Latest news with #SteveBarnett
The Advertiser
16-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Has Newcastle lost its small-town feel and shifted into a bona fide city?
I RECENTLY celebrated three years since returning to live in Newcastle, having been away for almost three decades. My main revelation upon return was that Newcastle had acquired that indefinable quality that comes from being a city rather than a large country town. At sunset recently, I stopped halfway across the Cowper Street bridge to contemplate Newcastle's changing skyline. With its combination of moored yachts and mid to high-rise buildings, the view of the waterfront and West End verged on glamorous. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm sure you'll allow that it's a great improvement on the grim neighbourhood some of us grew up with. The same can be said for many other parts of "town". The other day, I met an older Novocastrian who used to have professional offices at the top of town. He remembered the East End as being "awful", a grimy mélange of derelict warehouses, railway sidings, and pollution from the Zaara Street power station. Now, of course, the area is a tourist mecca and a highly successful event space. The shared paths along the foreshore and beaches are thronged, and the renovated ocean baths and new skate park have been enthusiastically embraced. Much remains to be done, of course. The slow death of street front retail has left large stretches of Hunter Street struggling to find a new purpose, Beaumont Street has its challenges, and while Newcastle's light rail line was the right idea, it remains a job only partly done. I'll report back in another three years. THE owners of Tomago Aluminium have warned that high energy prices may put the plant's future in jeopardy. That could cost 1500 direct jobs and an extra 5000 across the region ("Minister optimistic on smelter despite surging energy prices", Newcastle Herald 12/6). With energy prices to rise from July 2025, Tomago seems to be seeking government subsidy (taxpayer money) to keep operating profitably. Additionally, Alcoa plans to close down an aluminium smelter and two mills in WA this year due to high energy prices and production costs. With the US placing tariffs on Australian aluminium and Indonesia now expanding its cheap production, the future of our aluminium industry is not bright. Without reliable and affordable 24/7 energy supplies, productivity in Australia will continue to decline. It does not take an Einstein to figure that out. GRAHAME Danaher ("Tackling adversity way to go", Letters 10/6), and Steve Barnett ("Costs are high, but working hard tough to beat", Letters 5/6): of course, tackling adversity is a great part of life, and overcoming it is the greatest high. However, once 3.5 times the median national income was enough for a house deposit. In 2024, it's 8.6 times. Outrageously, concessional superannuation greatly favours the wealthy, people who do not need it, while the taxation tab is picked up by our younger taxpaying community. A parent recently expressed his bewilderment in the Sydney Morning Herald that, in retirement and with few expenses, he paid no tax, while his child with so many living expenses paid $37,000 on similar income. Employment is now far less stable, for a far more precarious life, for many. What toll is this taking on the social fabric? The recent Fair Work Commission decision improved real incomes by only 1 per cent, with much of the wage rise lost to inflation. Like me, Mr Danaher and Mr Barnett should be very thankful for how the times favoured them. At the start of his working life, Mr Barnett could pocket $60 of his pay. Sounds pretty good to me. MY parents didn't have botox injections, false eyelashes, manicures, exfoliation, waxing, cosmetic surgery, day spas, and that was just Dad. Throw in streaming services, exotic holidays, regular nights out, extra TVs, the biggest barbecue backyard smokehouse, spa, pool, four-car garage, double-storey house, jet ski, social media profile, designer clothes and handbags (are you reading this, honey? I hope not). I'm sure you people get my drift. I know it's hard these days, but it's not impossible to buy a home and start small, dream big. We are dreaming of a small, nice retirement apartment near the beach. It might be a cave overlooking the Hawkesbury River if Mac Maguire's prediction of 1000 years of Labor government comes true. Good luck, I hope you achieve your goals. MATT Ophir says he does not see any mosques being firebombed or sprayed with graffiti ("Targets of hate speak volumes", Letters, 12/6). What we are seeing is Palestine being destroyed and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens being slaughtered. Unfortunately, the hard-line government in Israel has used the bad behaviour of Hamas to invade the entire country. Yes, bad behaviour on both sides. I congratulate our government's brave decision to call out poor behaviour