• In short: One of the first cashless gaming trials in NSW found the technology made little difference to the behaviour of gamblers.
• The Wests New Lambton trial has received criticism from gambling reform advocates, who say it did not include a card with binding and default limits.
• What's next?: The Independent Panel on Gaming Reform will provide findings from an expanded statewide cashless gaming trial.

• In short: The ICAC said Tim Crakanthorp committed a "substantial breach" of public trust but found no finding of corruption.
• Tim Crakanthorp has accepted the findings of the investigation.
• What's next? Premier Chris Minns said Mr Crakanthorp will not be returning to the frontbench due the breach of public trust.

• In short: The ICAC has conducted a preliminary investigation and terminated its probe into whether former state Labor minister Tim Crakanthorp failed to declare a conflict of interest.
• The Newcastle MP self-reported that he had failed to declare landholdings owned by his family.
• What's next? The state's corruption watchdog said it would not be pursuing further action.

Good news for transitioning away from being the world's biggest coal port.

'Incredibly happy': Payout ruling opens door to port container terminal

The door is open to Port of Newcastle developing a large-scale container terminal at Mayfield after the NSW independent pricing tribunal ruled it must pay only $13 million in compensation to the state government.

The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal ruling on Friday comes after Parliament passed legislation in November 2022 giving Port of Newcastle a pathway to removing controversial penalties on Newcastle competing for container traffic against Port Botany and Port Kembla.

Port chief executive Craig Carmody said on Friday that he and his staff were "incredibly happy" with the IPART ruling and he had called an extraordinary board meeting in the next fortnight to gain owner approval to pay the compensation.

"I would be amazed if they said no given we've already invested $35 million in Mayfield to do containers," he said.

"It's just a great day for the port and the region."

Mr Carmody said he "literally had goosebumps" after finding out the compensation amount on Thursday.

The $13 million figure is well below expectations.

Mr Carmody told the Newcastle Herald last year that a contract top-up figure of $1 billion would render the project unviable.

NSW Treasury last month published modelling by Deloitte Access Economics which suggested the state's liability to Botany and Kembla owner NSW Ports could range between $600 million and $4.3 billion should the Newcastle container terminal proceed.

Mr Carmody said the port believed the $600 million figure was "ridiculously inflated".

"I always said it should be somewhere between zero and $50 million," he said.

The former Coalition government sold 99-year leases to Port Botany and Port Kembla for $4.31 billion and $760 million respectively in 2013.

The following year it sold a 98-year lease to the Port of Newcastle consortium for $1.75 billion.

Secret agreements

The lease agreements contained confidential container penalties designed to boost the value of Botany and Kembla.

The state is liable for compensating NSW Ports if a Newcastle freight terminal handles containers above a set cap. Port of Newcastle must compensate the state for any payments it makes to NSW Ports.

The Newcastle Herald revealed the existence of the secret penalties in 2016, sparking a political bun fight over the government's privatisation agenda.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said privatising the state's ports had left taxpayers potentially on the hook for hundreds of millions in payments to NSW Ports.

A statement from the Treasurer said the port sell-off had been a "complex, costly and disastrous decision that future generations in NSW will end up paying for".

"The Hunter region should always have been able to decide the future of its port free from any competitive restraint," Mr Mookhey said.

"It would have been preferable to have had an elected government making decisions that affect the people of NSW."

Port of Newcastle has argued the container penalties have prevented it from investing in a large-scale freight terminal at Mayfield.

IPART said on Friday that the compensation payment to the NSW government would "remove the Port of Newcastle's liability to reimburse the state for compensation payments owed to NSW Ports if the Port of Newcastle handles container trade above a specified level".

IPART chair Carmel Donnelly said the tribunal had determined the value of the payment according to the requirements set out in the Port of Newcastle (Extinguishment of Liability) Act 2022.

"IPART was appointed under that legislation to determine this value and the law requires that determination to be made in a very specific way," she said.

