Lord mayor says probe reveals need to better engage and build 'trust'
NOVOCASTRIANS did not hold back when it came to venting their concerns with City of Newcastle in public submissions to an independent probe into the council's policies, procedures and processes.
Newcastle Airport expenditure and board appointments, the Scott Neylon/Jeremy Bath/Jason Sivo letters saga, Mr Bath himself, the council's Christmas parties and lavish lucky door prizes were just some of the issues raised in some 800 submissions to the review.
The full report and finer details of the probe will be made available to the public on May 21, but Newcastle Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge said on first glance he feels "reassured" the council is "functioning well".
"I think the main thing that they've identified is the need for better engagement and trust with the community and communication, particularly early engagement about big projects, and then there are some issues around financial reporting," he said
"It's going to take a long time to work on that [trust with community], and I think it would be dangerous, and I even think with some of the responses there that I worry people will say, 'Oh, it's a huge ringing endorsement'.
"Yes, it is an endorsement, but that doesn't mean that there aren't areas for improvement, and they are serious areas for improvement."
Cr Kerridge said discussions have already been had on strategies to build better communication and trust with the community and within the council.
As part of the review process, Davidson Business Advisory had the task of wading through some 800 public submissions.
At least 260 internal council documents were considered, including strategies, plans, budgets, policies, media clips and council reports.
Davidson undertook 27 one-on-one consultations with corporate staff, the lord mayor and councillors, as well as three independent members of the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC).
In response to a question from Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, Davidson confirmed that no matters raised amid the review needed to be referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption or another external agency.
There were "no matters of fraud or corruption identified" in the review.
The council and a packed public gallery heard at Thursday's meeting that the review cost in the order of $80,000.
More than 20 submissions were made about the Newcastle Airport, which focused mostly on board appointment processes and concerns about that, reports of decisions being made outside council delegations without council awareness and an increase in expenditure due to development.
Davison's lead consultant Colin Jensen noted the airport board structure was "necessarily complicated" because of the joint ownership between City of Newcastle and Port Stephens Council.
He said the "overarching observation" is that City of Newcastle has used its delegation to make "appropriate decisions" around the appointment of directors "currently, recently and in the past".
A shortcoming was identified, which was that the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) should receive regular briefings on the airport.
Mr Jensen said it was "not appropriate" to go into further detail on the airport at this stage but said there is more to come in the report.
The Scott Neylon/Jeremy Bath/Jason Sivo letters saga was a topic that came up frequently as part of the review process.
Mr Jensen said Davidson found the investigations into the matter were "done appropriately" and by the "appropriate authorities".
The 2023 council-commissioned independent investigation into the City of Newcastle CEO's links to a long-term Herald letter writer found "no evidence that the CEO incentivised the author to write the articles".
The Newcastle Herald was not contacted during the investigation, nor were copies of the letters requested.
Mr Jensen said many public submissions focused specifically on City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath, and in many instances referred to decisions "espoused" to have been made by the chief executive.
However, Mr Jensen said that upon review, many of the decisions residents raised issues with were made prior to his appointment or were decisions made by the elected councillors.
Issues were also raised with council decisions, but Mr Jensen said no instances were identified where those decisions fell outside regulatory or approval processes.
"Findings highlight opportunities for improved communication, enhanced community engagement," he said.
Mr Jensen said better engagement and communication would contribute to a "broader understanding of those council decisions".
Davidson gave City of Newcastle's staff Christmas party expenditure the tick of approval.
The Newcastle Herald revealed in January that City of Newcastle (CN) staff were treated to lavish lucky door prizes in a gift-giving frenzy in December.
The items up for grabs included a hot air balloon ride, Dyson Airwrap hair stylers, skydiving, a walking pad, Nintendo Switch, power tools, theatre tickets, a Nutribullet, portable speaker, Yeti cooler, Cool Cabana, recliner camp chair, cinema and dining vouchers.
Fellow Davidson consultant Justin Hanney said the cost-per-head of the council's Christmas party compared favourably with costs for other NSW councils' Christmas celebrations.
"When you dig into this issue historically, each staffer was given a Christmas cake that was replaced with prizes in a raffle-type environment which reduced the cost by 50 per cent in expenditure overall," he said.
Mr Hanney said there is a "direct link" between how staff are rewarded and organisational culture and congratulated the CEO on personally paying for an executive team Christmas gathering.
No excessive spending was identified and there were no "adverse findings" on the Christmas bash.
Davidson has found that while City of Newcastle has a "healthy organisational culture" the relationship between the CEO, councillors and lord mayor will be "critical" to the organisational success of the council.
Members of the public raised concerns about leadership dynamics, the approach to political transitions and challenges with alignment between the council's leadership team and elected councillors.
Mr Hanney said while a difference in opinion shows a healthy democracy, once a decision is made the CEO is accountable for ensuring that position is implemented across the board.
He said the council should focus on strengthening the relationship between the CEO, executive team and councillors for a more unified approach.
When it comes to staff, Mr Hanney said the council's staff engagement survey results indicated year-on-year improvement.
The full report will be tabled at the May 27 council meeting, and with plenty of issues covered the Newcastle Herald will have more to come.
To see live coverage of the public briefing, click here.
NOVOCASTRIANS did not hold back when it came to venting their concerns with City of Newcastle in public submissions to an independent probe into the council's policies, procedures and processes.
