Smoke from a fire on Pakowhai Rd on Monday morning A busy road in Hastings is closed as emergency services battle a fire in a residential building Police say they assisted with road closures at a building fire on Pakowhai Road in Hastings Fire and Emergency New Zealand are at the scene and the road is closed between Duke St and Frederick St A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesperson said at 11.02am six fire trucks from Napier and Hastings were actively fighting the fire which appeared to be in a residential property “About 80% of the structure is well involved in fire so there is extensive damage to it - they are still at work extinguishing the fire.” two fire trucks remained at the scene of the 20m by 15m single-storey house fire The spokesperson was unaware if anybody was inside at the time of the fire or if anyone had been injured “The initial call we got was for a lot of smoke in the area so we sent a fire truck to have a look and came across the building on fire.” The spokesperson said the fire investigator was at the scene to determine a cause Eco Lodge Pakowhai manager John Lowe confirmed the nearby lodge was not involved It is understood that the fire is also not at the Gracelands Retirement Village “We are over 100m and two hedges away and didn’t see or hear anything but we heard all the fire engines,” Lowe said Motorists and pedestrians are advised to avoid the area if possible The move is 'a board decision shared by the firm as a courtesy' Adam O’Brien feels it would be unfair to recall Jackson Hastings and expect the out-of-favour NRL halfback to remedy Newcastle’s poor start to the year Hastings is being paid about $800,000 to play NSW Cup in 2025 watching on as the Knights endure a five-game losing streak that threatens to unravel their season Saturday’s Magic Round clash with undermanned South Sydney on 3 May is crucial as the Hunter club looks to kickstart its sputtering attack which has averaged only 7.2 points on their five-match slide Sixth-year coach O’Brien oversaw a seven-game losing streak in 2022 so is remaining calm “We’ve been here before,” he said “We haven’t got the result (yet) but you can see that it’s not through lack of effort.” the Knights have again named former outside back Fletcher Sharpe as five-eighth opposite halfback Jack Cogger Hastings was the playmaker when the Knights stormed to a fifth-placed finish in 2023 their best ladder position to end a season since Andrew Johns was wearing the No the 29-year-old has since been rumoured as being at the centre of a divide within the Newcastle playing group O’Brien opted against addressing those reports on Friday morning but defended his call to keep Hastings in reserve grade during the last year of his contract “The problems that I highlighted (with the players) or the areas of improvement I think it would be unfair on Jackson to think that he’s the one that can come in and fix all of those things,” he said “There’s a number of other variables and I’m comfortable with sticking with the crew that we’ve had at the moment.” O’Brien faced criticism for constantly rejigging his halves combination last season The Knights did not name the same pairing for more than four consecutive games at any point as they finished eighth on the ladder “There was a fair bit of talk last year that I chopped and changed and now there’s probably a bit of talk that I’m not chopping and changing,” O’Brien said South Sydney have pulled the trigger on a personnel change of their own as English recruit Lewis Dodd prepares for his first start in the halves after two games from the bench He’s been tipped as starting material in the pre-season but it has taken two months and a slew of Rabbitohs’ injuries for him to be called up so it’s not a problem,” said Bennett who promoted Dodd after would-be five-eighth Jack Wighton suffered a calf injury “I’ve got no idea (how he’ll play) I just don’t want to share it with you Prop forward Junior Tatola will captain Souths this weekend ahead of Jai Arrow the last fit member of the leadership group Get all the latest Newcastle news, sport, real estate, entertainment, lifestyle and more delivered straight to your inbox with the Newcastle Weekly Daily Newsletter. Sign up here Click through to read our latest Issue of Newcastle Weekly Applications for Hastings Deering’s 2026 apprenticeship program are now open Since its humble beginnings over 90 years ago Hastings Deering has grown to become one of the largest Caterpillar (Cat) dealers globally something made possible by the company’s team of specialists Whether you’re a seasoned professional or just starting out Hastings Deering offers an array of career opportunities across the mining This includes a leading apprenticeship program that has been operating since 1967 Hastings Deering’s apprenticeship program offers world-class training for aspiring mobile plant technicians by providing apprentices with the opportunity to work with Cat machinery “The accredited training program for mobile plant technicians has been running since 2007 offering structured learning that combines hands-on experience with formal training to develop highly skilled technicians,” Hastings Deering apprentice and technical training advisor Jack Toua told Australian Mining “Through Hastings Deering’s apprenticeship program apprentices gain technical expertise in diagnosing hands-on experience with cutting-edge Cat technology problem-solving and critical-thinking skills With the world facing a shortage of mining professionals Hastings Deering’s apprenticeship program is especially welcome “Benefits on offer include competitive wages and structured training access to experienced mentors and world-class trainers career progression pathways beyond the apprenticeship and opportunities for further training and specialisation in Cat machinery and systems,” Toua said Hastings Deering is now accepting applications for its 2026 apprenticeship program The key trade areas on offer include mobile plant technicians fabrication and other technical roles essential for supporting Cat machinery “Hastings Deering is looking for apprentices who are passionate about the mining and construction industries are mechanically inclined with problem-solving skills and are team players with a strong work ethic,” Toua said Hastings Deering’s apprenticeship program is open to a diverse range of ages and backgrounds cementing the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion The recruitment process begins with candidates filling out an online application that details their skills and experience and outlines why they want to complete an apprenticeship with Hastings Deering and recent school results if they have left school in the last five years Evidence of their right to work in Australia is also required The next stage involves shortlisted applicants undergoing mechanical numerical and verbal reasoning assessments Those who successfully complete the aptitude testing will then be invited to attend an engagement centre held in the business centre they applied for The engagement centre provides candidates with an opportunity to participate in interactive activities such as workshop tours An in-person interview will also take place allowing candidates to express their personality and ask questions The next stage will see successful candidates from the engagement centres and in-person interviews progress to pre-employment medical assessments Then the successful candidates will be formally offered an apprenticeship in writing and the apprenticeship program will commence at Hastings Deering’s state-of-the-art facilities “Hastings Deering has produced hundreds of highly skilled tradespeople who have gone on to become leading technicians supervisors and managers within the company and the industry,” Toua said “The program is recognised for developing industry-ready professionals with many apprentices completing their training ahead of schedule due to their dedication and skill “By providing top-tier training and hands-on experience Hastings Deering is shaping the next generation of skilled technicians “Apprentices are equipped with the skills and confidence to excel in their careers and contribute to the success of Australia’s mining and construction industries.” decided to pursue a career as a diesel fitter after completing work experience in the mining industry during high school I wanted to be provided with the best learning experience on offer and Hastings Deering is known as the largest Cat dealer in Australia,” Neilson told Australian Mining “Hastings Deering is also well known for having equipment in the mining This variety really caught my eye as it allowed for broad learning opportunities and opened many doors.” After commencing her apprenticeship at Hastings Deerings’ state-of-the-art Brisbane training facility in 2023 Neilson has been provided with a combination of theory and practical learning to apply in the workplace “It’s really fulfilling to be able to take what I have learnt and put it into action,” Neilson said I have been able to grow confident in my communication skills by working alongside many people from all different backgrounds “I’ve also learnt about the importance of having a strong attention to detail and how such a small mistake can be detrimental to the machines.” Neilson said Hastings Deering’s apprenticeship program provides apprentices with a steady foundation to carry on throughout the rest of their careers “Hastings Deering really puts the effort in to try and make us better tradespeople for the future,” Neilson said “Not a lot of companies put this much care into their apprentices Neilson hopes to transition into a field service position in their fourth year “I want to expand my knowledge on diagnosing and repairing faults and apply what I have learnt during my apprenticeship,” Neilson said “My long-term goal is to go into the engineering side of the business Hastings Deering preaches career development and is all for providing these opportunities to their workers “I’m hoping the skills I gain as a tradesperson will make me a better engineer to provide solutions and improvements for the future.” Neilson encourages aspiring tradesman and technicians to apply for Hastings Deering’s 2026 apprenticeship program “Don’t freak out about not knowing everything by the end of your apprenticeship because even the qualified tradespeople I work with learn new things every day,” Neilson said “Make sure to ask plenty of questions as you’ll learn more from listening to experiences and advice from people who have been in the industry for a long time research and keep asking questions until you do.” “If you’re interested in a career working with world-class machinery in a supportive and professional environment Hastings Deering is the perfect place to start,” Toua said “The program provides the technical skills and real-world experience needed to succeed in the mining and construction industries “The Hastings Deering apprenticeship program is more than just a job; it’s a launchpad for a successful career apprentices graduate with the skills and knowledge to make a lasting impact in the industry.” This feature appeared in the May 2025 issue of Australian Mining Australian Mining has informed the industry on the latest news and technologies from across the mining sector Australian Mining is a leading resource showcasing the latest in mining innovation A building fire has broken out on Pakowhai Road in Hastings Fire and Emergency New Zealand were called to the scene at 9:30am on Monday The road is closed between Duke Street and Frederick Street The owner of nearby Ecolodge Pakowhai John said there were four fire engines on site and a small trail of smoke was visible at the back of a residential property Police have asked people to avoid the area New Zealand RSS Follow RNZ News HASTINGS traders have reached breaking point amid a wave of relentless vandalism and break-ins plaguing their businesses – and they say switched off public CCTV cameras is making it worse The News spoke to several traders in the High St area who said crime was “getting worse,” with smash and grabs costing them thousands of dollars per week in what has become a “weekly nightmare” “It’s continual and there’s just no deterrent,” Sally Smith noting six businesses had been targeted in just one week in April despite the Hastings Police Station being located just down the road Trotter Shoes had been burgled three times which also saw an offender try to break-in using an angle grinder Smith said intruders had smashed their way into her shop before stealing “as many runners as they possibly could” during the early hours of 14 April “It’s just expenses that none of us can afford,” she told The News “It’s a good town but you get a few that spoil it for everyone else.” have made an impassioned plea to the Mornington Peninsula Shire to have the street’s CCTV cameras operating again which are understood to have been out of action for the past nine months because of a lack of maintenance “We have to have some sort of protection and a duty of care to the shop keepers.” According to Smith’s partner Murray Andrews who has sent an email to the shire on behalf of traders and residents “to address this appalling situation” Hastings Police had “informed us that this (inactive CCTV) hinders their follow up investigation abilities and is a contributing factor in crime” Hastings Gold Mine owners Wayne and Sharon Magdziarz are also fed-up “We’ve had fires being lit out the back of our shop; we’ve had the same people on the roof and we had a smashed window on Sunday night (13 April),” Sharon Magdziarz said saw a youth smash their shop’s back door with a hammer and there’s no repercussions for anyone who does anything.” Beach-Hut Café owner Anna Anzil said crime was “going crazy” with their windows having been smashed this month “They’re just running riot and not getting into trouble for it,” she said noting she couldn’t even guess the number of times her shop had been broken into with offenders taking boxes of meat and milk “It is just a nightmare.” She also added it had become more difficult with insurance excess “going through the roof,” and “we can only do it for so long before it’s too much.” “It’s getting harder and harder.” Westernport Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc president Jason Dowler told The News he emphasised with trader concerns He said it was the chamber’s hope that the council would approach traders and potentially subsidise cameras “in the common areas just to try and increase the number of cameras in the street,” which he said would ideally be between 50 to 100 cameras particularly from teenagers or people being destructive and I think it’s important that we all unite and not only protect our own businesses but everyone else’s.” said the shire’s security contractor had completed an audit of CCTV cameras in High St “and is now working through the findings to identify and address any issues”.