on both sides. I also congratulate the Albanese government on their response to the amazing clown act happening in America. Go Albo. WITH all due respect to Cr Clausen ("Councillors have duty to speak up", Letters, 10/6), the community's response to the Davidson Report, on display in these pages, shows it did nothing to restore public trust. Nor did accusing the lord mayor of spreading misinformation in any way stem the community outrage that drove the former lord mayor out of office. AN article on an Upper Hunter solar farm said it would cost $300 million and create five permanent jobs. I wonder where the thousands of permanent jobs will go when Mt Arthur closes, if five cost so much? APPARENTLY, Greta Thunberg and her cohort will be shown a video of the Hamas attack on Israel as justification for the invasion of Gaza. I wonder if they will also justify their response to the October 7 attack? The US wants us to spend more on defence, but surely the $368 billion for nuclear submarines more than covers us? I am not sure that Donald Trump knows much about the submarine deal, though. I RECENTLY celebrated three years since returning to live in Newcastle, having been away for almost three decades. My main revelation upon return was that Newcastle had acquired that indefinable quality that comes from being a city rather than a large country town. At sunset recently, I stopped halfway across the Cowper Street bridge to contemplate Newcastle's changing skyline. With its combination of moored yachts and mid to high-rise buildings, the view of the waterfront and West End verged on glamorous. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm sure you'll allow that it's a great improvement on the grim neighbourhood some of us grew up with. The same can be said for many other parts of "town". The other day, I met an older Novocastrian who used to have professional offices at the top of town. He remembered the East End as being "awful", a grimy mélange of derelict warehouses, railway sidings, and pollution from the Zaara Street power station. Now, of course, the area is a tourist mecca and a highly successful event space. The shared paths along the foreshore and beaches are thronged, and the renovated ocean baths and new skate park have been enthusiastically embraced. Much remains to be done, of course. The slow death of street front retail has left large stretches of Hunter Street struggling to find a new purpose, Beaumont Street has its challenges, and while Newcastle's light rail line was the right idea, it remains a job only partly done. I'll report back in another three years. THE owners of Tomago Aluminium have warned that high energy prices may put the plant's future in jeopardy. That could cost 1500 direct jobs and an extra 5000 across the region ("Minister optimistic on smelter despite surging energy prices", Newcastle Herald 12/6). With energy prices to rise from July 2025, Tomago seems to be seeking government subsidy (taxpayer money) to keep operating profitably. Additionally, Alcoa plans to close down an aluminium smelter and two mills in WA this year due to high energy prices and production costs. With the US placing tariffs on Australian aluminium and Indonesia now expanding its cheap production, the future of our aluminium industry is not bright. Without reliable and affordable 24/7 energy supplies, productivity in Australia will continue to decline. It does not take an Einstein to figure that out. GRAHAME Danaher ("Tackling adversity way to go", Letters 10/6), and Steve Barnett ("Costs are high, but working hard tough to beat", Letters 5/6): of course, tackling adversity is a great part of life, and overcoming it is the greatest high. However, once 3.5 times the median national income was enough for a house deposit. In 2024, it's 8.6 times. Outrageously, concessional superannuation greatly favours the wealthy, people who do not need it, while the taxation tab is picked up by our younger taxpaying community. A parent recently expressed his bewilderment in the Sydney Morning Herald that, in retirement and with few expenses, he paid no tax, while his child with so many living expenses paid $37,000 on similar income. Employment is now far less stable, for a far more precarious life, for many. What toll is this taking on the social fabric? The recent Fair Work Commission decision improved real incomes by only 1 per cent, with much of the wage rise lost to inflation. Like me, Mr Danaher and Mr Barnett should be very thankful for how the times favoured them. At the start of his working life, Mr Barnett could pocket $60 of his pay. Sounds pretty good to me. MY parents didn't have botox injections, false eyelashes, manicures, exfoliation, waxing, cosmetic surgery, day spas, and that was just Dad. Throw in streaming services, exotic holidays, regular nights out, extra TVs, the biggest barbecue backyard smokehouse, spa, pool, four-car garage, double-storey house, jet ski, social media profile, designer