April 2026 – Page 20

New specialised support unit at Westmead to reduce ED wait times

The Minns Labor Government is relieving pressure on the busy Westmead Emergency Department by creating a dedicated unit for patients experiencing heightened distress or aggression.

It’s another step from the Minns Labor Government to improve mental healthcare in New South Wales, create safer environments for staff, and reduce wait times at emergency departments.

The Coalition’s failure to build critical health infrastructure like Rouse Hill Hospital or implement safe staffing levels for nurses has contributed to the pressure on Western Sydney hospitals, including Westmead.

The Minns Labor Government is slowly undoing this by delivering much needed infrastructure and rebuilding the health workforce.

The new purpose-built unit within Westmead ED will provide a secure, therapeutic environment designed to support patients experiencing acute distress.

In the past five years, Westmead has seen a 31 per cent increase in presentations where a patient is experiencing mental health or behavioural related issues.

There’s also been a significant increase in aggression towards frontline health staff in the Western Sydney Local Health District.

These issues may be related to substance abuse and can be exacerbated in a busy emergency department environment.

The new 6-bed unit will be a quiet space with less stimulation, better suited to patients who are at risk of becoming agitated or aggressive. It aims to:

Improve safety for patients and staff.
Lower ED wait times and reduce disruption to other patients.
Improve outcomes and reduce length of stay for these patients.

Similar models of care at Nepean and Prince of Wales hospitals have resulted in reduced need for sedation and restraint, as well as a reduction in the length of stay and time to be seen in EDs.

Construction will begin in August with the new unit expected to be completed in early 2027.

The unit will complement the Westmead Integrated Mental Health Complex which is currently under construction and due for completion in late 2027.

The Minns Labor Government invested a record $3.1 billion on mental health in the 2025-26 financial year and is investing in more staff and more hospitals to reverse the Coalition’s legacy of staff cuts and hospital construction failures which devastated the health system.

The Government is building Rouse Hill Hospital with an emergency department and birthing services, which the Coalition promised at three elections but failed to deliver on, leaving Western Sydney missing a much-needed new hospital.

It’s also investing in more beds for Blacktown and Mount Druitt hospitals after the Coalition failed to build enough beds.

The Government is also recruiting 237 additional nurses in Western and South-Western Sydney as part of delivering safe staffing ratios and saved 228 nurses from the region that the Liberals planned to cut.

The Minns Labor Government is also investing in more security for hospitals including the roll out of more safe assessment units to more safely care for patients experiencing heightened distress, as well as recruiting over 160 more security personnel since taking office.

Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“We are focused on delivering more beds and recruiting more staff to meet the increasing pressure on our hospital system.

“The failure of the Liberals to deliver enough beds and their refusal to recruit enough staff has caused significant strain on Western Sydney’s hospital system.

“Added to this, we are seeing increasing behavioural issues among patients which presents a security and safety concern for staff and other patients.

“This new acute behavioural assessment unit will create a safer environment for both staff as well as patients experiencing heightened distress.

“It’s part of a broader range of measures we are undertaking to improve safety and security in our hospitals.”

Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said:

“Our nurses and clinicians who work at Westmead ED have told us they are seeing more and more patients who become aggressive or violent and it’s making their job harder.

“Some patients don’t deal well in the loud, busy environment of an emergency department, it can cause them to behave in a way that puts the safety of our staff and other patients at risk.

“That’s why we’re building a new, specialist unit to divert these patients away from the ED waiting room, improving outcomes for them and for our staff.

“It’s just one of steps we’re taking to build a better public health system and relieve pressure on EDs. We’re also building a network of Safe Havens and Medicare Mental Health Centres so that people experiencing mental health concerns have another place to go other than the ED.”

Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said:

“The new unit is an important addition for mental health care in Western Sydney – and one of the state’s busiest hospitals at Westmead.

“Patient and staff safety are critical to the design this new space. Care will be delivered by experts and emergency clinicians trained in deescalation, mental health and drug health.”

NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association, General Secretary, Michael Whaites:

“We welcome the creation of a dedicated, purpose-built unit in Westmead ED in order to combat the rising violence and aggression our members are experiencing.

“This is a great example of what can be achieved when we come together to find solutions to make hospitals safer for staff and patients, while ensuring the community has access to quality, timely care.

“We are proud of our members’ ongoing advocacy and grateful for the collaborative approach that has delivered this outcome.