“Council currently maintains 44 CCTV systems across the peninsula We receive no funding from the state or federal government or any other third party for this,” he said but the council was “committed to the ongoing maintenance of the existing CCTV systems but have had to cap our annual expenditure on them” Marsh said the shire continued to regularly receive requests for installation of CCTV “but we cannot support any further installations unless requested by Victoria Police and where the installation and lifecycle maintenance costs are met by external parties” “This is yet another example of cost-shifting from the state government to local councils While the public rightly expects safety infrastructure like CCTV the financial responsibility continues to fall on councils without appropriate funding support.” Marsh also noted that council did not access or use any of the data from CCTV systems Victoria Police has been contacted for comment First published in the Westernport News – 23 April 2025 Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Tensions between Victorian and federal officials over the environmental feasibility of a renewable energy project at the Port of Hastings are exposed in confidential documents that lay bare the state’s desperation to secure approval for its plans Correspondence and minutes of meetings between senior state and Commonwealth bureaucrats in the aftermath of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s rejection of the Allan government’s proposal for an offshore wind hub at the environmentally sensitive site suggest Victorian officials wanted their federal counterparts to help them revise the project The Port of Hastings is the Victorian government’s preferred site to store and assemble components for offshore wind farm Victoria’s approach prompted the Commonwealth’s most senior environmental bureaucrat Environment and Water secretary David Fredericks to warn in writing that it was “not appropriate” for his departmental officials to provide advice on how to make the project fit for environmental approval The DCCEEW is responsible for administering the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) regime considered by Plibersek when she rejected as “clearly unacceptable” the Port of Hastings Corporation’s proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal in January last year The VRET is pivotal to the Allan government’s ambition to establish an offshore wind industry capable of generating two gigawatts of power by 2032 It would enable local storage and assembly of wind farm components to be used along Victoria’s coast The government has publicly flagged its intention to resubmit a revised VRET for environmental approval According to the minutes of a roundtable meeting in March 2024 between officials from DCCEEW and the Victorian bureaucrats an official not identified in the documents said Plibersek’s decision “compromised the state and Commonwealth’s ability to transition to renewable energy” and significantly devalued the Port of Hastings Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek and Victorian Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio are at odds over the feasibility of the VRET.Credit: Luis Ascui a bureaucrat from Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning urged the roundtable to “lead to an outcome and characterise a new bid to get through the DCCEEW regulatory process” to remind the Victorian officials that “the purpose of the roundtable was not to co-design a resubmission” The documents were obtained by the Victorian opposition under freedom of information Opposition spokesman for energy and resources David Davis has forwarded the documents to the state’s anti-corruption agency the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and urged it to investigate whether Victorian government officials “actively sought to obtain inside running” for the VRET project Davis told IBAC Commissioner Victoria Elliott the documents showed “deeply concerning” conduct by Victorian government officials “It is apparent from the released documents that Victorian government officials sought to co-opt Commonwealth Department of Climate Change the Environment and Water officials to support a revised Victorian government proposal for its Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal at the Port of Hastings,” he wrote “This gives every appearance of senior Victorian government officials attempting to ‘cook up’ a solution to the Victorian government’s dilemma by directly applying inappropriate and otherwise unrecorded pressure on the secretary of DCCEEW in a meeting that has never been disclosed publicly.” IBAC does not publicly disclose matters being assessed or under investigation Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning defended the conduct of state bureaucrats involved in the meetings “Representatives from the Victorian public service always act with integrity with their Commonwealth counterparts on the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal project at the Port of Hastings,” a department spokesperson said Victoria’s Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D’Ambrosio in response to detailed questions about the contents of the documents offered a one line comment through a government spokesperson: “It’s not surprising David Davis and the Victorian Liberals don’t understand government processes for major projects – they haven’t delivered one in 30 years.” Plibersek denied the project EPBC approval because of the impact it would have on the surrounding Western Port Bay Victoria has since refined its VRET proposal reducing the amount of land reclamation it requires from 29 to 18 hectares and reducing the area to be affected by dredging The Port of Hastings is surrounded by wetlands of international significance.Credit: about two weeks after Plibersek’s decision to reject the project was published Victoria’s then-secretary of the Department of Transport and Planning wrote to Fredericks emphasing the “central role” the VRET would play in Victoria’s energy transition The copy of the letter made available under freedom of information was heavily redacted after Younis’ department objected to its release on the grounds it contained information communicated in confidence Fredericks confirmed the establishment of a working group of state and federal officials to “develop a mutual understanding of the issues” but warned: “it is not appropriate for the group to develop solutions or outcomes for any future referrals.” Fredericks and Younis did not respond to questions from this masthead Following the exchange of letters between the two secretaries the DCCEEW insisted that every meeting of the “Joint Victorian-Commonwealth Offshore Wind Working Group” would begin with a disclaimer The disclaimer read: “The purpose is to inform Victorian officials to assist them in their continued work with the Port of Hastings The Port of Hastings Corporation remains solely responsible for developing its proposal and possible referral under the EPBC Act.“” A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said it was “standard practice to outline what is in and out of scope of formal discussions between government departments” an honorary professor of Australian studies at ANU While she does not believe they contain evidence of misconduct she said they raised more questions than answers “Why the need for a disclaimer?” she asked “Was it prompted by a level of distrust and/or concerns about poor decision-making by the Victorian government What is being hidden from the public by all these redactions?” Davis in his letter to IBAC said the redactions would take years to challenge under the Victoria’s freedom of information law and invited the anti-corruption body to use its powers to examine the unredacted documents Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Tensions between Victorian and federal officials over the environmental feasibility of a renewable energy project at the Port of Hastings are exposed in confidential documents that lay bare the state\\u2019s desperation to secure approval for its plans. Correspondence and minutes of meetings between senior state and Commonwealth bureaucrats in the aftermath of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek\\u2019s rejection of the Allan government\\u2019s proposal for an offshore wind hub at the environmentally sensitive site suggest Victorian officials wanted their federal counterparts to help them revise the project. Victoria\\u2019s approach prompted the Commonwealth\\u2019s most senior environmental bureaucrat, Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water secretary David Fredericks, to warn in writing that it was \\u201Cnot appropriate\\u201D for his departmental officials to provide advice on how to make the project fit for environmental approval. The DCCEEW is responsible for administering the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) regime considered by Plibersek when she rejected as \\u201Cclearly unacceptable\\u201D the Port of Hastings Corporation\\u2019s proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal in January last year. The VRET is pivotal to the Allan government\\u2019s ambition to establish an offshore wind industry capable of generating two gigawatts of power by 2032. It would enable local storage and assembly of wind farm components to be used along Victoria\\u2019s coast. The government has publicly flagged its intention to resubmit a revised VRET for environmental approval. According to the minutes of a roundtable meeting in March 2024 between officials from DCCEEW and the Victorian bureaucrats, an official not identified in the documents said Plibersek\\u2019s decision \\u201Ccompromised the state and Commonwealth\\u2019s ability to transition to renewable energy\\u201D and significantly devalued the Port of Hastings. At the same meeting, a bureaucrat from Victoria\\u2019s Department of Transport and Planning urged the roundtable to \\u201Clead to an outcome and characterise a new bid to get through the DCCEEW regulatory process\\u201D. This prompted the chair of the meeting, DCCEEW divisional head Shane Gaddes, to remind the Victorian officials that \\u201Cthe purpose of the roundtable was not to co-design a resubmission\\u201D. The documents were obtained by the Victorian opposition under freedom of information. Opposition spokesman for energy and resources David Davis has forwarded the documents to the state\\u2019s anti-corruption agency, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, and urged it to investigate whether Victorian government officials \\u201Cactively sought to obtain inside running\\u201D for the VRET project. Davis told IBAC Commissioner Victoria Elliott the documents showed \\u201Cdeeply concerning\\u201D conduct by Victorian government officials. \\u201CIt is apparent from the released documents that Victorian government officials sought to co-opt Commonwealth Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water officials to support, indeed co-design, a revised Victorian government proposal for its Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal at the Port of Hastings,\\u201D he wrote. \\u201CThis gives every appearance of senior Victorian government officials attempting to \\u2018cook up\\u2019 a solution to the Victorian government\\u2019s dilemma by directly applying inappropriate and otherwise unrecorded pressure on the secretary of DCCEEW in a meeting that has never been disclosed publicly.