clothes and handbags (are you reading this, honey? I hope not). I'm sure you people get my drift. I know it's hard these days, but it's not impossible to buy a home and start small, dream big. We are dreaming of a small, nice retirement apartment near the beach. It might be a cave overlooking the Hawkesbury River if Mac Maguire's prediction of 1000 years of Labor government comes true. Good luck, I hope you achieve your goals. MATT Ophir says he does not see any mosques being firebombed or sprayed with graffiti ("Targets of hate speak volumes", Letters, 12/6). What we are seeing is Palestine being destroyed and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens being slaughtered. Unfortunately, the hard-line government in Israel has used the bad behaviour of Hamas to invade the entire country. Yes, bad behaviour on both sides. I congratulate our government's brave decision to call out poor behaviour on both sides. I also congratulate the Albanese government on their response to the amazing clown act happening in America. Go Albo. WITH all due respect to Cr Clausen ("Councillors have duty to speak up", Letters, 10/6), the community's response to the Davidson Report, on display in these pages, shows it did nothing to restore public trust. Nor did accusing the lord mayor of spreading misinformation in any way stem the community outrage that drove the former lord mayor out of office. AN article on an Upper Hunter solar farm said it would cost $300 million and create five permanent jobs. I wonder where the thousands of permanent jobs will go when Mt Arthur closes, if five cost so much? APPARENTLY, Greta Thunberg and her cohort will be shown a video of the Hamas attack on Israel as justification for the invasion of Gaza. I wonder if they will also justify their response to the October 7 attack? The US wants us to spend more on defence, but surely the $368 billion for nuclear submarines more than covers us? I am not sure that Donald Trump knows much about the submarine deal, though. I RECENTLY celebrated three years since returning to live in Newcastle, having been away for almost three decades. My main revelation upon return was that Newcastle had acquired that indefinable quality that comes from being a city rather than a large country town. At sunset recently, I stopped halfway across the Cowper Street bridge to contemplate Newcastle's changing skyline. With its combination of moored yachts and mid to high-rise buildings, the view of the waterfront and West End verged on glamorous. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm sure you'll allow that it's a great improvement on the grim neighbourhood some of us grew up with. The same can be said for many other parts of "town". The other day, I met an older Novocastrian who used to have professional offices at the top of town. He remembered the East End as being "awful", a grimy mélange of derelict warehouses, railway sidings, and pollution from the Zaara Street power station. Now, of course, the area is a tourist mecca and a highly successful event space. The shared paths along the foreshore and beaches are thronged, and the renovated ocean baths and new skate park have been enthusiastically embraced. Much remains to be done, of course. The slow death of street front retail has left large stretches of Hunter Street struggling to find a new purpose, Beaumont Street has its challenges, and while Newcastle's light rail line was the right idea, it remains a job only partly done. I'll report back in another three years. THE owners of Tomago Aluminium have warned that high energy prices may put the plant's future in jeopardy. That could cost 1500 direct jobs and an extra 5000 across the region ("Minister optimistic on smelter despite surging energy prices", Newcastle Herald 12/6). With energy prices to rise from July 2025, Tomago seems to be seeking government subsidy (taxpayer money) to keep operating profitably. Additionally, Alcoa plans to close down an aluminium smelter and two mills in WA this year due to high energy prices and production costs. With the US placing tariffs on Australian aluminium and Indonesia now expanding its cheap production, the future of our aluminium industry is not bright. Without reliable and affordable 24/7 energy supplies, productivity in Australia will continue to decline. It does not take an Einstein to figure that out. GRAHAME Danaher ("Tackling adversity way to go", Letters 10/6), and Steve Barnett ("Costs are high, but working hard tough to beat", Letters 5/6): of course, tackling adversity is a great part of life, and overcoming it is the greatest high. However, once 3.5 times the median national income was enough for a house deposit. In 2024, it's 8.6 times. Outrageously, concessional superannuation greatly favours the wealthy, people who do not need it, while the taxation tab is picked up by our younger taxpaying community. A parent recently expressed his bewilderment in the Sydney Morning Herald