Category: NSW News

Today is National Sorry Day, a time when we acknowledge the lasting impacts caused by the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families.  

Survivors and their descendants continue to demonstrate incredible strength and resilience, ensuring their stories and truths are shared.  

National Reconciliation Week, which starts tomorrow, is a reminder of the role we can all play in strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Reconciliation Week (27 May to 3 June) begins each year on the anniversary of the successful 1967 referendum and ends on the anniversary of the historic 1992 High Court Mabo decision recognising Native Title.

This year’s Reconciliation Week theme, ‘All In’, is a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation; not just today, but every day.  

The NSW Government is committed to work in partnership with Aboriginal organisations, communities, and people to Close the Gap.

We know that when Closing the Gap solutions are designed, led, and implemented by Aboriginal people and communities, in partnership with Government, we get better outcomes.

Our focus is on shared decision-making.

Going ‘All In’ can mean taking practical action in your workplace, school, sporting club or community. It can mean attending or holding a reconciliation event, supporting Aboriginal businesses and artists, learning about the history of your local area, listening to Aboriginal voices, or starting a conversation about reconciliation with family and friends.  

Communities across NSW will mark the week with walks, cultural events, language workshops, exhibitions, performances and community gathering. There are dozens of events to get involved in.

Visit the https://www.reconciliation.org.au/ website to find an event near you. 

Wentworth and surrounding communities are benefitting from improved and enhanced healthcare services, with the official opening of the new $30 million Wentworth Health Service.

The new purpose-built health service includes a 19-bed Inpatient Unit, palliative care suite, dining room, family gathering room, patient gym, a reception area and waiting room, courtyards and community health rooms.

The new facility has been built on the existing hospital site, which overlooks the Darling River and features high ceilings, natural light and colours that reflect the natural surroundings of the site. Local art brings the health service to life, and the unique history of the old hospital is reflected in a heritage display and framed photographs along the Inpatient Unit corridor.

A strong sense of Connecting with Country is also evident within the new Health Service, with a scar tree sculpture and canoe-shaped oculus at the entry. Signs in Barkindji language will welcome consumers and visitors, and local native plants, with descriptions about their traditional uses, will be incorporated in the landscaping for the new health facility.

The facility includes a new ambulance access bay which links through to a new Urgent Care Centre, located within the new health services building.

The Urgent Care Centre is open 24/7 and is a dedicated space for people to be seen and treated for a range of non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries.

The Wentworth Health Service facility was delivered by Health Infrastructure in partnership with Far West Local Health District and HPAC Pty Ltd as the contractor. Final works including landscaping is expected to be completed in mid-2026.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to delivering world-class health care across the state and has invested $3.4 billion to deliver new and upgraded health services in regional NSW.

More information about the redevelopment is available at Wentworth Health Service Redevelopment.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“The official opening of the new $30 million Wentworth Health Service marks a significant milestone for the local community and ensures staff, patients and the local community have access to improved services, modern health facilities and care closer to home.

“It’s a unique facility which has been designed to help meet the healthcare needs of Wentworth and surrounding communities now and into the future.

“The new purpose-built health service will provide enhanced health services, including a 19-bed Inpatient Unit, palliative care suite, community health rooms, and much more.”

Member for Murray Helen Dalton MP:

“The new Wentworth Health Service is a great reflection of the local environment and people, who were integral in the planning and design of the new health facility.

“We are also proud that Wentworth is one of the first 100 per cent fully electrified hospitals in NSW, with sustainability a key feature in the design.”

Labor Spokesperson for Murray Bob Nanva:

“It’s important that our health facilities are not just functional, but are pleasant spaces that help people to feel at ease and to heal.

“The design of the new facility reflects the culture, colours, landscape and history of the local area.”

NSW Shadow Transport Minister Natalie Ward today called out the Minns Government’s embarrassing backflip on e-bike number plates and warned that after months of talk and tinkering nothing on the ground has changed.
 
