This Newsnight tape is part of the NBN Television archive and was digitised by our first UON Communication student Tom Sinclair who undertook a WIL (work integrated learning) practicum in the GLAMx Living Histories Digitisation Lab in September 2017. Many thanks to Phillip Lloyd and Barry Nancarrow (former NBN Television staff) who are digitising various forms of material from 1988, including BVU tapes, Index cards and listing items as they are appeared in the ‘Newsnight’ series footage. In total 28 taped stories from “Newsnight” current affairs and cued sheets were digitised and scanned.
Newsnight BETACAM 27 tape contains:
(Caution: Contents contains vision of Drug Use)
00:08 – 07:33 – Female Reporter. Interview with Hawkesbury River boat builder, Wal Jones, on a boat he built 70 yrs. ago, the Surprise, on the Hawkesbury River. Born in Colo, one of thirteen children. He was a skipper for a fleet of riverboats & along with his cousin, built the “Surprise II”- a 60ft steamboat in only 5 weeks and at present it is the longest registered working vessel of its kind in Australia.
In 1930, he changed the boat over from steam to diesel engine. It would sail up & down the river, loading up livestock and produce, carrying around 35 tonnes unloading at Brooklyn to transport to Sydney. His son was sleepwalking once and went straight into the river and his father spotted what he thought was a dog bobbing in the water, but it was his son and they pulled him out and saved his life. Wal sold the “Surprise II” 29 yrs. ago to Reg Handy and it ended up being re-equipped and now is used for wharf building
07:47 – 08:48 – Miscellaneous (Power Plant, Traffic Jams, Felling Trees).
09:02 – 09:24 – Short clip about nature/ photography. Ken Duncan’s Photography. Dated: 1/2/1989
09:34 – 10:02 – Pilots strike, their first time in 15 yrs., returning to work after midnight. Around the country, 2000 striking pilots were meeting. Australian Airlines was putting on extra services to cover the strikes.
10:13 – 15:25 – In 1988 there reports of more than 1800 armed robberies in NSW & there is a recurring link between these and drug use – 50% + armed robberies & 80% break ins are Heroin related crimes, after serving their sentence over 60 % of offenders would return to prison in less than 4 yrs. In an attempt to break this cycle, Cessnock Correctional Centre has introduced its own Rehabilitation Program for Drug Abusers. Counsellor Denise Campbell along with help from her assistant Denise Glover work at restructuring criminals lives. They have 80 prisoners under their care. Prisoners are encouraged to attend the course, but the final decision is up to them, they can choose any topic for discussion and they have debating classes, which have given them confidence and builds their self-esteem.
15:32 – 16:40 – Golf Tournament, Stockton, Newcastle Golf Course. Master’s and English Amateur golfer Claydon?
16:50 – 17:09 – Greenhouse Effect. Public meeting/seminar?
17:21 – 20:40 – Reporter John Church Nora Head Lighthouse. Norah Head has claimed many ships over the years, prompting the building of the lighthouse at the turn of the century and in 1903 the light was, illuminated for the first time. It was erected, for 24,000 pounds. The tower is 27 metres high, 46 metres above sea level and the light, can be seen 25 nautical miles out to sea, there are 96 steps to the top, a 1,000-watt lamp illuminates through a lens, which converts the light to 1 million-candle power. Two small electric motors drive the huge lens that is mounted in a bath of mercury to reduce the friction, the light comes on automatically just before sunset and produces its regular flash every 15 seconds. A light-keeper needs to maintain the light, keeping it in top order make sure it comes on every night. There is the de-manning of lighthouses.
20:50 – 24:39 – Reporter John Church. About, 3500 homeowners on the western side of Lake Macquarie have wastewater removed, Cleanaway have the contract and each household is serviced fortnightly at the flat charge of $533 a year. Some residents only have toilet water cleared & they are charged the same rate and so some would like to return to the ‘User pays’ system- pay only for what you use. Low users are disadvantaged and financially can be distressed by additional charges. In comparison, people in the neighbouring Wyong shire are charged a flat rate of $380 a year. Alderman Davis is working to address the wastewater issues in West Lakes
We also thank WIL students and volunteers for their contributions in digitising the NBN Television Archive.