that, in retirement and with few expenses, he paid no tax, while his child with so many living expenses paid $37,000 on similar income. Employment is now far less stable, for a far more precarious life, for many. What toll is this taking on the social fabric? The recent Fair Work Commission decision improved real incomes by only 1 per cent, with much of the wage rise lost to inflation. Like me, Mr Danaher and Mr Barnett should be very thankful for how the times favoured them. At the start of his working life, Mr Barnett could pocket $60 of his pay. Sounds pretty good to me. MY parents didn't have botox injections, false eyelashes, manicures, exfoliation, waxing, cosmetic surgery, day spas, and that was just Dad. Throw in streaming services, exotic holidays, regular nights out, extra TVs, the biggest barbecue backyard smokehouse, spa, pool, four-car garage, double-storey house, jet ski, social media profile, designer clothes and handbags (are you reading this, honey? I hope not). I'm sure you people get my drift. I know it's hard these days, but it's not impossible to buy a home and start small, dream big. We are dreaming of a small, nice retirement apartment near the beach. It might be a cave overlooking the Hawkesbury River if Mac Maguire's prediction of 1000 years of Labor government comes true. Good luck, I hope you achieve your goals. MATT Ophir says he does not see any mosques being firebombed or sprayed with graffiti ("Targets of hate speak volumes", Letters, 12/6). What we are seeing is Palestine being destroyed and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens being slaughtered. Unfortunately, the hard-line government in Israel has used the bad behaviour of Hamas to invade the entire country. Yes, bad behaviour on both sides. I congratulate our government's brave decision to call out poor behaviour on both sides. I also congratulate the Albanese government on their response to the amazing clown act happening in America. Go Albo. WITH all due respect to Cr Clausen ("Councillors have duty to speak up", Letters, 10/6), the community's response to the Davidson Report, on display in these pages, shows it did nothing to restore public trust. Nor did accusing the lord mayor of spreading misinformation in any way stem the community outrage that drove the former lord mayor out of office. AN article on an Upper Hunter solar farm said it would cost $300 million and create five permanent jobs. I wonder where the thousands of permanent jobs will go when Mt Arthur closes, if five cost so much? APPARENTLY, Greta Thunberg and her cohort will be shown a video of the Hamas attack on Israel as justification for the invasion of Gaza. I wonder if they will also justify their response to the October 7 attack? The US wants us to spend more on defence, but surely the $368 billion for nuclear submarines more than covers us? I am not sure that Donald Trump knows much about the submarine deal, though. I RECENTLY celebrated three years since returning to live in Newcastle, having been away for almost three decades. My main revelation upon return was that Newcastle had acquired that indefinable quality that comes from being a city rather than a large country town. At sunset recently, I stopped halfway across the Cowper Street bridge to contemplate Newcastle's changing skyline. With its combination of moored yachts and mid to high-rise buildings, the view of the waterfront and West End verged on glamorous. OK, maybe I'm exaggerating, but I'm sure you'll allow that it's a great improvement on the grim neighbourhood some of us grew up with. The same can be said for many other parts of "town". The other day, I met an older Novocastrian who used to have professional offices at the top of town. He remembered the East End as being "awful", a grimy mélange of derelict warehouses, railway sidings, and pollution from the Zaara Street power station. Now, of course, the area is a tourist mecca and a highly successful event space. The shared paths along the foreshore and beaches are thronged, and the renovated ocean baths and new skate park have been enthusiastically embraced. Much remains to be done, of course. The slow death of street front retail has left large stretches of Hunter Street struggling to find a new purpose, Beaumont Street has its challenges, and while Newcastle's light rail line was the right idea, it remains a job only partly done. I'll report back in another three years. THE owners of Tomago Aluminium have warned that high energy prices may put the plant's future in jeopardy. That could cost 1500 direct jobs and an extra 5000 across the region ("Minister optimistic on smelter despite surging energy prices", Newcastle Herald 12/6). With energy prices to rise from July 2025, Tomago seems to be seeking government subsidy (taxpayer money) to keep operating profitably. Additionally, Alcoa plans to close down an aluminium smelter and two mills in WA this year due to high energy prices and production