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What’s happening in Your Newcastle? Lord Mayor City of Newcastle, Nuatali Nelmes, takes five with City leaders as well as prominent and everyday Novocastrians to discover events, projects and initiatives in your backyard.
Together we explore how the City of Newcastle is evolving into a smart, liveable, sustainable global City and find out how you can have your say on matters important to you.
41 Episodes
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From a convict’s button to larger, iconic pieces from the BHP Newcastlesteelworks, there are treasures abound in the Newcastle Museum collection.Find out what a day in the life of Curation and Collection Coordinator DavidHampton looks like, and some interesting facts about steam locomotives,including Australia’s oldest piece of gravity-fed, fishbelly rail, which wasdiscovered in Newcastle and is on display at the museum.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
City of Newcastle’s Local Centres Program paves the way for neighbourhoodcentre upgrades near you, delivering footpath upgrades, tree planting, streetfurniture and stormwater infrastructure to activate community hubs. CouncillorPeta Winney-Baartz, Senior Project Planner Sarah Horan and Project ManagerChris Merlo unpack the latest upgrade to Shortland Local Centre and previewthose nearing completion at Mitchell Street, Stockton, and Orchardtown Road,New Lambton, exploring the concept of a 20-minute neighbourhood and theimportance of connecting parks, traffic and cycleways to create safer, moreaccessible public spaces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Greening Newcastle’s streets has never been more important as we face thechallenges of urban heat island effect, population growth and the impacts ofclimate change. Street gardens are a simple yet powerful way to transform thenature strip between your footpath and the road to bring climate, social, biodiversity and stormwater drainage benefits. So, who is eligible to plant one,and what are the criteria? Find out with Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor DeclanClausen and Environmental Education Officer Elise Budden how you can getinvolved in City of Newcastle’s street garden program. Visitwww.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/streetgardens for more information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In anticipation of Newcastle Art Gallery’s $40 million expansion, the gallery’sentire collection of more than 7,000 artworks was revalued at $126 million, an$11 million increase. Newcastle Art Gallery Curator, Lisa Kirkpatrick, andNewcastle Art Gallery Society President, Prue Viggers OAM, distil their thoughtson some of the most valuable works, making Newcastle’s collection the mostvaluable in Australia outside of the capital cities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Market volatility and the threat of climate change are driving a national energycrisis. Could widespread electrification in the suburbs be the next frontier inreducing emissions? Inventor, author, founder, scientist and former climateadvisor to the US White House, Dr Saul Griffith, explains how replacing our cars,kitchen appliances and heating and cooling systems with energy efficientalternatives can have a significant impact, and the government policy andincentives needed to get us there to invest in a greener future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Newcastle Art Gallery’s long awaited $40 million expansion is underway, withthe gallery set to double in size with an additional 1,600sqm of exhibition space,extending its footprint east along Darby and Queen streets. This will allow a fargreater portion of the gallery’s $126 million collection to be permanentlydisplayed. Gallery Director Lauretta Morton and Newcastle Art GalleryFoundation Chair Suzie Galwey join Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes to unpack the project. Lauretta and Suzie reveal their favourite artworks in the collection.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Ensuring strong protections for our rich built and cultural heritage has beencritical to the ongoing urban renewal, transformation and preservation ofNewcastle’s historic east end. Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and DevelopmentManager at Iris Capital, Jamie Boswell, step us through the East End Villageproject, the opening of the QT Hotel, and breathing new life into the HunterStreet Mall through its careful and considered restoration of the public domain.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Albanese Government has committed to holding a referendum toconstitutionally enshrine an Indigenous Voice to Parliament in the currentparliamentary term, which would establish a representative body allowingAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to have their say on projects andpolicies that directly impact them. To succeed, the proposed referendum needsto win a majority of votes in a majority of states. One of the leading advocates inthe campaign for the referendum is author and proud Torres Strait Islanderman, Thomas Mayor, who emboldens listeners to have the inspiringconversations needed to get there. Get involved at www.fromtheheart.com.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Newcastle is entering a new phase of sophistication as an arts and culturaldestination. From prominent walls to hidden laneways, Newcastle’s burgeoningstreet art scene will make you feel something. Local muralist and CreativeDirector of Playstate, Jordan Lucky, draws on his travels to reflect on how far thecity has come, where we’re headed, and the skill and technique involved inpainting murals to scale to produce evocative artworks. Playstate CompanyDirector Isaac Whitten weighs in on the conversation with Councillor CarolDuncan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
