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The NSW Government today announced $31 million to support beekeepers, horticulture and cropping industries affected by the Varroa mite outbreak.

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The announcement was made in front of the NSW Farmers Conference, held in Rosehill Gardens.

Minister for Agriculture, Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty said Varroa mite continues to be a significant threat to the honey bee and pollination industries throughout regional NSW.

“The NSW Government is committed to supporting these industries in their fight against Varroa mite, which was first detected in the sentinel hives of European honey bees at the port of Newcastle just over a year ago,” Minister Moriarty said.

“Protecting our apiary industry, as well as the many industries which rely on it for production and pollination, is not only the right thing to do – it also makes good economic sense.”

Minister Moriarty said Varroa mite will add an estimated $52 million per year in apiary management expenses. The impacts without intervention would be severe on both the wild European honey bee population as well as managed hives around Australia.

“The NSW Varroa mite response, led by NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI), is the biggest plant pest response ever undertaken in NSW and as we pass the 1-year milestone we remain focused on the goal of eradicating the mite,” Ms Moriarty said.

In the past year:

• 2148 people have spent an estimated 452,569 hours on the response across 990,400 hectares of eradication (red) zones
• the NSW DPI has fielded more than 10,000 calls, and has held close to 100 community meetings and webinars
• the Wild European Honey Bee Management Program has deployed 705 bait stations, 823 Fipronil applications, and has been monitoring samples of Wild European Honey Bees collected in Emergency Eradication Zones for Varroa mite of which 725 have returned negative results
• the NSW DPI has sampled 40,726 managed hives across NSW
• beekeepers have sampled 91,626 hives throughout the state.

NSW Government has already spent more than $33 million to control Varroa outbreaks, including $13.7 million in reimbursement to around 2500 affected commercial and recreational beekeepers.

Minister Moriarty said an updated plan for the next 3 years of the response had been endorsed by the National Management Group, which includes representatives from all states, the Commonwealth and industry groups.

“The operational cost of the response is approved and cost-shared by all governments and 16 industry parties, and the progressive spend is monitored by all parties on a regular basis,” Ms Moriarty said. 

For more information on current and emerging biosecurity outbreaks, visit the NSW Department of Primary Industrieslaunch website.

Couples can share their love with pride with two new micro-wedding locations now available through the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

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The new Sydney Zoo in Eastern Creek will host 11 wedding ceremonies on 3 November, where animal lovers will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to exchange vows on the zoo’s Lion Deck, with the day sure to be a roaring success.

Couples can also choose to add a bit of spice to their day with two exclusive wedding opportunities to be held at Peppers Creek Barrel Room & Chapel in the Hunter Valley. The first will be a summer special on 7 December 2023 and the second, a winter wonderland on 21 June 2024, each with 12 ceremonies available.

This new venue features a sandstone chapel where ceremonies will take place and is surrounded by picturesque vineyards.

In addition to these two new venues, the Registry is again poised to help couples set sail on their lives together, welcoming the return of the Sydney Opera House as a special Valentine’s Day micro-wedding venue in 2024.

Following the popularity of the site for micro-weddings over the past two years, the iconic venue will be available for 36 couples to marry on the most romantic day of the year, Valentine’s Day, with reception packages available at Opera Bar and the Yallamundi Rooms.

With the average wedding in Australia costing $36,000, micro-weddings provide an affordable and easy-to-organise option at some of the best venues in Sydney and surrounding areas.

Accommodating up to 35 people, including the celebrant, this intimate style of wedding allows couples to book an affordable and personalised package at an unforgettable location.

Couples can tailor their special day to suit their budget with options for additional extras including photography, floral arrangements, and reception packages from the Registry’s list of industry suppliers.

All legal requirements, including the ceremony, a celebrant, lodgement of Notice of Intended Marriage, as well as a standard and commemorative wedding certificate are provided.

Other Registry micro-wedding locations available include Sergeants Mess in Chowder Bay, Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbour, Vaucluse House, Hyde Hacienda in Circular Quay and The Old Clare in Chippendale.

Make a booking and learn more about micro-weddings

Couples are reminded a Notice of Intended Marriage must be lodged at least one month ahead of a wedding date.

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib said:

“Starting life together shouldn’t break the bank, which is why these micro-wedding offerings are a great choice for couples looking for something a little more intimate and unique.”

“I am thrilled to be unveiling these new micro-wedding offerings and wish every couple who takes advantage of this option a long and happy future together.”

NSW Registrar, Theresa Fairman said:

“The NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages continues to offer special and affordable wedding experiences for couples headed down the aisle.”

