November 2025 – Page 19

Visit to Australia by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

Today I met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus.

Ms Tsikhanouskaya is an advocate for a free and democratic Belarus. Her decision to run in the 2020 presidential election in Belarus after the politically motivated imprisonment of her husband Serhei reflects her determination to support the Belarusian people’s aspirations for a free and democratic future.

The 2020 elections, and those held in Belarus since, have been marked by a concerning lack of transparency.

Ms Tsikhanouskaya’s visit is an important reminder to Australians of the situation in Belarus under the Lukashenko regime. Reports that thousands of individuals in Belarus have been unjustly detained, subjected to torture, or forced into exile are alarming.

The Lukashenko regime’s support for Russia’s illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine undermines security in Europe. The Australian Government has taken strong action in response, including sanctions on Lukashenko and others supporting Russia’s war.

The Government reiterates its call on the Lukashenko regime to fully adhere to its obligations under international law and to cease support for Russia’s destabilising actions.

I commend Ms Tsikhanouskaya’s bravery and her fight for universal values of democracy and human rights.

Greens push to get Dirty Uni Partnerships out of our public universities

This morning, the Senate will debate the Higher Education Support Amendment (End Dirty Uni Partnerships) Bill 2025. This Bill requires universities to disclose and divest from any partnerships with dirty industries, including weapons manufacturers, gambling, fossil fuel and tobacco companies.

The Higher Education Support Amendment (End Dirty Uni Partnerships) Bill 2025 requires all universities receiving Commonwealth funding to:

Disclose all links with dirty industries;
Divest from all partnerships, investments and other monetary ties with dirty industries;
Not enter into any new ‘prohibited partnerships’ with the weapons, fossil fuels, gambling, and tobacco industries.
The Bill also prohibits universities from appointing to their governing bodies any individual with ties to these industries.

The Bill comes at a pertinent and challenging time, as the climate crisis escalates and fossil fuel companies record mammoth profits, and as weapons manufacturers pocket billions while people are slaughtered in their thousands by their war machines.

Earlier this year, the National Union of Students organised a referendum in which students across the country voted overwhelmingly for universities to divest from all partnerships with weapons companies, with over 5,000 students voting across roughly 20 campuses and the motion passing with 98% voting in favour. Student and staff-led movements have for years called for divestment from these dirty industries.

The National Tertiary Education Union has longstanding opposition to university investment in the development and manufacture of weapons, and earlier this year reaffirmed their call for universities to divest from military and weapons companies.

The links between universities and dirty industries are extensive, but details of the extent of these relationships are unclear. The Australia Institute’s recent Fossil-Fuelled Universities report found that 26 of Australia’s 37 public universities take money from fossil fuel companies, including Woodside, AGL and Santos. Monash University has recently announced the closure of its sustainability institute, while ramping up its partnership with climate-destroying Woodside.

Just yesterday, it was reported that ANU purchased shares in Elbit Systems, one of the key weapons companies profiting off Israel’s genocide in Gaza, as recently as March this year, while Western Sydney University has recently signed an agreement with weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Greens and spokesperson for Higher Education:

“Universities should be fully funded to be places of democracy, equity and public good, not places that help dirty industries profit from human misery. Having these links to dirty industries betrays this core purpose and the mission of academia.

“The audacity of ANU investing in weapons companies even under heavy scrutiny from staff and students shows their hand will have to be forced. This bill is about making sure universities have to disclose and divest from dirty industries like weapons, gambling and fossil fuels. There is no place for these industries in our universities.

“There can be no justification for universities investing in weapons manufacturers whose killing machines are enabling Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

“Our universities should not be helping fossil fuel companies greenwash their climate crimes and environmental destruction.

“Universities across the country receive millions of dollars from major arms manufacturers like Lockheed Martin and Thales, who are profiteering from genocide.

“The rules are so lax that we don’t even know the full extent of these dirty partnerships, which is deeply concerning given the governance issues rife in the sector.

“Universities have shamefully failed to heed the calls of the courageous staff and students who have long been calling for weapons-free and fossil-free campuses.

“Dirty money should stay out of universities. I urge the major parties to support this important Bill.”