Earlier this year, Transport Minister John Graham went on 2GB to rubbish the idea of number plates on e-bikes, declaring they “won’t help with enforcement.” Now his own government’s draft regulations are proposing exactly that for shared e-bikes.
 
“Call it a number plate, call it a ‘fleet identification number’, it’s the same thing, and the Minister said it wouldn’t work. Now, he is implementing it.” Ms Ward said.
 
Ms Ward slammed the Government’s half-measure approach, pointing out the regulations only target shared bikes, completely ignoring the dropkicks on private e-bike terrorising parks, footpaths and people across the city.
 
“The ratbags causing chaos aren’t on shared e-bikes. They’re on private e-bikes, and Labor has done absolutely nothing about the reckless behaviour,” she said.
 
To make matters worse, the new laws for shared bikes passed Parliament six months ago, and the Government still hasn’t brought them into force.
 
“Six months. Not a single regulation in effect. It’s all consultation and talk meanwhile, innocent Sydneysiders are dodging e-bikes left stranded across the footpath.” Ms Ward said.
 
The Liberals and Nationals have called on Labor to support amendments giving police the power to immediately seize private e-bikes based on behaviour, not specifications.
 
“We’ve got renamed number plates for some e-bikes but still no accountability for ratbags.”
  
“NSW deserves a government that moves at the speed of the problem. This one is still stuck in first gear.”

The Minns Labor Government is delivering Australia’s most extensive drone show program as part of Vivid Sydney 2026, with the majority of activities free for friends and families to enjoy.

The spectacular new show, titled Star-Bound, will feature 1,000 drones transforming Cockle Bay every Sunday to Wednesday night across 22 shows and 11 nights. The biggest drone show program in the festival’s history.

World-leading UK company Sky Magic will deliver the cutting-edge displays, renowned for producing some of the world’s largest and most complex drone shows.

With shows running across multiple nights, the expanded program is expected to drive increased visitation, encourage people to stay out later and return to the harbour, and deliver strong benefits for hospitality businesses, local operators and Sydney’s night-time economy.

Vivid Sydney has also commissioned one of Australia’s leading composers to create the score for the shows, with commercial and marine vessels able to tune in via an FM frequency to experience the soundtrack live.

Star-Bound will be held every Sunday to Wednesday night at 7.30pm and 9.30pm, except for Sunday 7 June. 

Vivid Sydney will take place from 22 May until 13 June, powering NSW’s visitor and night-time economies and cementing Sydney’s status as a global leader in immersive cultural experiences across Light, Music, Minds and Food. 

The Vivid Sydney Drone Show, Star‑Bound, is proudly sponsored by IREN, a Vivid Sydney Major Partner.

For more information, go to www.vividsydney.com

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said:

“This year, we are delivering a bigger and bolder Vivid Sydney with the majority of activities free, this is a festival that friends and families can enjoy together without breaking the bank.

“This is the biggest drone show program in Vivid Sydney’s history – 22 shows delivered by world-leading company Sky Magic, which has produced some of the most complex and awe-inspiring drone displays ever seen on the planet.

“Sydney Harbour will become a living canvas of light, movement and storytelling, and whether you’re bringing the kids for the first time or enjoying a night out with friends, Star-Bound will offer a unique and memorable experience for all.

Vivid Sydney Festival Director Brett Sheehy AO said:

“With Star‑Bound, we’re evolving the Vivid Sydney drone shows from a sequence of singular images into a larger, poetic story – one that celebrates life, creation, hope and renewal.

“The journey begins with the smallest building blocks of life and gradually expands outward, moving through nature and into the cosmos, until an entirely new universe is born. It’s a show that is both intimate and epic, inviting audiences to experience something emotional, immersive and awe‑inspiring.”

The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its promises and saving renters money by returning illegal fees to renters and cracking down on compliance with accurate bond lodgements.

