Government Archives - Port Stephens News Of The Area

Council developing a plan for Raymond Terrace’s growth

PORT Stephens Council is calling on residents to help shape the future of Raymond Terrace as part of a new Place Plan. The Raymond Terrace–Heatherbrae Strategy has been guiding the direction of Raymond Terrace since 2015, with Council seeking to produce an updated plan in response to the area’s rapid growth. “Our Local Housing Strategy […]

Government, National

What goes into your petrol pump price?

GLOBAL events, most notably the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, have seen petrol and diesel prices skyrocket in the last few weeks, with a jump of 10 cents per litre (c/l) seen in a matter of days. As of Sunday 22 March 2026, crude oil prices are around US$122 per barrel – high by […]

Government

Women underrepresented on councils across NSW

LOCAL Government NSW ((LGNSW) is calling for more female representation on elected councils in NSW. Council representatives from across the state gathered in Sydney on Friday for the peak body’s International Women’s Day event. Mayor Darcy Byrne, President of LGNSW, said the event was an excellent opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the role of women […]

Government

Motorists celebrate as bottleneck cleared at Hexham

THE long-awaited widening of the Hexham Straight is complete, clearing a bottleneck infamous across the Hunter. Motorists can now travel on three lanes in each direction, along the full six-kilometre stretch. The speed limit has also been increased to 80 kilometres per hour. With all lanes now open, teams are carrying out minor finishing work […]

Business, Government

CSIRO unveils $3M upgrade to flagship renewable energy lab

THE CSIRO has officially launched the $3 million upgrade of the Renewable Energy Integration Facility (REIF) at its Energy Centre in Newcastle. The national science agency says the upgrade will significantly expand Australia’s capability to test, validate and commercialise technologies needed for a more sustainable, reliable and secure electricity system. The expanded facility includes a […]

Government

Construction begins on renewable energy zone

CONSTRUCTION is officially underway on the Hunter-Central Coast Renewable Energy Zone (REZ), a project the state government says will generate enough energy to power more than all the homes in the Hunter. REZs aim to group new wind and solar power generation and batteries into locations where it can be efficiently stored and transmitted across […]

Government, Police

New minimum age for e-bike usage in NSW

A MINIMUM age to ride an e-bike is being introduced in NSW. Under current NSW Road Rules, a child of any age can ride an e-bike and bicycle riders of any age can carry passengers if the bike’s design allows. A review led by Transport for NSW will recommend a legal minimum age between 12 […]

Government

Emergency Services Levy reform to face parliamentary inquiry

OPTIONS to reduce household insurance costs and fix an “unfair funding model” for emergency services will be put to a NSW parliamentary inquiry. While emergency services benefit everyone, most of their funding comes from a levy not everyone pays. The NSW Government says it is committed to removing this Emergency Services Levy (ESL) and replacing […]

Government

NSW Farmers offer government suggestions for firearm rule improvements

THE state’s peak body for farmers has presented the state government with a range of suggestions for improvements to firearms regulations. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said that “sudden, sweeping changes” to firearms laws had created adverse and unintended consequences, with ongoing uncertainty causing major problems for food and fibre producers. “At the moment I’m […]

Government

Government launches “Name and Shame’ list of property agents

THE State Government has launched a “Name and Shame” list of real estate agents, property managers and strata managing agents who have faced enforcement action. Available through the NSW Fair Trading website, it allows homeowners, buyers and renters to check if an agent has been fined, suspended or had their licence cancelled. It also includes […]