James McVicar, Education Officer of the National Union of Students:

“Students have spoken. In the National Student Referendum on Palestine, we demanded an end to weapons companies on our campuses. Universities should be places of learning that contribute to making the world a better place. Instead they churn out profits for climate criminals and arms dealers.”

Bella Beiraghi, spokesperson for Students for Palestine:

“Over the past two years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza, students have mobilised in opposition to our government and our universities ties to weapons companies. Universities function in many cases as the “brains behind the bombs”, facilitating research and even manufacturing with some of the largest weapons companies in the world. Students for Palestine will continue to campaign for a weapons-free university sector.”

Toyo White, spokesperson for Stop Woodside Monash:

“Monash University continues to run campaigns on its supposed climate credentials and associating its image with taking action, as ‘every second counts’. But running this campaign, while dismantling a climate research institution and continuing to buddy-up with climate criminals in its Woodside partnership, is infuriating.

No public institution should be partnering with these companies. To talk about building leaders of the future, whilst assisting companies like Woodside who are destroying said future, is untenable.”

Honours Bill Thrown in the Bin by the Senate

The Senate has rejected the Albanese Government’s plan to put a use-by-date on ‘we will remember them’ and impose a 20-year limit on reviews of military honours and awards.

In a stunning condemnation of Labor’s plan to restrict the timeframe for reviewing heroic actions by Australian Defence Force personnel, the Coalition joined forces with the crossbench to discharge the Defence Honours and Appeals Tribunal Bill 2025.

Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said the outcome was a humiliating defeat for the Prime Minister and his Veterans’ Affairs Minister.

“It’s a great victory for veterans, their families and ADF personnel,” Ms Ley said.

“Putting a time limit on honouring acts of bravery was disrespectful and completely out of step with Australian values. Our nation believes in recognising service and sacrifice whenever the truth comes to light, not only when it suits a government’s timeline.”

Ms Ley said the Senate’s decision reflected what the community already knew.

“Service to our country doesn’t expire after 20 years, and neither should the chance to correct an injustice. Australians expect fairness for those who wear the uniform, and the Senate has protected that principle today.”

Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Darren Chester said the Government’s failure to demonstrate a single shred of veteran support for the proposal spoke volumes.

“In Question Time, the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs couldn’t name one veteran who supported the Bill, and the Prime Minister cut him loose. This was a disgraceful and unnecessary attack on an independent Tribunal and a complete distraction from the real issues impacting veterans’ wellbeing.”

Mr Chester said the Senate’s decision was a forceful rejection of Labor’s attempt to wind back rights that veterans and families have relied on for more than a decade.

“If the Albanese Government persists with this mean-spirited plan, the Bill will have to return to the House of Representatives, but the Prime Minister should face reality and bin it permanently,”

“This Bill was opposed by veterans, ex-service organisations and the Tribunal itself. Defence officials even admitted they didn’t consult the independent Tribunal before drafting it. That is an extraordinary failure of respect and process. Our veterans deserve better than a government that tries to strip away their rights and silence their appeals.

“The current system works because it is independent, fair and trusted. Labor’s Bill would have shut the door on cases that deliver long-overdue justice and recognition, undermined the Tribunal’s integrity and damaged confidence among those who have served. The Senate has done the job the Prime Minister refused to do, which is stand up for veterans and protect their rights.”

Established in 2011, the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal provides an independent pathway for reviewing Defence decisions on medal recognition dating back to 1939.

The Tribunal warned Labor’s changes would gut most of its work, including landmark reviews such as those involving Victoria Cross heroes Teddy Sheean and Richard Norden.

The Senate inquiry received 63 submissions, with only one supporting the Bill from the Department of Defence, which wrote it.

Tribunal Chair Stephen Skehill told the inquiry it would strip Defence personnel of their rights and “work against the wellbeing of Defence personnel”, while RSL NSW said the proposal was “disgraceful” and would devalue service and harm veterans’ health.

Mr Chester said Labor had completely misread the veteran community.

“This was arrogant and deeply disrespectful to those who have served our nation. Veterans fought this Bill and today they won.”

Newcastle’s city centre in the spotlight with $750,000 in funding

Darby Street will come alive this weekend with live music, street performers, and family-friendly activities thanks to City of Newcastle’s annual Special Business Rates (SBR) program.

