Month: October 2026

The wait is almost over for southwest Sydney, with the Minns Labor Government today confirming passenger services on the new Southwest Metro will begin at 4:31am on Friday, 30 October.

The opening will mark a major milestone in Sydney’s transport network, connecting communities from Bankstown through the CBD to the northwest on one continuous 66-kilometre Metro line.

From next Friday, passengers in Bankstown, Punchbowl, Wiley Park, Lakemba, Belmore, Campsie, Canterbury, Hurlstone Park, Dulwich Hill and Marrickville will have access to fast, reliable, turn-up-and-go services, with trains every four minutes during weekday peaks.

The new Metro will deliver 50 per cent more passenger capacity than the old T3 Bankstown Line it replaces, along with faster journeys and direct connections to more jobs, education and opportunities across Sydney.

The opening date follows final safety approval from the independent Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator, received yesterday.

From next Friday, passengers will benefit from the following travelling times:

• Bankstown to Central: 28 minutes – saving six minutes
• Marrickville to Gadigal: 12 minutes – saving 12 minutes
• Campsie to Macquarie University: 44 minutes – saving 17 minutes
• Lakemba to Victoria Cross: 37 minutes – saving 24 minutes
• Canterbury to Chatswood: 31 minutes – saving 23 minutes.

Services will run every four minutes during weekday peak hours, every five minutes during the day, and every ten minutes in the evenings and on weekends.

However, on the first weekend (October 31 – November 1) services will increase to run every seven minutes to accommodate increased interest.

More than 2,600 driverless metro services will travel on the fully integrated Sydney Metro M1 network each week. With Metro services operating to Bankstown, around 48,000 trips are expected to be made across the metro line on a typical weekday during the 8am and 9am peak.

The upgraded corridor features modern metro infrastructure, platform screen doors, new lifts and station upgrades, improved customer information systems and enhanced security technology across the line.

There has also been a huge improvement to accessibility for people with a disability, mobility issues and families with prams as part of the upgrades to stations.

Wiley Park, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Punchbowl and Canterbury stations are now accessible by lift for the first time.

The opening follows more than two years of work, 30,000 kilometres of testing and more than 6,000 timetabled test runs.

Turning a 130-year-old railway and its heritage stations into a modern Metro has been a complex job, particularly at older stations where curved platforms mean the gap between the train and platform can vary.

The former Liberal Government left the future of the Southwest Metro in doubt and even considered cancelling it entirely, but the Minns Labor Government committed to finishing the job.

Over the next eight days, Sydney Metro and Transport for NSW will put the finishing touches on the new line, including preparing stations, getting staff and services ready, and connecting the new section to the wider transport network ahead of opening day.

While the new Metro is ready to welcome passengers, there may be some minor teething issues as services get underway.

Additional safety precautions will also be in place, including six of the 360 train doors remaining temporarily closed during service.

To help passengers get used to the new services, additional staff will be on hand at every station and on trains throughout operating hours to provide information and assistance.

The pink Southwest Link buses will continue to operate on Friday 30 October and over the first weekend of operation, while the community familiarises itself with the new Metro network.

Service information will be clearly signposted at stations, and passengers are encouraged to plan their journeys ahead of opening at transportnsw.info from Monday, October 26.

On Sunday, 1 November from 10am to 1pm, we will celebrate the opening with a range of activities at Bankstown Metro Station and Dulwich Hill Metro Station.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“This is a huge moment for southwest Sydney. From next Friday, communities from Bankstown to Marrickville will have access to a world-class Metro service connecting them to the rest of Sydney.

“Trains every four minutes during the peak, Bankstown to Central in just 28 minutes, and direct connections through the city to the northwest.

“I want to thank the thousands of commuters, families and local businesses for their patience while we’ve undertaken this major transformation.

“This is about giving people in southwest Sydney the same fast, reliable public transport connections that other parts of our city enjoy. It’s an investment that will make a real difference to these communities for generations to come.”

Minister for Transport John Graham said:

“To the communities who’ve been catching the pink buses – thank you for your patience, your new metro is about to welcome you onboard.

“I want to thank the rail regulator for their intensive work, assessing the fine detail on this complex conversion of a 130-year-old railway.

“This metro will transform the way people in these southwest suburbs travel, it will also open these suburbs up to the rest of Sydney.”

Member for Summer Hill Jo Haylen said:

“It’s been a long wait, but the ride will be worth it! We finally know when we’ll be able to jump on board Metro, and our Inner West Community is ready to go.

“This is going to totally change the way people move around the Inner West, South West and our City. Marrickville to Gadigal in just 12 minutes will be a total game changer.

