form 1' to the NSW Police covering all locations for an authorised public assembly, consistent with the event licence application. Rising Tide will also need to make a commitment that its organisers and participants will follow all "lawful" police directions. Independent Cr Peter Gittins said he is an "old-school" type of person and if Rising Tide goes against its word, he would see it as a "fundamental breach of integrity". "I wish and hope Rising Tide does not, under any circumstances, enter the shipping lanes, a commitment they gave to the lord mayor last year and broke," he said. "I implore those involved with the protest, which I have said earlier, I support, to think seriously about the economic impact, the messaging, and health and safety in our port must be at the forefront of everything that is being done." Newcastle council chambers were packed to the rafters on Tuesday night, spilling out the doors, as about 100 Rising Tide members anxiously awaited a decision. Labor councillors Declan Clausen and Peta Winney-Baartz did not debate the application, having declared conflicts of interest in the matter and excusing themselves from the chamber. The climate activist group threw a spanner in the works with a last-minute proposal to move the protest campsite from Hamilton North's Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park, where it was held in 2024. City of Newcastle took Camp Shortland and Richardson Park to the public and received more than 1850 submissions, of which 86 per cent backed the event. Members of the community did not have the opportunity to make submissions on Foreshore Park. The 11th-hour change raised questions about whether approving a new location without further public exhibition would breach the Local Government Act. Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said the decision was a "defining moment" for the elected council to demonstrate its position on the right to protest and its commitment to "ensuring a safe climate future". Cr McCabe said those against the event "demanded" councillors consider the actions of a small percentage of Rising Tide protestors, despite arrests being the responsibility of NSW Police. Despite what she called "public pressure" from the premier and state government to refuse the application, Cr McCabe said there will be members of the community who feel compelled to participate in non-violent civil disobedience and would be "rightly enraged" if the application were shot down. "If our priority is safety for everyone, event attendees, community members, residents and police officers, then it is our duty to ensure that a coordinated event with clear expectations and clear lines of open communication takes place," she said. "If we reject this application, we risk an occurrence where potentially thousands of people will arrive in our city who are angry ... they will find somewhere to set up in our city, on our community land, without any of the agreements that we currently have in place for this licence application." On Monday, Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said an approval of the event licence without further exhibition would not be compliant with the requirements of the Act. He reiterated those thoughts at Tuesday night's meeting. "Lord mayor, as we well know, you were branded the gullible mayor of Newcastle after making a single undertaking just last year," Cr Pull said. "If this event succeeds, and the event is approved, and en masse arrests occur for a third time in a row, the council will rightfully be branded the gullible council of Newcastle." Cr Pull said the council as a whole would wear any reputational impacts, and pushed for the council to deny both event licences, arguing, "the buck stops with us". According to the Act, a proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly if a council proposes to grant a lease or license, including on the council's website and on the land the proposal relates to. An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors said the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. The email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in hot water with his fellow councillors when he used his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, having been elected just two months before the event. The extraordinary meeting marks the first time in recent history that councillors have determined an event authorisation. In January 2025, Cr Kerridge asked City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath to bring the decision to the elected council. According to a report to councillors, the event attracted about 3000 attendees in 2023 and about 5000 in 2024. RISING Tide's divisive application to hold its 2025 People's Blockade on council-owned land in November has been handed 'in-principle' approval under strict conditions. The decision on will ultimately be in the hands of City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath once further public exhibition is undertaken on the newly-proposed Foreshore Park campsite. He will not make a decision on Camp Shortland. The council approved Rising Tide's application to hold a climate concert at Camp Shortland, but its push to use Foreshore Park will need to go back to the drawing board. The council's in-principle approval is not unconditional; Rising Tide organisers will need to submit a new event application for Foreshore Park, which will go back on public exhibition for an undisclosed period of time. The climate activist group will need to submit and maintain a valid 'Form 1' to the NSW Police covering