NOVONEWS
ISSUE 006 SEPTEMBER 2021
NovoNews
Cibilic makes Final Five The Hunter region’s tough rental market has led to a dramatic increase in animal surrenders. See page 6
NovoSociety
Merewether’s Morgan Cibilic has finished fifth in the World Surf League’s seven-stop Championship Tour, earning a spot in the inaugural Final Five showdown.
The University of Newcastle has been awarded a $595,000 grant by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) to continue its work on early detection of the disease.
See page 24 Morgan Cibilic at Rip Curl Rottnest 2021 Photo supplied: World Surf League/ Matt Dunbar
See page 9
NovoCulture
Lesson in patience for Hunter’s Year 12
Hunter LGBTQIA+ communities are urging Novocastrians to reflect on how their language, actions and spaces could be better adapted to include queer and gender diverse people. See page 19
NovoSport
The obstacles Brendan Andrews faced as a child and teenager inspired him to forge a career in personal training, and he’s relishing helping others take a step in the right direction. See page 23
Thousands of Newcastle Year 12 students are processing the NSW Government’s recent announcement that their HSC exams have been pushed back to begin on November 9 due to the state’s COVID crisis. Students had been working towards an October 12 HSC start date. As well as the HSC postponement to November 9, they have endured two lengthy bouts of home schooling during their senior school years, the cancellation of many excursions, trips and celebrations, and their Year 12 formal and graduation plans are tentative at best. The new HSC schedule is part of the NSW Government’s return-to-school plan, announced on August 27, which will see a staggered return to face-toface learning from October 25. “HSC exams will be delayed until November 9 with a revised timetable and guidelines for a COVID-safe HSC to be released by NESA in early September,” the NSW Government said. “Importantly, the delay of the HSC exams will not disadvantage NSW students when applying to university.
“Vaccinations for all school staff across all sectors will be mandatory from November 8.” The NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) said although written exams were to be postponed to November 9, teachers were to provide marks for their students’ HSC performances, oral language exams and most major projects. Some, but not all, high schools in the area have been forced to cancel their HSC trial examinations. Some schools had conducted their trials before the latest lockdown. Merewether High School and St Francis Xavier College Hamilton are just some schools that were forced to cancel the HSC trial examinations following the extension of lockdown. In line with advice from NESA, the schools were unable to find alternative ways of creating an equitable and valid replacement for the trial examinations without the possibility of malpractice or misadventures. Merewether High School Year 12 student Tulip Cranson said completing Year 12 during a global pandemic had been “indescribably stressful” and had become even more difficult with
Newcastle’s recent lockdown. “Learning from home limits our learning capabilities significantly because the onus is on us to motivate ourselves. “Instead of using this time to ‘knuckle down’ and consolidate our learning, we find ourselves lost and burdened by anxiety and doubt during these unprecedented times,” Tulip said. “Our trial exams had to be cancelled due to difficulties with completing them from home, meaning that our previously completed assessments now carry extra weighting in relation to our internal marks.
Office: 2 Dick Street, Newcastle West 2302 - Phone: 0491 012 983 - E-mail: editorial@novonews.com.au - Website: novonews.com.au
Continued page 14
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Travel permits to help quell COVID spread
The NSW Government last month introduced a new permit system requiring people to receive approval before travelling from Sydney to Newcastle. From Saturday, August 21, permits made available via Service NSW are required to enter regional NSW for work, second home maintenance, or to view real estate. The permit concept came as NSW Police continued to issue fines to travellers breaching public health orders and attempting to enter regional NSW without an essential reason. State Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said it was disappointing that it had taken several weeks to be implemented but was better late than never. “The message to Greater Sydney residents is clear – stay home and do not come to Newcastle unless it is absolutely essential,” he said. State Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery has been vocal in tightening travel loopholes and said it was great that community concerns had finally been listened to. “It was clear from the outset of this current lockdown period that people were travelling from Sydney for any reason and without any real scrutiny,” she said. “As a result of that, we saw people travel here and spread the virus throughout our community. “This will now limit the movement of people and only allow those who are essential workers to travel here.” The permits also came about as a part of Operation STAY AT HOME in force across the state. The NSW Police Force and Australian Defence Force are working to ensure citizens comply with the current public health orders. For this operation, 1400 officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol
Sydneysiders will need a permit to travel into regional NSW Photo source: Wikipedia Commons
Command have been dedicated to static and mobile COVID-19 compliance regulations on the roads. In addition to the 300 already deployed, 500 Australian Defence Force troops were also brought in to assist with compliance. Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the only way to get out of the COVID-19 crisis was to support each other and respect the stay-at-home order. “We’ve had to tighten the current public health orders because of the minority who exploited them. Enough is enough. If you do it, you will get fined,” he said. The stay-at-home order applies to all in NSW and means people must not venture further than their local government area. If they need to shop or exercise, they must do so within 5km of their home. Reasons for leaving home include shopping for essentials, medical care,
work, schooling, or compassionate reasons. Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon, Metropolitan Field Operations, said the operation would see police utilising some of the strongest powers ever given. “The level of non-compliance by some members of the community is unacceptable, and we will be doubling down with compliance and enforcement to make sure we get ahead of the Delta strain,” Lanyon said. “It only takes one person to do the wrong thing to facilitate considerable spread of the virus. “We will be issuing $5000 fines to
people and closing any businesses which continue to breach the health orders and will not apologise for these increased enforcement efforts going forward.” Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing, Regional NSW Field Operations, said roadblocks would also be on main arterial roads and backroads. NSW police also require residents to carry proof of address at all times when outside of the home. More information on lockdown restrictions can be found on the NSW government website. Hayley McMahon
ADF helps police on the COVID front
Novo News is published monthly by Community News Partners Pty Ltd (CNP), an independent, family-owned business. CNP aims to serve the interests of the community in three important ways: 1. To fulfill the ultimate purpose of the free press in a democracy, that is, to hold powerful interests to account through high-quality, independent journalism without fear or prejudice; 2. To provide an affordable medium for local businesses to advertise their products and services, including discounted rates for eligible not-for-profit organisations; and, 3. To keep the community informed about local issues and ensure important public notices are available to ALL members of the community irrespective of their socio-economic circumstances. Our content is originated through both our own team of local journalists as well as external sources, including media releases, websites and public notices. All our news content is subject to strict editorial standards which are available on our website. Wherever possible, our news includes source lines that provide information about where information was sourced so that readers can judge for themselves the veracity of what they are reading. All requests for advertising should be directed to editorial@novonews.com.au. Advertising rates are impacted by three key things: – the size of the advertisement, e.g. a halfpage or a one-quarter page; the number of editions that the advertisement runs; and the number of newspapers (one, two or three) in which the advertisement is run. NovoNnews offers significant discounts for advertisements that run over multiple editions and across multiple newspapers – see novonews.com.au We also offer discounts for not-for-profit organisations and other community groups. Advertisers are invited to talk to us about becoming a DIGITAL PARTNER, which provides exclusive opportunities to promote your product, services or events on our digital platform as well. If you would like to be a DIGITAL PARTNER please email us at editorial@novonews.com.au
Publisher: Ross Barry - Editor - David Abrahams Design & Production: Justin Stanley, Lucillia Eljuga - Sub Editor: Gina Cranson Journalists: Hayley McMahon, Maia O’Connor, Lauren Freemantle and Jayden Fennell Office: 2 Dick Street, Newcastle West 2302 - Phone: 0491 012 983 E-mail: editorial@novonews.com.au Website: novonews.com.au Social:
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Photo source: Australian Army
Newcastle Police and ADF personnel joined forces in the Hunter and Central West in August to crack down on breaches to the public health order. Officers in Newcastle and Dubbo have been conducting welfare door knocks and compliance checks of stay-at-home and self-isolation orders. Deputy Commissioner Mick Willing, Regional NSW Field Operations, welcomed the arrival of troops in regional towns. “The NSW Police Force has a long history of co-operation with the ADF,
and they have provided vital assistance over the past 18 months,” Deputy Commissioner Willing said. “First and foremost, the troops are there to support the community, alongside police. Among other tasks, you will see them delivering hampers and checking on the welfare of our most vulnerable people. “I want to thank them for their help and again appeal to everyone across our regions to stay at home as much as possible. Please do everything you can to help us stop the spread.” Information source: NSW Police Media
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OVONEWS
Stage set for baths refurbishment
Final design concept for Newcastle Ocean Baths. Image supplied: City of Newcastle
Designs for the Newcastle Ocean Baths upgrade have been finalised, and City of Newcastle is calling for tenders to complete the first stage of construction. Stage 1 of the project addresses upgrades to the pools and lower promenade as well as key safety, accessibility and water-quality issues that were identified through community engagement and engineering advice. The revitalisation includes a renewed boardwalk, a new pump station, and significant improvements for people with a disability or low mobility. Ramp access and improved handrail support into the pool will be included as
well as the route from a vehicle at the entrance to the facility. The undulating rock bottom of the pool will be capped with concrete to improve safety and water quality. Sand will continue to build upon the floor by the same processes as today. The iconic bleacher seating will also be retained with other elements around the Ocean Baths that complemented the historic features. Chair, Hunter Regional Committee of the National Trust, Mark Metrikas, said heritage had been considered through the design process. “I was actually delighted that the circa 1937 art deco bleachers and 1948 boardwalk are retained, and in the case
of the boardwalk, improved,” Metrikas said. “It took a bit of work to get the design right to retain these important elements and we’ve worked alongside City of Newcastle to provide that input.” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the community engagement had been key to finalising the designs for Stage 1. “The final design for Stage 1 captures what the community told us was important to them, and we’ve worked with our expert consultants to also ensure the design meets accessibility, safety and health requirements,” Cr Nelmes said. “This is a generational investment in the Newcastle Ocean Baths, which will
celebrate its 100th birthday next year, which is why City of Newcastle have meticulously worked with both the community and experts to ensure what’s delivered meets the needs of current and future users.” City of Newcastle Acting Director of Infrastructure and Property Joanne Rigby said the project team would work with preferred tenderers to ensure overall disruption to Baths users was limited. For more information visit the City of Newcastle website. Information source: Media release, City of Newcastle
Novocastrians receive barrage of scam texts Newcastle residents are among the thousands of Australians being targeted by a scam the ACCC has labelled Flubot. The scam operates through text messages that encourage the viewer to tap on a link to hear a voicemail message. Phone users are told they must download an app to hear the voicemail. However, the message is fake, there is no voicemail and the link provided works to install malicious software onto the phone user’s device. According to government regulator Scamwatch, both Android and Apple devices are vulnerable, although iPhones are marginally better protected. Just three weeks after alerting the public to Flubot in August, the regulator received 5500 reports from Australians describing the scam. Carrington mum Kerrie March said she had been receiving several Flubot texts every day for the past few weeks. “Because all my kids’ iPads are linked to my phone, all I’m hearing is ding, ding, ding. The texts come through at 3 o’clock in the morning, 5 o’clock in the morning.” While March usually ignores the texts, she received one on Tuesday night that appeared legitimate and clicked into it.
If the malware is downloaded onto your device, scammers can access ID and banking details
It purported to be from courier company DHL, which NSW Police warn is the latest adaptation of the scam. “It said I had an order from DHL and to click on the link. So I thought, ‘oh yeah, I’ve got a few packages I’m waiting on’. “But I clicked on the link and all I saw was a message offering me a free item, and I quickly clicked out of it knowing that was a scam,” she said. March said so far, there had been no suspicious activity on her phone. “From what I have heard, nothing is happening unless you give them further information, which I haven’t done.” Her experience is consistent with advice from Scamwatch. The regulator said phone users who received Flubot texts should avoid clicking on the links and should immediately delete the message.