Newcastle Airport expenditure and board appointments, the Scott Neylon/Jeremy Bath/Jason Sivo letters saga, Mr Bath himself, the council's Christmas parties and lavish lucky door prizes were just some of the issues raised in some 800 submissions to the review.
The full report and finer details of the probe will be made available to the public on May 21, but Newcastle Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge said on first glance he feels "reassured" the council is "functioning well".
"I think the main thing that they've identified is the need for better engagement and trust with the community and communication, particularly early engagement about big projects, and then there are some issues around financial reporting," he said
"It's going to take a long time to work on that [trust with community], and I think it would be dangerous, and I even think with some of the responses there that I worry people will say, 'Oh, it's a huge ringing endorsement'.
"Yes, it is an endorsement, but that doesn't mean that there aren't areas for improvement, and they are serious areas for improvement."
Cr Kerridge said discussions have already been had on strategies to build better communication and trust with the community and within the council.
As part of the review process, Davidson Business Advisory had the task of wading through some 800 public submissions.
At least 260 internal council documents were considered, including strategies, plans, budgets, policies, media clips and council reports.
Davidson undertook 27 one-on-one consultations with corporate staff, the lord mayor and councillors, as well as three independent members of the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC).
In response to a question from Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, Davidson confirmed that no matters raised amid the review needed to be referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption or another external agency.
There were "no matters of fraud or corruption identified" in the review.
The council and a packed public gallery heard at Thursday's meeting that the review cost in the order of $80,000.
More than 20 submissions were made about the Newcastle Airport, which focused mostly on board appointment processes and concerns about that, reports of decisions being made outside council delegations without council awareness and an increase in expenditure due to development.
Davison's lead consultant Colin Jensen noted the airport board structure was "necessarily complicated" because of the joint ownership between City of Newcastle and Port Stephens Council.
He said the "overarching observation" is that City of Newcastle has used its delegation to make "appropriate decisions" around the appointment of directors "currently, recently and in the past".
A shortcoming was identified, which was that the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) should receive regular briefings on the airport.
Mr Jensen said it was "not appropriate" to go into further detail on the airport at this stage but said there is more to come in the report.
The Scott Neylon/Jeremy Bath/Jason Sivo letters saga was a topic that came up frequently as part of the review process.
Mr Jensen said Davidson found the investigations into the matter were "done appropriately" and by the "appropriate authorities".
The 2023 council-commissioned independent investigation into the City of Newcastle CEO's links to a long-term Herald letter writer found "no evidence that the CEO incentivised the author to write the articles".
The Newcastle Herald was not contacted during the investigation, nor were copies of the letters requested.
Mr Jensen said many public submissions focused specifically on City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath, and in many instances referred to decisions "espoused" to have been made by the chief executive.
However, Mr Jensen said that upon review, many of the decisions residents raised issues with were made prior to his appointment or were decisions made by the elected councillors.
Issues were also raised with council decisions, but Mr Jensen said no instances were identified where those decisions fell outside regulatory or approval processes.
"Findings highlight opportunities for improved communication, enhanced community engagement," he said.
Mr Jensen said better engagement and communication would contribute to a "broader understanding of those council decisions".
Davidson gave City of Newcastle's staff Christmas party expenditure the tick of approval.
The Newcastle Herald revealed in January that City of Newcastle (CN) staff were treated to lavish lucky door prizes in a gift-giving frenzy in December.
The items up for grabs included a hot air balloon ride, Dyson Airwrap hair stylers, skydiving, a walking pad, Nintendo Switch, power tools, theatre tickets, a Nutribullet, portable speaker, Yeti cooler, Cool Cabana, recliner camp chair, cinema and dining vouchers.
Fellow Davidson consultant Justin Hanney said the cost-per-head of the council's Christmas party compared favourably with costs for other NSW councils' Christmas celebrations.
"When you dig into this issue historically, each staffer was given a Christmas cake that was replaced with prizes in a raffle-type environment which reduced the cost by 50 per cent in expenditure overall," he said.
Mr Hanney said there is a "direct link" between how staff are rewarded and organisational culture and congratulated the CEO on personally paying for an executive team Christmas gathering.
No excessive spending was identified and there were no "adverse findings" on the Christmas bash.
Davidson has found that while City of Newcastle has a "healthy organisational culture" the relationship between the CEO, councillors and lord mayor will be "critical" to the organisational success of the council.
Members of the public raised concerns about leadership dynamics, the approach to political transitions and challenges with alignment between the council's leadership team and elected councillors.
Mr Hanney said while a difference in opinion shows a healthy democracy, once a decision is made the CEO is accountable for ensuring that position is implemented across the board.
He said the council should focus on strengthening the relationship between the CEO, executive team and councillors for a more unified approach.
When it comes to staff, Mr Hanney said the council's staff engagement survey results indicated year-on-year improvement.
The full report will be tabled at the May 27 council meeting, and with plenty of issues covered the Newcastle Herald will have more to come.
To see live coverage of the public briefing, click here.
NOVOCASTRIANS did not hold back when it came to venting their concerns with City of Newcastle in public submissions to an independent probe into the council's policies, procedures and processes.
Newcastle Airport expenditure and board appointments, the Scott Neylon/Jeremy Bath/Jason Sivo letters saga, Mr Bath himself, the council's Christmas parties and lavish lucky door prizes were just some of the issues raised in some 800 submissions to the review.
