Category: NSW News

The Minns Labor Government is committing $3 million to improve health outcomes for patients, carers and families with end of life and palliative care needs in NSW.

The funding for The End of Life and Palliative Care Research Grant Program aims to translate research projects into practical benefits and support collaboration between NSW Health, research institutes, community organisations, non-government organisations and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.

Eligible agencies will receive up to $300,000 over three years for smaller scale research projects, and up to $600,000 for larger scale research activity.

Recipients of the funding will conduct research in the following priority areas:

• Pharmacological and non-pharmacological management for patients
• Collaborative care models to improve experience
• Culturally and socially inclusive care for Aboriginal, culturally and linguistically diverse, and LGBTIQ+ patients, carers, families and communities
• Psychosocial support for grief, loss and bereavement for patients, carers, families and communities. 

The Program will run a competitive application process to identify research projects. Expressions of Interest applications open on 14 February 2025 and will close on 23 March 2025.

More information can be found on the NSW Health website.

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to improving the comfort and experience of people with life-limiting illnesses during what is an extremely challenging time for patients and their families.

“I am proud to announce this initiative which reaffirms our commitment and aims to translate projects into tangible benefits for people with end of life and palliative care needs in NSW.”

Minister for Medical Research David Harris:

“I am pleased our government is committing funding for research and innovation that is so critical to improving the experiences of palliative care and end of life patients and the community. 

“I appreciate all the hard work and collaboration efforts to implement this fantastic initiative.

“Importantly, these priority research areas have been informed through extensive consultation with the NSW palliative care sector, including clinicians, policy managers, academics and advocacy groups.”

Landcom’s build to rent project on the South Coast will start construction in the coming months to deliver much needed housing supply and security for the region’s renters.

The NSW Government developer Landcom has signed with Ulladulla based Zauner Construction Pty Ltd to deliver the construction of 60 new homes in Bomaderry.

The 48 new homes will be provided at market rates for long term rental, with the remaining twelve set aside for affordable housing for households on low to moderate incomes.

The building will demonstrate best practice sustainable design to maximise energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions and provide a healthy environment for residents with fresh air and natural light.

There will be a mix of apartment sizes to suit the needs, lifestyles and budgets of the local community.  Future residents will be close to Bomaderry railway station and have easy access to shops, open space and other amenities.

Construction will take around 18 months with new residents expected to move in by late 2026.

This week the NSW Government announced Landcom’s plans to transform the former WestConnex dive site at Camperdown into 500 new apartments including 200 Build to Rent apartments with discounted rents for essential workers like nurses, paramedics, teachers, police officers and firefighters.

Landcom is also leading the development of 50 new apartments in the NSW Northern Rivers as part of its Build to Rent Program in regional NSW.

For more information about the project visit Landcom: Bomaderry | Landcom

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“Landcom was formed by the Wran Labor Government and under a Minns Labor Government we are seeing a new level of investment and is supporting the delivery of new homes.

“From the regions to our city centres, the NSW Government is getting on with the job of delivering more affordable, well-built and connected homes to those that need it.

“The Minns Labor Government’s program is boosting housing supply in areas where we know people are struggling with the rising cost of rent.

“This will provide a boost to jobs and the local economy in the Shoalhaven region.”

Member for South Coast Liza Butler said:

“The injection of housing is welcome news and will be of great benefit to many families in the area. It is developments such as this that has been the missing link for Bomaderry and the South Coast.

“Long term, secure rental housing is important now, more than ever. I am proud to be part of the Minns Labor Government that is taking action to address the housing crisis in NSW.”

Duty MLC for Kiama Sarah Kaine MLC said:

“This is a great development, backed by responsible investment of government money, to boost housing supply, and tackle the housing crisis head on.

“It’s great to be part of a Government that is investing in affordable housing in our regional communitites and supporting local jobs.

Love takes centre stage at the Sydney Opera House today, with a record 40 couples sharing their vows in one of the world’s most iconic settings on the most romantic day of the year.

This Valentine’s Day, the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages will host 40 intimate ceremonies at the Sydney Opera House, turning dream weddings into an affordable reality.

Pairs getting hitched on Valentine’s Day will exchange vows in the Yallamundi Rooms, the Opera House’s stunning events space with spectacular harbour views, surrounded by up to 35 of their closest family and friends starting from $1399.