“These new venues are an exciting opportunity for couples to marry in unique locations like the new Sydney Zoo and the sweeping Hunter Valley.”

“The Registry’s micro-weddings are a popular option, with 341 couples tying the knot across 30 events since 2021.”

Three boys in NSW have become the youngest patients in the world to receive therapy for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy as part of a world-first international clinical trial for children aged under 4. 

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Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a rare and life-limiting genetic condition mostly affecting boys that causes rapid muscle weakness and results in almost all patients needing a wheelchair by 12 years of age.

There is no known cure. 

The trial will recruit 10 boys under 4 years of age worldwide, with patients followed over a period of at least 5 years to measure the therapy’s effectiveness, including 3 in NSW who are being treated at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.

The DMD clinical trial will use a novel viral vector-based gene replacement therapy to target DMD at its root cause, replacing the faulty or mutated gene with a healthy version in a single-dose infusion.

Current management of DMD involves high-dosed steroids, combined with physical therapy and allied health support but while it can lead to some improvement, it is also associated with difficult side effects and is not a long-term treatment.

Gene replacement therapy has already shown success in treating other genetic conditions, including spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a condition causing rapidly progressive muscle weakness and early death in children.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“This new gene therapy represents a beacon of hope for these 3 young boys and their families.

“I’m very proud that NSW is a part of the world trial for this debilitating disease.

“The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network has the expertise and capability to deliver world-leading paediatric clinical trials like this, which can lead to major clinical improvements for these children.”

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said:

“This new gene therapy could be life-changing for children diagnosed with DMD.

“It’s an incredible achievement for NSW and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead to be leading this trial and showcasing our expertise in gene therapy on the world stage.

“Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy is the most common and rapidly progressive of all the childhood neuromuscular disorders, affecting 1 in 5000 boys – so this new gene therapy could benefit other children with the condition.”

Clinical Trials Medical Lead at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Dr Michelle Lorentzos, said:

“This is the only trial in the world treating boys under 4 years of age – we think by treating the boys earlier, we may be able to prevent much of the weakness and disability that has already occurred in older patients.

“If successful, this treatment could change the landscape of treatment for boys with DMD by offering a transformative intervention that may enable the boys to continue walking into adulthood and also improve their life expectancy.”

Principal Investigator on the trial and Staff Specialist in Clinical Genetics at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Clinical Associate Professor Kristi Jones, said:

“The fact we have been able to run this trial and are the first site in the world to do so, is a remarkable achievement and the result of many years of hard work.

“This wasn’t something we would have been able to achieve on our own and we give our sincere thanks to our supporters, like Save Our Son Duchenne Foundation, who have supported our research and teams from the beginning – their advocacy has been instrumental in making this trial possible.”

The DMD clinical trial was enabled by the Kids Advanced Therapeutics Program at SCHN, a program kindly supported by Luminesce Alliance and Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation which aims to deliver clinical trials of advanced therapeutics and to speed up translation into clinical care.

The NSW Government is making it easier for drivers of electric vehicles to keep them powered, by making $3 million available for the installation of at least 500 electric vehicle (EV) chargers at kerbside locations.

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The vast majority of EV charging is done at home, but 30% of NSW drivers are unable to do so as they don’t have access to off-street parking. Kerbside charging will provide EV drivers with another option to meet their charging needs.

This is the first funding round for chargers at kerbside locations in NSW. It will focus on 26 eligible local government areas that have the least access to off-street parking based on population density and housing type.

Charge point operators and councils can apply for co-funding to install EV chargers.

The EV kerbside charging grant includes co-funding up to:

• 80% of total installation and equipment costs of an EV charger (capped at $10,000 per charge port)
• 80% of a 3-year software subscription for an EV charger software, where third-party software is used
• $800,000 per applicant.
• Grant applications can be made from Monday 17 July to Friday 17 November 2023.

More information and guidelines for the EV kerbside charging grantlaunch

Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said:

“These grants are part of the NSW Electric Vehicle Strategy and with at least 500 new kerbside chargers will give more EV drivers confidence they’ll be able to charge their vehicle locally, even if they don’t have a private carparking spot.

“The transport sector is a growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. In 2020, transport made up 20% of NSW emissions, with almost half from passenger vehicles. Reducing transport emissions is crucial to meeting our net zero target.

