Month: April 2025

NSW Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Minister Steve Whan today announced former Department of Education executive Chloe Read will continue to lead TAFE NSW as the government moves to rebuild the institution after more than a decade of poor planning and neglect under the former Liberal-National government.

Ms Read has been Acting Managing Director of TAFE NSW from January 2025 and will now serve in the role in an ongoing capacity. Ms Read has extensive experience in leadership roles in the NSW Public Service and a track record of driving change and effective implementation of reform.

Most recently, Ms Read worked with government to deliver the NSW VET (Vocational Education and Training) Review and the first NSW Skills Plan in more than 15 years.

Since her appointment to Acting Managing Director, Ms Read has already established strong working relationships with key stakeholders, launched the new TAFE Charter and is overseeing the implementation of the new Operating Model.  

The Minns Labor Government is committed to restoring TAFE NSW to the heart of the VET sector and ensure it continues to deliver education and training to around 400,000 students a year, across 85 industry sectors and more than 250 occupations.

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said:

“TAFE NSW plays a critical role in delivering a pipeline of skilled workers for industries and communities and the institution will benefit from Ms Read’s strong leadership during a transformational period.

“Ms Read has demonstrated her effectiveness in driving positive change and has an exceptional track record in delivering critical projects in the NSW skills sector.”

Managing Director of TAFE NSW Chloe Read said:

“I am thrilled and honoured to have been chosen to lead TAFE NSW, which is central to equipping the State with the skilled workers it urgently needs.

“TAFE NSW is an amazing place to work and study. Since stepping into the role, I have been blown away by our dedicated teachers and staff and the difference they make every day for students and local communities.

“A strong skills sector is more vital than ever, and along with the fantastic team at TAFE NSW I look forward to preparing students across NSW with the skills needed for the career they want.”

The NSW Government is today launching its official winter vaccines campaign ahead of the peak respiratory virus season this winter.

International experience indicates the possibility of a higher than usual influenza activity season this year.

To ensure people have the essential services they rely on, the Minns Labor Government has worked to get the supply of vaccines out to doctors and pharmacists.

Vaccination rates for vulnerable groups have been declining nationally as well as globally.

In NSW, the influenza vaccine rate for six-month to five-year-olds has declined from 28.3 per cent in 2023 to 25 per cent in 2024, and for over 65s it was down from 62 per cent in 2023 to 60 per cent in 2024.

Influenza vaccine is free under the National Immunisation Program (NIP) for:

• children aged 6 months to less than 5 years
• people aged 65 years and older
• aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 6 months and older
• pregnant women
• those with serious health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, immune disorders, obesity, severe asthma, kidney, heart, lung or liver disease.

People can access flu vaccinations through their pharmacist or local GP.

Last month, the NSW Government announced an investment of $16.6 million to ensure all newborns in NSW can be protected from serious illness from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

It means newborns can either receive free protection from RSV through maternal vaccination or immunisation before they leave the hospital.

The NSW Government has invested $15 million to improve vaccine access to vulnerable communities across NSW such as culturally and linguistically diverse groups.

Acting Premier of New South Wales Prue Car:

“Today we are urging people across NSW to top up their yearly vaccinations ahead of the worst of the winter flu season.

“Whether you’re a member of a vulnerable group, or you want to protect your family members from sickness, it’s important to stay up to date with your vaccinations.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park:  

“We are today urging the community to get vaccinated ahead of the peak respiratory virus season this winter.

“Respiratory viruses such as flu are expected to rise this winter – and we are expecting higher flu activity this season.

“The best way to protect your loved ones is to get vaccinated.

“That’s why we’re offering free flu vaccines for all children aged six months to under five years and people aged 65 years and older, as well as vulnerable individuals such as pregnant women and people with medical risk factors.”

A powerful collection of wartime artefacts testifying to the enduring legacy of the ANZACs is on display at the Anzac Memorial as the nation marks 110 years since the landing at Gallipoli this week.

Anzac Day is an opportunity to reflect on a legacy etched in courage and sacrifice that has shaped our nation and resonated through the generations for more than a century.

These artefacts offer a tangible connection to those who served at Gallipoli, ensuring their stories are preserved for generations to come.

Among the artefacts is an otherwise ordinary pocket Bible that saved the life of Corporal Alister Ross at Gallipoli. Carried in his breast pocket, the bible absorbed the full force of a bullet or high-velocity shrapnel fragment, its cover still bearing the imprint of that life-saving moment.