The romance does not stop at the Opera House, with 14 loved-up couples set to make it official in the picturesque Pyrmont Registry wedding rooms, bringing the tally to 53 Registry marriages and one vow renewal on Valentine’s Day.

To make their day even more special, many couples have added extras such as photography, flowers, and an on-site reception to continue the celebrations.

All year round, couples can wed at the beautiful Pyrmont Registry from $479, or further south in the historic charm of the Old Wollongong Courthouse, with ceremonies starting from $659.

The number of couples choosing to celebrate their love with a Registry wedding each year is steadily rising, with 2024’s figure a 32 per cent increase on the 2500 registry weddings held in 2023.

To find out more or to book your own dream wedding, visit the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages web page.

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

“Love is in the air today as we celebrate 40 couples exchanging their vows right here in this beautiful setting at the Sydney Opera House.

“The NSW Government is working to ease cost-of-living pressures, offering couples the chance to marry at an iconic location like the Opera House for a fraction of the cost of a typical wedding.

“Congratulations to all the couples getting married on Valentine’s Day, I wish you a lifetime of love and happiness together.”

Registrar for NSW Births, Deaths & Marriages, Theresa Fairman said:

“While Valentine’s Day is hugely popular, our Pyrmont and Wollongong venues offer stunning, budget friendly options all year round.

“The demand for our ceremonies shows that couples are choosing the Registry for a memorable and unique wedding experience.”

The Minns Labor Government has announced the Energy Security Corporation’s first Investment Mandate, which outlines how the corporation will co-invest with the private sector in renewable energy projects for our state.

The Energy Security Corporation is seeded with $1 billion to help build a more reliable energy system. It will work with the private sector to plug investment gaps in the market, ensuring NSW homes and businesses can enjoy the benefits of renewable energy.

The key priorities for investment include short to long-duration storage projects that capture excess renewable energy, to maximise use of electricity generated from solar and wind.

It will also cover projects that will upgrade infrastructure to ensure smooth operation of the grid coordinate and consumer energy resources in households, businesses and the community (such as virtual power plants).

The Investment Mandate is a key milestone in establishing the Energy Security Corporation, allowing it to begin investigating investment opportunities throughout NSW.

Mr Paul Peters has been appointed as interim Chief Executive Officer to kick-off the Energy Security Corporation’s activities. Mr Peters brings significant experience in investment and financing, as well as developing energy and infrastructure assets and industrial decarbonisation projects.

The NSW Government will shortly appoint the inaugural Board.

Quote attributable to Minister for Energy, Penny Sharpe:

“NSW will invest $1 billion in critical projects to deliver more affordable, clean and reliable energy to homes and businesses across the state.

“After a decade of privatisation, the Energy Security Corporation gives the people of NSW the chance to invest in their energy system.

“I congratulate Mr Peters on his appointment, and I am looking forward to the Energy Security Corporation supporting projects throughout NSW.”

Further information:

The Energy Security Corporation will co-invest with the private sector on energy storage projects such as:

• Large-scale batteries

Large-scale batteries store surplus energy generated by renewable sources like wind and solar, and release it when renewable generation is low or when demand for energy peaks.

• Community batteries

A community battery is a shared battery installed in a central location within a neighbourhood that can store excess solar energy generated from homes in a community.

The stored energy can then be shared with other homes in the community when demand is high, like in the evening or when its cloudy.

• Pumped hydro

Hydro energy uses the force of moving water to create electricity. Hydro energy is capable of rapidly providing power on-demand, to supply electricity to consumers when it is needed.

• Virtual Power Plant (VPP)

A Virtual Power Plant is a network that can connect your rooftop solar and battery to other participating homes and coordinate them, allowing them to work together.

This means that if there’s a shortage of energy supply in the grid, the virtual power plant can draw on the collective energy to fill the gap. This can earn participating homes a profit from their excess energy.

Many small projects, when connected and coordinated, can be as impactful as a whole power station.

More than 2,000 first home buyers have found their dream home on the Central Coast thanks to the Minns Labor Government’s signature stamp duty assistance program.

The 2,145 new homeowners on the Central Coast have saved a combined $47.6 million in stamp duty since July 2023.

The popular initiative has seen first home buyers across the Coast save an average of $22,185, significantly easing the pressure for people saving for a deposit.