\\u201D IBAC does not publicly disclose matters being assessed or under investigation. Victoria\\u2019s Department of Transport and Planning defended the conduct of state bureaucrats involved in the meetings. \\u201CRepresentatives from the Victorian public service always act with integrity with their Commonwealth counterparts on the Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal project at the Port of Hastings,\\u201D a department spokesperson said. Victoria\\u2019s Minister for Energy and Resources Lily D\\u2019Ambrosio, in response to detailed questions about the contents of the documents, offered a one line comment through a government spokesperson: \\u201CIt\\u2019s not surprising David Davis and the Victorian Liberals don\\u2019t understand government processes for major projects \\u2013 they haven\\u2019t delivered one in 30 years.\\u201D Plibersek denied the project EPBC approval because of the impact it would have on the surrounding Western Port Bay, a wetlands of international importance. , pushing out its timeline by two years, reducing the amount of land reclamation it requires from 29 to 18 hectares and reducing the area to be affected by dredging. On January 24 last year, about two weeks after Plibersek\\u2019s decision to reject the project was published, Victoria\\u2019s then-secretary of the Department of Transport and Planning, Paul Younis, wrote to Fredericks emphasing the \\u201Ccentral role\\u201D the VRET would play in Victoria\\u2019s energy transition. The copy of the letter made available under freedom of information was heavily redacted after Younis\\u2019 department objected to its release on the grounds it contained information communicated in confidence. In a February 26 response, Fredericks confirmed the establishment of a working group of state and federal officials to \\u201Cdevelop a mutual understanding of the issues\\u201D but warned: \\u201Cit is not appropriate for the group to develop solutions or outcomes for any future referrals.\\u201D Fredericks and Younis did not respond to questions from this masthead. Following the exchange of letters between the two secretaries, the DCCEEW insisted that every meeting of the \\u201CJoint Victorian-Commonwealth Offshore Wind Working Group\\u201D would begin with a disclaimer. The disclaimer read: \\u201CThe purpose is to inform Victorian officials to assist them in their continued work with the Port of Hastings. This does not represent co-design work. The Port of Hastings Corporation remains solely responsible for developing its proposal and possible referral under the EPBC Act.\\u201C\\u201D A Department of Transport and Planning spokesperson said it was \\u201Cstandard practice to outline what is in and out of scope of formal discussions between government departments\\u201D. Dr Colleen Lewis, an honorary professor of Australian studies at ANU, has examined the documents. While she does not believe they contain evidence of misconduct, she said they raised more questions than answers. \\u201CWhy the need for a disclaimer?\\u201D she asked. \\u201CWas it prompted by a level of distrust and/or concerns about poor decision-making by the Victorian government? What is being hidden from the public by all these redactions?\\u201D Davis in his letter to IBAC said the redactions would take years to challenge under the Victoria\\u2019s freedom of information law and invited the anti-corruption body to use its powers to examine the unredacted documents. Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . 2025 2:30 pmKnights coach Adam O’Brien has admitted there are “a number of other variables” behind Jackson Hastings’ continued absence from the NRL side Hastings is earning $800,000 this season to play NSW Cup despite the first-grade side currently being on a five-game losing streak Watch your team in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership. Stream every round LIVE in 4K, with no ad-breaks during play, on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer. The 29-year-old playmaker is a polarising character who has played at six clubs since 2016 and recent reports claim he’s on the outer with the Newcastle playing group Hasting reportedly has fallen out with a senior player in the team due to their wives not seeing eye to eye over a comment Hastings’ partner made, according to The SMH. said he didn’t read the report but defended his decision to keep Hastings in reserve grade despite the Knights having the worst attack in the NRL I think it would be unfair on Jackson to think that he’s the one that can come in and fix all of those things,” he said “There’s a number of other variables and I’m comfortable sticking with the crew that we’ve had at the moment “There was a fair bit of talk last year that I chopped and changed and now there’s probably a bit of talk that I’m not chopping and changing ROOSTERS VS DOLPHINS: Tedesco masterclass after early halves blow SHARKS V EELS: ‘No doubt’ on Moses’ Origin claim; Hynes’ statement ‘DON’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY’: Ryles’ cheeky response to controversial call ‘CAN’T DO THIS’: NRL has ‘officially lost the plot’ after controversial penalty Newcastle on Saturday afternoon face a walking wounded South Sydney in the midst of their own three-game losing streak Coach Wayne Bennett initially named Jack Wighton at No 6 instead of high-priced recruit Lewis Dodd But Wighton injured his calf at training and halfback Dodd will now make his first start in the NRL Watch LIVE coverage of the 2025 Betfred Super League season on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer LESS than a year after forming a new entity after the collapse into liquidation of the old one the Hastings Club has again been placed into liquidation The collapse of the club follows its closure on 30 October last year due to a water leak under the floor; an issue that is still unresolved and has left the club unable to trade and continuing to accumulate costs An information meeting of members was held on 11 March outlining the difficult pathway forward for the club And at a Special General Meeting held last Tuesday (25 March) the 64 members in attendance were asked whether to put the club into liquidation There were no questions or discussion before the vote and the outcome was unanimous to “lay the club to rest” comes after the old entity was placed into liquidation in April last year after rising debts associated with the club’s gaming machines (Hastings Club plans pokies-free future The club re-established itself as the Hastings Community and Sports Club Inc but the start of a new journey” with a renewed focus on community and sporting groups Beginning with no significant working capital the club struggled to get established and trade profitably through the quiet winter season an urgent call was put out for $50,000 in working capital to be raised to keep the doors of the club open and get through to the busy pre-Christmas period and the club appeared to be over the crisis Another blow came in early September when a letter from the president of the Hastings Football Netball Club was posted to social media expressing their desire to become independent of the Hastings Community and Sports Club Inc The football club had struggled on the field with Lehmann telling The News at the time “This year it has been very difficult to run a football club” (The Hastings Club celebrates fundraising win But what would prove to be the fatal blow for the club came on 30 October when the doors shut after the discovery of a water leak under the floor “The most pessimistic person could not have known the length of time it would take to locate and repair the leak,” said Gibbs in a letter sent to the members last month “The water leak was eventually repaired on 10 December 2024 and the repairs to the damage caused were expected to be completed by Christmas until the most recent advice of mid-March.” Gibbs went on to explain to members that after the completion of repairs there are many challenges facing the club has no remaining funds after being closed for over three and a half months and a restart would require re-commissioning of fridges frantic efforts have focussed on garnering the support of the shire; the entity responsible for the building Passionate and emails were sent to councillors knowing that failure to get shire support would be the end of the Hastings Club An email seen by The News from foundation member Brian Stahl told councillors “Without any fear of contradiction I put it to you all to show us any other sporting organisation across the Mornington Peninsula Shire which along with all the other voluntary expansion initiatives carried out over the ensuing years by members of the club… at no cost at all to the municipality has now had to endure such a long closure of its premises and the imminent demise of its existence forever” The cause had the in-principal support of mayor Cr Anthony Marsh who told The News “We respect the committee’s work and encourage constructive discussions among members to find a sustainable path forward” Coolart Ward councillors David Gill weighed in to the debate in an email to all councillors seen by The News “We need the Hastings Club to get back to providing sporting and other important community programs before the club potentially folds Many promises have been made but delivery has been short coming” On Sunday 23 March came a glimmer of hope from Cr Michael Stephens when he emailed Stahl “I fully understand the frustration and urgency you feel and I can see how deeply invested you are in the future of the club” the water leak issue couldn’t have come at a worse time for the club the path to recovery has become even more difficult The combination of these setbacks has put the club in a much more precarious position and I fully appreciate the gravity of the situation “I can confirm that I received the new draft ‘business plan’ from David Gibbs last Thursday I will be discussing it further with [acting shire CEO] Bulent Oz.” the day the club would be placed into liquidation came the news that no help would be coming from the shire “I met with Bulent Oz yesterday and again today,” said an email from Stephens I am not confident in gaining councillor support for a motion that would provide ongoing financial support particularly considering the strained financial environment the shire is operating in.” By Tuesday evening The club was placed into liquidation 58 years and 22 days after its formation Perhaps the final act of community spirit that had embodied the club was that Could they please move the tables and stack the chairs to allow the tradesmen to come in the following day to lift carpet damaged by the water leak The members performed the task and then left their club for the final time Committee member and persistent advocate of the club didn’t hold back in his email to councillors after the demise of the club “Your refusal to help us in any way just has us shaking our heads” “To say it was a sad meeting would be a total understatement Brian Stahl told The News “It leaves me cold in disbelief and totally dismayed that our local municipality could just walk away from such an impressive and much needed community inspired entity” “In the recorded history of Hastings this will go down as one of its saddest outcomes and one which will also live on permanently as a black mark against the Mornington Peninsula Shire.” After the club had been placed into liquidation “The end of the Hastings Club is an incredibly sad day for those members who had a dream and built the club from scratch,” said Gibbs “The club was in reality a community house ‘on steroids’ providing a meeting place for a host of community groups at no or very little cost a club for members and a low-cost function space for community groups and clubs at the same time this loss has already been massively felt.“It was the end result of a ‘perfect storm’ led by massively increased payment to the state government for the poker machines and then after the water leak the unbelievable time it took the shire to fix the leak and the damage done in the process to the building and its unwillingness to ‘walk the talk’ of the support that we were told would be available.” First published in the Mornington News – April 1 2025 VICTORIA Police said five teenagers and a woman had been charged following a spate of alleged burglaries and other incidents in and around High St over the past two months A 14-year-old boy has been charged with 20 offences over several alleged incidents A 16-year-old boy was charged following an alleged burglary and theft at a tobacco store on High Street The youths have been bailed to appear in a children’s court A 35-year-old woman from Hastings was charged with handling stolen goods following an alleged burglary and theft from a tobacco store on High Street She was bailed to appear in Frankston Magistrates’ Court on 6 May Others arrested and released on summons include a 14-year-old boy for an alleged theft of motor vehicle; a 13-year-old boy for 12 charges relating to alleged burglary and a 15-year-old girl for alleged burglary and theft “Police will continue to conduct patrols of the area and hold offenders to account,” a police spokesperson said noting local police had engaged with traders and encouraged retailers to report thefts First published in the Mornington News – 22 April 2025 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHASTINGS (KSNB) - Hastings Police were called to a crash near West Second Street and North Washington Avenue on Friday a large number of first responders were in the area HPD said one person was transported to a hospital outside of central Nebraska due to the crash A local homeowner said one of the cars crashed into their house The homeowner also told Local4 that they were told the home has been deemed unlivable until repairs can be made Stay connected to KSNBlocal4.com for the latest updates Click here to subscribe to our KSNB Local4 daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox PLANS for 68 warehouses and 14 storage units have been given the green light for development in Hastings despite some fears over traffic problems and lack of parking.Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors endorsed the proposed development at 2153 Frankston-Flinders Rd in Hastings which would see an existing caravan storage site converted into warehouses and rear storage units at the 12,810sq metre site.The warehouses while the rear section would have a mix of warehouses and three storey storage units of a maximum height of 14.15 metres primarily abutting the Stony Point rail line A total of 137 car spaces are proposed while a five-metre-high by two-metre-wide pylon sign would also be installed The site is located near residential properties just under 30 metres away including at Kurrajong St and Railway Cres.A council officer recommended the proposed development be approved subject to various conditions noting it “raised no concerns” with a shortfall of 92 car parking spaces and that there were no “unacceptable amenity impacts”.The proposal was debated by councillors at their 11 March meeting which was approved in a 7-3 vote.Among those dissenting was Cr David Gill who raised concerns of storm water drainage “Voting for a development of this nature is not improving Hastings It’s not doing much for the people of Hastings,” he said “The issues that will come back to bite probably are drainage which may well cost the ratepayers a lot of money.” In relation to parking he said if things changed and it “becomes a development that has a great need for parking then there will be lots of issues for us to sort out” arguing “I think we should find a way to limit huge signs that start to go up; we never thought that would happen in our municipality like it’s happened”.Mayor Cr Anthony Marsh agreed with most points Gill raised saying the “parking waiver” was “a problem that we never seem to fully address” “There’s plenty of industrial land around there and other factories adding he feared a nearby service road would become “full of parked cars” Marsh also raised serious concern about traffic on Reid Pde particularly with vehicles turning right onto Frankston-Flinders Rd and “I just don’t see this dealing with that adequately” but they’re often from the person trying to develop the land and that’s something I’ve always had an issue with.”But Cr Kate Roper said while “we all agree there’s not enough parking spaces here” I’m assuming people aren’t going to be parked outside the storage unit constantly” “There’s large businesses all along that section of the road and I think it’s fairly appropriate for this area,” she said Roper also highlighted the “jobs that this brings” as she felt assured that storage was a “blossoming business all around the country”.Cr Michael Stephens said while storm water drainage was a “major” issue including at sites along the same stretch of road “Obviously there’s people who are wanting to put up a development to satisfy market needs,” he said.Two public objections were received about visual bulk to residential homes and noise concerns.Gill put forward an alternative motion seeking that the building coverage should not exceed the 50 per cent the overlay allows for that the building height does not exceed nine metres and parking increased between 50 and 92 spaces – but this was lost in the councillor vote First pubslished in the Western Port News – 18 March 2025 Port Macquarie Hastings Council (PMHC) is preparing to host a range of events and activities this Saturday and Sunday as part of a jam-packed Australia Day long-weekend.     All the information regarding PMHC’s events and activities are available on the events calendar by visiting Events calendar Port Macquarie Hastings Council.  There are also several community-led activities taking place across the region with information about these readily available on a range of social media platforms.  “This year I hear and feel a renewed energy from many members of our community wanting to re-engage with Australia Day and come together in unity to celebrate all the amazing freedoms we enjoy as a community and as a nation,” Mayor Adam Roberts said.  “There are a host of events and functions planned for both Saturday and Sunday and I encourage community participation to help make this an Australia Day long-weekend to remember.  “Let’s all come together to celebrate the people and cultures that make the Port Macquarie Hastings region such a vibrant and welcoming place to call home,” he said.  the traditional owners of the land in which we work and live We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to call Port Macquarie Hastings home Back to News Wyloo has acquired 8,350,311 shares (19.99 per cent) in Neo from Hastings at a value of A$79.8 million in consideration for the cancellation of Exchangeable Notes of the corresponding value Wyloo and Hastings have agreed an exclusive non-binding term sheet to negotiate a UJV Agreement and other binding transaction documentation Wyloo CEO Luca Giacovazzi said he was pleased to be moving forward with the new UJV following Wyloo’s initial investment in Hastings in 2022 “This is an exciting time to be a major partner in a multi-decade critical minerals project such as Yangibana,” he said “Yangibana is one of the most advanced rare earths projects in Australia and will become a globally significant source of NdPr a critical component in the manufacture of permanent magnets as well as a producer of Niobium and other by-products critical to the energy transition “We are also pleased to acquire a 19.99 per cent equity stake in Neo global rare earths processing and advanced permanent magnets producer “We look forward to working more closely with both Hastings and Neo across the mine to magnet supply chain as we expand our critical minerals portfolio.” The target completion date for the execution of the UJV Agreement and other binding documentation which is subject to customary regulatory approval Wyloo Consolidated Investments Pty Ltd acquired through a private sale 8,350,311 common shares (19.99 per cent) in Neo from Hastings for an aggregate purchase price of C$72,063,184 (equivalent to A$79,848,403) or C$8.63 per share Exchangeable Notes owing by Hastings to Wyloo of the corresponding value have been cancelled Neither Wyloo nor any of its affiliates own or control any other shares or securities of Neo Hastings continues to own 623,816 common shares of Neo which remain subject to a pre-existing share pledge in favour of Wyloo as security for its Exchangeable Notes or exercise any voting or other rights attaching to any such common shares owned by Hastings and there is no commitment or understanding in respect thereof Wyloo confirms it has no joint actors in respect of Neo or any of its securities Wyloo intends to hold the acquired Neo common shares for investment purposes depending on market and other conditions and subject to Neo’s shareholder rights plan acquire additional common shares or dispose of common shares through market transactions The head office of Neo is located at 121 King Street West, Suite 1740, Toronto, Ontario, M5H 3T9. Wyloo’s head office is located at Level 8, Tower 3 Capital Square 1 Spring Street, Perth, WA, 6000. 11 Apr 2025R.M.Williams celebrates craft and community as Wayville Sale kicks off in Adelaide 28 Mar 2025Akubra launches its first branded store in Brisbane alongside country music legend Lee Kernaghan 05 Mar 2025R.M.Williams announces return of popular Wayville Sale, after three year hiatus Trees play an important role in our community providing many environmental and social well-being benefits Note: NSW DPI is responsible for the management of fish and marine vegetation under the Fisheries Management Act 1994 (FM Act) Any development or activity that may harm mangroves must be referred to NSW DPI for approval Removing or pruning trees on private residential or business property may require permission from us Failing to do so can incur substantial fine Removal of trees without Councils consent could result in prosecution and fines of up to $110,000 Check to see if your property land zoning is covered by Council’s controlled tree pruning/or removal permit area Application for permit to remove or prune 1-5 trees can be made online or in person at one of Council's Customer Service Centres The applicant may be the registered owner/s of the property where the tree is located or anyone who has the written authorisation of the owner/s to act on their behalf Owner’s consent must be provided by all owners of the property and where the owner is a Strata Body or Company clearly identifying the position of the tree/s in relation to buildings and other structures is required as part of the application process We may contact the applicant for further information or request a certified AQF Level 5 Arborist report to support your application make sure you provide all the requested details and information it may delay the processing of your application If a permit to prune or remove a tree on private property is granted it will be provided to the applicant in writing It will include conditions that must be followed The permit is valid for a period of 12 months from the date of issue Ongoing Tree Management Permits are available for large scale private landholders where a AQF5 Arborist has been engaged to develop and manage a Tree Management Plan for their site These permits are valid for a 12-month period and allow for works identified in the Tree Management Plan to be undertaken on a need-by-need basis You will be required to pay an application fee at time of lodgement. To find out more, view our current fees/charges here.  Fees And Charges Report (nsw.gov.au) If your permit has been refused, under the state government's policy, you can appeal to the Land and Environment Court within 3 months An application for a review of the determination of a permit is not available under section 82A 82B and 96AB of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act The pruning of large garden shrubs more than 3m in height for the purpose of ornamental shaping is permitted without a permit or development consent Council will consider the following criteria when assessing an application for tree pruning or removal: The following reasons will not be considered for the removal of a tree: Council aims to have tree pruning & removal applications assessed and processed within 28 days of receiving a fully completed application Delays may occur as result of incomplete applications being submitted or where additional information is requested to support an application It is important not to undertake any works until you have received the written confirmation of permit A council permit to undertake pruning or removal of a tree/s is valid for a period of 12 (twelve) months from the date of issue Pruning must be carried out in accordance with Australian Standard AS 4373-2007 by a suitably qualified Arborist or Horticulturist If a tree permit application is refused, the applicant has the right to appeal the refusal in the Land and Environment Court. An applicant has 3 months from the date on the determination to appeal to the Land & Environment Court Please seek your own legal advice in this regard It is best practice to replace any tree/s removed It is always important to consider where you plant trees and research into species selection is important to ensure the tree has space to grow to maturity without causing future issues Please refer to councils https://www.pmhc.nsw.gov.au/files/assets/public/document-files/planampbuild/devcontrol-plans/indigenous-street-and-open-space-planting-list-2015.pdf for further information Council will include details of required compensatory planting as part of any conditions of consent associated with a tree removal permit Koala Food Tree (KFT) species have a requirement of 2 (two) replacement trees for every 1 (one) KFT removed.  Replacement trees should meet the Australian Standard AS2303:2018 Tree stock for landscape use Ensure you advise your local nursery of this requirement when purchasing your new tree Should you have concerns with overhanging branches Such issues are deemed civil matters and Council does not have the authority to enter disputes between neighbours If you cannot resolve the issue directly with your neighbour, you can seek assistance from the Community Justice Centre, Community Justice Centres (nsw.gov.au) or 1800 990 777 For further information, relating to Trees (Disputes Between Neighbours) Act 2006, visit the Land and Environment Court of NSW Trees and hedges (nsw.gov.au) be sure to check if a permit from Council is required Removal of trees without Council's consent could result in prosecution and fines of up to $110,000.  