Grapevine News Online March 2023

NEWS ARCHIVES

30 March 2023

Olympus has fallen: a red tide of change

Not even the Liberals Lone Ranger, Adam Crouch, could stem the red tide that surged across the Central Coast last Saturday. The previous safe seat of Terrigal was part of a Tsunami of change as the state Liberals drowned in a puerile sea of arrogance, which saw Labor win the 2023 election.

30 March 2023

Flora threatened due to climate change

A recent report reveals that 50 per cent of regional flora is threaten due to climate change according to the report author Paul Winn. To prevent regional extinctions, an alliance of environment organizations are calling for a moratorium on land clearing across 1 million hectares between Barrington Tops and Hawkesbury River.

30 March 2023

Easter school holiday's fun

The first term of school went by in a flash but don’t worry, Central Coast Council has you covered to keep your kids busy and entertained these school holidays.

30 March 2023

Place Maker - the heart of the Central Coast

The Entrance town centre, foreshore and surrounds will be buzzing with activities featuring a series of public art and activations planned from 7 to 16 April 2023 during this year’s Place Maker program.

30 March 2023

School holiday Fun for Young People at YAAS!

YAAS! Young Authentic and Social is an award-winning arts and culture program for 12-24 year old marginalised youth on the Central Coast, hosting social groups, creative workshops and celebrations.

30 March 2023

Say no to PEP-11

The PEP-11 project, a proposed new offshore gas project is ‘’pending’’ a decision - the community must urge the Albanese government to stick to their word, and reject the shocking industrialisation of our stunning oceans, which will impact the Central Coast.

30 March 2023

Ladies day

It’s June 2005, and the Royal Ascot racing carnival has been temporarily displaced to York. Four BFFs from the Hull fish-packing plant decide to spend a day celebrating at the races. What follows is a comedy of drinking, gambling and a lot of secret sharing.

30 March 2023

Get lit: everything illuminated and glowing

Australia’s most internationally acclaimed glass artist – JamFactory ICON Jessica Loughlin: of light – is to exhibit at Gosford Regional Gallery as part of four solo exhibitions this season by national artists brought together by their fascination with light and space.

22 March 2023

An abysmal failure

The Central Coast Community expects from government that health, education and roads are delivered, yet under the Perrottet Government we have a health system in crisis, education standards have gone backwards and road funding has been cut. The Central Coast, deserves a positive vision, not a government that is tired and failing to deliver the essential services families rely on.

22 March 2023

Treatment plant upgrade to secure safe drinking water

World Water Day today is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis and a chance to highlight Central Coast’s Council’s plans to secure safe drinking water for the region.

22 March 2023

$100,000 committed to secure future of Pelican Park

NSW Labor has committed to deliver $100,000 to the Central Coast Council for the upgrade of Pelican Park, including new playground, improvements to accessibility and maintenance if elected on Saturday.

22 March 2023

Parks to get an upgrade under Labor

Member for The Entrance, David Mehan, today announced that a Labor Government will fund three playground upgrades across The Entrance electorate.

22 March 2023

Draft housing exhibition extended

Council is encouraging the community to find out more about the draft Central Coast Local Housing Strategy which opened for community consultation on 15 March, and is on exhibition until the extended date of 3 May 2023.

22 March 2023

Older Coasties to benefit from Care Finder program

The Care Finder program offers vulnerable older Australians one-on-one intensive support to help them access aged care as well as health, housing, and community services.

22 March 2023

Lights, action, music!

Music in film - free pre-concert talk at Erina Library on Wednesday 29 March, 11.00am.

17 March 2023

Power bill surge on the horizon

The Default Market Offer (DMO), released on Wednesday 15 March by the Australian Energy Regulator, shows NSW households will experience energy bill increases of up to $463 while small businesses will see their bills rise by up to $858, a price increase that State Treasurer Matt Kean promised would not happen.

17 March 2023

Voters must check candidate's climate credentials

NSW election candidates must commit to large-scale and deep cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, and to actions to protect people from future extreme events, according to Climate Future, a Central Coast-based community group dedicated to action on the climate crisis.

17 March 2023

Local housing strategy open for community consultation

Council’s draft Central Coast Local Housing Strategy is now on exhibition for community input. The Strategy, which is open for community consultation from 15 March to 26 April 2023, has been drafted to help manage the future demand for housing within the region.

17 March 2023

$20 million for new mental health housing

Central Coast Labor MPs have confirmed that an elected Minn's Government will invest $20 million over two years to establish three sites for housing with mental health support in NSW.

17 March 2023

Neglect exposed at campaign launch

The NSW Liberal's campaign launch fell flat on its face last Monday and was tantamount to an admission the government doesn’t have a plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, the underinvestment in our schools or the issues in our health system.

17 March 2023

Commitment to fund Halekulani Oval lighting

NSW Labor will provide Budgewoi Bulldogs Rugby League Club with $120,000, to install flood lighting, as well as additional lighting to the existing poles at Halekulani Oval if it wins government on March 25.

17 March 2023

Central Coast libraries celebrate 75 years

Libraries on the Central Coast celebrated a major milestone yesterday, 16 March 2023! It is 75 years since the adoption of the NSW Library Act 1939 by Gosford Shire Council on 16 March 1948. The Act enables the provision of free public library services to the people of NSW.