The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme provides a full exemption from stamp duty for eligible buyers purchasing up to $800,000, and a concession for purchases between $800,000 and $1 million.

In Gosford, 628 buyers have saved a combined $13.5 million, while 522 new home owners in Wyong saved $11.3 million.

In The Entrance, 307 buyers shared in $6.9 million in savings, and 65 buyers at Avoca Beach benefited by $1.3 million.

Statewide, total savings for more than 50,000 first home buyers across NSW have topped $1 billion.

The 50,000 families milestone coincides with the release of a helpful dashboard detailing the program’s impact suburb-by-suburb.

The First Home Buyers Assistance Dashboard also provides program statistics Central Coast wide – as it does for every Local Government Area and regional classification in the state. It will be updated regularly and can be viewed here: First home buyers assistance dashboard | Revenue NSW

First home buyers can learn more about the program and calculate their potential stamp duty savings here: First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme – how to apply | NSW Government

This program is just one part of a suite of reforms from the Minns Government to help address the housing crisis and ease cost of living pressures.

This includes sweeping reforms of the planning system to deliver more housing, including establishing the Housing Delivery Authority to speed up approvals.

Minister for the Central Coast David Harris said:

“This Minns Government program is fantastic news for the more than 2,000 families, couples and singles able to get into their first home sooner in our beautiful region.

“The more than $22,000 in average savings per homeowner is making a big difference for people saving up for a deposit.

“Home is where the heart is, and there’s nothing better for Coasties to have a place to call their own in a region they love.”

Minister for the Hunter and Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley said:

“Buying your first home is a major achievement and I’m thrilled the Minns Labor Government is helping so many first home buyers reach this milestone.

“Our community is a great place to live, work and play and this scheme is allowing people to build their dream life in one of the best places in NSW.”

Member for The Entrance David Mehan said:

“The Minns Labor Government’s stamp duty assistance program is making home ownership more accessible, providing real relief for local families entering the housing market.

“It’s great to see that local residents are benefiting from this fantastic initiative” 

Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said:

“With over 628 first home buyers in Gosford alone saving a combined $13.5 million dollars under this scheme, the Minns Labor Government is ensuring that families across NSW can achieve their dream of home ownership.

“I want the students that I taught to be able to make a home on the Central Coast, not be forced to leave their hometowns because they can’t afford a deposit to get into the housing market.

“This program is making home ownership a reality again for thousands of Coasties.”

The Tweed Heads community will soon enjoy an enhanced customer experience while completing NSW Government transactions when the new Tweed Heads Service NSW Centre opens. 

The Centre is relocating to a larger site, still within the Tweed Mall shopping centre, providing a larger space and an improved layout for customers.  

Due to open mid-2025, the new centre will be located opposite the current site, ensuring a modern, purpose-built facility for people to complete the 1300 NSW Government services and transactions available at Service NSW.  

The new centre will include a dedicated space for one-on-one appointments where customers can receive cost of living support in-person or over the phone with a Service NSW team member.  

The team will also be able to connect business owners with the Service NSW Business Bureau for free, ongoing and personalised support for every stage of their business.  

There were more than 77,000 customer visits to Tweed Heads Service Centre last year with people appreciating the efforts of the team, giving them a 97% satisfaction rating.  

Tweed Heads Service NSW Centre is open Monday to Friday 8:30am – 5pm and Saturdays 8:30am – 12:30pm. For more information, visit the Service NSW website.  

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

“Service NSW is a vital part of our lives whether transacting individually or as a business, so we want the people of Tweed Heads to have an enhanced experience when requiring NSW Government services. 

“This move ensures Service NSW can support the customer demand in Tweed Heads and provide people with a welcoming space to complete government transactions. 

“Whether applying for a Seniors Card, renewing a driver licence or looking for cost of living support, Service NSW is a one-stop-shop for NSW Government services and transactions.” 

Duty MLC for Tweed, Emily Suvaal said: 

“The Minns Labor Government is focused on delivering essential services like the Tweed Heads Service NSW Centre. 

“This new site will better serve the community, the location within Tweed Mall is bigger and better and only steps away from the current location. 

“The new centre makes life easier for locals now and will cater to their needs into the future.” 

Australia should be a multi-racial society with freedom of religion but not a multicultural society according to the Family First Party.

