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Greens stand in solidarity with Camp Sovereignty and First Nations community

The Victorian Greens are deeply disturbed by reports of an assault at Camp Sovereignty on Sunday night and extend our solidarity to Ash Ni Mara, everyone present at the camp, and the First Nations community.

It comes at a painful time for the community, just days after guilty pleas were entered in relation to last year’s violent attack on Camp Sovereignty and as the community approaches the one year anniversary.

Leader of the Victorian Greens, Ellen Sandell:

“We’ve seen vile and racist attacks on Camp Sovereignty, which are deeply disturbing. It’s heartbreaking that First Nations people are being forced to relive this trauma so close to the anniversary of the violent neo-Nazi attack on Camp Sovereignty last year.

“Camp Sovereignty is a sacred place of truth-telling, resistance and the survival of the oldest continuing culture on Earth. It is a place that brings people together, and one that so many in our community feel deeply proud of and grateful to be welcomed to share in.

“Attacks like this do not happen in a vacuum. We are seeing racism and far-right extremism become increasingly emboldened, fuelled by those who seek to divide our communities.

“Now more than ever do we need to come together and unite against fear, hate and division. To stand in solidarity with First Nations communities, to protect and strengthen Treaty, truth-telling and justice.”

Labor doubles down on AI data centres and neglecting the environment

Labor’s reshuffle tells us a few things – Environment? Don’t care. Cyclists? Don’t care. AI data centres? More please!

The Victorian Greens say that Labor’s priorities have been made crystal clear: rolling out the red carpet for big tech corporations top the list, while the environment is not even on the page.

Victoria now has the fifth Environment Minister in five years. A revolving door that shows how little priority Labor gives to protecting our natural environment.

‘Active’ has been dropped from the Public Transport Minister’s title – which the Greens say sends a clear signal that helping more Victorians to safely walk or cycle and lowering vehicle emissions, is not a priority.

And the cherry on top is that Victoria now has a Minister for AI as Labor doubles down on special treatment for big tech corporations and even more AI data centres that spell disaster for Victoria’s environment.

The Victorian Greens say that if anyone is going to believe that Labor’s AI data centre plan and the environment are compatible, they should think again.

Not only is Labor already neglecting nature as it is, they’re now walking away from active transport and doubling down on AI data centres that will make things far worse.

Deputy Leader of the Victorian Greens, Dr Sarah Mansfield:

“Labor’s been rolling out the red carpet for these AI data centres that guzzle water and energy and spell total disaster for the environment – and now they’ve even got a new Minister dedicated to bringing in even more of them.

“If anyone in Labor actually cared about the environment, they wouldn’t be throwing the portfolio around like a hot potato every ten seconds while fast-tracking data centres that risk wreaking havoc on our environment and keeping Victoria hooked on coal and gas longer.

“If Labor genuinely cared about responsible investment, they would be supporting industries that create jobs to protect our climate, water and environment. But instead, they’re prioritising big tech corporations and fast-tracking data centres that send us backwards on all of the above.”

Albanese must stop high-fiving wealth wipe out of young Australians

“The Albanese government needs to stop high-fiving falling house prices, because they’re sending first home buyers and Australian families into negative equity”, said Shadow Treasurer, Tim Wilson.

Mr Wilson’s comments come as new PropTrack analysis confirms $230 billion has been wiped from Australia’s property market in just four months, with property values falling from $12.77 trillion to $12.54 trillion since Labor’s tax changes, global turmoil and interest rate rises began to bite.

“It’s clear that the Albanese government doesn’t understand that they’re deliberately crashing Australians’ wealth”, Mr Wilson said.

“Yesterday, Albanese government Minister Matt Thistlethwaite couldn’t even tell the difference between negative equity and defaulting on a mortgage on national television, and this is the government deciding the fate of Australians’ biggest asset”.

“First the Albanese government came for the savings of retirees, then they came for the equity of small business owners, then the wealth of families, and now they’re coming for the hopes of first home buyers”.

“Their own 5 per cent deposit scheme has loaded first home buyers up with government-guaranteed debt right as they’ve crashed confidence in the property market, and now those same Australians are being walked into negative equity by the government’s own design”.

“This isn’t a fundamental problem with real estate, it’s a sentiment of fear created by an Albanese government that thinks smashing the value of Australians’ homes is somehow a win”.