More than $750,000 in funding has been allocated to support nine events and activations across the City Centre and Darby Street precincts, celebrating themes of music, food and fashion.

Councillor Jenny Barrie, festival organiser Sarah Madden from Hey Tilly and City of Newcastle Executive Manager for Media Economy Engagement, Nick Kaiser, join Darby Street retailers from Palinopsia, Made on Darby and the Delany Hotel ahead of the festival on Saturday.Among the successful applicants is Hey Tilly, organisers of the Darby Street Festival, who received funding in the 2025 round and will benefit from an additional boost to bring the event back in 2026.

City of Newcastle Chair of City of Newcastle’s Community and Culture Advisory Committee, Councillor Jenny Barrie said the SBR program plays a vital role in supporting local business precincts and continues to enhance Newcastle’s cultural identity.

“We provide funding to projects and events that support the promotion, beautification, and economic development in the Darby Street and City Centre areas,” Cr Barrie said.

“Newcastle is a city that thrives on creativity and community. These events not only attract visitors but also strengthen the local economy, bringing people together to celebrate what makes our city so unique.

“Our Community Strategic Plan Newcastle 2040 envisions a city that is vibrant, inclusive and creative. Events like the Darby Street Festival are a perfect example of how we’re bringing that vision to life.”

Festival organiser Sarah Madden from local business Hey Tilly said the funding helps showcase the unique character of Darby Street.

“We’re delighted to receive Special Business Rate funding from the City of Newcastle. This support allows Darby Street to celebrate local culture, showcase our vibrant community and give businesses a valuable boost,” Ms Madden said.

“It also fosters a wonderful sense of connection, with local traders working together toward a shared goal of creating something special for our city. We can’t wait to bring the festival to life on 8 November and are thrilled to see it return in 2026.”

Some of Newcastle’s most loved local festivals will return with an elevated experience in 2026, including Newcastle Food Month, West Best Bloc Fest and the Conscious Couture Festival.

The Mardi Gras Laneway Party at Bernie’s Bar will expand into a city-wide weekend celebration, while Winterheat will once again light up the city centre during the cooler months.

For more information on the Special Business Rates program visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au//specialbusinessratesprogram

Tenders called to deliver next stage of East End Village transformation

The revitalisation of Newcastle’s city centre is set to continue with City of Newcastle today calling for tenders to deliver the next stage of the East End Village project.

This will include public domain upgrades to Hunter Street, from Thorn to Newcomen Streets, and in Market Street between Hunter and Keightley Streets.

The Federal Government announced in August that City of Newcastle had been awarded $16.7 million in funding from the regional Precincts and Partnerships Program to progress the East End and Cathedral Park Precinct project.

Executive Director of City Infrastructure, Robert Dudgeon, said the work ensures City of Newcastle’s vision for a liveable and vibrant city centre continues to take shape.

“For many Novocastrians, the old Hunter Street Mall really felt like the heart of Newcastle and the East End Village revitalisation is bringing that feeling back,” Mr Dudgeon said.

“All of the work we’re doing in the city centre, including projects like Foreshore Park, the Art Gallery and the Ocean Baths, makes Newcastle a better place to live, work and play.

“We thank the Federal Government for their support of this project, which will enable us to bring the next stage of this project forward.”

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon said it’s fantastic to see the city’s East End transformation taking another major step forward.

“The Albanese Labor Government’s $16.7 million investment in the East End and Cathedral Park Precinct is helping to unlock the full potential of our city’s heart,” Ms Claydon said.

“This project is about bringing new life to the East End while honouring its heritage, improving our green spaces, supporting local jobs and small businesses, and making this area a real drawcard for locals and visitors.

“It’s exciting to see the vision for the East End Village taking shape. These next works will continue transforming the precinct into a connected, people-focused space that reflects the character of our city.”

This round of streetscape upgrades on Hunter Street will largely mirror the work delivered and nearing completion at the western end of Hunter Street and its adjoining streets.

It includes new footpaths, roadways, and cycleways, fresh landscaping and important underground infrastructure upgrades.

