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Energy Minister launches $50 million fund for carbon capture projects 

The Carbon Capture, Use and Storage fund was announced by Energy Minister Angus Taylor on Tuesday in Newcastle at the pilot site for Mineral Carbonisation International. The company is using carbon dioxide captured from a nearby ammonia plant to make building products such as plasterboard and cement. It needs funding to build a scaled-up version of the Newcastle plant to further prove the commercial viability of the concept at scale.

Minister says Newcastle Art Gallery expansion 'good project' but refuses funding 

Efforts have been underway for years to raise funds for a multi-million-dollar upgrade of the 44-year-old building that houses Newcastle Art Gallery in the city's CBD. But this week the state Arts Minister delivered a blow when he was asked about the $35 million project in a budget estimates hearing.  

World's best surfers head to Australia to face COVID-19 quarantine 

Australian surfers will gain a slight competitive advantage over their international competitors as 108 surfers, support staff and World Surf League officials go into a 14-day lockdown on Monday. Overseas competitors will be released from quarantine just 10 days before the first event at Newcastle's Merewether Beach. 

Newcastle comedian joins RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under

You may soon see a local face on the telly after Newcastle-born comedian Rhys Nicholson was named as a judge for RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under show, set to air on streaming service Stan. Rhys will be the third judge on the panel of the reality television competition, which will decide Australasia's first drag superstar. 

Racing NSW sent letter to government offering to buy Hunter TAFE campus 

A parliamentary probe has revealed that Racing New South Wales sent a letter to the State Government offering to buy a Hunter Valley TAFE campus six months before it was listed for sale. Upper Hunter Shire Council and the state opposition have raised concerns about the degree of community consultation undertaken before the sale, as well as the impact it could have on course availability and delivery. 

Why doctors are disappearing from rural and regional New South Wales 

For many in rural and regional NSW, it's becoming an increasingly urgent question: Why can't my town attract and keep doctors? Professional isolation and job satisfaction are reasons why doctors are reluctant to move to the bush. A general practitioner is a patient's first port of call, but many towns don't have enough GPs, or face the prospect of having none within the next 15 years. 

Inspiring the world to help save Australian bushfire-hit wildlife with a simple tweet  

As the Black Summer bushfires raged across Australia, and with reports of a terrible wildlife death toll, former US president Barack Obama tweeted about the amazing work of aid agencies, including animal rescue group WIRES. In response, several animal charities received close to $200 million in donations. 

Now, WIRES – the largest wildlife rescue organisation in Australia – has announced it will spend $35 million on rescue, rehabilitation and recovery. It will work with other organisations to improve their capacity to rescue and care for wildlife. 

Russia's wheat export tax expected to deliver big pay day for Australian farmers  

Russia is about to double its controversial wheat export tax, a decision tipped to have positive ramifications for Australian farmers. With plans to enforce similar taxes on corn and barley, the global grain trade is watching closely to see what happens next.

Head of ANZ's Agribusiness Insights, Michael Whitehead, says Australian wheat is now likely to attract further demand from markets that would have traditionally looked to Russia. 

Australian White sheep breed grows in popularity, surprising farmer who bought it by mistake 

Accidently buying the wrong sheep is a mistake paying dividends for Hunter Valley producer Nikki Collison. The Australian White is a breed originally developed for local conditions and it's growing in popularity – last year's top-priced ram sold for $53,000. That return is one reason for the farm's plan to build their flock to around 250 ewes, with further expansion in the future. 

Behind the 'Eyes on Islington' phenomenon 

In Islington, a local woman has been placing stickers of little eyes in random places to create faces. She started Eyes on Islington and it's gained a following online. Our producer Christine Sheridan went for a walk with Kate through the streets of Islington to find out more. 

The lasting legacy of the 1955 Hunter floods 

The 1955 NSW floods changed how the Hunter viewed the river and the trust you put in levees. To this day the floods are some of the biggest in the Hunter region. Greg Ray, writer and owner of the historical website Photo Time Tunnel, takes Kia Handley back to that time.

