Latest news with #Novocastrians
The Advertiser
2 days ago
- Business
- 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.
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
The coolest grannies in town: Granny Grommets take the plunge for FightMND
ON a chilly Friday morning, while most Novocastrians were rugged up in bed, a gaggle of Granny Grommets had ice-cold buckets of water dumped on their heads. Draped in pearls and donning wetsuits with a swipe of red lippy, the grannies took a colder-than-usual dip for a cause close to their hearts, the Big Freeze fundraiser for FightMND. The group has become something of a surfing sensation, hitting their boogie boards every Friday morning at Nobbys Beach to ride the foamies. Granny Grommet Fiona Clark said several ladies in the group have first-hand experience with motor neurone disease (MND). "There's a national campaign called the Big Freeze, and it's all driven out of Melbourne. Neale Daniher is the Australian of the Year, and he set up FightMND," she said. "So we thought, why not? We've got a great support group here, and we just thought we'd run with it. We've had so much support from the local community. "We've now raised over $16,500." MND is the name given to a group of diseases that impact the nerves known as motor neurons, which send messages to activate the body's muscles. With MND, messages gradually stop reaching the muscles, causing them to weaken and eventually stop working. There is no cure for MND. Sue Thornton joined the Granny Grommets in August last year. Her husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with MND in March 2023. On Friday, Mr Thornton watched on as his wife took one for the team. "This morning was overwhelming, the support is just fantastic, we've raised over $16,000, and to have all the Granny Grommets turn up in force, it's just mindblowing," Ms Thornton said. "It's just, it brings me to tears that the support is there, it's just amazing, it warms my heart." Mr Thornton's MND started out as a persistent cough and gruff voice, he's now non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair. Ms Thornton said her husband was so excited to come down and watch and said she was touched that all the Granny Grommets made him feel welcome. "They're all coming up and saying hello to him and making him feel welcome, they know our journey, and it just puts a personal face to the disease," she said. "We're in the top 10 fundraisers at the moment in Australia, so it's just phenomenal, the generosity is just humbling." As of Friday afternoon, the Newy Granny Grommets had raised more than $17,200. Since 2014, FightMND has invested more than $115 million into MND research and care projects supporting Australians living with MND. This includes 15 clinical trials for Australian patients and 34 drug development projects. ON a chilly Friday morning, while most Novocastrians were rugged up in bed, a gaggle of Granny Grommets had ice-cold buckets of water dumped on their heads. Draped in pearls and donning wetsuits with a swipe of red lippy, the grannies took a colder-than-usual dip for a cause close to their hearts, the Big Freeze fundraiser for FightMND. The group has become something of a surfing sensation, hitting their boogie boards every Friday morning at Nobbys Beach to ride the foamies. Granny Grommet Fiona Clark said several ladies in the group have first-hand experience with motor neurone disease (MND). "There's a national campaign called the Big Freeze, and it's all driven out of Melbourne. Neale Daniher is the Australian of the Year, and he set up FightMND," she said. "So we thought, why not? We've got a great support group here, and we just thought we'd run with it. We've had so much support from the local community. "We've now raised over $16,500." MND is the name given to a group of diseases that impact the nerves known as motor neurons, which send messages to activate the body's muscles. With MND, messages gradually stop reaching the muscles, causing them to weaken and eventually stop working. There is no cure for MND. Sue Thornton joined the Granny Grommets in August last year. Her husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with MND in March 2023. On Friday, Mr Thornton watched on as his wife took one for the team. "This morning was overwhelming, the support is just fantastic, we've raised over $16,000, and to have all the Granny Grommets turn up in force, it's just mindblowing," Ms Thornton said. "It's just, it brings me to tears that the support is there, it's just amazing, it warms my heart." Mr Thornton's MND started out as a persistent cough and gruff voice, he's now non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair. Ms Thornton said her husband was so excited to come down and watch and said she was touched that all the Granny Grommets made him feel welcome. "They're all coming up and saying hello to him and making him feel welcome, they know our journey, and it just puts a personal face to the disease," she said. "We're in the top 10 fundraisers at the moment in Australia, so it's just phenomenal, the generosity is just humbling." As of Friday afternoon, the Newy Granny Grommets had raised more than $17,200. Since 2014, FightMND has invested more than $115 million into MND research