The full report and finer details of the probe will be made available to the public on May 21, but Newcastle Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge said on first glance he feels "reassured" the council is "functioning well".
"I think the main thing that they've identified is the need for better engagement and trust with the community and communication, particularly early engagement about big projects, and then there are some issues around financial reporting," he said
"It's going to take a long time to work on that [trust with community], and I think it would be dangerous, and I even think with some of the responses there that I worry people will say, 'Oh, it's a huge ringing endorsement'.
"Yes, it is an endorsement, but that doesn't mean that there aren't areas for improvement, and they are serious areas for improvement."
Cr Kerridge said discussions have already been had on strategies to build better communication and trust with the community and within the council.
As part of the review process, Davidson Business Advisory had the task of wading through some 800 public submissions.
At least 260 internal council documents were considered, including strategies, plans, budgets, policies, media clips and council reports.
Davidson undertook 27 one-on-one consultations with corporate staff, the lord mayor and councillors, as well as three independent members of the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC).
In response to a question from Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, Davidson confirmed that no matters raised amid the review needed to be referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption or another external agency.
There were "no matters of fraud or corruption identified" in the review.
The council and a packed public gallery heard at Thursday's meeting that the review cost in the order of $80,000.
More than 20 submissions were made about the Newcastle Airport, which focused mostly on board appointment processes and concerns about that, reports of decisions being made outside council delegations without council awareness and an increase in expenditure due to development.
Davison's lead consultant Colin Jensen noted the airport board structure was "necessarily complicated" because of the joint ownership between City of Newcastle and Port Stephens Council.
He said the "overarching observation" is that City of Newcastle has used its delegation to make "appropriate decisions" around the appointment of directors "currently, recently and in the past".
A shortcoming was identified, which was that the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) should receive regular briefings on the airport.
Mr Jensen said it was "not appropriate" to go into further detail on the airport at this stage but said there is more to come in the report.
The Scott Neylon/Jeremy Bath/Jason Sivo letters saga was a topic that came up frequently as part of the review process.
Mr Jensen said Davidson found the investigations into the matter were "done appropriately" and by the "appropriate authorities".
The 2023 council-commissioned independent investigation into the City of Newcastle CEO's links to a long-term Herald letter writer found "no evidence that the CEO incentivised the author to write the articles".
The Newcastle Herald was not contacted during the investigation, nor were copies of the letters requested.
Mr Jensen said many public submissions focused specifically on City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath, and in many instances referred to decisions "espoused" to have been made by the chief executive.
However, Mr Jensen said that upon review, many of the decisions residents raised issues with were made prior to his appointment or were decisions made by the elected councillors.
Issues were also raised with council decisions, but Mr Jensen said no instances were identified where those decisions fell outside regulatory or approval processes.
"Findings highlight opportunities for improved communication, enhanced community engagement," he said.
Mr Jensen said better engagement and communication would contribute to a "broader understanding of those council decisions".
Davidson gave City of Newcastle's staff Christmas party expenditure the tick of approval.
The Newcastle Herald revealed in January that City of Newcastle (CN) staff were treated to lavish lucky door prizes in a gift-giving frenzy in December.
The items up for grabs included a hot air balloon ride, Dyson Airwrap hair stylers, skydiving, a walking pad, Nintendo Switch, power tools, theatre tickets, a Nutribullet, portable speaker, Yeti cooler, Cool Cabana, recliner camp chair, cinema and dining vouchers.
Fellow Davidson consultant Justin Hanney said the cost-per-head of the council's Christmas party compared favourably with costs for other NSW councils' Christmas celebrations.
"When you dig into this issue historically, each staffer was given a Christmas cake that was replaced with prizes in a raffle-type environment which reduced the cost by 50 per cent in expenditure overall," he said.
Mr Hanney said there is a "direct link" between how staff are rewarded and organisational culture and congratulated the CEO on personally paying for an executive team Christmas gathering.
No excessive spending was identified and there were no "adverse findings" on the Christmas bash.
Davidson has found that while City of Newcastle has a "healthy organisational culture" the relationship between the CEO, councillors and lord mayor will be "critical" to the organisational success of the council.
Members of the public raised concerns about leadership dynamics, the approach to political transitions and challenges with alignment between the council's leadership team and elected councillors.
Mr Hanney said while a difference in opinion shows a healthy democracy, once a decision is made the CEO is accountable for ensuring that position is implemented across the board.
He said the council should focus on strengthening the relationship between the CEO, executive team and councillors for a more unified approach.
When it comes to staff, Mr Hanney said the council's staff engagement survey results indicated year-on-year improvement.
The full report will be tabled at the May 27 council meeting, and with plenty of issues covered the Newcastle Herald will have more to come.
To see live coverage of the public briefing, click here.
NOVOCASTRIANS did not hold back when it came to venting their concerns with City of Newcastle in public submissions to an independent probe into the council's policies, procedures and processes.
Newcastle Airport expenditure and board appointments, the Scott Neylon/Jeremy Bath/Jason Sivo letters saga, Mr Bath himself, the council's Christmas parties and lavish lucky door prizes were just some of the issues raised in some 800 submissions to the review.