Market Street, between Hunter Street and Keightley Street, will also be transformed into a public gathering space and provide an improved connection between the harbour and the city centre, with an art installation to acknowledge and celebrate Newcastle’s rich Indigenous history.

As with previously completed phases, these improvements are intended to integrate with almost $1 billion of residential development in Newcastle’s East End, transforming the area into a vibrant and welcoming space for residents, visitors and shoppers.

The tender will close in December. Visit the project page on City of Newcastle’s website to stay up-to-date with the latest information on current and future stages.

The East End and Cathedral Park Precinct project will continue the revitalisation of the East End Village as a traditional high street and support the delivery of upgrades to Cathedral Park, which is located between the Christ Church Cathedral and King Street.

Other elements of the project include streetscape upgrades and new connections on Newcomen Street, between Hunter Street and Scott Street, as well as the next stage of the Cathedral Park masterplan, which will make the park easier to access and acknowledge the role the site played in Newcastle’s early post-settlement history.

$2.5 million investment takes clean energy training on the road to NSW communities

The Albanese and Minns Governments have launched a $2.5 million mobile training fleet at TAFE NSW Wollongong, bringing hands-on clean energy training to communities across New South Wales.

The initiative includes two mobile trucks, and two dual-purpose shipping containers customised to deliver renewable energy training, demonstrations, and engagement programs in solar, wind, and electric vehicle technologies.

The mobile units are part of the Energy Futures Skills Centre collaboration between TAFE NSW and the University of Wollongong, ensuring students, jobseekers, and regional communities gain the skills to participate in Australia’s clean energy transition.

The Albanese Government is investing $2.5 million in this project, through the TAFE Technology Fund. The fleet includes:

a mobile community engagement truck featuring virtual reality experiences and interactive displays that showcase renewable energy concepts and career pathways
a mobile training truck providing hands-on experience with wind turbine, solar, and electric vehicle components aligned to existing qualifications
two dual-purpose shipping containers that double as mobile classrooms, fitted with renewable energy systems, battery storage, and interactive learning tools.

One container is stationed in Wollongong, servicing the south and southwest renewable energy zones. The second will be based in Tamworth and travel to renewable energy zones and schools across that region.

The Albanese Government’s $50 million TAFE Technology Fund is supporting TAFEs nationwide to modernise and expand their facilities, including upgrades to laboratories, workshops, and IT infrastructure.

Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:

“The Albanese Labor Government is proud to be working with the Minns Labor Government to ensure people across NSW can get the skills to enable the clean energy transition to realise our net zero aspirations.

“What’s fantastic about this announcement is we’re meeting students where they are – literally.

“This mobile training fleet builds on our Free TAFE program, which has seen more than 287,000 enrolments in New South Wales.

“We’re bringing clean energy skills to the streets, the schools, and the regions, making sure no one gets left behind in Australia’s energy future.”

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

“These trucks and containers are effectively TAFE NSW classrooms on wheels, designed to take hands-on renewable energy training to where it’s needed most.”

“The fleet brings learning to life, giving students and jobseekers the chance to experience renewable technologies up close, and to see the exciting careers that come with them.

“It’s another example of TAFE NSW leading the way in providing practical, industry-aligned training that supports local economies and the clean energy transition.”

Federal Member for Cunningham, Alison Byrnes:

“I am so excited to see one of the first outputs of TAFE’s collaboration with the Energy Futures Skills Centre – something I have been fighting hard for.

“Our region needs the skills to embrace the job opportunities of the clean energy future and local young people know the value this training can provide. Ensuring people in the regions are well-positioned to access the jobs of the future is absolutely vital.

“The Illawarra is a true innovator of renewable energy, and I am proud of the work the Albanese Government is doing to support our energy and economic transition.”

Minister for Illawarra and the South Coast and, Member for Keira, Ryan Park:
“The Illawarra is at the heart of the state’s clean energy future, with the Illawarra Renewable Energy Zone set to play a major role in delivering new jobs, investment and innovation for our region.

“This new mobile training fleet will ensure local people have the skills needed to take part in that transformation.”

Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully MP:

“The Minns Government is investing in training the workforce of the future and these mobile training options provides hands-on clean energy training opportunities to more people in more parts of NSW to support the renewable energy roll-out.

