Month: September 2025

SWANSEA JOINS RECYCLING TRIAL TO COMBAT BATTERY FIRES

Swansea will gain an additional drop off location under the NSW Government’s successful embedded batteries trial, allowing the community to safely dispose of items with built-in batteries for free.

Gadgets with embedded lithium-ion batteries are increasingly common in our homes, such as vapes, headphones, speakers, electric toothbrushes, e-scooters and smart watches.

Battery-powered items contain valuable recoverable materials but are also highly combustible. The waste industry says these items are causing thousands of hard-to-extinguish fires in trucks and landfills each year.

Nearly 200 battery fires have been attended by Fire and Rescue NSW so far in 2025, reflecting a serious risk to the community, households and waste workers.

The embedded batteries trial was first launched in September 2024, with 21 councils across NSW initially taking part to safely collect and recycle items with built-in batteries at Community Recycling Centres.

To date, more than 9,000 kilograms of this problem waste has been dropped off at centres and safely disposed of, reducing pressures on landfill and driving circular solutions.

The Belmont North Community Recycling Centre is one of more than 13 additional community recycling centres joining the trial, which is set to run until September 2026.

Swansea locals are encouraged to look at what unwanted battery-powered items they have in their home, and head down to their local Community Recycling Centre to drop them off.

For a full list of accepted items and locations, go to: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/Your-environment/Recycling-and-reuse/household-recycling-overview/Embedded-batteries

For more information on loose battery recycling, go to: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/Your-environment/Recycling-and-reuse/household-recycling-overview/Safe-battery-recycling

Member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley said:

“No battery should end up in the bin. Batteries that can be removed from a product should be taped and dropped off to a local recycling point and now we can do the same with embedded batteries.

“Swansea locals are now able to safely drop off embedded battery products at their local community recycling centre to reduce the risks of battery fires and contribute to a safer, more sustainable future for all.”

NSW Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“New South Wales is leading the way to combat the risks of battery fires and making sure battery-powered items are being managed at the end of their usable life.

“Thanks to the success of the embedded batteries trial, we are making it easier for people to keep batteries out of the bin, so we can protect our environment, recycle more and keep our communities safe.”

Ninth Australia-China High Level Dialogue

This week, the Ninth Australia-China High Level Dialogue will be held in Beijing, bringing together representatives from government, industry, academia, media, health and the arts, as well as former political leaders.

Dialogue and direct engagement between Australia and China is central to a constructive relationship. Established in 2014, the Dialogue enables Australia and China to frankly discuss a range of shared interests including trade and investment, education, cultural ties, and regional and international security.

Former Trade Minister, the Hon Dr Craig Emerson, will again co-chair the Dialogue as head of the Australian delegation. Former federal government minister the Hon Warwick Smith AO will also join the Dialogue, reflecting continued bipartisan support.

The Australian delegation comprises senior representatives from businesses, peak bodies, cultural institutions and think tanks. Together they represent areas of significance to Australia’s relationship with China, today and into the future.

Australia’s Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Mr Scott Dewar, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Deputy Secretary for Strategic Planning and Coordination, Ms Elly Lawson, will participate as delegates.

The Dialogue is co-hosted by the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations and the Chinese People’s Institute for Foreign Affairs (CPIFA). China’s delegation will be led by Mr Li Zhaoxing, Honorary President of CPIFA.

“Chilling” revelations in National Climate Risk Assessment make net zero by 2035 imperative, say Greens

“Chilling” revelations in National Climate Risk Assessment make net zero by 2035 imperative, say Greens

The Greens forced the release of the National Climate Risk Assessment report via an order for production of documents (OPD) in the Senate as a necessary input to Labor’s upcoming decision on the new 2035 climate target or Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), required by each country under the Paris Agreement.

In light of the chilling revelations in the report, the Greens today reiterate their call on the government to set a science-based climate target of net zero by 2035.

Anything less than net zero emissions by 2035 would lock Australia into exceeding 2 degrees of warming, which as the report outlines, will have dire consequences for civilisation as well as the environment.

The report outlines scenarios such as:

  • Significant potential for loss of life and strain on health systems. If global heating rises above 3 degrees, heat-related deaths could surge over 400% in Sydney and Darwin.
  • Sea levels rising by half a metre would leave over 3 million people, a third of Australia’s coastal population, at a high risk of coastal inundation. Brisbane could flood 300 days a year, and Fremantle 200 days a year.
  • A cumulative wealth loss at $4.2 trillion by the end of the century, with over $600 billion wiped from the property market. 