all locations for an authorised public assembly, consistent with the event licence application. Rising Tide will also need to make a commitment that its organisers and participants will follow all "lawful" police directions. Independent Cr Peter Gittins said he is an "old-school" type of person and if Rising Tide goes against its word, he would see it as a "fundamental breach of integrity". "I wish and hope Rising Tide does not, under any circumstances, enter the shipping lanes, a commitment they gave to the lord mayor last year and broke," he said. "I implore those involved with the protest, which I have said earlier, I support, to think seriously about the economic impact, the messaging, and health and safety in our port must be at the forefront of everything that is being done." Newcastle council chambers were packed to the rafters on Tuesday night, spilling out the doors, as about 100 Rising Tide members anxiously awaited a decision. Labor councillors Declan Clausen and Peta Winney-Baartz did not debate the application, having declared conflicts of interest in the matter and excusing themselves from the chamber. The climate activist group threw a spanner in the works with a last-minute proposal to move the protest campsite from Hamilton North's Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park, where it was held in 2024. City of Newcastle took Camp Shortland and Richardson Park to the public and received more than 1850 submissions, of which 86 per cent backed the event. Members of the community did not have the opportunity to make submissions on Foreshore Park. The 11th-hour change raised questions about whether approving a new location without further public exhibition would breach the Local Government Act. Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said the decision was a "defining moment" for the elected council to demonstrate its position on the right to protest and its commitment to "ensuring a safe climate future". Cr McCabe said those against the event "demanded" councillors consider the actions of a small percentage of Rising Tide protestors, despite arrests being the responsibility of NSW Police. Despite what she called "public pressure" from the premier and state government to refuse the application, Cr McCabe said there will be members of the community who feel compelled to participate in non-violent civil disobedience and would be "rightly enraged" if the application were shot down. "If our priority is safety for everyone, event attendees, community members, residents and police officers, then it is our duty to ensure that a coordinated event with clear expectations and clear lines of open communication takes place," she said. "If we reject this application, we risk an occurrence where potentially thousands of people will arrive in our city who are angry ... they will find somewhere to set up in our city, on our community land, without any of the agreements that we currently have in place for this licence application." On Monday, Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said an approval of the event licence without further exhibition would not be compliant with the requirements of the Act. He reiterated those thoughts at Tuesday night's meeting. "Lord mayor, as we well know, you were branded the gullible mayor of Newcastle after making a single undertaking just last year," Cr Pull said. "If this event succeeds, and the event is approved, and en masse arrests occur for a third time in a row, the council will rightfully be branded the gullible council of Newcastle." Cr Pull said the council as a whole would wear any reputational impacts, and pushed for the council to deny both event licences, arguing, "the buck stops with us". According to the Act, a proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly if a council proposes to grant a lease or license, including on the council's website and on the land the proposal relates to. An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors said the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. The email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in hot water with his fellow councillors when he used his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, having been elected just two months before the event. The extraordinary meeting marks the first time in recent history that councillors have determined an event authorisation. In January 2025, Cr Kerridge asked City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath to bring the decision to the elected council. According to a report to councillors, the event attracted about 3000 attendees in 2023 and about 5000 in 2024. RISING Tide's divisive application to hold its 2025 People's Blockade on council-owned land in November has been handed 'in-principle' approval under strict conditions. The decision on will ultimately be in the hands of City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath once further public exhibition is undertaken on the newly-proposed Foreshore Park campsite. He will not make a decision on Camp Shortland. The council approved Rising Tide's application to hold a climate concert at Camp Shortland, but its push to use Foreshore Park will need to go back to the drawing board. The council's in-principle approval is not unconditional; Rising Tide organisers will need to submit a new event application for Foreshore Park, which will go back on public exhibition for an undisclosed period of time. The climate activist group will need to submit and maintain a valid 'Form 1' to the NSW Police covering all locations for an authorised