Newcastle Community Consultative Committee on the Environment

The Newcastle Community Consultative Committee on the Environment was established by the Minister for the Environment in 2011. It enables people living in the Newcastle Local Government Area to identify important environmental and amenity issues associated with nearby industrial activities. It also helps local industry understand the community's concerns.

The committee advised on the establishment of the Newcastle Local Air Quality Monitoring Network. It also advises the Minister on any other existing, new or emerging environmental issues and on how the community wishes to be notified and kept informed in the event of an environmental incident. The committee has ten members.

Expressions of interest for membership of the committee were sought from the community and industry. The committee membership was chosen to represent a broad range of views to ensure a balanced approach and open and honest dialogue between members of industry, government and community that will influence positive environmental outcomes for Newcastle.

Terms of reference

The EPA has prepared terms of reference to support and guide the Newcastle Community Consultative Committee on the Environment.

Committee Members

The committee represents the interests of community, industry and the environment.  

Chair

John Tate

John Tate
Mr Tate is the proprietor of a local automotive industry company and has extensive experience in small business. John served as a Councillor for the City of Newcastle from 1980 and was popularly elected as Lord Mayor of Newcastle in 1999, to his retirement in 2012. John served as Chair of the Hunter Economic Development Corporation, and as the Deputy Chair of Regional Development Australia - Hunter. He has been a Director of the Regional Land Management Corporation, the Newcastle Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service, Honeysuckle Development Corporation and Hunter Development Corporation.

Community representatives 

Keith Craig

Keith Craig
Keith Craig has a degree and masters in Chemical Engineering and works in the water industry. He is the author of over 50 technical and conference papers on water treatment. He has been a member of the Stockton Community Action Group since its formation and has been an activist for the local community on many issues. He has also been a member of various community reference groups including the recently formed Community Liaison Committee for Stockton Beach Erosion and industry groups. He was also an original community member of the NCCCE when it was first formed 6 years ago.

Christopher Tola

Chris Tola
Chris Tola has extensive experience working in and with community and stakeholder groups. Mr Tola is the former National Chair for Surfrider Foundation Australia along with being a Founding Board Member of National Surfing Reserves, Take 3, and the Australian Coastal Society. He was also a finalist in the Hunter Volunteer of the year Awards. 

Rick Banyard

Ministers Community representative
Rick Banyard
Mr Banyard has a background in agriculture, mechanics and as a teacher of technical education. Rick is a long-term resident of Newcastle and the Hunter and has a long term association with action on environmental issues including air quality and water quality management. Rick is an active member of a wide variety of Newcastle organisations and is recognised for his research skills.

Thomas Levic

Environment representative 
Thomas Levick 
A proud Yuwaalaraay man living on Awabakal country, Thomas is a Science graduate and Project Assistant at the University of Newcastle, where he is currently conducting research on alternative economies. Thomas has been an active member of a variety of community and activist groups, including in 2017 acting as Regional Coordinator for renewable energy think-tank Beyond Zero Emissions, and volunteer coordinator for the 2017 Students Of Sustainability conference held in Newcastle. Thomas is currently a volunteer Coordinator with the Wilderness Society, and Faculty Representative for Science with the Newcastle University Students' Association, as well as a member of the inaugural community of Ma & Morley Scholars.

Industry representatives 

Trudie Larnach

Trudie Larnach
Ms Larnach is the Manager of Environment & Community Relations with Port Waratah Coal Services. She manages a dedicated team focused on all aspects of their social licence to operate and is a part of Port Waratah’s executive leadership team. Before joining Port Waratah Trudie held environmental management and approval roles with one of the large multinational mining companies represented in the Hunter Valley coal industry. In addition to this she has tertiary qualifications in science and legal disciplines.