costs. With the US placing tariffs on Australian aluminium and Indonesia now expanding its cheap production, the future of our aluminium industry is not bright. Without reliable and affordable 24/7 energy supplies, productivity in Australia will continue to decline. It does not take an Einstein to figure that out. GRAHAME Danaher ("Tackling adversity way to go", Letters 10/6), and Steve Barnett ("Costs are high, but working hard tough to beat", Letters 5/6): of course, tackling adversity is a great part of life, and overcoming it is the greatest high. However, once 3.5 times the median national income was enough for a house deposit. In 2024, it's 8.6 times. Outrageously, concessional superannuation greatly favours the wealthy, people who do not need it, while the taxation tab is picked up by our younger taxpaying community. A parent recently expressed his bewilderment in the Sydney Morning Herald that, in retirement and with few expenses, he paid no tax, while his child with so many living expenses paid $37,000 on similar income. Employment is now far less stable, for a far more precarious life, for many. What toll is this taking on the social fabric? The recent Fair Work Commission decision improved real incomes by only 1 per cent, with much of the wage rise lost to inflation. Like me, Mr Danaher and Mr Barnett should be very thankful for how the times favoured them. At the start of his working life, Mr Barnett could pocket $60 of his pay. Sounds pretty good to me. MY parents didn't have botox injections, false eyelashes, manicures, exfoliation, waxing, cosmetic surgery, day spas, and that was just Dad. Throw in streaming services, exotic holidays, regular nights out, extra TVs, the biggest barbecue backyard smokehouse, spa, pool, four-car garage, double-storey house, jet ski, social media profile, designer clothes and handbags (are you reading this, honey? I hope not). I'm sure you people get my drift. I know it's hard these days, but it's not impossible to buy a home and start small, dream big. We are dreaming of a small, nice retirement apartment near the beach. It might be a cave overlooking the Hawkesbury River if Mac Maguire's prediction of 1000 years of Labor government comes true. Good luck, I hope you achieve your goals. MATT Ophir says he does not see any mosques being firebombed or sprayed with graffiti ("Targets of hate speak volumes", Letters, 12/6). What we are seeing is Palestine being destroyed and tens of thousands of its innocent citizens being slaughtered. Unfortunately, the hard-line government in Israel has used the bad behaviour of Hamas to invade the entire country. Yes, bad behaviour on both sides. I congratulate our government's brave decision to call out poor behaviour on both sides. I also congratulate the Albanese government on their response to the amazing clown act happening in America. Go Albo. WITH all due respect to Cr Clausen ("Councillors have duty to speak up", Letters, 10/6), the community's response to the Davidson Report, on display in these pages, shows it did nothing to restore public trust. Nor did accusing the lord mayor of spreading misinformation in any way stem the community outrage that drove the former lord mayor out of office. AN article on an Upper Hunter solar farm said it would cost $300 million and create five permanent jobs. I wonder where the thousands of permanent jobs will go when Mt Arthur closes, if five cost so much? APPARENTLY, Greta Thunberg and her cohort will be shown a video of the Hamas attack on Israel as justification for the invasion of Gaza. I wonder if they will also justify their response to the October 7 attack? The US wants us to spend more on defence, but surely the $368 billion for nuclear submarines more than covers us? I am not sure that Donald Trump knows much about the submarine deal, though.
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Climate
- The Sun
I fell 9,000ft & LIVED after my paraglider wing collapsed during a flight… but I can't wait to get back in the sky
A GRANDAD has told how his paraglider's wing collapsed 9,000ft above the French Alps. Retired counter-terrorism cop Steve Barnett, 57, flew into a storm cloud, saturating his glider. 5 5 5 The wing caved under the weight of water as he tried an emergency landing — sending him falling 30ft through trees. Steve broke his pelvis when he hit the ground at 40mph. He called fellow paraglider Matt Roach, 47, for help. The pal, in the air at the time, tracked him down and alerted a rescue helicopter. Steve was airlifted from Passy, in south eastern France, to a hospital near the Italian border. He was allowed to head home to Seaford, East Sussex, just two days later. Steve recalled: 'There was a big cloud and I started hearing a pitter patter on the wing. "It came down heavier. 'Then all I could hear was this snapping, crackling and rippling. "I bounced on the ground and rolled. Shock vid shows half-frozen paraglider who was sucked 5 MILES into sky by vortex & left shivering in -40C conditions 'It was like someone had kicked me really hard.' Unfazed, he added: 'I can't wait to get back into the sky.' 5 5
