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Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will host global superannuation leaders in Sydney in the second half of this year, following the success of an inaugural gathering of the Australian sector in the US last week.

The Sydney Superannuation Summit will build on the NSW capital’s steadily growing position as the financial hub of the Asia Pacific.

Last week’s landmark Australian Superannuation International Summit, hosted by US Ambassador Kevin Rudd in Washington and New York, brought together Australia’s biggest funds to showcase their potential on the world stage.

Together the Australian funds invest $631.6 billion into the US economy.

Financial leaders addressing the summit included US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

NSW Treasury Corp chief executive David Deverall told the gathering how Sydney’s status as the financial services hub of the Asia Pacific had evolved.

Mr Deverall said Sydney’s economic strength was underpinned by a strong investment pipeline, a large skilled workforce and advanced digital infrastructure.

He said that Sydney is home to the country’s biggest banks, and that it dominates Australia’s venture capital and private equity activity in Australia.

Nearly 60 per cent of Australian venture capital is in NSW. Mr Deverall told the summit Sydney’s advanced digital infrastructure and willingness to embrace innovation had made it an attractive place for businesses to start and grow.

Sydney produces half of Australia’s business “unicorns”, or those valued above USD$1 billion, and almost three quarters of those on the way to reaching that threshold. 

It is a world leader in research output per capita, a strength which plays into its financial and tech workforce and is reflected in a steady supply of qualified graduates from its universities.

It is ranked fourth in the world as the most popular investment destination for foreign investors, after Dubai, London and Singapore, according to Investment Monitor.

Australian superannuation funds manage a total $4 trillion in assets.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“The Sydney Superannuation Summit will leverage our strength as the financial hub of the Asia Pacific.

“Half of Australia’s businesses unicorns were born right here in NSW.  They’ve been able to grow because of the high value we place on innovation and technological development.

“Sydney ranks in the top five of the most popular investment destinations around the world.  Our Summit is an opportunity to harness that momentum.”

Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) constructing the mega Sydney Metro West tunnels have made a smashing entrance 24-metres below the surface at the Clyde Metro junction caverns.

This latest milestone means that over 80 per cent of the 24-kilometre twin metro railway tunnels for this city-shaping project that the Minns Labor Government is using to drive housing uplift has been completed.

TBM Dorothy broke through the solid rock walls to arrive at the giant junction caverns last month, after spending three months tunnelling 1.1 kilometres from Clyde.

TBM Betty was tracking slightly ahead, arriving at Clyde junction caverns in December last year. TBM Betty spent seven weeks traversing the cavern is now tunnelling towards Parramatta.

This junction cavern at Clyde will play a critical role in the Sydney Metro network as it connects the metro tunnels with the above ground stabling and maintenance facility, where the network’s new fleet of trains will be housed when not in service.

Since starting their westward tunnelling journey in September 2024, TBMs Betty and Dorothy have been working around the clock to excavate about 200 metres of tunnel each week.

So far, the TBMs have carved out 5.7-kilometres of twin tunnels between Sydney Olympic Park and Clyde, removing more than 1.1 million tonnes of material, equivalent to about 180 Olympic-size swimming pools.

Along the way, the TBMs have installed more than 41,000 precast concrete segments to line the new tunnel walls. Each precast segment weighs about 3.8 tonnes, with six segments pieced together to form one ring around the tunnel.

Both TBMs will now build a further 1.1-kilometre section of tunnels to reach the site of the future Parramatta Metro Station by mid-year.

This project will double rail capacity between the Sydney CBD and Parramatta CBD which is why the Minns Labor Government has modified planning controls around a number of these new stations to turbocharge the delivery of new housing.

Housing is the largest cost most people are facing and the NSW Government is getting more homes built near public transport, improving affordability, reducing building and infrastructure costs and building a better NSW.

For more information, visit sydneymetro.info/west/project-overview.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“This is another huge step forward as we deliver the largest new public transport project Western Sydney has seen in generations while also turbocharging the delivery of new homes.

“These fast and reliable new metro services will double rail capacity between the Sydney CBD and Parramatta and will be a gamechanger, getting more people around our city faster.

“I want to thank the thousands of workers who have gotten this project to this point and will be working around the clock until Australia’s largest public transport project is opened.”

Minister for Transport John Graham said:

“Like their standout namesakes, these huge tunnelling machines are breaking new ground, which will have a lasting impact and transform the way Sydney’s west moves for generations to come.

“The TBMs are headed for Parramatta, Sydney’s second biggest business district, as they continue to carve out this game-changing new railway line that is expected to move 30,000 passengers every hour during the morning peak when it opens in 2032.

Warrawong is ready for an additional 1,300 well-located homes following the approval of new planning controls for Warrawong Plaza.

The planning proposal at 43-65 Cowper Street, Warrawong, increases the maximum building height from eight to approximately 22 storeys which paves the way for the master planned mixed-use development to provide up to 1,300 new homes, with 15 per cent set aside as affordable housing for at least 15 years.