“Taxpayers are now on the hook for $11 billion in liability because Labor’s scheme has more than quintupled since they came to office, while almost 60 per cent of new entrants are borrowing more than 94 per cent of the purchase price”.

“The Albanese government should stop treating a housing wealth wipe-out as some kind of victory lap and start taking responsibility for a crisis of confidence they created”.

Visitors vote with their feet as Newcastle Museum notches up 15 years at Honeysuckle

New figures have revealed Newcastle Museum has one of the youngest demographics of any museum in Australia, with around 20% of its visitors aged under 25.

The youth market has surged significantly since the Museum opened its doors at Honeysuckle 15 years ago today, with just 6% of visitors falling into the 16-24 age bracket at that time.

The giant red hooks have welcomed millions of visitors into the doors of the Newcastle Museum during the past 15 years.

City of Newcastle Museum Archive Libraries and Learning Director Julie Baird, who is also President of the Australian Museum & Galleries Association, said it was important to appeal across all generations.

“Newcastle Museum is committed to telling the stories of ordinary and extraordinary Novocastrians through our collections, exhibitions and audience engagement – this is who we are, where we’ve come from and where we’re going,” Ms Baird said.

“Our programming doesn’t just tap into the nostalgia of older generations but holds a mirror up to society across a spectrum of topics and ideas.

“We want to see people of all ages coming through our doors and have been strategic about what we offer to encourage growth in multiple age groups, from teen-led takeovers of the Museum after hours to exhibitions and programs for broad tastes and age ranges.

“Family groups with young children also continue to be a mainstay of our visitor profile, ensuring intergenerational experiences are an important part of what we offer here at the Museum.

“We are proud to be celebrating 15 years at this site, creating an inclusive and accessible space that educates, entertains and benefits the community in so many ways.”

Almost 2.3 million people have visited Newcastle Museum since the former Railway Workshops at Honeysuckle were transformed into a state-of-the-art cultural facility in 2011.

Last year saw Newcastle Museum record its second highest audience numbers since the move, with just over 188,000 visitors. The Museum is on track for more of the same this year with over 97,000 people coming through its doors by the end of July.

Ms Baird said upgrading and expanding the Museum at Honeysuckle saw it become a cornerstone of the wider Civic cultural precinct and a key tourist attraction for Newcastle.

“Newcastle Museum is a vehicle for celebrating our city and sharing its stories, not just with the local community but with tens of thousands of visitors to our region ever year,” Ms Baird said.

“It has evolved over the years to play an increasingly significant role in the city’s tourism offering, with around 65% of our audience now coming from outside the Hunter Region compared to just 27% 15 years ago.

“We rely heavily on our annual visitor evaluation survey to guide what decisions we make and what we do.

“This year Newcastle Museum achieved a satisfaction rate of 96%, with one of the highest visitation rates per capita in Australia.

“These are the numbers that matter because people vote with their feet. We look forward to welcoming them into this space for decades to come.”

A glass Link Building was constructed to form a connection between the three existing Heritage-listed railway workshops as part of the relocation of Newcastle Museum to its Honeysuckle home.

Newcastle Museum Fast Facts

Newcastle Museum was established in 1988 in the restored former Castlemaine Brewery in Newcastle West as a major Bicentennial project.
It temporarily closed in 2008 to allow for its shift to the former Honeysuckle Railway Workshops, which were the original preferred site for the Museum.
The relocation involved the major refurbishment of the three existing Heritage-listed railway buildings. The Locomotive Boiler Shop is now home to Supernova, the New Erecting Shop is home to Fire and Earth, and the Blacksmith’s and Wheel Shop house enclosed exhibition spaces and the theatrette. A new Link Building, constructed to form a connection between these spaces, contains the main public foyer, transport exhibition and orientation spaces.
The Museum re-opened on 4 August 2011. In the first six months it welcomed 100,000 visitors through the doors to explore the innovative and interactive new displays including the drama of the BHP show, which interprets the excitement, colour and noise of the steel making process and remains the Museum’s most popular permanent exhibit today.
In the past 15 years, Newcastle Museum has welcomed 2,298,252 visitors, accepted over 3,000 object donations, won 24 state and national awards including an international Best in Heritage award from the International Congress of Museums and an AMAGA award for the best exhibition in Australia, and displayed 98 exhibitions across a diverse range of topic areas.
The Museum welcomed its two millionth visitor to the Honeysuckle site in 2025.

