Daily Archives: 21/09/2015

Stolen taxi in speedy pursuit

A MAN stole a taxi and led police on a high-speed pursuit of up to 185km/h along the busy Hume Highway while driving unlicensed, police allege.

Officers began pursuing a taxi along the highway at Albury about 8.30am Saturday, following reports the Toyota sedan had been stolen from a petrol station in Tarneit, Victoria, earlier that day.

Police terminated the pursuit when the vehicle allegedly reached speeds of up to 185km/h. Officers re-engaged the pursuit about 10km from Tarcutta, after road spikes were deployed.

The 35-year-old male driver got out of the car and tried to carjack a Toyota Landcruiser before being arrested, police report. Checks revealed his Victorian driver’s license had expired.

He was charged at Wagga police station with two counts of police pursuit, two counts of never licensed person drive vehicle on road, assault with intent to take motor vehicle, and receive property stolen outside NSW. The Victorian man will front Wagga Local Court on Monday.

Protection saves man’s life in Hume Highway motorbike crash

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A MOTORCYCLE rider has been seriously injured after crashing his bike at high speed on the Hume Highway in one of several weekend accidents.

Police believe the 62-year-old Melbourne man’s safety gear protected him from more serious injuries as he slid about 60 metres along the road.

He had been travelling south near Chiltern with two other riders about 8am.

A car in front of the group swerved to avoid a dead kangaroo on the road but the man was unable to swerve in time.

His bike struck the kangaroo and he fell off a slid, and his bike travelled about 130 metres.

He was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Albury Hospital with serious injuries.

Leading Senior Constable Brian Tyler said the man would have been travelling at close to 110km/h when he struck the animal.

“He wouldn’t have had time to swerve,” he said.

“He was doing everything right and it shows why you have to be alert while riding a motorbike.

“The protective equipment has definitely saved him from more serious injuries.”

Leading Senior Constable Tyler said truck drivers often hit kangaroos and left the carcasses on the road.

It was difficult to stop and move the dead animals off the highway, especially at night, he said.

The crash was one of at least four accidents in the region on Sunday, with a utility badly damaged in Wodonga, a four-wheel-drive rollover at Yackandandah and another motorbike crash in Bogong.

Leading Senior Constable Tyler said the Wodonga crash had been caused by inattention.

An 18-year-old Yackandandah man crashed into a car turning right from Parkers Road in Niblick Street about 11.30am, which in turn struck a car in front of it.

All three cars were damaged, and the 18-year-old’s utility was written off.

He will be issued a penalty notice for failing to keep a sufficient distance between vehicles.

“People need to be 100 per cent concentrating when they’re on the road,” Leading Senior Constable Tyler said.

“There is no place for lapses in concentration or inattention, because things like this happen.

‘We’re lucky today that there are no serious injuries and everyone gets to go home.”

Man arrested following alleged sexual and indecent assaults – Tamworth

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A man is assisting police with their inquiries as they investigate the alleged sexual assault of one woman, and the indecent assault of another, at Tamworth overnight.

In the first incident, just after 11pm (Saturday 19 September 2015), an 18-year-old woman was walking along Kable Avenue, when she was allegedly indecently assaulted by an unknown man on a pushbike.

The man asked the woman to go into the park with him and when she refused he rode off.

During the second incident, about 2am (Sunday 20 September 2015), a 22-year-old woman was walking through Bicentennial Park when she was allegedly grabbed from behind, forced to the ground and sexually assaulted.

The man rode from the scene. Officers from Oxley Local Area Command were told of both incidents and commenced investigations.

Police believe the two alleged incidents may be linked.

Following inquires, about 1.30pm today (Monday 21 September 2015), a 29-year-old man was arrested in Crown Street, Tamworth.

He is currently assisting police with their inquiries at Tamworth Police Station.

Police investigate assault – Cessnock

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Police are investigating the alleged assault of a man in a supermarket at Cessnock at the weekend.

It was about 11am Saturday (19 September 2015), a 49-year-old employee was approached by a man, who abused then hit him in the nose.

Witnesses intervened and the man left the store.

Police from Central Hunter Local Area Command are now investigating the incident but have been unable to identify the man.

The man is described as being aged in his 30s, 170cm-173cm tall, with a slim build, short light brown hair, and at the time he was wearing a black baseball cap.

Lake Macquarie Rotary Police Officer of the Year Awards

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The Lake Macquarie Local Area Command and the Belmont Rotary Club have teamed up to formally recognise the outstanding work of three local police employees.

Tonight (Monday 21 September 2015), the inaugural Lake Macquarie Rotary Police Officer of the Year Awards will be held at the Belmont 16 Foot Sailing Club.

Three local police employees will be recognised for their service and dedication in front of an audience that will include their families, colleagues and Rotary Club members.