public assembly, consistent with the event licence application. Rising Tide will also need to make a commitment that its organisers and participants will follow all "lawful" police directions. Independent Cr Peter Gittins said he is an "old-school" type of person and if Rising Tide goes against its word, he would see it as a "fundamental breach of integrity". "I wish and hope Rising Tide does not, under any circumstances, enter the shipping lanes, a commitment they gave to the lord mayor last year and broke," he said. "I implore those involved with the protest, which I have said earlier, I support, to think seriously about the economic impact, the messaging, and health and safety in our port must be at the forefront of everything that is being done." Newcastle council chambers were packed to the rafters on Tuesday night, spilling out the doors, as about 100 Rising Tide members anxiously awaited a decision. Labor councillors Declan Clausen and Peta Winney-Baartz did not debate the application, having declared conflicts of interest in the matter and excusing themselves from the chamber. The climate activist group threw a spanner in the works with a last-minute proposal to move the protest campsite from Hamilton North's Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park, where it was held in 2024. City of Newcastle took Camp Shortland and Richardson Park to the public and received more than 1850 submissions, of which 86 per cent backed the event. Members of the community did not have the opportunity to make submissions on Foreshore Park. The 11th-hour change raised questions about whether approving a new location without further public exhibition would breach the Local Government Act. Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said the decision was a "defining moment" for the elected council to demonstrate its position on the right to protest and its commitment to "ensuring a safe climate future". Cr McCabe said those against the event "demanded" councillors consider the actions of a small percentage of Rising Tide protestors, despite arrests being the responsibility of NSW Police. Despite what she called "public pressure" from the premier and state government to refuse the application, Cr McCabe said there will be members of the community who feel compelled to participate in non-violent civil disobedience and would be "rightly enraged" if the application were shot down. "If our priority is safety for everyone, event attendees, community members, residents and police officers, then it is our duty to ensure that a coordinated event with clear expectations and clear lines of open communication takes place," she said. "If we reject this application, we risk an occurrence where potentially thousands of people will arrive in our city who are angry ... they will find somewhere to set up in our city, on our community land, without any of the agreements that we currently have in place for this licence application." On Monday, Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said an approval of the event licence without further exhibition would not be compliant with the requirements of the Act. He reiterated those thoughts at Tuesday night's meeting. "Lord mayor, as we well know, you were branded the gullible mayor of Newcastle after making a single undertaking just last year," Cr Pull said. "If this event succeeds, and the event is approved, and en masse arrests occur for a third time in a row, the council will rightfully be branded the gullible council of Newcastle." Cr Pull said the council as a whole would wear any reputational impacts, and pushed for the council to deny both event licences, arguing, "the buck stops with us". According to the Act, a proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly if a council proposes to grant a lease or license, including on the council's website and on the land the proposal relates to. An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors said the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. The email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in hot water with his fellow councillors when he used his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, having been elected just two months before the event. The extraordinary meeting marks the first time in recent history that councillors have determined an event authorisation. In January 2025, Cr Kerridge asked City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath to bring the decision to the elected council. According to a report to councillors, the event attracted about 3000 attendees in 2023 and about 5000 in 2024. RISING Tide's divisive application to hold its 2025 People's Blockade on council-owned land in November has been handed 'in-principle' approval under strict conditions. The decision on will ultimately be in the hands of City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath once further public exhibition is undertaken on the newly-proposed Foreshore Park campsite. He will not make a decision on Camp Shortland. The council approved Rising Tide's application to hold a climate concert at Camp Shortland, but its push to use Foreshore Park will need to go back to the drawing board. The council's in-principle approval is not unconditional; Rising Tide organisers will need to submit a new event application for Foreshore Park, which will go back on public exhibition for an undisclosed period of time. The climate activist group will need to submit and maintain a valid 'Form 1' to the NSW Police covering all locations for an authorised public assembly, consistent