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NSW Premier Chris Minns has today awarded Casino High School student Izzy Miller a Premier’s Award to honour her brave actions in preventing a bus crash last year.

In November, a bus with around 20 local students aboard began moving after the bus driver had stepped out from the vehicle.

Izzy quickly realised the danger as the bus moved toward a petrol station, with CCTV showing customers and staff were in harm’s way.

Izzy jumped into the empty driver’s seat and took control of the wheel. She located the brake pedal and steered the bus to safety, avoiding petrol bowsers, pedestrians and other vehicles.

Izzy, who was in year nine at the time, prevented what could have been a serious accident, with all passengers escaping unharmed.

Premier Chris Minns presented Izzy with a Premier’s Award trophy at a school assembly to recognise her heroic act.

The Premier’s Award gives recognition to people or groups in NSW who have contributed to the state, either through their significant act, contribution, or achievement.

This is the first Premier’s Award awarded by Premier Minns.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“Thank you, Izzy, for showing courage and judgement beyond your years.

“Your bravery and quick thinking saved students and members of the public from a potential disaster.

“What makes your actions even more remarkable is you don’t even have your L-plates yet.

“I am so pleased to be able to present you with this award.

“You are a deserving recipient of the first Premier’s Award I have presented since coming to office.”

92 community groups, schools and ex-service organisations will share in over $100,000, from the Anzac Community Grants Program (ACGP) to commemorate veterans across the state.

The ACGP provides small grants, of up to $3000, for a range of projects that help commemorate and educate communities about the service and sacrifices of our current and former military servicemen and servicewomen.

This year has seen a record 110 applications from a range of organisations including schools, RSL sub-Branches and LifeCare highlighting the importance of honouring veterans in local communities.

Projects funded include:

• Purchase of a bagpipe at the Hastings Secondary College, Westport Campus so students can perform at significant Anzac events.
• Purchase of jerseys for the Schofields Junior Rugby League Club players to participate in the Penrith Juniors Rugby League commemorative Anzac Day round.
• Preservation of memorabilia, handmade during the First World War, for display by the Prince Henry Hospital Trained Nurses Association in Randwick.
• Purchase of banners to display across the Wollondilly region by the Council to honour veterans and promote Anzac Day.
• Purchase of pull-up banners to support the on-going digital honour board, by the City of Canada Bay Heritage Society, recognising the contribution of soldiers, sailors, nurses and airmen from Canada Bay area.
• School holiday art workshops at Kiama Library for children to reflect on the spirit of remembrance for Anzac Day.
• Creation of a memorial wall to commemorate the actions and service of the 1st/15th Royal NSW Lancers and precursor units at the New South Wales Lancers’ Memorial Museum in Parramatta.
• Creation of an Anzac Day Mural at Goulburn High School which will serve as a reminder of the service and sacrifice of the Anzacs
• Creation and installation of a decorative mural to promote learning about Australia’s involvement in peacekeeping operations and war service at Mount Warrigal Public School.

See the full list of ACGP recipients and find out more about the program

Minister for Veterans, David Harris said:

“The NSW Government is committed to honouring our veterans and their families.

“It is great to see so many organisations, especially our schools, keen to honour our veterans and their contributions in their communities.

“And that what this program is for – to fund great projects that not only recognise Australia’s war service history, but importantly also educate a new generation and support the wellbeing of the NSW veteran community.”

Ms Leisa Mooney, Mount Warrigal Public School said:

“The contribution will help our school to honour the strength, courage, and sacrifice of our service men and women.

“The mural will encourage rich discussion about Australia’s involvement in peacekeeping operations and war service throughout history within our classrooms and school community.”

More than $20 million has been invested into upgrading and expanding Newcastle’s sporting facilities during the past three years as City of Newcastle (CN) moves forward with the delivery of its Strategic Sports Plan.

Representatives from sporting codes across the city were updated on the progress of the Plan during last night’s third annual Sports Summit, which was established by CN in 2022 to support a more collaborative relationship with local sporting groups.

Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said CN was kicking goals in the implementation of its 10-year Strategic Sports Plan, which was designed to address future demand and inform the ongoing supply, maintenance and upgrade of sporting infrastructure across the Local Government Area.

“City of Newcastle is committed to upgrading sporting facilities across the community for the benefit of all, which is why we’ve invested more than $20 million during the past three financial years to enhance our sportsgrounds and amenities,” Cr Nelmes said.

“This includes everything from field layout, drainage and irrigation upgrades to major projects such as the stage one redevelopment and stage two planning and design of No.1 Sportsground and a $1.25 million upgrade at Myers Park.

“We’re also delivering on our promise to develop more inclusive, accessible and female-friendly facilities and amenities, with upgrades completed at Lugar Park and major grandstand redevelopment projects almost complete at Darling Street Oval and Passmore Oval.

Chair of CN’s Sports Infrastructure Working Party, Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz, said that implementation of the City’s Strategic Sports Plan, adopted in 2020, is progressing well.

“Since adopting the Plan, I’m pleased to say that we’ve implemented or are progressing 84 per cent of its 93 recommendations, working collaboratively with sporting clubs across the City to ensure we cater for the needs of our community now and into the future.”

Cr Winney-Baartz said CN also provides funding to assist sporting codes with minor capital works projects.

“With ongoing changes to representatives on sporting committees it’s important to hold regular workshops and forums with the sporting community to keep them up to date with City of Newcastle processes,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.

“This includes educating them on future funding opportunities such as CN’s Recreation facilities grants, which allow groups to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to help upgrade existing facilities or develop new ones.

“Nine projects will be delivered in 2023/24 following on from successful grant applications last year, including new artificial turf wickets at Ballast Park in Stockton, new grandstands for the New Lambton Eagles at Alder Park, as well as creating the region’s first 18-hole disc golf course at Beresfield.

“We’re proud to work closely with our sporting clubs to ensure our community has continued access to high quality sporting and leisure opportunities.”

Councillor Margaret Wood, co-chair of CN’s Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee, said the Strategic Sports Plan 2020 also aligns with CN’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan.

“This plan ensures that City of Newcastle commits to advocating for the equal rights of all, providing services, programs, events and facilities that are respectful and inclusive of people with disabilities, their families and carers,” Cr Wood said.

CN manages 63 sportsgrounds venues, which are home to 152 fields that span over 370 hectares.

The Sports Summit brought together representatives from all codes that utilise CN’s outdoor facilities, providing an opportunity for them to learn about council processes relating to fees and charges, ground allocation, project works and grants.

The NSW Government is set to introduce reforms to help restore public trust and improve public integrity, transparency, and accountability.

The reform package will include amendments to the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 to make it a legislative requirement for the Government to respond to recommendations of the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) directed to the Government.

The NSW Government is also moving to address recommendations made by the ICAC in Operation Witney and Operation Keppel.

Operation Witney was an investigation into the former Member for Drummoyne and allegations concerning improper influence and breach of public trust.

In response to the investigation’s findings, a draft regulation will be tabled in Parliament proposing to:

• expand the interests required to be disclosed by Members of Parliament
• require Members to disclose new matters including conflicts of interest
• require all Members to make disclosures on an ongoing basis instead of periodically, for publication on the NSW Parliament website.

The draft regulation, if made, will implement recommendations 1 and 4 of the Operation Witney report and bring NSW into line with the disclosure obligations in other Australian jurisdictions, including the Commonwealth. The Government intends to introduce the proposed changes on 1 July 2024 after consultation with relevant Parliamentary Committees.

In response to Operation Keppel, which concerned the former Member for Wagga Wagga, the Government will amend the preamble to the NSW Ministerial Code of Conduct to include principles and guiding values recommended by the ICAC.

Further reforms include guidelines for the preparation and funding of business cases in respect of grant applications by non-government entities, and boosting education programs to ensure Ministers are aware of their integrity obligations.