Eligible LGAs:

• Bayside 
• Blacktown 
• Burwood 
• Canada Bay 
• Canterbury-Bankstown 
• Cumberland 
• Fairfield 
• Georges River 
• Hunters Hill 
• Inner West 
• Ku-ring-gai 
• Lane Cove 
• Liverpool 
• Mosman 
• Newcastle 
• North Sydney 
• Northern Beaches 
• Parramatta 
• Randwick 
• Ryde 
• Strathfield 
• Sutherland Shire 
• Sydney 
• Waverley 
• Willoughby 
• Woollahra

The NSW Government has approved 2 new batteries to help future-proof NSW’s power supply for more than 100,000 homes in the Central-West Orana and Upper Hunter regions.

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The projects will be constructed in 2 of the state’s Renewable Energy Zones (REZs).

The projects in Apsley (Central-West Orana REZ) and Muswellbrook (Hunter Central Coast REZ) involve building and operating 120-megawatt and 150-megawatt battery storage systems which will connect to the existing electricity network.

The new projects will create 132 jobs, inject $280 million into NSW’s economy, help maintain energy reliability and keep the lights on throughout the state.

The REZs across NSW are the power plants of the future. They will support new jobs and business opportunities during construction and operation in regional areas.

There are currently 27 large-scale renewable energy, transmission lines and storage projects under assessment in the NSW planning system. If approved, they would provide 9 gigawatts of renewable energy and 5.5 megawatts of firming storage.

Each battery is expected to be operational towards the end of 2025 and will have a lifespan of 20 years.

The Renewable Energy Roadmap will provide 12 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030. The approval of the Apsley and Muswellbrook projects takes us closer to that target.

Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said:

“Giving these batteries the green light will play a critical role in securing reliable, renewable energy across NSW.

“The transformation of our energy system needs to occur as soon as possible.

“Batteries are not only critical to supporting our state’s transition to net zero, they will assist us to get there sooner.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“This cutting-edge technology will capture, store and distribute energy to help secure supply for thousands of homes and put downward pressure on electricity prices.

“The batteries will be used during peak power consumption times and provide backup during outages or extreme weather events reducing the need for costly distribution upgrades or emergency generators.”

For more information visit the Major Projects websitelaunch.

Football fans are invited to be part of the biggest ever FIFA Women’s World Cup by joining the celebrations in Sydney from Thursday.

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Sydney is hosting 11 tournament games, including the Final, and fans can share in the festival atmosphere and watch every match at the FIFA Fan Festival site in Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour.

The FIFA Fan Festival will be open from 4:00pm on 20 July and will welcome fans for all FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches. The public viewing area is free and has capacity for 5000 fans.

The opening match between World Cup Co-Hosts New Zealand against Norway from Auckland will be live streamed at the FIFA Fan Festival.

The FIFA Fan Festival site will show every game for free on large screens, host live music performances, offer street food, and give fans the opportunity to visit Australia’s only FIFA museum and purchase official FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 merchandise.

There will be football games and drills at the playground, including speedometer goals that record how fast you can kick the ball, to accuracy tests, football golf and football snooker.

The next generation of footballers can also test themselves on the pitch, an enclosed footballing facility, with multiple sized goals for cross bar challenges, penalty shootouts, freestyle and skill clinics.

If the FIFA Fan Festival capacity of 5000 visitors is topped there will be capacity for another 5000 fans on the rooftop of the nearby ICC Sydney.

Outside of the main CBD site, there are councils across NSW that will be helping their communities get together to be part of the World Cup buzz from Cowra to Lennox Head and the Inner West of Sydney.

Visit FIFA Fan Festivallaunch for more information about everything taking place.

For more information on public transport options to each match, including trip planning tools, visit Transport NSW’s FIFA WWClaunch website. 

Visit NSW Office of Sportlaunch for more information about the live sites.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

“Sydney’s FIFA Fan Festival provides a vibrant place for football fans of all ages to celebrate the tournament and watch every game for free live on the big screens.

“The festival is hosting music acts such as Jessica Mauboy, JACOTÉNE and Jack River, putting on street food, and an official FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 merch shop and we can’t wait for fans to share the buzz that is going to be FIFA Women’s World Cup, Sydney.

“We’ve had Sydney WorldPride 2023 and the record-breaking Vivid Sydney 2023, and this fan site is central to our next big event.

“Remember, everyone up and down the state can take part in the live site buzz with dozens of venues getting ready to allow communities to come together to cheer on the Matildas and other teams.”

Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“As the home to the most clubs, with the largest, greatest supporter base, most passionate fans and best football venues, Sydney is the home of football in Australia and the FIFA Fan Festival represents Sydney’s commitment to delivering the ultimate footballing experience for fans and families.

“Fans can participate in onsite activities at the FIFA Fan Festival Playground like shooting past a speedometer, football snooker, a three-hole game of football minigolf as well as penalty practice or a full game on the festival’s pop-up pitch.

