Month: October 2025

The NSW Industrial Relations Commission has made a determination today for Staff Specialist Psychiatrists across New South Wales to receive a 10 per cent attraction and retention allowance for a period of 12 months.

This allowance comes on top of the 10 per cent abnormal duties allowance already paid by NSW Health to all Staff Specialist Psychiatrists.

The NSW Government has always committed to upholding the decision of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and will now deliver this wage rise for Staff Specialist Psychiatrists. 

The Minns Labor Government was elected with a clear mandate to scrap the Coalition’s unfair wages cap and restore the Industrial Relations Commission as an independent umpire for public sector workers.

The Commission noted in its decision that this was a special case distinct from other pay cases. This is important as the Government had been clear from day one that it could not look at any industrial dispute in isolation from other pay offers, which is why it could not meet the immediate pay rise demands of Staff Specialist Psychiatrists.

The NSW Government and the Doctor’s union, ASMOF, both referred this matter to the IRC to ensure a fair, evidence-based, and independent determination of wages for Staff Specialist Psychiatrists. 

Staff Specialist Psychiatrists play a vital role in delivering frontline mental health care and supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our community. 

The Minns Labor Government is committed to a fair, modern and sustainable wages policy for all workers, consistent with our Fair Pay and Bargaining Policy.

NSW Health will now work with the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation and Staff Specialist Psychiatrists to implement this interim decision immediately. 

Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:

“I respect the decision of the Industrial relations Commission. This decision goes a long way to address the recruitment and retention issues for our Public Health psychiatrists.

“We have reformed the IRC to ensure it is empowered to resolve these matters independent of a government-imposed wages cap. This decision today demonstrates the system works.”

Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said:

“After 12 years of wage suppression, we can now deliver a meaningful wage increase to our Staff Specialist Psychiatrists in recognition of the crucial work they do.

“Our psychiatrists are a valued part of the health system and we now look forward to working with them to strengthen mental health care across our state.”

NSW Ambulance has today inducted 12 new paramedics from interstate and overseas, providing a further boost to frontline health services across NSW.

The qualified and experienced paramedics have just completed a comprehensive three-week induction program at the NSW Ambulance Education Centre and begin their nine-week on-road training from tomorrow.

The new recruits come from a wide range of locations and with variety of experience, including Emily Joel who previously worked rurally as a paramedic in the Northern Territory. Emily decided to join NSW Ambulance to further expand her skills and experience.

The latest class of paramedic inductees will be posted across metropolitan and regional locations in NSW for nine weeks, prior to becoming registered paramedics with NSW Ambulance. 

Minister for Health, Ryan Park: 

“This new class of interstate and overseas paramedics will provide a welcome boost to frontline healthcare across NSW.

“These paramedics bring with them diverse clinical experience and a range of skills, further complementing and enhancing the capabilities of our NSW Ambulance workforce.

“The addition of our overseas paramedics showcases the global appeal of NSW.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan: 

“I am proud to welcome experienced clinicians from around the world and interstate, who will bring fresh perspectives and valuable skills that will contribute to positive patient outcomes.

“Their decision to join NSW Ambulance shows confidence in the service’s reputation for excellence worldwide.

“Our world class emergency healthcare in NSW is further enhanced by this newest class of experienced paramedics”

paramedic Emily Joel:

“After obtaining my paramedicine degree, I had a strong interest in working with Aboriginal people in rural locations and I learnt a lot about their culture and traditions.

“I am excited to be joining NSW Ambulance for the exciting opportunities to enhance my skills and develop my career.”

The Minns Labor Government will introduce legislation to improve accountability in inmate misconduct proceedings and better protect Corrective Services NSW staff and the NSW community.

The Government is set to introduce a Bill to amend the Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act to change the burden of proof for correctional centre offences to “satisfied on the balance of probabilities”, rather than “beyond reasonable doubt.”

These changes will bring NSW in line with most other states and territories across Australia, where the “balance of probabilities” is the standard of proof applied for misconduct hearings.

Criminal conduct behind bars will continue to be dealt with by the NSW Police Force according to the criminal standard of proof.

The Government acknowledges concerns about the impact of current legislative requirements on officer safety.

Enshrining the “balance of probabilities” as the burden of proof will make the discipline process less complex and ensure inmates are held to account.

The new legislation will continue to protect community safety, with Community Corrections reports to the State Parole Authority reflecting these disciplinary decisions in custody.

Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong said: 

“There is no higher priority than community safety for the Minns Labor Government.

“The Government has the shared goal with the union of making sure correctional centres are the safest environment possible for staff.

“We are introducing this legislation as a way to best meet this shared goal.

“These changes come after many months of consultation and engagement on a revised inmate misconduct system between Corrective Services NSW and the PSA.

“New South Wales has been out of step on this issue for too long, and we welcome these efforts to bring our state up to the standards of other jurisdictions.

“We are confident these changes will better protect Corrective Services staff members on the job and streamline action relating to allegations of inmates’ misconduct.”

General Secretary of the Public Services Association Stewart Little said:

“We welcome this commitment to introduce legislation and will work with the Government to see this legislation succeed.