Minns Government to introduce new laws to better protect our state’s fisheries, seafood and marine habitat

The Minns Labor Government is acting to crackdown on illegal catches of the state’s precious seafoods such as abalone, lobster and mud crab by bolstering the compliance powers for NSW’s Fisheries Officers.

The Minns Government’s reforms will strengthen the ability of Fisheries Officers to respond to illegal fishing, disrupt black market seafood supply chains, and tackle aquatic habitat offences that threaten the long-term sustainability of NSW’s fisheries.

The Fisheries Management Amendment (Enforcement) Bill 2026 is being introduced to Parliament this week and represent the most significant modernisation of powers in some time.

The Minns Government’s reforms are critical for ensuring Fisheries Officers have the tools they need to do their jobs more effectively and safely.

The community expects that NSW has the regulatory powers required to protect our natural aquatic resources and remain fit for purpose to deter or investigate criminal activities.

After the Bill passes the new provisions will allow Fisheries Officers to:

Act against people knowingly buying fish from illegal sellers, this will have a direct impact on dampening black-market sales
Identify and question boat owners when their boat has been suspected to have been involved in illegal activities such a vessel observed by a fisheries drone undertaking illegal fishing
Make it harder for illegal fishers to evade fisheries officers and empower Fisheries Officers to demand the identity of suspected offenders
Proactively check that seafood being transported and sold by mobile seafood vendors has been sourced legally.

Along with the boosting of compliance powers the Minns Government is ensuring there are boots on the ground to protect our fisheries.

Eight Supervising and District Fisheries Officers are being recruited and a recruitment drive for a new cohort of up to 11 First Year Fisheries Officers to be stationed right across the state is underway.

The Government’s Bill will deliver the following outcomes:

Enhance powers to address the risks posed by black market fish sales to the sustainability of fisheries resources and enhance traceability through the seafood supply chain
Increased penalties of up to $44,000 to deter would-be offenders from stealing aquaculture stock for black market sale or damaging aquaculture infrastructure
Improved enforcement powers and tools so Fisheries Officers can operate safely and effectively, in line with community expectations of modern natural resource regulators.

The NSW Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty commissioned a review of the Part 9 of the Fisheries Management Act, that covers compliance and investigation powers, in response to the recommendations of an independent review of fisheries compliance powers.

The independent review was initiated in response to concerns from Fisheries Officers about their powers in relation to safety.

These new powers will enable the state to better protect the aquaculture sector which has recorded a farm gate value of $107 million, contributed almost a quarter of a billion dollars to the state economy, and supports around 2,200 jobs along our coastline.

In a separate regulation change, the Government will soon introduce of a ‘fit and proper person’ test for commercial fishing licences in line with community standards, including the completion of a National Police Check.

The fit and proper person test will allow the refusal, suspension or cancellation of a licence where an applicant or licensee has been convicted of serious indictable offences, including assaulting or intimidating a public officer, serious violence offences, fraud, offences involving criminal groups, or serious offences related to fishing activities.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“With these reforms to compliance powers we are protecting the livelihood of hard working and honest commercial fishers and ensuring the sustainability of our resources for future generations.

“The Minns Government is putting in place a stronger and better way of protecting our valuable fisheries resources such as abalone, lobster and mud crabs.

“Fisheries Officers undertake important work protecting our state’s aquatic environments and fisheries resources on the water, at the beach, at wharves and on the road, and they need modernised powers to better do their job.

“Like all workers in NSW, we are committed to ensuring that Fisheries Officers are able to feel safe and appropriately empowered to do their job and public service everyday across the state.”

“The introduction of the new ‘fit and proper person’ standard for commercial fishing licenses aims to protect the working environment of Fisheries Officers and for ensuring our natural resources are better protected from fraud or criminal interests.”

New funding supports Hunter-led heart health research

Two University of Newcastle researchers have received more than $1.1 million in funding to advance cardiovascular research and improve access to specialist heart health care for regional and rural communities.

Two University of Newcastle-based cardiovascular specialists have been awarded $1.1 million in Minns Labor Government funding to improve heart health outcomes in regional and rural communities across NSW.

Professor Aaron Sverdlov and Dr Tatt Jhong Haw are among 28 health researchers across the state to receive funding from the latest round of the NSW Government’s $14 million Cardiovascular Senior and Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant program.