When people do click the links, they see a screen depicting their phone number, the purported length of the fake text message, and an invitation to download an app. Scamwatch warns if people do download the app, the malware installed could read their text messages, make calls or texts from their number or access their contacts. For Newcastle student Yolondie Cherry, the scam texts are more irritating than dangerous. “I have been receiving them almost daily. It is annoying and I just feel it’s such a malicious thing to do, to send people scam messages during an already heightened time of anxiety and confusion,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who might click on it and panic.” She said she realised quickly that it was
a scam because many of the texts have typos. “For example, one said ‘New messoge from servic provider’ so I was never tempted to click!” However, Kerrie March warns the messages do not always include spelling mistakes, which is why she trusted the apparent DHL text. “All the other ones that I have received had a spelling mistake somewhere, but this one didn’t. I didn’t even think to click on the rest of them because they all had spelling mistakes.” The mother who is currently homeschooling said her family was also receiving scam calls. “My son yesterday answered a phone call and they were trying to get details out of him. He’s only 12. They are harassing kids, which is sickening.” Scamwatch said the Flubot scam had begun overseas earlier in 2021 and it was likely the perpetrators were foreign. NSW Police declined to provide comment on Flubot investigations. Police are urging people to keep up-todate with information from Scamwatch, and to contact IDCARE, as well as personal finance institutions, if they suspect their personal details may have been compromised. Lauren Freemantle
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Grand plans for new Pokolbin venue
Proposed Cedar Mill Hunter Valley Image supplied: Winarch Capital
The Cedar Mill Group has bought a 105-acre estate in Pokolbin, with its sights set on a purposebuilt outdoor amphitheatre and 110-bed hotel. Cedar Mill Hunter Valley is the new development and event space proposed by Winarch Capital’s newly formed property development firm Cedar Mill Group. The Hunter Valley property sits adjacent to the Roche Estate food and beverage precinct and next to the Hope Estate winery. The vision for the site is to house a hotel, specialist food and beverages, a wine museum, multiple cellar doors and
a 22,000-person concert venue. Plans also include a venue capable of hosting events, conferences and functions. Developers aim to attract tourists seeking high-end visitor experiences like boutique goods, dining, winemaking, distilling and brewing. According to the REMPLAN economic modelling, the $107M proposed project will bring 68,045 additional visitors to the region, and inject an additional $33M each year. It accompanies the previously announced $235M redevelopment of Morisset Golf Course, to be known as Cedar Mill Lake Macquarie. “Cedar Mill Hunter Valley and Cedar
Mill Lake Macquarie are purpose-built, the first in Australia on this scale,” Cedar Mill Group General Manager Kyle McKendry said. “Our aim is to provide an unparalleled visitor experience in the heart of the region, offering a gateway for tourists to connect with everything that makes the Hunter Valley a world-class visitor destination and event hub.” Winarch Capital CEO Paul Lambess said the plans for Cedar Mill Hunter Valley were ambitious but would bolster the local economy and the events and tourism sectors. “We want to create a precinct with great places where visitors can do lots of different activities and experiences,”
Lambess said. “This is why people come to the Hunter, and we want our venue to complement the great vineyards, restaurants and experiences that already exist here.” Development plans for Cedar Mill Hunter Valley will be lodged soon and construction phases have been projected to create over 500 new jobs and inject $207.5M through build costs, job creation, supply chain and consumption. Cedar Mill Hunter Valley is expected to open in 2023. Information source: Media release, Winarch Capital
Hamilton plaza upgrade complete Hamilton residents have applauded Newcastle City Council’s transformation of James Street Plaza, now complete after four months of construction. The upgrade on Beaumont Street commenced in April 2021 and has delivered a multi-use space for the community, which incorporates street furniture, artwork and renewed pavers and landscaping. Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the transformation of the space was aimed to attract more visitors, families and shoppers. “In response to community feedback we have delivered a safer, more appealing place for people to spend time,” Cr Nelmes said. The Lord Mayor said the city hoped to “activate the space with music, markets and food” once COVID-19 restrictions lifted. Hamilton local Saul Sullivan has applauded the changes, saying they’re a well-overdue addition to the suburb. “[James Street Plaza] has always been a bit of a questionable area, so it’s great that it’s undergone a facelift so the community can use it to its full potential.” In April, the council cited an underutilisation of the plaza and concerns over public safety as reasoning behind the upgrade. It said that “the drivers included antisocial and criminal behaviour related to the Telstra phone box and public toilets and the Plaza’s infrastructure which requires renewal”.
Councillor Carol Duncan and Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes at James Street Plaza
A lighting installation will also be part of the attraction. It’s an addition that Sullivan said would help residents feel safer. “I think lighting was always an issue at James Street [Plaza]. It’s a matter of safety for residents. For it to be upgraded and the whole space used to host market stalls and the likes, that’s an added bonus,” he said. In June, City of Newcastle offered residents the opportunity to vote on their favourite lighting installations from three designs provided by the University of Newcastle’s Future Art Science & Technology Lab (FASTLab).
Residents opted for the “Microcosmic Mosaic” concept, which has been developed into a full-length animation and will be launched to light up the space at night once COVID-19 restrictions ease. Hamilton’s unique character and heritage is celebrated in artworks in the renewed plaza, informed by the Newcastle Museum and in collaboration with local historian Ruth Cotton, author of Hidden Hamilton. Councillor Carol Duncan said that the revitalisation of the plaza delivered an attractive space for the Hamilton community to meet.
Photo Source: City of Newcastle
“You can really see the community’s ideas and feedback brought to life, from the unique historical elements to new furniture and gardens,” Cr Duncan said. “I love the special details like the builtin drinking bowl for our canine companions in the water fountain and I can’t wait to see the lighting display once it’s launched in the coming months. “The Plaza will be a vibrant, safe and inclusive space for our community during the day and at night.” Maia O’Connor
OVONEWS P5 Defiant dog owners a pet peeve for residents novonews.com.au
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SEPTEMBER 2021 ISSUE 006
Residents who are frustrated with the flouting of on-leash dog park rules say the roll-out of City of Newcastle’s Dogs in Open Space plan can’t come soon enough. Some say the issue stems from a lack of facilities in the local area, as well as a simple disregard for park etiquette by some dog owners. One Waratah West resident and her daughter, who wish not to be named, were walking their dog recently when he was attacked by an off-leash dog. “We were walking my dog at Braye Park, and a group of people had their dogs off leash, and one of their animals attacked my dog,” she said. “Our dog was on a leash and the other dogs’ owners couldn’t physically remove his (unleashed) dog from ours. It was clamped on, biting and shaking uncontrollably.” Her dog sustained significant injuries in the attack. “My dog had a deep puncture wound behind his ear and scratches on his ear and face,” she said. Off-leash dogs are not only injuring other animals, but they’re frightening law-abiding owners as well. “The worst part is my daughter refuses to walk the dog and it use to be her favourite thing to do. She won’t even go to the park any more to ride her scooter or to play,” the woman said. “My daughter is traumatised. It was
Newcastle residents are becoming frustrated with locals flouting on-leash dog park rules
one of the things we would do for respite but can’t any more. Some people just don’t get it.” The woman said more needed to be done to encourage responsible dog ownership.
“Before the incident, the other dog owner called out ‘don’t worry, he is friendly’ and then the dog just pounced. People don’t realise that you can’t predict how animals are going to interact.
“Even if the dog is friendly, it doesn’t matter. Some people and leashed dogs don’t appreciate unleashed dogs harassing them.” The woman implored council to take action on the issue, saying more signage about fines and increased patrols were needed. A City of Newcastle spokesperson said ranger patrols had been increased “to target these areas and educate dog owners about compliance and responsible pet ownership”. “The City’s off-leash areas, parks, reserves and Bathers Way are patrolled by rangers on a daily basis, with 557 proactive patrols carried out year to date.” Council said that after extensive consultation with the community, they’re continuing to implement strategies to address the issue. The Dogs in Open Space Plan (introduced in 2019) focuses on the provision, improvement and management of dog off-leash areas in the region over the next 10 years. The roll-out of the plan can’t come fast enough, residents say. Georgie Collins, a pet sitter in the region for more than two years, says council action is well overdue. The 20-year-old is well aware of locals flouting council rules, and said a lack of facilities was partly to blame. Continued page 6
Meeting Room Hire with a difference Our unique space has attracted a wide range of Newcastle businesses from the day we opened our doors. Once people get a glimpse of what is inside (often from having a sticky beak through the café window) they are eager to be a part of it. People generally want their business to soak up the Rethink Your Workspace vibe, so from early on we have agreed to share our space with others that love it as much as we do. We now also hire out our space for businesses and groups looking for the unique setting that Rethink Your Workspace offers. We have held all types of sessions in the space, including; workshops, team building days, think tank sessions, planning sessions, recruitment drives, and business collaboration meetings. We offer Full Day, Half Day & Hourly rates in a range of styles and sizes: There are 6 rooms and 2 boardrooms available for hire 5 days per week. A major drawcard for our space is our inhouse café, which offers amazing coffee and delicious food. We can organise catering for your meetings as well.
2 Dick Street, Newcastle West - 4962 4440 - rethinkyourworkspace.com.au
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Renters’ choice: the pet or the place? The Hunter region’s tough rental market has led to a dramatic increase in animal surrenders. Residents already displaced by a lack of rentals in the Hunter region are experiencing further heartbreak as they have no choice but to relinquish their pets to improve their chances of finding a home. Animal rescue organisation Dog Rescue Newcastle (DRN) is reporting that the gulf between pet owners and rentals means an increasing number of Hunter residents are facing involuntary separation from their beloved pets. “That is one of the number one reasons people are surrendering at the moment; they’re choosing somewhere to live over keeping their animal,” DRN’s Jesse Reinhard said. At the moment, the organisation’s rescue animal intake comprises “60 to 70 per cent of private surrenders”, while “the other 30 to 40 per cent are pulled from death row pounds”. Reinhard said that surrenders might be the result of “behavioural issues, dogs being dumped or domestic violence”, however, the vast majority were a consequence of rentals in the region not allowing pets. He said the organisation’s surrender team was “getting hit up every day”. For some locals where surrender isn’t an option, they’ve made the desperate move to live out of their cars to retain their animals. “People are choosing between living in their car and keeping their dogs, or having a house with no dogs. That’s where it’s at at the moment.” The rental market in the Hunter has been notoriously competitive recently. Agents have said this comes as a result of a mass exodus from Sydney and the Central Coast during the COVID-19 pandemic. Landlords across the region have sold their homes to people with owneroccupant intentions, squeezing the rental market and contributing to the rental shortages. Surrenders have “been pretty consistent” at DRN for the past 12 months, however, they have soared in the past three months. It’s not only the undersupply of available properties that is the challenge
Foster carers at Dog Rescue Newcastle are experiencing increased surrenders Photo source: Dog Rescue Newcastle
for residents but the competitiveness that exists as real estate agents have a larger pool of tenants to choose from. Among the many applications, “if you’re the ones with a dog you’re at the bottom of the pile,” Reinhard said. “We’re getting a lot of people saying I have to give my dog up because I can’t find somewhere to live, or we have to move and I can’t take him with me because we’re not allowed pets.” While 32 per cent of households in Australia are rentals, less than 10 per cent of rental properties are advertised as pet friendly. This is a reality that Nicole Grgas at Hunter Tenants’ Advice and Advocacy Service (HTAAS) said must change. HTAAS coordinator Grgas said the service was experiencing an increase in calls seeking advice on the matter, as landlords prohibited pets due to perceived risks. “A lot of people end up in their cars because they’re unable to find housing and don’t want to relinquish pets because they’re family,” she said. Grgas said the issue was “concerning not only because a large proportion of our community are renters, but because they are being prevented from having a pet, which can improve people’s mental
health and wellbeing.” “A lot of people say their pet is their comfort,” she said. “The things that landlords are worried about – damage, noise, they’re already covered by legislation. If you cause noise there are repercussions, if you cause damage there are repercussions. Landlords are protected regardless. “There’s no good reason why we can’t change legislation to say a landlord can’t unreasonably refuse animals. “Laws say you can’t have a pet without written consent, and landlords can unreasonably withhold that consent in NSW. That’s where the problem lies.” While there is no direction in the Residential Tenancies Act 2010 (NSW) prohibiting a renter from keeping a pet, most residential tenancy agreements contain clauses relating to pet ownership, whereby many landlords prohibit pets entirely. In the standard residential tenancy agreement issued by Fair Trading NSW, there is an optional term requiring the landlord’s consent of a pet, restrictions on the type of animal, and on end-oflease matters such as professional cleaning of carpeted areas. Under current tenancy law, there is no specific ban on landlords including
these clauses. “At the end of the day it’s about the government in power, and certainly the Tenants’ Union in NSW have been working on pets’ issues and continues to do that,” Grgas said. “If people have the capacity, it’s worthwhile talking to the local state MP about how blanket pet bans impact on the housing opportunity.” State Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp has agreed there must be an improvement on current legislation regarding tenancy and pets. “There is definitely a balance that needs to be struck to allow more tenants to keep pets at properties, but to also give a landlord peace of mind that their property will not be damaged.” Implementing a “pet bond is one possibility, while more frequent inspections or professional cleaning at the end of a tenancy could be others,” Crakanthorp said. He said recent changes to legislation prohibiting discrimination against pets in strata by-laws has been a promising move for pet owners across the state. For the full story, visit novonews.com.au Maia O’Connor
Defiant dog owners a pet peeve for residents From page 5 “There are only two specific gated dog parks: North Lambton and Speers Point Park. While they’re great, if you’re not local you have to drive all the way to them so your dog can be safe in a gated area.” Georgie is a Hamilton local, and while she could travel to North Lambton, she said the dog owners who employed her often discouraged her from visiting the fenced site “because they don’t trust it”. “They don’t even feel comfortable taking their perfectly well-behaved dog to a gated, enclosed park because of other residents who don’t comply with the rules.”
It was especially concerning for dogs with anxiety and reactive problems, she said. A French Bulldog Collins recently took to North Lambton was a prime example, she said. “Three dogs went at her out of nowhere. She wasn’t even near them. They chased her, barked at her, and she got so anxious she started drooling and foaming at the mouth,” she said. “Because of that, we can’t go back there. It’s a big problem. People take advantage that they’re in a safe environment for their dogs, but don’t consider the effect on the other dogs.” Council noted that “an increasing number of people are visiting council-
owned sports grounds and off-leash dog parks during the current statewide lockdown to undertake exercise and to exercise their dogs”. Collins said that “places like Centennial Park in Cooks Hill, Gregson Park in Hamilton and Islington Park – these are great sites in open blocks of land that are for public use, but on- lead use only. When you’re someone who lives in a unit and can only take your dog on a lead to the nearest park, it’s cruel and inconvenient”. More than 84,000 dogs are registered across the Local Government Area, and council conceded there was a particular “gap in provision in the central, southern and far western areas”.
To meet the increased demand, council has vowed to deliver more off-leash areas. The Dogs in Open Space Plan seeks to provide a spread of dog off-leash areas, using a “one dog off-leash area per 8000 people” ratio as a guide. Fenced off-leash dog parks will be strategically located across the city, using a “one fenced dog park per 30,000 people” ratio. By the project’s completion, City of Newcastle also seeks to provide one fenced dog park in each council ward. For the full story, visit novonews.com.au Maia O’Connor
OVOSOCIETY P7 Pharmacies rally behind vaccine roll-out novonews.com.au
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SEPTEMBER 2021 ISSUE 006
Newcastle pharmacists are urging the community to get the AstraZeneca vaccine as COVID-19 cases continue to climb throughout the region.
