The site will hopefully provide news on Newcastle lawyers and publish the latest information on family law, property law, commercial law and contesting wills. 

Here’s the Herald’s announcement:

THE Hunter is set to go head-to-head with major growth regions like south-eastern Queensland to market itself as an economic powerhouse.

A new venture with private sector backing will be launched in Newcastle on Friday to send the message that the Hunter is open for business.

Called Hunter Advantage, the marketing project will combine a national advertising campaign with an internet site to build a strong case for business and industry to invest in or relocate to the Hunter and stimulate growth.

Among the backers are business heavyweights Jeff McCloy, Hilton Grugeon, Richard Owens, Bill Saddington, Mark Fitzgibbon and Phil Gardner and a host of Hunter corporations and business groups.

“This is about everyone working together to attract economic prosperity and jobs to our region,” developer Jeff McCloy said yesterday.

“We’ve got so much more to offer here in the Hunter and we’ve got to promote it as a great place to do business.”

The campaign follows Hunter Business Chamber warnings that the region is not immune to the deepening effects of global recession and that a growing number of local businesses will be forced to reduce staff in the next three months.

Figures the chamber released yesterday said 22 per cent of businesses surveyed expected to sack staff in that period.

But some of the region’s most influential business people say the Hunter could reap long-term prosperity, and jobs, by promoting its advantages.

An advertising campaign titled “A Sound Business Case”, will go national from Friday and an internet site will provide information on all aspects of the region, including education and lifestyle.

It will also contain case studies of businesses that have successfully relocated premises and staff to the Hunter.

Mr McCloy said the project, set up with seed-funding from the private sector, was working in conjunction with the State Government through the Hunter Development Corporation.

Advantages the Hunter had over other regions included availability of commercial land, a skilled workforce, affordable residential prices and a good lifestyle.

“Put that together with our educational facilities, airport, access to roads, rail, the port, water and power and I can’t see any restraints to locating business here,” Mr McCloy said.

Wests Group chief executive Philip Gardner said many businesses hit hard by the financial downturn and struggling with the high costs of larger metropolitan areas would look at the Hunter as an ideal place to re-locate.

Hunter development Corporation chairman Paul Broad said the project would help to streamline development activity.

Come join in the fun every Friday at Baristaba Cafe at The Boardwalk, Honeysuckle.

Companion have $20,000 available to be donated to the local community and are asking for members and the community for suggestions.

If you know of a not for profit club, group or charity, that could use a helping hand, why not nominate them to share in the grant scheme? Applications are open from 15 April to 15 May and nomination forms can be found here or you can pick one up at your local Companion branch.

This is Companion’s way of saying ‘Thank You’ to their members and the local communities serviced by their branches, and as a member you have a say in who gets the funds by getting involved.

So if you know of a sporting club, charitable organisation or community group that could use some extra funds, let Companion know.

Hunter-based home lender Companion Credit Union has led the way in passing on the Reserve Bank’s full interest rate cut.

Companion said yesterday it was slashing its home loans by the full reduction. Companion chief Ray O’Brien said the credit union’s interest rates were at a 30-year low.

He said the Hunter lender was one of the few to pass on the full 25 basis points.

“Our home loans now start from 4.97 per cent,” he said.

With multi-platinum  selling bands such as Silverchair and The Screaming Jets born and bred in the city it makes sense that that an organisation that prides itself on “giving back to the community that supports it” does so in the most appropriate manner.

Check 1 2 3 4  and enter stage left former Screaming Jets Drummer and local music identity Craig “Rosie” Rosevear  (and bonafide member of the Twitterati: @schoolofrock) with his performance based music school Rosie’s School of Rock. “We were pretty curious when we saw the School of Rock sign go up just across the road” says  King St.

McDonald’s restaurant manager Luke Dippel “so we invited the kids from the school to perform for McHappy Day and it was fantastic !!  We could see the potential in the School and what it could do for the kids of the region and we wanted to be part of something that was so positive and uplifting in their lives, it was like Food for the Soul !!”