The package of reforms reaffirms the Government’s commitment to the highest standards of integrity. This builds upon recent announcements including a ban on political parties accepting donations from clubs which have gaming machines and the tightening of government grant regulations.

Read more about Operation Witney

Read more about Operation Keppel

Premier Chris Minns said:

“Restoring trust in government is of the highest priority and we’re pleased to build on our integrity reform agenda.

“It’s critical that our expectations of every minister and every member is made clear.

“The people of NSW need to have faith that politicians and elected officials are acting in the public interest. That faith is central to a working and healthy democracy.”

Special Minister of State John Graham said:

“There is no place for corrupt conduct in our Parliament and these reforms ensure every MP knows the rules and is held to the highest standard.

“We will continue to back in our independent integrity agencies and be unapologetic about responding decisively to their recommendations for the good of our state.”

The NSW Government is continuing to reskill the state with applications now open for the NSW Public Sector Apprentices and Trainees Program, delivering on the Government’s commitment to employ 1000 extra apprentices.

The $93.5 million investment, committed during the state election, will provide an opportunity for up to 1000 apprentices and trainees to join more than 30 government agencies and state-owned corporations.

Under the former government the NSW skills sector was undervalued and neglected, which lead to a 33% decline in apprenticeship and traineeship commencements since 2011.

But the NSW Labor Government understands how important a strong vocational education system is for skills and training in NSW.

With broad skills shortages across the State, apprentices and traineeships provide a unique mix of on-the-job training with formal study that makes them vital additions to the future NSW workforce.

Under this program specific industries which have significant skills shortages, including in transport, electricity, water, IT, and cyber security will be targeted.

Over 3 years of training, until June 2026, successful applicants will be able to:

• earn and learn on the job
• have access to excellent career opportunities and industry experience
• gain support from highly experienced and skilled industry professionals
• build hands-on, practical experience
• earn nationally recognised qualifications.

There are more than 50 qualifications available in the program with more than half of the roles based regionally.

Get more information about the initiative and register interest on The 1000 NSW Public Sector Apprentices and Trainees Program.

Premier of NSW Chris Minns said:

“The NSW Government is committed to giving more young people opportunities to learn new skills, to get good paying jobs and to begin to fill the skills shortage.

“Prior to the election we committed to addressing the shortage of skilled workers in NSW, following 12 years of underfunding and neglect.

“Under the former government we saw apprentice and trainee numbers plummet, as NSW lost out on vital skilled workers in priority areas like transport, electricity and IT.

“This is an important step in reversing that trend and rebuilding the skilled workforce NSW needs.

“Today we are proud to be delivering on a major election commitment by increasing the skilled workforce in NSW by 1000 and we won’t just train them, we’ll hire them too.”

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

“A job in the Department of Customer Service (DCS) can be incredibly rewarding, supporting the people of NSW with important frontline and digital services through leading Government agencies like Service NSW.

“Service NSW personnel do a great job for the people of NSW and I encourage those interested to apply for these opportunities and do an apprenticeship or traineeship with Service NSW or any of the NSW agencies involved.

“Service NSW is the one-stop-shop for government services and these new roles will open the door to career pathways,  giving candidates vital workplace experience and employment opportunities in an organisation that is making services more accessible to everyone.”

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

“The NSW Labor Government is directly tackling the skills shortage by investing in and training the next generation of workers to build a highly skilled and resilience workforce.

“We’re not just plugging gaps; we’re launching careers. If you’re a recent high school graduate or an adventurer seeking a new path, you should seize this opportunity and make the most of it.

“If you are a recent high school graduate, or if you’re considering a new career, I strongly encourage you to you to apply and become and apprentice or trainee in the public service.

“Today’s investment in apprentices and trainees is tomorrow’s investment in a thriving NSW economy. Apprentices and trainees will gain on-the-job work experience and emerge with a nationally recognised qualification that will absolutely broaden their career opportunities.

The program will also position the NSW public sector as a leader in the employment of apprentices and trainees as we build capacity within our own agencies.”

