Mater Centre's Construction On Course

CONSTRUCTION of a mental health centre at Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital is on schedule with a full service expected to be operating from the new building in July.

Justice Pups Teach Inmates New Tricks

AFTER 20 minutes in blistering heat at a juvenile detention centre, one of the youngest detainees has stopped co-operating. But by the time the 22-month-old labrador puppy finishes her stint at the centre after 16 months, she will have mastered the skills needed to become an assistance dog for someone with a physical disability.

Police Nab Pickpocket Gang

COMMUTERS have fallen victim to a slick international ring of female pickpockets operating on Melbourne's trams, police say.

Migration Fraud 'rife' In Overseas Student Scam

UNREGISTERED migration agents selling black-market paperwork to international students are "con men and con women" operating undetected in Melbourne, according to the Migration Institute of Australia.

Third Ship To Speed Up Bay Dredging

ENVIRONMENTAL safeguards for a new accelerated dredging plan for Port Phillip Bay have been questioned after the announcement that a third dredger will be operating in the bay soon.

Club Gamble Costs Swans Dearly

SYDNEY'S attempt to increase non-football revenue through a joint venture with the Club Swans gaming venue in Kings Cross has had a heavy impact on the club's bottom line, with $500,000 in costs associated with the club contributing to a total operating loss of $797,520 for 2008.

Public Gets Maximum Benefit From New Cab

OPERATING the first maxi cab in Wollongong is a gamble that owner Michael Zarif hopes will pay off and benefit the public.

Charlestown Aim To Be Big Movers For Suburb

CHARLESTOWN Bowling Club will be operating from a new club and bowling on new greens from the end of next week.

Moving Experience For Health Fund Boss

AFTER more than 30 years operating from Hunter Street, NIB Health Funds has moved into its new $37 million national headquarters at Honeysuckle.

Award To Coastal Patrol

OPERATING 24 hours a day, every day of the year, Port Stephens Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol has been recognised for its efforts.

Society Lifts Assets

NEWCASTLE Permanent defied a challenging operating environment to post a net profit after tax of $35.3 million last financial year, the chairman, Michael Slater, said yesterday.

No Room At The Top, So Executive To Leave

LEND Lease chief operating officer Ross Taylor will leave the group after almost 20 years, after it became apparent he was not a candidate to replace outgoing CEO Greg Clarke.

Decision 'stinks'

RUTHERFORD residents have been incensed by a NSW Land and Environment Court decision allowing an industrial company to continue operating, despite unresolved allegations of it being the source of foul odour pollution for several years.

Waste Site The Source Of Stink

RUTHERFORD manufacturer Truegain has been suspended from operating after a report identified it as the source of foul odours that have plagued the suburb for years.

I'll Flip You For It: How Finals War May End

EVEN NRL chief operating officer Graham Annesley acknowledged the chances of it happening were close to zero, but Newcastle's finals hopes could hinge on the toss of a coin.

Coffee House Fires Back In Style

WITH all the impetus of a double short black, Wollongong's Saveski brothers were back in the coffee business yesterday - operating from the corner pub.

Appointment Bolsters Miner's Ore Experience

GOLDEN West Resources has bolstered its iron ore experience by snaring the services of David Rose, formerly Rio Tinto's iron ore chief operating officer with responsibility for projects in India, Brazil and Guinea.

New Facility A Boost For Firefighters

NOWRA firefighters have begun responding to calls from their new fire station after nine months of operating at a temporary site.

Changes To Whet The Whistleblower

THE Government has moved to protect whistleblowers in the federal public service who expose corruption, illegal activity and misconduct by asking a parliamentary committee to draw up a blueprint for laws that could begin operating next year.

Picture Window On Shame

Standard Operating Procedure: Inside Abu Ghraib By Philip Gourevitch and Errol Morris Picador, $32.95