Lead Senate candidate for New South Wales, Lyle Shelton, said yesterday’s appalling antisemitic threats to kill Jewish hospital patients by two Bankstown Muslim nurses underscored the failure of multi-culturalism.

“Jew hatred, which sadly is central to the culture in many Muslim countries and increasingly amongst un-Australian left-wing elites, has no place in Australia.

“Migrants who come to Australia and trash the trust that underpins our health system, or any other Australian institution for that matter, should go back to their country of origin.

“Australia is a proud Western nation built on the Judeo-Christian ethic,” Mr Shelton said.

The antisemitism crisis since October 7, which peaked yesterday, is a wakeup call to all Australians to renew our commitment to the values which have made this nation such an attractive place for people from all over the globe coming to seek a better life.

Labor’s “Doc” Herbert Evatt, through his ground-breaking work at the UN, was instrumental in the creation of the state of Israel.

Support for Israel was a pillar of the Hawke Labor government’s foreign policy.

Mr Shelton said the abandonment of support for Israel in its just war against Islamic terrorism by the Albanese government, our universities and large swathes of the media would have Doc Evatt and Bob Hawke rolling in their graves.

“Australia’s antisemitism crisis has festered and metastasised because the Israel-annihilationist ‘River to the Sea’ movement has been granted legitimacy.

“This must stop.

“The antisemitism crisis culminating in yesterday’s outrage is symptomatic of the failure of multi-culturalism.

“Australia has always made room for religious diversity and freedom and that should continue where non-Western religions are willing to adapt to overarching Western values.

“If Islam is a religion of peace, it should prove this to the Australian people by disciplining its numerous antisemitic preachers who have spouted hate and violence for Jews on our streets and in their mosques since October 7.

“Our university vice-chancellors should do the same with their antisemitic academics.

Australian culture is pro-Israel, proudly pro-West and underpinned by the Judeo-Christian ethic of love of neighbour.

“The ANZAC values of courage, mateship, perseverance and sacrifice – which spring from the Judeo-Christian ethic – have stood our nation in good stead and now must be contended for.

“These are the culture and values which define Australia, not what we saw at Bankstown hospital yesterday and since October 7,” Mr Shelton said.

Detectives from the Financial Crimes Squad have charged seven people following the discovery of fraudulent sexual abuse compensation claims in a scheme which has paid out over $1 billion in claims to date.

Strike Force Veritas was established by State Crime Command’s Financial Crimes Squad in February 2024 to investigate alleged fraudulent compensation claims for historical sexual abuse brought against the NSW Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) and the NSW Department of Education (DoE).

During the investigation, detectives identified several ‘claims farmers’ at the centre of the scheme. These individuals allegedly approached adults who were former young offenders, inmates, and public-school students, encouraging them to file fraudulent compensation claims for historical child sexual abuse while in care.

The claims farmers then coached these prospective claimants on how to make fraudulent claims through various Sydney law firms, receiving a benefit for each referral.

The proceeds were reportedly referred to as ‘bum money’ within the criminal syndicates, and detectives suspect a significant portion of the $1.3 billion worth of claims are fraudulent.

Following extensive inquiries, about 6.05am yesterday (Wednesday 12 February 2025), strike force detectives – with assistance from Raptor Squad – executed a search warrant in Girraween where they arrested a 55-year-old man.

The man was taken to Granville Police Station, where he was charged with 21 offences, including nine counts of dishonestly obtain financial advantage etc by deception, eight counts of accessory before the fact to publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage, three counts of incite to commit publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage and dishonestly intend to obtain a gain.

He was refused bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court today (Thursday 13 February 2025).

Police will allege in court the 55-year-old man was a claims farmer in the scheme.

About 7.45am, strike force detectives arrested a 53-year-old woman in Granville. She was taken to Auburn Police Station, where she was charged with publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage.

The woman was granted conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday 25 March 2025.

About 7.50am, a 32-year-old man was arrested in Pendle Hill. He was taken to Granville Police Station, where he was charged with publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage.

The man was granted conditional bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday 12 March 2025.

About 11.40am, strike force detectives arrested a 42-year-old man at Gladesville Police Station. He was charged with publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage.

The man was granted conditional bail to appear in Burwood Local Court on Monday 3 March 2025.

About 12.05pm, a 52-year-old woman was arrested in Horsley. She was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station where she was charged with publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage.

The woman was granted conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday 25 March 2025.

