An investigation has confirmed that Kempsey Shire councillor Noel Selby posted a Facebook comment suggesting a woman should have been assaulted, contrary to his earlier claim of unauthorised account access. The comment, which has since been removed, followed a discussion about domestic violence. Centium's report found the remark breached council conduct codes and recommended censure. Anti-violence advocate Sherele Moody has urged Selby to resign, citing the normalisation of gendered violence. The council will consider the recommendation at its next meeting, with censure being the most severe potential outcome.
As part of Small Business Month in October, three New England and North Coast businesses are being highlighted. Steve Shaw runs GH Innovations in Thrumster, helping local firms attract customers through online search and sales improvement. Di Wade runs Rawspice Boutique in South West Rocks, offering independent fashion and lifestyle products. Meagan Hudson and Rory Taylor run Beardy Downs in Emmaville, making small-batch tallow and beeswax products through BD Collection.
Researchers at Royal North Shore Hospital and the University of Sydney are developing a world-first screening method to detect coronary artery disease before symptoms appear. The approach combines blood tests for biomarkers with CT imaging. More than 5000 people have taken part so far. Sydney mother Jennifer Tucker found she had a severe blockage in a coronary artery after collapsing while pushing a pram. Researchers want to expand the program into rural and remote areas, where heart attack rates are higher and preventative care is harder to access.
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Blacktown pilot Aglaya Papadokokolakis flew the first commercial aircraft out of Western Sydney International Airport on Sunday. She said the milestone was a career highlight, launching operations in her home region. Her father is also a pilot, and she encouraged young women to pursue aviation despite its male-dominated reputation. The airport opened after about eight years of construction and is set to run around the clock. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese officially opened it at a Sunday morning ceremony, and its first international flight arrived on Monday.
Drivers travelling between Armidale and the coast on Waterfall Way should allow extra time from Monday, 26 October, to Sunday, 8 November. Transport for NSW says a string of maintenance jobs and projects may cause cumulative delays, with some sections of up to 10 minutes. Vehicles wider than 3 metres face restrictions on parts of the route, and a permit is needed. Motorists can follow signs and directions from traffic controllers, or use alternative routes including the Oxley Highway, Gwydir Highway or New England Highway.
Sydney will host the 2027 Super Netball Grand Final for the first time since the competition began. The event is expected to attract more than 8,000 visitors and inject more than $4 million into the NSW visitor economy. The match will be played on Saturday 31 July at Afterpay Arena, Sydney Olympic Park, and is proposed rather than confirmed. Netball Australia chair Liz Ellis said the event would celebrate the sport's passion across New South Wales. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state would invest more in netball, one of its biggest participation sports.
New South Wales Police Minister Yasmin Catley has defended the state's gun buyback scheme after 150 applications were lodged in its first hours. Bookings opened on Monday, and the government plans to remove up to 274,000 firearms from the community. Catley said fewer guns in circulation would make the community safer, pointing to firearms stolen across the state. Opposition Leader Kellie Sloane has criticised the scheme, arguing it focuses too heavily on licensed owners rather than illegal guns used by organised criminals.
An 88-year-old woman has died in hospital after she was struck by a car in Pyree, in the NSW Shoalhaven region. Police were called to Pyree Lane at about 1:45 pm on Saturday, 24 October, after reports of a pedestrian being hit. Paramedics treated the woman at the scene before she was flown to St George Hospital in a critical condition. Police were told on Sunday, 25 October, that she had died. The 43-year-old driver returned a negative result on a roadside breath test and was taken to Shoalhaven Memorial Hospital for mandatory testing.
A whale calf carcass has washed ashore at Malabar Beach in Sydney, the third landing spot for the same animal. Randwick Council workers moved the remains up the sand, roped off the area and closed the beach on Tuesday. Council said strong currents moved the carcass from Lurline Bay and that it will be removed and disposed of on Tuesday 27 October. Earlier, Coogee and Maroubra beaches were shut after the carcass became stuck against rocks at Lurline Bay.
The NSW Government has committed $6.8 billion to electrify the South Coast rail line between Kiama and Bomaderry and to double tracks at key bottlenecks. Construction is expected to be complete by the mid-to-late 2030s, with detailed planning starting in 2027. The announcement follows the government scrapping timetable changes that were due to take effect in November after community concerns. Premier Chris Minns said the upgrade would deliver faster, more reliable trains. An immediate $621 million will fund upgrades to power, signalling and flood protection ahead of the main works.
Kiama Community Radio is hosting Blues in the Night, a fundraising event on Saturday 7 November at Kiama Leagues Club. The station, run by volunteers, is seeking support to fund its equipment, technology and facilities. Headliner Frank Sultana will perform alongside Shane Flew and Matt Ross, and Jr and the Jewel-Tones, which includes Kiama musician Dave Shaw. Doors open at 5 pm. Tickets cost $50, or $40 for station members, plus a booking fee. Every ticket sold supports the station, which has operated since 2020.
Police are searching for a man in a balaclava after a suspected arson attack on a house in Abbotsford, in Sydney's inner west. Four people were taken to hospital. An 88-year-old woman was rescued by a 49-year-old man who climbed a ladder. A neighbour confronted the man while he was allegedly setting the house alight. Police believe he fled in a red Holden Astra and had suffered burns. About 40 firefighters attended the blaze, which spread to an adjoining house.
NSW gun owners can book to surrender firearms under the National Gun Buyback from Monday, 2 November, before rules on keeping extra guns are finalised. Under a draft proposal, licence holders with genuine reasons such as sport shooting, pest control or business could apply to keep more than 10 guns, while recreational hunters are capped at four. Only six stations, none in the New England, will take surrenders at first. Eligible licence holders will receive letters and must book through the Gun Safe portal.
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has been hired as a professor of practice at the University of Sydney. The 46-year-old joins the faculty of medicine and health, where the role will focus on empathetic leadership, social cohesion and civic trust. Ardern will explore ways to address global health challenges, inclusion and wellbeing, and will lead guest lectures and masterclasses. The university says the position is not a full-time teaching role. Ardern and her family moved to Australia in February, reportedly buying a $5.3 million home on Sydney's northern beaches.
Mini has unveiled the Lucky 13 Edition, an Australian-exclusive limited-run model based on the John Cooper Works three-door hatch. It honours the 1966 Bathurst 500 victory by Rauno Aaltonen and Bob Holden in a factory-backed Morris Mini Cooper S. The special edition's name comes from Mr Holden drawing number 13 from a hat and adopting it as his lucky number. Design cues include white bonnet stripes, a white roof and circular 13 decals. Just 26 cars will be built for Australia, with arrival expected in the first quarter of 2027. Pricing starts at $71,990 before on-road costs.
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The Sydney Harbour Bridge Cycleway Ramp has been officially named Patyegarang, after a Cammeraygal woman who helped bridge colonial and Indigenous communities. The name was chosen through a collaborative process with local Aboriginal community members. Transport for NSW has also unveiled new bronze signage and a cyclist counter board, which shows live usage statistics. The ramp's opening in January has led to a 30% increase in cycleway usage, averaging 1,600 daily riders over the past six months.