Professor Sverdlov received $748,104 to explore cancer drug combinations that fight tumours and protect the heart.

The cardiologist and his team will establish a telehealth cardio-oncology service at Maitland and Tamworth with the aim to improve access to specialist cardiovascular care for patients living in regional and rural NSW.

Dr Haw, a Cardio-Respiratory researcher, will use $450,000 in grant funding to examine how exposure to air pollution from coal mining and bushfires during a women’s pregnancy affects infants’ health outcomes, including their risk of developing heart and lung disease later in life.

Together, these projects will address key health challenges faced by communities in regional NSW, boosting peoples’ access to timely, specialised cardiovascular care, while helping ensure research solutions are developed with local needs in mind.

The grants are part of the NSW Government’s Cardiovascular Research Capacity Program, a $150 million commitment over 10 years, which aims to improve the cardiovascular health of people in NSW.

The latest round of funding will support research across several priority areas including:

safer immune therapies for cardiovascular disease
prevention of blood clots in life support machines
developing monitoring devices for heart rhythm treatments
creating synthetic grafts that regenerate into arteries
codesigning cardiovascular disease prevention strategies for adolescents.

For more information, visit Cardiovascular Senior and Early-Mid Career Researcher Grants.

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

“Our Government is supporting some of the best and brightest minds in cardiovascular research through this grant program, which aims to keep our state at the forefront of medical research.

“This round of grants was highly competitive, and I would like to congratulate Professor Aaron Sverdlov, Dr Tatt Jhong Haw and the other 26 successful recipients who will now be better able to continue the amazing work they are doing.

“Professor Sverdlov and Dr Haw’s important, innovative research is helping ensure people in our regional communities receive equitable access to healthcare that best suits their needs.

“I look forward to seeing how the important work undertaken by these talented researchers, their multi-disciplinary teams and collaborators, will make a real difference to the lives of people living in NSW and across the globe.”

Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:

“This is fantastic news for Professor Aaron Sverdlov and Dr Tatt Jhong Haw and a big win for the Hunter.

“This funding will help drive research that has the potential to change lives, while making sure some of our brightest clinicians and researchers can continue their work right here in our region.

“The Hunter is where world-class medical research is happening and this investment is helping keep it that way.”

Cardiologist Professor Aaron Sverdlov said:

“With advances in cancer care, we are seeing more and more people who are surviving cancer, but unfortunately, many are left with heart problems caused by cancer treatment. Our team in Newcastle is working to change that by developing better ways to protect the heart while helping patients receive the cancer care they need.

“This grant gives our team the chance to build on everything we have created in cardio-oncology and keep turning that work into safer, more practical care for patients in our region while helping lead the way nationally.

“This funding helps us keep translating our work into real care for people across Newcastle, the Hunter and regional NSW, including through telehealth, so patients can access expert support closer to home during and after cancer treatment. At the same time the funding will help develop better therapies that can both fight cancer and protect the heart.”

Cardio-Respiratory researcher Dr Tatt Jhong Haw said:

“This research aims to identify early molecular warning signs of prenatal pollution exposure, to help develop future predictive tests and preventative health interventions, and protect the lifelong heart and lung health of children in regional NSW.

“This $450,000 NSW Government funding support will facilitate the transition to a research leadership role. It will also support us to establish a regional hub which leverages global partnerships to develop proactive screening tools that inform public health policy with the aim of protecting children’s futures from the effects of environmental pollution.

“By developing Hunter-specific screening tools and early-intervention therapies, this funding translates laboratory research into direct clinical solutions and evidence to protect the lifelong health of children in the local community.”

A modern era of construction methods and approvals begins

The Minns Labor Government has passed nation-leading building reforms through NSW Parliament introducing a new, modern era of approvals and construction methods.

The laws make it faster, easier and cheaper to build high-quality homes by supporting the uptake of Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and streamlining project approvals to get more homes out of the ground as quickly as possible.

These reforms come as the Minns Labor Government is set to turbocharge the way homes are built in NSW, unlocking the potential of MMC and lifting productivity in the building sector. The Government has invested $32.3 million in the NSW 2026/27 Budget to implement these laws, including modernising the building approvals system, integrating it into the NSW Planning Portal and piloting AI tools to speed up licence application processing.