So come Monday 23^rd March one lucky student from Rosie’s School of Rock will be awarded the “King St. McDonalds Rock On Scholarship” and will receive a full years tuition paid for by McDonalds. “The relationship we have with King St McDonalds is  a cool thing for both parties” says School of Rock Principal Craig “Rosie” Rosevear. The King St Restaurant provides a great venue for the kids of the School to perform at throughout the year and the kids get a great feeling when they not only get to Rock Out onstage but they know that other kids will benefit when proceeds from these events go to Ronald McDonald House. I think the kids helping kids thing is way cool !!”

The kid’s of Rosie’s School of Rock will team up with the staff of King St McDonalds and provide  “more food for the soul” when they  go to Ronald McDonald House Hunter Region on Tuesday 14^th April 6.30pm.

The kids from the School of Rock will perform for the young patients and their families who live at the house and the staff of the King St store will cook dinner for all. Rosevear, an avid twitter user (@schoolofrock) will give regular Twitter and Twitpic updates from the event as well as post Twiddeo: hashtag from this event will be *food for the soul*. “I think it’s such a great opportunity for the kids from Rosie’s School of Rock to connect personally with the kid’s living at Ronald McDonald house and maybe take their minds off things with a dose of Rock and Roll we can take this connection even further by using the social networking power of Twitter, Twitpic and Twiddeo. We’re going to use the positive vibes of the twitterati and broadcast this event from Newcastle to the World”

So don’t be surprised when one day you’ order your   McDonalds and you’re asked “Would you like a Tweet with that ? “

Friday 25 April 2008

Dawn Service, Nobbys Beach – 5am for a 5.15am start. This year’s Dawn Service features a new design of the ceremony site in response to the increasing number of people attending this service.

There will be a march from Horseshoe Beach car park to the ceremony site at Nobbys Beach by serving members (INCLUDING contingents from HMAS NEWCASTLE, HMAS TOBRUK, HMAS DIAMANTINA, No 26 Squadron RAAF Williamtown) tri-service cadets and ex- servicemen and women. The service will conclude at approximately 6am with a four-gun Salute to the Fallen by the coastal guns of Fort Scratchley.

People coming to the Dawn Service are advised to wear warm clothing, bring a torch, plan to arrive early and only park on the roadways and designated car parks. Do not park on any grassed areas at The Foreshore. The ground is waterlogged due this week’s heavy rain which could result in bogged vehicles and damage to the parkland. This is an all weather event.

March from Pacific Park to Civic Park – 9.15am

Marchers will form up in Pacific Park, Pacific Street and the eastern end of Hunter Street between Pacific and Bolton Streets. The march will step-off at 9.15am and proceed west along Hunter Street, turn right into Newcomen Street, left into Scott Street, then into Hunter Street, turn left into Darby Street, right into King Street and finish in Civic Park.

Police directed road closures will be in place along the route to ensure the safe passage of the parade. Residents who live along the parade route who require entry or exit for their vehicles during the road closure times are advised to move their vehicles before the road closures take effect.

United Commemoration Service, Civic Park – 10am

The Newcastle Anzac Day United Commemoration Service will be held at the cenotaph in Civic Park starting at 10am.

NOTE: The Dawn Service and March will go ahead regardless of weather conditions. However, the wet weather venue for the United Commemoration Service is the Concert Hall in City Hall.

ROAD CLOSURES
THURSDAY 24 APRIL 2008

Pasha Way & car park closed from 10am for site preparation

FRIDAY 25 APRIL 2008

3am to 7.30am

• Nobbys Beach, Camp Shortland, Horseshoe Beach and Nobbys Beach Precinct north of Wharf Road.

