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Surfers from across Australia will be making waves in Newcastle this weekend for the Surfest Indigenous Classic, sponsored by the NSW Government’s Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program.

The 2 day event is set to take place at Merewether Beach on Saturday 9 March and Sunday 10 March and will showcase the talent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander surfing sensations via Open Mens, Open Womens, Pro Junior Mens, Pro Junior Womens and Open Masters’ divisions.

Between heats, surfers and spectators can stroll over to a temporary Aboriginal business hub on the corner of John Parade and Watkins Street and enjoy all ages activities all weekend, including arts, crafts and textiles stalls which share the rich history and culture of the local Awabakal and Worimi peoples.

Aboriginal competitors and fans will also have the opportunity to drop3 into the hub’s Aboriginal services pop-ups to meet and yarn with prospective employers and training providers who will offer an exciting range of employment and upskilling pathways.

As part of the $84,077 sponsorship, Surfest will also provide additional support to regional Aboriginal communities by setting Aboriginal business and procurement targets with competitor trophies sourced from Aboriginal businesses, and vendors encouraged to meet Aboriginal employment targets to boost job opportunities for local people.

The Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program, is the lead regional-focused program to support outcomes under the NSW Closing the Gap Priority Reform 5, which seeks to strengthen culture and identity and empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people within NSW to access pathways through education, training, employment and business support to reach their aspirations.

Get more information on the Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program.

Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“As the largest surfing festival in the southern hemisphere and broadcast internationally, Surfest is a fantastic opportunity for our Aboriginal surfers and businesses to boost their profile and showcase their unique talent on the world stage,” Ms Moriarty said.

“Thanks to $84,077 from the NSW Government, exciting things are not just happening in the water but also at nearby Jefferson Park, which will give visitors a taster of the rich and diverse cultures the local Awabakal and Worimi peoples have to offer.”

Minister for the Hunter, Yasmin Catley said:

“Surfing is part of our story in the Hunter and Surfest is a huge reason why. This is the beach, at Merewether, that Mark Richards made famous with his four world titles. To celebrate First Nations surfers like this is a fantastic part of Surfest.

“The Indigenous Classic has come a long way in 26 years. It started as The Kooris V The Cops and today it’s among the premier Indigenous sports competitions in Australia.

“I’m proud to be part of a NSW Government that supports and funds the Indigenous Classic. It’s a great event for First Nations athletes and a showcase for Indigenous culture in the gorgeous setting of Merewether beach.”

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, David Harris said:

“The Department of Regional NSW has worked closely with Surfest organisers to connect them with Aboriginal businesses and mob to create new employment and training pathways in a culturally appropriate way, while championing the importance of regional social, cultural, and economic causes,” Mr Harris said.

“Initiatives within the NSW Government’s Regional Aboriginal Partnerships Program are planned through community consultation and collaboration and I am proud that it helps to strengthen Aboriginal communities and Close the Gap by creating additional opportunities for Aboriginal people.”

12-time surf champion at the Indigenous Classic, Mr Russ Molony said:

“It’s so important to involve the wider community when spreading awareness about Aboriginal culture and knowledge,” Mr Molony said.

“My advice to fellow Aboriginal surfers is to give Surfest a go, have fun, connect with your mobs and enjoy our connection to the ocean.”

“The Indigenous comps are always a good reminder to gather, connect, share stories, surf, listen and inspire each other and I encourage everyone to get involved.”

The NSW Regional Woman of the Year 2024 is awarded to Theresa Mitchell this morning at a ceremony held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney.

The award recognises the accomplishments of an exceptional woman living in regional NSW who inspires and advances their community, and contributes to the fabric of their local area.

Theresa Mitchell founded Agape Outreach Inc in 2009, a charity that focuses on assisting the homeless and those in need. Operating between Byron Bay in NSW and Runaway Bay on the Gold Coast in QLD, Agape’s activities include:

• Collecting rescued foods
• Preparing meals and food hampers for families
• Providing case management support
• Offering assistance with applications for people applying for disability insurance services
• Running a psychology department
• Offering access to showers and laundry facilities
• Conducting group training for basic life skills

With a dedicated team of over 240 volunteers and 5 paid staff members, the entirely community-funded organisation serves more than 1,000 people and rescues over 2 tonnes of edible food per week.

A further four outstanding women from Regional NSW were nominated for the award today.

Tsukasa Hiraoka, the founder of Wilba the Empowerbus, a new transport service in Dubbo and Bourke that’s creating employment opportunities and empowering communities. Tsukasa’s vision is to address transport disadvantage in regional and rural NSW by providing affordable, reliable, efficient and environmentally friendly solutions to existing gaps in public transportation, and helping residents access essential services.

Dr Skye Charry, who has practices, researched and consulted on sex discrimination law in rural contexts for almost 20 years. Skype co-founded S.A.C. Consulting Australia which provides bespoke gender equity programs to government, industry and the education sector in the bush and beyond.

Nicole Kiss OAM, founder of a not-for-profit auspice providing hospitals with burial clothing for babies. Her organisation now supplies more than 200 hospitals across Australia.

Rochelle Olsen, founder of The Baby Loss Mentor, her mission is to create informed, safe and understanding communities that recognise and address the unique challenges encountered when someone navigates life after baby loss.

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“I’m proud to announce the award for Regional Woman of the Year to Theresa Mitchell today and congratulate the many fantastic women nominated for their inspiring work.

“The diverse achievements of these incredible women is a testament to their unique backgrounds. It is important awards like this acknowledge and celebrate women who are leading the long-term success of our regional communities.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“Congratulations to Theresa who is our 2024 NSW Regional Woman of the Year. Your contribution to regional NSW is greatly appreciated by your community and you’re an inspiration to others.