Constructing a new approach to MMC

The adoption of MMC, including modular and prefabricated housing, is key to boosting housing supply in NSW. MMC has the potential to reduce overall building costs by up to 20 per cent and result in homes being built up to 50 per cent faster.

Despite these benefits, MMC has historically relied on approvals that are slow and inconsistent.

This legislation decisively changes that. NSW is now the leading Australian jurisdiction to provide a clear regulatory framework that:

Recognises MMC in law by defining “prefabricated buildings”,
Integrates prefabricated buildings into the building approvals system,
Sets clear rules for the manufacture, supply, transport, delivery and installation of prefabricated buildings.

Together, these changes will increase industry certainty, boost consumer confidence, and encourage more builders to take advantage of innovative MMC.

Laying the foundations for streamlined building approvals

The Bill will also streamline complex, fragmented and often duplicative approvals processes into one single piece of legislation.

This includes:

Removing duplication between building and planning legislation,
Simplifying building and completion approvals,
Establishing a system of staged approvals to allow construction to begin and for people to move in as early as possible,
Allowing minor variations to a building’s approval – like changing the size of a door or installing a tap outside – to be approved without the need for a new planning consent if it fits the approval framework,
Operating in an easy-to-use digital environment,
Creating a single authoritative source of truth for consumers, regulators, and industry, making the approvals process easier for everyone who needs to access it.

These changes will save the building industry valuable time and reduce costs. Requiring just one set of designs for apartment buildings to gain building approval is expected to save an average of $327,000 in design costs per apartment block alone.

The Bill also establishes a new framework for dispute resolution by Building Commission NSW to minimise the need for costly court proceedings, as well as impose stronger integrity measures for certifiers by increasing fines from $33,000 to $1.1 million for those who breach bolstered conflict of interest rules.

These changes form part of a growing suite of reforms to unlock the potential of MMC, including:

Inviting experienced local and international MMC operators to partner with the NSW Government to build a world-class facility to deliver prefabricated components and modular housing at scale,
Opening applications for the Housing Innovation in Construction Fund and Housing Innovation Network Grants Program – a nearly $4 million investment to strengthen the local industry MMC sector.

This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with more high-quality homes and services, so young people, families and key local workers have somewhere to live and in the communities they choose.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“There has never been a more important time to find modern solutions to the state’s housing supply challenges.

“These laws build on last year’s landmark planning reforms to make the process from planning to building and moving into a new home as smooth and simple as possible.

“We’ve made common sense changes to drive better outcomes for the people of NSW. Overhauling another fragmented, duplicative system with one clear set of rules targeted at building more quality homes faster in every corner of the state.”

Minister for Housing Rose Jackson said:

“Today’s housing challenges require modern solutions – and that’s exactly what these reforms are enabling.

“Prefabricated and modular homes are no longer fringe options. They are central to our housing solutions, and the Minns Labor Government is proud to be leading the nation in our adoption.

“This marks a new era of innovative, high-quality homes in NSW.”

Minister for Building Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“We know that productivity in the building industry has not kept pace with the need to build more, quality housing across our state.

“So the Minns Labor Government is removing red tape to boost housing completions and support innovative ways to build safe, high-quality homes.

“We’ve listened to the building industry and progressed reforms that will deliver the certainty and modernisation they need.

“We’re building more quality homes faster and cheaper without compromising on quality.”

NSW Building Commissioner James Sherrard said:

“These reforms support Building Commission NSW’s role as NSW’s building regulator by making it easier for people to understand and comply with building requirements.

“Not only will these laws encourage the nation-leading adoption of MMC, but they also give industry and consumers alike more confidence in every stage of the building process – from approvals to construction to certification.”

Executive Director of Master Builders NSW Matt Pollock said:

“The passage of this Bill will deliver a streamlined approvals processes that will cut costs, reduce delays and enhance the viability of new housing projects so the industry can get on with constructing more new homes.

“Providing a framework that brings MMC into the mainstream and provides confidence means there will be more opportunities for builders to construct more new homes faster in a controlled environment.

“We thank the Minns Government for its collaborative approach and congratulate it on passing these reforms that will underpin increased building activity and economic growth.”

UDIA NSW CEO Stuart Ayres said:

“UDIA welcomes the passage of this important building Bill which removes the duplicate regulations that have been holding back manufactured homes in land lease communities across NSW.

“This practical reform will put NSW on the front foot with streamlined approvals, a reduction in unnecessary costs and support faster delivery of this emerging type of housing.”