Newcastle theatregoers rose to their feet to perform one final ‘Time Warp’ and a standing ovation as the curtains went down on The Rocky Horror Show’s record-breaking season at the Civic Theatre.

More than 30,000 theatregoers, hailing from every state in Australia, travelled to Newcastle to experience one of the world’s most popular rock and roll musicals, which wrapped up a three-week season in the city yesterday.

Starring Australian superstar Jason Donovan as Frank N Furter and Myf Warhurst as the Narrator, The Rocky Horror Show is the most successful production ever staged at the Civic Theatre, eclipsing the record set by Broadway smash Come From Away last year.

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the Civic Theatre was a jewel in the city’s cultural crown and a major driver of visitation to Newcastle.

“I’m thrilled to have kicked off 2024 with a record-breaking season of the fabulous Rocky Horror Show, which will be the first in a new line-up of world class productions brought to Newcastle by leading British theatre producer Sir Howard Panter of Trafalgar Entertainment,” Cr Nelmes said.

“The successful season of The Rocky Horror Show and last year’s performances of Come From Away demonstrate the huge demand there is in the market for top quality Broadway and West End productions in Newcastle.

“Major events are a clear economic driver for our city. By attracting such high calibre shows, the Civic Theatre provides a significant drawcard that delivers considerable benefits for Newcastle’s visitor economy.”

Of the more than 30,000 theatregoers who watched The Rocky Horror Show, more than 60 per cent of tickets were purchased by visitors outside of Newcastle, delivering a ripple effect to accommodation providers, local businesses and the wider visitor economy.

Leading British theatre producer Sir Howard Panter of Trafalgar Entertainment said he was thrilled by the reception audiences gave The Rocky Horror Show in Newcastle.

“What a way to start 2024 with The Rocky Horror Show financially being the best-selling show of all time at Newcastle’s Civic Theatre,” Sir Howard Panter said.

“With more than 30,000 tickets sold and half the audience coming to the Civic Theatre for the very first time, we are thrilled with what is just the beginning of our journey together.

“At Trafalgar Entertainment Group we are committed to bringing the best of the international theatre scene to Newcastle’s doorstep and starting with this star-studded legendary production, Newcastle firmly has brought in the new year with a party!”

Civic Theatre Manager Leonie Wallace said the iconic venue has been recognised as a valuable destination to include on the national touring circuit for live theatre and musical productions.

“On the back of the success of Come From Away we have developed associations with a number of national promoters to ensure the city attracts more major touring productions at the Civic Theatre for extended seasons,” Ms Wallace said.

“Aside from the astounding success of The Rocky Horror Show, we’ve also locked in a one-week season in March of Broadway smash hit RENT as part of a national tour by award-winning producer LPD Productions, while the world’s longest-running play, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, will kick off its national tour in May with two weeks in Newcastle, presented by John Frost for Crossroads Live and Shake & Stir Theatre Co.

“It’s incredible to be able to bring the best national touring productions here to Newcastle, ensuring you no longer have to travel to Sydney to see an award-winning international theatre performance or musical.”

They are the eyes in the sky helping to get traffic moving faster after road incidents and inspecting hard-to-get-at parts of bridge and road infrastructure.

Over 70 drones are being deployed to give traffic responders unprecedented visibility from above, supporting the work of the Transport Management Centre (TMC).  

They are being deployed around road crashes and peak hour choke points, with the visibility they provide allowing detours to be put in place sooner to ease delays and clear traffic jams. Clearing traffic sooner lowers the risk of bump-on crashes that can occur at the end of traffic snarls.

The drone fleet is also helping to improve real-time information relayed on apps like Live Traffic.

Led by a new chief pilot, Transport for NSW will deploy drones during morning and afternoon peaks and during holiday traffic periods when the network is under pressure and incidents can have negative knock-on effects.

Providing a dependable line of sight outside of TMC’s existing traffic-monitoring camera network, drones were used in the most recent school holidays, with 160 traffic monitoring and incident response missions totalling nearly 100 hours in the air.