“The magic of Metro with its fast, frequent and reliable services is coming. This means more people will choose public transport and that’s a win for everyone.”

Member for Canterbury Sophie Cotsis said:

“The moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here! The opening of the Southwest metro will directly connect communities in the south-west and north-west, completely changing the way people experience this city.

“People in my community will be able to travel directly to central and northern Sydney for the very first time, opening up direct access to jobs, education and suburban tourism.

“Being able to travel directly from Lakemba to Macquarie University in 44 minutes and from Canterbury to Chatswood in half an hour will change people’s lives.

“Our community deserves world-class transport, and this transformational infrastructure will deliver safer, more accessible stations which will serve as community hubs.

“I want to thank my community for their patience.”

Member for Bankstown Jihad Dib said:

“This is a massive moment for Bankstown and southwest Sydney, and a day our community has been looking forward to. From this point on – getting to the city will be easy as!

“The opening of the Southwest Metro makes an enormous difference to our community, it means better connections to jobs, education, dining and entertainment options right across Sydney.

“It also makes it easier for more people to discover our local businesses and experience all that Bankstown, Punchbowl and Wiley Park have to offer.”

Member for Strathfield Jason Li said:

“This is a game-changer for our community. Strathfield residents will have faster, more reliable connections to jobs, education and family across Sydney.

“The new Metro means less time waiting, with modern, accessible stations that make everyday journeys easier for everyone.”

Member for East Hills Kylie Wilkinson said:

“For residents in many parts of my community, the Southwest Metro will open up new opportunities to connect with the rest of Sydney, making it easier to access jobs, education and essential services.”

Sydney Metro Chief Executive Camilla Drover said:

“For more than a century, this railway has connected the communities of Sydney’s southwest. From Friday next week, we begin its next chapter.

“Transforming this historic railway into a modern metro has been an extraordinary feat of engineering, delivery and, above all, teamwork. Our teams have undertaken extensive testing and commissioning to ensure the railway is ready to welcome customers, and I am immensely proud of everyone who has helped make this transformation possible.

“To the communities who have supported us throughout this journey, thank you for your patience and resilience. This railway was built for you, and we are incredibly proud to welcome you aboard Sydney Metro Southwest.”

The Minns Labor Government has passed reforms to reduce plastic waste, make more products recyclable and help keep harmful plastics out of our waterways.

From plastic bread tags to balloon sticks, microbeads and lollipop sticks, the NSW Government is rolling out a wave of phase-outs as part of the NSW Plastics Plan 2.0 to tackle one of the state’s fastest-growing waste problems.

More than 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste is sent to NSW landfills each year. With more plastic entering our waterways every year, it’s predicted that without action there will be more plastic in the sea than fish by 2050.

Plastic is also entering our bodies as microplastics, and the community is increasingly concerned about the amount of single-use plastics in our society.

Soy sauce fish containers will need to be recyclable and fruit and vegetable stickers will need to transition to be compostable by 2030.

The reforms also tackle the hundreds of millions of single-use coffee cups used in NSW each year. Nearly 800 million single-use cups are used in NSW each year, and most are used for only a matter of minutes before being discarded.

Takeaway coffee cups are not being banned. Instead, the changes will make it easier for people to recycle their coffee cups or use a reusable cup if they choose.

Following extensive industry consultation, the reforms will be introduced gradually and include:

• From 2028, single-use takeaway coffee cups will need to be recyclable, helping divert more waste from landfill. Takeaway coffee cups are not being banned.
• From 2028, cafes will need to offer a mug or glass when customers are dining in (instead of a disposable cup) and accept keep cups for takeaway (when clean and hygienic).
• Introducing voluntary reusable cup schemes, which allow people to borrow a keep cup. These programs will not be mandatory for small businesses.

The government will run reuse trials from as early as next year, where government-owned venues including stadiums and office buildings will offer beverages and takeaway food in reusable packaging that is designed to be returned, washed and reused.

Reuse models are already in action in several places in NSW, including at Barangaroo, at some festivals and in some stadiums.

The legislation also makes immediate changes to products such as lighter-than-air (helium) balloons in NSW, with a ban on their intentional release helping to reduce plastic pollution and protect marine wildlife and birds.

The NSW Government will continue working closely with industry on implementation, providing support, education and guidance ahead of the changes coming into effect.

The staged approach recognises the pressures facing small businesses and gives industry time to find practical, affordable ways to comply. The EPA has previously granted extensions to businesses where needed during the introduction of other plastic phase-outs, such as plastic bags and straws.