Port Macquarie Hastings Mayor Adam Roberts has invited NSW Premier The Hon Chris Minns to personally visit Port Macquarie to view first-hand the region's greatest traffic bottleneck the Wrights Road to Lake Road segment of the Oxley Highway The Wrights Road to Lake Road segment of the Oxley Highway is owned and managed by the NSW Government Mayor Roberts wrote to Premier Minns on Monday 17 February requesting a face-to-face meeting on site to discuss the matter Mayor Roberts said that since taking office in late 2024 he has already taken face-to-face meetings with representatives from TfNSW and the Regional Transport and Roads Minister to push a case for urgent planning and funding support to remedy the areas most congested traffic bottleneck “Having met with all of the people responsible for this road corridor to this point it is clear to me that no urgency in addressing this well-known congestion and infrastructure issue is being applied by the NSW Government,” Mayor Roberts said “If there was a critical issue that our Council organisation wasn’t addressing as a matter of urgency I would reasonably be asked to step in and provide detailed commentary Premier Minns is ultimately responsible for the current situation at Wrights Road and Lake Road and it is therefore reasonable for me to request a face-to-face meeting on site particularly given that there appears to be no appetite to add urgency to addressing this well-known issue." Mayor Roberts said the Port Macquarie Hastings region is one of the largest and fastest growing regional areas of the Mid North Coast of NSW and with that comes pressures on Council to deliver the infrastructure required this road corridor is a NSW Government segment which is getting progressively worse in an area that they already know has reached functional capacity a number of years ago I hope that through a face-to-face meeting with the Premier on site that we can discuss and progress immediate improvements whilst laying down a timeline for longer-term solutions to improve the traffic flow and remedy the congestion in this area.” Port Macquarie Hastings Mayor Adam Roberts is helping drive a renewed focus on regional collaboration ensuring our councils work together to address key challenges and seize opportunities for their communities “Proactive engagement across all levels of government is a priority for me this term (2024-2028) Strengthening collaboration will help deliver real outcomes on the critical issues facing our region,” Mayor Roberts said Mayor Roberts joined fellow Mid North Coast mayors along with State and Federal representatives “With growing pressure on councils to deliver essential infrastructure it’s vital that all levels of government work together in a way that drives tangible results even more so in our rapidly growing region,” he said “Regular face-to-face meetings build relationships and ensure our shared priorities remain front of mind.” Mayor Roberts has called on NSW Premier Chris Minns to escalate discussions on solutions for Port Macquarie’s well-known Wrights Road traffic congestion following meetings with State Government representatives that have yet to produce a clear plan Mayor Roberts has joined the Country Mayors’ Association a key forum for regional leaders to influence policy and engage directly with State Government Ministers on shared challenges Port Macquarie Hastings Council has also reaffirmed its commitment to the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation of Councils (JO) with Mayor Roberts serving as Deputy Chair councils will continue to collaborate on strategic planning and deliver practical solutions that benefit the entire region A NEW ethane-generated power facility has officially launched at the existing Long Island Point (LIP) plant in Hastings – the first of its kind in Australia ExxonMobil Australia (formerly Esso Australia) and Woodside Energy announced the $200 million Hastings Generation Project saying it marked a milestone in the continuation of a reliable supply of natural gas to Victoria.The new facility uses ethane – a byproduct of natural gas processed at LIP – creating enough energy to power half the households on the Mornington Peninsula Three Solar Titan 130 gas-fired turbine generators on-site will use ethane to bring power to the grid producing 50 per cent less carbon dioxide emissions than coal generation in the state.Prior to this project LIP had no outlet for ethane when their customers could not accept it This required the burning-off – or flaring – of the ethane “when the customer is unable to accept the ethane as a result of planned or unplanned maintenance we either need to reduce the gas liquids flowing to Long Island Point reducing the supply of propane and butane to Victoria this could even result in the need to significantly curtail natural gas supply to reduce the production of these gas liquids which would impact the ability of Victorians to heat our homes and power our businesses”.To celebrate the opening of the new facility a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on 8 November was attended by production manager Geoff Humphreys and Long Island Point Plant manager Andrew Cooke executive vice-president of Woodside Liz Westcott and ExxonMobil Australia representatives.Cooke acknowledged that flaring “can have an impact on the community” and “that is why the Hastings Generation Project is so important; prior to this project we had no outlet for ethane when our customer could not accept it” “We can now reduce the amount of flaring that is needed here at LIP by ensuring we utilise and consume as much ethane as possible in these modern efficient generators,” he said the project has provided employment opportunities throughout the construction and development phase as well as opportunities for the ongoing operation of the facility.”Humphreys said it was a significant investment noting gas would continue to play a significant role in power generation to support energy transition “We have been able to step up to meet Australia’s energy needs over the years because we have continued to invest in bringing new gas supplies online,” he said “When the wind isn’t blowing enough to turn wind turbines or the sun isn’t shining to fuel solar panels gas ensures resilience and stability of the grid,” he said “In addition to maintaining a firming role in the electricity market natural gas is one of the cleanest sources of electricity generation and is key for industries such as glass that don’t have alternative energy or feedstock sources.”McKenzie said the LIP plant contributed immensely to the community and “supporting a raft of community organisations through grants and partnerships” “Esso Australia’s investment will ensure the reliable supply of natural gas to Victoria households at a time when under the Federal Labor Government the price of gas has gone up 33.8 per cent.” The LIP plant has operated since 1970 providing 70 per cent of southeastern domestic gas supply First published in the Mornington News – 19 November 2024 The News 5/4/22).Japanese media reported in mid-November that Kawasaki had “significantly revised its plans” to “establish an international supply chain to procure hydrogen from Australia” as it had become difficult to procure hydrogen in Australia within the deadline The report by Japanese news outlet Nikkei stated “the company has changed hydrogen procurement to domestic” and it was “downsizing its hydrogen carriers and is steering towards a more ‘realistic solution’”.The apparent policy change by the global energy giant was a cause for celebration by environmental groups that had lobbied against the project for years told The News “Save Westernport and community groups around Western Port Bay have opposed the HESC project since 2018” “Western Port’s internationally recognised Ramsar Wetlands are forever being imperilled by ludicrous industrial projects with significant environmental impacts – and HESC has been the biggest threat of all.“We were delighted to read a report in the Japanese press that said one of the key project partners has decided to pull out of HESC “The scale of the commercial HESC proposal was enormous; Western Port was to be used as the world’s guinea pig storage and shipping facilities for the commercial stage far bigger than anything attempted anywhere in the world to produce what the project proponents claimed was ‘renewable hydrogen’ to decarbonise Japan’s energy future.”But celebrations could be short-lived with Kawasaki announcing what appeared to be conflicting information in December stating they were “committed to developing a commercial scale project to produce clean hydrogen from brown coal and transport it to Japan” the commercial demonstration phase of the project will now occur in Japan [instead of Australia].”The release stated that representatives of Kawasaki had recently met with both state and federal government stakeholders in relation to the project said “The change to phase 1 of the project does not impact Kawasaki’s commitment to the commercial scale project.”The conflicting information has left environmental groups and Australian taxpayers who have stumped up over $100m towards the project Save Westernport and many other environment groups including Environment Victoria and Friends of the Earth believe both the federal and Victorian Labor governments have an onus of responsibility to come clean on the status of HESC.“Western Port belongs to the people of Victoria It is a world recognised wetland — not an environment to be forever jeopardized by projects like HESC,” said Stockigt “We have sought clarification from our elected representatives on numerous occasions Decisions about HESC have always been made under a cloud of secrecy “We’ll be meeting with Mercurio again in early 2025 and we hope to get the response our community deserves.”“Save Westernport’s position is that any ongoing support or funding for HESC by Labor governments completely undermines their credibility on climate change in the case of hydrogen must be authentically ‘green’— that is not reliant on fossil fuels or on (unproven) carbon capture and storage efforts to manage the extensive emissions from gasifying coal.”Multiple sources have told The News it appears likely the project would not proceed discounting the most recent announcement as “a face-saving exercise” First published in the Mornington News – 7 January 2025 Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company. MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News. MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids. Buses are replacing trains on the Stony Point line today (Saturday 21 December) after the Hastings Railway Station building was destroyed by fire overnight. Fire crews were called to the structure before 4am to find it fully engulfed by flames. The station has been the subject of recent discussion with Brian Stahl calling for the improvement of the rail precinct and the possible repurposing of the disused building for a social enterprise (Call for railway station renewal hosed down, The News 13/11/24). Stahl said at the time “As a significant public transport arrival point it leaves a lot to be desired”. “Surely this is not an acceptable situation and certainly not a welcoming place for those who regularly use the station or visit Hastings for the first time by public transport. “On behalf of our community I appeal to have this unacceptable situation dealt with promptly and properly maintained in the future.” The station and surrounds have deteriorated significantly since the days of Hastings Neighbourhood Renewal (2005 – 2013) when the Western Port Warriors Football team painted the building, and effort was put in to using the vacant building onsite for a community enterprise. On the 125th anniversary of the railway coming to Hastings the ward councillor at the time, David Garnock, arranged for planter boxes to be installed, along with trees placed along the fence of the railway house. “The planter boxes stand empty, and the vegetation along the fence is overgrown now. Nothing has been done to maintain and beautify the area,” said Stahl. “And that’s not even mentioning the dilapidated state of the roadway. It is full of potholes and completely lacking in any form of maintenance.” In response to the requests for an upgrade of the station, the state government responded that the station would under a “deep clean” during the week commencing 10 November. Share via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this article Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe The annual list of the biggest charitable donations from individuals or their foundations totalled almost $US6 billion ($10 billion) in 2024 with half of that coming from three contributions of $US1 billion or more each Two of those three gifts went to medical schools to provide financial aid SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy link Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe. Follow the topics, people and companies that matter to you. Read MorePhilanthropyBillionairesNetflixLatest In PeopleFetching latest articles This is probably not the page you’re looking for It looks like nothing was found at this location Get your spring cleaning sorted during November with Port Macquarie Hastings Council (PMHC) encouraging households to upcycle their unwanted goods for cash.  Over two big weekends on the 9-10 and 16-17 November the Garage Sale Trail will be happening across the Port Macquarie Hastings offering healthy profits for savvy sellers and tidy savings for thrifty shoppers.   