Executive Chairman of prefabAUS Damien Crough said:

“This is a significant step forward for New South Wales and one that recognises how buildings are increasingly being manufactured as well as constructed.

“Good regulation should enable innovation, not create uncertainty. This amendment provides a clearer legislative foundation for modern construction methods while maintaining the rigorous building standards that Australians rightly expect.”

Project to ward off heart attacks before symptoms appear part of Minns Labor Government $14 million research boost

A prominent Sydney cardiologist has been awarded $750,000 in NSW Government funding for research to enable much earlier detection and treatment of coronary artery disease which is a major killer if left untreated.

Every year in NSW coronary artery disease causes around 6,000 deaths and 50,000 hospitalisations, with many people unaware they have the disease until they experience a heart attack, which is often too late.

Professor Gemma Figtree from the University of Sydney is one of 28 health researchers receiving $14 million in funding under the latest round of the NSW Government’s Cardiovascular Senior and Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant program.

The funding will enable Professor Figtree and her research team to explore ways to identify biomarkers of coronary artery disease before symptoms appear and to develop a program to screen for the disease across the broad population of NSW.

Professor Figtree is looking for the presence of atherosclerotic coronary plaque, which can be a cause of heart attacks and can be present in people well before any symptoms arise.

The grants are part of the NSW Government’s Cardiovascular Research Capacity Program, a $150 million commitment over 10 years, which aims to improve the cardiovascular health of people in NSW.

The latest round of funding will support research across several priority areas including:

heart-protective cancer treatments
safer immune therapies for cardiovascular disease
the impact of stress and air pollution on heart health
prevention of blood clots in life support machines
developing monitoring devices for heart rhythm treatments
creating synthetic grafts that regenerate into arteries
codesigning cardiovascular disease prevention strategies for adolescents.

For more information on the Cardiovascular Senior and Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant program visit:

https://medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/grants/cardiovascular-research-capacity-program/cardiovascular-senior-early-mid-career

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

“Our Government is supporting some of the best and brightest minds in cardiovascular research through this grant program, which aims to keep our state at the forefront of medical research.

“This round of grants was highly competitive, and I would like to congratulate the 28 successful recipients who will now be better able to continue the amazing work they are doing.

“A great example is Professor Gemma Figtree’s project to detect coronary artery disease well before symptoms appear to give people the best chance of staving off a disease that causes so many deaths and hospitalisations in NSW every year.

Cardiologist and University of Sydney Professor Gemma Figtree said:

“A large proportion of heart attacks happen with no prior warning symptoms, and often without any major red flags from a risk factor perspective.

“This grant is invaluable and will support my team in discovering and translating new blood-based biomarker and imaging strategies to achieve early detection and treatment of atherosclerotic coronary plaque with a focus on equity and scale.

“We will develop new clinical pathways to maximise equitable access to early detection and treatment of coronary artery disease to prevent heart attack.”

NAPLAN results in NSW reveal promising signs amid explicit teaching push

NSW statewide NAPLAN results released in today’s 2026 National Report reveal promising signs of improvement amid the state’s explicit teaching push, while there is more for schools in all sectors to do in areas needing targeted support.

NSW continues to exceed the national averages in all year groups and domains, with more than two thirds of results either strong or exceeding for most year groups and domains.

Signs of growth continue to emerge following the Minns Labor Government’s sustained and targeted investment in teaching quality, curriculum reforms and tailored student support, driving meaningful improvements in literacy and numeracy across NSW schools.

That work includes investing in early literacy and numeracy checks, targeted intervention, ambitious learning targets and evidence-based support for teachers rolling out the new NSW Curriculum, so more students can build strong foundations and move into higher levels of achievement.

While NSW results are relatively stable overall, there is growth in the proportion of students in Years 5 and 7 exceeding in spelling, grammar punctuation, and numeracy, compared to their previous NAPLAN results. This suggests that phonics, explicit teaching and early intervention are making a difference. Examples of this improvement include:

Year 5 grammar and punctuation is up 8.9 percentage points in strong and exceeding compared to the same cohort’s Year 3 results in 2024.
Year 5 spelling is up 8.6 percentage points in strong and exceeding compared to the same cohort’s Year 3 results in 2024.
Year 5 numeracy is up 6.8 percentage points in strong and exceeding compared to the same cohort’s Year 3 results in 2024.
Year 7 spelling is up 4.9 percentage points in strong and exceeding compared to the same cohort’s Year 5 results in 2024.