Meet Kulawayn, the koala stolen from Lochinvar Public School 

He's named after the Wonnarua word for koala and was painted by the kids themselves. But Kulawayn went on an unintentional adventure last week, with thieves taking him out of the school's Indigenous garden. He was eventually found dumped next to the school's fence ... thankfully with no damage. 

Bridget Murphy popped into the school to check that Kulawayn the Koala is all right, and asked teacher Alison Wood how Kulawayn came to be a part of the Lochinvar Public School community. 

What else is making news?

Newcastle Show rides are go: Organisers of the Newcastle Show have secured a final-hour agreement with the Showmen's Guild to ensure there WILL be rides at the event next week. Show organisers say they were shocked to hear the guild had agreed to provide rides at a Maitland carnival on the same weekend and were unhappy about the high rent being charged to set up at Newcastle. Newcastle Show president Peter Evans says after six hours of negotiations with two of his board members, the guild has come through with the rides. 

Folbigg seeks pardon: The lawyer seeking a full pardon for convicted killer and Hunter Valley woman Kathleen Folbigg says new medical evidence about her deceased children needs to carefully considered. A petition of 90 leading scientists and experts has been submitted to the New South Wales Governor. They say there's evidence at least two of the Folbigg children carried a mutated gene that meant they likely died of natural causes. Lawyer Rani Rego says doubt remains about Ms Folbigg's conviction. 

TAFE job cuts: The union representing TAFE employees says more than 40 jobs are expected to go from the Newcastle campus. It was announced last month nearly 700 jobs could be slashed from TAFE NSW, including more than 470 in regional areas. TAFE NSW has denied this, saying the changes would result in the loss of fewer than 50 jobs. State Labor and unions have launched a campaign opposing the cuts. Deputy Labor leader and Swansea MP Yasmin Catley says security staff are expected to go from the Tighes Hill site, which is a big concern.  

Mine expansion inquiry: Environmentalists say they're concerned air quality data for an Upper Hunter mine extension is outdated and doesn't reflect current concerns. The Independent Planning Commission is holding a second day of a public hearing into Glencore's Mangoola mine extension project west of Muswellbrook. It wants to extract an extra 52 million tonnes of coal up to 2030. Environmental Justice Australia's Joclyn McGarity says air quality is her biggest concern. 

Toddler death inquiry: The case of a Newcastle woman on trial for her toddler's death is drawing to a close, with her legal team rejecting the notion she deliberately failed to get medical help in the hours before the girl died. She has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, with the Crown accusing her of gross criminal negligence by failing to seek assistance before the toddler died. But in his closing address on Tuesday defence barrister Terry Healey rejected that, saying his client had planned to keep a close eye on her daughter and take her to hospital if it was needed. In her evidence, the woman told jurors her daughter was "fine, alert and giggling" in the hours before she was unresponsive. Crown prosecutor Jillian Kelton said the alleged description of the toddler was "ludicrous". 

Edgeworth Library plans: Lake Macquarie council has lodged a development application for a $6 million co-located library and museum at Cameron Park, funded through developer contributions. It's due to open next year, with the library relocated into the new building. Council says the old library will remain a community facility and it will consult with locals about the best ongoing use for the building. It plans to seek expressions of interest from not-for-profit organisations to utilise the space and provide services for the Edgeworth community. 

Newcastle vaccine hub: The State Government has confirmed Newcastle will be waiting until mid-March for its COVID vaccine hub to begin operating. Until then, frontline health staff in the Hunter region have to travel to Sydney to get vaccinated. The John Hunter hospital is one of five regional vaccine hubs scheduled to open and will dispatch the vaccine to other regional centres in surrounding areas. The John Hunter hub will provide vaccines to 15 smaller regional centres, including Wallsend, Merriwa and Denman, as well as Tamworth, Armidale and Boggabri. 