The full report and finer details of the probe will be made available to the public on May 21, but Newcastle Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge said on first glance he feels "reassured" the council is "functioning well".
"I think the main thing that they've identified is the need for better engagement and trust with the community and communication, particularly early engagement about big projects, and then there are some issues around financial reporting," he said
"It's going to take a long time to work on that [trust with community], and I think it would be dangerous, and I even think with some of the responses there that I worry people will say, 'Oh, it's a huge ringing endorsement'.
"Yes, it is an endorsement, but that doesn't mean that there aren't areas for improvement, and they are serious areas for improvement."
Cr Kerridge said discussions have already been had on strategies to build better communication and trust with the community and within the council.
As part of the review process, Davidson Business Advisory had the task of wading through some 800 public submissions.
At least 260 internal council documents were considered, including strategies, plans, budgets, policies, media clips and council reports.
Davidson undertook 27 one-on-one consultations with corporate staff, the lord mayor and councillors, as well as three independent members of the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC).
In response to a question from Liberal deputy lord mayor Callum Pull, Davidson confirmed that no matters raised amid the review needed to be referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption or another external agency.
There were "no matters of fraud or corruption identified" in the review.
The council and a packed public gallery heard at Thursday's meeting that the review cost in the order of $80,000.
More than 20 submissions were made about the Newcastle Airport, which focused mostly on board appointment processes and concerns about that, reports of decisions being made outside council delegations without council awareness and an increase in expenditure due to development.
Davison's lead consultant Colin Jensen noted the airport board structure was "necessarily complicated" because of the joint ownership between City of Newcastle and Port Stephens Council.
He said the "overarching observation" is that City of Newcastle has used its delegation to make "appropriate decisions" around the appointment of directors "currently, recently and in the past".
A shortcoming was identified, which was that the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) should receive regular briefings on the airport.
Mr Jensen said it was "not appropriate" to go into further detail on the airport at this stage but said there is more to come in the report.
The Scott Neylon/Jeremy Bath/Jason Sivo letters saga was a topic that came up frequently as part of the review process.
Mr Jensen said Davidson found the investigations into the matter were "done appropriately" and by the "appropriate authorities".
The 2023 council-commissioned independent investigation into the City of Newcastle CEO's links to a long-term Herald letter writer found "no evidence that the CEO incentivised the author to write the articles".
The Newcastle Herald was not contacted during the investigation, nor were copies of the letters requested.
Mr Jensen said many public submissions focused specifically on City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath, and in many instances referred to decisions "espoused" to have been made by the chief executive.
However, Mr Jensen said that upon review, many of the decisions residents raised issues with were made prior to his appointment or were decisions made by the elected councillors.
Issues were also raised with council decisions, but Mr Jensen said no instances were identified where those decisions fell outside regulatory or approval processes.
"Findings highlight opportunities for improved communication, enhanced community engagement," he said.
Mr Jensen said better engagement and communication would contribute to a "broader understanding of those council decisions".
Davidson gave City of Newcastle's staff Christmas party expenditure the tick of approval.
The Newcastle Herald revealed in January that City of Newcastle (CN) staff were treated to lavish lucky door prizes in a gift-giving frenzy in December.
The items up for grabs included a hot air balloon ride, Dyson Airwrap hair stylers, skydiving, a walking pad, Nintendo Switch, power tools, theatre tickets, a Nutribullet, portable speaker, Yeti cooler, Cool Cabana, recliner camp chair, cinema and dining vouchers.
Fellow Davidson consultant Justin Hanney said the cost-per-head of the council's Christmas party compared favourably with costs for other NSW councils' Christmas celebrations.
"When you dig into this issue historically, each staffer was given a Christmas cake that was replaced with prizes in a raffle-type environment which reduced the cost by 50 per cent in expenditure overall," he said.
Mr Hanney said there is a "direct link" between how staff are rewarded and organisational culture and congratulated the CEO on personally paying for an executive team Christmas gathering.
No excessive spending was identified and there were no "adverse findings" on the Christmas bash.
Davidson has found that while City of Newcastle has a "healthy organisational culture" the relationship between the CEO, councillors and lord mayor will be "critical" to the organisational success of the council.
Members of the public raised concerns about leadership dynamics, the approach to political transitions and challenges with alignment between the council's leadership team and elected councillors.
Mr Hanney said while a difference in opinion shows a healthy democracy, once a decision is made the CEO is accountable for ensuring that position is implemented across the board.
He said the council should focus on strengthening the relationship between the CEO, executive team and councillors for a more unified approach.
When it comes to staff, Mr Hanney said the council's staff engagement survey results indicated year-on-year improvement.
The full report will be tabled at the May 27 council meeting, and with plenty of issues covered the Newcastle Herald will have more to come.
To see live coverage of the public briefing, click here.
