AN E-PETITION is now available on the NSW Parliament website calling for upgraded support to assist Hunter and Mid North Coast communities devastated by the May flood. The petition calls on the NSW Government to maximise Category C funding and urgently declare Category D funding for devastated small businesses, primary producers and communities in the […]
Additional communities eligible for Personal Hardship grants
MORE locations in the Upper Hunter Electorate have been added in the past week to the impact area for the East Coast Severe Weather Personal Hardship Assistance grant. The one-off payment provides $180 for eligible individuals, or up to $900 per household. As of the Thursday 19 June update, residents of 29 communities are now […]
Mayor calls for increased disaster funding
MIDCOAST Council Mayor Claire Pontin has written to Premier Chris Minns requesting him to seek a “Category D” disaster classification from the Federal Government. Cr Pontin recently met with key NSW Ministers, including Minister for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin, to push for a more substantial and long-term funding commitment – including Category D disaster funding […]
NSW Gov committee investigating access to public land and waterways
A NSW Government committee has begun investigating access to publicly owned land and waterways in New South Wales, including national parks, marine reserves, crown land, state forests, water catchments and Aboriginal land. The Select Committee on Access Restrictions to Public Lands and Waterways was established by a resolution of the NSW Legislative Council on Wednesday […]
Gloucester Business Chamber calls for urgent action on local sites
GLOUCESTER Business Chamber has written to several NSW Government ministers and MidCoast Council Mayor Claire Pontin, seeking urgent action in relation to the Gloucester Machinery site in Denison Street and the Gloucester Holiday Park. The letter notes that the Holiday Park is “in a derelict state, with vital repairs and upgrading long overdue”. NOTA has […]
Some relief for flood affected ratepayers on the MidCoast
WHILE MidCoast Council staff and contractors continue the mammoth flood clean up, councillors have provided some relief to struggling ratepayers. At Wednesday’s Extraordinary Council meeting the impact of the recent floods was high on the agenda. Councillors agreed to provide some financial relief for the hardest hit. Some of the initial measures include: · writing […]
Rumble strips to be installed on Pacific Highway
IMPROVING safety is the focus of work starting this month to install Audio Tactile Line Marking (ATLM) on sections of the Pacific Highway north from Karuah. From Tuesday 10 June, crews will start work on two sections of the highway. Section one covers 143 kilometres from Karuah to Frederickton, where 251 kilometres of ATLM will […]
Road repairs prevented by high water levels
WITH residents still cut off in some rural parts of the region, MidCoast Council’s immediate focus for roads is to re-establish access to these areas and ensure damaged roads and bridges can be safely used. Council staff have been out inspecting the damage to the road network in the aftermath of last month’s devastating floods, […]
Council’s Community Conversations continue
RESIDENTS have more opportunities to attend a Community Conversation with MidCoast Council representatives in June and July. Community Conversations provide councillors and senior staff an opportunity to visit different localities, talk about the work Council is planning, and hear from community members about their concerns. This round of Conversations also features a short presentation on […]
Youth crime committee tables first report
THE first report of an inquiry into community safety has been tabled, highlighting an urgent need for early intervention to deal with the complex social drivers of youth crime in regional and rural NSW. Since adopting the inquiry on 20 March 2024, the Committee of Law and Safety received almost 200 submissions and conducted hearings […]