A rare surviving trench periscope, acquired by light horseman Sergeant Roy Harris during the campaign, speaks to the remarkable ingenuity of soldiers who improvised solutions to the challenges of warfare in the trenches.

The 9th Battalion’s marker pennant is a poignant remnant of the first battalion to land at Anzac Cove – among them, several hundred men from northern NSW who were part of that historic dawn landing.

Visitors to the Anzac Memorial can see these and many more artefacts from over a century of service by Australian men and women, including the Treasures of the Anzac Memorial exhibition marking the Memorial’s 90th anniversary. Entry is free and open daily, 9am to 5pm.

Many of the items in the exhibition can now be viewed digitally following the launch of the Memorial’s online collection on the Anzac Memorial website.

Minister for Veterans David Harris said:

“Anzac Day is a time for the NSW community to come together and pay tribute to the first ANZACs and to all the brave servicemen and servicewomen who have since followed in their footsteps.

“Thanks to the generosity of those who returned from Gallipoli and the families of those who served, artefacts like these now sit in collections such as the Anzac Memorial’s, ensuring the stories of courage and sacrifice of those who landed at Anzac Cove 110 years ago can be shared with generations to come.

“These artefacts hold a special place with my family, as my great great uncle Duncan Chapman served in the 9th battalion and was the first ashore at Gallipoli in 1915.

“I want to encourage everyone to visit these artefacts but for those who are unable to visit in person, the online collection enables anyone to view the memorial virtually and experience the thousands of donated items.”

Anzac Memorial’s Senior Historian and Curator Brad Manera said:

“The Gallipoli campaign in 1915 saw the birth of the ANZAC legend. The gallantry of the Australian soldiers attracted international attention and created a reputation for military skill that is the foundation of a tradition enjoyed by the Australian Defence Force to this day.

“The great-hearted men who fought at Gallipoli, and the women who nursed and supported them, are all long dead but the mementoes and souvenirs they acquired and entrusted to collections like those of the Anzac Memorial remain. These artefacts are tangible reminders of an extraordinary generation and their legacy of courage, endurance and sacrifice.”

The Minns Labor Government has been caught sneaking out plans to slug families with massive camping fee hikes — driving up the cost of a simple family getaway by almost $150.

This is yet again another garbage dump from this NSW Labor Government for releasing its so-called “consultation”[1] during the school holidays, while parents were too busy to notice.

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said Chris Minns has found something else to make more expensive — family camping trips.

“Under Labor, a simple week-long camping holiday will now cost over $600. That’s a 31% fee hike — just to pitch a tent,” Mr Speakman said. 

• Current cost for a week: $476
• Minns Labor Government cost for a week: $623
• Price rise: $147 (31% increase)

Shadow Minister for Energy, Climate Change and Environment James Griffin said Labor had deliberately hidden the announcement during school holidays.

“Parents were packing the car, sorting out kids’ activities, and trying to enjoy time with their families — not checking government websites,” Mr Griffin said.

Labor used the school holidays to quietly drop their camping fee hikes, hoping families wouldn’t notice until it was too late.

• Under Labor’s camping fee hike:
  • Three nights away will cost $63 more.
  • Five nights away will cost $105 more.
  • Seven nights away will cost $147 more.

Mums and dads are budgeting for school excursions, sports fees, school shoes, and keeping the car running — they don’t have hundreds spare for extra camping charges.

Labor’s fee hikes will force families to think twice about the simplest, most affordable holidays.

Chris Minns isn’t just hiking fees — he’s hiking the cost of memories, time with loved ones, and the great Aussie tradition of camping,

Labor hikes your fees when you’re not looking — and leaves you paying more for less.

The iconic North Coast town of Byron Bay will become the first regional area to establish a trial Special Entertainment Precinct to promote and preserve its nightlife.

As part of the Minns Labor Government’s ongoing rebuild of the state’s night-time economy, Byron’s famous pubs, performance spaces and restaurants will be future-proofed as a nightlife precinct.

Special Entertainment Precincts (SEPs) allow councils to change trading hours and sound rules within a designated area to allow shops, businesses and local hospitality and entertainment operators to thrive and protect them against neighbour complaints.

The Byron Bay precinct – bounded by beachfront Bay Street, Jonson Street and the rail corridor, with Middleton and Browning Streets – will protect the famous vibrancy of the town centre as the area experiences cost and real estate pressures.

Within the precinct are time-honoured live music venues, the Backroom at the Great Northern Hotel, the Beach Hotel and The Rails.