IPART was required to determine how much the inclusion of the reimbursement provision would have reduced the financial value of the right to operate and lease the assets of Newcastle port for 98 years, in the opinion of a reasonable person, at the time the state entered into the Port of Newcastle deed.

"This could be described as what a reasonable person, bidding for the right to operate and lease the Port of Newcastle in 2014, would have reduced their bid by because of the requirement to reimburse the state for payments to NSW Ports," Ms Donnelly said.

"IPART was only allowed to consider information that could have been known in May 2014, when the transaction to privatise the Port of Newcastle was finalised."

Port of Newcastle, which is co-owned by China Merchants and The Infrastructure Fund, has said it stands ready to invest in its Newcastle Deepwater Container Terminal as it diversifies away from its main revenue source of coal exports.

'Lot of vested interests'

Mr Carmody said the state government's official freight policy, which was changed in 2013 to prioritise Kembla ahead of Newcastle as the next port to be developed as a container terminal once Botany reaches capacity, remained a potential barrier to the Newcastle project.

"That policy actually directs any planning approvals that Transport for NSW, NSW Planning and all them [other departments] have to consider," he said.

"That's something the government is alive to.

"We've already started the process that that policy needs to be changed for a level playing field.

"We're not asking for an advantage, but they've got to remove this nonsense of Botany, Kembla, Newcastle and just let the ports compete.

"That's our next campaign to get that changed, because otherwise I'll make my submission and they'll say it's not consistent with the planning policy."

Mr Carmody said Port of Newcastle believed NSW Ports could not challenge Newcastle's agreement with the state in the courts but was still prepared for a battle to develop the terminal.

"We are incredibly mindful that we are taking on a lot of vested interests in this," he said.

"When you think about the duopolies that operate down at Botany, the fight still has a long way to go.

"People won't just accept this. I expect we'll still have to fight every step of the way."

NSW Ports said the "extraordinarily low compensation value ... reaffirms that the state's container port policy remains fit-for-purpose".

"At a mere 0.6% of the total acquisition cost by the Port of Newcastle, the compensation value confirms that there is limited economic viability in a container terminal at Port of Newcastle," a spokesperson said.

"The billions of taxpayer dollars that would need to be spent on road and rail infrastructure to support a container terminal at Newcastle remains unjustified."

NSW Ports said the IPART determination backed up a Federal Court ruling in 2021 that developing a Newcastle container terminal was "fanciful, far-fetched, infinitesimal or trivial".

The court rejected an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission challenge that the container penalties were "illegal and anti-competitive".

"Once Port Botany reaches capacity, Port Kembla, as the next proximate location to the state's largest population and business centres, makes the most sense for a second container terminal," the NSW Ports spokesperson said.

The National Party and NSW Farmers industry body have joined in the port's push for a container terminal, arguing it will reduce freight costs for producers north of Sydney.

Lake Macquarie independent MP Greg Piper moved the legislation in Parliament in 2022 to unpick the compensation element of the privatisation deal.

Mr Piper said the IPART determination struck the right balance between "fair compensation and commercial viability for a container port in Newcastle".

"It's a fantastic result for the port, the region and communities extending right through to the state's north-western areas," he said.

"Manufacturers and farmers will be huge beneficiaries of a new and world-class container terminal when completed by the Port of Newcastle."

IPART's determination said the compensation figure was $10.12 million in 2014 dollars, or $13 million after allowing for inflation.

"From the date on which the operator of the Port of Newcastle makes this payment to the State, it will have no future liability to reimburse the State for compensation payments owed to NSW Ports if the Port of Newcastle handles container traffic above a specified level," the tribunal said.

IPART said any amount payable by the state government to NSW Ports "may be quite different to the amount IPART has determined the Port of Newcastle can pay the State to extinguish its liability".

"The amount of any compensation payable by the State to NSW Ports is calculated each year based on actual container throughput at the Port of Newcastle and wharfage charges at Port Botany and Port Kembla.

"IPART was not tasked with determining the amount payable under this separate 2013 arrangement."

Newcastle MP Tim Crakanthorp said IPART's decision amounted to a "very reasonable and manageable fee and a great opportunity to expand the Port of Newcastle's capacity".