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The airport, which in recent days has announced a new route to Perth and its first year-round international flights, has repeatedly denied any financial issues. Cr Clausen said deleting social media posts "doesn't undo the damage" to the airport or ratepayers and said the community deserves public accountability from the lord mayor, "not revisionism". He said the outcomes of the Davidson Business Advisory review confirmed there "was no financial mismanagement" or "governance failures" at the airport. The Davison review into the council's policies, processes and procedures did not conduct a detailed financial analysis of Newcastle Airport's financial positions and operations. However, the review report said it is "considered unlikely" that any significant financial risks will be transferred to the City of Newcastle and said the appointment of board directors was carried out with the "necessary governance and council approvals" The review found enhanced oversight by the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) will be beneficial and has been established with annual reporting and, from December 2024, quarterly reporting. Asked whether an apology or correction, as requested from his fellow councillors, would be forthcoming, Cr Kerridge said he thinks it's time to "move on". "I think some people are getting a little bit heated and emotive and trying to prolong this discussion," he said. "I think the rights and wrongs of this argument are going to go on for a long time, and I think it would be far better if we moved on. "Not only that, I think the general community is getting distressed by watching all this behaviour, and I think we need to move on." NEWCASTLE Labor councillor Declan Clausen has accused Ross Kerridge of "quietly re-writing airport history" after a series of posts raising concerns about its financial position were deleted from the lord mayor's Facebook page. Cr Clausen said this week that, over the past few days, several of the lord mayor's "most inflammatory posts" about Newcastle Airport, including one where he "boasted" about writing to the Minister and Office of Local Government, have "quietly disappeared". "Every major decision about the airport was made lawfully, responsibly, and with proper controls and oversight, including from a professional board and external auditor," Cr Clausen said. "But instead of correcting the record or apologising to the airport and our fellow shareholder, Port Stephens Council, lord mayor Kerridge is quietly deleting the evidence. This isn't leadership." Cr Clausen said that following the Davidson Business Advisory review, which was released last month, he went looking to confirm "false claims" in one of Cr Kerridge's past posts when he noticed they had been deleted. The lord mayor said there were differing opinions about how to handle past Facebook posts. "I was getting messages from the airport indirectly and advice that I should take them down," he said. "Other people think, 'No, hang on, you should leave them up because you're trying to change history, ' but I made a decision to take them down, and coincidentally, almost immediately, criticism started that I'd taken them down." The lord mayor's posts were made following a Newcastle Herald investigation revealing the airport faced significant financial pressures. Cr Kerridge also wrote to the NSW Office of Local Government calling for an investigation of the "true" financial position of Newcastle Airport, a move he raised in one of his now-deleted posts. The airport, which in recent days has announced a new route to Perth and its first year-round international flights, has repeatedly denied any financial issues. Cr Clausen said deleting social media posts "doesn't undo the damage" to the airport or ratepayers and said the community deserves public accountability from the lord mayor, "not revisionism". He said the outcomes of the Davidson Business Advisory review confirmed there "was no financial mismanagement" or "governance failures" at the airport. The Davison review into the council's policies, processes and procedures did not conduct a detailed financial analysis of Newcastle Airport's financial positions and operations. However, the review report said it is "considered unlikely" that any significant financial risks will be transferred to the City of Newcastle and said the appointment of board directors was carried out with the "necessary governance and council approvals" The review found enhanced oversight by the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) will be beneficial and has been established with annual reporting and, from December 2024, quarterly reporting. Asked whether an apology or correction, as requested from his fellow councillors, would be forthcoming, Cr Kerridge said he thinks it's time to "move on". "I think some people are getting a little bit heated and emotive and trying to prolong this discussion," he said. "I think the rights and wrongs of this argument are going to go on for a long time, and I think it would be far better if we moved on. "Not only that, I think the general community is getting distressed by watching all this behaviour, and I think we need to move on." NEWCASTLE Labor councillor Declan Clausen has accused Ross Kerridge of "quietly re-writing airport history" after a series of posts raising concerns about its financial position were deleted from the lord mayor's Facebook page. Cr Clausen said this week that, over the past few days, several of the lord mayor's "most inflammatory posts" about Newcastle Airport, including one where he "boasted" about writing to the Minister and Office of Local Government, have "quietly disappeared". "Every major decision about the airport was made lawfully, responsibly, and with proper controls and oversight, including from a professional board and external auditor," Cr Clausen said. "But instead of correcting the record or apologising to the airport and our fellow shareholder, Port Stephens Council, lord mayor Kerridge is quietly deleting the evidence. This isn't leadership." Cr Clausen said that following the Davidson Business Advisory review, which was released last month, he went looking to confirm "false claims" in one of Cr Kerridge's past posts when he noticed they had been deleted. The lord mayor said there were differing opinions about how to handle past Facebook posts. "I was getting messages from the airport indirectly and advice that I should take them down," he said. "Other people think, 'No, hang on, you should leave them up because you're trying to change history, ' but I made a decision to take them down, and coincidentally, almost immediately, criticism started that I'd taken them down." The lord mayor's posts were made following a Newcastle Herald investigation revealing the airport faced significant financial pressures. Cr Kerridge also wrote to the NSW Office of Local Government calling for an investigation of the "true" financial position of Newcastle Airport, a move he raised in one of his now-deleted posts. The airport, which in recent days has announced a new route to Perth and its first year-round international flights, has repeatedly denied any financial issues. Cr Clausen said deleting social