“This specialised unit will strengthen hospital safety, improve patient outcomes, and is a strong investment into the future of our public health system.”

Work on Mount Ousley Interchange ramps up: girders in place as first heavy vehicle ramp opens to traffic

The Minns and Albanese Labor Governments are continuing to deliver better roads for the Illawarra, with work soaring ahead on the $405 million Mount Ousley Interchange project.

The new interchange between Princes Motorway and Mount Ousley Road will improve connectivity, safety and efficiency for those travelling through the region.

Sixteen pre-cast concrete girders, each 15 metres long, now form the structure that will connect Mount Ousley Road over the heavy vehicle bypass.

A further twenty girders, ranging from 17-25 metres in length will make up the new shared path over the southbound access road.

In an effort to inspire the next generation of civil engineers and construction workers, over 40 engineering and STEM students from the University of Wollongong and Keira High School were invited on-site to watch the girders being lifted into place.

Crews will now progress the construction of these bridges with deck formwork and building of the bridge deck, shared path, approach slabs and concrete parapets.

Recent night closures of the M1 Motorway have seen extensive work carried out in the corridor, including:

pavement construction connecting the new safety ramp to the existing Princes Motorway
construction of new sign gantries to indicate the location of the new heavy vehicle safety ramp
drainage works to ensure that the motorway is safe to drive on during wet conditions.

The new safety ramp, which opened in the early hours of this morning, provides a safe area for trucks and buses to gradually come to a stop if they experience brake failure while descending Mt Ousley.

Designed in line with the highest standards, the ramp features concrete barriers and a gravel base for the vehicles to gently sink into causing them to slow and stop.

The ramp is 220 metres long and five metres wide and has been designed for a B-double up to 26 metres in length. An access road has also been constructed for maintenance of the ramp and vehicle recovery.

The Mount Ousley interchange project is on track for completion in 2028.

More information is available at transport.nsw.gov.au/mountousley

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said:

“This is a significant investment in the Illawarra, improving safety and reliability on one of the region’s busiest highways.

“With key bridge structures now in place and the first heavy vehicle safety ramp now open to traffic, welcome progress on the project is now visible for all to see.

“This is an important investment from the Albanese and Minns Labor governments that will keep people and freight moving safely and efficiently in and out of Wollongong.”

NSW Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast and Member for Keira, Ryan Park said:

“This is an important milestone for a project that will deliver safer, more reliable journeys across the Illawarra.

“Mount Ousley is the front door to Wollongong, and this interchange will make a real difference to how people and freight move through this corridor each day.

“We’re getting on with delivering the infrastructure our growing region needs.”

NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Wollongong, Paul Scully said:

“This project is building real momentum, and you can now clearly see the scale of what’s being delivered for Wollongong and the wider Illawarra.

“The new interchange will improve connectivity for motorists, freight and active transport users, while making this key gateway safer and more efficient.

“This is a critical upgrade that coupled with the Minns Labor Government’s recent $270 million commitment to improve roads near the port will support the Wollongong and the Illawarra’s growth for years to come.”

NSW Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:

“This is a complex project on one of the Illawarra’s most important road corridors, and it’s good to see this next stage coming together.

“With the first heavy vehicle safety ramp now open, we’re putting in place a safer option for truck and bus drivers coming down Mount Ousley.

“If something goes wrong on that descent, drivers need somewhere safe to go. That’s exactly what this ramp provides.

“More than 50,000 vehicles use this route every day, including a lot of freight, so safety has to come first.

“This new interchange will deliver safer, more efficient journeys for motorists across the Illawarra.”

Member for Cunningham, Alison Byrnes said:

“We are working hard across all levels of government to ensure that our local road corridors are safer and more reliable.

“The opening of the new heavy vehicle safety ramp is an important step forward for safety on Mount Ousley, and it is great to see yet another element of this monumental project start to benefit the community.

“I again want to thank the community for their patience and understanding while these major works are ongoing – as the gateway to the Illawarra, this intersection is hugely important for our entire region.

“We’re focused on delivering a safer and more accessible interchange for the benefit of local people, industry and visitors alike.

Address to the Nation – Transcript

My fellow Australians.

By nature, we’re an optimistic country.

But I understand that right now it’s hard to be positive.

The war in the Middle East has caused the biggest spike in petrol and diesel prices in history.

Australia is not an active participant in this war.