and care projects supporting Australians living with MND. This includes 15 clinical trials for Australian patients and 34 drug development projects. ON a chilly Friday morning, while most Novocastrians were rugged up in bed, a gaggle of Granny Grommets had ice-cold buckets of water dumped on their heads. Draped in pearls and donning wetsuits with a swipe of red lippy, the grannies took a colder-than-usual dip for a cause close to their hearts, the Big Freeze fundraiser for FightMND. The group has become something of a surfing sensation, hitting their boogie boards every Friday morning at Nobbys Beach to ride the foamies. Granny Grommet Fiona Clark said several ladies in the group have first-hand experience with motor neurone disease (MND). "There's a national campaign called the Big Freeze, and it's all driven out of Melbourne. Neale Daniher is the Australian of the Year, and he set up FightMND," she said. "So we thought, why not? We've got a great support group here, and we just thought we'd run with it. We've had so much support from the local community. "We've now raised over $16,500." MND is the name given to a group of diseases that impact the nerves known as motor neurons, which send messages to activate the body's muscles. With MND, messages gradually stop reaching the muscles, causing them to weaken and eventually stop working. There is no cure for MND. Sue Thornton joined the Granny Grommets in August last year. Her husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with MND in March 2023. On Friday, Mr Thornton watched on as his wife took one for the team. "This morning was overwhelming, the support is just fantastic, we've raised over $16,000, and to have all the Granny Grommets turn up in force, it's just mindblowing," Ms Thornton said. "It's just, it brings me to tears that the support is there, it's just amazing, it warms my heart." Mr Thornton's MND started out as a persistent cough and gruff voice, he's now non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair. Ms Thornton said her husband was so excited to come down and watch and said she was touched that all the Granny Grommets made him feel welcome. "They're all coming up and saying hello to him and making him feel welcome, they know our journey, and it just puts a personal face to the disease," she said. "We're in the top 10 fundraisers at the moment in Australia, so it's just phenomenal, the generosity is just humbling." As of Friday afternoon, the Newy Granny Grommets had raised more than $17,200. Since 2014, FightMND has invested more than $115 million into MND research and care projects supporting Australians living with MND. This includes 15 clinical trials for Australian patients and 34 drug development projects. ON a chilly Friday morning, while most Novocastrians were rugged up in bed, a gaggle of Granny Grommets had ice-cold buckets of water dumped on their heads. Draped in pearls and donning wetsuits with a swipe of red lippy, the grannies took a colder-than-usual dip for a cause close to their hearts, the Big Freeze fundraiser for FightMND. The group has become something of a surfing sensation, hitting their boogie boards every Friday morning at Nobbys Beach to ride the foamies. Granny Grommet Fiona Clark said several ladies in the group have first-hand experience with motor neurone disease (MND). "There's a national campaign called the Big Freeze, and it's all driven out of Melbourne. Neale Daniher is the Australian of the Year, and he set up FightMND," she said. "So we thought, why not? We've got a great support group here, and we just thought we'd run with it. We've had so much support from the local community. "We've now raised over $16,500." MND is the name given to a group of diseases that impact the nerves known as motor neurons, which send messages to activate the body's muscles. With MND, messages gradually stop reaching the muscles, causing them to weaken and eventually stop working. There is no cure for MND. Sue Thornton joined the Granny Grommets in August last year. Her husband, Jeff, was diagnosed with MND in March 2023. On Friday, Mr Thornton watched on as his wife took one for the team. "This morning was overwhelming, the support is just fantastic, we've raised over $16,000, and to have all the Granny Grommets turn up in force, it's just mindblowing," Ms Thornton said. "It's just, it brings me to tears that the support is there, it's just amazing, it warms my heart." Mr Thornton's MND started out as a persistent cough and gruff voice, he's now non-verbal and confined to a wheelchair. Ms Thornton said her husband was so excited to come down and watch and said she was touched that all the Granny Grommets made him feel welcome. "They're all coming up and saying hello to him and making him feel welcome, they know our journey, and it just puts a personal face to the disease," she said. "We're in the top 10 fundraisers at the moment in Australia, so it's just phenomenal, the generosity is just humbling." As of Friday afternoon, the Newy Granny Grommets had raised more than $17,200. Since 2014, FightMND has invested more than $115 million into MND research and care projects supporting Australians living with MND. This includes 15 clinical trials for Australian patients and 34 drug development projects.