Pharmacists are encouraging anyone who is over 18 and eligible to book in for their AstraZeneca vaccination. A handful of local chemists are offering walk-in appointments and online bookings with short wait times, helping to increase community vaccination rates. These businesses include Bagga’s Pharmacy Newcastle, Williams Chemist in Charlestown, and Piggott’s Pharmacies. Pharmacist Anthony Piggott said all Piggott’s Pharmacies offered online bookings for the AstraZeneca vaccination except for the Huntlee branch. He said the COVID-19 situation in Newcastle “was not looking good” and the only available vaccine at the moment was the “almost bottomless supply of AstraZeneca”. “The mRNA vaccines, Moderna and Pfizer, are essentially unavailable and hard to get. So basically, the best vaccine you can have is the soonest vaccine you can get,” Piggott said in August. “The AstraZeneca vaccine is an excellent alternative. It’s just copping flack because of the rare clotting risks for younger people and under 60s, but it’s readily available for anyone over 18, and I would encourage them to get it. “It’s better to be covered now from a risk perspective than waiting at least another month to get the first dose of another vaccine.”
Rare health risks related to AZ Piggott said the pharmacy visit would include a screening process and questionnaire before the vaccination was administered. “People don’t need clearance from another health professional unless they have complications or underlying health issues,” he said. “The screening for all of the vaccines is more or less the same, just to make sure you’re OK with vaccinations in general, and the AstraZeneca questionnaire has an extra four or six questions, which touch on the rarer risks of the clotting issue. “The clotting issue is a slightly different syndrome than a leg clot or a lung clot. So if someone has had past clotting in these areas, it does not increase their risk for this type of rare clotting that we see with AstraZeneca. Your chances are the same as everybody else.” Piggott said it was up to individuals to weigh up their own risks and talk to their doctor but said the benefits outweighed the risks when “running the gauntlet of the ever-expanding virus”. “If you look at the risks, it’s a one-in-amillion chance of dying from the vaccine,” he said. Piggott said this statistic, although terrible, would be dwarfed by the number of people that could die from the virus. “The Pfizer and the Moderna vaccine
More than 400 Terry White Chemmart pharmacies started administering the AstraZeneca vaccine from Monday, August 16 Photo supplied: Terry White Chemmart
are not perfect either. They also have their own unique complications, but essentially all of these vaccinations for almost everybody will be perfectly fine and safe,” he said. More than 400 Terry White Chemmart pharmacies also started administering the AstraZeneca vaccine from Monday, August 16, to help support the surging demand. Terry White Chemmart Chief Pharmacist Brenton Hart said the priority was to get as many Australians vaccinated as possible to help reduce the spread. “In all states except Tasmania, our Terry White Chemmart pharmacies are now offering the AstraZeneca vaccine for anyone over the age of 18 deemed appropriate with informed consent. We will also be providing Moderna and potentially Pfizer by mid next month,” Hart said in August. “Our pharmacists have been trained to administer the COVID-19 vaccine in anticipation of this day and are eager to start vaccinating Australians with what is our best defence against the virus. “We all have a job to play in protecting ourselves, our families and others to get through this pandemic.” Bookings can be made via the Terry White Chemmart website or in store. Walk-ins are also welcome.
What young people say AstraZeneca’s efficacy in preventing the spread of COVID-19 has been proven worldwide, yet many young people in the region and across the country are still reluctant to get the AstraZeneca jab. Hamilton’s Jai Tipper, 20, attributes this to changing advice and blames a lack of clear information from governments. “There is definitely a lack of confidence young people possess regarding the safety of AstraZeneca. Different state governments are approving it, whilst you have the likes of Queensland Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young refusing to recommend it for use in people under 40.” Tipper is among the many young people in Newcastle who have not been vaccinated. The lack of clear direction from governments and difficulties in the local vaccination process are among his reasons.
“Judging from the experiences of my friends, the process for vaccination in the Hunter has seemed difficult. The discourse surrounding AZ and blood clotting hasn’t helped anyone, either.” He refers to the rare blood-clotting disorder Thrombosis with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (TTS), which has been connected to the deaths of seven Australians who have had the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Federal Government initially named Pfizer as the preferred vaccine for adults under 50, amid concerns about AstraZeneca’s link to the condition. The Government now says: “If you are aged 18-59 years of age, you can choose to receive the AstraZeneca vaccine following an appropriate assessment of suitability by a qualified health professional; and if you provide verbal or written consent.” Jackson MacNevin, 21, said quickly changing advice meant he was not likely to get vaccinated in the foreseeable future. “It was only around April that the Federal Government recommended young people wait for the Pfizer, and that AstraZeneca is suited only for the over 60s, however now any adult can access it. Changing advice like this shows either questionable research or desperation. Either way, it worries me.” The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) said in a statement that the new advice was issued because of the increasing risk of COVID-19 in Greater Sydney, and the increased severity of the Delta strain. However, Jackson isn’t convinced. “I think the Government is rushing for a solution because they are behind the rest of the world as a developed country.”
Higher vaccination rates necessary NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant have said over recent weeks that vaccination rates must increase in order for residents to enjoy long-term freedom. The Federal Government’s roll-out has so far prioritised vulnerable people such as front-line workers, the immunocompromised and the elderly, in accessing Pfizer shots.
This is something Jai Tipper thinks young people should take into consideration when thinking about vaccination. “As a healthy young person, I will opt for AstraZeneca if it means someone more vulnerable will get Pfizer,” he said. James Burgess, 20, received the AstraZeneca vaccine in July, and described the process as being “super easy”. After consulting his GP to “assess the risks and understand how the vaccine works”, Burgess booked an appointment and received his first jab, and as fully vaccinated by the end of the August. Burgess urged young people in the Hunter to consider AstraZeneca. He said the fear around the AZ vaccine was “silly” and that it stemmed from “a lack of information”. He also blamed media outlets and their tendency to “focus on the dangerous side” of COVID-19 vaccines rather than the role of vaccines in “saving lives”. Liam Sherritt shared a similar sentiment, urging unvaccinated people to “get AstraZeneca”. The 20-year-old asked people to consider that “any small risks that might happen down the line are not comparable to the common long-term negative health effects of having COVID-19”. He conceded that it had been difficult for young Hunter residents to gain access to the vaccine. “My Allied Health worker friends who have tried to get vaccinated have experienced long waiting lists,” he said, adding that appointment cancellations in Belmont earlier this month had made it feel like it was “nearly impossible to get the jab currently”. Sherritt said the recent outbreak, however, had caused “a lot of young people to take one for the team” and get vaccinated with AstraZeneca. While Sherritt’s partner, Angus McFaydon, 19, said his vaccine preference was Pfizer due to its “higher efficacy”, he strongly believed any vaccine was better than no vaccine and that he was “privileged to have had AZ”. “I think young Novocastrians are fantasising that truckloads of Pfizer will arrive in the Hunter for everyone, but the reality is COVID is at our doorstep and we must take what we can get,” McFaydon said. Hayley McMahon and Maia O’Connor
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Uni answers Walgett’s call for help
A team of experienced nurses from the University of Newcastle were called on to provide urgent assistance to vulnerable Indigenous communities following recent outbreaks of COVID-19. The team led by Dean and Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery Professor Amanda Johnson landed in the small western NSW town of Walgett in mid August following desperate calls for help from the Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service (WAMS). Professor Johnson was joined by Wiradjuri woman, Professor of Nursing and Head of the School’s Indigenous Portfolio Professor Rhonda Wilson and Associate Professor of Midwifery Donna Hartz, who is a descendent of the Kamilaroi people. The trio were supporting WAMS with COVID-19 vaccinations and testing. The work came off the back of an 18-month partnership between the university and WAMS. The two organisations have been working towards a potential ‘On Country’ component to be added to the university’s Bachelor of Nursing to enable student nurses to learn and work in Walgett as part of their degree. After seeing COVID-19 cases emerge in Walgett, Professor Rhonda Wilson said they reached out to their partners at WAMS to offer support. “When this emergency came up, and we saw the urgent need to vaccinate the community, we asked if there was anything we could do to help,” Professor Wilson said. “They asked us to come to Walgett
The team at Walgett Aboriginal Medical Service with (L-R in white gowns) Associate Professor Donna Hartz, Professor Rhonda Wilson and Professor Amanda Johnson. Photo supplied
ASAP and help vaccinate the community before the outbreak got any worse. “The numbers have been escalating right across the state, and, in particular, western NSW has seen several spikes, which we were very concerned about.” Professor Wilson said it was extremely worrying to have COVID-19 present in such a small country town, especially with a high population of Aboriginal people. “We have had very low uptake of Aboriginal people with vaccinations to date. They are a vulnerable group and at a very high risk of COVID,” she said. “A lot live in small, close communities. Family is important to Aboriginal people, as well as community and country. “A large COVID outbreak would be extremely devastating. Small country towns don’t have intensive care units or
ventilation equipment. It’s also very difficult to transport people to major centres where there are ICUs and ventilator machines. “This variant escalates extremely quickly. So when people become unwell, they become gravely unwell very rapidly, so it would just absolutely devastate a small community.” Professor Amanda Johnson said many in the community were very positive about getting vaccinated and were encouraging family and friends to roll up their sleeves. “We were invited to a woolshed where we provided vaccinations to the shearers who wished to be vaccinated,” Professor Johnson said. “The majority of those shearers and their immediate families took up the chance as they travel through different regions for work, so it was important for them to have that level of protection.
“It’s so important that we ensure that everyone in this community is vaccinated. There are also many trucks that come through, which adds to the risk of spread. So, it’s essential that everyone has that added level of safety.” Among the positive responses from the community, there was also some hesitancy and fear around getting the vaccination. Professor Wilson said there was a mixture of feelings in the community, and they have worked hard to dispel the popular myths associated with the vaccines. “I think one of the worrying things for people in this community is the communication is not strong. Telecommunication can drop out and even free to air television, and the news can be difficult to get,” she said. “So it does mean that a lot of the communication and messages they receive are through commercial sources, which can sometimes skew public health messages. “Vaccine information that people get is not always correct, and that causes some concern and confusion in the community. So a lot of the work we have been doing while vaccinating is trying to help the community understand the importance and relative safety of vaccination.” The nursing team members said they were thankful to be given the opportunity to help WAMS and commended the Vice-Chancellor, who released the three senior staff members from their duties to help in Walgett. Hayley McMahon
Newcastle loses abortion clinic The Newcastle community is calling for government action after a not-for-profit family planning and abortion clinic closed its doors due to regional operating costs. Marie Stopes Australia is the only national, independently accredited abortion, vasectomy and contraception clinic and has been the largest provider of abortion services in the Hunter region. Marie Stopes announced in June 2021 that it was forced to close some clinics due to the “impacts of COVID-19 and regional operating costs”. Those regional clinics included three in Queensland and the Newcastle clinic in Broadmeadow. A community petition on Change.org was created in response to the planned closure, and it has already collected more than 7000 signatures. “Having cared for more than 600,000 Australians in the almost 20 years, they (Marie Stopes Australia) have led national sexual and reproductive health provision in this country. Thus, filling the public funding shortfall in preventative family planning services and education,” the petition says. “The impacts of this closure to the local and surrounding areas is of detrimental proportions with many individuals now facing uncertainty around their options of family planning
and termination services. “Women should not be put into a position where they may have to make rushed decisions or will find themselves unable to travel, with later gestations or having to negotiate their circumstances around other carer responsibilities.” The petition’s goal is to call upon NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard, Marie Stopes Australia CEO and local members to come together and discuss alternatives to closing the busy Newcastle clinic. Health lawyer and women’s health advocate Catherine Henry said the closure would make it harder and more expensive for women to access their right to safe abortions, forcing many to travel to Sydney. “Even in a non-COVID environment, having to fund travel and accommodation costs to have an abortion in Sydney is additional stress that a woman in this situation does not need,” Henry said. “Those costs are on top of the cost of the procedure, which is around $500.” Medical abortions are available during the first eight or nine weeks of pregnancy and are completed by the woman at home under the advice of a doctor. However, surgical abortions are performed up to 14 weeks gestation by doctors with procedural skills. Currently, Newcastle women can only access surgical abortions at private provider Gynaecology Services Australia
in Broadmeadow or at John Hunter Hospital. Henry said the difficulties in accessing surgical abortion meant women in regional areas would need medical abortions, which required more training and upskilling of regional doctors. “At present, a lot of abortions are being done by telehealth, and this is not desirable,” she said. “Work is being done to develop referral pathways to John Hunter Hospital, but a public hospital environment is not always the ideal environment.” According to Children by Choice, between one quarter and one third of Australian women will experience an abortion in their lifetime. Henry said that surveys consistently showed that 75 per cent of Australians believed abortions should be freely available. “We spent decades trying to get abortion out of the Crimes Act and recognised it as a health issue, not a criminal issue,” she said. “But with abortion decriminalised in NSW for almost two years, we need to ensure equitable access to services for women across the state.” The current NSW Upper House Inquiry into health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote NSW does not include reproductive and sexual health
issues in its terms of reference. “Given the statistics and contemporary attitudes to abortion, I find it quite disturbing that access to abortion services is not being considered,” Henry said. State Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said in correspondence with Minister Hazzard, members of Parliament had been pushing the fact that there had been no government funding to improve abortion accessibility since it was decriminalised two years ago. “Reproductive health is so important but often overlooked, so the loss of Marie Stopes in Newcastle is very disappointing,” Crakanthorp said. “In the last few years, we have fought so hard to win safe access zones and to remove pregnancy termination from the criminal code to ensure that women feel safe and supported when making these decisions. “Since the decriminalisation of pregnancy terminations two years ago, there has been little support from the NSW Government to providers of this service.” Crakanthorp said government funding was needed to ensure equitable access as it was a woman’s right to choose and access the services they required. Hayley McMahon
P9 Boost for uni’s ovarian cancer work novonews.com.au
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The University of Newcastle has been awarded a $595,000 grant by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation (OCRF) to continue its work on early detection of the disease.
