DEFIB GRANTS
UPPER HUNTER Electorate community sporting organisations can improve safety at local sports grounds and facilities with applications open for the Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program.
Eligible sporting organisations can apply for grants up to $3,000 to purchase, install and maintain Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), as well as provide training.
Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time, and every minute without defibrillation reduces a person’s chance of survival.
All devices funded under this year’s program will also be listed on the GoodSAM AED Registry, meaning that in an emergency, members of the public nearby, not just club members, can quickly locate and access the nearest defibrillator.
Applications for the program close on 7 October or earlier if available funding is exhausted:
www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/local-sport-defibrillator-program-lsdp-2026/27
For more on GoodSAM, go to the NSW Ambulance website:
www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/get-involved/goodsam
ENERGY FEEDBACK
Electricity and gas customers are currently being asked to provide feedback for an
an independent review of the retail electricity and gas markets.
Customers from across NSW are being asked to share their experiences with prices,
shopping around for a better energy deal and other issues as part of the NSW Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) review.
IPART wants to hear from households, small businesses, consumer groups, industry associations, retailers and distribution networks so that its report covers the issues that matter most to stakeholders.
The state tribunal is also monitoring changes in how households access and consume electricity, including through participation in virtual power plant programs selling battery stored renewable energy back to the grid.
IPART will submit its 2025-26 Energy Market Monitoring Report to the Minister for Energy in November.
Have your say by 1 September by providing feedback, to: www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/retail-electricity-and-gas-market
COUNCIL AWARDS
Nominations are open for the 2026 Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government to be presented at Parliament House, Sydney on 22 October.
The awards recognise the outstanding women whose leadership, service and commitment are strengthening communities across the state.
Two new award categories have been introduced this year for Excellence in Mentoring and Sponsorship and Emerging Councillor Leadership.
That’s in addition to the six existing categories for both metropolitan and rural/regional councils.
Nominations are being called for in the Rising Star aged 25 or under, Champion of Change
recognising a general manager or senior leader, and the Breaking Barriers Award challenging traditional career pathways and breaking down gender barriers and stereotypes.
The Excellence in Gender Equity Award recognises inclusive workplaces, Woman of Distinction who demonstrates excellence, integrity and leadership and the Excellence in Councillor Leadership Award.
Nominations close 28 August, via the Office of Local Government website:
www.olg.nsw.gov.au/about-us/ministers-awards-women-local-government
BRIDGEWORK UPDATE
Dungog Shire Council will permanently close Durham Street Clarence Town at the Duke Street intersection from Monday,10 August, as part of the Clarence Town Bridge Project.
The closure begins the next stage of work which involves construction of a new cul-de-sac.
During construction, the temporary traffic lights for cars wishing to cross the new Bridge will be relocated further back along Duke Street.
Bus services are being managed, with alternate routing already in progress.
The permanent change will improve safety for pedestrians, motorists, and people entering and exiting the Williams River Holiday Park with work expected to be completed by March 2027, weather permitting.
Motorists travelling through Clarence Town are encouraged to use Grey Street to access Duke Street in the future.
RURAL ROAD SAFETY
August is Rural Road Safety month with all road users being called on to “Join the Journey” and become road safety advocates by starting conversations and raising awareness.
An initiative of the Australian Road Safety Foundation, Rural Road Safety Month is supported by Transport for NSW with the aim of helping to create safer choices on the road.
Statistics for the first half of this year are sobering with over 180 deaths on NSW roads, including 123 fatalities in regional areas.
Country roads account for more than two-thirds of the state’s road trauma with 68 motor vehicle drivers and 23 motorcyclists dying on country roads during the first six months of 2026.
Men remain overrepresented accounting for 92 of the regional NSW fatalities with 24 deaths involving older road users aged 70.
We are encouraged to slow down, avoid distractions, wear a seatbelt, ride safely and never drive tired or impaired to help reduce road trauma and ensure more people make it home safely.
“Join the Journey” at the Australian Road Safety Foundation website: https://arsf.com.au/join-the-journey/
SERVICE VISITS
Service NSW returns to the Upper Hunter electorate next week with stops at Murrurundi and Scone.
The mobile service centre will be at the Visitor Information Centre in Mayne Street, Murrurundi on Tuesday, 18 August, 9am-3pm.
Then Wednesday and Thursday, 19-20 August, at Upper Hunter Shire Council in Liverpool Street, 9am-3.30pm both days.
On Friday, 28 August, Service NSW returns to Stroud, 8.30am-12.30pm, at the War Memorial in Memorial Avenue.
To check on services provided and payment arrangements, go to: www.service.nsw.gov.au/mobile-service-centres
REZ INPUT
EnergyCo is proposing to update the Declaration for the New England Renewable Energy Zone (NEREZ).
NEREZ was formally declared in 2021 but the Declaration Amendment is proposed to
clearly describe the planned network infrastructure, including the energy hubs and transmission lines that extend outside the REZ geographical boundary, connecting the REZ to the existing grid at Bayswater.
The amendment will not change any features of the REZ, such as the geographical boundary or its network (transfer) capacity, or the network infrastructure project as set out in the New England REZ Scoping Report.