The Advertiser
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Advertiser
Clausen questions lord mayor over 'help session' for independent probe submissions
LORD mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in the hot seat at this week's council meeting over a session his campaign supporters held to help Novocastrians make submissions to an independent probe into the City of Newcastle. More than 840 submissions were made to the Davidson Business Advisory review into the council's policies, processes and procedures. Labor Cr Declan Clausen peppered independent Cr Kerridge with questions about the "appropriateness" of the Our Newcastle submission-writing session held by a group of people he described as having "conspiratorial views" about the administration of the council. "That workshop specifically required or requested that participants send copies of their submissions to you in addition to submitting them to the Davidson review. Can you give us an idea about the volume of the submissions and how many of those might have come from Sydney?" Cr Clausen said. "Having now considered the findings of the Davidson review, do you wish to comment on the appropriateness of that, given that it appears that a group of people had conspiratorial views, frankly, about the administration of council, that conspiracy theorists largely, based on the advice that we've been provided and how many of those claims were rebuked, worked together to create submissions believing some malfeasance in council, do you want to provide some comment on that?" Our Newcastle is a grassroots group that was formally formed after the 2024 City of Newcastle local government elections and supported Cr Kerridge in his campaign. The full 36-page review report was released late last week. Cr Kerridge said he did not attend the help session on January 23 and was not involved in its organisation. "I wasn't there, but certainly I know the Our Newcastle group offered to help people put in submissions," he said. "Some of the people putting in submissions were not particularly technologically literate and just wanted assistance in doing that. "I don't think there was anything illegitimate about the submissions." An email written under the Our Newcastle letterhead invited recipients to drop in if they would like help with their submission or to chat through their ideas. The letter requested recipients tell Our Newcastle when they had made a submission. "No need to share any details - we're just trying to keep track of how many submissions are going in where we can," the letter said. "This is a real chance to help shape how our council works - they're looking at everything from general governance to major projects." Council papers revealed that the majority of more than 800 submissions to the review, some 70 per cent, were made from suburbs in Sydney. That 70 per cent figure did not appear in the Davidson report. Despite having access to a figure that was not made public in the report, the council and Davidson have repeatedly failed to answer questions from the Newcastle Herald about it. Just this week, the Herald sent follow-up questions to the council asking how it got access to the 70 per cent figure, why it felt it was important to highlight it in a report to councillors, what steps, if any, the council took to verify the information and whether it is the result of an IP address issue or submitters entered Sydney postcodes. Questions about key themes present in the Sydney-based submissions also went unanswered. Instead, a City of Newcastle spokeswoman said the council placed no restriction on the identity or location of any person wishing to make a submission. "Davidson has previously stated that when individuals made multiple submissions, it did not occur excessively," she said. "Those that did make multiple submissions made additional submissions on multiple (separate) topics." Of the 800 submissions received, 548 were made by individuals. LORD mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in the hot seat at this week's council meeting over a session his campaign supporters held to help Novocastrians make submissions to an independent probe into the City of Newcastle. More than 840 submissions were made to the Davidson Business Advisory review into the council's policies, processes and procedures. Labor Cr Declan Clausen peppered independent Cr Kerridge with questions about the "appropriateness" of the Our Newcastle submission-writing session held by a group of people he described as having "conspiratorial views" about the administration of the council. "That workshop specifically required or requested that participants send copies of their submissions to you in addition to submitting them to the Davidson review. Can you give us an idea about the volume of the submissions and how many of those might have come from Sydney?" Cr Clausen said. "Having now considered the findings of the Davidson review, do you wish to comment on the appropriateness of that, given that it appears that a group of people had conspiratorial views, frankly, about the administration of council, that conspiracy theorists largely, based on the advice that we've been provided and how many of those claims were rebuked, worked together to create submissions believing some malfeasance in council, do you want to provide some comment on that?" Our Newcastle is a grassroots group that was formally formed after the 2024 City of Newcastle local government elections and supported Cr Kerridge in his campaign. The full 36-page review report was released late last week. Cr Kerridge said he did not attend the help session on January 23 and was not involved in its organisation. "I wasn't there, but certainly I know the Our Newcastle group offered to help people put in submissions," he said. "Some of the people putting in submissions were not particularly technologically literate and just wanted assistance in doing that. "I don't think there was anything illegitimate about the submissions." An email written under the Our Newcastle letterhead invited recipients to drop in if they would like help with their submission or to chat through their ideas. The letter requested recipients tell Our Newcastle when they had made a submission. "No need to share any details - we're just trying to keep track of how many submissions are going in where we can," the letter said. "This is a real chance to help shape how our council works - they're looking at everything from general governance to major projects." Council papers revealed that the majority of more than 800 submissions to the review, some 70 per cent, were made from suburbs in Sydney. That 70 per cent figure did not appear in the Davidson report. Despite having access to a figure that was not made public in the report, the council and Davidson have repeatedly failed to answer questions from the Newcastle Herald about it. Just this week, the Herald sent follow-up questions to the council asking how it got access to the 70 per cent figure, why it felt it was important to highlight it in a report to councillors, what steps, if any, the council took to verify the information and whether it is the result of an IP address issue or submitters entered Sydney postcodes. Questions about key themes present in the Sydney-based submissions also went unanswered. Instead, a City of Newcastle spokeswoman said the council placed no restriction on the identity or location of any person wishing to make a submission. "Davidson has previously stated that when individuals made multiple submissions, it did not occur excessively," she said. "Those that did make multiple submissions made additional submissions on