In terms of target aspirations, state and territory governments have already made and legislated climate target commitments, and a new federal target lower than 71% would actually take the current sum of commitments backwards.

The National Climate Risk Assessment report should have been released in 2024, meaning the Labor government was aware of the contents at the time of their approval of the North West Shelf gas project through to 2070 in May 2025. The North West Shelf is the Albanese government’s most polluting fossil fuel project so far, and will alone contribute the equivalent of 10 years of Australia’s total pollution to the atmosphere over its lifetime.

Greens Leader Senator Larissa Waters:

“The revelations about Australia’s future under climate change detailed in this report are chilling,” Senator Waters said.

“The Greens forced the public release of this report that the government sat on for months, while they ticked off on massive gas projects like the North West Shelf and the Ulan coal mine in their first months of the 48th parliament.

“Coal and gas is delivering Australia a bleak climate future and the polluting profits of the coal and gas industry are a dead weight on Australia’s climate target.

“The climate crisis is a risk to our safety, to nature, and to our economy and productivity. This report must be a wake up call for Labor ahead of their 2035 climate target decision.

“Anything less than net zero by 2035 puts Australia on track for more than 2 degrees warming.

“What this report shows is that a 2035 target of 65% means significant potential for loss of life and strain on health systems, more extreme heat, more devastating floods, crop failures, fires, global insecurity and the death of every coral reef around the world.

“If Labor fails to set a science-based climate target then it’s crystal clear: they have utterly prioritised coal and gas profits at the expense of community safety and nature.”

Greens Deputy Leader and spokesperson for Climate Adaptation, Senator Mehreen Faruqi:

“The Government has been hiding these shocking findings since 2024 and it took the Greens to force its release. ” said Faruqi.

“Now that the diabolical truth of what’s coming is laid bare, Labor has no choice but to set a strong climate target in line with science and with this dire reality. Anything less is signing Australia and the world up to devastating climate collapse.

“Labor is driving us off a climate cliff and backstabbing climate vulnerable communities in service of coal and gas profits and hoping nobody notices.

“It is unconscionable that Labor had this information when they chose to sign off on the North West Shelf gas project, which alone will release more than 10 years of Australia’s pollution over its lifetime. 

“This is the moral test for this parliament – Labor could change course and work with the Greens to prevent climate collapse, or be responsible for consequences of the dire revelations in this report.”

ANZ taking the piss

ANZ’s blatant disregard for their customers and the law is yet another example of big corporations taking the piss, the Greens say.

“ANZ have shown absolute contempt for basic standards and for the people they’re supposed to serve,” Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“They break the law. They negotiate a fine. And then they just pay it out of their obscene profits. All while sacking thousands of staff and showering their executives in bonuses.”

“ANZ charged fees to thousands of dead customers, stonewalled grieving families, lied about savings rates, and ripped tens of thousands of people off.”

“This is just standard operating procedure for corporate Australia. Time after time we see big corporations breaking the law and treating their customers with contempt, and when they get caught they get a slap on the wrist.”

“The banking Royal Commission demanded cultural changes in Australia’s big banks, but customers keep on getting screwed.”

“This is taking the piss. Ordinary people get punished for the smallest mistakes, while the big end of town get a slap on the wrist and a wink.”

“Labor and the Liberals are far too close to the banks to hold them to account.”

“The Greens are fighting for tougher penalties, stronger regulators, and to make sure these corporate crooks don’t get to keep treating our economy like their personal casino.”

Climate Risk Assessment shows danger to Tasmania

Tasmania is the state most exposed to climate hazards according to the National Climate Risk Assessment released today, which considered frequency, severity and location of climate hazards.

“Tasmania’s high vulnerability to climate hazards like bushfires, floods, extreme weather events and sea level rise should be a clarion call for us to finally stop logging our native forests,” Greens Senator for Tasmania Nick McKim said.

“Nationally we need to stop approving new fossil coal and gas projects, end fossil fuel subsidies, stop logging native forests and set a 2035 emissions reduction  target of net zero.”

“In Tasmania we need a clear climate adaptation strategy to embed resilience into our communities, infrastructure and ecosystems, and an end to native forest logging.”

“This report should make it abundantly clear to the Labor and Liberal parties that it is in Tasmania’s interests to end native forest logging.

“Protecting our precious forests would make Tasmanians safer, not just from bushfires but a range of significant climate risks.”

The full report can be found here.

Labor’s $12 billion for WA Naval Base a tribute payment for Trump

 Sophie McNeill MLC, The Greens (WA) spokesperson for AUKUS/ Peace and non-Violence:

“The secret is finally out. The US is being invited to transform Henderson into a key nuclear submarine maintenance hub.