One year on from the Government’s landmark rental reforms, the NSW Rental Taskforce has returned almost $180,000 to renters stung by illegal rent payment and background check fees.

Through a robust compliance crackdown, the Taskforce discovered more than 3,000 renters were charged illegal fees for dishonoured payments and illegal background checks.

One agency alone was found to have issued 2,071 illegal dishonour charges to 795 tenants between July 2020 and April 2025, despite such penalties issued by landlords or real estate agents for late payments being illegal in NSW.

The investigation resulted in the agency entering a voluntary enforceable undertaking, with NSW Fair Trading ordering tenants be refunded more than $124,000 – with 371 tenants charged multiple charges amounting to a refund of $2,400 in one case.  The agency also agreed to make $10,000 contribution to the NSW Consumer Law Fund for the purpose of providing education to the sector on rental legislation and compliance obligations. 

Another investigation found nearly 2,400 applicants were illegally charged $19.95 each for background checks through an online rental platform. The company refunded tenants the more than $48,000 in charges and disabled the background check function on its website.

Over the past year, the Taskforce has also used Rental Bonds Online data to identify landlords or agents charging more than four weeks of rent as a bond. A compliance program is now underway to issue penalties for serious and multiple breaches.

Backed by $8.4 million, the Taskforce has investigated almost 8,000 rental matters in its first year.

These results are part of the Government’s reforms to make renting fairer. The Government has: 

• Banned no-grounds evictions.
• Limited rent increases to once a year.
• Ensured renters have fee-free ways to pay rent.
• Banned fees for background checks.
• Made it easier to have pets in rentals.
• Invested $6.6 million to build Smart Rental Bonds an initiative due to be launched in mid-2026 and will help renters save thousands of dollars when moving home.  

Any rental applicants who have been charged for a background check should lodge a complaint with NSW Fair Trading by visiting: https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/fair-trading/complaints-and-enquiries/housing-and-property

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“After one year of the Minns Labor Government’s game-changing rental reforms, we are seeing outstanding results.

“As a dedicated compliance and enforcement team, the NSW Rental Taskforce has recovered almost $180,000 worth of renters hard-earned money and cracked down on irresponsible actors trying to take them for a ride.

“And we’re not done yet. The Government is also rolling out Smart Rental Bonds later this year, so renters can transfer their bond between properties, saving about $4,000 each time they move.

“The Government is delivering on its promises to save renters money and help alleviate the cost-of-living pressures so many people are feeling.

“Renters can’t afford a Liberal government. Only a Labor Government delivers for renters.”

NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones said:

“While the NSW Fair Trading Rental Taskforce’s enforcement shows work is being done to provide a fair and balanced marketplace it also shows renters are becoming more aware of their rights.

“We’ve seen renter awareness jump from 33 to 80 per cent in our recent customer survey, and that’s critical to making sure people know their rights and where to access help when they need it.”

Students and staff at Nirimba Fields Public School are moving out of demountable classrooms and into their brand-new permanent school after the Minns Labor Government delivered the much-needed new facilities two months ahead of schedule.

This new school is one of 230 new and upgraded schools and preschools being delivered across NSW, giving our kids access to the best quality education through the Minns Labor Government’s record $9 billion school building program.

The new Nirimba Fields Public School can accommodate 1,000 students and includes 44 permanent classrooms, three support learning classrooms, a multipurpose hall, library, canteen, staff and administration facilities, and accessibility features including ramps and lifts.

Students have been learning in purpose-built temporary facilities since Day 1, Term 1, 2024 following the Government fast-tracking new schools in Sydney’s growing north-west while permanent facilities were delivered.

The removal of all 32 demountables used for the temporary school will be complete by the middle of the year with the old temporary school site set to be turned into a new public preschool that will accommodate up to 120 children per week.

Sydney’s North West was identified in the NSW Government’s Enrolment Growth Audit as having the fastest student population growth in the state, with local communities growing rapidly while essential school infrastructure failed to keep pace.

