Community News - June 2023
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY?
HUNTER OUTPERFORMS NATION'S LABOUR MARKET
Despite ongoing economic headwinds, the region's employment market is showing continued resilience, observes the region's peak industry body Business Hunter.
The latest ABS Regional Labour Force data (April 2023) reveal the Hunter region's unemployment rates have continued to fall, despite national unemployment rising. Business Hunter CEO Bob Hawes said this was an unusual outcome.
"While the monthly figures are volatile, we're typically a little softer than the national figure, so this is an interesting development and something we'll continue to track," said Mr Hawes.
The monthly unemployment rate in the Hunter Valley dropped to 1.7% from 4.2% in March, and the rate in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie fell to 2.9%, down from 3.4% in March.
The less volatile 12-month average figures continued to fall, from 4% to 3.9% in the Hunter Valley and 3.5% to 3.3% for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. The national figure rose from 3.5% to 3.7%.
Mr Hawes said at the surface, the regional labour force market was defying gravity, continuing to remain strong despite rising cost pressures and housing shortages.
CITY OF NEWCASTLE'S RECORD BUDGET DELIVERING BENEFITS TO COMMUNITY
More than $25.7 million will be invested into maintaining and enhancing the city's roads, bridges and footpaths as part of a record Budget unanimously adopted by Council late last month.
City of Newcastle is significantly boosting its investment in essential community infrastructure in 2023/24, pouring $7.5 million into its road resurfacing program and more than doubling its spending on road rehabilitation projects as part of the most extensive annual capital works program to date.
More than $137 million has been earmarked for investment into local facilities and infrastructure, with almost 270 projects planned across the local government area during the next financial year.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said this was a financially prudent Budget balancing community needs with a forecast $6.9 million surplus.
"This Budget is focussed on providing real benefits for our community in their everyday lives, whether it's investing more than $15 million into improving our roads, spending $1.2 million to extend our city's footpath network or making it easier for people to get around Newcastle with $3.6 million for new cycleways," Cr Nelmes said.
"We recognise the vital role our recreational facilities and open spaces play in the lives of our community, so we're investing $19.7 million into new and improved parks, playgrounds, sporting and aquatic facilities, including $5 million towards the new all-abilities playground at Foreshore Park and $1.9 million for the playspace at Gregson Park.
"We're also committed to caring for our natural environment, with $13.5 million for environmental sustainability initiatives, including $8 million towards planning and protecting our coastline, estuaries and wetlands, $1.5 million towards street tree planting projects and $1 million for upgrades at Blackbutt Reserve.
"City of Newcastle's 2023/24 Budget will meet the expectations of our community while still following a path of financial stability to ensure our city remains an attractive and inclusive place to live, work and visit, now and into the future."
For more budget highlights, visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/about-us/news-andupdates.
TINY FOREST SPROUTING BIG BENEFITS IN LAKE MAC
It's known as a 'tiny forest', but a new green space sprouting in Lake Macquarie is set to reap huge benefits for the local environment.
Dozens of students from Teralba Public School helped plant the forest's first trees before a larger-scale community planting day. Lake Macquarie City Council Section Manager Community Assets Rob Morris said the concept of the tiny forest, pioneered in Japan, called for hundreds of native trees of various species to be planted densely in enriched soil.
"Dense planting promotes competitive growth habits in the trees, and experience at other sites shows they can grow up to 10 times faster than trees in a traditional forest," he said. "That means this tiny forest will hopefully reach its mature structure in about 10-20 years rather than 200 years."
"That density also helps them become far more biodiverse than monoculture forests."
Mr Morris said hopes were high that the 750 plants to be established in the Teralba tiny forest – just 340sqm in size – would one day provide habitat for local threatened species, such as the powerful owl and the squirrel glider.
The Teralba tiny forest will also act as an outdoor classroom, with sandstone blocks installed for people to sit and enjoy the soon-to-be verdant surroundings.
The project is led by ReLeaf Lake Mac and the Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhoods Alliance, with support from Council, Earthwatch Australia, Hunter Water and Origin.
Community volunteers called 'Tree Keepers', will help maintain the site and the ReLeaf Lake Mac team will water and weed the site regularly for the first two years.
"What we're doing in Teralba will play a small but important part in mitigating the impacts of climate change, providing habitat for wildlife and reconnecting people with nature," said ReLeaf Lake Mac spokeswoman Anna Noon.
They will also undertake regular citizen science activities to monitor biodiversity, temperature, growth and biomass as the forest develops.
THANKING CHARLESTOWN'S VOLUNTEERS
Whether they are keeping us safe in the water, improving our community spaces or working with young people to develop their skills, Charlestown's volunteers are making a vital contribution to our community.
"They do this freely and without fanfare, but our society simply wouldn't function effectively without them," said Member for Charlestown, Jodie Harrison.
Over 75% of NSW's population are volunteers, contributing hours of effort worth $127 billion to the state's economy.
Ms Harrison urged the community to recognise their unsung heroes with a 2023 Volunteer of the Year nomination, saying the awards were an opportunity to shine a spotlight on those who generously give their time without fanfare.
"I pay tribute to all the amazing people across Charlestown who volunteer in aged care, emergency services, animal welfare, environmental management, health, sport, education, tourism and all other areas."
For more information on nominating a person making a difference in the Charlestown community, visit www.volunteering.com.au/awards.
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