ALISON Penfold is now officially the Federal Member for Lyne, after the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) formally declared the ballot result last Wednesday. In an electorate reeling from the recent flood disaster, Ms Penfold said the news came at a time when it was difficult to focus on anything other than supporting the community on […]
Cheaper complementary health treatments are on the way
WHEN Peter Hill walked into his first pilates class, he had to warm-up for the warm-up. With a feeble lower back and taut hamstrings, the then 63-year-old was hoping the therapy could aid his pain. Six years later, he can dart and dash with little-to-no trouble. “Occasionally I might have a bit of a twinge […]
Disaster relief extended for small businesses, primary producers
STATE and Federal governments are delivering more funding to help communities recover from the recent severe flooding. Support available includes: ● Grants of up to $25,000 for eligible small businesses (with fewer than 20 employees) and non-profit organisations to help clean up and restore their business. ● Grants of up to $25,000 for eligible primary […]
‘Major’ road damage expected from floods
DUNGOG Shire Mayor Digby Rayward says the full extent of damage to the local road network from recent flooding is still being assessed, but Council will aim to secure as much funding for repairs as possible. “We certainly expect to see major damage to our roads, and we need to be patient as the team […]

Regional collaboration key for airport expansion
MAYORS and council general managers from across the Hunter took an exclusive tour of Newcastle Airport’s international terminal development on Monday 12 May. The local governments represented are members of the Hunter Joint Organisation (HJO), a collaborative body that brings together the ten councils in the region. The tour was led by Newcastle Airport Director […]

Eviction rules and pet rights change in rental shake-up
LANDLORDS will no longer be able to evict tenants without good cause, marking the end of no-grounds evictions, a reform designed to provide security for millions of renters. The reform came into effect on Monday, alongside two other key changes introduced under the NSW government’s latest rental laws. Premier Chris Minns described the changes as […]
NSW Gov funds $10m for weed control and eradication
THE NSW Government will deliver $10 million to local councils to target high-risk weeds across the state to protect the state’s primary production and public land. The NSW Government Weeds Action Program funds local councils, known as Local Control Authorities (LCA), to detect and respond quickly to incursions of new high-risk weeds. The program focuses […]
Historic mine sites reveal critical minerals and high-tech metals
FOLLOWING a sampling project, 28 current and historic mine sites in NSW have been identified as potentially having critical minerals and high-tech metals deposits hidden inside their old waste, including Stratford. For mines that have closed, the NSW Government says the results could mean new opportunities for production, bringing more jobs and investment opportunities to […]
Community feedback invited to help shape the future of Dungog Common
An aerial shot of the Dungog Common. The Common is home to wildlife including koalas. One of the walking tracks at Dungog Common. LOCAL residents and user groups are being invited to help shape the future of one of the area’s most treasured public spaces, the Dungog Common. Dungog Community Projects Limited (DCP) has issued […]

A glimmer of hope for nuclear dream after election bomb
OUTSPOKEN engineer Jasmin Diab still hopes a nuclear power reactor could be operating in Australia before the second half of the century. But the advocate for the technology admits the federal election campaign has severely damaged its reputation and its future role – if it has one – will be much smaller than the coalition’s […]