Despite this need, the former Liberal Government failed to build this school, leaving behind less schools than when they were first elected – reflecting their approach across Western Sydney, approving new housing without building much needed new schools.

The Minns Labor Government is addressing this and building for the future. In North West Sydney alone, the delivery of new and upgraded schools is adding capacity for an additional 15,000 public school students, replacing more than 160 demountables with more than 700 permanent classrooms.

Major projects recently delivered or on the way in Sydney’s North West include:

• New Tallawong Public School (delivered)
• New Melonba Public School (delivered) and public preschool
• New Melonba High School (delivered)
• New Tallawong High School
• New Jordan Springs High School
• New public primary school and public preschool in Grantham Farm
• New Gables Public School and public preschool
• New Box Hill Public School and public preschool
• New Box Hill High School
• Schofields Public School – upgrade (delivered)
• Riverbank Public School – upgrade (delivered)
• The Ponds High School – upgrade
• Rouse Hill High School – upgrade
• Excelsior Public School – upgrade

The Minns Labor Government has also delivered the biggest pay rise in a generation to attract the best teachers and keep them in the classroom, resulting in teacher vacancies falling to the lowest level in 12 years, halving the number of merged and cancelled classes since being elected.

This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to deliver better schools and more teachers to give our kids the world class education they deserve, right where they live.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“Schools for growing communities across Western Sydney like right here in Nirimba Fields aren’t a nice to have, they’re a must have.

“When new housing is built, families need access to new schools, hospitals and local infrastructure – under the former government, this didn’t happen but we are working every day to change that.

“We’re not just building brand new and upgraded schools and preschools to make life easier and cheaper for local families, we’re hiring more teachers to give our kids the best education.”

Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Early Learning and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

“This is exactly what we promised families across north-west Sydney – access to quality public education right where they live.

“Under the Liberals, local families in North West Sydney saw their communities expand without the essential infrastructure needed to meet the growth.

“The Minns Labor Government is not only getting the job done, but we’re also getting it done ahead of schedule.

“At a time when many families are facing household budget pressures, having the option to access a fee-free, world-class public education has never been more important, and local parents can have the confidence knowing their children can attend high-quality local public school close to home.”

Member for Riverstone Warren Kirby said:

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to ensuring students in Sydney’s high-growth suburbs have access to the world-class facilities they deserve.

“This is a proud moment for our community and proof that when we invest in public education, we invest in the future of every child.”

Nirimba Fields Public School Principal Renai Diamond said:

“It’s been an honour to be a part of our school’s journey from the very start – when we first opened in our temporary facilities in Term 1, 2024.

“While our temporary school provided a wonderful start for our students and staff, we are beyond excited to transition into our new permanent home and the opportunities that lie ahead.”

The first delivery of major medical equipment including a 4-tonne advanced MRI, CT and molecular imaging technology has arrived at Nepean Hospital, marking a significant milestone for Stage 2 of the more than $1 billion Nepean Hospital Redevelopment.

The new equipment which will modernise medical imaging services for patients at Nepean Hospital will be housed in new purpose-built medical and molecular imaging departments.

Highly specialised planning and coordination was required to install the large-scale equipment into its home on Level 2 of the new seven-storey clinical building, which has been designed to support contemporary models of care and future growth needs.

The new medical imaging and molecular imaging equipment will strengthen Nepean Hospital’s diagnostic capabilities, providing clinicians with a more complete picture of patients’ health to support earlier diagnosis and more targeted treatment, in medical specialties such as cancer, cardiac and neurological care.

Construction of Stage 2 of the Nepean Hospital Redevelopment is due for completion this year, and will deliver a major expansion of critical hospital services, including:

• A new adult Intensive Care Unit
• additional inpatient beds
• medical and molecular imaging facilities
• incentre renal dialysis
• education and training spaces
• and a new purpose-built palliative care unit. The new building will also feature a welcoming new main entry for the hospital.