multiple (separate) topics." Of the 800 submissions received, 548 were made by individuals. LORD mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in the hot seat at this week's council meeting over a session his campaign supporters held to help Novocastrians make submissions to an independent probe into the City of Newcastle. More than 840 submissions were made to the Davidson Business Advisory review into the council's policies, processes and procedures. Labor Cr Declan Clausen peppered independent Cr Kerridge with questions about the "appropriateness" of the Our Newcastle submission-writing session held by a group of people he described as having "conspiratorial views" about the administration of the council. "That workshop specifically required or requested that participants send copies of their submissions to you in addition to submitting them to the Davidson review. Can you give us an idea about the volume of the submissions and how many of those might have come from Sydney?" Cr Clausen said. "Having now considered the findings of the Davidson review, do you wish to comment on the appropriateness of that, given that it appears that a group of people had conspiratorial views, frankly, about the administration of council, that conspiracy theorists largely, based on the advice that we've been provided and how many of those claims were rebuked, worked together to create submissions believing some malfeasance in council, do you want to provide some comment on that?" Our Newcastle is a grassroots group that was formally formed after the 2024 City of Newcastle local government elections and supported Cr Kerridge in his campaign. The full 36-page review report was released late last week. Cr Kerridge said he did not attend the help session on January 23 and was not involved in its organisation. "I wasn't there, but certainly I know the Our Newcastle group offered to help people put in submissions," he said. "Some of the people putting in submissions were not particularly technologically literate and just wanted assistance in doing that. "I don't think there was anything illegitimate about the submissions." An email written under the Our Newcastle letterhead invited recipients to drop in if they would like help with their submission or to chat through their ideas. The letter requested recipients tell Our Newcastle when they had made a submission. "No need to share any details - we're just trying to keep track of how many submissions are going in where we can," the letter said. "This is a real chance to help shape how our council works - they're looking at everything from general governance to major projects." Council papers revealed that the majority of more than 800 submissions to the review, some 70 per cent, were made from suburbs in Sydney. That 70 per cent figure did not appear in the Davidson report. Despite having access to a figure that was not made public in the report, the council and Davidson have repeatedly failed to answer questions from the Newcastle Herald about it. Just this week, the Herald sent follow-up questions to the council asking how it got access to the 70 per cent figure, why it felt it was important to highlight it in a report to councillors, what steps, if any, the council took to verify the information and whether it is the result of an IP address issue or submitters entered Sydney postcodes. Questions about key themes present in the Sydney-based submissions also went unanswered. Instead, a City of Newcastle spokeswoman said the council placed no restriction on the identity or location of any person wishing to make a submission. "Davidson has previously stated that when individuals made multiple submissions, it did not occur excessively," she said. "Those that did make multiple submissions made additional submissions on multiple (separate) topics." Of the 800 submissions received, 548 were made by individuals. LORD mayor Ross Kerridge found himself in the hot seat at this week's council meeting over a session his campaign supporters held to help Novocastrians make submissions to an independent probe into the City of Newcastle. More than 840 submissions were made to the Davidson Business Advisory review into the council's policies, processes and procedures. Labor Cr Declan Clausen peppered independent Cr Kerridge with questions about the "appropriateness" of the Our Newcastle submission-writing session held by a group of people he described as having "conspiratorial views" about the administration of the council. "That workshop specifically required or requested that participants send copies of their submissions to you in addition to submitting them to the Davidson review. Can you give us an idea about the volume of the submissions and how many of those might have come from Sydney?" Cr Clausen said. "Having now considered the findings of the Davidson review, do you wish to comment on the appropriateness of that, given that it appears that a group of people had conspiratorial views, frankly, about the administration of council, that conspiracy theorists largely, based on the advice that we've been provided and how many of those claims were rebuked, worked together to create submissions believing some malfeasance in council, do you want to provide some comment on that?" Our Newcastle is a grassroots group that was formally formed after the 2024 City of Newcastle local government elections and supported Cr Kerridge in his campaign. The full 36-page review report was released late last week. Cr Kerridge said he did not attend the help session on January 23 and was not involved in its organisation. "I wasn't there, but certainly I know the Our Newcastle group offered to help people put in submissions," he said. "Some of the people putting in submissions were not particularly technologically literate and just wanted assistance in doing that. "I don't think there was anything illegitimate about the submissions." An email written under the Our Newcastle letterhead invited recipients to drop in if they would like help with their submission or to chat through their ideas. The letter requested recipients tell Our Newcastle when they had made a submission. "No need to share any details - we're just trying to keep track of how many submissions are going in where we can," the letter said. "This is a real chance to help shape how our council works - they're looking at everything from general governance to major projects." Council papers revealed that the majority of more than 800 submissions to the review, some 70 per cent, were made from suburbs in Sydney. That 70 per cent figure did not appear in the Davidson report. Despite having access to a figure that was not made public in the report, the council and Davidson have repeatedly failed to answer questions from the Newcastle Herald about it. Just this week, the Herald sent follow-up questions to the council asking how it got access to the 70 per cent figure, why it felt it was important to highlight it in a report to councillors, what steps, if any, the council took to verify the information and whether it is the result of an IP address issue or submitters entered Sydney postcodes. Questions about key themes present in the Sydney-based submissions also went unanswered. Instead, a City of Newcastle spokeswoman said the council placed no restriction on the identity or location of any person wishing to make a submission. "Davidson has previously stated that when individuals made multiple submissions, it did not occur excessively," she said. "Those that did make multiple submissions made additional submissions on multiple (separate) topics." Of the 800 submissions received, 548 were made by individuals.