Residents interested in participating in a sale are invited to host their own or join a group with people in their street.  said selling or shopping at garage sales are a fun and simple way to make some extra money all-while reducing our carbon footprint.  “The Garage Sale Trail helps people connect and keep their unwanted goods out of landfill,” Ms de Mestre said.  the garage sale trail enables people to buy and sell with ease Data collected from the 2023 event revealed that those holding a sale on the trail made an average $457 profit proving pre-loved items are both planet and pocket friendly.  “There really will be something for everyone; designer fashion tools and more,” Ms de Mestre said.  The Garage Sale Trail event is free for residents thanks to the support of the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and PMHC It has a serious mission to reduce the volume of usable items ending up in landfill and illegally dumped sites across the state.  NSW EPA Executive Director Programs and Innovation said “Garage Sale Trail supports the NSW Government’s target to reduce and deter illegal dumping.”  “Our recent audit found that 43% of items dumped on the kerbside could have either been reused you are embracing our transition to a circular economy and helping reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfill Opting for pre-loved items is a great way to save money and protect our environment for future generations.”  Register your sale for free at http://www.garagesaletrail.com.au   this is a Premium article and requires a subscription to read Lily Sutherland is one of the country’s leading jockeys presently sidelined through suspension and is also on the injured list John Jenkins is a longtime racing journalist based in Hawke’s Bay Members of Hawke’s Bay Racing will hopefully find out by the middle or end of this month what the future holds for the club going forward Riddell said those considerations include a comprehensive re-development plan to set Hawke’s Bay Racing up for racing for the next century He said those plans are advancing at a pace but are unlikely to be clear until July we are proposing to hold a members’ meeting in mid-late May we will outline and recommend an immediate course of action to return to racing as soon as possible and provide you with information regarding the process being undertaken to achieve the best long-term outcome for racing in Hawke’s Bay.” Riddell confirmed that the club had sold part of the land that it owned in the Paki Paki area which has enabled the it to pay down some of its bank debt “The short point is that we are making headway to enable the board to focus on applying all resources to our key objective of getting back to racing soonest,” he said He added that Hawke’s Bay Racing has established a liaison subcommittee that is tasked with exploring the merits of combining Hawke’s Bay Racing resources with other clubs in the region The thinking is that it will maximise the opportunities to enhance the racing facilities and support the racing industry in the eastern North Island The Waipukurau Jockey Club held a successful set of trials on their track on Tuesday with the racing surface providing excellent soft footing and the feedback from trainers and jockeys was very positive Waipukurau Jockey Club president Kirsty Lawrence said that although entry numbers were down on what was expected she felt the club needed to put on trials to accommodate horses due to the present lack of trial and race meetings in the Central Districts Lawrence said that the club needs at least 80 horse entries at the trials to make it viable for the club to run them A lot of work goes into staging the trials for the betterment of racing in the Hawke’s Bay region that they will be better supported in the future Among the most impressive winners on the day were Lucullan Lucullan is an Australian-bred three-year-old by Rich Enuff trained at Awapuni by Peter Didham and was a 4-3/4 length winner in a Rating 60 race at Waverley on April 4 He contested a 1000m heat at Waipukurau and wasn’t extended when winning by a length in a time of 1:01.88 Opaki trainer Jim Wallace lined up a promising two-year-old in Dolindo in the opening heat over 850m The Time Test gelding was slow to begin and gave the leaders a good head start coming to the home bend a four-year-old by Eminent owned and trained by Waverley-based Harvey Wilson scored a decisive 1-3/4 length win in a maiden catchweight heat over 1200m coming from second last in a six-horse field on the home turn to power past the opposition in the final stages and record the fastest time of the two 1200m heats It is thought there is a record number of jockeys sidelined in New Zealand at the moment Thirty riders spread throughout the country won’t be competing this weekend and some won’t be back in action for some time The list of suspended riders include five of the top 10 in this season’s national Jockeys’ Premiership in Michael McNab Sutherland is also on the injured list after suffering concussion in a training fall Suspended at Te Rapa on April 26 from close of racing on Saturday Suspended at Riccarton on April 26 from close of racing on Saturday Suspended at Riccarton on April 26 from close of racing on May 2 to close of racing on Sunday Suspended at Riccarton on April 26 from close of racing on May 3 to close of racing on May 23 Suspended at Pukekohe on April 23 from close of racing on April 26 to close of racing on May 16 Suspended at Riverton on April 21 from close of racing on Thursday Suspended at Riverton on April 21 from close of racing on May 9 to close of racing on Wednesday Suspended at Ellerslie on April 19 from close of racing on April 26 to close of racing on Wednesday Suspended at Ellerslie on April 19 and Wanganui on April 27 from close of racing on April 26 to close of racing on Saturday Suspended at Matamata on April 17 from close of racing on April 26 to close of racing on Saturday Suspended at Ashburton on April 16 to close of racing on Friday Suspended at Ashburton on April 16 from close of racing on April 26 to close of racing on Wednesday Suspended at Wellington April 12 and Te Rapa April 13 from close of racing on April 19 to close of racing on Saturday Corey Campbell: Out until further notice from April 18 Lily Sutherland: Out until further notice from April 15 Ngakau Hailey: Out until further notice from March 18 Choon Kin Kwo: Out until further notice from March 11 Tony Allan: Out until further notice from March 10 Rory Hutchings: Out until further notice from February 26 Lisa Allpress: Out until further notice from January 18 Sam Weatherley: Out until further notice from January 25 Darren Danis: Out until further notice from November 18 Kendra Bakker: Out until further notice from October 31 Gareth Lahoud: Out until further notice from September 12 Jay Kozaczek: Out until further notice from September 8 Brandon May: Out until further notice from April 22 Superstar trainer James Cummings and global powerhouse racing stable Godolphin are to split from the start of the new racing season where he worked with his legendary grandfather Bart Cummings James Cummings has been the head trainer at Godolphin But that will soon be over with Cummings revealing he wants to return to Leilani Lodge Godolphin is reimagining its structure in the Australian racing industry and will no longer employ a private trainer from next season In a joint statement with head trainer James Cummings on Wednesday Godolphin Australia managing director Andy Makiv said their decision to move to a public training model was in line with the design adopted by other influential owners and breeders Cummings will continue to train some horses for Godolphin with the all-powerful racing and breeding organisation explaining the decision to spread their team among a number of trainers would provide greater flexibility for the business while maintaining Godolphin’s strong presence in the Australian thoroughbred industry “The private training model that we first adopted after the purchase of Woodlands in 2007 and now James Cummings for the past eight years has proven to be very successful,” Makiv said “Moving away from a private training model gives us greater business agility We will continue to have the same number of horses in training — it’s fundamental to what we do." Cummings worked for nearly a decade at the famous Leilani Lodge and took over the running of that stable before joining Godolphin he had his first Group 1 win and now has a whopping 49 Group 1 winners to his name expressed excitement at embarking upon the next chapter of his career “The time is right for me to take the next step in my career and launch my own venture as a public trainer,” Cummings said “This experience has been incredibly rewarding and has taught me invaluable lessons “I’m deeply grateful to Godolphin for their ongoing support and I look forward with great anticipation to this exciting new chapter.” The UJV encompasses stage one of the Yangibana project and the stage two hydrometallurgical plant Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest’s private mining company has entered into exclusive negotiations with Hastings Technology Metals to form an unincorporated joint venture (UJV) for the Yangibana rare earths and niobium project in Western Australia Wyloo is set to hold a 60% participating interest in the UJV and act as its manager and operator with an option to increase its stake to 70% will hold a 40% participating interest in the UJV The UJV encompasses both stage one of the Yangibana project and the stage two hydrometallurgical plant Wyloo and Hastings have agreed on a non-binding term sheet to negotiate a UJV agreement and other binding transaction documentation Wyloo has also acquired a 19.99% stake in Canadian speciality materials manufacturer Neo Performance Materials from Hastings Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis The transaction was completed through the acquisition of 8,350,311 shares of Neo by Wyloo from Hastings at a value of A$79.8m ($50.7m) or C$8.63 ($6.08) per share in exchange for cancelling exchangeable notes of the same value The remaining exchangeable notes will be cancelled upon the formation of the UJV and Hastings will settle the value of the remaining 623,816 shares (1.49%) it holds in Neo through a cash payment to Wyloo Wyloo intends to hold the Neo shares for investment purposes and may adjust its holdings depending on market conditions and in accordance with Neo’s shareholder rights plan The company does not control any other shares in Neo and has no joint actors in respect of Neo or its securities Wyloo CEO Luca Giacovazzi said: “This is an exciting time to be a major partner in a multi-decade critical minerals project such as Yangibana “Yangibana is one of the most advanced rare earths projects in Australia and will become a globally significant source of NdPr [neodymium and praseodymium] “We are also pleased to acquire a 19.99% equity stake in Neo We look forward to working more closely with both Hastings and Neo across the mine to magnet supply chain as we expand our critical minerals portfolio.” The target date for finalising the UJV agreement is the end of March 2025 Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (18:22): (1420) My matter is for the attention of the Premier and it relates to documents that I have through freedom of information They relate to exchanges between the Commonwealth environment department – the Department of Climate Change the Environment and Water – and state officials under the control of the Minister for Environment and the Minister for Climate Action and Minister for Energy and Resources here These relate to the Port of Hastings application for wind farm arrangements in particular the decision of the Commonwealth minister Tanya Plibersek to reject Victoria’s application for a permit The permit was rejected by Tanya Plibersek on the grounds that it was manifestly unsuitable – that it would impinge on Ramsar areas in and around Western Port This was something that I think most people could see was an issue and could easily have been foreseen as a problem but the state government put all of its eggs in one basket The state government at that point went into a meltdown and the officials within the state department contacted the federal department They demanded that the federal department abbreviate or truncate some of its processes It makes wild reading when you see the exchanges of emails and the decisions by the state department and officers – some are redacted and are still redacted; we have not seen all of them This actually compromised the Commonwealth process Some of the comments made by Mr Fredericks the secretary of the Commonwealth department pulling the state officials into line make very significant reading On one hand this could actually land as something that IBAC could be closely involved with – and I certainly think that IBAC should look at this – but at a minimum the state Premier should refer this to the public sector commissioner The public sector commissioner has a responsibility to look at behaviour across government presumably with the connivance or otherwise of the minister to actually subvert Commonwealth processes I think is deeply concerning The action I am seeking is the referral of this at a minimum to the commissioner and to ensure that these officials are looked at very closely because they have clearly breached proper standards Port Macquarie Hastings Council (PMHC) will be bringing some Christmas cheer to households this December with general waste (red bin) collections to commence weekly under a new six-week trial.   