"This container terminal would have a great benefit to the Hunter region and wider NSW," he said.

Level playing field

Business Hunter chief executive Bob Hawes said his organisation had long argued for a "level playing field" in the container market.

"If there is an opportunity for the port to offer container freight services, it should be left to the market to determine where it's cheaper and more efficient to freight materials," he said.

"This determination brings us significantly closer to realising that goal."

A Productivity Commission report last year noted "lack of competition in some parts of the marine logistics system" was contributing to inefficiency and costs.

Mr Hawes said businesses were experiencing pressure from sharp increases in freight costs, which ultimately dampened economic growth.

"A container facility in Newcastle will increase competition and give the market more choice and potentially address this concern," he said.

"That's got to be good for the economy, business and consumers.

"It's an issue greatly magnified for industries producing at scale, such as the agriculture sector stretching up into the state's north-west and particularly the grain growers.

"It's a matter of national importance."

Upper Hunter Nationals MP Dave Layzell welcomed the IPART decision and was "optimistic" the ruling had cleared the way for Port of Newcastle to make a significant investment decision in the terminal.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched an unsuccessful challenge to the container penalties in the Federal Court, claiming they were "illegal and anti-competitive".

• In short: The former Rhondda Colliery site will be turned into a $95-million motorsport park.
• The project is part of the NSW government's ambition to repurpose old coal mines.
• What's next? Construction of the park is expected be be finished by 2026.

• In short: A Newcastle-based wellness clinic sacked Lainie Chait for getting a COVID vaccine in 2021.
• The Fair Work Commission has ruled that the decision was "inherently unreasonable".
• What's next? Ms Chait says she is glad the case is over and has been awarded damages.

Hunter residents 'appalled' by Gaza war stage 'die-in'

By Anna Falkenmire

Updated March 15 2024 - 6:10pm, first published 4:41pm

HUNTER residents "appalled" at what they have witnessed unfolding in Gaza have conducted a "die-in" to call on the Australian government to step in.

Newcastle and Lake Macquarie community members gathered as part of a National Day of Action on Friday at the office of Shortland MP and Minister for Defence Industry Pat Conroy.

The group carried dummies of bloodied bodies shrouded in white sheets as they conducted a silent procession to the to the "horrific sounds of massacres in Gaza".

They then lay down outside the office in a symbolic show of solidarity, spokesperson for the local group Alison Harwood said.

"The Albanese Government is at odds with the Australian people, who are appalled with what they are witnessing in Palestine," she said.

She said the government was not acting in a way that aligned with the cries for a ceasefire that had "resonated across the country in past months".

The Day of Action on March 15 saw groups gather at mass "die-ins" at the offices of federal parliamentarians in Australia.

Ms Harwood said it sent a strong message that the government needed to take more effective action against Israel.

"We see a lot of empty gestures from this government, but no real action," she said.

Protesters demanded the federal government call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza, cut all military ties with Israel, and fulfil its obligations under the Convention to Prevent and Punish Genocide.

A five week- long community picket at the Prime Minister's Sydney office, dubbed Little Palestine by locals, was one of the communities that joined Hunter residents today.

A war broke out when Hamas fighters attacked Israel on October 7 last year.

Israel then launched an air, sea and ground assault that has killed more than 31,000 Palestinians, health authorities in Hamas-run Gaza have said.

COVID vax rates below 10 per cent, amid booster call ahead of winter wave

Nurse consultant Hamish McGovern giving Maggie Ralph a COVID-19 vaccine. Picture by Paul Scambler

COVID vaccination numbers have plummeted to below 10 per cent in the Hunter, as health authorities urge people to get boosters ahead of winter.

The summer wave of the virus has eased, but another one is expected in the cold months.

Health authorities say the best protection against severe disease is to keep up to date with vaccinations.

They have urged those eligible to consider a booster.

Hunter New England Health said this week that there were "currently a total of 30 inpatients" in hospitals across the district being treated for COVID.