Professor Pradeep Tanwar, Australian Research Council Future Fellow and Cancer Institute NSW Career Development Fellow, is group leader of the University of Newcastle’s gynaecology oncology program, whose research aims to establish methods for detection of early-stage ovarian cancer. The team hopes this will be achieved through developing a novel biomarker into a blood test. The technology will “provide GPs, who are the first point of contact for patients” with “some sort of tool to rule out if a patient has ovarian cancer or not. Once they suspect a patient has, this person can be referred to a specialist for confirmation and treatment,” Professor Tanwar said. At the moment, there is no effective technology that can achieve early detection, and Professor Tanwar says development will “take time”. While their current patented test has “already tested the blood samples of 30 women”, the new funding will enable the team to expand their patient cohort. “We will collect blood tests from women who were diagnosed, and women who don’t have cancer but have other kinds of disease or gynaecological disorders. This will confirm our test is picking up ovarian cancer specifically and not misdiagnosing,” he said. The State of the Nation Research Audit, commissioned by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation OCRF in 2020, found that a reliable and accurate early detection test could save 1.3 million lives over the next decade. The OCRF was “thrilled” to be supporting this research, but securing the grant was no easy feat, Professor Tanwar said. “We’re very grateful we were one of the two teams selected nationally. [The
Professor Pradeep Tanwar and his team at the University of Newcastle have received a $595,000 grant for their research Photo source: The University of Newcastle
grant] was highly competitive, so it has been recognition for the work that is done here in Hunter, and recognition for the team at the university. “It goes to show the work we do here is top notch. Even though we are a regional university, we do well in cancer research, women’s health problems” and other science faculties, he said. Professor Tanwar said the impacts of the disease hit especially close to home here in the Hunter. “The Hunter is a prime location for ovarian cancer research because we have almost a base of one million patients covered by John Hunter. We have a lot of women and their relatives who live in this area, so we’re able to study patients who have a family history of cancer.” Nationally, ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynaecological cancer. Some 1400 Australian women are diagnosed with the disease every year. Two-thirds of these women won’t survive because the symptoms are difficult to recognise, resulting in late diagnoses.
Professor Tanwar described the disease as a “silent killer”, and he hopes to improve outcomes for those affected. While a team of 15 researchers has been working at the University of Newcastle, Professor Tanwar said the study involved experts from all across the Hunter, and wider Australia. Clinicians at John Hunter and Calvary Mater hospitals have been involved locally, and Professor Tanwar’s team has been supported by a group in Melbourne, who designs the physical aspects of the test such as “what it will look like” and storage logistics such as “its stability at room temperature”. “It’s an advanced disciplinary team effort. People from different areas of expertise are coming together to work on a problem.” Professor Tanwar also recognised the contribution of the wider Hunter community, saying research wouldn’t have been possible had it not been for the culmination of efforts by local sources. “A lot of the early work was supported
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by community donations as well as funding from various local organisations,” he said. Almost $1.3M has already been committed by the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation, who Professor Tanwar said had “been a really great supporter of the university” and who “are very heavily invested” in the study. “Investment from the State Government and local community and charities leads to national funding, which pushes the project and research forward.” Research for the project has stalled significantly as a result of COVID-19 lockdowns across the Hunter. It has not only caused delays in patient recruitment, it has limited access to the lab due to University of Newcastle closures. Once the study fully recommences, “the goal is to finish this cohort of patients in three months and see what the data says. Then we’ll do a national study, so naturally we will test across other states and cover other geographical locations, which leads to international studies and this leads to approvals.” Professor Tanwar said community awareness was critical, as one of the greatest challenges of ovarian cancer was the lack of community awareness surrounding the disease. “A majority of patients who get diagnosed with ovarian cancer have never heard of it, so naturally it’s quite a shock. It’s only after diagnosis that these women and their families start reading up on what ovarian cancer is.” Gaining an awareness of the disease would ensure women didn’t ignore it if they experienced symptoms, Professor Tanwar said. “If [women] know about it they’re more likely to ask their GP to examine for it. Awareness is important for diagnosis and prevention.” For more information on ovarian cancer, visit the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation’s website. Maia O’Connor
Breast cancer prevails in pandemic
As Hunter residents focus on the fight to contain COVID-19, hundreds across the region are quietly battling breast cancer.
Not-for-profit Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation says it has experienced a tripling of demand for its client support services over the past 14 months. The foundation helps women and men undergoing breast cancer treatment by assisting families with cleaning, lawn maintenance and transport to medical appointments, as well as the provision of children’s books to better explain Mum or Dad’s cancer journey. The foundation, which has been operating for more than 20 years, aims to give women their confidence back, providing wigs, head wear and prosthetic breasts post-treatment. “For the last financial year up to June 2021, we have supported over 265 families through breast cancer,” HBCF’s Abbey McDonell said. “However, we know there is probably
a lot of other families out there needing to access the services.” HBCF worked hard during 2020 to transition its services to COVID-safe delivery methods, especially given the immunocompromised status of many clients. The foundation was ready to pivot again in 2021 as COVID reached the Hunter, getting creative with its fundraising events. Newcastle drag queen Timberlina hosted a virtual Boobie Bingo charity night for HBCF on Sunday night, August 22 Via Zoom, Timberlina called three rounds of bingo, delivering drag performances in between. “We are obviously going through a difficult time, but unfortunately cancer doesn’t stop during lockdown, so it’s really important for the community to get on board and keep supporting us,” McDonell said. According to Breast Cancer Network Australia, it is projected that 20,030
Australians will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, or 55 people a day. Government-led mammogram provider BreastScreen NSW last month suspended all routine breast screening statewide, citing increasing risk from the Delta outbreak. The statement from BreastScreen said staff were being redeployed to assist in the management of COVID-19. The USA’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention said America’s National Breast Cancer Early Detection Program experienced a decline of 87 per cent detection during April 2020 compared to the previous five-year averages for that month. Two studies from researchers in Massachusetts also reveal a worrying trend: more than a quarter of surveyed breast cancer patients reported they had experienced a delay in screening or a delay in treatment due to the pandemic. The CDC believes clinic closures,
requirements to stay home and public fear of contracting COVID-19 in clinical settings is contributing to breast cancer diagnosis delays, leading to poorer patient outcomes. Hunter Breast Cancer Foundation is urging Novocastrians to remain breast aware. “We would encourage everyone to not let COVID delay routine medical appointments or especially not if they have any concerns,” McDonell said. “There are telehealth appointments and access to in-person consultations available, so I wouldn’t be scared off. As we know, early detection is the best prevention. “If the outcome is not what you are expecting, that is what HBCF is here for, and we will be here to support you.” The foundation says it has a number of community-led fundraising ideas in the works and hopes Novocastrians will get involved. Lauren Freemantle
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The loneliness of life with COVID
It has been roughly 18 months since COVID-19 touched the Hunter region, and young Novocastrians say they are lonelier than ever.
Common rites of passage such as attending 21st birthday parties, moving out of home and travelling have all been impacted by the pandemic, making it harder than ever for young adults to maintain social connections. Online learning at the University of Newcastle in 2020 has also meant students feel alienated from their classmates. Communication student Hayley Ratcliffe, 19, said after two years at university she hadn’t made any friends. “I know we are paying for the degree, but I expected way more of a social experience, just like the movies I guess,” Ratcliffe said. “People say that you make friends at uni that last for a lifetime and that your 20s are the best years of your life, but I feel robbed in a way.” University of Newcastle students are learning remotely amid the Hunter and Greater Sydney lockdowns. “I feel like it’s really hard to connect with people. You just get out of bed, open the laptop, get on Zoom and that’s it,” Ratcliffe said. “There’s no initiative from anyone, no one starts a conversation and no one interacts. If they do, it’s with people from high school who they already know.” It is a sentiment shared publicly by her peers on a popular student Facebook page. The UON Love Letters Revived page, which is not affiliated with University of Newcastle management, is usually home to light-hearted posts
A call to action emblazoned on the Newcastle Post Office construction site Image supplied: Lucy Cook
about students’ crushes on campus. Lately, however, the site has morphed into a place students go to anonymously vent feelings of loneliness and sadness. Crisis support centre Lifeline Australia said one day in August it had received the highest volume of calls in the organisation’s 58-year history: 3345 callers nationally. A guide to maintaining social connections, prepared by the University of Newcastle’s counselling team, was among a raft of support resources emailed to students by Deputy ViceChancellor Mark Hoffman last month. “It is not surprising that loneliness at university is common. Friendship is not a straightforward process, and just because you try something once does not mean it will work,” the document said. “Everyone has their own stuff going on and sometimes not connecting is about the other person. Remember the secret is linking back to your values of making
friends and being prepared to try again or try in a different way to make that connection.” But even young professionals in dynamic workplaces have been feeling disconnected. NBN television journalist Lauren Kempe, 24, said working full time amid the pandemic has caused her peripheral friendships to fade out. “During normal circumstances it’s a challenge [to stay in touch] but in the last two years I’ve found I’ve essentially lost contact with some people, including long-term friends I thought I would have for life,” Kempe said. “I know I’m not in their ‘top five go-to people’ but I still love hanging out with them. “But events get postponed or just cancelled altogether. Many aren’t motivated to put in the effort any more for the risk that a party or bigger event won’t come off, and who can blame them?
“So yeah, you find yourself getting closer with your close friends but even more distanced, sometimes irreversibly so, with the others. It’s incredibly socially isolating,” she said. University of Newcastle alumnus Nick Cain moved to Sydney for work in the finance industry a few years ago and said relocating has created a lingering sense of disconnection with old friends and family members. “I feel more disconnected than lonely, partially because I live with someone in lockdown,” Cain said. “But I think this is typical of people who move away for work like we did, and this issue has just been compounded by COVID.” The 24-year-old said he was putting in effort to grow and maintain social connections. “I think I’m much more inclined to arrange to call or FaceTime friends during lockdowns than I probably otherwise would have done. “I’m much more avid about being deliberately social at work when I have a chance to be there in person, whereas before I might have been more introverted.” Back on the UON Love Letters Revived page, students were finding unique ways to make connections, by advertising their hobbies such as basketball and four-wheel driving that they would like to partake in with newfound friends once restrictions ease. Albeit unconventional, the posts demonstrate the way young adults are showing resilience and optimism in the face of the Hunter’s COVID challenges. People aged 12-25 seeking help for mental health issues should contact headspace or Kids Helpline. Lauren Freemantle
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REWRITING THE STORY: HEALTHY EATING IS EXPENSIVE ‘protein-sparer’. It provides amino acids which are missing from meat, eggs and seafood – helping to ‘complete’ the protein and make it go further, from a nutritional perspective. This is the wisdom of peasant food – a few morsels of meat in a big pot of broth and vegetables is far more nourishing than our typical steak and three veg meal and brings the meal cost down significantly.
GEORGIA LIENEMANN
This is the third part in our six-week series on the counterproductive stories we tell ourselves in the kitchen – those hurdles that mess with our mojo and prevent us from enjoying the process of cooking. This week we’re honing-in on another popular track that often plays in our minds. Some version of ‘healthy eating is expensive’, ‘we can’t afford organic / insert label here’. Now there’s no denying that for a significant chunk of the population who are genuinely struggling to make ends meet – of course, there is truth to this story. Unfortunately, the system is rigged so that the ingredients in most junk foods are subsidised, making ‘real food’ (fresh produce and animal foods) appear more expensive than they would, otherwise. And of course, when you’re living hand to mouth, it’s difficult to argue that the cheapest food isn’t the best choice. However, collectively, our spending on food – proportional to our income – has actually declined dramatically since the sixties. Our great grandparents spent roughly a third of their income on food and received less food for their money, to boot. Granted, it might be hard to swallow when you glance over the price of organic blueberries or avocados just outside of season!
Is it true, or is it ‘story’? Now, one of the best revelations to come out of my many years of determined investigation into traditional foods and farming methods, is that a deeply nourishing, nutrient dense diet can be achieved on a very tight budget. One of my greatest passions is demonstrating to parents that they can dramatically increase the levels of nutrients in their family’s diet whilst simultaneously reducing their food bill. Often all it takes is a few tweaks the way they shop and cook. However, before I get into a few of my tips on this, it’s important to question your beliefs around the cost of food and whether there’s potential for a shift in mindset? Ask yourself, is good quality food really ‘too’ expensive? Or are we simply valuing it less? I’ve come to realise that good food should be expensive, because it has inherent value and it takes a lot of work to produce. High cost or low priority? The second thing to ponder in this vein is where you’re actually spending your food dollars. Has good quality, nourishing food dropped down the priority list in favour of convenience or luxury food items?
For many people I encounter, the switch to pasture-raised chicken (chickens who exist outside, exercising all day and eating their intended diet of grass, insects and a small portion of grain) seems like a big leap, pricewise. Of course, due to the economies of scale, it’s cheaper to produce a factory farmed bird, raised crammed with a few thousand others, in a shed. I’d argue that dollar for dollar, you’re likely getting the same amount of nutrition when we compare them, but that’s me getting distracted from the point I was aiming to make! When people who are transitioning to a more nutrient dense diet baulk at the price of food that is produced to a higher standard, they’re often still spending on a daily coffee, takeaway meals or other items that our grandparents would have considered a luxury. All this is fine, of course! It’s just worth acknowledging that a shift in perspective could take place – often we point the finger at cost, when it’s really a case of priorities. Nutrient density on a shoestring budget So, you want to eat better quality food, but think you can’t justify the cost. It’s possible!