The Advertiser
29-05-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Ticket price of direct Newcastle to Perth spring flights revealed
With direct flights from Newcastle to Perth four months away, the Newcastle Airport has announced a three-day sale on tickets. For 72 hours Novocastrians can book a flight to the West coast starting from $299 one-way. It is understood that the year-round cost of flights would sit around $400 one-way. Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said the airport had been working with their counterparts in Perth for about 12 years and closely for the last five. "If you think about that price and how much it costs you just to get down to Sydney, you're avoiding all of that," Mr Horton said. "It feels like such a long time coming but to be able to say we now have a direct flight to Perth, is a great relief because it is what our region has asked for and now we've got the opportunity of delivering it," he said. On Wednesday, the Newcastle Herald reported QantasLink would offer Perth flights from September 8 and run three times a week on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays with a 150-seat Airbus A319. The five-hour flight was expected to carry 900 passengers a week and 45,000 passengers annually. In the same time period, flights from Sydney to Perth start at around $295 on average with Jetstar offering $259 tickets, Virgin Australia with $229 and Qantas with $399. Mr Horton said their plan was to hopefully expand and grow its Perth flights to potentially more days in the future. "For locals in the Hunter Region it means you can avoid the three-hour down the freeway to Sydney and you can connect if you're working in the resource industry, visiting friends and family, and other businesses and general tourism," Mr Horton. "You can fly through the network, fly to Perth and then go on a plane to Europe," he said. The CEO said tourists, businesses and workers alike would hopefully take advantage of the new flight path. Travellers took to social media to celebrate the new flight route, saying they were excited to be able to visit their family and friends with more ease. While others said they had their eye on a west coast holiday this summer. General manager of Mount Pleasant Wines Adrian Sparks said the new flights would only help the winery industry as well as all tour operators in the region. "Anything that can attract visitors to the Hunter Valley is worth its weight in gold," he said. He said the route would be beneficial as there were some Hunter businesses that also operated wineries in the Margaret River in Western Australia. "The more flights we can get in and out of Newcastle the better," he said. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the route helped foster the ongoing business connections with Perth. He said partnerships existed across multiple sectors including manufacturing, energy and defence. "I think it is incumbent on the rest of the visitor economy infrastructure that we have here, in and around region to take it from there and hopefully impress people," he said Chair of Newcastle Tourism Industry Group Dominic May said he hoped visitors would come and explore the region and take in the "beautiful" beaches, bays, lakes and vineyards. "I'm really excited for Hunter locals to not only explore Western Australia but to also explore the world and easily connect to Europe," he said. With direct flights from Newcastle to Perth four months away, the Newcastle Airport has announced a three-day sale on tickets. For 72 hours Novocastrians can book a flight to the West coast starting from $299 one-way. It is understood that the year-round cost of flights would sit around $400 one-way. Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said the airport had been working with their counterparts in Perth for about 12 years and closely for the last five. "If you think about that price and how much it costs you just to get down to Sydney, you're avoiding all of that," Mr Horton said. "It feels like such a long time coming but to be able to say we now have a direct flight to Perth, is a great relief because it is what our region has asked for and now we've got the opportunity of delivering it," he said. On Wednesday, the Newcastle Herald reported QantasLink would offer Perth flights from September 8 and run three times a week on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays with a 150-seat Airbus A319. The five-hour flight was expected to carry 900 passengers a week and 45,000 passengers annually. In the same time period, flights from Sydney to Perth start at around $295 on average with Jetstar offering $259 tickets, Virgin Australia with $229 and Qantas with $399. Mr Horton said their plan was to hopefully expand and grow its Perth flights to potentially more days in the future. "For locals in the Hunter Region it means you can avoid the three-hour down the freeway to Sydney and you can connect if you're working in the resource industry, visiting friends and family, and other businesses and general tourism," Mr Horton. "You can fly through the network, fly to Perth and then go on a plane to Europe," he said. The CEO said tourists, businesses and workers alike would hopefully take advantage of the new flight path. Travellers took to social media to celebrate the new flight route, saying they were excited to be able to visit their family and friends with more ease. While others said they had their eye on a west coast holiday this summer. General manager of Mount Pleasant Wines Adrian Sparks said the new flights would only help the winery industry as well as all tour operators in the region. "Anything that can attract visitors to the Hunter Valley is worth its weight in gold," he said. He said the route would be beneficial as there were some Hunter businesses that also operated wineries in the Margaret River in Western Australia. "The more flights we can get in and out of Newcastle the better," he said. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the route helped foster the ongoing business connections with Perth. He said partnerships existed across multiple sectors including manufacturing, energy and defence. "I think it is incumbent on the rest of the visitor economy infrastructure that we have here, in and around region to take it from there and hopefully impress people," he said Chair of Newcastle Tourism Industry Group Dominic May said he hoped visitors would come and explore the region and take in the "beautiful" beaches, bays, lakes and vineyards. "I'm really excited for Hunter locals to not only explore Western Australia but to also explore the world and easily connect to Europe," he said. With direct flights from Newcastle to Perth four months away, the Newcastle Airport has announced a three-day sale on tickets. For 72 hours Novocastrians can book a flight to the West coast starting from $299 one-way. It is understood that the year-round cost of flights would sit around $400 one-way. Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said the airport had been working with their counterparts in Perth for about 12 years and closely for the last five. "If you think about that price and how much it costs you just to get down to Sydney, you're avoiding all of that," Mr Horton said. "It feels like such a long time coming but to be able to say we now have a direct flight to Perth, is a great relief because it is what our region has asked for and now we've got the opportunity of delivering it," he said. On Wednesday, the Newcastle Herald reported QantasLink would offer Perth flights from September 8 and run three times a week on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays with a 150-seat Airbus A319. The five-hour flight was expected to carry 900 passengers a week and 45,000 passengers annually. In the same time period, flights from Sydney to Perth start at around $295 on average with Jetstar offering $259 tickets, Virgin Australia with $229 and Qantas with $399. Mr Horton said their plan was to hopefully expand and grow its Perth flights to potentially more days in the future. "For locals in the Hunter Region it means you can avoid the three-hour down the freeway to Sydney and you can connect if you're working in the resource industry, visiting friends and family, and other businesses and general tourism," Mr Horton. "You can fly through the network, fly to Perth and then go on a plane to Europe," he said. The CEO said tourists, businesses and workers alike would hopefully take advantage of the new flight path. Travellers took to social media to celebrate the new flight route, saying they were excited to be able to visit their family and friends with more ease. While others said they had their eye on a west coast holiday this summer. General manager of Mount Pleasant Wines Adrian Sparks said the new flights would only help the winery industry as well as all tour operators in the region. "Anything that can attract visitors to the Hunter Valley is worth its weight in gold," he said. He said the route would be beneficial as there were some Hunter businesses that also operated wineries in the Margaret River in Western Australia. "The more flights we can get in and out of Newcastle the better," he said. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the route helped foster the ongoing business connections with Perth. He said partnerships existed across multiple sectors including manufacturing, energy and defence. "I think it is incumbent on the rest of the visitor economy infrastructure that we have here, in and around region to take it from there and hopefully impress people," he said Chair of Newcastle Tourism Industry Group Dominic May said he hoped visitors would come and explore the region and take in the "beautiful" beaches, bays, lakes and vineyards. "I'm really excited for Hunter locals to not only explore Western Australia but to also explore the world and easily connect to Europe," he said. With direct flights from Newcastle to Perth four months away, the Newcastle Airport has announced a three-day sale on tickets. For 72 hours Novocastrians can book a flight to the West coast starting from $299 one-way. It is understood that the year-round cost of flights would sit around $400 one-way. Newcastle Airport CEO Linc Horton said the airport had been working with their counterparts in Perth for about 12 years and closely for the last five. "If you think about that price and how much it costs you just to get down to Sydney, you're avoiding all of that," Mr Horton said. "It feels like such a long time coming but to be able to say we now have a direct flight to Perth, is a great relief because it is what our region has asked for and now we've got the opportunity of delivering