This compared to 80 in the first week of January.

"It looks like we're on the other side of the wave," public health doctor Meg Whitley said.

"Currently COVID is circulating at moderate levels in the community. This is a really good time to start planning for winter and the next wave."

The latest NSW Respiratory Surveillance Report, released on Thursday, said Hunter New England recorded 169 COVID cases for the week ending March 9.

This compared to 442 cases in the January 6 report.

These case numbers refer to people unwell enough to seek medical attention and take a PCR test.

Dr Whitley said COVID was not the only bug circulating.

"RSV is circulating at high levels. Influenza is at low levels," she said.

The report said Hunter New England recorded 125 RSV cases for the week ending March 9, compared to 52 in the January 6 report.

Hunter New England recorded 71 influenza cases for the week ending March 9, compared to 98 in the January 6 report.

Dr Whitley said flu season was on the way, along with the latest vaccinations against the illness.

"Vaccination is the most important way to prevent influenza and its complications," she said.

"It is recommended for all people over the age of six months."

She said a flu shot could be "co-administered with a COVID vaccine".

She also reminded people to "stay home if you're sick".

"If you really do need to go out somewhere, wear a mask and stay away from people who might be at risk.

"Think about those around you who are vulnerable. Check in with them and see that they're doing OK."

The latest COVID vaccination data shows only 9.9 per cent of Hunter residents 18 and over had been vaccinated in the last six months.

The latest ATAGI advice said adults 65 and over, or those 18 to 64 who were severely immunocompromised were eligible to receive a COVID booster every six months.

All other adults were eligible for a booster every 12 months.

Children aged 5 to 17 who are severely immunocompromised can receive a single dose this year.

Teenagers and children in good health do not need a booster this year "due to the low incidence of severe illness and high level of hybrid immunity among this group".

The Guardian reported last month that two new but exceptionally rare COVID vaccine side effects - a neurological disorder and inflammation of the spinal cord - had been detected by researchers.

The study of more than 99 million people led researchers to re-confirm that the benefits of COVID vaccines "vastly outweigh the risks".

• In short: David Brian Shinner, 62, has been sentenced to three and a half years jail, with two years and one month non-parole.
• The court heard Shinner pulled a gun on a chef in Branxton, NSW, because he was angry over the quality of his sweet and sour pork.
• Shinner pleaded guilty to using an offensive weapon at the restaurant.

• In short: A section of a street in the Newcastle suburb of Lambton remains taped off as part of the investigation into the alleged murder of a young couple.

• Police divers searched a nearby waterway.

• Friends and colleagues of the couple have expressed disbelief and shock.

City venue floods in downpour, gig called off halfway through

The intersection of Steel and King streets in Newcastle West was closed at about 11pm as the road went under, with police monitoring the scene.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the Nobbys weather station recorded 45mm of rain between 5.30pm on Thursday and 12.30am on Friday - almost 30mm fell between 10.30pm and 11pm.

The ground floor of the King Street Bandroom was flooded through its emergency doors with what the venue's operations manager Angus Harper said was "a few inches of water".

Queensland band The Chats had to abandon their set halfway through.

Mr Harper said there was no permanent damage but the intersection of King and Steel streets had been "a nightmare for 20 years".

"We have carpet guys in there sucking out the water and testing all equipment this morning," he told the Herald.

"So we'll be back open for business as usual tonight."

Almost half the calls for assistance to the State Emergency Service across NSW came in the SES Northern Zone, which encompasses the Hunter.

SES spokesperson Ben Deakin told ABC radio on Friday morning that 44 of the 100 calls statewide came from the northern region.

He described conditions as a "short, intense burst of rain", which mainly caused roof problems in areas such as Adamstown Heights, Caves Beach, Swansea, Highfields, Murrays Beach, Maitland, and New Lambton Heights.

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He's spent 31 years on Newcastle streets, now 'Pete' is reunited with family

[Brothers reunited. Harold and Alwyn Craig. Pictures by Marina Neil.]

Harold Craig takes a deep breath as he struggles to stop his emotions getting the better of him.