The Backroom has hosted The White Stripes, PJ Harvey and Paul Kelly while Nirvana and Midnight Oil played the Beach Hotel in the past, while The Whitlams and The Cruel Sea have played at The Rails.

Byron Bay attracted 2 million visitors in the 12 months to September 2024.

Byron Shire Council is one of six regional councils in NSW that have put their hand up to explore establishing a SEP following the recent announcement that Burwood and Fairfield had been given the green light to establish their own precincts in Sydney’s west.

Enmore Road became the first permanent SEP in December 2023, boosting night-time foot traffic, visitation and business revenue. The area was soon after named on Timeout’s Top 20 coolest neighbourhoods in the world.

Byron Shire Council has received a Special Entertainment Precinct Kickstart Grant of $162,800 from the NSW Government which supports the local council to consult with operators and the community to determine new opening hours and sound rules.

The establishment of a SEP then precludes the need for local businesses within its boundaries to go through the expensive and time-consuming process of submitting new development applications to trade later.

Under the ‘eyes wide open’ provision of the vibrancy reforms, which will take effect later this year,  councils are also required to notify new property buyers, residents and businesses that they are make an informed decision to live in a vibrant precinct.

SEPs are being established alongside the Minns Labor Government’s vibrancy reforms which have:

• Permanently relaxed the rules for outdoor dining, allowing venues to make the most of their outdoor space on private land, including car parks and bowling greens.
• Increased incentives for live music and live performance, with two hours’ extended trading and an 80% reduction in liquor licence fees for licensed venues offering live music and performance.
• Ended single noise complaints shutting down pubs and other licensed venues through sound management reform which established a single noise regulator for licensed venues, raised the number of complainants needed to consider a formal complaint from 3 to 5, and introduced an order of occupancy consideration.
• Created easier pathways for extended trading hours for licensed venues during major events like the Olympics and World Cups.
• Amended the Major Events Act so it can be used to cut red tape and support recurring significant events like Vivid Sydney and Sydney Festival.
• Made it easier for more venue types, including restaurants and small bars, to trade during special events across Sydney and regional NSW through extended event trading.
• Removed the ‘5km Rule’ for NSW registered clubs by repealing the requirement to become a member of a club to visit if a local resident lives within 5 kilometres of the venue.
• Stopped placing the standard condition on licensed venues that patrons must be seated while drinking outdoors.
• Made it easier to activate streets for festivals and events via the Transport for NSW Open Streets program and provided more guidance about traffic and transport management for special events.

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:

“A night out in Byron Bay has been a special part of the lives of so many people whether they are locals to the area or visitors getting a taste of North Coast NSW.

“Byron Shire is an iconic destination and the establishment of a trial Special Entertainment Precinct will ensure the classic days continue well into the night.

“Our commitment to rebuilding nightlife following the era of lockouts and useless red tape that strangled fun is by no means confined to Sydney, and Byron Bay will be one of a number of regional NSW centres to commit to their local nightlife with a Special Entertainment Precinct.

“I am delighted by the level of interest from councils across Sydney and NSW and in response, we have increased the funding pool to over $1.94 million, so more councils can establish SEPs in the coming months.” 

24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said:

“The Byron Bay business chamber had been interested in the work of our Office for some time now and I am glad that there is a tangible project now on foot being led by the Council.

“The Special Entertainment Precinct model is not a one size fits all approach. It allows councils to work with businesses and local communities to put in place the right settings. I’m keen to see how this progresses. “

Byron Shire Council Mayor Sarah Ndiaye said:

“We’re so happy to receive this kickstart grant for a Special Entertainment Precinct in Byron Bay.

“This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with our community — our artists, venues, businesses and residents — to shape a night-time economy that’s vibrant, welcoming and truly reflective of Byron’s creative spirit and coastal lifestyle.

“With so much change over the past few years, this funding comes at the right time to support fresh ideas, local jobs and a safe, inclusive after-dark culture.

“We want to create a night-time experience that not only supports our local economy but also celebrates the essence of Byron — its people, its stories and its unmistakable energy.”

For more information, visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/business-and-economy/office-of-24-hour-economy-commissioner/vibrancy-reforms/seps

The NSW Government has stepped in to help five music festivals avoid the fate suffered by many others forced to fold since the pandemic.

The first round of the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund, established in September 2024, has allocated a combined $2.25 million of emergency funding to Bluesfest in

Byron Bay, Lost Paradise on the Central Coast, Your and Owls in Wollongong, Listen Out and Field Day in Sydney.