PMHC will implement weekly collections between 23 December and 31 January to ease the pressure on households traditionally experiencing difficulties with disposing of excess waste at this time of year.  The extra collection is in addition to the weekly yellow bin service which already occurs between 23 December and 3 January and the regular weekly green bin collections that happen year-round.  All residents are required to do to take advantage of the extra red bin weekly service is simply place their red bin out with their yellow bin (recycling).  Waste collection data obtained during the trial will help determine the feasibility of the service moving forward.   The trial was the brainchild of Port Macquarie Mayor Adam Roberts whose notice of motion to the Council last year requesting a weekly waste service over summer “It was important to bring this issue to the Council’s attention to explore what options were available for our community over this busy period,” Mayor Roberts said.  “We know the Port Macquarie Hastings summers offer an envious lifestyle but they also create difficulties for many households who struggle to safely dispose of excess general waste generated during the peak periods of Christmas and New Year.  “I hope that by employing this trial While I’ve no doubt the service will be well received I do encourage everyone to think about their waste habits and ways of reusing or recycling items that we can keep out of landfill.  “Information on this, and how Council’s three-bin system works, is available by downloading the WasteInfo App which can be found on Council’s website.”  Our WasteInfo App can help you:  Report any issues relating to waste collection  For more information, please visit https://www.pmhc.nsw.gov.au/Residents/Waste-recycling/Bin-services/Bin-collection  Port Macquarie Hastings Council is launching a road safety competition this October The ‘Spot Joe Rider’ competition looks to reduce the occurrence of SMIDSY (Sorry Mate I didn’t See You) crashes by encouraging all road users to look out for motorcyclists on local roads Volunteer motorcyclists will be riding on Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s local road network from Monday 7 October to Friday 11 October 2024 wearing yellow high-visibility ‘Joe Rider’ vests drivers are asked to be on the lookout and remember where and when they sighted ‘Joe’ pull over to a safe spot or wait until you have arrived at your destination before completing the sighting form on council’s website.  Daily winners will receive a $50 voucher and one lucky winner will score the grand prize of a $250 voucher at the end of the week The campaign is run simultaneously alongside neighbouring councils and forms part of broader Motorcycle Safety Month initiatives which are run right throughout October Port Macquarie Hastings Education Officer Julia Cutajar said that this program is a great reminder to both drivers and motorcyclists to be cautious when out on our roads “Exercising caution out on the road is paramount at all times particularly around motorcycle riders who are more exposed than other vehicles,” she said “The Joe Rider campaign assists in educating our community about the importance of road safety awareness with a spotlight particularly on motorcyclists “If you spot a ‘Joe Rider’ take a mental note of when and where you saw them and pull over where it is safe to do so or wait until your destination Spotting Joe is a great prompt to check mirrors and blind spots scan the road especially at roundabouts and intersections and take care when pulling out from the curb or opening your car door when parked.” The Joe rider campaign started in the ACT about 17 years ago as a program to increase driver awareness of motorcyclists on our roads. The campaign has since been adopted by councils nationwide For more information on the Joe Rider competition, visit Spot Joe Rider to win! Port Macquarie Hastings Council (nsw.gov.au) We acknowledge the Birpai people, the traditional owners of the land in which we work and live, and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who choose to call Port Macquarie Hastings home. Cash-strapped rare earths developer Hastings Technology Metals has not been allowed to draw down the $220 million of taxpayers’ funds pledged towards its Yangibana project more than 33 months after the first tranche of the proposed loan was announced The federal government’s Northern Australia Infrastructure Fund confirmed that Hastings had still not met the conditions required to access the money and the agency would need to review Hastings’ strategic pivot towards China before deciding whether to proceed with the loan Read MoreCritical mineralsHastings Technology MetalsAndrew ForrestLatest In MiningFetching latest articles Hastings Technology Metals (ASX:HAS) has signed a non-binding term sheet to enter into an unincorporated joint venture with Andrew Forrest’s Wyloo for the Yangibana Rare Earths and Niobium Project in Western Australia which is estimated to have an initial 17-year mine life has a current resource of 29.93 million tonnes @ 0.93% total rare earth oxide (TREO) and a reserve of 20.93 million tonnes @ 0.90% TREO.  while Hastings’ subsidiary Yangibana Jubilee will own the remaining 40% Wyloo will also have an option to increase its interest to 70%.  Both companies have executed a share purchase agreement, in which Hastings will sell 8.35 million shares, valued at $79.8 million, in Neo Performance Materials (TSX:NEO) to Wyloo Wyloo will own a 19.99% stake in the company.  The project will be developed in two stages initially focusing on constructing the mine and beneficiation plant to produce 37,000 tonnes per year of rare earth concentrate.  Wyloo will review the development program and capital budget to further optimise and achieve additional cost-savings with the joint venture’s commitment to progress the project forward into construction and production.  Hastings says the total capital cost for Yangibana is $474 million subject to further optimisation by Wyloo.  Executive Chairman Charles Lew says the joint venture is a result of what has been ongoing positive discussions between both companies and a mutually beneficial way to proceed with developing Yangibana “Partnering with Wyloo brings incremental technical expertise and strong financial backing to our project which is already one-third completed,” Lew says.  Wyloo CEO Luca Giacovazzi says Yangibana is one of the most advanced rare earths projects in Australia and will become a globally significant source of neodymium-praseodymium.  global rare earths processing and advanced permanent magnets producer,” Giacovazzi says.  “We look forward to working more closely with both Hastings and Neo across the mine-to-magnet supply chain as we expand our critical minerals portfolio.” The target completion date for executing the agreement and other binding documentation Wyloo is focused on delivering critical minerals for the energy transition and managing a diverse portfolio of strategic investments in several public and private companies.  Hastings Technology Metals is a Perth-based rare earths company focused on developing the Yangibana Project located in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia.  Yangibana is fully permitted for immediate development and is well-timed to meet the forecast supply gap for rare earths accelerated by the growth in EVs and wind turbines which are both vital for the energy transition.  the global demand for rare earths doubled between 2015 and 2023 It has the potential to double again in 2050 Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au    Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon Unico Silver (ASX:USL) says the final results from phase-two diamond drilling at.. Dateline Resources pursues OTCQB listing in US North Bay advances gold production optimisation  Gilded market: Has jewellery demand lost lustre? ASX ends winning streak as energy sector... Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths... Metro on track to hit 2025 bauxite... ASX shifts down a gear Stay Informed on up-to-the-minute mining news Get the best articles straight to your inbox ASX ends winning streak as energy sector tumbles05 May Military Metals discusses antimony exploration in Slovakia05 May Unico Silver makes ‘multiple new discoveries’ at Cerro Leon05 May Critica readies to drill satellite rare earths targets    05 May Hastings Technology Metals and Andrew Forrest’s Wyloo have locked in a new joint venture (JV) to develop the Yangibana rare earths and niobium project in Western Australia Yangibana is a rare earths giant nestled in the Gascoyne region that boasts a 20.9 million tonne (Mt) ore reserve Once up and running Yangibana is tipped to produce over 37,000 tonnes of rare earth concentrates a year over its 17 year mine life Wyloo has signed on for a 60 per cent stake in the project leaving Hastings holding the remaining 40 per cent It’s not Wyloo’s first look-in for the project having dished out $200 million loan to back the project’s development in 2022 The remaining 85 million has also been taken off the books after Hastings transferred an equivalent 19.99 per cent stake in Canadian industrial magnet maker Neo Performance Materials to Wyloo “This is an exciting time to be a major JV partner in a multi-decade critical minerals project such as Yangibana,” Wyloo chief executive officer Luca Giacovazzi said “Yangibana is one of the most advanced rare earths projects in Australia and will become a globally significant source of NdPr (neodymium and praseodymium) as well as a producer of Niobium and other by-products critical to the energy transition.” Hastings has invested $158 million in supporting infrastructure at Yangibana including a 294-room accommodation village a 2km airstrip to facilitate landing of up to 70-seater aircrafts and 20km of site access road Neodymium and praseodymium are key ingredients in ultra-strong permanent magnets essential for rare earths for green technologies like wind turbines and electric vehicles which are set to become exponentially more prevalent in the coming years This is expected to see the demand for rare earths skyrocket in a prime position to expand the company’s green metals foothold gelling with its hard-line ‘real-zero’ goals Forrest has been vocal in his support for green technologies especially the decarbonisation of global shipping through green hydrogen and ammonia “The greatest greenwash is that climate change is the fault of the individuals,” Forrest previously said “It’s people like me – heavy industrial emitters Hastings executive chair Charles Lew said this next stage of Yangibana will usher in a new era for the company and the Gascoyne region “The joint venture arrangement is the result of what has been ongoing, positive discussions between Hastings and Wyloo regarding the exchangeable notes and a mutually beneficial way to proceed with the development of the Yangibana project, within which significant value will be realised,” he said Yangibana is expected to come online in the second quarter of 2025 Subscribe to the Mining newsletter to get the latest news that matters to Australia’s premier industry. Northern Star Resources has announced it has officially acquired De Grey Mining as of today A new deal by two gold mining partners in Western Australia will see $3.7 billion change hands by the end.. Industry players have reacted to the results of this weekend’s Federal election Fortescue founder and executive chair Andrew Forrest was.. All content published on this site is the property of Prime Creative Media The State Government has been exploring alternatives to the proposed assembly infrastructure at the Port of Hastings for the state’s offshore wind projects as revealed by the sector’s latest implementation statement The proposed Port of Hastings development was rejected earlier last year by the Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek who cited concerns about its impact on internationally significant wetlands in the area the State Government continued to pursue the project opening a new round of technical and environmental assessment the latest update of the industry from yesterday 9 April named Offshore Wind Energy Implementation Statement 4 reveals that the State Government has been “assessing the role other Victorian and Australian deepwater ports can play in the construction and assembly of offshore wind” and “maintaining optionality that alternative construction ports will be available for offshore wind developers to use” Statement 4 acknowledges that other ports “may not individually provide the full construction and assembly services envisaged at the proposed Port of Hastings terminal” but the State Government is exploring the feasibility of port services for individual elements of the process “These services can range from the provision of laydown areas for the storage of pins used to attach jacket foundations to the seabed to the assembly and installation of wind turbine generators (WTG) – assembling the towers nacelles and blades and shipping the WTG to be attached to the foundations,” it explains The statement lists several other deepwater ports in Victoria that have already announced their interest including GeelongPort and Port of Portland The State Government is working with them to assess their viability for supporting the State’s offshore wind target which covers a technical assessment of potential designs the modelling of the impact use of different ports will have on offshore wind development timelines the consideration of their distance from the offshore wind zone and likely weather conditions and potential development and construction timelines Statement 4 highlights how the specialised port infrastructure plays a critical role in meeting Victoria’s offshore wind goals the only viable method to date for the movement and maintenance of offshore wind components is via specialised deepwater offshore wind port facilities,” it states “As Victoria’s offshore wind farms become operational ports will be needed to transport workers out to the wind farms to perform essential maintenance.” statement 4 updates that the State Government has been preparing technical and environmental reports to examine potential impacts and approaches to refining the project to minimise impacts on significant environmental values protected under the EPBC Act A new referral will assess and minimise the potential impact of the terminal’s development on Western Port’s Ramsar wetlands and revise the design of the terminal to mitigate the environmental impacts construction will have while maintaining the ability to provide port services Plans for a new multi-million-dollar aquatic facility in Port Macquarie have been given the green light by the NSW Northern Region Planning Panel (NRPP).  