He's sitting next to his brother Alwyn, whose silent, tormented presence has been a fixture on the streets of Newcastle for three decades.

True to form, Alwyn's blue eyes stare straight ahead, giving nothing away, as Harold tries to come to grips with finding the brother he thought he'd never see again.

A couple of days have passed since Harold travelled from Wollongong to Newcastle to be reunited with 75-year-old Alwyn.

He says there's one distinct difference he can see in his brother's demeanour since he last saw him, 30 years ago.

"He walks around with his head up with pride. He didn't do that last time. I noticed that very quickly," he said. "He used to walk with his head down, he didn't look at anyone. Now his head is up. To me, that's a good sign."

Until recently, Alwyn was known around the streets of inner Newcastle simply as Pete, his tattered and meandering presence an uncomfortable reminder of the rough underbelly of Australia's largest regional city.

His bedraggled appearance has become the stuff of legend and speculation.

Some say he was a judge who fell on hard times. Others believe his family was killed in a car crash. Many have tried to reach out with food, clothing and money. Most have been brushed aside. Only a select few have been able to make a connection with the city's most mysterious resident.

That changed in December, when City Sleep Safe director John Cross was able to help Alwyn, who is mostly non-verbal, to obtain a birth certificate. Since then, a series of extraordinary circumstances have led to a family reunited and a mystery solved, after three long decades.

From Wollongong to Vietnam

Brothers Alwyn and Harold Craig, with only two years between them, were thick as thieves growing up in the idyllic seaside town of Coldale, just north of Wollongong, in the 1950s.

"He was just an ordinary kid; everyone liked him. He was even an altar boy at one time," Harold said.

Alwyn, who has four brothers and two sisters, had jobs working at the local abattoir and as a train station attendant after leaving school.

In late 1968 the then 20-year-old's life changed forever when his name was drawn in the Vietnam War ballot.

After infantry training in Queensland, Private Craig served in the 6th Battalion in Vietnam between May 1969 and May 1970.

Like thousands of others, he struggled to settle back into civilian life.

[Private Alwyn Craig served in Vietnam. Picture supplied]

"He was definitely different. He didn't speak about it [the war] much. He didn't want anything to do with Anzac Day or things like that," Harold, 73, said.

"The effects [of his time in Vietnam] took some time to become apparent, but they expanded as time went on."

His family says his torment was compounded by the news his Vietnamese girlfriend, who he had hoped to bring to Australia and marry, had been murdered by the Vietcong.

Heartbreak and homelessness

Alwyn spent much of the 1970s and '80s drifting between towns and cities in NSW.

He lost touch with his family on numerous occasions but always managed to make his way back to Wollongong.

By the early 1990s, Alwyn was living in a small flat in Corrimal, near Wollongong, while undergoing counselling.

His family was hopeful this stability and support would finally help him get his life on track.

Then in April 1994 Harold got a call from the real estate agent. Alwyn had left the key in the door of the flat and shot through.

Had he seen him?, the agent inquired. He hadn't.

Somehow Harold knew his brother wouldn't be back.

"We had a bit of a hunt around for him but it was no use; he was gone," he said.

[Alwyn roaming the Hunter Street Mall in 2014. Picture by Jonathan Carroll]

"He always said he never wanted to be part of society."

For three decades his heartbroken family was left without answers.

"Everytime you talk to someone in the family they ask 'have you heard anything about Uncle Ally'," Harold said.

"It's affected the entire family, everyone asks everybody on a regular basis."

Answers found in the US

Then, a couple of weeks ago, some late night googling on the other side of the world provided the answers they were looking for.

At the same time, it solved an enduring mystery that has gripped Newcastle in recent decades.

Felicity Patrick, who had been adopted out by Alwyn's brother and girlfriend 50 years ago, was sitting in her home in Florida, USA researching her family tree.

She chanced upon a Newcastle Herald story from December 21 last year about a plea to help find the city's famous homeless man, known to many simply as "Pete", a permanent home.