“This investment in Wollongong TAFE, in partnership with the University of Wollongong, compliments other investments including the Illawarra Heavy Industry Manufacturing Centre of Excellence.”

NSW Government invests $23 million to tackle youth crime and build safer regional communities

The Minns Labor Government is delivering more than $23 million in targeted funding to address youth crime and improve community safety across regional New South Wales.

The new investment focuses on two key priorities: breaking the cycle of reoffending among young people on bail and preventing at-risk youth from entering the justice system in the first place.

It bolsters support in high-priority regional communities for bail supervision, intensive case management, and early intervention and diversion.

Since April 2024, the NSW Government has rolled out targeted strategies like NSW Police Operation Soteria, tougher bail laws, and pilot interventions in Moree, Riverina and Western Sydney.

While there is still work to do, we are seeing encouraging signs. The June 2025 BOCSAR quarterly update on NSW Recorded Crime Statistics revealed that, in the two years to June 2025, young people proceeded against to court declined significantly by 12.3 per cent in regional NSW.

Despite progress, regional communities in NSW still face higher crime rates than cities. Moree, Tamworth and Kempsey in particular continue to experience higher than average rates of youth crime, and those towns receive targeted funding in this package.

The funding package includes:

$12 million to continue place-based responses in Moree and expand responses in Tamworth and Kempsey

The NSW Government will work beside the local communities to identify local services and mechanisms that help young people engaging, or at risk of engaging, in crime.

The funding will enable local leaders and service providers to co-design prevention and diversion programs that work for their communities such as youth hubs, after-hours activities, intensive family supports, intervention programs and alternative education pathways.

This will provide a vital intervention point for the most vulnerable young offenders, offering residential supervision and programs delivered by local partnerships.

These towns have strong communities and appetite to support their young people and tackle youth crime – the place-based NSW Government funding will look to capitalise on this.

$6.3 million to provide intensive bail supervision and support for young people

The NSW Government will invest $6.3 million to go towards intensive bail supervision and support, including:

Five caseworkers – continuation of one based in Moree, and an additional two based in Tamworth and two in Kempsey to support young people on bail to prevent persistent offending and better understand their legal orders.
More regular check-ins with young people on bail, helping young kids comply with their bail conditions and connect them to positive supports to reduce the risk of them falling back into the same situations and patterns of behaviour.
Completion of the Moree Bail Accommodation Service— a safe, supervised facility to remove vulnerable young people from high-risk situations and provide structured programs and guidance.

A site for the Bail Accommodation Program in Moree has been secured, and Youth Justice is due to take possession next month.

We have already increased bail support and after-hours services in Moree while this work continues.

$5 million for a new Community Safety Investment Fund

A further $5 million will establish a new Community Safety Investment Fund, open to community and non-government organisations across NSW.

The fund will back innovative and potentially scalable local initiatives that prevent or respond to youth offending, strengthen families, and build safer, more cohesive communities.

The fund recognises many communities need support, particularly in regional areas.

This fund is open to organisations across NSW and will prioritise applications targeting areas with the highest demonstrated needs and service gaps.

Building safer regional communities

Everyone deserves to be safe in their home, in their communities, including in our regional towns.

When serious crimes occur, there must be consequences. But we also want to give young people every chance to turn their lives around — by supporting them, their families, and the communities that shape them.

We know there’s still more to do. This funding package builds on the strong steps the NSW Government has already taken, including:

tougher bail laws for repeat offenders;
a ‘post and boast’ offence targeting online glorification of crime;
$13.4 million for Moree’s targeted response;
$5.5 million for youth diversion and violence reduction programs;
paid police recruits to boost frontline numbers;
stronger knife laws under Jack’s Law; and
the release of the Doli Incapax review to guide future reform.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“This package is about giving local people the tools they need to turn things around for their young people.”

“These are complex issues that won’t be solved overnight, but we are in this for the long haul.”

“What we don’t want to see is young people wrapped up in the justice system again and again, which is why this package is a balance of intervention, prevention and wrap around support measures.”