The three police employees to be awarded are:

– Leading Senior Constable Jason Baker, who was voted ‘Lake Macquarie Police Officer of the Year’;

– Ms Sue Heaton, who was voted ‘Civilian Employee of the Year’; and,

– Senior Constable Kerrie Rogers, who was voted ‘Customer Service Officer of the Year’.

All three officers will now be entered into the state-wide Police Officer of the Year Awards, which will be held in Sydney on Friday 6 November 2015.

The Commander of the Lake Macquarie Local Area Command, Supt Brett Greentree, commended the winners for their great work and thanked the Rotary Club for their support.

“Jason, Sue and Kerrie deserved to be recognised for the excellent work they deliver, day in, day out,” Supt Greentree said.

“I would also like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to the Belmont Rotary Club for their ongoing support of local police officers.”

THE RED HOT SUMMER TOUR ANNOUNCES ITS BIGGEST LINE UP EVER

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As one of the hottest summer festivals on the calendar, the annual RED HOT SUMMER TOUR is once again bringing out an incredible line-up of the best talent in the Australian Music Industry. The 2016 tour features the proverbial who’s who of Oz rock royalty; featuring Jimmy Barnes, Noiseworks, The Angels, Mark Seymour & The Undertow and The Badloves. Set to be the largest tour in the festival’s history, audiences can expect a day jam packed with classic hits with dates running throughout Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.

RED HOT SUMMER TOUR promoter Duane McDonald says the 2016 festival will be huge, with 15 shows booked. “We always receive requests from audiences in regional areas to bring the tour through their town,” he says. “This year we have expanded to take the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR to new areas and new venues, which makes it the biggest run we have done for the tour to date. We can’t wait to get out on the road in 2016.”

Jimmy Barnes needs no introduction to Aussie audiences. As a legend both from his time fronting Cold Chisel and his top charting solo career, Barnes has toured the breadth of Australia. He has an enviable back catalogue that makes for incredible live performances with songs like Working Class Man, When Your Love Is Gone and No Second Prize to name a few. It has been a few years since Jimmy Barnes has headlined the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR, so it is no surprise that his return is highly anticipated. The 2016 Red Hot Summer Tour gives rock fans a chance to see Jimmy Barnes at his best and enjoy classic hits which have made him an icon in the Australian music scene.

Noiseworks are Australian rock legends and are well reputed for their incredible live shows. They are adored by music fans and critics alike. The multi-ARIA nominated band features some of the best musicians in the country and have produced a swag of incredible songs, such as Take Me Back, Love Somebody, Touch, Freedom, Miles and Miles and In My Youth to name a few. The band sold in excess of 1.2 million albums with 15 hit singles before calling a break in the early 1990s. They are now back and they are rocking harder than ever and their upcoming performances on the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR are guaranteed to blow the speakers!

When it comes to great Aussie rock, it doesn’t come much better than The Angels. It’s been over four decades since brothers Rick and John Brewster co-founded the iconic band and have penned some of Australia’s most anthemic tracks. The Angels are widely reputed for their killer live shows. Fronted now by Dave Gleeson, The Angels have had a massive couple of years, not only celebrating their 40th anniversary, but also releasing an album of all-new material. With hits like Long Line, Marseille, Be With You, After the Rain, Shadow Boxer and Mr Damage to name a few. Audiences will be in for a treat when The Angels take to the stage.

When it comes to one of the country’s most prolific songwriters, the name Mark Seymour is one of the first to pop to mind. Mark Seymour and the Undertowhave been steadily touring the country promoting their latest release Mayday, demonstrating to audiences why this talented songsmith has endured such longevity in the Australian music scene. With a back catalogue of songs such as Throw Your Arms Around Me, Holy Grail, Football Train, Do You See What I See and When The River Runs Dry, to name a few, any time in the company of Mark and his band is a treat for all music lovers.

The Badloves are an Australian institution. Established in Melbourne in the late 1980s, they have made an indelible imprint on the local scene, from their original compositions to their collaborations. Described as having a ‘neo-hippy, retro’ sound, they have an impressive back catalogue including the likes of Green Limousine, I Remember, Lost and Memphis to name a few. They’ve toured with icons of the Australian and international music scene, and are revered for their live shows. The band called it quits in 2010, only reforming in 2015 for a run of shows, making their inclusion on the 2016 line-up of the RED HOT SUMMER TOUR a very special one indeed.

The RED HOT SUMMER TOUR always sells out well in advance, and year after year it has been proven to be one of the best value for money concert experiences in Australia. Music fans are recommended to get in early to secure their tickets so they don’t miss out on one of the biggest line-ups of Australian music royalty to share the same stage.

The Red Hot Summer Tour Queensland shows – slated for 4th & 5th March 2016 – are due to be announced on 1st November 2015. Stay tuned for updates.

Tickets go on sale at 9am on Thursday 24th September 2015

Saturday 2nd January 2016

Mackay Park, BATEMANS BAY NSW