To read the NSW Plastics Plan 2.0, visit: https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/Your-environment/Plastics/plastics-plan-20

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“The days of unnecessary plastics being handed out, thrown away and left to pollute our environment are coming to an end.

“The legislation we’ve just passed contains the biggest reforms of problematic plastics in a generation and has been designed in partnership with businesses and industries to support a smooth transition to reusable alternatives.

“Our wildlife, our waterways and our health will benefit from these changes.”

The NSW Government is aware of and responding to security concerns about the PHP scripting language. 

Cyber Security NSW is working with departments and agencies to ensure updates are applied to any affected websites.

This is a global incident and to date no NSW Government agencies have reported any information breaches to Cyber Security NSW.

We are following advice issued by the Australian Cyber Security Centre and working with national cyber authorities to contain any risks.

As a precaution, some NSW Government websites have been temporarily taken down while work to apply patches and updates is completed.

I urge NSW businesses, councils, and organisations to follow Australian Cyber Security Centre guidance, including patching their own systems, if required.

The Minns Labor Government is pushing ahead with its unworkable coffee cup mandate that will impose more costs and red tape on struggling cafés, rejecting attempts by the NSW Liberals and Nationals to protect small businesses.

Labor’s Environmental Legislation Amendment (Plastic Reduction and Container Recycling) Bill 2026 requires cafés and takeaway businesses to offer customers a reusable cup through a reuse scheme, while preventing them from charging for it.

A barista who forgets to offer a reusable cup during the morning rush could face a $22,000 fine.

This week, the NSW Liberals and Nationals moved amendments to:

• Remove the mandatory reusable cup scheme, with an offer to work with Labor on a practical alternative.
• Exempt small businesses from the scheme.
• Remove the provision preventing businesses from setting their own charges in relation to the scheme.

Labor and the Greens voted against every amendment.

A record 1,907 NSW companies went bust in the September quarter, up 46.1 per cent on the same period last year and the highest quarterly total since records began in 1999.

Shadow Minister for Small Business Gurmesh Singh said Labor was adding to the burden on businesses already fighting to survive.

“Café owners are working longer hours, watching every dollar and trying to keep their prices affordable. Labor’s answer is to give them another cost to absorb, following changes to credit card surcharges and another rule to follow,” Mr Singh said.

“The Government expects businesses to stock, clean and replace reusable cups, then tells them they cannot charge for the service. Those costs have to come from somewhere.”

“At a time of record insolvencies, the Minns and Albanese Labor Governments should be making it easier to keep a business open. Instead, they are making even serving a morning coffee more complicated and expensive.”

Shadow Minister for Environment Felicity Wilson said the Government had failed to explain how its scheme would work in practice.

“Who pays for cups that are never returned? How will cafés collect and clean them? How is this supposed to work during the morning rush?” Ms Wilson said.

“These are basic questions for the businesses expected to make this scheme work, yet Labor is pushing ahead without providing clear answers.”

“Everyone wants to reduce plastic waste, but that requires a practical scheme developed with the businesses that will deliver it.”

The NSW Liberals and Nationals support requiring cafés to accept customers’ own clean reusable cups from 2028, a practice many cafés already follow.

The NSW Liberals and Nationals are calling on the Minns Labor Government reconsider their opposition to its Australian first e-bike licence plate policy for select user groups following the release of horrific e-bike injury data.  
 
Data released today from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals the urgent need for critical interventions to change behaviour of young people riding e-bikes.
 
The independent health data reveals:
Hospitalisation rates rose for the transport group that includes e-bikes, with the largest increases among younger people, especially those aged 12–15 and 16–24 years
The largest increases in hospitalisation rates occurred among young males.
In NSW hospitalisations for e-bikes riders has tripled from 125 hospitalisations in 2009-2010 to 604 in 2024-2025.
 
Under the NSW Liberal and National’s policy the licensing scheme would require a government issued license plate to be attached to an e-bike when used by riders who are under the age of 18; riders who use e–bikes for a commercial purpose; and commercial shared service schemes.
 
Riders aged 18 and over who use a privately-owned e-bike will be exempt from the scheme.
 
Shadow Minister for Transport Natalie Ward said the Minns Labor Government is wilfully ignoring the problem.
 
“Accountability can’t begin with a trip to the emergency room. The data tells the story – e-bike injuries are out of control, and the Minns Labor Government is taking a weak slow reactive approach,” Ms Ward said.
 
“If we change behaviour we will get less injuries.”
 
“We’ve had our policy public for nearly a year, and the Government has taken no action to change behaviour. It is wilful ignorance at this point.”
 
“It’s a soft approach that prioritises the approval of bureaucrats and the active transport lobby above common sense to keep kids safe.”