But all Australians are paying higher prices because of it.

I know that you’re seeing this at the servo and at the supermarket.

And I understand farmers and truckies, small businesses and families are doing it tough.

And the reality is, the economic shocks caused by this war will be with us for months.

Tonight, I want to speak directly with you about what the Government is doing to shield Australia in these uncertain times.

And also, what all of us can do to help our country and help each other in the period ahead.

On Monday, National Cabinet adopted the National Fuel Security Plan.

Leaders from both sides of politics, from right around the country, working together to keep Australia moving.

Making sure that we are prepared.

So that if the global situation gets worse and our fuel supplies are seriously disrupted over the long term, we can co-ordinate the next steps together.

Today, we cut the fuel excise in half.

Cutting the tax on every litre of petrol, by 26 cents.

Those savings have started showing up at your petrol station.

For our truckies, we have cut the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge to zero.

Both these measures will be in place for the next three months.

We are working to bring the price of fuel down.

To make more fuel here and to keep it onshore.

And get more fuel here – using our strong trading relationships with our region to bring more petrol, diesel and fertiliser to Australia.

Now, it’s the Australian way that people want to do their bit – and there are simple ways that you can.

You should go about your business and your life, as normal.

Enjoy your Easter.

If you’re hitting the road, don’t take more fuel than you need – just fill up like you normally would.

Think of others in your community, in the bush and in critical industries.

And over coming weeks, if you can switch to catching the train or bus or tram to work, do so.

That builds our reserves and it saves fuel for people who have no choice but to drive.

Farmers and miners and tradies who need diesel, every single day.

And all those shift workers and nurses, who do so much for our country.

The months ahead may not be easy.

I want to be upfront about that.

No government can promise to eliminate the pressures that this war is causing.

I can promise we will do everything we can to protect Australia from the worst of it.

These are uncertain times.

But I am absolutely certain of this: we will deal with these global challenges, the Australian way.

Working together – and looking after each other.

As we always have.

Thank you and good evening.

Swansea community sport scores vital funds

Sporting organisations in the Swansea electorate have shared in $4.49 million following the awarding of grants in the NSW Government’s Local Sport Grant Program.

The Program provides grants for minor facility upgrades, new equipment and programs that support and encourage participation in sport and active recreation in NSW.

Grants up to $20,000 were available, with up to $50,000 in the Swansea electorate.

For further information, including the list of successful projects, visit: www.sport.nsw.gov.au/local-sport-grant-program: http://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/local-sport-grant-program

Organisation Project Funding
Lake Macquarie Yacht Club LMYC Discover Sailing Development & Training Programs $2,000
Canoe Academy Outrigger Club Purchase of 2 person outrigger canoe (OC2) to increase paddling participation $9,950
Doyalson Wyee Football Club Doylo Wolves Uniform Upgrade Project $20,000
Swansea-Caves Cricket Club Creation of storage infrastructure for cricket gear and nonfixed equipment $3,060
Northern Lakes Junior Rugby League Football Club Security upgrade and PA system replacement for Northern Lakes Warriors JRLFC $3,261
Gwandalan and Summerland Point Football Club Sporting equipment for all teams $8,373

Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley said:

“Sport plays a vital role in bringing the Swansea community together.

These grants will help our local clubs buy vital equipment and resources to enable more Swansea residents to participate in sport.

I congratulate local sports organisations that were successful in securing funding and thank all the volunteers and clubs for the work they do in supporting the community.”

Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“The Minns Labor Government is backing, communities and organisations across NSW to enjoy the benefits of sport and active recreation.

The Local Sport Grant Program provides vital funds to community sporting organisations to invest in minor facility upgrades, new equipment and programs.

With tight budgets and clubs ever more reliant on volunteers, this funding gives teams resources to invest where they need, be it purchasing new jerseys or hosting local events like come and try days.

I congratulate the more than 500 sports organisations across NSW that were successful in securing funding and commend them for their commitment to our collective health, wellbeing and sense of identity.”

Appeal to locate teenage girl missing from Thornton

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a teenage girl missing from the state’s mid-north coast.

Letha Walters, aged 13, was last seen in Thornton, about 12.30am on Sunday 29 March 2026.

When she could not be located or contacted, officers attached to Port Stephens Hunter Police District were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.

Police and family have concerns for Letha’s welfare due to her age.