The internal fit-out is underway across multiple levels, including installation of building services, joinery, ceilings and clinical infrastructure.

Works are also progressing in key construction areas such as the new Intensive Care Unit and main entry atrium. External works, landscaping and integration activities are continuing to connect the new building with the existing hospital campus, including improved pedestrian, vehicle and parking access.

Once complete, the new clinical building will connect seamlessly to the existing hospital 14-storey tower delivered as part of Stage 1 of the redevelopment.

The Nepean Redevelopment is one of the largest and most significant hospital projects in Greater Western Sydney and will support the region’s growing healthcare needs for decades to come.

It builds on other investments the Minns Labor Government is making to deliver more hospitals and beds in the region, including:

• $2 billion for the new Bankstown Hospital;
• $790 million for the new Rouse Hill Hospital plus $120 million from the Federal Government;
• $550 million for the Fairfield Hospital Redevelopment plus $80 million from the Federal Government;
• $350 million for the Canterbury Hospital Redevelopment; and
• $120 million for additional beds for Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals

Construction is expected to be completed in late 2026, which will be followed by a comprehensive operational commissioning period to ensure the new health facilities are ready to safely welcome patients, staff and visitors.

For more information about the project, visit: Nepean Hospital Redevelopment

Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car:

“The Minns Labor Government knows how important world-class healthcare is to the people of Penrith and communities across Western Sydney. That’s why we are making a record investment not only in the bricks and mortar of the redeveloped Nepean Hospital, but also in the cutting-edge equipment needed to deliver world-class healthcare.

“Under this Government, families are finally getting the essential infrastructure they deserve – better hospitals, better roads and better schools.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“The Coalition’s failure to deliver more hospitals and more beds in Western Sydney left the region under mounting pressure. We are correcting that, delivering a pipeline of infrastructure to meet the needs of the community.

“The Nepean Hospital Redevelopment is part of the Minns Government’s more than $3.4 billion investment to deliver new and upgraded hospitals for communities across Western Sydney.

“The arrival of major medical equipment is a critical step in transforming this new building from a construction site into a world‑class health facility for the Nepean and Blue Mountains communities.

“This is about delivering modern, purpose‑built spaces and world class facilities to support our hardworking staff and provide patients with the care they need, closer to home, now and into the future.”

Member for Penrith Karen McKeown:

“Watching this advanced medical imaging equipment being craned into the new building is such an exciting moment and a significant milestone for a project that will have a lasting impact on our local community.

“There is a real sense now that we are nearing the end of construction at Nepean Hospital and we have taken a big step closer to opening these world-class health facilities.”

Member for Blue Mountains Trish Doyle:

“This will be of enormous benefit to the entire local health district and I trust that the Blue Mountains community will welcome this investment.”

The Minns Labor Government has established the new Bays West Delivery Authority to lead the development of the Bays West Precinct and Blackwattle Bay Precinct.

The Authority is charged with creating Sydney’s newest precinct, a thriving, connected, sustainable hub with White Bay Power Station as its cultural heart. Its vision is to build on the area’s natural, cultural and industrial history to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood.

The precinct will deliver up to 8,500 well-located homes, including a minimum of 10 per cent affordable and essential worker homes. Combine new housing with public open space, opening public access to the waterfront for the first time in more than 100 years, while retaining important deep-water facilities to support Sydney’s working harbour.

Located just minutes from the Sydney CBD and connected to a world-class metro, ferry, walking and cycling links, the Bays West precinct will rebalance housing growth towards well-serviced inner-city locations and help tackle the state’s housing crisis.

The Bays West Delivery Authority, an agency of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, will report to the NSW Minister for Lands and Property who already has oversight of major precinct renewal projects including at Blackwattle Bay and Barangaroo.

As part of the broader Bays West transformation, the Minns Government recently announced that a proposal from Lendlease to redevelop part of the Bays West Precinct has progressed to Stage 2 of the NSW Government’s unsolicited proposals process.