which includes concept plans for two stages was unanimously supported by the independent panel at a determination meeting on Tuesday afternoon.  Port Macquarie Hastings Mayor Adam Roberts said the decision will now pave the way for Council to progress with exploring all available funding options for the facility.  “This is a significant milestone for our region and marks a ground-breaking point in the planning process for this important piece of recreational infrastructure,” Mayor Roberts said.  “This is a truly fit-for-purpose precinct that our whole community can be proud of It’s landmark approval now means Council can proceed with exploring all available funding options to ensure that the next phase in the planning cycle can be adequately carried out.   “I look forward to seeing this project take shape as further planning progresses.”   Stage 1 of the project includes scope for a 50-metre outdoor pool Stage 2 includes options for a gym expansion splash pad and slide and 42 additional parking spaces PMHC recommended to the NRPP that the project proceed after the plans were lodged in March The NRPP is an independent body that determines Council-owned developments with a value of more than $5 million.   PMHC has submitted a funding application for $13.6 million for Stage 1 via the Australian Government Growing Regions Program Round 2 The grant is contingent on PMHC matching that amount dollar-for-dollar Further funding options will continue to be explored to progress planning and development of the facility.  A determination notice will be available to view on the NRPP project planning website in the coming days. To view details of the project, head to https://www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/planning-panel/port-macquarie-aquatic-facility  Freshfields LLP has recently strengthened its energy and infrastructure practice by hiring Alistair McKechnie as a finance partner in London from rival firm Paul Hastings LLP The appointment follows Freshfields’ earlier recruitment of Jessamy Gallagher and Stuart Rowson who also joined from Paul Hastings in March 2025 McKechnie brings expertise in infrastructure and acquisition finance, having previously advised both sponsors and major European financial institutions. Before his time at Paul Hastings, which he joined as a partner in 2023, McKechnie worked at Latham & Watkins as an associate. According to Jessamy Gallagher, Global Co-Head of Energy and Real Assets at Freshfields, McKechnie’s arrival comes at a “pivotal moment” for the firm as it seeks to expand its global offerings across various sectors including energy, energy transition, and broader infrastructure. Gallagher emphasized that this appointment marks a strategic step in Freshfields’ accelerated growth plans across Europe, the United States, and beyond. Alex Mitchell, Global Co-Head of Leveraged Finance at Freshfields, noted that McKechnie’s appointment demonstrates the firm’s commitment to providing private capital clients with market-facing technical expertise and strategic guidance for complex financing transactions. This hire is part of Freshfields’ broader strategy to strengthen its private capital capabilities, with particular focus on energy transition and infrastructure sectors. The move represents the latest development in an ongoing talent acquisition effort, as Freshfields reportedly hired eight additional professionals from Paul Hastings for its global energy and infrastructure practice, including seven associates. Meanwhile, Paul Hastings has been making its own strategic moves, recently appointing energy and infrastructure partners to co-head its new Abu Dhabi office and adding a Paris-based partner to strengthen its business and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Contact us "LawFuel has been providing news, tools and views to help lawyers since 2001, one of the Internet's first law business sites.  We continue to provide news on law firm marketing, technology and business issues." POLICE are investigating after a male damaged an ATM outside Commonwealth bank in Hastings on 5 February. “It’s believed a teenager on a scooter used a hammer to damage the ATM on High St just after 4.30am before riding away,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said. No one was injured during the incident. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. First published in the Mornington News – 11 February 2025 HASTINGS State Emergency Service has advanced its training facilities by installing a sound-absorbing acoustic wall in its training room, thanks to a placemaking grant from the Mornington Peninsula Shire. The upgrade will allow volunteers to conduct multiple training sessions simultaneously by dividing the room into two separate areas, without disruption from other activities. Unit Controller Dutchy Holland said it significantly increased the facility’s versatility, supporting both operational needs and broader community use. “This upgrade will not only enhance our emergency response capabilities but also provide a valuable resource for other community groups,” he said.“SES Hastings is incredibly grateful for the support of Mornington Peninsula Shire in improving the adaptability of our training space.” During major storm events and emergency responses, the space can be reconfigured using the folding acoustic wall, creating an incident management room on one side and a crew briefing, welfare, or call triage area on the other. Holland said while the room remained fully functional in its open format, the enhanced flexibility means other community groups may also benefit. The Coast Guard has already expressed interest in using the upgraded facility, reinforcing its value beyond SES operations. First published in the Mornington News – 1 April 2025 Something went wrong.The page you are looking for could not be found The request URL is over the maximum size allowed! A Hastings man who has been selling bunches of watercress for more than 30 years has been told by Hastings District Council to stop until he pays registration fees. A Hastings man who has run a makeshift business picking and selling watercress on suburban streets for more than 30 years has been told to stop until he pays more than $600 of registration fees. Hastings District Council sent a message to the man after a council officer “observed the activity” in Flaxmere near the shopping centre on April 23. Jake* – who declined to tell Hawke’s Bay Today his real name for this article out of fears of even more of a crackdown against him – says he feels betrayed by the council and is just trying to make a small living putting healthy food on the tables of the community. “Why do they want a cut of money I generated with my sweat to give the community the chance to put kai on the table?” In an email to Jake, the council said under the Food Act he had to cease trading until he was registered as a National Programme 1 business with the Hastings District Council. Council said a rough estimate of the set-up cost was around $619, with ongoing annual fees. Jake says he questions why he’s only being asked to do it now after more than three decades of sales, and fears the domino effect registration could bring down upon him. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was supply cheap, nutritious kai to whanau and friends. “I like being legal, and the community has been amazing offering to help me pay [to become a legal operator], but what comes next?” Brought up in a shearing family, Jake says his uncle got him into picking watercress. “I was about 13 or 14. I was from a big family and money was tight.” He said his watercress gained popularity rapidly over the years, to the point he was supplying shops and some supermarkets. “And then Covid hit and things changed. Everyone was selling it on the side of the road.” These days Jake sells on the side of the road outside the Flaxmere shopping centre. “I was parking in the carpark but was told by the council I wasn’t allowed to do that.” Flaxmere ward councillor Henry Heke said the man had been harvesting and selling watercress for years, and the community wanted it to continue. “The question now is how can council officers support him? How can they help him understand why there are regulations in place regarding the sale of food?” Heke said he had previously worked for an organisation that had helped and supported Ted Pardo, the fried bread man, through the same thing. “It’s all about supporting local and supporting homegrown.” The council says it has an obligation under the legislation to ensure foodstuffs that are sold are safe and suitable for people to consume. But Jake says he knows his stuff and has an Eastern Institute of Technology certificate to handle raw and cooked food. “I’ve been doing this for years. I have access to farms. I never pick if there has been spraying nearby or if there are any dead animals nearby. ”No one has ever got sick from eating my watercress." He donates produce to local tangihanga and marae and says he’s by no means making large profits. “It’s not all about the money. I have overheads as well and with a big family myself whatever comes in goes out fast. “After working hard, it’s not easy work, including weekends and holidays and living cheaply for 30 years I have finally been able to afford a truck. “I’ve wrecked several cars driving over farm tracks. “I’m trying to better myself by learning te reo Māori and all I want to do is look after family and make the community happy by providing good kai.” Registration to be a produce seller doesn’t apply to those selling produce at their gates but is otherwise required, the council said. Eggs sold at the gate need packaging that complies with the Australia New Zealand Food Safety Code to meet labelling requirements. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. The move is 'a board decision shared by the firm as a courtesy', trust chairwoman says. Billionaire Andrew Forrest is set to take control of a stalled Australian rare earths mine and the European refinery that will turn its metals into magnets under a $200 million deal with ASX-listed Hastings Technology Metals Forrest’s private mining company Wyloo will effectively forgo the $200 million debt it is owed by Hastings if all parts of Thursday’s three-step deal are completed Mornington Crime Investigation Unit detectives have charged a man with reckless conduct endangering life and other offences following an investigation into an alleged assault and separate aggravated burglary Hastings about 8.30am on 2 November 2024 after reports a man had been doused in flammable liquid and was chased by two men with a blow torch The victim suffered minor injuries in the incident Investigators believe one of the offenders was also involved in an alleged aggravated burglary on Stump Gully Road Investigators have been told a man broke into the property about 2.15am and stole a BMW sedan The owner of the property attempted to stop the car from driving away and was allegedly hit by the vehicle as it exited the property She suffered non-life-threatening injuries On Thursday 27 February intelligence led detectives to attend a disused refinery off The Esplanade in Crib Point to arrest and interview a man in relation to the above matters It is alleged he ran from police and the Air Wing Dog Squad and local drone unit were called in to help search for the man He was arrested a short time later in dense scrub off The Esplanade The 35-year-old man has been charged with reckless conduct endanger life He has been remanded to appear at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Monday 3 March https://www.police.vic.gov.au/man-arrested-following-hastings-conduct-endangering-life