Keith Wilks

Keith Wilks
Keith Wilks is Port of Newcastle’s Executive Manager Operations and Infrastructure. Keith has oversight for port operations including operational environmental compliance, building and maintaining port infrastructure, management of wharf services and cargo operations, vessel scheduling, dredging and survey, port security, emergency management and regulatory compliance for Biosecurity (DAWR) and Australian Boarder Force.Keith has 27-years’ experience in the marine and port industry, including 10 years serving on Australian cargo vessels in multiple trades. 

Sheree Woodroffe

Sheree Woodroffe
Ms Woodroffe is the Environment and Community Manager at Orica. Sherree has 20 years' experience in environmental and safety management at industrial operations.


Mark Manning

Newcastle City Council representative 
Mark Manning
Mr Manning works as Senior Strategist – Environment for Newcastle City Council. He is the Council’s representative on the Committee. 


Dr Craig Dalton

NSW Health representative
Dr Craig Dalton
Dr Dalton is a public health physician at Hunter New England Health and Conjoint Senior Lecturer, in the School Medical Practice and Public Health at the University of Newcastle. Craig has been involved in human health risk assessment and communication related to a wide range of environmental health issues in the Hunter since 1997.

Committee information

Current monitoring results

For current monitoring results, go to the map of the Newcastle Air Quality Monitoring Network.

Air quality seasonal newsletters

For air quality seasonal newsletters, go to Newcastle monitoring reports.

Reports

Note

The report ‘Lower Hunter Ambient Air Quality – Review of Available Data’ has been amended. The report dated April 2012 is repealed. The current version of the report is dated June 2012. Amendments in the current report are
  • Page 24 Table 4.13. Data in all columns apart from 'Year' and 'Number of Days Above NEPM Level' replaced with correct data.
  • Page 25 Table 4.14. Data in 'Percent Data Coverage' column replaced with correct data.
  • Page 82 Space added in text between 'able 5.32' and 'and'.
  • Page 83 Figure 5.35. Replaced with corrected figure.
  • Page 83 Figure 5.36. Replaced with corrected figure.
  • Page 84 Table 5.32. Data in '1st Highest' and '2nd Highest' and 'Number of Days Above NEPM Level' columns replaced with correct data.
  • Page 84 Table 5.33. Data in 'Concentration (ppm)' column replaced with correct data.
  • Page 102 Table 6.1. Row: 'nitrogen dioxide', Column: 'Neighbourhood (Other)' – cell colour changed from orange to green. Column: 'Comments': - deleted reference to levels exceeding criteria on occasion
  • Page 105 Figure 6.3. Replaced map with corrected map (point 16 colour change from orange to green).
  • Page 112 Table 6.3. Row '16' Column 'NOx' – cell colour changed from orange to green

The EPA consulted with the Newcastle Community Consultative Committee on the Environment on the design and management of the Lower Hunter air quality studies.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) is the Australian Government agency responsible for implementing the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL). MARPOL contains six annexes, of which, Annex VI regulates air pollution from ships to protect the marine environment and human health. This includes greenhouse gases (GHG) and sulfur oxide emissions. 

Sulphur oxide emissions

Under MARPOL, since 1 January 2012 ships globally have been required to use a maximum of 3.50 % m/m (mass by mass) sulfur in fuel oil. On 1 January 2020 this global limit will be reduced to 0.50 %. This change will significantly reduce the amount of sulfur oxide (SOx) being emitted from ships and is expected to have major environmental and health benefits, particularly for populations living close to ports and coasts.

Marine diesel oil and petrol sulfur content is generally below this limit and the changed limit will most directly affect larger vessels that use intermediate or heavy fuel oil.

During the transition to the 0.50 % limit, AMSA is working closely with stakeholders to ensure that Australian ships, ports, refineries and fuel suppliers are ready for this change. More information on the new requirement, including how to be involved in the ongoing stakeholder consultation, can be found on the AMSA website.

More information is available on cruise ship compliance in Sydney Harbour.

Community feedback

If you have any comments or feedback on the Newcastle Community Consultative Committee on the Environment, complete the form below or send an email to: newcastle.committee@epa.nsw.gov.au

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