A New Suburb

The Minns Labor Government has today also confirmed the Bays West precinct will have a new suburb name.

This will be the first major suburb built in close proximity to Sydney’s CBD in decades and will encompass the area currently being referred to as Bays West, including Glebe Island and the White Bay Power Station. Served by a new Metro station just 5 minutes from the CBD, it will become one of the most populous suburbs in the Inner West and one of Sydney’s premier cultural destinations.

Design Competition

The Authority is making great strides with the development of an early works program which includes the first stages of an international design competition.

The aim of the Bays West International Design Competition is to ensure design excellence is embedded in the project from the start. The competition will deliver an urban framework that defines the character, ambition and long-term identity of this former industrial precinct as it transitions to a vibrant, inclusive and sustainable residential neighbourhood.

The competition will be led by the Bays West Delivery Authority in partnership with Government Architect NSW.

It will launch with an invitation for a global Expressions of Interest, before moving to an invitation-only stage that will be assessed by a panel that will provide advice to Cabinet who will select a winner.

The successful team will play an ongoing role in the development of the precinct.  

Premier of NSW, Chris Minns said:

“The establishment of the new Authority is the first step in transforming the Bays West precinct into a vibrant, livable suburb minutes from the Sydney CBD and two stops from Hunter St Station on the Metro West line.

“The Authority will deliver well-located homes close to the heart of the city and integrate the new precinct with Blackwattle Bay and the new Sydney Fish Market.

“This is a generational opportunity to build a new suburb on the city’s edge and open the harbour foreshore to the public for the first time in a century.”

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“The new Bays West Delivery Authority established by the Minns Government will turbocharge the development of Sydney’s newest suburb.

“The Authority is working at a record pace to deliver an international design competition, planning pathways and a financial model so that this development benefits Sydney with well-designed homes in a central location, close to public transport, jobs, entertainment and essential services.

“If we want Sydney to stay liveable and affordable, we need to be bold about using underutilised government-owned land to deliver homes for the future while making sure essential working harbour functions can be accommodated.”

NSW businesses struggling with surging costs are facing another hit under the Minns Labor Government’s confused reusable coffee cup Bill.
 
Labor’s Environmental Legislation Amendment (Plastic Reduction and Container Recycling) Bill 2026 states that cafés and takeaway hospitality businesses are required to implement reusable takeaway cup schemes.
 
While a staged approach has been foreshadowed it is unclear who will be required to fully comply with the scheme by 2030.
 
Shadow Minister for Small Business Gurmesh Singh said under the plan cafés will also be legally prohibited from charging customers for the cost of supplying those cups.
 
“As the legislation is drafted a café owner would be forced to absorb the cost purchasing, managing, cleaning and storing reusable cups, with no guarantee they will ever be returned,” Mr Singh said.
 
“The Minns Labor Government is tying up businesses in red tape to get a green headline.”
 
“Businesses across NSW are already struggling, with more than 6,200 closing last year. The last thing small business owners need is a government introducing unworkable red tape.”
 
A café selling around 300 coffees per day would need to manage thousands of reusable cups in circulation, without being able to increase prices to cover the costs.
 
Shadow Minister for the Environment Jacqui Munro criticised the lack of consultation, saying industry stakeholders were blindsided by the proposal.
 
“Labor is trying to rush through confused reform without engaging the very businesses expected to implement it. There is no clarity about who has to do what, by when,” Ms Munro said.
 
“We all want to reduce plastic waste, but this reform must be workable. Right now, this proposal simply isn’t, and coffee lovers and small businesses will pay the price.”
 
“Labor’s policy is a bitter brew for café owners and coffee lovers. The Minns Labor Government’s plan looks like: no cups, no cafés, no coffee.”
 
The NSW Liberals and Nationals are calling on the Government to abandon the scheme in its proposed form and undertake genuine consultation with the hospitality sector.
 