The update is needed to ensure the declaration reflects EnergyCo’s current planning for the REZ network infrastructure, ahead of a proposed access scheme being declared later this year.
Public feedback will help EnergyCo understand if the updated REZ declaration is clear and whether any clarifications are needed before the amendment is finalised.
To view the draft New England REZ Declaration Amendment, check: www.energyco.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2026-08/new-england-rez-draft-declaration-amendment-order-august-2026.pdf
Submissions close Thursday 3 September via email to: nerez@energyco.nsw.gov.au with ‘Your name – NE REZ declaration amendment’ in the subject line.
SPORT GRANTS
Applications will close in two weeks for funding from the Local Sport Grant Program.
The program delivers grants for new equipment, programs and facility upgrades that support and encourage participation in sport and active recreation, from grassroots clubs in regional NSW towns to suburban sporting associations in Sydney.
Funding will support projects that increase participation and retention, provide inclusive opportunities for under-represented groups, and strengthen the sustainability, capability and facilities of community sporting organisations.
This year’s program will provide $4.65 million to community sporting organisations with grants of between $2,000 to $20,000, with up to $50,000 available in each electorate.
Applications close Monday, 24 August, with further information at:
https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding
UNI APPLICATIONS
The University of Newcastle is holding Welcome Week activities this week with prospective students invited to participate ahead of Semester 2 classes starting on 17 August.
Campus tours will be held at Callaghan on Monday, 10 August, and Newcastle City on Wednesday, 12 August, with events taking place both days, 9am-4pm.
An Online Welcome Session is scheduled for 10am Thursday, 13 August, with registration at: www.newcastle.edu.au/events/commencing-students/semester-2trimester-3-online-welcome-session
An information session on the University’s flagship Scholarship Program, the Ma & Morley Scholarship, will be held online from 4pm on Wednesday, 19 August, with the registration link: www.newcastle.edu.au/events/future-students/ma-and-morley-information-session-online
The Ma & Morley Scholarship takes up to 30 scholars in four categories each year with applications to close on Sunday 6 September.
CHECK BEFORE CLEARING
Land managers and farmers are being reminded by Hunter Local Land Services to check before clearing native vegetation.
In December last year, changes were made to the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
You should check even if you already have approval under NSW law, for example you have an approval or permission under the Local Land Services Act 2013, Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code 2018, or former Native Vegetation Act 2003.
Or you received previous advice before 1 December 2025, as the changes mean that earlier guidance may no longer apply.
It’s your responsibility to check if EPBC approval is required before you clear, and even though Local Land Services can provide general guidance, it cannot tell you whether you need approval.
You can call 1800 920 528 or use the Australian Government’s online self assessment tool to help work this out by visiting EPBC Act self-assessment and advice: www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/epbc/advice/self-assessments?utm_source=Hunter&utm_medium=email
AUGUST ROUNDUP
New insights from environmental monitoring of water-dependent fauna will be the subject for this month’s Water Engagement Roundup.
The NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water online event will explore the latest research on fauna, such as fish, platypus, stream-breeding frogs, freshwater turtles, freshwater crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates.
Participants will discover how monitoring and research outcomes are helping water managers make evidence-based decisions to protect and enhance aquatic ecosystems across the state.
The August Water Engagement Roundup is scheduled for Wednesday,19 August, 11am–12pm with registration at: www.water.dcceew.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/roundup
RIVERBANK REVEGETATION
Work has been undetaken to improve the flood resilience of the Krui River, near the Golden Highway between Merriwa and Cassilis.
Significant damage was sustained by the riverbanks during the 2022 Hunter floods at a site of previous Hunter Valley Flood Mitigation Scheme riverbank stabilisation works.
While landowners have previously undertaken riverbank fencing, revegetation and grazing practice change, the erosion has continued to expand causing loss of productive beef grazing land.
After further riverbank erosion control works were constructed last year, extensive native revegetation plantings occurred during autumn this year after the landholders excluded stock from an increased length of the river.
Local Land Services planted 1600 native seedlings, just upstream of a further 1680 native seedlings planted by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
The project has fenced the entire riparian corridor to remove grazing impact and allow riverbank plantings and instream natural regeneration to establish across a 24 hectare section of river.
Stock grazing will be excluded for 10 years to allow native vegetation to strengthen the riverbanks to reduce erosion, while also increasing river channel roughness to help slow down floods in this upper catchment of the Hunter River.
PRIZE ANNOUNCEMENT
The winner of the 2026 Mullins Conceptual Photography Prize will be announced at Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre this Saturday.
The Australian Photographic Society’s event celebrates contemporary photographic practice from across Australia, bringing together works that explore ideas, narratives and perspectives through the medium of photography.
Presented at Muswellbrook Regional Arts Centre, the prize continues a long connection between photography and the Muswellbrook Shire Art Collection, with the winning work acquired into the collection.
The exhibition launch begins at 4pm on Saturday, 15 August, with the announcement of the winner live streamed on the Art Centre’s Facebook page from 4.30pm: www.facebook.com/muswellbrookartscentre/
Dave Layzell is the state MP for Upper Hunter, which includes part of the MidCoast council area.
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