it," he said. On Wednesday, the Newcastle Herald reported QantasLink would offer Perth flights from September 8 and run three times a week on Fridays, Sundays and Mondays with a 150-seat Airbus A319. The five-hour flight was expected to carry 900 passengers a week and 45,000 passengers annually. In the same time period, flights from Sydney to Perth start at around $295 on average with Jetstar offering $259 tickets, Virgin Australia with $229 and Qantas with $399. Mr Horton said their plan was to hopefully expand and grow its Perth flights to potentially more days in the future. "For locals in the Hunter Region it means you can avoid the three-hour down the freeway to Sydney and you can connect if you're working in the resource industry, visiting friends and family, and other businesses and general tourism," Mr Horton. "You can fly through the network, fly to Perth and then go on a plane to Europe," he said. The CEO said tourists, businesses and workers alike would hopefully take advantage of the new flight path. Travellers took to social media to celebrate the new flight route, saying they were excited to be able to visit their family and friends with more ease. While others said they had their eye on a west coast holiday this summer. General manager of Mount Pleasant Wines Adrian Sparks said the new flights would only help the winery industry as well as all tour operators in the region. "Anything that can attract visitors to the Hunter Valley is worth its weight in gold," he said. He said the route would be beneficial as there were some Hunter businesses that also operated wineries in the Margaret River in Western Australia. "The more flights we can get in and out of Newcastle the better," he said. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said the route helped foster the ongoing business connections with Perth. He said partnerships existed across multiple sectors including manufacturing, energy and defence. "I think it is incumbent on the rest of the visitor economy infrastructure that we have here, in and around region to take it from there and hopefully impress people," he said Chair of Newcastle Tourism Industry Group Dominic May said he hoped visitors would come and explore the region and take in the "beautiful" beaches, bays, lakes and vineyards. "I'm really excited for Hunter locals to not only explore Western Australia but to also explore the world and easily connect to Europe," he said.
The Advertiser
28-05-2025
- The Advertiser
Councils join forces to tackle dangerous, criminal behaviour on Fernleigh Track
NEIGHBOURING councils Newcastle and Lake Macquarie will join forces at a forum aimed at tackling a spate of dangerous and criminal behaviour on the Fernleigh Track. Earlier this month, more than 1000 people walked the track in solidarity at a 'Taking Back Our Paths' event after a number of attacks, incidents of harassment and the reckless use of e-scooters and unregistered trail bikes. City of Newcastle unanimously supported a lord mayoral minute at Tuesday night's meeting to fully participate in the forum to ensure the Fernleigh Track remains "a safe and welcoming environment" for all. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge said issues on the Fernleigh Track had become a matter of great public concern. "The proposed outcome is to collectively determine responsibilities and specific strategies to enhance safety measures on and around the track and foster community engagement in these matters," he said. The forum hopes to bring Hunter state politicians, Minister for Women Jodie Harrison and Minister for Police Yasmin Catley, together with representatives from Newcastle and Lake Macquarie councils and community groups, to discuss initiatives to make the Fernleigh Track safer. A petition for a safer Fernleigh Track has received more than 5000 signatures. Labor Cr Paige Johnson joined more than 1000 other Novocastrians at the Taking Back Our Paths event on May 4. "It's pretty simple. Our shared paths should be safe for everyone, it's that simple, really," she said. "The petition attracted a groundswell of support very quickly and got to the 5000 signatures that we see today." A spate of violent incidents on the Fernleigh Track this year has seen fear mount in the community. Cyclists, walkers and joggers have been abused and had rocks thrown at them. Last month, a woman was grabbed from behind and knocked to the ground while running near Whitebridge. There have also been several vandalism incidents, including the theft of an Indigenous canoe sculpture from a newer section of the track at the Belmont Wetland. NEIGHBOURING councils Newcastle and Lake Macquarie will join forces at a forum aimed at tackling a spate of dangerous and criminal behaviour on the Fernleigh Track. Earlier this month, more than 1000 people walked the track in solidarity at a 'Taking Back Our Paths' event after a number of attacks, incidents of harassment and the reckless use of e-scooters and unregistered trail bikes. City of Newcastle unanimously supported a lord mayoral minute at Tuesday night's meeting to fully participate in the forum to ensure the Fernleigh Track remains "a safe and welcoming environment" for all. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge said issues on the Fernleigh Track had become a matter of great public concern. "The proposed outcome is to collectively determine responsibilities and specific strategies to enhance safety measures on and around the track and foster community engagement in these matters," he said. The forum hopes to bring Hunter state politicians, Minister for Women Jodie Harrison and Minister for Police Yasmin Catley, together with representatives from Newcastle and Lake Macquarie councils and community groups, to discuss initiatives to make the Fernleigh Track safer. A petition for a safer Fernleigh Track has received more than 5000 signatures. Labor Cr Paige Johnson joined more than 1000 other Novocastrians at the Taking Back Our Paths event on May 4. "It's pretty simple. Our shared paths should be safe for everyone, it's that simple, really," she said. "The petition attracted a groundswell of support very quickly and got to the 5000 signatures that we see today." A spate of violent incidents on the Fernleigh Track this year has seen fear mount in the community. Cyclists, walkers and joggers have been abused and had rocks thrown at them. Last month, a woman was grabbed from behind and knocked to the ground while running near Whitebridge. There have also been several vandalism incidents, including the theft of an Indigenous canoe sculpture from a newer section of the track at the Belmont Wetland. NEIGHBOURING councils Newcastle and Lake Macquarie will join forces at a forum aimed at tackling a spate of dangerous and criminal behaviour on the Fernleigh Track. Earlier this month, more than 1000 people walked the track in solidarity at a 'Taking Back Our Paths' event after a number of attacks, incidents of harassment and the reckless use of e-scooters and unregistered trail bikes. City of Newcastle unanimously supported a lord mayoral minute at Tuesday night's meeting to fully participate in the forum to ensure the Fernleigh Track remains "a safe and welcoming environment" for all. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge said issues on the Fernleigh Track had become a matter of great public concern. "The proposed outcome is to collectively determine responsibilities and specific strategies to enhance safety measures on and around the track and foster community engagement in these matters," he said. The forum hopes to bring Hunter state politicians, Minister for Women Jodie Harrison and Minister for Police Yasmin Catley, together with representatives from Newcastle and Lake Macquarie councils and community groups, to discuss initiatives to make the Fernleigh Track safer. A petition for a safer Fernleigh Track has received more than 5000 signatures. Labor Cr Paige Johnson joined more than 1000 other Novocastrians at the Taking Back Our Paths event on May 4. "It's pretty simple. Our shared paths should be safe for everyone, it's that simple, really," she said. "The petition attracted a groundswell of support very quickly and got to the 5000 signatures that we see today." A spate of violent incidents on the Fernleigh Track this year has seen fear mount in the community. Cyclists, walkers and joggers have been abused and had rocks thrown at them. Last month, a woman was grabbed from behind and knocked to the ground while running near Whitebridge. There have also been several vandalism incidents, including the theft of an Indigenous canoe sculpture from a newer section of the track at the Belmont Wetland. NEIGHBOURING councils Newcastle and Lake Macquarie will join forces at a forum aimed at tackling a spate of dangerous and criminal behaviour on the Fernleigh Track. Earlier this month, more than 1000 people walked the track in solidarity at a 'Taking Back Our Paths' event after a number of attacks, incidents of harassment and the reckless use of e-scooters and unregistered trail bikes. City of Newcastle unanimously supported a lord mayoral minute at Tuesday night's meeting to fully participate in the forum to ensure the Fernleigh Track remains "a safe and welcoming environment" for all. Independent lord mayor Ross Kerridge said issues on the Fernleigh Track had become a matter of great public concern. "The proposed outcome is to collectively determine responsibilities and specific strategies to enhance safety measures on and around the track and foster community engagement in these matters," he said. The forum hopes to bring Hunter state politicians, Minister for Women Jodie Harrison and Minister for Police Yasmin Catley, together with representatives from Newcastle and Lake Macquarie councils and community groups, to discuss initiatives to make the Fernleigh Track safer. A petition for a safer Fernleigh Track has received more than 5000 signatures. Labor Cr Paige Johnson joined more than 1000 other Novocastrians at the Taking Back Our Paths event on May 4. "It's pretty simple. Our shared paths should be safe for everyone, it's that simple, really," she said. "The petition attracted a groundswell of support very quickly and got to the 5000 signatures that we see today." A spate of violent incidents on the Fernleigh Track this year has seen fear mount in the community. Cyclists, walkers and joggers have been abused and had rocks thrown at them. Last month, a woman was grabbed from behind and knocked to the ground while running near Whitebridge. There have also been several vandalism incidents, including the theft of an Indigenous canoe sculpture from a newer section of the track at the Belmont Wetland.