What I’ve found is that if people can learn to harness the skills and know-how of yesteryear, it’s easy to capitalise on the current climate of food abundance that we often take for granted. Knowing how to shop is probably the biggest factor. Here are some of my best tips:
Seasonal eating We’ve talked at length on the column about seasonal eating and that committing to this practice will slash your food bill overnight. Seasonal ingredients are local ingredients – no shipping costs and extra nutrition to boot, simply due to freshness. Unsexy vegetables Another kitchen skill that can be easily learnt – making over unsexy produce and learning to use every part. Why toss away carrot tops and beet greens when you could make a delicious carrot top pesto and save the dollars you would have spent on basil? Learning to love odd bits and secondary cuts We’ve been programmed to think that steak, breast fillet and chops are the prime cuts due to their ease of cooking. You might be surprised to learn that in fact, the cuts that we prize above all others were the ones
Newcastle’s COVID-19 updates Find all the latest news and numbers for Newcastle’s COVID-19 outbreak on the NovoNews website. We update our page daily with local exposure sites, Hunter New England Health advice and all the essential information you need to stay safe. Scan the QR code for a direct link to the page.
traditional cultures often fed to their dogs due to their inferior nutrition! As unfashionable as they have been in recent history, organ meats were preferred by these cultures – revered, in fact – due to their unrivalled nutrient density (10-100 times the nutrition of muscle meat)! From now on, when you think ‘superfoods’, I want you to forget about heavily marketed, pre-packaged exotic fruits and powders and remember that a single serving of liver will usually offer 50-100% of your daily requirement of B vitamins and large spectrum of other nutrients, at a fraction of the cost. In fact, offal is usually a half or one third of the price of the more popular cuts of meat, as are other bony cuts like necks and short ribs. If you master the art of slowcooking, you can buck the trend and scoop up the cheapest bony cuts on offer, which, like organ meats, are far more nutrient dense (and therefore flavourful) than the prime cuts. Make bone broth This is my other sneaky tip on this front. Make use of animal bones! You can buy grass-fed pork and lamb bones from local online butcher Ethical Farmers for just $1.50 per kilo. Broth is what we call a
Hacks that really work Our family eats the highest quality animal protein on the market (which would be considered expensive, to most people) and I regularly manage to keep our mealtime protein cost to $5 for two adults and two children. Sometimes even as little as $2, simply by adhering to the above principles. Let me give you an example. My local farmers, Full Circle Farm sell ‘broth’ birds. These are older egg-laying birds that have finished their life on the farm. They’re often half or one third of the price of their regular chicken, although a little bit tougher because they’re much older (which means they’re far more nutrient dense and flavourful, just as an aside). I toss a whole chicken in a pot, top with water and simmer for a few hours, which creates a beautifully flavoured broth. I strain the broth into 5-6 jars and after removing the meat from the carcass and giving it a quick dice, it goes into the jars as well. They’re stored in the freezer for a convenient protein addition to vegetable soups and more. When I make a simple pumpkin and chicken soup, I’ve managed to feed my whole family a nourishing meal for less than a cup of coffee. So, I promise you, you can afford to eat the best quality food. You just need to change your mindset and learn a few little tricks along the way. Remember, learning and integrating new habits is only an effort until it’s routine.
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Pitt’s PEP11 decision still pending
Stop PEP11 Paddle Out earlier this year Photo supplied: Ben Gamlin
Over six months have passed since the offshore Petroleum Exploration Permit 11 (PEP 11) expired and Federal Minister for Resources Keith Pitt is yet to make a formal decision on its extension. The permit proposed by Advent Energy would allow gas and oil drilling off the coast of Newcastle, stretching all the way to Wollongong. Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon said she had written to Minister Pitt twice requesting that he reject the extension of PEP 11 but was yet to receive a reply. Claydon said the Minister’s indecision regarding the application of the permit extension had fuelled anxiety among the community. “Clearly Minister Pitt is not taking the deep concerns of our community seriously. It’s simply not good enough that I’m yet to receive a response from the Minister on such a serious issue.” She said her office had been flooded with tens of thousands of letters, emails and calls from the community rejecting the PEP 11 project. “From Sydney to Newcastle, communities along the coastline have been outspoken on this issue, and they deserve answers,” Claydon said. “Representatives across the political spectrum, including the Prime Minister, have been united in our calls to stop the exploration of oil and gas off our beautiful beaches. “The Minister has been sitting on his decision for over six months now. It’s
time Keith Pitt listened to the voices of our coastal communities and act urgently to put an end to PEP 11 once and for all.” Save Our Coast founder Natasha Deen told NovoNews in June 2021 that coastal communities had fiercely opposed the plan that put the ocean’s ecosystem at risk.
“A delayed decision on cancelling PEP 11 not only places communities under severe stress, but it also sends a message to these oil and gas companies that they can continue business as usual,” Deen said. “It’s time for PEP 11 to be cancelled, and for the coast to be saved for future generations.”
The proposed site for offshore gas and oil drilling Photo source: Save Our Coast
Many NSW State and Federal members have all stood united against the permit. Federal Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski and Federal Member for Wentworth Dave Sharma believe the licence was “destined for the trash can”. “For the last five years, members of both the Liberal and Labor parties have, with their communities, campaigned hard against the renewal of this licence,” Falinski and Sharma said. “It is a matter of when, not if, we are putting a stake through the heart of this unloved and unwanted licence that has hung like the sword of Damocles over the heads of our communities from Wollongong to Newcastle. “It is difficult to find anyone who does support PEP 11. As the motion debated in Parliament in October 2020 showed, there was no one who wanted to speak up in favour of PEP 11.” Since October 2020 a motion moved through the House of Representatives calling for PEP 11 to not be renewed received bipartisan support from Liberals Trent Zimmerman and Dave Sharma, plus Labor’s Emma McBride, Sharon Claydon and Pat Conroy. Deputy Premier John Barilaro, James Griffin and Rob Stokes have all spoken out against it and Prime Minister Scott Morrison also confirmed his opposition in March 2021. Most recently Member for Warringah Zali Steggall has announced she will introduce a private members bill to Parliament, helping to bring an end to the permit. Hayley McMahon
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Bumper whale season draws eyes to the coastline
Photo supplied: Samuel Mackenzie @dronedoutphotography
There has never been a better time to spot a flipping tail or a cascade of sea spray as humpback whales make their way up and down Australia’s East Coast. An estimated 35,000 humpbacks have migrated from their homes in the Antarctic to tropical North Queensland to mate and give birth. The majestic creatures are now travelling south with new-born calves in tow, delighting droves of Novocastrians at popular lookouts at King Edward Park and Nobbys Breakwall. Whale-watching experts note the best time to view humpbacks from land
occurs as they travel south, closer to shore to protect calves from predators. The founder of Newcastle adventure tourism business CoastXP, Dominic May, said the southern migration appeared to have started early this year, providing excellent whale-watching conditions for Hunter residents. “We don’t normally see the whales travelling south in quite decent numbers until September or October, and we have already started to see plenty heading south, which is a good thing; it means that there are probably more whales around,” May said in August. It is an observation backed by science.
The University of Queensland has found Australian humpback populations are growing by 10 to 11 per cent each year. It is a long and remarkable tale of recovery, as whale populations were historically decimated from the time of Australia’s European colonisation until whaling was banned in the 1960s. Dominic May said it was great to see that even with COVID restrictions, locals were able to get out walking and witness the migration phenomenon. “People like my parents or grandparents are not used to seeing humpback whales along the coastline when they were kids,” May said.
“In fact, it would probably be quite rare for them to spot one, because their numbers were down to the hundreds. “Now with the numbers being between 30,000 and 35,000 each year alone, it’s an activity that people are able to participate in quite easily, just by walking along the coastline. It’s very exciting to see that change over a number of years.” Despite the thriving humpback population, local tourism operators are struggling to stay afloat amid a huge loss of revenue induced by the latest COVID lockdown in NSW. Lauren Freemantle
2021 OVOSOCIETYSEPTEMBER ISSUE 006 P14novonews.com.au
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Lesson in patience for Hunter’s Year 12 From page 1 “I was relieved that these exams were cancelled because the uncertainty in the weeks leading up to them as to whether they would be on was just torture.” Tulip said the HSC postponement was just one of the disappointments brought about by COVID. She said her cohort had missed out on some of senior school’s social highlights, including a Year 11 ski trip, school dances, graduation, muck-up week, schoolies and potentially their Year 12 formal. “All these experiences are regarded as rites of passage during such a monumental chapter in our lives. “To think that 13 years of school came to a sudden end on a random Thursday has been the biggest disappointment of this year,” she said. The University of Newcastle has announced they will be providing increased support for HSC students this year, including five ATAR adjustment points in recognition of the challenges students have faced. Vice-Chancellor Professor Alex Zelinsky said the University of Newcastle was committed to supporting Year 12 students’ aspirations of pursuing higher education. “We know this is an extraordinarily challenging time for Year 12 students, their families and their teachers and we’re here to support them,” Professor Zelinsky said. “We want Year 12 students to know that if they’re planning to study at the University of Newcastle next year, they’ll still have every opportunity to do that. We’ll make sure our processes are adjusted to take account of the delayed exams recently announced by the NSW Government.” Pro Vice-Chancellor College of Human and Social Futures Professor John Fischetti suggested students and their families might benefit from practising positivity each day. “You will go fine and be fine. Go for it but give yourself a break. This is one small phase of a brilliant life ahead,” he said. “Human brain wiring includes more
HSC exams have been pushed back to begin on November 9 due to the state’s COVID crisis. Photo source: NSW government
than 100 billion neurons, which, especially in young people, can be changed by stimulation – good or bad. The unanticipated time that we now have with our children is tough and stressful, but it is also amazing. We are there to see them struggle, we are there to help them succeed.”
Professor Fischetti’s top tips for Year 12 students: • “The HSC is an important milestone, but it is not the ‘be all end all’ that many people make it. All options for your amazing futures are available after the HSC. Those may involve taking a slightly different path to enabling programs or to a degree that is related and through which you may apply to transfer into later on, based on your success. Don’t give up on your dream.” • “These are unique times that none of us have experienced. The main thing is to take care of yourself and the people around you. Get outside every day for a walk, jog or bike ride. Eat well and get plenty of rest. The stress we all feel is real but we can moderate it through healthy practices.” • “Reach out if you’re not going well and reach out to friends. Build a
support network around you that ‘gets you’. We have to all breathe through this right now. And feeling connected to supportive friends and family is so crucial.” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was prioritising the safety and education of students through the managed return to school as well as encouraging many to seek out vaccination appointments. “The return-to-school plan provides parents, teachers and students with certainty and a path forward for the return to face-to-face learning,” she said. “We know the past few months have been tough on the school community, and we are deeply grateful to parents, teachers and students for the sacrifices you have made. Please continue to protect our students by getting vaccinated as quickly as possible.” While the Government has made it possible for Year 12 students in Sydney’s areas of concern to get vaccinated easily and quickly, vaccination availability in the Hunter region has been sparse.
State Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said he was frustrated with the lack of Pfizer supplies in the Hunter. “A few days ago, I did some media regarding the lack of supply, and therefore appointments, in the Hunter for people who need to receive the Pfizer vaccine,” he said. “When I did, it was mid-November that people were able to secure a slot at the Belmont hub. Today, you’re lucky if you can find one.” Crakanthorp said he wrote to the Premier about the vaccine roll-out and the low priority assigned to the Hunter region. “The failure to secure an adequate supply of Pfizer falls squarely on the Federal Government, but the distribution of the NSW Health supply falls on the State Government,” he said. “Last month, we saw vaccines taken from regional and rural areas and redirected to Sydney. The next shipment of Pfizer cannot be weighted towards Sydney. “The Hunter must receive its fair share.” Hayley McMahon
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P15 Uni tackles mosquito problem novonews.com.au
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SEPTEMBER 2021 ISSUE 006
University of Newcastle researchers are taking on one of Australia’s most prolific mosquitos, responsible for spreading the Ross River virus. The three-year project is in collaboration with the University of Newcastle, CSIRO, the NSW Department of Health and the University of Melbourne, which will use genomic sequencing to inform suppression strategies for the Aedes vigilax mosquito. The Aedes vigilax is one of Australia’s most widespread mosquito species, which can fly many kilometres within a lifetime and spread the Ross River virus. Ross River virus is the most reported mosquito-borne disease in Australia. More than 4000 cases are reported yearly. The Aedes vigilax mosquito is predominantly found in coastal wetlands, marshes and swamps, making the University of Newcastle, located in the Hunter River estuary, the perfect location to study the population. A researcher from the University of Newcastle’s School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Dr Toby Mills, said the study was important in making efforts to control mosquito populations in the Hunter. “The project is a part of the University of Newcastle’s Grand Challenge to reduce the burden that mosquitoes impose on human health and lessen the nuisance factor inflicted by mosquitoes in urban areas, including the Callaghan campus,” Dr Mills said. “Following on from the collaborative genomics and trapping program, we
University of Newcastle researcher Dr Toby Mills is looking at using genomic sequencing to inform suppression strategies for the Aedes vigilax mosquito Photo supplied
will also be running a bi-monthly surveillance program through autumn, winter and spring to identify the presence of the mosquito ‘off-season’. “In addition, we have developed an insectary and established Aedes vigilax colonies to further the research aims of the project.” CSIRO research scientist Dr Brendan Trewin said new advances in genomic sequencing would underpin the project. “Advances in technology mean we can sequence tiny amounts of DNA to track
genetic differences of individual mosquito genomes and find distinct populations – a technique which has not been applied to this species before,” Dr Trewin said. “This information will provide the foundation for the next phase of the project, which will assess the feasibility of controlling the Hunter Aedes vigilax population with Wolbachia, a natural bacteria which has been successfully used to suppress vector-borne disease in over 13 countries, including here in
Australia.” Using this genomic sequence approach, the team will look at closely related mosquito populations and determine relationships within and between populations in the Hunter estuary, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and throughout Australia. Information source: Media release, The University of Newcastle
Orphan calf provides a lift for inmates Inmates at a correctional centre in the Hunter region are relishing their role in helping to hand-raise an orphaned calf called Ferdinand. St Heliers Correctional Centre is a minimum-security facility in Muswellbrook for male inmates providing work and training opportunities in vegetable farming and processing, engineering, housing construction and farming. The centre also incorporates a cattle breeding program where inmates are taught basic animal husbandry skills, fencing, pasture management skills, and how to manage the welfare of animals. Black Angus-cross calf Ferdinand was found shivering in a paddock during a stock check of newborn calves and expectant cows. Governor Louise Smith said the inmates were learning how to care for the calf, which needed to be fed three times a day. “It was a freezing cold Saturday when they found Ferdinand,” Smith said. “He was really undernourished and skinny. They took him to the stable and made a bed for him out of hay. “It’s now all hands on deck, nurturing him back to health. Inmates do the morning and lunchtime feed and I share the night-time feed with Senior Assistant Superintendent Rohan Archer.”