“This is a massive shift from what the community was originally told about AUKUS. 

“Now, it’s clear that the Cockburn Sound foreshore is slowly going to become a massive US base, and potentially one of just five facilities worldwide where US nuclear submarines can undergo deep cycle maintenance.

“This looks like it has come out of US demands in their AUKUS review – to which the Albanese government has dutifully obeyed, pandering to the Trump administration’s every demand.

“Meanwhile, Western Australians have been left in the dark about what this would mean for nearby residents and for public access to Cockburn Sound.

“Just three weeks ago, I questioned Minister Dawson during budget estimates about whether Henderson would become a maintenance base for US nuclear-powered submarines, and he claimed “no decision has been made by the Commonwealth about what is in that defence precinct.”

“It is time the Cook government came clean about just how much of WA is being handed over to the US military. 

“This shock news about Henderson comes as the Australian Submarine Agency are holding “community town halls” in Rockingham and Fremantle this week to try and make it look like they are consulting with the community.

“The reality is the opposite. There is zero indication of what this will mean for the local community regarding safety, public access, and nuclear waste storage at Henderson. 

“Enough lies and secrecy. 

“Western Australians are being deliberately drip-fed tiny bits of information about AUKUS because both the state and federal government knows the social licence of this project is non-existent.”

Federal Greens Foreign Affairs and Defence Spokesperson Senator David Shoebridge:

“This latest $12 billion AUKUS promise from the Albanese Labor government is designed so the PM has a fresh tribute payment for Trump if they meet next week in New York.

“The timing of this announcement could not be more cynical, or more obviously designed to deliver a military base for the US rather than peace and security for Australia.

“While the $12 billion commitment is a shockingly large amount, the Albanese Government says it really wants to spend $25 billion building AUKUS-related facilities at Henderson over the next decade.   

“Because none of this additional funding is contained in this budget or even the forward estimates, what Labor is doing is robbing funding from housing, climate and education from future budgets. That’s an appalling misdirection for our country.   

“The Albanese Government has been actively misleading the public about the scale of US military deployments in Australia. 

“When it was first announced, Labor claimed Henderson would have no role in the AUKUS nuclear submarine program, but it is now being made a key cog. 

“It is the same playbook we saw with their nuclear waste Bill, mislead, gaslight and then steamroll ahead, ignoring the locals. 

“AUKUS is an independence firesale, with the Albanese Government putting no limits on the US military’s ambition for our real estate.”

Deniliquin and Finley receive Key Health Worker Accommodation boost

The communities of Deniliquin and Finley will soon benefit from new Key Health Worker Accommodation, which will help attract and retain more healthcare workers to the region.

Deniliquin and Finley are just two of the more than 20 Key Health Worker Accommodation projects in rural, regional and remote NSW, as part of the Minns Labor Government’s $200.1 million program.

Finishing touches are underway for the three homes in Deniliquin and two homes in Finley to ensure they will be fit-for-purpose and comfortable for healthcare workers.

Murrumbidgee is one of one of nine local health districts to benefit from the Minns Labor Government’s investment to deliver accommodation for health workers under the Key Health Worker Accommodation Program.

The funding includes the building of new accommodation, refurbishment of existing living quarters, and the purchase of suitable properties such as residential units.

This investment builds on the $45.3 million in accommodation for key healthcare workers in the Murrumbidgee, Southern NSW, and Far West Local Health Districts, which is now complete with all units delivered and now fully operational.

Investing in Key Health Worker Accommodation is just one part of the work being done by the Minns Labor Government to improve access to care in our regional, rural and remote communities, including:

  • $83 million to boost maternity care in the bush;
  • doubling rural health incentives for our hardest to fill roles;
  • delivering study subsidies for regional health workers;
  • boosting doctors in our regional GP surgeries as well as hospitals through the single employer model; and
  • delivering an extra 500 regional paramedics.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“We’re committed to strengthening our regional, rural and remote workforce and this project is vital because we know that affordable, accessible accommodation is critical to attracting staff in regional and rural areas.

“The NSW Government recognises our healthcare workers are the backbone of our regional and rural communities, which is why we’re heavily investing in dedicated accommodation to support them in these areas.”

Member for Murray Helen Dalton:

“It is critical we attract and keep health workers in western New South Wales, in this case Deniliquin and Finley. A boost to accommodation facilities will hopefully encourage more key health workers to relocate to remote and rural locations, and those already here to stay.

