Election road trip: The federal election is less than three weeks away. Over the past week the ABC Newcastle Breakfast team has been broadcasting from electorates across the region to find out what matters most to locals. They've broadcast from Dungog in the Lyne electorate, Nobbys Beach in Newcastle, Salamander Bay in the Paterson electorate and Windale in Shortland. Next week the team will broadcast from the New England electorate in Scone and Singleton in the seat of Hunter.
Photo: ABC Newcastle Breakfast presenter Paul Culliver (back right), producer Cecilia Connell (front right) speaking with university student and youth advocate Meg Southcombe (left) at Nobbys Beach . Image credit: ABC News/Jennifer Ingall
Search suspended: Police say a search will resume off Newcastle Beach, if more information is received about a missing swimmer. Emergency services launched a search on Sunday morning, after a member of the public said they'd seen an unknown woman swimming, and she failed to return to shore. A NSW Police spokesperson says no missing person reports had been received that matched the description given to them on Sunday. A search will resume if more information is received, or if a missing person report is filed.
Doctors strike: A Newcastle doctor says working more than 50 hours straight is becoming a regular occurrence amongst his colleagues. Thousands of doctors took industrial actionacross the state last week as part of a three-day strike by the doctors union, calling for better working conditions and a 30 per cent pay increase. Dr Alexander Whitfield says he's seen mass burn out amongst his colleagues, and doctors need safe working hours.
Stacks to come down: The owner of Muswellbrook's Liddell Power Station says the iconic chimneys could be demolished before the end of this year, as it continues with plans for renewable energy at the site.AGL shut down the coal-fired power station in 2023, and earlier this year received state planning approval to demolish the building and develop renewable energy generation and storage. Those plans are progressing despite the Coalition's election policy for nuclear power at the site. AGL chief operating officer Markus Brokhof says the stacks are due to fall late this year.
Class action launched: The lawyer representing some Liberal local government candidates left unable to run for council last year says the party owes them an explanation. Around 140 Liberal candidates didn't make it onto local council ballots last year following an internal administrative bungle. Leading the class action are former Cessnock councillors John Moores and Paul Paynter, who claim the party was negligent when it failed to submit their nomination forms before the deadline. Lawyer, former Waverley Mayor and Labor candidate for Wentworth George Newhouse says despite the party launching an investigation, no reason for the bungle has come to light.
Transport trial: A shuttle bus is being trialled in Anna Bay to help alleviate traffic congestion during the school holidays. The bus will run on a continuous loop from 9am till 3:30pm, picking up at three locations and dropping patrons to Robinson Reserve at Birubi Beach. Port Stephens Mayor Leah Anderson says the three stops near Gan Gan Road will be located at easy-parking sites.
Jets hit Mariners for six: The Newcastle Jets recorded a six-nil win over arch-rivals the Central Coast Mariners at Hunter Stadium at the weekend. Eli Adams found the back of the net twice for the Jets, while Aleksandar Susnjar, Daniel Wilmering and Clayton Taylor were the other goal scorers on Saturday night. Mariners player Trent Sainsbury also knocked in an own-goal under attacking pressure from Newcastle. With three games remaining in the regular A-League season the Jets are five points outside the top six.