NSW Minister for Police, Yasmin Catley said:

“The NSW Police are working day in, day out to address youth crime and steer kids towards making better choices – they are doing everything the police can do.

“We know we can’t arrest our way out of this which is why the Government is working to help break the cycle by implementing targeted diversionary programs and addressing the root drivers of this offending.

“I’ve visited regional towns right across NSW and the message is clear – everyone wants to feel safe in their community and for kids to have the best possible chance at a good life and the Minns Labor Government will continue to work hard to deliver exactly that.”

NSW Minister for Youth Justice Jihad Dib said:

“We have said before that serious offending needs to have consequences, but this government also wants to support young people to fulfil their potential – this means supporting their families and communities as well, often at a local level.

“This funding package reflects how we are working to help young people not to commit a crime in the first place, by funding locally based programs co-developed with local people, that can make a real difference by offering viable alternative pathways within communities.”

NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“The NSW Government is investing in measures to reduce crime and the drivers of crime. We have already undertaken significant legislative reform to help keep our communities safe.

“This includes targeting ‘post and boast’ offenders, strengthening knife laws, and raising the bail threshold for young people accused of repeat car theft and break and enter offences.

“But we know there is more to do, which is why we’re continuing to consider a review of doli incapax which presumes children under 14 cannot be held criminally responsible.”

Update for opal mining regulatory framework in Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs

The NSW Government will update the regulatory framework for small-scale mining titles to deliver a safe and strong opal industry for miners, farmers and the local community.

The measures come as part of the NSW Government’s response to the Independent Review into the Statutory Framework for Small-Scale Titles. The Government’s response supports 74 of the Review’s 81 recommendations and outlines a clear action plan to strengthen and modernise the opal mining industry.

Opal mining has served as an important industry within NSW for more than a century and continues to drive economic benefits in tourism, export revenue and job creation.

The response sets out an action plan focused on:

Improving the confidence and certainty for landholders and miners.
Strengthening the framework to deliver better land rehabilitation outcomes.
Implementing a modern, digital-based approach for the administration of opal mining.

The response has been informed by extensive stakeholder engagement, including a working group chaired by the Hon. Stephen Lawrence MLC, and recognises the important role of opal mining and agriculture in the Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs communities.

A detailed review of relevant legislation (including to the Mining Act 1992) will take place. Following this review, the NSW Government will propose any necessary amendments to support these reforms and ensure the framework is fit for purpose.

A suite of initiatives consistent with the key recommendations from the Independent Review have already been implemented including:

Modernising renewal and other applications by allowing them to be made electronically.
A high-visibility compliance education campaign in Lightning Ridge during May 2025.
Continuing the temporary prohibition of mining in Opal Prospecting Area 4.
Improvements to stakeholder information materials and customer experience with the NSW Resources website, fact sheets and guidance material, including a biosecurity factsheet.

In addition to the action plan, an ongoing program of safety works to assess and remediate high risk legacy opal mining sites is underway in Lightning Ridge.

These works are being delivered in consultation with local stakeholders, including the Opal Area Reserve Crown Land Manager, landholders, opal miners and the local council.

The Independent Review provided recommendations on key areas affecting opal industry stakeholders including access to land, rehabilitation, landholder compensation and the suitability of the current framework.

Seven of the Review’s recommendations have not been supported, as they would have unintended impacts on broader stakeholders and legislative frameworks.

The action plan for the opal industry will be implemented through a phased approach over the next two years, with ongoing consultation to ensure the reforms are practical and effective.

The NSW Government response is available on the NSW Resources website.

Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos:

“This is a significant step forward for the opal industry. We’ve listened carefully to miners, landholders and local communities to deliver a balanced and commonsense response.

“Our action plan provides greater certainty for stakeholders and lays the foundation for a modern, well-regulated opal mining sector that can sustainably co-exist alongside agriculture and other industries.

“During my visits to Lightning Ridge and the Far West I have heard directly from miners, farmers and the community. Their insights have shaped our response, and we’ll continue working closely with them as we implement these reforms.

“I want to thank Stephen Lawrence and Roy Butler for their ongoing work. Their deep knowledge and connections in the community have been crucial in developing the Government’s response.