“It is essential that health in rural and remote NSW is not neglected. It is welcome news that the government is investing in the welfare of rural and remote communities. It is critical to attract and retain more healthcare workers to these communities in order for them to grow.

“These new accommodation units will provide an opportunity to fill vacant health care positions and support communities that are currently in desperate need of quality care.”

Milestone reached for Sydney Metro West

A tunnel borer has smashed into what will become Westmead Station, marking the completion of tunnelling at the western end of the Sydney Metro West line.

The tunnel will enable a future Metro service of just 22-minutes between Westmead and the Sydney CBD.

Once complete, the city-shaping Metro West will link the Westmead to the Sydney CBD through Parramatta, Olympic Park and Five Dock in a  22-minute trip – doubling the rail capacity between those two centres.

Tunnel Boring Machine Betty worked around the clock for 2 years at a progress rate of about 200 metres a week to build the nine-kilometre tunnel from Sydney Olympic Park.

During that time, it chewed through 790,000 tonnes of earth – enough to fill 130 Olympic swimming pools – and lined the tunnel walls with 30,000 concrete segments along the way.

Fittingly, it was Betty – which is named after Olympic sprint champion Betty Cuthbert – that reached the finish line at Westmead – with TBM Dorothy about a kilometre behind and due to arrive in coming weeks.

At the other end of the Metro West line, the first of two tunnel boring machines has started cutting its way underneath Darling Harbour to complete the final section of the eastern end of the future Sydney Metro West.

Sydney Metro West has a target open date of 2032.

The project will slash current travel times to:

  • Westmead – Parramatta in 2 minutes
  • Westmead – Five Dock 14 minutes
  • Westmead – Pyrmont in 20 minutes
  • Westmead – Hunter Street in 22 minutes

New metro rail at Westmead will support the movement of millions of visitors and workers who each day access the area’s four major hospitals, five world-leading medical research institutes and two university campuses.

Westmead Station will be withing walking distance of the health and education facilities and integrate seamlessly with existing nearby transport options including T1 and T5 line trains at nearby Westmead Station, Parramatta Light Rail, the T-way and local buses.

Betty will now be dismantled before it is lifted out of the station box piece by piece over the next seven weeks.

A crew of up to 150 workers at a time have spent three years building the 500-metre underground cavern at Westmead. It is the deepest station on the Metro West line, at up to 39 metres below ground.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“This is an exciting milestone in the delivery of the Sydney Metro West project.

“With this breakthrough at what will become Westmead station, we are well on the way with this city shaping piece of transport infrastructure.

“20 minutes from the centre of the city to the heart of Parramatta – this will change the way Sydney grows and works into the future.”

Minister for Transport John Graham said:

“Seeing the first tunnel reach the end of the line, and the project’s furthest point west, is a moment to celebrate as the community here in the heart of western Sydney looks forward to its own Metro line.

“Westmead Station is going to be so important in plugging the health district into the rest of Sydney, with a two minute journey to Parramatta and then just 20 minutes to the Sydney CBD.

“This line will deliver more than just passengers, it will bring jobs and economic activity.”

Investment Delivery Authority to open for business

Businesses and investors are encouraged to get their Expressions of Interest (EOIs) ready with the first round of the Investment Delivery Authority (IDA) to open within weeks.

Announced today by NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey at the National Tech Summit, the first round of EOIs will accelerate approvals for major projects aligned with government priorities, focusing on advanced technology and energy, including data centres, renewable energy and energy security projects, as well as hotel developments critical to visitor economy growth.

As the new front door to major investment, the IDA will break down barriers to large-scale private investment in NSW, by cutting red tape, coordinating across government and encouraging large projects across the state. 

The IDA, modelled off the successful Housing Delivery Authority, is expected to assist around 30 large projects per year, bringing forward up to $50 billion of investment into NSW – boosting innovation, jobs and productivity.

The EOI process will open internationally and comes just weeks after the NSW Treasurer took part in the National Economic Reform Roundtable, where boosting investment and confidence in the business sector was identified as a key factor in driving productivity. 

Eligibility criteria for the IDA include:

  • A major project must be valued at $1 billion or more, be primarily non-residential, and related to data centres and technology, renewable energy and energy security
  • Hotel developments must meet a $200 million threshold, supporting the delivery of the Visitor Economy Strategy 2035, which outlined the need for more diverse, high-quality accommodation
  • Applicants must demonstrate a capability to commence development quickly, and
  • Identify where government can play a role in resolving barriers

Future EOI rounds will be expanded across other industries.