6am to 10am

• Pacific Street at intersections with Scott & Ocean Streets
• Watt Street at intersections with King & Scott Streets
• Bolton Street at intersections with King & Scott Streets
• Newcomen Street at intersections with King Street & Hunter Streets

9am to 10am

• Scott Street at intersection with Newcomen Street
• Hunter Street at intersection with Brown Street
• Hunter Street at intersection with Merewether Street
• Brown Street at intersections with King and Hunter Streets

6.30am to 12 noon

• King Street at intersections with Darby and Auckland Streets

DUE TO DANGEROUS SURF CONDITIONS, THIS EVENT WILL NOW BE HELD ON 26 APRIL.

As major sponsor of the Baths to Bar Community Ocean Swim, Hunter Water invites the community to participate in the 1.5 kilometre, one way swim, from Merewether Baths to Bar Beach on Saturday 26 April 2008.

In response to a feasibility study for a new Justice Precinct for the Hunter retaining the legal precinct in the eastern area of Newcastle CBD was the best way to help reinvigorate the city, Hunter Business Chamber CEO, Peter Shinnick, said today.

“And the way to bring about this revitalisation is to involve the private sector in the development and operation of the new Justice Precinct.”

Mr Shinnick said the private sector had proved in recent years that it could bring about significant change in the business district. 

“Clearly, we need additional and refurbished legal facilities to accommodate State and Federal courts needs and these can be achieved in the existing area without massive dislocation.”

Mr Shinnick said that retaining the precinct in the East End would help maintain its distinctive character and provide the opportunity to revitalise some of the aging and dilapidated buildings that presently are drifting in to unwanted space.

“The courts complex was established in 1890 and is an integral component of the city’s makeup – its heritage value is immeasurable. Many of our legal sector members who are now located in the East End say they would move if the precinct were relocated.   This could leave the East End deserted and in grave risk of becoming empty. The area already has a high vacancy rate.”

The Hunter Business Chamber has been actively engaging business and the Newcastle legal fraternity to develop a position on a Justice Precinct. It is a member of the Hunter Courts Working Party that includes representatives of the Newcastle Law Society, the School of Law of the University of Newcastle, the Hunter Valley Family Law Practitioners Association and practicing solicitors.

Mr Shinnick said the Chamber had made a submission to the NSW Government Feasibility Study for the Newcastle Justice Precinct.

For further information: Peter Shinnick 4969 9600 or 0428 242 891

The Hunter Development Corporation today unveiled a conceptual vision for the design of the remaining public domain areas along the Honeysuckle harbourfront between the Marina and Lee Wharf.

Hunter Development Corporation Chairman Paul Broad said the Corporation had engaged renowned Novocastrian landscape architectural design company Terras to produce conceptual designs of the harbourside landscape consistent with the Honeysuckle Public Domain Strategy.

“This design concept allows the community to visualise what the harbourside may look like when the Honeysuckle urban renewal project is complete,” Mr Broad said.

“Although individual elements of the design may be refined as the project progresses, the essential components will remain including the commitment to an uninterrupted public promenade for the entire length of the Honeysuckle project.”

Hunter Development Corporation General Manager Craig Norman said the vision also confirmed that the remaining public domain areas will be of the same high quality as the existing public domain areas around the Boardwalk, Lee Wharf and promenade.

“Late last year the Honeysuckle public domain areas received the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects President’s Award for projects outside metropolitan Sydney,” Mr Norman said.

The main features of the design concept include:

• Linking the existing public promenade between the Marina and Honeysuckle Precincts
  to form a 4 kilometre uninterrupted promenade through the entire length of the project?
• A proposed water feature and public art in the Throsby wharf area?
• Extension of Fig Tree Park with terraced turf areas, shade structures, playground and
  activity areas?
• Raised planter beds with shrubs, shade trees and grassed areas?
• Shade structures and ships’ masts to link in with a maritime theme?
• A timber platform stretching out into the harbour in Worth Place Park?
• High quality paving, edging, seating and lighting treatments including train tracks
  inlaid into paving.

It is envisaged the delivery of the public domain areas would be timed to coincide with the
release of the remaining lots to the market over the next few years.