From its hip hop origins, street art has evolved to become part of a broaderspectrum of public art that inspires the masses and starts conversations. JoiningCouncillor Carol Duncan, Chair of City of Newcastle’s Public Art ReferenceGroup, to preview the upcoming Big Picture Fest and Little Festival, directorsKaterina Skoumbas and Jacinta Fintan explore the nature of street art, which isvisibly transforming the city as more murals and installations turn blank wallsinto colourful canvases. Visit www.thebigpicturefest.com/event/newcastle-2022and www.littlefestival.com.au.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Shaped by a diverse, multicultural community, Hamilton is full of rich history. In recent years Beaumont Street has undergone revitalisation, with the City of Newcastle recently completing an upgrade to James Street Plaza, which included the installation of new artworks, lighting and seating to improve the local amenity. 500m away, the City is developing the Gregson Park Masterplan to guide the park’s vision and renewal over the next 10 to 15 years. Guest host Councillor Carol Duncan invites BIA Coordinator, local business owner and Community Group of the Year 2021 representative, Janice Musumeci, to explore some of the activations we might soon see in Hamilton, including markets, live music and theatre.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Newcastle has a long and proud history of peace activism, with former Lord Mayor the late Joy Cummings AM declaring the City of Newcastle a Nuclear Free Zone on 29 June 1982. In 2021 the peace movement continues, with the City reaffirming this declaration and working with Hunter Peace Group to establish a dedicated Peace Park at Tighes Hill, symbolising that which has been fought for and must continue to be fought for. Attending her first peace march at the age of 16 in Scotland in 1958, Hunter Peace Group Secretary and former trade unionist Lynda Forbes shares her views on the AUKUS nuclear submarine deal between Australia, the UK and the US and the importance of diplomacy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
When the second wave of COVID-19 and lockdowns struck, City of Newcastle acted swiftly to expand its award-winning $5.5 million Community and Economic Response Package to fill the gaps in the State and Federal Governments’ response at a grassroots level. To mobilise immediate on-ground support and help stimulate post-pandemic economic recovery, the City unlocked $1.25 million in Rapid Response Grants, Community Support and Infrastructure Grants, as well as Special Business Rate funding and an expanded capital works program to keep Novocastrians in jobs. Joining guest host Deputy Lord Mayor Cr Declan Clausen, Curious Legends Artistic Director Mitchell Reese and Erin Beard of Family Support Newcastle share how this additional funding helped their respective organisations deliver targeted support where it was most needed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
City of Newcastle is investing in improved cycleway networks to benefit residents, commuters, and visitors alike, shifting public perception by providing a genuine transport option that is a cheaper, cleaner, and healthier alternative to get from A to B. Successful delivery requires investment in safe, connected infrastructure and thoughtful planning as well as behaviour change, so how do we achieve this whilst taking the community along for the ride? Joining the discussion is City of Newcastle Councillor and Cycleways Advisory Group Chairman, John Mackenzie, and Newcastle Cycleways Movement President, Sam Reich.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Born a talented able-bodied triathlete, Lauren Parker’s life was turned upside down during a horrific accident in 2017 when she was training for the Ironman event and her tyres burst, sending her careering into a guard rail at 45km/h. She was told she would never walk again. This is the gruelling and inspiring story of Lauren Parker, whose grit and determination has seen her become a silver Paralympic medallist and a three-time world champion against all odds. A proud Novocastrian, Parker shares her experiences wearing the green and gold and the daily battles we don’t see.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Crowned City of Newcastle’s 2021 Young Citizen of the Year, Sam Poolman has called time on her professional netball career, ending on a high with a whirlwind season with the GIANTS that saw everything from interstate travel and lockdowns to COVID tests and quarantine. A trailblazer for women in sport, Poolman shares some of her career highlights spanning 10 years and 104 games at the elite level, including charity work with ASPIRE Netball and captaining Australia’s Fast5 Netball team in the World Series.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Newcastle is facing a tsunami of need for social and affordable housing due to job losses, rent hikes and stagnant wage growth, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Guest host Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz joins Compass Housing’s Events and Community Relations, Michelle Faithfull, to explore the changing demographics of people experiencing homeless and what that looks like beyond visibility of those sleeping on the streets, including couch surfing and sleeping in cars. Hunter Homeless Connect takes its community services directory online, while City of Newcastle signs a Memorandum of Understanding with the NSW Government to identify opportunities for social and affordable housing development in addition to the mandating 15% of new dwellings as such under its Affordable Housing Contributions Scheme.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Port of Newcastle is the third-largest in Australia and contributes $1.5 billion to the national GDP. Accounting for 4,400 ship movements per year, the port is currently only operating at 50% capacity, with plenty of scope to embrace the transition to renewable energy under an ambitious diversification plan, backed by a commitment to derive 50% of its revenue from non-coal-related exports by 2030. Leading the conversation locally around the technical realities of maintaining a highly skilled workforce to ensure economic prosperity for future generations is the Hunter Jobs Alliance. Port of Newcastle CEO Craig Carmody and Hunter Jobs Alliance Coordinator Warrick Jordan weigh in on the discussion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Dominating a large share of the Newcastle radio market between their respective breakfast shows, Tanya Wilks (Triple M) and Jess Farchione (Hit 106.9) join host Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes to share how they paved career paths as prominent local women in radio and some of the highlights of the job, including charity work for Lifeline, domestic violence support services and more. Reaching listeners in their homes, cars and workplaces, we hear about Tanya and Jess’ real, unscripted moments on air and how it offers a window into their personal lives.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In January 2022, City of Newcastle will welcome 12 new trainees and apprentices under its dedicated Trainees and Apprentices Program. In this episode, host Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes takes five with former Trainee Arts Administrator Yvonne Edwards, who, after two years based at the Civic Theatre, secured a permanent position as Museum Administration Officer at Newcastle Museum. Yvonne shares her experiences and achievements, including the opportunity as a proud Yolngu woman to work on the City of Newcastle Reconciliation Action Plan 2021-2024.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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