media posts "doesn't undo the damage" to the airport or ratepayers and said the community deserves public accountability from the lord mayor, "not revisionism". He said the outcomes of the Davidson Business Advisory review confirmed there "was no financial mismanagement" or "governance failures" at the airport. The Davison review into the council's policies, processes and procedures did not conduct a detailed financial analysis of Newcastle Airport's financial positions and operations. However, the review report said it is "considered unlikely" that any significant financial risks will be transferred to the City of Newcastle and said the appointment of board directors was carried out with the "necessary governance and council approvals" The review found enhanced oversight by the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) will be beneficial and has been established with annual reporting and, from December 2024, quarterly reporting. Asked whether an apology or correction, as requested from his fellow councillors, would be forthcoming, Cr Kerridge said he thinks it's time to "move on". "I think some people are getting a little bit heated and emotive and trying to prolong this discussion," he said. "I think the rights and wrongs of this argument are going to go on for a long time, and I think it would be far better if we moved on. "Not only that, I think the general community is getting distressed by watching all this behaviour, and I think we need to move on." NEWCASTLE Labor councillor Declan Clausen has accused Ross Kerridge of "quietly re-writing airport history" after a series of posts raising concerns about its financial position were deleted from the lord mayor's Facebook page. Cr Clausen said this week that, over the past few days, several of the lord mayor's "most inflammatory posts" about Newcastle Airport, including one where he "boasted" about writing to the Minister and Office of Local Government, have "quietly disappeared". "Every major decision about the airport was made lawfully, responsibly, and with proper controls and oversight, including from a professional board and external auditor," Cr Clausen said. "But instead of correcting the record or apologising to the airport and our fellow shareholder, Port Stephens Council, lord mayor Kerridge is quietly deleting the evidence. This isn't leadership." Cr Clausen said that following the Davidson Business Advisory review, which was released last month, he went looking to confirm "false claims" in one of Cr Kerridge's past posts when he noticed they had been deleted. The lord mayor said there were differing opinions about how to handle past Facebook posts. "I was getting messages from the airport indirectly and advice that I should take them down," he said. "Other people think, 'No, hang on, you should leave them up because you're trying to change history, ' but I made a decision to take them down, and coincidentally, almost immediately, criticism started that I'd taken them down." The lord mayor's posts were made following a Newcastle Herald investigation revealing the airport faced significant financial pressures. Cr Kerridge also wrote to the NSW Office of Local Government calling for an investigation of the "true" financial position of Newcastle Airport, a move he raised in one of his now-deleted posts. The airport, which in recent days has announced a new route to Perth and its first year-round international flights, has repeatedly denied any financial issues. Cr Clausen said deleting social media posts "doesn't undo the damage" to the airport or ratepayers and said the community deserves public accountability from the lord mayor, "not revisionism". He said the outcomes of the Davidson Business Advisory review confirmed there "was no financial mismanagement" or "governance failures" at the airport. The Davison review into the council's policies, processes and procedures did not conduct a detailed financial analysis of Newcastle Airport's financial positions and operations. However, the review report said it is "considered unlikely" that any significant financial risks will be transferred to the City of Newcastle and said the appointment of board directors was carried out with the "necessary governance and council approvals" The review found enhanced oversight by the council's Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) will be beneficial and has been established with annual reporting and, from December 2024, quarterly reporting. Asked whether an apology or correction, as requested from his fellow councillors, would be forthcoming, Cr Kerridge said he thinks it's time to "move on". "I think some people are getting a little bit heated and emotive and trying to prolong this discussion," he said. "I think the rights and wrongs of this argument are going to go on for a long time, and I think it would be far better if we moved on. "Not only that, I think the general community is getting distressed by watching all this behaviour, and I think we need to move on."
The Advertiser
7 days ago
- The Advertiser
Newcastle to Bali flights 'game-changer', Hunter tourism industry says
The new direct flights to Bali are a "game-changer" for Hunter tourists and visitors alike, local travel agents and tour operators say. Newcastle Airport announced on Tuesday June 3 morning that Jetstar will fly from Newcastle to Denpasar from October 21 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Return flights will leave Bali on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Kiera Burke co-owns Newy Tour Co, a guided tour company with options from vineyards to whale-watching. "For us to be able to be connected internationally and for Denpasar as such a hub to other places, it just opens up more opportunities for potential customers," she said. "Newcastle is a bit of an undiscovered hidden gem when it comes to global tourism." Ms Burke said in the 18 months her business had been open, their customer base was already 60 per cent international, with guests from Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. "This is definitely helping put us on the map with international tourism," she said. The tour operator said when pitching to overseas agencies, an international airport along with the city's beaches piqued their interest. "They start to consider us for itineraries and options for their guests travelling to Australia," she said. Noah's On The Beach Hotel in Newcastle and Hunter Travel Group (HTG) also celebrated the new service. "This is a game-changer for travellers in the Hunter Region, offering the convenience of flying overseas straight from our own backyard - no more battling Sydney traffic or lengthy airport commutes," HTG managing director Brett Dann said. The new route offers connections from more than 40 countries and would take just over six hours. Following Tuesday's announcement, Jetstar launched a 24-hour sale of $199 one-way fares with general pricing yet to be revealed in detail. Julia van Huisstede from italktravel in The Junction said the Bali routes were "long-awaited and anticipated". She said their phones were already ringing this morning and emails were filing in. "A lot are bookings or quotes for people to travel next year that hadn't committed yet," she said. "Bali is definitely a hot spot for Novocastrians, we have a huge market going there." The travel agent said she hoped the move would draw in Indonesian tourists and other international guests who would be able to connect via Bali. "People might go to Singapore and then Bali for a holiday, and then continue to Newcastle," she said. Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said they hope to offer more routes and holiday destinations "shortly". "I'd love to say tomorrow but hopefully later on this year," he said. Mr Horton said they would consider holiday spots similar to Bali under eight hours away. "We are actively talking to other airlines and working to build a broader international network for the region," he said. "Airlines have to be cautious where they put their places and their people, but I think very quickly they'll see how strong the demand is," he said. Jetstar head of airline partnerships and network Ted Knight said the Newcastle service had been a long time in the making. "With this service, we will have 70,000 seats per year," he said. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the route would help boost industries in the visitor economy arena. He said the flights would hopefully expand to the movement of goods via the planes as well. "It also opens opportunities for new freight connections, which will benefit our export businesses and encourage the flow of more outbound goods from other parts of the state through Newcastle," he said. Both Ms van Huisstede and Ms Burke hoped to see routes further expanded to destinations such as Singapore, Fiji and Hong Kong. One Newcastle Herald reader said it was the first step forward with hopefully more international routes to follow while another said they hoped for Singapore, Tokyo or Jakarta. Singapore topped a poll of readers' favoured next overseas routes, with 61 per cent of respondents backing the Asian hub. The USA polled 14.7 per cent, behind other options (16.8 per cent), while another Australian route landed at just over 7 per cent. The new direct flights to Bali are a "game-changer" for Hunter tourists and visitors alike, local travel agents and tour operators say. Newcastle Airport announced on Tuesday June 3 morning that Jetstar will fly from Newcastle to Denpasar from October 21 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Return flights will leave Bali on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Kiera Burke co-owns Newy Tour Co, a guided tour company with options from vineyards to whale-watching. "For us to be able to be connected internationally and for Denpasar as such a hub to other places, it just opens up more opportunities for potential customers," she said. "Newcastle is a bit of an undiscovered hidden gem when it comes to global tourism." Ms Burke said in the 18 months her business had been open, their customer base was already 60 per cent international, with guests from Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. "This is definitely helping put us on the map with international tourism," she said. The tour operator said when pitching to overseas agencies, an international airport along with the city's beaches piqued their interest. "They start to consider us for itineraries and options for their guests travelling to Australia," she said. Noah's On The Beach Hotel in Newcastle and Hunter Travel Group (HTG) also celebrated the new service. "This is a game-changer for travellers in the Hunter Region, offering the convenience of flying overseas straight from our own backyard - no more battling Sydney traffic or lengthy airport commutes," HTG managing director Brett Dann said. The new route offers connections from more than 40 countries and would take just over six hours. Following Tuesday's announcement, Jetstar launched a 24-hour sale of $199 one-way fares with general pricing yet to be revealed in detail. Julia van Huisstede from italktravel in The Junction said the Bali routes were "long-awaited and anticipated". She said their phones were already ringing this morning and emails were filing in. "A lot are bookings or quotes for people to travel next year that hadn't committed yet," she said. "Bali is definitely a hot spot for Novocastrians, we have a huge market going there." The travel agent said she hoped the move would draw in Indonesian tourists and other international guests who would be able to connect via Bali. "People might go to Singapore and then Bali for a holiday, and then continue to Newcastle," she said. Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said they hope to offer more routes and holiday destinations "shortly". "I'd love to say tomorrow but hopefully later on this year," he said. Mr Horton said they would consider holiday spots similar to Bali under eight hours away. "We are actively talking to other airlines and working to build a broader international network for the region," he said. "Airlines have to be cautious where they put their places and their people, but I think very quickly they'll see how strong the demand is," he said. Jetstar head of airline partnerships and network Ted Knight said the Newcastle service had been a long time in the making. "With this service, we will have 70,000 seats per year," he said. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the route would help boost industries in the visitor economy arena. He said the flights would hopefully expand to the movement of goods via the planes as well. "It also opens opportunities for new freight connections, which will benefit our export businesses and encourage the flow of more outbound goods from other parts of the state through Newcastle," he said. Both Ms van Huisstede and Ms Burke hoped to see routes further expanded to destinations such as Singapore, Fiji and Hong Kong. One Newcastle Herald reader said it was the first step forward with hopefully more international routes to follow while another said they hoped for Singapore, Tokyo or Jakarta. Singapore topped a poll of readers' favoured next overseas routes, with 61 per cent of respondents backing the Asian hub. The USA polled 14.7 per cent, behind other options (16.8 per cent), while another Australian route landed at just over 7 per cent. The new direct flights to Bali are a "game-changer" for Hunter tourists and visitors alike, local travel agents and tour operators say. Newcastle Airport announced on Tuesday June 3 morning that Jetstar will fly from Newcastle to Denpasar from October 21 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Return flights will leave Bali on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Kiera Burke co-owns Newy Tour Co, a guided tour company with options from vineyards to whale-watching. "For us to be able to be connected internationally and for Denpasar as such a hub to other places, it just opens up more opportunities for potential customers," she said. "Newcastle is a bit of an undiscovered hidden gem when it comes to global tourism." Ms Burke said in the 18 months her business had been open, their customer base was already 60 per cent international, with guests from Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. "This is definitely helping put us on the map with international tourism," she said. The tour operator said when pitching to overseas agencies, an