The fund is a response to the cancellation of festivals such as Splendour In The Grass, Falls Festival, Spilt Milk and Groovin’ the Moo – RIP. The fatal headwinds for music festivals are a result of changes in ticket buying behaviours, inflation, insurance, freight and currency exchange. The financial support of up to $500,000 per festival aims to alleviate these pressures.

The music festival circuit is a vital part of the NSW live music industry that employs 14,000 people, which means further damage to the sector would have a significant impact on jobs in the sector. Regional festivals also have a significant impact on local visitor economies, particularly in areas like the Northern Rivers which has lost two major festivals.

The funding package is working in combination with reforms to the Music Festivals Act, designed to reduce costs and prioritise health considerations in festival planning. These measures included removing the ‘subject’ festival designation from the Act, introducing the requirement for a Health and Medical Plan and creating mechanisms for festival organisers to seek an internal review of proposed government costs directly with the relevant agency or appeal those costs through the newly established Music Festivals Panel.

The fight to save music festivals is part of the NSW Government’s broader commitment to strengthening the state’s music industry and rebuilding vibrancy in the night-time economy. This includes:

• Offering extended trading hours and an 80% discount on licensing fees for venues that program live music.
• Fixing the noise complaints system so single serial noise complainants can no longer shut down existing venues.
• Cutting red tape that restricted venues and increased operating costs.
• Rolling out Special Entertainment Precincts that future proof entertainment districts.
• Venue Upgrade grants for operators to install sound proofing and get their venues gig ready.
• Recording, touring and promotion grants to help artists and bands find new audiences and build their careers.

As Bluesfest wraps up this weekend and looks forward to 2026, the Contemporary Music Viability Fund will open its second round ahead of the next summer festival season.

Applications open from May 1 for eligible festivals on an as-needs basis.

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:

“The post covid era has been a financial nightmare for music festivals in NSW. The government needed to step in to save the furniture, and the feedback is that this fund has helped some of these festivals survive.

“From Bluesfest where I’ve been this weekend, through to Listen Out and Lost Paradise – people of all ages love the outdoor music festival experience and the artists they discover. We can’t afford to lose that cultural experience because the festivals can’t afford to pay their rising bills.

“The festival circuit a vital part of the live music industry which employs almost 15,000 people. It’s too important to lose, that’s why we’re backing festivals with emergency funding and reforms that bring down their costs.

“With the lockouts under the previous Liberal government, the pandemic and then the cost-of-living crisis it’s been a really tough time for the music industry. That’s why we’re backing it in any way we can.”

Head of Sound NSW Emily Collins said:

“Sound NSW is committed to supporting diverse and world class festivals that provide significant benefit to NSW. Festivals are crucial to a vibrant music ecosystem, not just as an important part of artist career development, but for the wider benefit to our community’s wellbeing, job creation, economic development and social cohesion.

“The funding is providing critical support to iconic festivals and helping ease the burden of a rapidly changing landscape and supporting businesses while they adapt.

“We’re proud to be supporting great festivals to continue delivering world-class music experiences for the people of NSW.”

Managing Director Fuzzy Operations, Adelle Robinson said:

“The funding we received for Listen Out and Field Day from Sound NSW were lifelines for our business.

“We were seriously considering not moving forward with Field Day as the market was so precarious at the end of last year.

“A reset with our programming and the Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund were the two reasons the show went ahead.”

Managing Director Australian Festivals Association, Olly Arkins said:

“The Contemporary Music Festival Viability Fund saved some of NSW most iconic and most loved festivals. The support provided through Sound NSW has ensured that at a time when festivals were on the brink of collapse, the NSW Government stepped up and said ‘we’re with you and want to help you continue to thrive’.”

“Today’s announcement by Labor isn’t action, it’s delay disguised as progress. 

“It is now six months since the election, and all we have is an announcement that a tender will take place sometime in the future–we have no actual tender, no chair of the inquiry, and no detailed terms of reference.

“Labor has not announced anything new today.

“Given that at the end of last term, all parties agreed that a review was needed, and we are now six months along from the election, it begs the question of what the delay is?

“The fact is Labor’s approach slows poker machine reductions by a staggering 40% as compared to the pace achieved  by the Greens over the last seven years. 

“When the Greens were in the driving seat of gambling reform, machines were being pulled out faster — now, under Labor, progress is slowing dramatically.