“This award is the NSW Government’s way of showcasing the valuable work that regional and rural women do. Whether it is in charitable work, community outreach or challenging gender inequality – you are what make regional NSW the heartbeat of our state.

“The NSW Women of the Year Awards recognise the accomplishments of truly exceptional women and I look forward to following their journeys.”

Find out more about the finalists, recipients and watch the recorded livestream

After almost 12 months since being elected, the Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig is continuing to demonstrate that the Minns Labor Government has no direction or vision for New South Wales.

During the Minister’s Budget Estimates hearing, he revealed another backflip, this time on the IPART review of the Council Financial Model in NSW he announced just four weeks ago.

The IPART review is still open for submissions on terms of reference, it was envisaged once terms of reference were agreed upon the review would take at least 12 months to conduct the review, yet instead of shortening the timeframe of the review, the Minister has detailed plans for an Upper House Committee on the matter.

“I have sought to find a chair who will take the poison chalice,” Minister Hoenig said today on the financial sustainability of Local Government in NSW.

Shadow Minister for Local Government, Wendy Tuckerman said that since Labor came to power, Councils across NSW have been in financial and operational turmoil under a Minister who continues to contemplate rather than take considered action.

“The Minister, after 12 months, is still considering what direction to take – meanwhile the Local Government sector is left languishing, with no direction or support for the sector, which is burdened with uncertainty across the state – inaction from Labor is impacting communities,” Mrs Tuckerman said.

“You have an IPART review which is still deciding its terms of reference and detailing that they will take another 12 months to undertake the actual review – and the Minister’s solution is another review entirely, a backflip all within a month of the original announcement.

Questions were raised in estimates about his choice in selecting the Upper House Committee for the review and why it wasn’t discussed with the portfolio committee. A pointed question was whether the Minister was hoping to achieve a certain political outcome with the upper house review, a point he denied.

“With the amount of Special Rate Variation requests across NSW, the Labor Government needs to address the bill shock being faced by communities across NSW.

The Minister stated he continues to advocate to the Federal Government for increased revenue for the Local Government Sector but highlighted the considerable tension between the Federal Labor Government and the NSW Government on the increase in the taxation income for both the state and the Local Government sector.

The Local Government Sector is looking for leadership, the Minister needs to turn off cruise control and start driving change.

Following today’s revelations that the Government has mapped all of the Inner West local government area for development up to six storeys, the Opposition is calling on the Government to make its mapping of the Low and Mid-Rise SEPP public, so the community can be fully informed about the Government’s intended changes to local communities in the biggest rezoning in Australia’s history.
 
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said it’s clear that Labor’s approach to housing isn’t working.
 
“The Minns Labor Government planning reforms are falling apart because they arrogantly dumped important consultation with local councils and communities. To ensure full transparency, the Government should immediately release mapping prepared by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure which shows the impact of these changes and the Department’s definition of ‘well located areas’,” said Mr Speakman.
 
“In Budget Estimates last week, the Government conceded that they had done the mapping, and we’ve seen it referred to in their own briefing documents, but they refuse to share it with the people of NSW.”
 
“While we know from these internal briefings to the Minister that the entire Inner West is mapped for six-storey apartments; it begs the question of what impact Labor’s one-size-fits-all planning policy has on other communities across the State.”
 
Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Scott Farlow said that under-pressure Planning Minister Paul Scully continues to show a concerning lack of understanding of the impacts of the Minns Labor Government’s “one-size-fits-all” approach by claiming his own briefing documents are “misleading, fanciful and designed to scaremonger”.
 
“It’s ludicrous that the Planning Minister is now calling briefings prepared by his own department ‘misleading’. Chris Minns and Paul Scully should release the mapping of the Low and Mid-Rise SEPP so the community is fully informed about what the Government knows,” Mr Farlow said. 
 
“To address the housing crisis, the Liberals and Nationals believe in working with local communities to set housing targets, allowing communities to formulate their local controls and, if they refuse to do so within appropriate strict time limits, to impose state planning controls – not at the beginning,” said Mr Farlow.

The NSW Opposition is calling out the NSW Roads Minister John Graham for his complete lack of knowledge when it comes to Western Sydney roads investment.
 
This morning at Budget Estimates, Shadow Minister for Roads Natalie Ward asked Minister Graham directly what new funding the Minns Labor Government has committed to the Aerotropolis precinct since coming to office almost 12 months ago.
 
In an embarrassing blunder, the Minister was unable to name a single project, before attempting to take credit for the upgrade to Elizabeth Drive and the M7/M12 Interchange both funded under the former Liberal and Nationals Government.
 
In a desperate pivot to maintain an appearance of any knowledge, the Roads Minister referenced his election commitment to upgrade 15th Avenue, which a department bureaucrat had previously confirmed to Parliament was only enough to plan for the upgrade.
 
The Minns Labor Government’s clear lack of investment in Western Sydney was further exposed when asked to detail the Premier’s statement that his Government was investing $600 million over five years on the Aerotropolis, the Roads Minister declined to provide any detail.
 
Shadow Minister for Roads Natalie Ward commented “The Roads Minister’s eyes are clearly not on the road when it comes to investment in Western Sydney Roads.”
 
“People can’t drive on ‘plans’, they drive on upgraded roads. Upgrading roads requires investment and this Labor Government cannot name a single project they have provided delivery funding for.”
 
“Western Sydney communities be warned – there is a clear difference between planning and delivery funding for road investment. This Labor Government promises everything, but won’t actually build these roads.”