Senior Assistant Superintendent Michael Bullock with Ferdinand Photo supplied: CSNSW
Ferdinand was expected to be reintroduced to the herd once on solid foods. Smith said caring for livestock was a new experience for many inmates who came from the city and were learning skills that would set them up for future agricultural employment.
St Heliers Manager of Industries Col Austen said up to 25 inmates took part in the cattle breeding program. “There are four bulls and 250 head of cattle to manage,” Austen said. “Inmates take ownership of their roles and they get paid for their work, which builds their self-confidence and gives
them a sense of pride. “The 500-hectare prison farm also produces vegetables, including a current crop of 6000 broccoli plants, which are processed and distributed to feed inmates across the state.” Information source: Media release, Corrective Services NSW
2021 OVOSOCIETYSEPTEMBER ISSUE 006 P16novonews.com.au
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Afghanistan crisis close to home
Faisal Ahmady, owner-operator of Sunset Kebab Dine In and Take Away in Honeysuckle Photo supplied (taken pre-COVID restrictions)
A former interpreter for the Australian Defence Force, Newcastle businessman Faisal Ahmady can do nothing but watch on in helpless horror as tragic scenes unfold in his homeland of Afghanistan. In late August, the Taliban declared victory following a lightning offensive, which in just over a week overwhelmed the democracy that the US and coalition forces fought to uphold for almost two decades. Ahmady, who is the owner of Sunset Kebab Dine In and Take Away at Honeysuckle, is worried for his family and the uncertain fate they face as the Taliban seeks to further consolidate its rule. He is worried the extremist group will seek revenge against those who worked with the US and coalition forces. “I have lots of family over there at the moment. All my family have been working for the coalition forces, for the government. My cousins are doctors, nurses, English teachers. “Some of my cousins have escaped from the city where I grew up because my family is recognised as a helper of Australians. “It’s all because I was an interpreter.” Ahmady’s 23-year-old cousin was among the desperate citizens caught in the chaos at Kabul airport when the Taliban took control. Ahmady said his cousin was one of the men filmed clinging onto an aircraft. His attempts to board were unsuccessful,
and he was caught up in the stampede that ensued. His friends were tragically killed when they were run over by the taxiing plane. It’s an image Faisal Ahmady said was now burned indelibly into his young cousin’s mind. He was suffering from extreme shock after witnessing the aftermath and “seeing all the blood”, Ahmady said. While the Taliban told Afghan citizens they had nothing to fear, and appealed for them to remain in the country, many weren’t convinced. “Nobody wants to stay. That’s why they run after the airplanes,” Ahmady said. He believes the thought of Taliban occupation is too much to bear for some. Falling from the planes was intentional in a decision to take their own life, he believes. “[By holding onto the aircraft] they knew they were going to die. They simply didn’t want to live under a Taliban regime.” He also holds grave fears for the future of his homeland, as his fellow Afghan community believes the Taliban will reestablish the harsh interpretation of Islamic law they imposed when in power in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. Ahmady said his family had felt the cruelty of the Taliban. “Two of my sisters were attacked by the Taliban in 2019,” he said, adding that they had since relocated to another country but were “still living in constant fear”. He feels an even more uncertain fate
now awaits his female relatives still in Kabul. “One of my female cousins has studied Law for four years, and today they went to university and could no longer study. “Another cousin of mine, who has graduated, she now has to sit at home. People who have studied all their life, how can you expect them to stay home?” he said. Ahmady’s fears and accounts are in keeping with United Nations secretarygeneral António Guterres, who warned of “severe restrictions on human rights” across Afghanistan since the Taliban took over. “With Talib rule, Afghanistan is going to go back 100 years. We’ll lose our technology, our army, our knowledgeable people,” Ahmady said. There have been many calls for Australia and the wider international community to save Afghanis who remain in the country, however, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has admitted that some Afghanis with ties to the Coalition won’t be saved. For those not rescued, there’s “no guarantee” they’ll be able to escape, or even survive, Ahmady said. He said nations such as Canada had announced that they were withdrawing 20,000 Afghan people from the capital to be resettled as refugees. He applauded the opportunity for a “better life and an education” for fellow Afghans. He said he’d like to see a similar response from Australia. After being resettled here in 2014, he said “life can’t get much better.”
“You have everything in your country, in your hands. Life can’t get better for you guys right now. “My message is to appreciate the country; the health system you have, the honest people here. “Right now, [Afghan] people don’t have jobs, they don’t have money to survive, they have medical expenses. “For basic food, I’ve been sending money back home [to my family].” Ahmady said that “even before lockdown, many Australians complain about their life”. “Life in Australia cannot compare to life in Afghanistan. Move overseas and see the difference,” he said. The former interpreter opened his food outlet in Newcastle to share the culture and cuisine of his homeland, however admitted that since opening in June, local COVID restrictions had made business difficult. “Although I trusted in myself. I can handle it. I never give up.” He said a recent Facebook post asking Novocastrians for their support resulted in a huge turnaround in business, which was now “starting to boom”. Sunset Kebab offers a fusion of Afghani/Turkish cuisine, and Ahmady said all the ingredients were “fresh, organic and pesticide-free”. He urged Novocastrians to come and “test” his food, saying it wouldn’t disappoint. For the full story, visit novonews.com. au Maia O’Connor
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Pensini plates up prize-winning portraits
West Australian artist Lori Pensini has taken out the $50,000 Kilgour Prize for her emotive depiction of family heritage and inter-racial relationships. Pensini was proclaimed the winner in an online call between Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Newcastle Art Gallery Director Lauretta Morton. Pensini painted a series of family portraits on heirloom fine bone china plates, titled Family 2021. “A tribute to the inter-racial relationships of my colonial fore-bearers and the First Peoples of the southwest of Western Australia,” Pensini said. “These portraits are a continuum for myself and my art practice exploring the Indigenous lineage to my ancestry. “Each plate is unique to itself, honouring individual endeavours and fortitude. Collectively they embody the sense of family, of intimate bonds forged and the endurance of fervent relationships that defied racial vilification of the times.” Pensini has been a perennial Kilgour Prize finalist for five years and was the People’s Choice winner in 2018. Morton said the judges were impressed by the exploration of the Australian identity and the weight and substance of Pensini’s innovative work. “There is a tension presented through this work. The portraits are haunting,
2021 Kilgour Prize winner Lori Pensini Photo supplied: City of Newcastle
but also mesmerising,” Morton said. “It is not a divisive narrative, but one that embraces the individual stories behind this family portrait.” The Kilgour Prize exhibition was meant to open on August 13, but the Newcastle Art Gallery was forced to move the exhibition and winner announcement online due to COVID-19 restrictions. “While we are disappointed not to be
Family 2021 by Lori Pensini, which won the 2021 Kilgour Prize Photo supplied: Newcastle Art Gallery
able to share this news with Lori in person, we felt it was more important to pass on our congratulations without any further delay,” Lord Mayor Nelmes said. “The arts community has been hit hard by the effects of COVID-19, making this award and its $50,000 prize even more valuable at this time.” The Kilgour Prize is administered by Newcastle Art Gallery and funded by artist Jack Noel Kilgour.
While Newcastle Art Gallery remains closed, the Kilgour Prize 2021 exhibition can be viewed here. The People’s Choice Award voting is now open and can be cast online until 5pm on October 6, 2021. The winner will be announced on October 11, 2021, and awarded $5000. Information source: Media release, City of Newcastle
New Annual festival postponed Newcastle’s creatively ambitious New Annual festival has been postponed until September 2022 due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The festival was scheduled to take place this September 24 to October 3. This isn’t the first time the festival has had to be rescheduled. The October 2020 New Annual festival was also postponed due to COVID-19 and was held in early February 2021. Given ongoing COVID-19 cases in the area and the associated public health, artist availability and restriction concerns, City of Newcastle was forced to make the decision. City of Newcastle Strategy and Engagement Acting Director Kathleen Hyland said while the decision to postpone this year’s New Annual was disappointing, it was clear it wasn’t a suitable time to be planning a festival. “The decision to not go ahead with New Annual this September has been made with our community’s safety in mind,” Hyland said. “Following on from the success of our inaugural event in February, our team was in the midst of planning a New Annual that would take the festival to the next level with an outstanding program of events and performances, including new acts and new locations that would bring our city to life. “But with headline artists coming from across Australia, and New Annual’s audience being drawn from far and wide, the current COVID environment means it is no longer appropriate, or possible, to deliver the kind of event we envisaged.”
The Intergalacular Sci-fi Spectacular created by Fingers Crossed Creative was performed at the inaugural New Annual festival in February 2021 Photo supplied: Solomon Wilks @soltookthis
Curious Legends CEO Mitchell Reese said it was a challenging time for local artists as the postponement of New Annual would have a domino effect on future projects. “I think a lot of artists will be in the same boat as us. Once one project is pushed back then it makes it challenging to reschedule and plan for all other future projects,” Reese said. “It’s an interesting and very tricky time. But at the end of the day, the council has been amazing and we’ve had conversations about alternative ways to go ahead with our performance.” Curious Legends were scheduled to perform their large-scale, site-specific
outdoor production called Gimbay Gatigaan at New Annual. In collaboration with the local Worimi community, Gimbay Gatigaan has been the bulk of Curious Legends’ work and has been in design and build mode for months. “We are looking at alternative presentation dates and there have been discussions about presenting over summer,” Reese said. “My understanding, at least with us, is that the council is very much aware of what a bind we are put in when things are not able to continue as planned. “They have really been working with us and trying to find a way ahead, for which
I am very grateful.” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said they were exploring opportunities to engage some of the New Annual artists in delivering their works as part of other festivities such as New Year’s Eve. Last February’s New Annual event attracted over 30,000 people to more than 50 events across Newcastle. More than 30 ticketed events and workshops were sold out, which supported more than 500 artists and 250 event staff, crew and volunteers. For more information visit the City of Newcastle’s New Annual website. Hayley McMahon
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A colourful call to mind our language
A pre-COVID Wear It Purple parade Photo sourced: Sophie Savill
Hunter LGBTQIA+ communities are urging Novocastrians to reflect on how their language, actions and spaces could be better adapted to include queer and gender diverse people. On Friday, August 27, members of Hunter Gender Alliance and the University of Newcastle Queer Collective marked an important event in the queer calendar: Wear It Purple Day. Launched 11 years ago in response to alarming rates of LGBTQIA+ youth suicide, Wear It Purple Day encourages queer people, businesses, and the wider community to don purple clothes in a symbol of alliance. “Wear It Purple Day is particularly significant in the way that it’s about visibility and is open to anyone to participate and say ‘hey, I see you and I am an ally,’” Arden Cassie from Hunter Gender Alliance said. For Cassie, a transgender woman, it is a deeply important message. She feels that out of the Hunter New England region, Newcastle is the most inclusive space for queer people, but that Novocastrians still have more work to do, given trans people’s high risk of experiencing violence and abuse. “There are certainly parts of Newcastle which I would consider more safe and less safe for trans folks. “I’ve been pretty lucky in my journey around Newcastle in that I have felt pretty safe, but I know other people who have faced abuse in their areas, so there is certainly a lot of work to do,” Cassie said.
Call for greater awareness in healthcare settings While recovering from an injury at a Hunter hospital, Cassie said she was misgendered by staff. “To be in a place where I would expect
them to know how to deal with health care and to be misgendered, that was an extremely difficult space to be in, having to correct nurses, having to chase getting my gender amended and having to deal with the fact I was stuck in a room with three older cisgender men,” she said. A transgender-masculine friend of Cassie had a similar experience when being treated in the gynaecology ward at John Hunter Hospital. “Above them there was a sign that said Women’s Healthcare Plan. I get it that there are a lot of women in the gynaecology wards but seriously, we should think about how that affects people who feel really uncomfortable with that sort of language,” she said. Among other work, Hunter Gender Alliance provides education and training for medical professionals and specialists such as endocrinologists. “Our ultimate goal is to improve quality of life and health outcomes for trans people, sometimes through education for cisgender people and organisations, sometimes upskilling of health professionals,” Cassie said.