They have provided invaluable assistance in understanding holiday traffic in bottleneck areas like Blackheath in the Blue Mountains and will be used when race fans head to Bathurst for the start of the Supercars season opener this month.

In an Australian first, Transport for NSW pilots are now able to remotely launch and operate drones mounted to TMC response vehicles, getting an eye in the sky sooner.

Transport uses drones for asset inspections, including bridges and roads, and is investigating how they can be used to assist with other high risk work activities carried out by staff.

Projected cost-saving to the people of NSW is more than $71 million in travel time, $24 million in secondary incidents and $23 million in vehicle operating costs.

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“With an eye in the sky, detours can be put in place faster and information provided on apps like Live Traffic. No one wants to be stuck at the back of a queue of traffic and drones will help reduce the severity of traffic jams around road incidents.”

“We’ve also utilised this technology during major events, including Sydney World Pride, providing vital information to deploy extra public transport services and monitoring for emergencies.

“There are more than 1700 CCTV cameras across the Greater Sydney Road network, and our drone capabilities supplement these, by providing an extended line of sight in areas not covered by CCTV.”

Transport for NSW Executive Director Customer Journey Management Craig Moran said:

“Drones are incredibly effective at closing gaps in what we can see across the network. Not every location is suitable for CCTV installation, whereas one drone can be deployed from almost anywhere across the network to survey a wide range of areas.

“As part of the project Transport for NSW has appointed a Chief Pilot to manage the fleet of 70 drones across Transport, set up live streaming capabilities, establish a drone maintenance and innovation hub, and become accredited to remotely fly drones in the field from the Transport Management Centre.

“The drone team carry all maintenance and develop our innovative field operations solutions from the new Leichhardt drone hub.”

The Albanese Government will provide $1.5 million to accelerate the collection of cancer stage and recurrence data in Australia.

This data is critical for identifying patterns of delayed diagnosis, cancer recurrence and survival, and will help drive equity in cancer outcomes.

This work builds on the recently announced Australian Cancer Plan and responds to the Breast Cancer Network Australia Time to Count People with Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Way Forward report.

This investment includes funding for the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare to establish the Australian Cancer Data Alliance, and funding for jurisdictional population based cancer registries to boost their capability to collect these data.

The Government recognises the work of the Breast Cancer Network Australia in highlighting the need for more comprehensive cancer data collection.

We particularly recognise the advocacy of people with metastatic breast cancer, including the late Peta Murphy MP, in ensuring their voices are heard and they are reflected in our national policies and actions.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said:

“Even in what turned out to be the final week of the late Peta Murphy’s life, she travelled to Parliament to help launch a new report with Breast Cancer Network Australia calling for a national picture of metastatic cancers.

“Today, we are announcing a $1.5 million investment to better track cancer stages and recurrence data – because the more we know, the better we can help.

“Having this information in one place will make our screening and testing processes better to make sure we’re putting resources where it’s needed most.”

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler said:

“The Albanese Government is committed to delivering equitable, world leading cancer care to all Australians based on the best evidence available.

“More comprehensive data collection on cancer stage and recurrence means a better understanding of the symptoms people have, how their cancer is diagnosed, how they respond to treatment and how their cancer progresses over time.

“These data are key to understanding how we can improve cancer outcomes for all Australians.”

Vicki Durston, Director Policy, Advocacy & Support Services, Breast Cancer Network Australia said:

“The late Peta Murphy would have been so incredibly proud that we are now closer to ensuring that the many thousands of invisible Australians with metastatic breast cancer will no longer be hidden in plain sight.

“This funding is a significant step forward and will help the sector lead and pioneer the collection of these important data to inform and drive policy, innovation, planning, treatment and care.

“Now we can begin consolidating a way forward for better quality data, not just for breast cancer, but for all metastatic cancers.”