“We’re committed to ensuring the opal industry remains a strong and sustainable part of regional NSW’s future.”

the Hon. Stephen Lawrence MLC:

“I know how keenly awaited this response has been. The opal industry is an important one, particularly for communities in western NSW, and the backbone of Lightning Ridge and White Cliffs.

“I would like to praise the strong engagement from the many stakeholders who have taken part during the review process. I am very confident the government has gotten the balance right in its response to the review.

“This response is the first step in continued consultation to ensure our opal industry can continue and flourish long into the future.

“I look forward to seeing improved confidence and certainty for landholders and miners, improved rehabilitation outcomes and much needed modernisation of the way people interact with the department.”

Thousands of new homes on the cards for Cherrybrook

The Minns Labor Government is leading a rezoning to deliver 9,350 new homes in Cherrybrook in Northwest Sydney close to transport, open space, shops and services.

The proposed state led rezoning aims to transform the area into an urban community with a new town centre, library, community facilities, cafes and shops a short walk from the metro station.

The Cherrybrook precinct will support the area’s growing and diverse population offering a range of homes with a minimum of 5 per cent of all new homes to be affordable housing, increasing to up to 10 per cent within the new town centre.

The plan will focus larger apartment buildings in the town centre, with mid-rise apartments and terraces to be spread around green neighbourhoods.

It will also feature new walkable streets, bike paths and connections between new local parks, making it easier for residents to move around the precinct and access the metro station.

Importantly the significant Blue Gum High Forest indigenous vegetation found in the area will be preserved and the total tree canopy coverage will increase by 14 per cent thanks to development controls.

The Cherrybrook Precinct Rezoning Proposal is expected to create around 210 new jobs alongside the 9,350 new homes which will be delivered gradually over 36 years.

The vision for the precinct is another example of the Minns Labor Government giving people more choice in where they want to live, and in the types of homes they can build and buy.

The rezoning proposal is currently on exhibition for public feedback until Friday, 5 December 2025. To have your say on the Cherrybrook Precinct Rezoning Proposal, visit the NSW Planning Portal.

For more information visit NSW Planning.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“This proposal will unlock hundreds of jobs and thousands of new homes in Cherrybrook alongside more open space and a new town centre to create a vibrant, leafy precinct just steps away from the metro.

“Developments like this are crucial as we look to restore housing choice in Sydney so people are no longer forced out of the city and can live and within the community they choose.

“Cherrybrook is an ideal location for more homes in a high-demand area, close to transport, jobs and services.”

Statement on the passing of Graham Richardson AO

With the passing of Graham Richardson, we have lost a giant of the Labor Party and a remarkable Australian.

He served as NSW Labor General Secretary. At 33, he arrived in Federal Parliament as the then youngest ever Senator and went on to serve as a Minister in the Hawke and Keating governments.

He served as Minister for Social Security, for Transport and Communications, and for Health – but it was his impact as Minister for the Environment he will be most remembered for. As Minister, he championed the protection of our natural environment, including saving the Daintree.

The scale of his achievements is indisputable, yet he was characteristically self-effacing. As he once put it, “My memory won’t be around for very long, but the rainforests of north Queensland will be around forever.”

Richo’s life was often colourful, and sometimes controversial, but what lay at the heart of it was his sense of service, underpinned by his powerful blend of passion and pragmatism. He gave so much to our party, to our nation and to the natural environment that future generations will cherish.

Graham left the Parliament but he never left politics. He remained a thoughtful, perceptive and engaged observer, commentator and source of counsel and insight to so many, across the political spectrum.

Despite the considerable health challenges he faced later in life, Richo remained an active part of the national discourse, sharing a lifetime of wisdom with Australian audiences right up until the end.

He loved and lived all of what politics can be: service, calling, art and craft.

Of all the promises he made, the most powerful was to his wife, Amanda, when he told her that he planned to live until their son Darcy completed his HSC exams.

Richo kept his word.

I spoke with Amanda this morning to express my condolences. She and Darcy and all of Richo’s family are very much in our hearts.

I also express my deepest sympathies to all who loved Richo, and to everyone in the Labor family who is today mourning the loss of a friend, mentor and inspiration.

May his efforts for the people of Australia be remembered, and may he rest in peace.