Progress slowly but surely For one member of UON Queer Collective, Max, Newcastle represents a safe place. “I think we are definitely doing better than most regional towns,” he said. “Compared to the major cities, Sydney and Melbourne, Newcastle is pretty far along in its progressive nature.” The transgender and queer man said what Newcastle lacks is an array of dedicated queer spaces. “I do think there’s a big demand in the community at the moment for more overt queer spaces,” he said. “Obviously this is difficult because of COVID, but to be able to have a queer bar or a dry space in Newcastle, just any space is so important and unfortunately
outside of university it’s lacking.” He said while the collective cherished its headquarters in the UNSA building at Callaghan, it wasn’t enough to accommodate students from the NUspace and Ourimbah campuses, or to accommodate the general community. Max said the issue was compounded by the Hunter’s COVID lockdown. “I think a lot of students right now are incredibly isolated,” he said. “We are all feeling the difficulty of not being able to see our friends and family, but I think for queer students there are whole other layers like being stuck at home with potentially non-accepting family members and not being able to see the friends who affirm their identity and who provide the social support that gets them through the day.” The Queer Collective has been combatting that sense of isolation by running a series of online events as part of UON’s Pride Week celebrations from August 23 – 27. Activities included a virtual flag raising on Monday, group digital art session on Tuesday, virtual trivia on Wednesday night and a Queer Showcase on Thursday evening. “Students and academics from the Newcastle area presented and performed,” Max said. “We had some poetry and a fabulous piece by John Witte on an LGBT history of Newcastle, which was incredibly interesting.” Despite the progress Max feels has been made in Newcastle in recent history, it is clear many people in NSW remain ignorant or incredulous to the reality trans people face. On a Wear It Purple Day post on the NSW Police Force Facebook page today, a top comment reads: “I IDENTIFY as a HEALTHY person…give me my rights and freedoms back thanks.” The comment attracted 533 reactions, with only 8 ‘angry’ reactions. Another comment with 81 reactions
said, “Stop being so woke and get back to policing.” Arden Cassie was disappointed, but not surprised by the comments. “This is why I have a bit of a thing around the language we use with, ‘I identify as’,” she said. “I don’t feel like I identify as a woman, I am a woman. It’s not a choice as to who I am, it’s just my reality. “Sure, it’s my choice as to how I’m going to respond to that. I could choose to live in the closet I suppose, but the mental health consequences of staying in the closet are really not good.”
Lessons to be learnt In terms of what cisgender and nonqueer people could do better, Hunter Gender Alliance and UON Queer Collective agree that simple measures make a huge difference. “I wish I wasn’t still harping on about how important it is to respect people’s pronouns, but I think it is something we are still coming to terms with,” Cassie said. “It’s really easy to ask someone’s pronouns. It doesn’t have to be something scary. We are not trying to hide from you, and you are not going to offend us if you ask us our pronouns.” She said it was great to see more and more people including their pronouns as part of their email signatures, and encouraged everyone to start doing this. “The more that people participate in that sharing of pronouns, the more it becomes normalised and the safer it is for me to be open about my pronouns too.” Meanwhile, Max hopes Novocastrians will read up about the little actions they can take to be more inclusive, and to carry on those actions every day of the year, not just on August 27. Lauren Freemantle
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Novocastrians show big hearts
Words of encouragement for Newy Burger Co.’s soup recipients Photo source: Newy Burger Co. Facebook page
Newcastle’s latest COVID-19 outbreak is showcasing the finest Novocastrian spirit as businesses and residents pull together to help the city’s most vulnerable. The Hunter went into a snap lockdown on Thursday, August 5, and despite being hit hard by the new restrictions, some small businesses found ways to give back to the community. Newy Burger Co. is just one of the businesses in the region that, despite facing its own challenges as a result of the lockdown, has proved that kindness prevails. On its Facebook page, the business revealed to its followers that it would be offering house-made soup to Novocastrians with “no questions, no need to explain and no judgement”. Fresh buns were also on offer after a decline in weekend trade, the business said. The initiative aimed to help residents in need, who co-owner Ben Neil said included but was not limited to “frontline responders, someone with autoimmune issues, the elderly neighbour that can’t leave the house and go to the supermarket, or just someone that works at a supermarket and got sprayed because they don’t have toilet paper”. “There’s heaps of negativity and uncertainty at the moment, which is understandable, so this creates a bit of kindness in all that madness,” Neil said.
“We’ve always had amazing community support so that’s how we are able to give back when we can.” Newy Burger Co. said the newest initiative had attracted offers of help from the wider community, too. On its Facebook page, the business thanked “those who have reached out to support and donate money” but requested that people used the money to “support local businesses that need our help right now”. Neil said community initiatives like the soup drive often had a “ripple effect”, exemplified by Rarity Wholesale supplying pumpkins for the soup, some of which were donated by a farmer in the region. He also expressed his gratitude to Earp Distilling Co. for reaching out and offering products. “I didn’t even have to ask [them]. Cameron at Earp Distilling Co. saw us doing the soups and asked how many boxes of hand sanitiser we needed.” Neil said the distillery didn’t want recognition for the generosity, and applauded the act of “giving away hand sanitiser that they could be selling at the moment”. He said it was a gesture he had “a lot of respect for”. The distillery and many of Neil’s hospitality connections contacted him to assist in Newy Burger Co.’s efforts to help the local community during the previous lockdown, too.
Care packages with goods from Newy Burger Co. and Earp Distillery Photo source: Newy Burger Co. Facebook page
This led to the creation of “kindness boxes”, comprising products from Earp Distillery, Pharmacy 4 Less Kotara and around a dozen restaurants. The boxes included sanitiser, toilet paper and meals that “would feed a small family for a week”. Residents assisted by “donating cash, which the business turned into supermarket vouchers” for those in need. Wickham local Andrew Dunne shared on the Newcastle Echo Facebook page that he’d witnessed a heartwarming act of kindness. “I was just at my local café in Wickham and watched a frontline health worker donate $60 for the business to pay it forward to people who can’t work. This is exactly why I love Newcastle and Wickham. “Let’s all do something every day for someone in need!” Community group Food Not Bombs Newcastle has witnessed first-hand the way Newcastle community spirit has shone bright in times of adversity. The organisation relies on businesses and the wider community to contribute to its cause. The group offers regular hot meals for the needy in Hamilton, and ensures the survival of its neighbourhood pantries. On Monday and Wednesday evenings at 5pm, Food Not Bombs volunteers can be found at Awaba Park, Hamilton (Hamilton Station Park), providing free
hot food and fresh produce for the homeless and vulnerable. Volunteer Quinn said FNB Newcastle was “100 per cent community funded and volunteer run, so we rely on the kindness of our fellow community to keep us going”. He said FNB’s work “wouldn’t be possible if not for the organic grocers, farmers, cafes, restaurants, bakeries, advocacy and community centres, and compassionate individuals” lending their time or donating. At a recent meet, meals and fresh produce were donated by Goldbergs Coffee House and Adamstown Greengrocer. Any remaining, non-perishable stock is often left at the park’s community pantry. The Awaba Park pantry has relied on generous locals donating items such as food and clothing. FNB said supplies were needed more than ever as a result of the hardships imposed on people by the state’s lockdown. Despite recent attempts by Newcastle City Council to shut down the initiative, FNB and supportive residents have triumphed in making Awaba Park’s pantry a permanent fixture for the region’s vulnerable. To assist Food Not Bombs Newcastle, or to donate to their free-food evenings, readers are encouraged to get in touch on their Facebook page. Maia O’Connor
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Newcastle singer, songwriter and musician Chloe Gill has released her debut single, hoping it will skyrocket her into a shining music career. Within a week of being released, Paper Stars hit Triple J Unearthed’s overall charts at number 21. The following week it climbed to five. “The song has been received really well,” the 17-year-old said. “It’s had a lot of streams and it has been added to a lot of playlists on Spotify in particular. “The release day was really nice. It was a lovely day outside. Being in lockdown, I couldn’t do a lot so I just spent a lot of time out in the sun with my family responding to messages from friends and family.” Chloe’s song was inspired by a photograph she saw at NSW Art Gallery by William Yang called Stars in my Hand. “It deeply inspired me. From the first moment I saw it, I knew it had potential to be something more, and I felt that it was my duty to make it so,” the Belmont High School Year 12 student said. “My songwriting takes inspiration from art, pieces of music, nature and other people’s words. My music emotionally explores a lot, and I truly hope people find a deeper meaning in my lyrics and connect them to their experiences and lives.” Chloe likes to think she’s created her own genre, somewhere between contemporary and indie rock. Listeners will find hints of jazz chords, scatting and unpredictable melodies entwined in her music. And inspiration is drawn from the likes of Joni Mitchell, Elton John and Missy Higgins. “My favourite part about my music is the way it evolves and is manipulated over time to sound so different,” Chloe said. “Lyrics and chords change, runs are added and subtracted. They are something that is forever changing, and I love the excitement behind that!” Chloe has always been musically attuned. As a toddler, she sang along to Missy Higgins in the car, began piano lessons at four, and started writing her own music at six. It’s almost like her passion for music was written in the stars. “I have grown up in a musical family. Both my parents, John and Alison, are high school Music teachers. They have both encouraged my older sister, Emily, and I into music from day dot,” Chloe said. “My parents made sure I was enrolled in the band program. Both my sister and I started trumpet lessons. “I started guitar in Year 7, and I haven’t put it down since. I still play trumpet and piano too. A few years ago, I started to dabble in bass and drums, and I will probably continue learning new instruments for the rest
Chloe Gill has released her debut single, Paper Stars
of my days!” Chloe has performed in Newcastle’s Star Struck as a featured artist for the past seven years and a dancer for two. She has toured internationally with the Marching Koalas. “I owe a lot of the opportunities I’ve had to my parents!” Chloe said. “They’re so incredibly supportive of what I do and have never stopped fuelling my passions for music.” Chloe’s journey into a music career began when she entered herself into one of Australia’s most prestigious talent training and development programs for high school students, the Talent Development Project (TDP). The Sydney-based project caters to the young and inspired who want a career in the music industry. As part of the program, students are mentored by professionals in the music and entertainment industry worldwide. “The Talent Development Project has really been a massive stepping stone in my career over the past three years,” Chloe said. “I auditioned for the core program in 2019 and was unsuccessful in the process. Nevertheless, I returned for the Open Talent Workshop in the October school holidays of 2019.
NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO GO IT ALONE
“I had never played my music in front of anyone before, until the third day in, where they asked if I wrote my own music. All I had was an unfinished song that I thought was rubbish.” Chloe finished the song with another artist, Imogen Clarke, titled Ropes and received an overwhelmingly positive response. This instilled in her a newfound confidence that she was where she was meant to be. “I returned back to Newcastle feeling inspired and refreshed. I wrote every single day for eight months straight and spent this time perfecting my craft until the first round of auditions that next year. I auditioned for the program and was accepted into the first phase,” she said. “Throughout, I struggled heavily with issues of performance anxiety, confidence and lack of self-belief in my abilities and talents. It took me a long time to realise that we all had our own individual fears.” Chloe said performing in front of Sony and APRA management industry professionals was confronting and emotionally ruthless. After making it through to the next round, she felt reassured. She also made some lifelong connections along the way, including with her mentor and
OVOCASTRIAN
Artistic Director of TDP, Peter Cousens. “Through the support, I enforced a huge amount of self-discipline into my thought process. As a result, I broke the vicious cycle of negative pressure and turned it into something positive,” Chloe said. “Towards the end of phase two, we were tasked with hosting our own popup cabaret show. This was my first ever proper solo show. I held mine at the Dungeon Adamstown, and it sold out!” The final phase was made up of the top 14 singers, songwriters and instrumentalists in the state. Chloe was pushed even further to perfect her craft and artistic identity. “This was where I recorded my debut single, Paper Stars, at Sony Music in Sydney as well as another one of my originals written in phase one of the TDP called The Alchemist, sung by my friend Aliyah,” Chloe said. “We spent a week together doing a photoshoot and recording an album for our graduation, which was to be held on the 4th of June at Qudos Bank Arena. “We really were treated like superstars. It was something I will cherish forever. The show was a perfect collaboration of talent, amazing music and fun vibes. I had never felt so proud and alive on stage than when I did that night!” Paper Stars debuted as part of the Talent Development Project 2021 graduation album, which includes another 14 tracks from the rest of the group. “The whole album as a collective made the iTunes Singer Songwriter charts at number 2, which was so cool,” Chloe said. Along with her success in TDP, Chloe has been mentored by Australian singer-songwriter Gretta Ray after winning a Green Music Australia songwriting competition in December last year. Upon finishing her HSC, Chloe will officially immerse herself in a music career. “After I graduate, I hope to get my Diploma of Music in Sound Production and record, produce and release more of my own music. I am currently working on an EP, so I would love to release that soon,” she said. “I just really want to be able to give back to the world through my voice and my music. I would love to be an influential female figure in the industry and show the world what women are capable of!” No matter where her career takes her, Chloe said she would always make sure to use music as an outlet for herself and others to express and enjoy. Paper Stars is now available on Apple Music and Spotify. To keep track of Chloe’s musical journey, follow her on socials @chloegillmusic. Hayley McMahon
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How to cope caring for young children and ageing parents WITH
Julia NEWBOULD Managing Editor • Money magazine
If you’re worried about the cost of raising kids, building your super and paying off the mortgage, don’t be. A far bigger issue could be looming. Brian Herd, the head of elder law at CRH Law and author of Avoiding the Ageing Parent Trap, predicts the biggest factor that could impact your happiness in later life might be your parents. People aged in their 40s and 50s may be facing a ticking time bomb as the looming needs of older parents compete with the demands of a young family. Adding to the financial and emotional load is an increasing trend for adult kids to live at home for longer or move back home due to the rising cost of living. Already an estimated 1.5 million Australians (mostly women) provide informal care for ageing family members. It’s
more than a juggling act. The “sandwich generation” needs to carefully plan ahead because every family member stands to lose if things don’t work out. Figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare paint a clear picture of where the sandwich generation is at. On one hand, we’re delaying having children: one in four new mums is aged over 35, including 5% who give birth aged 40-plus. At the other end of the spectrum we’re living longer: our 3.8 million 60-somethings have a life expectancy of 20-plus years. It means adult children are seeing their parents experience what Herd describes as “frailty creep”. In addition, growing numbers of families are bypassing conventional care. Put off by the complexity, cost and poor reputation of aged care and the under-resourcing of home care, the sandwich generation is
opting to care for ageing relatives themselves. While caring for older relatives is often an act of love, it can easily turn pear-shaped without planning. Without plans in place, families can quickly find themselves thrown into crisis management mode. Add in the complexities of blended families, with multiple sets of aged parents, and Herd says “it’s no coincidence we are seeing more litigation between
family members stemming from issues around the care of ageing parents”. The royal commission into aged care showed only 5% of older people live in formal accommodation like nursing homes. That sees the burden of care fall on families and most carers spend an average of 20 hours a week looking after a loved one. That means less time to devote to a career. And with little or no government support, carers
have a median weekly income 42% below those of non-carers. Herd believes this has contributed to the so-called martyr child - an adult child who agrees to look after an ageing relative without immediate recompense. When the parent passes away, that same child may demand a bigger inheritance as compensation. That’s when things really start to heat up. Siblings can wind up in court fighting one another
over a parent’s will and, as Herd notes, “these cases can drag on for years”. Meanwhile, the mounting legal fees can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars,” says Herd. “One solution is for seniors to alter their will to recognise the contribution of a child who provides care. It really comes down to families preparing for the future - and ageing parents need to understand the implosive consequences of not making plans.” NICOLA FIELD
Why some Aussies are paying thousands to lock in their mortgage rate Around 50% of people are fixing their home loans, according to figures from Commonwealth Bank, but is paying a rate lock fee prior to settlement worth the money? A rate lock fee can be paid by a customer to lock in the fixed rate on offer at the time of
application (or any time before settlement), protecting them against any rate increases prior to settlement. The lock typically lasts for around 90 days, but this can differ between lenders. Rate lock fees run into the hundreds and sometimes even thousands, depending on your lender. Some lenders do not
charge to lock the fixed-rate, including UBank and Tic Toc. RateCity analysis shows on a $500,000 loan with a three-year fixed rate at 1.95%, if the rate rises to 2.05% before the application is processed, borrowers will pay an extra $1463 over this term if they don’t lock in their rate. In this scenario, the borrower
would have been better off if they paid the typical rate-lock fee of $500. This year, CBA has hiked its three-year fixed rate once by 0.05%, and its four-year rate twice by 0.05% - 0.2% each time, while Westpac has only hiked its three-year rates once by 0.1% and its four-year rate once by 0.3%.
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either way, but there is one thing it can provide for certain and that’s peace of mind. If you’re someone who’s likely to fret about rates rising, every day until your loan settles then it might be worth the money.” Tindall also suggests asking your bank if they’ll waive the fee.
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“There’s no question fixed rates are, by and large, on the rise, particularly when it comes to terms of three years and over,” says RateCity research director Sally Tindall. Still, there’s no guarantee your rate will go up in the time it takes to settle your loan. “At the end of the day, paying a rate lock fee is a gamble
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OVOSPORT
Trainer’s health mission is personal The obstacles Brendan Andrews faced as a child and teenager inspired him to forge a career in personal training, and he’s relishing helping others take a step in the right direction. “I went from being a little overweight through primary school and getting a hard time because of it, then went the other way during high school, becoming disordered with my eating,” personal trainer Brendan Andrews said. His own health struggles set him on a path to Forever Forward Fitness (FFF). “The idea of Forever Forward Fitness comes from that. You continue moving forward and you learn through those obstacles that you face, and these obstacles become your story,” he said. “I want to help people at different ends of the health scale. I take pride in a holistic health approach from physical training, nutrition, and mindset for wellness.” FFF has been in operation now for nearly seven years and the Cardiff business is continuing to grow and expand within the Newcastle community. Andrews’ goal for the business is to be a driving force for each member of FFF. “I am here to help people achieve their goals and to remain solid with a holistic health approach. I want people to achieve their health goals long term, not just as a quick fix,” he said. The current lockdown across NSW has meant Andrews has needed to pivot the business to online and digital only. “It is really hard to be forced closed
The FFF team, from left, Maddison, Brendan, Joshua and Willow the Golden Retriever Photo supplied. (Taken before COVID restrictions)
immediately,” Andrews said. “Fortunately, we are still at a size that we can adapt and be manoeuvrable, however for the meantime, we are sticking with our strengths and holding on tight!” Andrews has been offering two 45-minute Zoom classes per day to his clients with the goal of keeping the group bodyweight classes fun and upbeat. At the end of each class, Andrews keeps the online platform open for his
clients to engage and speak with one another. “The gym is the core of the business, however by allowing my clients to chat with each other after the session, it supports their mental health and provides strength to tighten our community,” Andrews said. Due to the expansion of the business, Andrews has employed two additional personal trainers, who have been a part of FFF since the beginning of the year. “Josh and Maddi are going really well,
developing their own skills, building their client base and becoming an integral part of the community,” he said. Andrews’ growth plans for FFF include branching into a second space in the local area along with moving into the corporate sector to support large companies with a holistic wellness program and provide tips for keeping the workspace healthy. “I want to push our holistic message onto a bigger audience in workplaces because a lot of workplaces aren’t supporting that way of looking at things,” he said. “If we know you are physically fit, you are mentally well, you are going to be showing up at work being more productive and being a better part of the culture within the workplace.” Andrews also wants to push FFF’s message of a holistic health approach into schools across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. “School was where my fitness journey started, and I know kids can be so vulnerable at that stage of life. If I can provide an authentic, caring message of all-around health in a passionate way, it can be a solid foundation for long-term health. I think it is important to teach kids that.” Andrews is opening his daily bodyweight classes offered via Zoom to the general public to engage with at home. These classes are complementary and open to anyone who may be looking at making a positive change to their lifestyle. Jayden Fennell
A cause close to marathon runner’s heart Belmont personal trainer and marathon runner Michelle Barnes aims to notch up her sixth marathon in October, and she will be raising money for the Heart Foundation in the process. Barnes, who has a congenital heart condition and was diagnosed an asthmatic at age five, has not let either of these conditions impinge on her fitness regime and marathon efforts. “I have an excellent cardiologist who I see once every five years, who fully supports everything I do and shares an interest in my lifestyle,” she said. “My heart condition should never have improved throughout my life, however as a result of my long distance running, it has improved significantly.” The mother of three has been competing in marathons for the past eight years. ‘’If I am running 42 kilometres, I will only be running in the most beautiful and exciting places in the world,” she said. Barnes ran her first marathon in Melbourne in 2013, followed by the Queenstown Marathon in New Zealand, the famed New York City Marathon and Melbourne a second time. ‘’Queenstown was so beautiful. It rained the entire day and I finished the race with hypothermia, however running past snow-capped mountains in one of the most picturesque places in the world was
Michelle Barnes crossing the finish line at the Disneyworld Florida Dopey Challenge, January 2020 Photo supplied
something very special,” a buoyant Barnes said. She understood the task ahead when registering for the New York City Marathon in 2016. I thought to myself if I was going to run in the best marathon in the world, I would need to work my butt off.”
Her hard work and determination paid off with a pleasing time. “My fifth marathon was in Disneyworld Florida, taking part in the Disneyworld Dopey Challenge,” she said. “It was four days of racing – five kilometres on Thursday, 10 kilometres on Friday, half marathon on Saturday and the full marathon on Sunday.’’ Barnes, who ran in all four events, underestimated the intensity of the gruelling challenge. ‘’It was so hard and I did not give Florida the credit it deserved, but it was so much fun,” she said. Barnes and fellow runners dressed up as their favourite Disney characters to compete over the four-day event. ‘’We all dressed up as Disney princesses, stopping along the way to take photos with other characters. To this day, it still remains the most fun I have ever had in 42 kilometres.” Barnes and her three children, aged between 12 and 17, plan on returning to Florida in 2028 to compete in the Disneyworld Dopey Challenge. It is expected to mark Barnes’s retirement from marathon racing. “I will be 50 by then, and even if the kids are dragging Mum across the finish line, it will all be worth it to accomplish something like this as a family,” she said Barnes is now preparing to run in her sixth marathon, in Auckland, New
Zealand, which is scheduled for October 31 this year. COVID travel restrictions, however, mean the chances of Barnes being able to compete are slim. ‘’The Auckland Marathon has been on my bucket list for years, however I know I am probably not going to get there this year, so I have committed to running the marathon virtually around home, all 42.195km.’’ The route closer to home is yet to be determined, but Barnes plans to incorporate the Fernleigh Track. “I am a bit of a creature of habit when it comes to running. Each Sunday I leave home at Belmont North, head north along the Fernleigh Track, run a few laps around Charlestown and Kahibah, before heading towards home,’’ she said. Whether she runs her next marathon in Auckland or in Newcastle, Barnes will be raising money for the Heart Foundation. “The Heart Foundation is a very special cause and is a charity my family and I are passionate about. I want to raise as much money and awareness for this cause as I can,” she said. Meanwhile, Barnes will keep clocking up the kilometres in training. “I think it is really important as we age to remain extra fit. Although I can’t keep up with my kids these days,’’ Barnes laughs. Jayden Fennell
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Cibilic has work cut out for him in Final Five
Morgan Cibilic at Rip Curl Rottnest 2021 Photo supplied: World Surf League/ Matt Dunbar
Merewether’s Morgan Cibilic has finished fifth in the World Surf League’s seven-stop Championship Tour, earning a spot in the inaugural Final Five showdown. By now, the surprise around Cibilic’s emergence at the pointy end of the world rankings has surely faded away. After launching himself into the top 100 over the course of the 2019 Qualifying Series (QS), the board rider who grew up between Merewether and Angourie has put in another stellar season. The competition on both the men’s and women’s tours across seven different events was as tight as it gets in world sport. To give some perspective, recent Olympic bronze medallist Owen Wright ranked 25th and will have to qualify for next year through QS events. Ahead of Cibilic in fourth place is America’s Conner Coffin, who pinched this spot from Cibilic after his fifth place finish at the most recent event in Barra de la Cruz, Mexico. Despite this, Cibilic’s consistency in high end results from December last year to August has ensured his entrance into the final contest. Starting off with a 17th place finish at the Banzai Pipeline in Hawaii, he then placed third on home waters at the
Newcastle Cup in April, followed by fifth place in Narrabeen, 17th again at the Margaret River, second at Rottnest Island, then two ninths at the Lemoore Surf Ranch, California, and at Barra de la Cruz. In the top three spots sits the Brazilian trio who have each been clinical in their appearances this season. Of the top five, they are the only three to have won events this tour. In first place, two-time World Champion Gabriel Medina will enter the final clash as the favourite after an outstanding season involving two Australian wins in Narrabeen and Rottnest Island, three seconds in Hawaii, Newcastle and California, a fifth place in Mexico and ninth at the Margaret River. In fact, if it was not for this year’s inclusion of the Final Five showdown, Medina would have won the CT based upon accumulated points after winning event number five at Rottnest. Cibilic, not unlike the others, will likely see the long-time CT competing goofyfooter as his biggest obstacle, after three knock-out defeats by him in the first three events, including a heartbreaking loss in the semifinal of the Newcastle Cup. Yet in the cup’s final, it was the Tokyo 2020 gold medallist and defending
world champion Italo Ferreira who came out on top and continued to finish second on the tour after two further thirds, a fifth and ninth place. In third place is Filipe Toledo, fresh from two wins in the latter half of the season but eager to do better than his most recent 17th place finish. From September 9 to 17, the final 10 surfers – five male, five female – will congregate at Lower Trestles in California to sort out the end leader board. The WSL has chosen a time frame where they expect to get most out of the world-renowned cobblestone point, considered one of the most highperformance waves in the world. As a natural-footed, compact power surfer capable of high-profile carves and forehand rail turns, Cibilic will seek to bring the right-hand point surf experience of his origins at Angourie and Merewether into play on the Trestles signature long, right-handed walls. These waves will allow all competitors the opportunity to bring their best form with a focus on manoeuvrability along the critical sections of its steep face. There will be ample opportunity for aerial spins and grabs. Victory will certainly be difficult for Cibilic, who will need to beat all other
competitors if he is to win. The event is a sudden-death, knock-out, winnergoes-on comp. Fifth place will compete against fourth, and the winner then moves on to compete against third, continuing until one challenger remains to face Medina at long last. In the Women’s, Tokyo gold medallist Carissa Moore, like Medina, will wait until the final session before she hits the waves. Australia’s Sally Fitzgibbons and Stephanie Gilmore are also in competition for the Championship after finishing in third and fourth, both having already tasted CT victory in the latter half of the season. Haakon Barry
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