with the event licence application. Rising Tide will also need to make a commitment that its organisers and participants will follow all "lawful" police directions. Independent Cr Peter Gittins said he is an "old-school" type of person and if Rising Tide goes against its word, he would see it as a "fundamental breach of integrity". "I wish and hope Rising Tide does not, under any circumstances, enter the shipping lanes, a commitment they gave to the lord mayor last year and broke," he said. "I implore those involved with the protest, which I have said earlier, I support, to think seriously about the economic impact, the messaging, and health and safety in our port must be at the forefront of everything that is being done." Newcastle council chambers were packed to the rafters on Tuesday night, spilling out the doors, as about 100 Rising Tide members anxiously awaited a decision. Labor councillors Declan Clausen and Peta Winney-Baartz did not debate the application, having declared conflicts of interest in the matter and excusing themselves from the chamber. The climate activist group threw a spanner in the works with a last-minute proposal to move the protest campsite from Hamilton North's Richardson Park back to Foreshore Park, where it was held in 2024. City of Newcastle took Camp Shortland and Richardson Park to the public and received more than 1850 submissions, of which 86 per cent backed the event. Members of the community did not have the opportunity to make submissions on Foreshore Park. The 11th-hour change raised questions about whether approving a new location without further public exhibition would breach the Local Government Act. Greens councillor Charlotte McCabe said the decision was a "defining moment" for the elected council to demonstrate its position on the right to protest and its commitment to "ensuring a safe climate future". Cr McCabe said those against the event "demanded" councillors consider the actions of a small percentage of Rising Tide protestors, despite arrests being the responsibility of NSW Police. Despite what she called "public pressure" from the premier and state government to refuse the application, Cr McCabe said there will be members of the community who feel compelled to participate in non-violent civil disobedience and would be "rightly enraged" if the application were shot down. "If our priority is safety for everyone, event attendees, community members, residents and police officers, then it is our duty to ensure that a coordinated event with clear expectations and clear lines of open communication takes place," she said. "If we reject this application, we risk an occurrence where potentially thousands of people will arrive in our city who are angry ... they will find somewhere to set up in our city, on our community land, without any of the agreements that we currently have in place for this licence application." On Monday, Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, a vocal critic of the blockade, said an approval of the event licence without further exhibition would not be compliant with the requirements of the Act. He reiterated those thoughts at Tuesday night's meeting. "Lord mayor, as we well know, you were branded the gullible mayor of Newcastle after making a single undertaking just last year," Cr Pull said. "If this event succeeds, and the event is approved, and en masse arrests occur for a third time in a row, the council will rightfully be branded the gullible council of Newcastle." Cr Pull said the council as a whole would wear any reputational impacts, and pushed for the council to deny both event licences, arguing, "the buck stops with us". According to the Act, a proposal must be notified and exhibited publicly if a council proposes to grant a lease or license, including on the council's website and on the land the proposal relates to. An internal City of Newcastle email to councillors said the council did not approve the event licence in line with legislation in 2024. The email to councillors said failure to follow the legislation would not automatically invalidate any resolution of the council. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in hot water with his fellow councillors when he used his delegated powers to approve the 2024 event application. Cr Kerridge defended his decision at the time, saying he came into the situation late in the piece, having been elected just two months before the event. The extraordinary meeting marks the first time in recent history that councillors have determined an event authorisation. In January 2025, Cr Kerridge asked City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath to bring the decision to the elected council. According to a report to councillors, the event attracted about 3000 attendees in 2023 and about 5000 in 2024.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- The Advertiser
Community concern after a town's historic gun emplacements fenced off