[John Cross]

The story also contained details of how City Sleep Safe director John Cross had recently helped him obtain a pension and birth certificate, critically revealing Alwyn Melville Craig was born in Lithgow in 1948.

Ms Patrick messaged her cousin, Sandy Guido, Harold Craig's daughter, in Wollongong.

After three decades, Uncle Ally had been found.

He wasn't living in Sydney, as many suspected, instead, he had swapped one steel city for another.

[From left: Ken Craig, Kelly Craig, Alwyn Craig, Michelle Baker and Harold Craig in Newcastle this week. Picture by Jonathan Carroll.]

Reunion 30 years in the making

Within hours of their discovery, Alwyn's family were making plans to travel to Newcastle and reclaim their brother and uncle.

Harold was the first to arrive late last week.

Mr Cross initially introduced Harold to Alwyn as a friend and left them alone.

Without words, the brothers' bond was rekindled.

"He rarely speaks, just a nod here or there," Harold said. "It's been very emotional. Just in the past few days there have been things that have come from him that I really appreciate."

Earlier this week, other members of the family arrived in Newcastle. Among them was Alwyn's older brother Ken, who bears a striking resemblance to Alwyn.

"[Seeing Alwyn] brought tears to my eyes, put it that way," he said.

"I'd love to catch up with him again. I know I will one day."

Like others, Ken confirmed Alwyn changed after coming home from Vietnam.

During their visit, the Craig family also met and thanked some of the key individuals who interact with Alwyn on a daily basis.

[Alwyn Craig with Newcastle French Bread House owner Lika Ly. Picture by Simone De Peak.]

Lika Ly owns the Newcastle French Bread House in Hunter Street. For the past 15 years, Alwyn, who she knows as "Chris", has been her special customer.

"He just sits out the front of the shop even if he doesn't buy a coffee. He's very quiet, he never talks," Ms Ly said.

But the passage of time has seen an unspoken rapport evolve.

"He always pays for his coffee. Sometimes the customers want to pay for him but he still puts his money on the counter. If I don't take the money he will never come back. So I take $2 for the big coffee," she said.

"Sometimes we give him an egg and bacon roll but we have to ask him first. If you say 'Chris, you feel like an egg and bacon roll today?' and he says 'yes' you can bring it out. But if you just make it and bring it out he won't eat it."

There are others in the background who also play a role in sustaining Alwyn.

They include local resident Ruth, who gives Ms Ly $50 every month as a gesture of thanks for looking after Alwyn.

The path forward

A lot has changed in the past few weeks since Alwyn was "discovered".

Multiple discussions are under way about how he can be best supported moving forward. But after surviving on the streets for 30 years, how can he be expected to live a normal lifestyle?

"I'd like to see him come back home but I don't think that's going to happen," Ken Craig said.

The bus is my home and his (Alwyn's) home is that shop doorway. It's going to be very difficult to convince him to give up his entire life for the past 30 years. - Harold Craig

Harold Craig agrees.

"I love him dearly but it's knocking the shit out of me knowing I can't just take him by the hand and say let's go. You can't do it, it's not reality," he said.

"We'd all like to march him into a spa bath and shower him with champagne. Movies are like that but life's not."

[Alwyn and Harold Cross outside Newcastle Post Office this week. Picture by Marina Neil.]

Unable to afford a place to rent, Harold has recently resorted to living in a bus. He is supported by his family, who paid for the fuel to travel to Newcastle.

He says he relates to his brother's daily routine and its role in his survival.

"He has his routine every day and I have mine. I live local [in Wollongong] and there's one spot where I go back to every day and he has got his spot where he goes back to every day to sleep," he said.

"I have been living in my bus now for six months now and I've got to the point where I don't like going into houses. The bus is my home and his (Alwyn's) home is that shop doorway. It's going to be very difficult to convince him to give up his entire life for the past 30 years."

Pain resurfacing

It's also likely that changes to Alwyn's lifestyle would require him to re-engage in some way with his past and the pain that lies there.