The Listeners' Library

This week's read comes from ABC Newcastle cameraman and all-round legend Anthony Scully.

Un-cook Yourself: A Ratbag's Rules for Life

This was an easy read and fun for anyone who got to know Nat's What I Reckon through his COVID cooking videos in 2020. Part memoir, part guide to living, sprinkled with recipes, Uncook Yourself is everything you wanted to know about "overnight" sensation Nat, including the fact that his success has been anything but overnight.

From his struggles with mental illness to his search for identity through rock (metal and punk) music, the book fills in the gaps around the viral video series about home isolation cooking. Did you know Nat toured the US as part of the Vans Warped Tour? That he had a national stand-up comedy tour planned then canned on the eve of a pandemic? That as a teenager he contracted tuberculosis and as a result lost part of his lung?

Bright and colourful with comic book illustrations and breakout sections like 'Is It Shit?', the book is full of the colourful language that endears the tattooed and pierced Aussie larrikin to his legions of fans. But it's also a thoughtful and insightful guide for teenagers and young adults struggling to find where they fit in the world. It's a celebration of difference that speaks directly to its audience, using language and lived experiences that will resonate with anyone who has felt left out, isolated, misunderstood or misfit.

Even Nat, who admits to having struggled to even read a full book growing up, admits he is no writer, let alone reader. But the team at publisher Penguin has organised the author's words in a coherent set of chapters that convey homespun wisdom, insights and empathy for his readers. Is it crap? Absolutely not! It's a champion read.  

Recipes for Readers

NOTE: A few people have been wondering about what to do with the second packet of Tim Tams mentioned in last week's recipe! The answer? It's up to you! It can be placed on top of the slice as a covering or can be left off.

Now, here's a little something from ABC Newcastle's Chief of Staff Lucia Hill.

"Everyone at the ABC knows I LOVE to cook. It’s one of my greatest passions. My favourite thing is to share a meal for friends and family – the more the merrier!! I’m probably best known at work for baking, be it scones, biscuits, cakes, pavs, pies ... you name it, they have been willing victims, plied with all manner of goodies when my baking moods strike.

"But I thought I’d share a family favourite, one that is rolled out every year when we celebrate our Croatian heritage. This is our family Baked Octopus recipe that I was taught to make by my dearest aunt strina! The first time I enjoyed it, we had caught an octopus in the Adriatic off the coast of Sibenik (a town where my cousins holiday each year)  and it was love at first bite.

"Simple, delicious and a little bit different. Give it a go. I’m sure you’ll love it too."

BAKED DALMATIAN OCTOPUS

1.5kg – 2kg octopus (pre-frozen and thawed … pre-freezing ensures tenderness, and it’s handy to whip up a cheap, quick, easy meal if you always have a frozen occy in the fridge)
1/2kg potatoes (desiree/carisma are great), peeled and quartered
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes (ensure they are really ripe)
1 large brown onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 large red capsicum, deseeded and sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped rosemary
1/2 cup dry white wine
Sea salt and black pepper

Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees. Remove heads and cut the cleaned octopus into thumb-sized pieces. In a large ovenproof dish, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and potatoes. Toss lightly.

Add the octopus, tomato, onion, garlic, capsicum, and rosemary. Pour over the wine mixed with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Cover and bake for 1.5 to 2hrs until tender.

Serve with lots of crusty bread (kruhe) and a big green salad. Tobar Tek!

The best photos from around the country

ABCmyphoto contributor ground_pilots was in a perfect position to take this shot of a blissful evening over Newcastle. The #ABCmyphoto team is always on the lookout for the best photos from around Australia. You can show us what the world looks like where you are by using the hashtag on Instagram, or by uploading your photos online here. Let's make sure more photos from the Hunter are featured across the ABC! 

How's the weekend weather looking?

It will be mostly sunny with temperatures reaching the mid 20s over the weekend, before possible showers early next week.

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