A regional council has responded to community concerns surrounding the fencing of historic Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements. The Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements, which are the only known of their type in NSW, were erected in World War II to protect local industry, including the Small Arms Factory in Lithgow in the Central Tablelands. The guns were never used but over time became a point of interest in local history in the Lithgow local government area. On August 8, Lithgow City Council announced the emplacements were temporarily fenced off due to safety risks identified after an incident. "An incident at the Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements was the subject of an insurance claim against Council," A Council Spokesperson told The Lithgow Mercury. "The decision to temporarily fence off the emplacements was made in response to a public safety risk assessment, which identified significant safety risks that need to be mitigated. "A risk and options assessment was undertaken by the Council. The assessment report recommended that the safety risks present at the site should be urgently mitigated while a long-term plan is developed and implemented." According to the spokesperson, fencing around the emplacements is a temporary safety and preservation measure, but a more permanent solution is still being determined. "Temporary fencing around each of the Gun Emplacements has been installed until Council can take action to reduce or control the risks, without modifying the valuable and unique historical assets," The spokesperson said. "The Council will work with individuals and groups who seek access to the Gun Emplacements for memorial or research purposes on a controlled, case-by-case basis." The community responded to the temporary fencing on social media with concerns about accessing the historic relics, and a petition with almost 500 signatures (at the time of publishing) for residents to have a say in the future accessibility of the site. The council spokesperson said residents will be consulted before any permanent action is taken at the site. "Lithgow Council understands the community's concerns and frustrations about this decision, but wishes to reiterate that it has been done in the interest of public safety and to ensure Council's Duty of Care for the community," The spokesperson said. "Council will consult with residents on a fencing solution until the Council can undertake action to mitigate the safety risks at the site." A regional council has responded to community concerns surrounding the fencing of historic Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements. The Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements, which are the only known of their type in NSW, were erected in World War II to protect local industry, including the Small Arms Factory in Lithgow in the Central Tablelands. The guns were never used but over time became a point of interest in local history in the Lithgow local government area. On August 8, Lithgow City Council announced the emplacements were temporarily fenced off due to safety risks identified after an incident. "An incident at the Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements was the subject of an insurance claim against Council," A Council Spokesperson told The Lithgow Mercury. "The decision to temporarily fence off the emplacements was made in response to a public safety risk assessment, which identified significant safety risks that need to be mitigated. "A risk and options assessment was undertaken by the Council. The assessment report recommended that the safety risks present at the site should be urgently mitigated while a long-term plan is developed and implemented." According to the spokesperson, fencing around the emplacements is a temporary safety and preservation measure, but a more permanent solution is still being determined. "Temporary fencing around each of the Gun Emplacements has been installed until Council can take action to reduce or control the risks, without modifying the valuable and unique historical assets," The spokesperson said. "The Council will work with individuals and groups who seek access to the Gun Emplacements for memorial or research purposes on a controlled, case-by-case basis." The community responded to the temporary fencing on social media with concerns about accessing the historic relics, and a petition with almost 500 signatures (at the time of publishing) for residents to have a say in the future accessibility of the site. The council spokesperson said residents will be consulted before any permanent action is taken at the site. "Lithgow Council understands the community's concerns and frustrations about this decision, but wishes to reiterate that it has been done in the interest of public safety and to ensure Council's Duty of Care for the community," The spokesperson said. "Council will consult with residents on a fencing solution until the Council can undertake action to mitigate the safety risks at the site." A regional council has responded to community concerns surrounding the fencing of historic Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements. The Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements, which are the only known of their type in NSW, were erected in World War II to protect local industry, including the Small Arms Factory in Lithgow in the Central Tablelands. The guns were never used but over time became a point of interest in local history in the Lithgow local government area. On August 8, Lithgow City Council announced the emplacements were temporarily fenced off due to safety risks identified after an incident. "An incident at the Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements was the subject of an insurance claim against Council," A Council Spokesperson told The Lithgow Mercury. "The decision to temporarily fence off the emplacements was made in response to a public safety risk assessment, which identified significant safety risks that need to be mitigated. "A risk and options assessment was undertaken by the Council. The assessment report recommended that the safety risks present at the site should be urgently