She is described as being of Caucasian appearance, between 150cm to 160cm tall, with a slim build and curly red/purple hair.

Letha was last seen wearing a black hooded jumper, black shorts and carrying a black tote bag.

She is known to frequent the Gosford, Maitland, Newcastle, Hornsby and Riverview areas.

Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Maitland Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner Bill passes Parliament

Today marks an important milestone in the Albanese Government’s implementation of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

The Parliament has passed the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner Bill 2025 and the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner (Consequential and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2025.

This realises the full intent of Recommendation 122 – the recommendation the Royal Commission deemed it’s most important – to establish a new statutory entity to oversee system reform across the whole Defence and veteran ecosystem, the Defence and Veteran Service Commission (DVSC).

The Commission is focused on improving suicide prevention and wellbeing outcomes for current and former serving Australian Defence Force members by providing independent oversight and evidence-based advice to the Australian Government and Parliament.

The passage of this legislation is consistent with the Government’s commitment to enacting standalone legislation for the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commissioner and Commission, following the swift passage of the enabling legislation in February 2025.

The Bill also reflects the Government’s response to the recommendations of the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee report of 29 August 2025 on the current enabling legislation, including that the Government transitions the DVSC into standalone legislation, the Commissioner is appointed by the Governor-General and that the Commissioner’s functions include veterans’ families.

The Government’s response to the recommendations of the Royal Commission involves the most comprehensive reform ever undertaken to the systems, culture and processes across Defence and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

Defence estate community consultation sessions begin

Community consultation sessions will begin in Tasmania next week as part of the Albanese Government’s nationwide response to the independent Defence Estate Audit.

The Audit, delivered in 2023 by Ms Jan Mason and Mr Jim Miller, undertook a comprehensive review of Australia’s Defence estate – including bases, training areas and rifle ranges – to ensure it is fit-for-purpose and provides our Australian Defence Force (ADF) with the facilities and capabilities they need to keep Australian safe.

Following careful consideration of the Audit’s recommendations, the Government released its response last month. Community consultation sessions have been identified as a key part of the implementation process, with local community organisations, key stakeholders and the broader public invited to provide input on the proposed divestment of 67 sites.

The consultation process will support discussions about how surplus Defence land can best deliver benefits for surrounding communities, reaffirm protections for history and heritage including through the Environment Protections and Biodiversity Conservation Act, and capture the broad range of views from the community.

Many of these Defence sites have served Australia proudly, hold great sentimental value, and are a reminder of our past sacrifices and achievements. The Government deeply understands the emotional attachment that current and former Defence personnel have to the history of our Defence Force.

That’s why the Albanese Government is committed to preserving and enhancing public access to historically significant sites and collections, so Australians can continue to recognise and celebrate our proud military history.

The community consultation sessions will also provide an opportunity for the public and interested parties to better understand the Department of Finance’s role in managing the divestment process.

While consultation sessions will commence in Tasmania next week, sessions in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Victoria are scheduled to take place in April. These sessions will build on ongoing, site-by-site engagement with Defence people, including cadets and reservists, which is already underway.

Further information on the planned community consultation sessions, including dates and details and how to participate, is available here: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/locations-property/delivering-future-estate/defence-estate-audit-community-information-sessions

A full list of sites selected for divestment is available here: https://www.defence.gov.au/about/locations-property/delivering-future-estate

the Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil:

“Australia’s Defence estate is the largest property portfolio in the country. Implementing the independent Audit’s recommendations will ensure our bases and training areas are fit for purpose in a rapidly changing world.”

“Community consultation sessions start today in Tasmania, and we look forward to hearing directly from communities about how the Defence estate can best support Australia’s security while also strengthening the regions in which Defence operates.”

“By engaging directly with communities across the country in the months ahead, we can ensure the Defence estate is modern, efficient and positioned to support the ADF well into the future.”

Two years since the death of Zomi Frankcom

Today marks two years since Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom was killed in an Israeli strike while delivering vital humanitarian aid in Gaza.

Zomi was driven by passion and a purpose to assist people in need. People like Zomi are rare and their selflessness should not only be celebrated but protected.

The Albanese Government has made clear our expectation that there be transparency about Israel’s ongoing investigation into the deaths of Zomi and her six World Central Kitchen colleagues. We continue to press for full accountability, including any appropriate criminal charges.