“Fans can explore the FIFA Women’s World Cup’s history, its origins and greatest ever players through film, interactive displays and historic artefacts and see the FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy itself in the Museum’s display room.

“We welcome all the international football fans and players to NSW and the FIFA Fan Festival site is here for young and old, visitors and Sydneysiders.”

Premier Chris Minns claims that “12 years of financial mismanagement” is the reason NSW can’t bid to save the Commonwealth Games.

The claim is false. Chris Minns needs to be honest with the people of NSW.

Here are the facts of the former Liberals and Nationals Government’s financial management:

• At the end of 2018-19, before the once in a century COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented natural disasters, the Budget showed a $4.2 billion surplus and net debt was in the black at $11.2 billion.
• Prior to the election, the surplus was forecast to reach $601 million by 2024-25.
• Last November, global ratings agency Fitch reaffirmed NSW’s triple-A credit rating with a stable outlook. NSW is the only state in Australia with two triple-A credit ratings, with Moody’s also assigning a triple-A rating in September. S&P Global maintained the State’s double-A plus rating with a stable outlook.
• The State’s net debt is projected to stabilise at about 14 per cent of Gross State Product by June 2026, compared with a projected 26.5 per cent for Victoria at 30 June 2026.

In fact, it is Labor financial mismanagement in Victoria that has led to its humiliating and reputation-trashing decision to cancel its Games bid.

If Chris Minns insists on talking down the NSW economy he must immediately identify what he would have done differently. Would NSW Labor have:

• Not delivered COVID-19 pandemic assistance to businesses and households?
• Not delivered assistance following record bushfires, drought and floods?
• Not delivered the nation’s biggest infrastructure program including record investment in hospitals and schools?
• Not delivered record investment in teachers, nurses and doctors?

Chris Minns and his ministers have no problem basking in Coalition Government’s achievements, cutting the ribbons of projects our government funded and delivered, but continually talk down our economy and prospects.

The truth is NSW Labor won’t even investigate hosting the Commonwealth Games, and are increasingly a do-nothing government cancelling cost of living support and infrastructure, because they lack vision and ambition for this state and have unfunded promises to union bosses and a public sector wage increase blowout. 

Labor can’t have it both ways. It’s time for the Premier to be honest with the people of NSW.

As parents across the state struggle with Labor’s cost-of-living crisis, the NSW Labor Government is adding to this burden by failing to deliver Coalition reforms to make childcare and preschool more affordable and easier to access. 

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said the Minns Government should not use federal childcare subsidies as a smokescreen to shortchange NSW parents.

“The NSW Coalition Government committed more than $15 billion over 10 years to make early childhood education and care services more affordable and accessible for parents and carers. This included the $5 billion Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund and a year of free pre-Kindergarten for all children,” Mr Speakman said.

“The Labor Party refused to match our support for working parents prior to the election, and given their record for slashing cost-of-living programs the Government is laying the groundwork to cut this essential funding as well.” 

Shadow Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said that childcare costs act as a tax on working families with young children, and not investing in early childhood education and care sets children up to fail later in life.

“As a working mum with young children, I have been a tireless fighter for better access to preschool, early childhood education and care for families across our state. That’s why we’re calling on the Government to confirm no cuts to childcare funding ahead of the September Budget,” said Ms Mitchell. 

“Many women feel they can’t return to work, or have to work reduced hours, because of the barriers to accessing quality and affordable early childhood education and care near their home or work. Caring for children is the number one reason mothers say they are not working more.”

“Even with the Commonwealth subsidies, access to childcare for thousands of families will be better supported with state funding and ripping that away would have a devastating effect and may force many women out of work.”

“So far, the Minns Labor Government have been silent on this issue. We have yet to see any movement on the rollout of the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund and there is no financial support flowing to families.”

“Labor have also only committed to 100 new preschools this term – one fifth of the 500 preschools the Coalition had earmarked – and won’t confirm a timeframe for delivering a year of free pre-Kindergarten for all children. They have also short-changed the early childhood workforce with a mere $22 million package, which pales in comparison with the $282 million that was being rolled out by the Coalition to support early childhood teachers and educators.”

“The evidence is clear that the first five years of a child’s life is critical for their social, emotional and cognitive development. That’s why we were investing record amounts in the early years because we know how important it is to set kids on the right trajectory.”

“Under Labor, family budgets will be shortchanged and thousands of children will miss out on the crucial early childhood education they need.”

“Our children deserve better than what Chris Minns and his team is offering.”