Business Sydney Executive Director Paul Nicolaou said businesses will not survive if governments continue piling on more red tape, regulation and bureaucracy at a time when operators are already under enormous pressure.
 
“We all want to see less waste and more sustainable outcomes, but now is not the time for changes that unfairly hit small businesses already struggling with soaring energy bills, rising rents, insurance costs and workforce shortages.
 
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities, and they need practical support and certainty, not more compliance costs and administrative burdens that make it harder to stay afloat and grow.”

The Minns Labor Government is delivering over $11 million in funding to support novel cancer research projects, including research into incurable childhood brain cancer Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to personalise and enhance breast cancer treatment.

Delivered by Cancer Institute NSW, the Research Fellowships program will support 18 early and mid-career researchers from metro and regional NSW to strengthen and expand research that could shape the future of cancer care.

These fellowships include:

• 12 Early Career Fellowships to support emerging researchers as they establish themselves as independent leaders in cancer research.
• Six Career Development Fellowships to support researchers whose projects show potential to signifcantly improve cancer outcomes.

The Early Career Fellowships include projects to accelerate personalised treatment for breast cancer using AI, test a promising new therapy for endometrial cancer and optimise psychosocial care for families of children with poor prognosis cancers.

While the Career Development Fellowships include projects to investigate the developmental origins of incurable childhood cancer Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Children are diagnosed with DIPG across an age spectrum, often 6-8 years and pass away within the 12-months of diagnosis as it impacts vital functions, including vision, swallowing, breathing, and heart rate.

Since 2004, Cancer Institute NSW has supported cancer research through its Fellowship Scheme, funding innovative projects, fostering team-based research, and developing future leaders to translate discoveries into clinical practice.

This program is part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to provide access to better healthcare. For a full list of recipients visit: https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/research-and-data/grants/grants-we-ve-funded/career-support-grants/2025-career-support-funds-granted

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to backing these researchers and their programs that are bridging the gap between lab discoveries and real-world patient care which have the potential to transform the lives of people diagnosed with cancer in the future.

“Every day, our researchers are working hard to help save the lives of people affected by cancer across NSW and around the globe. We are proud to support their efforts and invest in this important work.”

NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO Cancer Institute NSW, Professor Tracey O’Brien AM said:

“Many leaders in medicine began their careers with the support of fellowships, which empower inspiring researchers to drive breakthroughs that can change people’s lives now and into the future.

“Cancer affects too many of us, with one in two people in NSW diagnosed in their lifetime. While significant progress has been made in understanding and treating the disease, these fellowships are critical to advancing cancer prevention, improving treatments and saving lives.”

Dr Hani Kim, researcher investigating the use of AI in breast cancer treatment said:

“Treatment models for breast cancer have historically relied on broad categories that don’t capture the full picture. By using AI to decode each tumour’s unique cellular ‘ecosystem,’ we are moving toward a future where every patient receives a treatment plan as unique as their own biology.

“Our AI tool allows us to see whether these unique environments will help the cancer grow or help the body fight back. This grant supports the development of this tool to help us better predict individual outcomes, bringing us closer to routine diagnostic tests, and giving patients the best chance at a successful outcome by matching the right treatment to the right person.”

Dr Ryan Duchatel, researcher investigating the origins of DIPG said:

“The genetic causes of DIPG – Australia’s leading cause of brain cancer deaths in children – are closely linked to the age of diagnosis, pointing to a connection between brain development and initial disease onset. However, the underlying developmental biology of DIPG remains poorly understood.

“My research looks to understand how tumours grow and evolve during a child’s development, taking into account maternal environmental influences to identify early intervention points for potential treatment.”

Breast cancer survivor Isabelle said:

“Fifteen years ago, at the age of 57, following my regular breast screen – something I kept up to date with because of a family breast cancer history – I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“If you have knowledge, you can make informed decisions. As a grandmother I worry for my daughter and granddaughters, and any research that supports more accurate predictions of treatment response gives me hope for the future.”