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Valiant One' Review: No-Nonsense Action-Thriller About U.S. Soldiers Trapped in North Korea Gets the Job Done
An unpretentious B-movie made with A-grade effort, 'Valiant One' packs decent action and mostly sturdy drama into the tale of U.S. soldiers whose mission near the DMZ goes haywire and leaves them stranded in North Korea. The first film directed by longtime producer and production executive Steve Barnett ('300') doesn't add anything to the 'trapped behind enemy lines' playbook but does offer a pacy combination of well-executed combat scenes and reluctant-hero drama that should play especially well with military movie buffs. Boasting solid central performances by Chase Stokes ('Outer Banks' series) and Lana Condor ('To All the Boys' films), 'Valiant One' opens in limited U.S. cinemas on Jan. 31. 'Valiant One' is the kind of mid-size action movie we've seen much less of in commercial theatrical release since these straight-to-streaming days began. Though lacking the scale of a big-budget spectacular — it's no 'Black Hawk Down' — the film has good production values and could perform well on the strength of popular lead performers and its full-strength salute to those who serve. Politicians, bureaucrats and geo-political analysis are nowhere to be seen in a screenplay that's pro-military without getting too jingoistic. The focus is squarely on rank-and-file soldiers finding the courage and ingenuity to prevail when all hope seems lost. More from Variety Capitol Music Group Chief Steve Barnett to Retire Capitol Christian Music Group CEO Peter York Retiring After 37 Years in Leadership Roles Newcomer Lewis Capaldi Brings Capitol Gains Clocking in at a trim 87 minutes, 'Valiant One' doesn't have the time or inclination to explore its characters too deeply but deals efficiently with the basics. Stationed at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, 60 miles south of the DMZ, Sgt. Edward Brockman (Stokes) is a non-combat tech officer who eyes a future in Silicon Valley rather than a life in uniform. A gig economy-era soldier, if you like, and a far cry from the Navy SEALS whose real-life crash landing in the DMZ gave Barnett the inspiration for this story. Still, Brockman's no slacker and presents properly when ordered on a mission escorting annoying, wise-cracking civilian defense contractor Josh Weaver (Desmin Borges) on the maintenance of surveillance installations close to the North Korean border. Things go from routine to catastrophic when the team's helicopter gets blown off course in a freak storm and crash-lands in the DPRK. Observing time-honored war movie tradition, the mission's mortally wounded commanding officer, Lebold (Callan Mulvey), gives Brockman inspirational words and entrusts him with a service pistol that's been passed down through generations of his family of soldiers and will naturally play a significant practical and emotional role later in proceedings. The screenplay by Barnett and Eric Tipton sticks closely to such conventions as the inexperienced and ill-equipped Brockman — 'I'm just trained to analyze data,' he says — is suddenly thrust into command and must figure out how to get survivors including civilian Weaver, Korean American Cpl. Lee (Daniel Jun), Cpl. Ross (Jonathan Whitesell) and Cpl. Selby (Condor) to safety. What's refreshing is the significant role played by Selby, a Vietnamese-born medic whose tactical nous and compassion come to the fore when the group is forced to take shelter at the farmhouse of a frightened couple (Michael Cha, Jerina Son) and their young teenage daughter Binna (Diana Tsoy). Condor, whose personal background aligns closely with that of her character, is spot-on as the dedicated professional whose straight-talking ways help Brockman unlock his inner hero. Though Binna's ability to mentally recover and help Brockman's squad escape after witnessing her parents being shot dead by a North Korean army patrol is too good to be true, the story motors along nicely with skirmishes and shoot-outs en route to an exciting climax in a tunnel beneath the DMZ (actually mine tunnels in Vancouver, where the film was shot). The territory is familiar but the execution helps 'Valiant One' rise just a touch above the ordinary. The convincing and committed performances of Stokes, Condor and the rest of the ensemble is matched by solid action choreography and fluid widescreen photography by Daniel Stilling. Punchy tracks by rappers including Jelly Roll and Marqus Clae are neatly inserted alongside the fine orchestral score by Benjamin Backus. A fabulous old wood-fired truck used as a getaway vehicle is the jewel in the film's armory of hi-tech U.S. weaponry and antiquated North Korean machinery. Best of Variety The Best Albums of the Decade