mitigated while a long-term plan is developed and implemented." According to the spokesperson, fencing around the emplacements is a temporary safety and preservation measure, but a more permanent solution is still being determined. "Temporary fencing around each of the Gun Emplacements has been installed until Council can take action to reduce or control the risks, without modifying the valuable and unique historical assets," The spokesperson said. "The Council will work with individuals and groups who seek access to the Gun Emplacements for memorial or research purposes on a controlled, case-by-case basis." The community responded to the temporary fencing on social media with concerns about accessing the historic relics, and a petition with almost 500 signatures (at the time of publishing) for residents to have a say in the future accessibility of the site. The council spokesperson said residents will be consulted before any permanent action is taken at the site. "Lithgow Council understands the community's concerns and frustrations about this decision, but wishes to reiterate that it has been done in the interest of public safety and to ensure Council's Duty of Care for the community," The spokesperson said. "Council will consult with residents on a fencing solution until the Council can undertake action to mitigate the safety risks at the site." A regional council has responded to community concerns surrounding the fencing of historic Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements. The Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements, which are the only known of their type in NSW, were erected in World War II to protect local industry, including the Small Arms Factory in Lithgow in the Central Tablelands. The guns were never used but over time became a point of interest in local history in the Lithgow local government area. On August 8, Lithgow City Council announced the emplacements were temporarily fenced off due to safety risks identified after an incident. "An incident at the Anti-Aircraft Gun Emplacements was the subject of an insurance claim against Council," A Council Spokesperson told The Lithgow Mercury. "The decision to temporarily fence off the emplacements was made in response to a public safety risk assessment, which identified significant safety risks that need to be mitigated. "A risk and options assessment was undertaken by the Council. The assessment report recommended that the safety risks present at the site should be urgently mitigated while a long-term plan is developed and implemented." According to the spokesperson, fencing around the emplacements is a temporary safety and preservation measure, but a more permanent solution is still being determined. "Temporary fencing around each of the Gun Emplacements has been installed until Council can take action to reduce or control the risks, without modifying the valuable and unique historical assets," The spokesperson said. "The Council will work with individuals and groups who seek access to the Gun Emplacements for memorial or research purposes on a controlled, case-by-case basis." The community responded to the temporary fencing on social media with concerns about accessing the historic relics, and a petition with almost 500 signatures (at the time of publishing) for residents to have a say in the future accessibility of the site. The council spokesperson said residents will be consulted before any permanent action is taken at the site. "Lithgow Council understands the community's concerns and frustrations about this decision, but wishes to reiterate that it has been done in the interest of public safety and to ensure Council's Duty of Care for the community," The spokesperson said. "Council will consult with residents on a fencing solution until the Council can undertake action to mitigate the safety risks at the site."
ABC News
3 days ago
- ABC News
Parramatta councillor unsuccessful in bid to seek more detail on reported ICAC raid
Councillors at Parramatta City Council have knocked back a request to seek more information on a reported raid on its offices by the corruption watchdog last month. Independent councillor Kellie Darley put forward a motion at Monday night's council meeting proposing that the council acknowledge "significant community concern" over the "entry" to the offices by Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) officers. It follows media reports that ICAC officers conducted the raid and seized the mobile phones of senior staff just hours before a council meeting. Councillor Darley told the meeting she wanted to publicly acknowledge concerns that have been raised by community members, and to address an information "void". "Unfortunately when people don't have information and they speculate, they come up with things that are not true," Cllr Darley said. "The reason I wanted to put this on the agenda tonight is to acknowledge that concern but also address the misinformation. The motion was ultimately defeated, but Labor Councillor Patricia Prociv successfully moved an amendment that council "affirms its zero-tolerance approach to fraudulent or corrupt behaviour". Her amendment also noted that council "would continue delivering the highest level of service". The amendment passed unanimously. Following the meeting, Councillor Darley said she was disappointed her motion was unsuccessful, and vowed to continue raising questions about the matter at future meetings. "They're sweeping it under the carpet and putting their head in the sand," she said. The ICAC has declined to comment on the reports.