I welcome the high demand for the Shingrix vaccine with over 487,000 doses already administered in the first 3 months of the program – and wish to assure the community the Australian Government is doing all it can to ensure eligible Australians have timely access to this important shingles vaccine.

I acknowledge some people may currently be experiencing difficulties accessing the vaccine because of this high demand, but there are vaccines ready to be administered all around the country and more being delivered on a regular basis.

Across the country, there are approximately half a million doses of Shingrix that are available to be administered – and more than 100,000 additional doses will be distributed nationwide over the coming fortnight.

The Australian Government is working closely with state and territory governments to ensure the distribution of Shingrix doses is equitable and adjusted to meet demand. The distribution of vaccines to local providers is managed by individual states and territories to ensure local supply is managed equitably and efficiently.

The Government is also working closely with the vaccine supplier, GSK, to explore options to bring forward additional deliveries of Shingrix into Australia.

Changes to the provision of the shingles vaccine under the Government’s National Immunisation Program came into effect on 1 November last year – with Shingrix replacing Zostavax. It takes time to distribute a new vaccine to healthcare providers across the country with the assistance of state and territory health departments.

Shingles vaccination is an ongoing program that is available to everyone over 65, First Nations people over 50, and immunocompromised people. For healthy individuals eligible for the program, there is no rush for a second dose, which can be given anytime between 2 and 6 months after the first dose of the vaccine.

It is also important to note that shingles is not contagious; it is a reactivation of the chickenpox virus. Vaccination is the best protection to individuals, but shingles does not pose the same public health threat as communicable diseases.

People wishing to receive their shingles vaccine are encouraged to let their local GP or pharmacist know, and they can book you in when doses are available.

Further information about the shingles vaccine is available on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.

Penrith Beach trial has made a big splash since its mid-December opening with more than 150,000 people visiting to escape the summer heat.

Thousands of local families from Western Sydney and beyond are taking advantage of the free site, enjoying the golden sands, the lake’s tranquil waters and the world-famous views of the nearby Blue Mountains.

Penrith Beach or ‘Pondi’ as it’s become fondly known, has quickly become a firm fan favourite with residents.

Some 154,084 people have now visited the beach as of 28 January – a staggering 25,000 visitors on average every week since its opening four weeks ago.

Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure figures show residents from the Penrith and Blacktown LGAs are the most frequent visitors to the former quarry site turned beach.

Many of the beach’s visitors are from suburbs including Penrith, Werrington, Castlereagh, Cranebrook, Glenmore Park, St Marys, Mount Druitt, Willmot and Marsden Park.

Penrith Beach’s trained lifeguards from Royal Life Saving Society NSW are on patrol every day between 10am and 7pm, monitoring the beach and providing first aid.

The beach has facilities including toilets, adult accessible change rooms, a fresh-water drinking station, a café and access for people with a disability.

Penrith Beach will remain open seven days a week until the temporary activation concludes on March 3. Until then, on-site parking using free car park passes are available online.

Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

“I am pleased that more than 150,000 people have had the chance to experience the sun, sand, and scenic mountain views at Penrith Beach. 

“This free beach has been a huge success, and throughout summer, it has been embraced by the people of Western Sydney, especially families.

“If you haven’t visited yet, there’s still plenty of time to bring your friends and family down to Penrith Beach for a swim, a coffee and a day by the water.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“Western Sydney residents have been asking for a beach of their own for decades now. It’s fantastic to say that we’ve that we have delivered this trial within 9 months of coming to Government.

“Previously, Western Sydney residents needed to travel 40 km to swim in Lake Parramatta, 63 km to Bondi Beach, or 75 km to visit either Cronulla or Manly.

“These days are thankfully now long gone and Western Sydney residents can cool off for a refreshing dip much closer to home.”

Member for Penrith Karen McKeown:

“After waiting many years for this area to be unlocked, it’s exciting that more than 150,000 Penrith locals have embraced this free facility over the summer to cool off.

“Seeing this beach flourish has been fantastic for our community, and I look forward to having more to say about this in the future.”