Former Newcastle Vietnam Veterans Association president Stephen Finney said many Vietnam veterans were haunted by mental health challenges linked to their military service.

"A lot of them didn't want to be there. They were shit-scared for the 12 months they were there and when they came home nobody recognised them as servicemen," Mr Finney said.

"The RSLs (clubs) didn't want to know us. It was awful trying to fit back into society.

"You couldn't talk to anybody about it because you didn't know what sort of reaction you were going to get from the person you were talking to.

"The experience drove a lot of people into holes and solitude."

Having been alerted to his presence in Newcastle, RSL Lifecare sent a representative to meet Alwyn, Mr Cross and Harold this week to discuss future support options, including housing.

[Newcastle RSL sub-branch president Ken Fayle. Picture by Max Mason Hubers]

Newcastle RSL sub branch president Ken Fayle said it was overwhelming to learn Alywn had been living unrecognised in the Newcastle community for 30 years.

"Every Vietnam Vet feels for Pete," he said.

"There were so many guys who knew of him but they didn't know anything about him.

"When we know what we can do, we will help."

The one person who probably knows Alwyn better than anyone, John Cross, said he was optimistic the events of the past fortnight would be good for his friend.

"He's a really nice fella, you can see he doesn't get too excited but he's watching everything that is going on," he said.

"We all want the best for him, but ultimately what that looks like will be up to him."

• In short: Asset Energy Pty Ltd says it's committed to a drilling project to extract gas off the NSW coast, despite government opposition.
• The Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP 11) would allow 4500 square kilometres of seabed between Newcastle and Sydney to be searched for natural gas reserves.
• What's next? The NSW government will introduce a bill to prohibit seabed petroleum and mineral exploration and recovery in NSW coastal waters.

• In short: Pro-renewable rallies have been held in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland
• Among the events were rallies in support of the Hunter and Illawarra offshore wind zones in NSW
• What's next? The federal government is assessing feasibility licence applications for the Hunter offshore wind zone before making a decision on successful applicants.

• In short: The town of Pokolbin has been hit by a three-week internet and phone outage.
• Telstra has linked it to copper wire and battery theft at its nearby sites.
• What's next? Affected parties can contact Telstra for compensation and a review into the matter will be conducted.

Key points:

• Ninety-nine demonstrators were listed at Newcastle Local Court today over the November Newcastle protest
• The action stopped exports of coal from the Port of Newcastle, the largest coal port in the world
• Magistrate Stephen Olischlager says protesters had acted out of genuine concern for the environment

Key points:

• NSW has recorded a significant rise in COVID infections
• Two variants are responsible for most cases in the state
• Those with the virus are urged to stay home or wear a mask outside

Police pursuit ends in crash on Newcastle Inner City Bypass

EMERGENCY services raced to the scene of a crash on the Newcastle Inner City Bypass after a driver was hit during a police pursuit.

Police, paramedics and NSW Fire and Rescue were called to the crash at Charlestown Road just before 8am on Tuesday January 9. One person, a woman in her 50s, was treated at the scene and was transported to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition for suspected broken ribs.

Newcastle Herald revealed police were in pursuit of an alleged offender when one of the vehicles collided with a commuter's car.

Newcastle City police were patrolling Carnley Avenue, New Lambton, when they attempted to stop a white Kia Cerato.

When the vehicle allegedly failed to stop as directed, a pursuit was initiated, continuing west towards Charlestown Road.

A short time later, police said the Kia allegedly crashed into the rear of the woman's car on the Newcastle Inner City Bypass at Charlestown, causing her vehicle to crash into a wall.

The driver of the Kia, a 17-year-old boy, underwent a preliminary roadside breath test which allegedly returned a positive result.

The boy was arrested and has been taken to Waratah police station where he is assisting police with their inquiries.

A crime scene has been declared. As inquiries continue, anyone with dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

The incident caused the road to close in a southbound direction as emergency services worked at the scene. Southbound motorists were diverted into Carney Avenue. One of two southbound lanes were reopened to traffic at 9.40am.

The closure caused significant delays for the morning commute.