MASS VACCINATION CENTRE NOW ADMINISTERING ASTRAZENECA VACCINE
- The mass vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park has started to administer the AstraZeneca vaccine, providing a major boost to the vaccine rollout in NSW as the state surges past a million people protected.
- The mass vaccination centre joins the other 26 NSW Health hubs that are giving the AstraZeneca vaccine to over 50s, including 17 in regional and rural NSW.
- There are also more than 100 outreach locations that NSW Health vaccination clinics visit, primarily in rural and regional communities, to ensure people in these locations have access to a COVID-19 vaccination.
- To book a vaccine and for more information go to: nsw.gov.au/
RELIGIOUS AND MULTICULTURAL LEADERS RECEIVE COVID-19 VACCINE
- More than 30 NSW religious and community leaders have come together to encourage all eligible individuals from diverse faith and cultural communities to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
- The leaders met with Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Minister for Health Brad Hazzard and Minister for Multiculturalism Geoff Lee at the mass vaccination centre at Sydney Olympic Park.
- More than 1.1 million COVID-19 vaccines have now been administered across the state, including more than 360,000 by NSW Health and more than 760,000 by GPs and related providers.
STATE FUNERAL FOR BOB FULTON AM
- The family of Australian rugby league immortal Bob Fulton AM will be offered a State Funeral by the NSW Government.
CONSENT LAW REFORM
- Sexual consent laws will be strengthened and simplified under NSW Government reforms designed to protect victim-survivors and educate the community.
- Attorney General Mark Speakman acknowledged the growing calls across the community for reforms to respond more effectively to the scourge of sexual violence in this country.
***A fact sheet outlining the proposed reforms in greater detail is also attached. ***
VIVID SYDNEY 2021 PROGRAM TO TRANSFORM HARBOUR CITY
- Vivid Sydney 2021 will invigorate the Harbour City this August, with an innovative floating light walk, widespread celebration of Aboriginal culture and themes of resilience and diversity throughout.
- Sydneysiders and visitors are invited to join the celebration of creativity, innovation and technology as one COVID-safe community from 6 to 28 August.
- The 2021 program features more than 50 dazzling light installations and 3D projection artworks, over 50 eclectic music events and 90+ thought-provoking ideas talks and workshops across Barangaroo, Sydney CBD, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Luna Park and The Rocks.
- For information about the event and to see the full program, go to vividsydney.com.
MICE PLAGUE REBATES BACKDATED
- Households and small businesses impacted by high numbers of mice across regional NSW will be able to claim rebates for purchasing mouse bait from 1 February 2021, with the NSW Government announcing the rebate program will be backdated.
- Deputy Premier John Barilaro said backdating the program will help regional families that were impacted by mice earlier this year and will ease the financial pressure farmers and small businesses are currently facing due to the mice plague.
- For further details about the mouse rebate program, including eligiblity and the claims process, go to: www.nsw.gov.au/mice
RECONCILIATION WEEK 2021
- Reconciliation Week marks a significant period of the year where we come together as a nation to learn about our shared histories and the value of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures for all Australians.
- Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Don Harwin said that Reconciliation Week 2021 marked twenty years since the 2001 Sydney Harbour Bridge Walk, and importantly recognises the anniversary of the 1967 Referendum on 27 June and Mabo Day on 3 June.
HALF OF DRIVERS USING A DIGITAL DRIVER LICENCE
- NSW Drivers have voted with their smartphones and embraced the Digital Driver Licence (DDL), with new data showing three million drivers have downloaded the technology.
- Minister for Digital and Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said the figure represents 53 per cent of all licence holders, with almost 95 per cent giving the DDL the thumbs up.
BIG BATTERY TO HELP POWER NSW SCHOOLS AND HOSPITALS
- A 100-megawatt battery will help to power schools, hospitals and Government buildings across NSW under the state’s new electricity supply contract.
- As part of the $3.2 billion 10 year contract, awarded to Shell Energy and Edify, a 100-megawatt battery will be built alongside the Darlington Point Solar Farm in the Riverina, providing critical dispatchable electricity prior to the closure of the Liddell Power Station.
- The new contract will commence from July 2022, when existing contracts expire.
162 MUSIC VENUES TO RECEIVE BOOST THROUGH $24 MILLION LIVE MUSIC SUPPORT PACKAGE
- New South Wales remains the home of live music with 162 live music venues in Sydney and NSW receiving an injection of funds through the NSW Government’s $24 million Live Music Support Package.
- The program will help assist 85 Sydney venues and 77 regional NSW venues that have been significantly impacted by COVID-19 related restrictions over the past year to survive through the pandemic.
- For more information, go to www.nsw.gov.au/living-nsw/tourism-support-package.
100 DAYS TO GO UNTIL VOTERS HAVE A SAY ON THEIR LOCAL COUNCIL
- The power to change their local community will be in the hands of the state’s voters when they head to the polls in just 100 days to vote for their council representatives in the NSW Local Government Elections.
- Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock said the council elections, held on Saturday 4 September, give both residents and candidates an opportunity to shape their local community for the next three years.