These results are consistent with the upward trends reported in 2025 and reflect steady and sustained progress in foundational skills vital for long-term academic success.

The results also reinforce the need to remain focussed on delivering targeted support to students who are still developing proficiency in one or more key learning areas. This includes writing for Years 5, 7 and 9 and grammar and punctuation for Years 7 and 9.

NSW will also take steps to address a concerning national trend of declining writing results, including the delivery of professional learning focussed on strengthening writing across the curriculum for all NSW public schools at the start of next year.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to investing in evidence-based programs and quality teaching to improve learning outcomes, with a comprehensive suite of initiatives reaching tens of thousands of public school students across NSW including:

The Year 1 Number Screening Check introduced statewide in 2026 to assess 60,000 Year 1 students and identify gaps in their number skills, so targeted support can be provided.
The Year 1 Phonics Screening Check supporting foundational literacy, complemented by an expanded targeted phonics program for students and schools where it is needed.
The Small Group Tuition Program, rolled out to every NSW public school, is delivering targeted literacy and numeracy support for students needing targeted support.
New curriculum resources and professional learning supporting teachers to deliver explicit, knowledge-rich K-12 English and Mathematics syllabuses, with mandatory writing professional development for all NSW public schools in 2027.

The full 2026 NAPLAN National Report is available from ACARA’s website.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“This year’s results show NSW students are continuing to perform at a high level while demonstrating growth in key literacy and numeracy skills.

“The performance of NSW students reflects the commitment of our teachers, alongside the Minns Labor Government’s investment in targeted programs like small group tuition and Year 1 phonics and number screening checks, to ensure every student can reach their potential.

“While this year’s results are largely stable, they also show there is more to do, and highlight where schools need to continue to focus their efforts with evidence-based teaching and targeted programs.

“With mandatory professional development in teaching writing next year, and further initiatives in the pipeline, we are laying the groundwork to further lift literacy outcomes.

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to ensuring every student has access to a world-class public education with strong teaching, a high-quality curriculum and the support needed to build essential literacy and numeracy skills.”

Labor must allow independent examination of dangerous three strikes drug driving bill

The Minns Labor Government must allow its dangerous three strikes drug driving bill to be properly examined by a Parliamentary Committee before allowing cannabis users onto our roads.

The NSW Liberals and Nationals are calling for the Road Transport Legislation Amendment (Medical Cannabis and Driving Offences) Bill 2026 to the NSW Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety (STAYSAFE), should Labor continue to refuse to abandon it altogether.

Leader of the Opposition Kellie Sloane said the Premier should not ask Parliament to approve such significant reforms without first allowing them to be independently examined by Australia’s oldest and most respected parliamentary road safety committee.

“STAYSAFE helped shape reforms including random breath testing, graduated licensing, stronger drink-driving laws, school zone safety and fatigue countermeasures. It exists so that Parliament can hear from scientists, police, medical experts, road safety specialists and victims before major changes to road safety laws are made,” Ms Sloane said.

“This Bill has profound implications for every family that uses our roads and it should be properly examined in a transparent way.”

“If the Minns Labor Government is confident these changes are supported by the evidence, he should have no hesitation referring the Bill to STAYSAFE for independent scrutiny.”

Shadow Minister for Roads Mark Coure said STAYSAFE was created specifically to investigate complex road safety issues and has played a pivotal role in many of New South Wales’ most significant road safety reforms over the past four decades.

“This is precisely why STAYSAFE was established. Its role is to investigate road safety issues, hear evidence and provide Parliament with independent recommendations before decisions are made that could affect the safety of every road user,” Mr Coure said.

“Every family expects road safety to come before politics. Chris Minns should refer this Bill to STAYSAFE before asking Parliament to weaken NSW’s drug-driving laws,” Mr Coure said.

“Chris Minns now has a simple choice – allow independent scrutiny or explain to the people of New South Wales why he knows better than the parliament’s expert Committee deliberately set up to examine issues such as this”.

The Opposition is calling on the Premier to allow STAYSAFE to receive evidence from:
· road safety experts
· medical specialists
· police
· trauma surgeons
· victim support organisations
· industry representatives; and
· other key experts before the Bill proceeds.