| New Chief Justice: A barrister born and raised in Sandy Hollow in the Upper Hunter has been appointed as the 14th Chief Justice of Australia. Justice Stephen Gageler AC was appointed to the role this week, after current Chief Justice Susan Kiefel announced her retirement. He will take on the role from November 6.
Picture supplied: AAP: Alan Porritt
Seal spotting: Whale watching has turned to seal spotting at a popular Newcastle beach this week. Seals have been seen soaking up the sun on the rocks at the breakwall at Nobbys Beach. Take a look at photos and video posted on our Facebook page!
Bushfire outlook: A national outlook report has identified the Hunter as having an increased risk of bushfires this summer. The Australasian Fire Authorities Council's seasonal bushfire outlook says "high forest fuel loads are evident in parts of the New South Wales coast and ranges not affected" by the Black Summer bushfires in 2019-2020. It says it's "particularly noticeable around the Sydney Basin, parts of the coast and the Hunter" where forecasts are expected to be warm and dry. Here's ABC Emergency's guide on how to prepare for bushfire season.
Hospital protest: Plans to build a new operating theatre and sterilisation unit at Muswellbrook Hospital have been shelved by NSW Health because rising construction costs have made the project more expensive than planned. Upper Hunter nurses say local residents should be able to rely on the health facility and the Nurses and Midwives Association held a small protest outside the hospital this week.
Concerns wind turbines will scare marine life: The Professional Fishers Association says building an offshore wind zone off the Hunter coast is "ludicrous" and will likely affect the local fishing industry. It says the turbines and the electro-magnetic fields they create can disturb mammals, causing them to avoid wind farms. The federal government has identified an offshore wind farm zone off Hunter coast that would have the capacity for hundreds of turbines.
Rec centre demolition concerns: Lake Macquarie Council Mayor Kay Fraser says the impending closure of the Eraring Power Station could be a lifeline for the Myuna Bay Recreation Centre. The sporting facility was controversially closed in 2019 because of safety concerns over a nearby coal ash dam near the power station. The state government now wants to decommission the Myuna Bay site and demolish it. Origin Energy wants to close the power station by 2025.
Tradies willing to move: New data shows more than 90 per cent of metropolitan tradies could be persuaded to move to the regions, including to the Hunter, with nearly one quarter saying they would definitely make the move. The Regional Australia Institute interviewed 500 tradies across the capital cities and found job dissatisfaction is rife, with many noting the rising cost of living, petrol and tolls as the main factors making city living less attractive.
Waste facility expansion: The Lake Macquarie Council is moving to expand the Awaba Waste Management Facility to meet demands created by a sky-rocketing population. Lake Macquarie is the Hunter's largest city, accounting for 38 per cent of the Lower Hunter population. Phase two of work at the waste facility will cater for the extra 13,000 dwellings set to be built in the next 13 years.
Record crowd witnesses another win: The Newcastle Knights' women's team has joined the Roosters at the top of the NRLW ladder with a fifth win of the season, beating Cronulla 22-14. The Knights led 16-nil at half-time before the Sharks mounted a big comeback, but fell short. The Knights sealed the win in front of a NRLW home crowd record of 19,519 people. | 