“We want to ensure prisons are safe for everyone and this change is incredibly important to ensure our members can maintain a safe working environment for staff, inmates and visitors.”

The Minns Labor Government has renewed its commitment to protect workers from dust diseases with its new $2.5 million state-of-the-art Lung Health Mobile Clinic which is providing lung health checks to thousands of people across New South Wales.

The new lung bus has arrived in Newcastle to provide free lung screening checks. These lung health checks can be lifesaving by ensuring early detection and treatment of dust diseases like asbestosis, silicosis and mesothelioma.

The lung bus program provides free lung screening checks to more than 5,000 workers annually in regional NSW.

The icare Lung Bus is travelling the length and breadth of the state, including visits to Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Taree, Tuncurry, Spears Point, Tweed Heads, Gosford, Nowra, Shellharbour, Port Kembla, Bathurst, Dubbo, Broken Hill and Tamworth.

The new mobile clinic features several innovations including:

• Digital chest X-ray technology, providing precise and reliable first instance imaging.
• Enhanced spirometry (lung function) testing equipment to evaluate breathing capacity and respiratory performance.
• Digital monitoring systems to streamline diagnostics and care.
• A backup power supply to ensure uninterrupted operation in remote locations.
• Greater accessibility and comfort, with larger clinical space designed to support both staff and clients.

The brand-new Lung Bus continues the legacy of the state’s original mobile service which served the community for nearly 16 years.

That Bus travelled more than 700,000km (more than 17 times around the world), screening more than 53,000 people, and visiting over 300 destinations across NSW.

This is one of many measures to protect workers from dust diseases, including those caused by silica and asbestos.

The Minns Labor Government has established a new Expert Taskforce to help address silica related health risks in tunnelling projects, following revelations of rising silicosis cases in tunnelling leading up to 2023 and led the campaign for the national ban on engineered stone which started last year.

The NSW Government is funding a team of dedicated silica safety inspectors to ensure businesses are complying with its strengthened laws.

The Lung Health Mobile Clinic will be in Newcastle at The Station on the corner of Scott and Watt St until Friday 10 October.

The new Lung Bus will next travel to the following destinations:

Tamworth: 27-28 October, Newcastle: 1-5 December, Gosford: 17-19 December

Whilst lung bus bookings are at capacity, for more information on lung health checks or to arrange a screening, visit:

https://www.icare.nsw.gov.au/employers/employer-obligations/lung-screening-service

Workers can also arrange a free lung screening at icare’s Sydney CBD clinic, or with local providers regionally when the lung bus is not in that part of the state. To book a free lung health check, contact icare on 1800 550 027.

Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:

“The new Mobile Clinic underscores the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to removing barriers like cost and location, ensuring workers across NSW have access to the critical support and care they need to safeguard their health.

“Along with enforcement of the recent ban on engineered stone, the new Lung Bus demonstrates our commitment to improve outcomes for workers exposed to hazardous dust across NSW.”

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“I welcome the $2.5 million investment into the new icare Lung Bus which will provide thousands of health checks for people living in regional NSW.

“Our regional communities remain front and centre when it comes to ensuring early detection and treatment of dust diseases like asbestosis, silicosis, and mesothelioma.”

Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:

“We want to make sure that people in the Hunter have access to the healthcare they need, when and where they need it.

“For too many, life gets in the way of regular check-ups so by bringing this service directly to the community, we’re removing one more barrier to staying healthy.

“Whether you’re working in construction, mining, manufacturing or just living in the area – we’re urging everyone to take a few minutes to get checked.”

Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said:

“I welcome the arrival of the icare Lung Bus to Newcastle. This is a terrific initiative that plays a vital role in keeping workers safe and healthy.

“These health checks can be lifesaving by enabling the early detection and treatment of dust-related diseases.

“By bringing these essential services directly to the communities that need them most, the icare Lung Bus is helping to protect the health and futures of our workers.”

Icare Group Executive of General Insurance and Care, Britt Coombe said:

“A lung health check could save your life.

“Early detection is critical to effective treatment, and we’re here to make sure every worker, no matter where they live, has access to world-class care.”

Communities across the Eurobodalla are one step closer to receiving expanded health services as construction for the new $330 million Eurobodalla Regional Hospital reaches its highest point.

The purpose-built hospital will be a modern, world-class health facility, which will improve access to a range of health services, reducing the need for people to travel outside the region and help meet the growing needs of the Eurobodalla Shire, from Narooma to Batemans Bay.

When complete, the new hospital will bring a range of enhanced health services under one roof, supporting better patient care and greater capacity for the Eurobodalla community.

The new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital will be established as a Level 4 health facility and is expected to be complete in 2027. It will include:

• an Emergency Department with capacity larger than combined services at the current Moruya and Batemans Bay hospitals.
• an 8-bed Intensive Care Unit/Close Observation Unit
• increased access to chemotherapy treatments and renal dialysis
• surgical and operating theatres, including a day stay surgical unit
• expanded medical imaging department, including MRI
• ambulatory care for the community and outpatient services
• paediatric and maternity services, and a special care nursery
• mental health beds for short-term care

With the structural works now complete, the project team will continue the hospital’s internal fit-out, services and facade installation and external works.