This project is another example of the NSW Government helping to increase supply as the housing crisis continues to be the biggest issue facing the state.

The rezoning will add a minimum of 6,500 square metres of publicly accessible open space, along with pedestrian links to Cowper Street and Northcliffe Drive, and Warrawong Plaza will continue to operate on the site.

A new bus interchange has been added to the proposal following community feedback during the project’s public exhibition in June and July 2024.

The proposal’s first homes could be built by 2028, which will help meet the Illawarra’s growing housing needs.  Trading will continue at Warrawong Plaza during construction.

The proposal comes as Illawarra residents’ ideas help shape the Master Plan for the future of the 32-hectare Warrawong Parklands and around 100 construction jobs that will flow from the NSW Government’s approval of BlueScope’s $200 million Plate Mill refurbishment at nearby Port Kembla.

Future development applications that are more than $60 million will be assessed by the Department and will be subject to design excellence requirements.

This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with a greater choice of homes, so young people, families and workers have somewhere to live in the communities they choose.

For more information, visit the planning proposal webpage. 

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

“The Warrawong Plaza and transport hub offers an ideal infill development opportunity to deliver more well-located homes and affordable housing in this changing suburb.

“This is an ideal location close to Kully Bay Park, Lake Illawarra and a short drive from Port Kembla’s Beach Pavilion.  

“Adding new homes will benefit young people, families and key local workers while also offering existing shops with increased customers and the potential for new businesses in the Warrawong CBD.”

Applications are open for the NSW Government’s 2025 Anzac Memorial Veteran Artist in Residence program offering up to $10,000 for a contemporary veteran or group of veterans to engage with the Anzac Memorial and the broader community through art.

The program gives veterans an opportunity to share their experience and stories of military service with the wider community through their chosen medium, while furthering their growth as artists.

Open to those who have served in the Australian Defence Force, Veteran Artist in Residence celebrates the Anzac Memorial’s intent as an active space for veterans and their families.

It recognises the collaboration, self-discipline, innovation and creativity that goes into being an artist along with the positive impact on health, wellbeing and connectivity. Launched in 2019, the program has produced a vast collection of trench art, paintings, music and poetry.

The inaugural Veteran Artist in Residence, Cory Rinaldi, is an Army veteran of Malaysia, East Timor and Iraq.

During his residency, he painted a series of works exploring the Memorial’s architecture as well as his experience of military service.

His residency culminated in an exhibition of 18 paintings and the program was recognised as the winner of the 2022 Innovation & Resilience Award at Museum & Galleries NSW’s IMAGinE Awards.

2024 Veteran Artist in Residence, Domenic Bartolo’s artwork shares the stories behind local war memorials in Sydney. Visit the Anzac Memorial’s Auditorium to view this https://www.anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au/event/veteran-artist-residence-exhibition

This is the third time the Residency has been offered. Applications close on 24 March with more information available here: https://www.anzacmemorial.nsw.gov.au/about/veteran-artist-residence

Minister for Veterans David Harris said:

“The Anzac Memorial is a physical expression of the spirit and legend of the Anzac. A special place for the veteran community to come together and reflect on service and sacrifice and to share their knowledge and experience with us.

“The Veteran Artist in Residence is a wonderful opportunity for veterans to pursue their artistic dreams and tell their story while immersing themselves in the architecture and history of the Anzac Memorial.

Inaugural Anzac Memorial Veteran Artist in Residence Cory Rinaldi said:

“The Residency at the Memorial enabled me to heal. It gave me purpose again and once more made me feel part of a team since leaving the military.

“The Residency challenged my artistic parameters and encouraged me to paint outside of my comfort zone. For someone who suffers from PTSD, that’s a big deal.”

The NSW Government today announced that the State’s Fish, the Eastern Blue groper, will continue to be protected following scientific advice and community feedback.

Consequently, the no-line fishing prohibition, implemented 12 months ago, will continue for a further three years from 1 March 2025 to enable further research and monitoring on the species.

This decision combines with the long-term existing prohibition on spearfishing and commercial fishing of the Eastern Blue Groper to continue the temporary prohibition of line fishing.

This decision has been taken after the Government considered a range of important factors including recently published scientific information that raised concerns about the potential impacts of climate change and that caution should be taken in managing the species due to their unique biological traits.

The State’s Fish holds a special place for many people and communities, and this has also contributed to the decision to continue the fishing prohibition of the iconic Eastern Blue Groper.

This decision aligns with the situation in Victoria where for a long period of time there has been a prohibition of line fishing, spear fishing and commercial fishing for the Blue Groper.

The Government is committed to the sound management of our fisheries resources while also enabling the important activity of recreational fishing to be undertaken along the coast and inland waters of NSW.

Steps were taken early last year by the Government to ensure the protection of the State’s Fish, by placing a 12 month prohibition on line fishing for the fish, so research could be done to ascertain the best way to manage the Blue Groper and to enable community consultation.

The protection afforded by a prohibition on fishing was required following a community outcry on the behaviour of persons found illegally spearing the fish along the NSW coast and a concern for the sustainability of the species.

