Dairy 'disrupter' who invented spreadable butter in 70s wins science award
By Romy Gilbert and Melinda James
An 86-year-old farmer claims this year's Dairy Science Award for inventing spreadable butter, during a time when mixing oils with cultured cream was illegal.
#ScienceAwards #DairyFarming #History #RomyGilbert #MelindaJames
Elder in PFAS hotspot attends more than 20 funerals in two years
By Romy Gilbert
An elder in an Aboriginal community exposed to PFAS contamination says the town is proof of the health risks of "forever chemicals", as a federal inquiry recommends widespread testing to establish a link.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-21/pfas-senate-report-wreck-bay/106031392
#Health #IndigenousAustralians #Cancer #WaterPollution #RomyGilbert
Demolition derby crash victims in 'stable' conditions
By Romy Gilbert, Jonathan Hawes, and Sarah Forster
Six of 13 patients remain in hospital after a derby car crashed into a grandstand full of spectators at a Walcha council-run rally on Saturday night.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-11-16/walcha-motor-sport-derby-crash-multiple-injured/106014902
#AccidentsandEmergencyIncidents #TransportAccidentsandIncidents #RomyGilbert #JonathanHawes # #SarahForster
Shipwreck mystery as century-old remains emerge on NSW beach
By Justin Huntsdale and Romy Gilbert
Remnants of a shipwreck in Jervis Bay have maritime archaeologists puzzled and wondering what else could be nearby.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-22/shipwreck-appears-on-jervis-bay-beach/105920008
#History #Oceans #MilitaryEquipment #JustinHuntsdale #RomyGilbert
Friends pay tribute to 'fantastic people' killed in light plane crash
By Romy Gilbert and Emma Rennie
Friends and neighbours of three people killed in a plane crash at Shellharbour Airport in New South Wales say their deaths are a "big loss to the community".
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-12/friends-pay-tribute-to-plane-crash-victims/105882278
Investigation launched after ex-Liberal minister appointed council CEO
By Romy Gilbert
The NSW Office of Local Government will investigate the appointment of former state minister Andrew Constance as the CEO of Shoalhaven City Council.
#LocalGovernment #StateandTerritoryGovernment #GovernmentandPolitics #RomyGilbert
Warmer currents lead to 'best run in living memory' of yellowfin tuna
By Romy Gilbert
Fishers are reporting an unprecedented number of yellowfin tuna travelling from the tropics to the NSW South Coast, causing "mayhem" and excitement.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-19/unprecedented-yellowfin-tuna-season-south-coast/105784426
#RecreationalFishing #Science #MarineBiology #ClimateChange #RomyGilbert
Voters 'glad to see Gareth go' as polls close in Kiama by-election
By Romy Gilbert and Tim Fernandez
Counting is underway as the south coast NSW electorate votes for a new member in state Parliament after the resignation of convicted rapist Gareth Ward.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-13/kiama-byelection-polls-close-votes-counting/105770414
#Elections #StateandTerritoryParliament #ElectoralSystem #StateandTerritoryElections #StateandTerritoryGovernment #RomyGilbert #TimFernandez
Investigation underway after multiple shots fired into suburban home
By Romy Gilbert and Penny Burfitt
Police say the attack on a home in Fairy Meadow, near Wollongong, was targeted and that they are investigating potential links to gang and black market activity.
Aged care shortage took dignity as dad died in hospital, daughter says
By Romy Gilbert
More than 1,000 people are living in NSW hospitals waiting for aged care or NDIS placements, and experts warn the issue is about to get much worse.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-27/aged-care-shortage-causes-hospital-bed-block-nsw/105679814
#AgedCare #PublicHealth #AgeingPopulation #Ageing #FederalGovernment #StateandTerritoryGovernment #RomyGilbert
Aged care shortage took dignity as dad died in hospital, daughter says
By Romy Gilbert
More than 1,000 people are living in NSW hospitals waiting for aged care or NDIS placements, and experts warn the issue is about to get much worse.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-27/aged-care-shortage-causes-hospital-bed-block-nsw/105679814
#AgedCare #PublicHealth #AgeingPopulation #Ageing #FederalGovernment #StateandTerritoryGovernment #RomyGilbert
Young Liberals expel Gareth Ward three weeks after sex crimes conviction
By Romy Gilbert and Mikayla McGuirk-Scolaro
The University of Wollongong Liberal Club revokes the membership of its former president and first life member after Ward was found guilty of sexually abusing two young men.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-15/kiama-by-election-ward-liberals-run-serena-copley/105660062
#GovernmentandPolitics #StateandTerritoryElections #LiberalPartyofAustralia #RomyGilbert #MikaylaMcGuirkScolaro
Contest begins to replace disgraced MP Gareth Ward in seat of Kiama
By Kelly Fuller and Romy Gilbert
After Ward resigned over a sexual assault conviction, it is expected to be a tight race for the NSW seat, which was decided by less than 700 votes in the last election.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-08-14/kiama-by-election-2025-ward-resignation/105651370
#GovernmentandPolitics #StateandTerritoryElections #KellyFuller #RomyGilbert
Man on parole for brick attack pleads guilty to domestic violence charges
By Romy Gilbert
A NSW south coast man who assaulted an off-duty police officer with a brick in Sydney in 2009 pleads guilty to domestic violence offences while on parole.
MP's sex crimes trigger parliamentary drama not seen in a century
By Romy Gilbert and Kelly Fuller
Gareth Ward is expected to be stripped of his seat in parliament, his salary, and entitlements when the NSW government exercises a power for the first time in more than a century to expel him from the lower house.
#StateandTerritoryParliament #GovernmentandPolitics #Courts #RegionalCommunities #RomyGilbert #KellyFuller
MP Gareth Ward jailed ahead of sex crime sentence
By Kelly Fuller and Romy Gilbert
NSW MP Gareth Ward has been taken into custody following his conviction for sexually abusing two young men. A judge has revoked his bail ahead of sentencing.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-30/nsw-mp-gareth-ward-bail-decision/105587494
#Courts #StateandTerritoryParliament #GovernmentandPolitics #Prisons #KellyFuller #RomyGilbert
Japanese rocket launch off Jervis Bay shows off military might
By Romy Gilbert and Justin Huntsdale
Japanese forces fire their most advanced anti-ship missiles off the coast of New South Wales for a second time as part of a military training exercise involving a record 19 countries.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-22/rocket-launch-off-jervis-bay-talisman-sabre/105559398
#DefenceForces #DefenceIndustry #AerospaceandDefenceEquipmentManufacturing #RomyGilbert #JustinHuntsdale