Humanitarian workers in Gaza, Lebanon and other conflict zones globally continue to face unacceptable risks in their delivery of critical assistance to civilians.

The death of any aid worker anywhere is unacceptable.

In Zomi’s honour, Australia launched the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel, along with eight other countries, at the United Nations in September last year.

The Declaration is now a shared commitment by more than 110 countries – more than half the United Nations – for stronger accountability, safer access, and better protection for aid workers everywhere.

Honouring Zomi’s legacy means turning commitment into action. We will continue to work with international partners to drive action to protect aid workers in conflict zones.

Albanese Government fails its own rules for deploying troops to the Middle East

The Albanese Government has breached its own rules for deploying Australian Defence Force personnel to conflict zones when it sent forces to the UAE earlier this month.

The Memorandum on Government Conventions Relating to Overseas Armed Conflict Decision Making was adopted by the Albanese Government on 27 November 2024. It sets out the rules establishing what the Government must do when it “deploys the ADF in a major military operation as a party to an armed conflict overseas.”

The requirements include providing an unclassified written statement to both Houses of Parliament outlining the objectives of the deployment, the orders made, its legal basis and setting aside a day of debate in Parliament.

The rules clearly state this must be done within 30-days of the deployment, which was announced on March 10, 2024. The Albanese Government has failed to do any of this and this sitting week is its last chance to comply.

The Greens wrote to the Albanese Government last week seeking it adhere to these rules in the deployment of a E-7A Wedgetail, some 85 Australian personnel and missiles to the UAE in the middle of the war in Iran. The letter from the Greens can be found here, and the Government’s reply here.

Senator David Shoebridge, Greens Spokesperson for Defence and Foreign Affairs, said:“The Albanese Government after refusing to support war powers reform in the last Parliament, put forward this memorandum instead. Now they have failed to meet even this extremely low standard.

“A key requirement of the memorandum is that the Government must provide the legal basis for the deployment of Australian military forces. Labor has now refused to do this, almost certainly because there is no lawful basis for Australia joining this war.

“The Memorandum also requires regular reports, public statements on the aims and a day of debate in Parliament. All of that has been scrapped so Albanese could be first in line to support Trump.

“The violence that is spreading through the Middle East, the resulting chaos here in Australia, all of it shows why these decisions need to be under public scrutiny. It absolutely proves how dangerous it is for Australians to be sent into a war zone by a handful of government ministers who have never said no to Trump or the US.

“The response from the Defence Minister is embarrassing for Labor. The idea that the deployment to the UAE is in any way comparable to the sending forces to Poland is ridiculous. Poland is not an armed conflict zone, as the Gulf is today, which is what this Memorandum is based on.

“The Labor Government treats the public with contempt when it comes to foreign policy. They ram through a secret defence committee that excludes the public, then demand we applaud them for it. They cheer in Trump’s war and now refuse to tell the public why.

“The war parties of Labor, the Coalition and One Nation aren’t protecting the Australian public with their reckless support of this illegal and damaging war.

“Labor’s refusal to even debate the war, their refusal to meet their own low standards of transparency, proves once more that they are delivering for their masters in Washington, not their voters in Australia.”

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FWC scraps junior rates for 18-20 year olds

The Fair Work Commission’s decision today to scrap unfair junior rates for young adults aged 18-20 is a big win for our workers.

The Greens have long campaigned for removing the discriminatory practice of imposing junior rates on Australia’s young workforce.

The real wages of workers have gone backwards as inflation has soared, leaving our young workers behind in a cost-of-living crisis.

The Greens welcome the FWC’s decision for young adults. However, its exclusion of 16-17 year olds is disappointing.

Greens spokesperson for finance, employment and workplace relations Senator Barbara Pocock:

“Scrapping unfair junior rates is a big win for young workers. For too long 18-20 year olds have been doing the same work as their 21 year old colleagues but for less pay.

“Rising inflation is eroding real wages, pushing young workers further behind in the cost-of-living squeeze.

“Low-paid workers are already facing an uphill battle as wages have failed to keep up with the inflation.

“The Greens believe workers’ pay should reflect their skills, not their age. We need to continue to raise the wages of under-18s who do the same work for less pay.

“It’s not fair that a 16 year old fast food worker earns $16.60 per hour less than their 21 year old colleague doing the same job.

“Junior pay rates guarantee an endless supply of cheap labour for employers willing to exploit the skills and talents of young people newly entering the workforce.”