Projects recommended by the IDA will receive fast-track approvals for key initiatives, and support from a dedicated planning assessment team and multi-agency Investment Taskforce based in the Premier’s Department.

The Investment Delivery Authority was announced in the 2025-26 NSW Budget with $17.7 million to support its work to drive investment, innovation and growth.

Comprised of the Secretary of the Premier’s Department, the Treasury Secretary, the Secretary of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and the Chief Executive of Infrastructure NSW, the IDA will make recommendations to the Treasurer, the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and the Minister for Industry and Trade.

Further information on eligibility criteria for the IDA is available at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/investment-nsw/investment-delivery-authority.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“17 of Australia’s tech unicorns – billion-dollar companies – are based here in NSW. These businesses are the engines of jobs and growth.

“Supporting innovative businesses to scale is one of the greatest opportunities we have to improve the productivity and sustainability of the NSW economy.

“The Investment Delivery Authority is the vehicle to foster that growth – cutting red tape to boost productivity and jobs.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“We want to attract major investment to NSW, so we have created this new mechanism to systematically identify major projects and their associated land use before they enter the planning system.

“Just as we created the HDA to fast-track housing, we are now reforming the process for major new investment projects, so their needs are identified early, and the right resources and infrastructure are planned for and brought to bear. 

“As part of the IDA, we will establish a dedicated planning assessments team within the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, because we know the important role planning can play speeding up and in coordinating resources investment approvals.”

Minister for Jobs and Tourism Steve Kamper said:

“The Minns Labor Government have set an ambitious target to grow our visitor economy to $91 billion by 2035, to achieve this, we need to deliver more than 40,000 new hotel rooms in NSW.

“By including a pathway for hotels in the new Investment Delivery Authority, we are unlocking the private capital that will help turbocharge our states visitor economy.”

Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“We have heard the frustrations of businesses loud and clear – it’s taking far too long to get major projects off the ground.

“To secure our position in the future economy NSW needs to get the right infrastructure in place.  That means things like data centres and renewable energy. And that’s why the first IDA EOI round will call for projects in these areas, along with hotels critical to the visitor economy.

“The IDA will help move these projects from concept to construction faster accelerating productivity along the way.”

Tech Council of Australia CEO, Damian Kassabgi said:

“Collaboration between government and industry, including through targeted initiatives like this, is such an important driver of tech sector growth and the benefits that will deliver for this State.

“Fast and centralised approvals for digital infrastructure will be vital to making the most of the AI opportunity for Australia.”

Spring Netball is Here: Sign Up, Bib Up for Netball Across NSW

Netball NSW has launched its statewide Spring is Here campaign, encouraging players of all ages, genders, and abilities to get back on court this spring. With the campaign slogan Sign Up, Bib Up, the initiative showcases the fun, flexible and inclusive competitions run by Associations right across the state.

Spring netball offers something for everyone – from fast-paced social formats with music and power plays, to Walking Netball and NetSetGO for the youngest participants. Associations are leading the way with innovative competitions that keep the community connected and highlight netball as a game for life.

Netball NSW Executive General Manager for Strategy Tim Fava said spring is the perfect season to give netball a go.

“We’re seeing Associations across NSW bring fresh ideas and exciting new formats to the court – from two-point shots, dads & daughter competitions to food trucks and walking netball. It’s about making the game accessible, inclusive and fun. Whether you’re five or 75, anyone can round up some friends, throw on a bib and take the court,” Fava said.

“Last year, our spring competition grew by 20%, and we’re expecting similar growth again in 2025. Our mixed competitions have been a fantastic entry point for males to get involved in the game, and this is where we’ve seen the strongest increase in boys and men participating. We’ve also seen incredible growth in the female game, with the number of teams for girls aged 14-17 doubling last season – all made up of new participants.”

From Orange to Woolgoolga, Baulkham Hills to Cootamundra, local Associations are showcasing the diversity of the sport:

  • Orange is introducing Walking Netball for older players alongside NetSetGO for beginners, creating a true intergenerational competition.
  • Cootamundra is reviving the sport with thriving mixed competitions and new NetSetGO programs.
  • Woolgoolga is attracting families with its Twilight Hi-Score comp, played with a three point shot, music, relaxed rules and a social atmosphere.
  • Baulkham Hills is leading metro growth with traditional and social comps, plus a fun Super Shot in the final minutes of each quarter.

Netball NSW is calling on communities to embrace the fun this spring and register through their local Association.

For more information on how to get involved and to find a competition near you, visit netballnsw.com.au