During the 12-month period of the ban, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development undertook both community engagement, comprehensive research and stock assessment of the Blue Groper.

The stock assessment concluded that the Eastern Blue Groper is in a sustainable position, however there is a risk the species is being impacted by climate change and warming waters.

The decision to continue a ban of line fishing will afford protection for the State Fish while the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development continue scientific monitoring and research of this important species, including looking at how the community can get involved through citizen science programs.

NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“NSW’s State Fish, the Eastern Blue Groper, will continue being protected after the Government considered a range of advice, community feedback and scientific research.

“There is a strong community interest in the State’s iconic Eastern Blue Groper, and there is a community expectation that we take every step possible to understand any potential impacts that climate change may be having on the species.

“Three further years of scientific monitoring will deliver a deeper level of understanding of how this wonderful fish is coping with warming conditions and what impact those conditions are having on the population, particularly in our inshore waters where people interact with the Eastern Blue Groper.

“I know some fishers will be disappointed, but I also know there are many in the NSW community, including fishers, who want this State Fish protected and that is what the Government is doing.”

The $1 million Rural Allied Health Educator Pilot Program a joint venture between NSW Health and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), is boosting student placements in Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD), helping build a pipeline of allied health clinicians in regional and rural NSW.

In MLHD, there have been 150 allied health student placements since the introduction of the Rural Allied Health Educator Pilot Program. The program is enticing allied health students to stay and take up full time roles in rural, regional and remote locations.

A survey of students participating in the program found prior to commencing placement only 56.2 per cent were interested in working for NSW Health in a rural area as a graduate.

Following completion of placement, 85 per cent were more interested in working for NSW Health in a rural area as an allied health graduate and 95 per cent of students were satisfied with their placement experience and would recommend a rural placement to other students.

Allied health clinical placements typically take 4-6 weeks and give students experience across a range of clinical areas relevant to their profession. The program includes occupational therapy, speech pathology, social work, dietetics and exercise physiology students.

The allied health educators directly supervise allied health students, as well as work with universities to coordinate student placements and support other allied health clinicians to increase student placement opportunities in regional NSW.

Speech Pathologist Katie Vernon completed her allied health student placement at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital in 2024 and enjoyed it so much she applied for a graduate position. Katie made the move from Sydney to Wagga Wagga in February and is settling into her new role at the hospital and her new community.

The Pilot Program is a joint venture between NSW Health and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development across Hunter New England, Western NSW, Far West, Murrumbidgee and Southern NSW Local Health Districts (LHDs).

DPIRD has invested $1 million per year over three years into the Rural Allied Health Educator Program.

For further information visit: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/workforce/alliedhealth/Pages/professions.aspx 

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

“Staffing is one of the most critical issues we face in the healthcare system, and in regional, rural and remote locations that problem is amplified.

“I am really proud a program like this is having great results at encouraging allied health students to take up a rewarding role in the bush.

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to boosting our allied health workforce by increasing training and education pathways for students in rural and regional NSW.”

Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty:

“We support the Rural Allied Health Educator Program through funding these important regional allied health workforces. 

“Getting essential workers into regional NSW is a major focus of the Government and this program plays a role in that plan.

“The students also have the opportunity to participate in The Welcome Experience while on placement.

“The Welcome Experience is a service which provides essential workers the support they need to make the move into live and work in regional communities by assisting them to get to know the local area and people first.

“It’s essential that we motivate health care workers to build their lives in rural areas.

“This program shows students that they can have a bright and productive future when they work in rural areas.”

Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr:

“This is a great example of how collaboration between the health and education sectors can drive recruitment in rural and regional health.

“It also demonstrates how different sectors can work with the community to fill critical gaps, such as can happen with the Murrumbidgee Health and Knowledge Precinct.

“We have workforce shortages across the board in health, but this boost to allied health recruitment is a good development as we work towards providing the dedicated professionals that rural and regional communities deserve, and I acknowledge the government for its work in this area.”

Allied Health Educator (Speech Pathology), Melinda Hewitt:

“Regional and rural health has so much to offer, and we love to welcome students and graduates. We invest in them, and they are a valued part of our team.

“It’s important for students to come out to regional areas and experience the high standard of healthcare we provide. They can see the advantages of working rurally, such as the broad scope of practice, opportunities for professional development and the lifestyle.

“Students are having a great experience, and they are going back and telling their friends. Before this program we struggled to get applicants for allied health roles, now we have no problem filling positions.”

Allied Health Graduate (Speech Pathology), Katie Vernon:

“With a student placement at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital you’re not just a student, you’re part of the team. Everyone was so welcoming and supportive; I loved it straight away and I was excited to go back and tell my fellow students about my experience.

“Having an educator like Melinda to provide clinical supervision and support me through my final student placement ensured that I was confident and ready for a smooth transition into a new graduate role.

“I have only been here for a few weeks, but I am already amazed at how broad my caseload is – from paediatric feeding to medical imaging, as well as working out in the community providing services close to home for our patients.”