international airport along with the city's beaches piqued their interest. "They start to consider us for itineraries and options for their guests travelling to Australia," she said. Noah's On The Beach Hotel in Newcastle and Hunter Travel Group (HTG) also celebrated the new service. "This is a game-changer for travellers in the Hunter Region, offering the convenience of flying overseas straight from our own backyard - no more battling Sydney traffic or lengthy airport commutes," HTG managing director Brett Dann said. The new route offers connections from more than 40 countries and would take just over six hours. Following Tuesday's announcement, Jetstar launched a 24-hour sale of $199 one-way fares with general pricing yet to be revealed in detail. Julia van Huisstede from italktravel in The Junction said the Bali routes were "long-awaited and anticipated". She said their phones were already ringing this morning and emails were filing in. "A lot are bookings or quotes for people to travel next year that hadn't committed yet," she said. "Bali is definitely a hot spot for Novocastrians, we have a huge market going there." The travel agent said she hoped the move would draw in Indonesian tourists and other international guests who would be able to connect via Bali. "People might go to Singapore and then Bali for a holiday, and then continue to Newcastle," she said. Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said they hope to offer more routes and holiday destinations "shortly". "I'd love to say tomorrow but hopefully later on this year," he said. Mr Horton said they would consider holiday spots similar to Bali under eight hours away. "We are actively talking to other airlines and working to build a broader international network for the region," he said. "Airlines have to be cautious where they put their places and their people, but I think very quickly they'll see how strong the demand is," he said. Jetstar head of airline partnerships and network Ted Knight said the Newcastle service had been a long time in the making. "With this service, we will have 70,000 seats per year," he said. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the route would help boost industries in the visitor economy arena. He said the flights would hopefully expand to the movement of goods via the planes as well. "It also opens opportunities for new freight connections, which will benefit our export businesses and encourage the flow of more outbound goods from other parts of the state through Newcastle," he said. Both Ms van Huisstede and Ms Burke hoped to see routes further expanded to destinations such as Singapore, Fiji and Hong Kong. One Newcastle Herald reader said it was the first step forward with hopefully more international routes to follow while another said they hoped for Singapore, Tokyo or Jakarta. Singapore topped a poll of readers' favoured next overseas routes, with 61 per cent of respondents backing the Asian hub. The USA polled 14.7 per cent, behind other options (16.8 per cent), while another Australian route landed at just over 7 per cent. The new direct flights to Bali are a "game-changer" for Hunter tourists and visitors alike, local travel agents and tour operators say. Newcastle Airport announced on Tuesday June 3 morning that Jetstar will fly from Newcastle to Denpasar from October 21 on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturdays. Return flights will leave Bali on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Kiera Burke co-owns Newy Tour Co, a guided tour company with options from vineyards to whale-watching. "For us to be able to be connected internationally and for Denpasar as such a hub to other places, it just opens up more opportunities for potential customers," she said. "Newcastle is a bit of an undiscovered hidden gem when it comes to global tourism." Ms Burke said in the 18 months her business had been open, their customer base was already 60 per cent international, with guests from Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. "This is definitely helping put us on the map with international tourism," she said. The tour operator said when pitching to overseas agencies, an international airport along with the city's beaches piqued their interest. "They start to consider us for itineraries and options for their guests travelling to Australia," she said. Noah's On The Beach Hotel in Newcastle and Hunter Travel Group (HTG) also celebrated the new service. "This is a game-changer for travellers in the Hunter Region, offering the convenience of flying overseas straight from our own backyard - no more battling Sydney traffic or lengthy airport commutes," HTG managing director Brett Dann said. The new route offers connections from more than 40 countries and would take just over six hours. Following Tuesday's announcement, Jetstar launched a 24-hour sale of $199 one-way fares with general pricing yet to be revealed in detail. Julia van Huisstede from italktravel in The Junction said the Bali routes were "long-awaited and anticipated". She said their phones were already ringing this morning and emails were filing in. "A lot are bookings or quotes for people to travel next year that hadn't committed yet," she said. "Bali is definitely a hot spot for Novocastrians, we have a huge market going there." The travel agent said she hoped the move would draw in Indonesian tourists and other international guests who would be able to connect via Bali. "People might go to Singapore and then Bali for a holiday, and then continue to Newcastle," she said. Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said they hope to offer more routes and holiday destinations "shortly". "I'd love to say tomorrow but hopefully later on this year," he said. Mr Horton said they would consider holiday spots similar to Bali under eight hours away. "We are actively talking to other airlines and working to build a broader international network for the region," he said. "Airlines have to be cautious where they put their places and their people, but I think very quickly they'll see how strong the demand is," he said. Jetstar head of airline partnerships and network Ted Knight said the Newcastle service had been a long time in the making. "With this service, we will have 70,000 seats per year," he said. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the route would help boost industries in the visitor economy arena. He said the flights would hopefully expand to the movement of goods via the planes as well. "It also opens opportunities for new freight connections, which will benefit our export businesses and encourage the flow of more outbound goods from other parts of the state through Newcastle," he said. Both Ms van Huisstede and Ms Burke hoped to see routes further expanded to destinations such as Singapore, Fiji and Hong Kong. One Newcastle Herald reader said it was the first step forward with hopefully more international routes to follow while another said they hoped for Singapore, Tokyo or Jakarta. Singapore topped a poll of readers' favoured next overseas routes, with 61 per cent of respondents backing the Asian hub. The USA polled 14.7 per cent, behind other options (16.8 per cent), while another Australian route landed at just over 7 per cent.