The new hospital’s design has been developed in close consultation with local health staff, clinicians and the community.

More Triage category 2 emergency patients are being treated on time in the Southern NSW Local Health District, up by 6.2 percentage points compared to three years ago under the Liberals.

Ramping also improved by over 11 percentage points compared to three years ago under the Liberals.

The Liberals opposed building Eurobodalla Hospital as a level four facility.

While Southern NSW grappled with high hospital wait times under the Liberals, the Liberals planned to sack over 26 FTE nurses from the local health district, while suppressing wages for over a decade.

In addition to the new hospital, the Minns Labor Government is investing $24 million in health worker housing in southern NSW, to help attract recruit and retain more healthcare workers to the region.

This investment is part of a broader $200.1 million program and will deliver key worker housing for staff at the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital.

For more information visit: www.nsw.gov.au/new-eurobodalla-regional-hospital

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns:

“This $330 million hospital in Eurobodalla will be a game changer for healthcare, and it’s desperately needed for this growing and ageing region.

“The community has been calling for world class services for a long time, and Dr Holland has been a tireless advocate demanding this region gets its fair share.

“The enhanced services at this new hospital will mean fewer patients will have to travel to Canberra or Bega to receive the complex care they need.”

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

“This is a significant milestone for the entire Eurobodalla community, marking considerable progress on one of the largest health infrastructure projects in the region’s history.

“This purpose-built hospital is an example of how we are delivering enhanced and world-class healthcare closer to people’s front door and meeting the future health needs of regional communities.

“We’re investing more in health than any other time in our state’s history. More staff, more hospitals, lower wait times – it’s as simple as that.

“The Liberals refused to open Eurobodalla Hospital as a level four facility and we know they have had a poor track record of delivering health infrastructure on time.”

Member for Bega, Dr. Michael Holland:

“This new hospital is a key investment in the health and wellbeing of our region.

“The new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital has been designed to provide a welcoming and supportive environment for patients, visitors and staff, with features such as inpatient rooms with ensuites, palliative care rooms, family spaces and beautifully landscaped gardens.

“With construction moving ahead, there are now over 200 workers on site each day, helping to deliver this state-of-the-art health facility and providing a real boost for local jobs and skills.”

Family First NSW Upper House candidate Lyle Shelton today called on Premier Chris Minns to intervene and ensure that children are protected from inappropriate LGBTIQA+ drag influencers targeting them at Sunday’s  Coastal Twist Festival

It is alarming that the festival’s organisers have booked “Frock Hudson” and “Sexy Galexy” to perform in “all ages” programming — including drag storytime and a children’s disco — where children will be present and targeted with sexualised messaging.

Mr Shelton said Hudson’s social media history of  posting pictures of himself grabbing the penises of naked men demonstrates that he is an unfit role model for children. 
 
“What parent would want an individual who thinks it’s fine to fill his Facebook feed with such images reading to their children?”

Mr Shelton also stressed that “no performer whose stage name includes the word Sexy should be permitted to perform to children under any circumstances.” According to Mr Shelton, such acts risk sexualising children and undermining their innocence.
 
“What is the Central Coast Council thinking?”
In addition, Mr Shelton disclosed that he is currently being sued by two drag queens, who are  demanding that he remove posts which documented Frock Hudson’s social media history — specifically, images of Hudson holding the penises of naked men.

These legal threats from taxpayer-funded LGBTIQA+ political activists, Mr Shelton said, only underscore the importance of protecting free speech and exposing harmful influences on children.

Mr Shelton is calling on Central Coast Council to withdraw its support for the Coastal Twist Festival immediately, until clear assurances can be given that children will not be sexualised. He is likewise urging major sponsors, such as ING, to reconsider their involvement.

He said: “Council funds and corporate backing must never be complicit in exposing children to sexualised drag performances. If Premier Chris Minns is truly committed to protecting children, he must intervene and demand that this festival be cleaned up or shut down.”

If elected, Family First pledges to introduce legislation that makes it an offence to sexualise children in public performances or programming. “Children deserve a safe space to be kids—not a stage for adult agendas. We will stand up for parents, innocence, and decency,” Mr Shelton said.

A police officer will appear in court today charged over online child abuse material.

Following a joint investigation into online child abuse material by the Australian Federal Police and the NSW Police Force’s Professional Standards Command under Strike Force Lautersee, investigators executed a search warrant at Clemton Park yesterday (Thursday 2 October 2025), seizing electronic devices.

A 26-year-old man – a constable attached to a command in the Central Metropolitan Region – was arrested and taken to Campsie Police Station.

He was charged with four offences including possess child abuse data – use carriage service (two counts), transmit to self – child abuse matter by carriage service and use carriage service – solicit child abuse matter.

Police will allege in court that the man uploaded child abuse material to a social media platform.

He has been refused bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court today.

The officer is suspended from duty without pay and his employment status is under review.