17 March 2023

60 years of Lifeline: NEWSS to be established and delivered

Yesterday marked 60 years since Lifeline opened its telephone lines for the first time to help some of the most vulnerable members of our society. It was also a day that Australian emergency workers were guaranteed that they will additional mental health support through the establishment of the National Emergency Workers Support Service (NEWSS).

17 March 2023

Swansea deserves better than climate-denial

Global climate change is not a future problem. Changes to Earth’s climate driven by increased human emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are already having widespread effects on the environment: glaciers and ice sheets are shrinking, river and lake ice is breaking up earlier, plant and animal geographic ranges are shifting, and plants and trees are blooming sooner.

17 March 2023

Blow for beekeepers as Varroa Mite spreads

In a blow to local beekeepers and apiarists nine new cases of the deadly varroa mite have been detected on the Central Coast and in the Hunter.

17 March 2023

Celebrating the Coast's diversity at Flavours by the Sea

Central Coast Council’s Harmony Day event, Flavours by the Sea, will return on Saturday 25 March bringing the tastes, sights and sounds of the world to the Central Coast.

10 March 2023

How do you fix a broken health system?

Why has the health system, under the Liberal- National Party, fallen by the wayside over the past twelve years and is Perrottet’s promise nothing more than just shallow and meaningless pre-election promise? And on the Central Coast our hospital system is in crisis – the second worst in NSW.

10 March 2023

How will upcoming election candidates

work for a sustainable Central Coast?

The Community Environment Network (CEN) will be holding two Candidate Forums at the Ourimbah Campus of the University of Newcastle (UoN) in the leadup to the March 25 NSW State Election.

10 March 2023

Not a single build-to-rent in two years

The NSW Government’s policy on build-to-rent, not surprising, has failed - with the streamlined planning approvals process only clearing one project in the past two years.

10 March 2023

Community concerns fall on deaf ears

If the Central Coast community believe that the Region is served by a council, then they are wrong. Decisions are made by one individual alone – decisions that it would seem are to suit the current government’s agenda.

10 March 2023

Locals receive Woman of the Year Award

San Remo’s Oana McBride has been named Swansea Local Woman of the Year for 2023 and Te’re Melrose received the award for The Entrance electorate at this years award ceremony in Sydney yesterday.

10 March 2023

Reprieve for Long Jetty Hospital

Last Friday the Grapevine reported that the former Long Jetty Hospital’s future was hanging precariously and unlikely to continue as a public health facility. Member for The Entrance, David Mehan, has now confirmed that the former hospital will be renovated and upgraded.

10 March 2023

Tuggerah Lakes Estuary community pop-up events

Central Coast Council is hosting a series of community pop-ups along the foreshore this month to provide residents with an opportunity to share concerns, ideas or ask questions related to the Tuggerah Lakes Estuary.

10 March 2023

Ocean Beach SLSC receives grant for safety improvements

As part of the 2022 Community Building Partnership Program, almost $8,000 has been allocated to the Ocean Beach SLSC for the replacement of two damaged roller doors at the surf club.

10 March 2023

Shared pathways are for everyone

Central Coast Council has installed creative stencils along the Tuggerah Lake Foreshore shared pathway as an education campaign to increase positive attitudes and behaviours towards people with a disability.

3 March 2023

A roadmap to cheaper electricity? Or a highway to energy hell?

The Australian Energy Regulator has published its contribution determination for the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap that will see an average household save $130 on their energy bills, according to the Perrottet Government. But is Treasurer Matt Kean really being upfront with the people of NSW or will energy prices increase not decrease?

3 March 2023

Winning back democracy

There is a pathway for the Central Coast community to put ‘LOCAL’ back into Council, according to the three speakers who were part of a webinar hosted by The Point ESG News Site on Thursday, 2 March.

3 March 2023

Hospital crisis keeps on growing

The Grapevine has reported previously on a number of occasions on the growing hospital and ambulance crisis facing the Central Coast and the rest of NSW, and, in spite of the Premier’s claims, the situation has not changed – ambulances are still under increased pressure and thousands are left waiting for elective surgery.

3 March 2023

Future of Long Jetty Hospital hanging precariously

Member for The Entrance, David Mehan, today called on the NSW Government to commit to the future of Long Jetty Hospital and give the community the health services it has asked for.

3 March 2023

Future of koalas looking brighter

Another 3,157 hectares of high quality koala habitat has been secured for the State’s national park estate, helping to further safeguard koalas in NSW.

3 March 2023

Coast commuters will save thousands

Local Labor MPs have confirmed that NSW Labor, if elected this month, will introduce a $60 weekly toll cap saving some Coasties thousands of dollars each year in skyrocketing toll charges.

3 March 2023

Coast playtime upgrades just around the corner

Central Coast Council is commencing the renewal of ten playspaces across the region to provide upgraded recreational facilities for the community.

3 March 2023

Strike a pose for The Drowsy Chaperone

The Drowsy Chaperone is a Canadian musical with music and lyrics by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison, and a book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar.

3 March 2023

Community benefits from much-needed funding

Three recipients of community grants in Gosford electorate have received much-needed funds as part of the 2022 Community Building Partnership Program.

3 March 2023

Hydrogen bus trial underway on Central Coast

The state’s first hydrogen-powered electric bus will soon take to the streets of the Central Coast in a local trial of the technology.

3 March 2023

New Medicare clinics for the Central Coast

An Expression of Interest (EOI) for 14 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics (Medicare UCCs) locations across metropolitan and regional New South Wales, including two Central Coast clinics, opened on Thursday 2 March 2023.