About 2.30pm, detective arrested a 35-year-old woman in Pendle Hill. She was taken to Granville Police Station, where she was charged with publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage.

The woman was granted conditional bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday 12 March 2025.

With assistance from Queensland Police, a 23-year-old Mermaid Beach man was issued a Future Court Attendance Notice (CAN) for publish etc false misleading material to obtain advantage, to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday 25 March 2025.

In addition to the arrests, police also executed a search warrant at a law firm in Sydney where they seized items relevant to their investigation.

Police will allege in court the seven people charged stood to make $3.75 million in fraudulent sexual abuse compensation claims but were uncovered before the claims were paid out.

Investigations under Strike Force Veritas continue, with more arrests expected.

More than 50,000 first home buyers have found their dream home thanks to the Minns Labor Government’s signature stamp duty assistance program.

The popular initiative has seen first home buyers save an average of $20,540, easing the pressure on the key task of saving for a deposit.

Total stamp duty savings for first home buyers across NSW have topped $1 billion since July 2023.

First home buyers are using the program to get a foot on the property ladder in a market heavily influenced by investors.

The First Home Buyers Assistance Scheme provides a full exemption from stamp duty for eligible buyers purchasing up to $800,000, and a concession for purchases between $800,000 and $1 million. This means first home buyers can save up to $30,529 in stamp duty.

Of the more than 50,000 first home buyers who have received support under the Minns Government’s program, more than 37,000 first home buyer households received a full exemption and more than 14,500 received a concession.

More than 3,200 buyer households in the City of Parramatta have saved a total of $74.1 million, while more than 2,100 on the Central Coast have saved a total of $47.3 million.

The 50,000 households milestone coincides with the release of a helpful dashboard detailing the program’s impact suburb-by-suburb.

The First Home Buyers Assistance Dashboard also provides program statistics by Local Government Area and regional classifications. It will be updated regularly and can be viewed here: https://www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/help-centre/resources-library/statistics/fhba-dashboard

First home buyers can learn more about the program and calculate their potential stamp duty savings here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-construction/home-buying-assistance/first-home-buyers-assistance-scheme/how-to-apply

This program is part of a suite of reforms from the Minns Government to help address the housing crisis and ease cost of living pressures.

This includes sweeping reforms of the planning system to deliver more housing, including establishing the Housing Delivery Authority to speed up approvals.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“We have now delivered more than $1 billion for first home buyers since coming to Government.

“There is more to do on cost of living, but this is real relief that has helped 50,000 NSW singles, couples and families.

“Our Government is helping more buyers to get a foot on the ladder, without having to leave Sydney or NSW.

“This is the best first home buyer scheme in the country, and just one part of our plan to address the housing crisis and build a better NSW.”

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“This is an incredible milestone for this program.

“50,000 families have been able to get into their first home sooner because of this essential stamp duty relief.

“The savings mean more money in people’s pockets, easing pressure on households and giving crucial assistance in the task of saving for a deposit.”

Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos said:

“Families and households in NSW are feeling under pressure with increasing costs of living. We want to support families and households to realise the certainty of home ownership.

“This shows our program is working, delivering real savings that can make a real difference for first home buyers.”

The Minns Labor Government is continuing work to create safer communities across regional New South Wales by addressing the concerning rates of youth crime, with over $4 million to support place-based efforts across Bourke and Kempsey.

Government support for place-based initiatives reflects the fact that a one size fits all approach does not work for issues like youth crime in regional communities. This funding means local communities are empowered to make decisions, develop strategies, design programs and decide how resources are used to address local needs.  

In Bourke and Kempsey, this funding will match the Commonwealth Government’s investment in the Stronger Places, Stronger People program, which supports community-led place-based responses to local issues.

This funding will support the existing successful local teams in each community who work in tandem with Government to develop and implement projects to address identified issues.

This program, which has run since 2019 in these communities has been recognised as having positive impacts including improved social, cultural, health, justice and economic outcomes.

This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s ongoing work to crackdown on crime across the state, which has included:

• Amending the Bail Act to include an additional bail test for young people between 14 and 18 charged with committing a ‘serious break and enter offence’ or motor vehicle offence while on bail for a similar offence.
• Creating a new ‘post and boast’ offence under the Crimes Act, criminalising the filming and disseminating of footage of certain serious offences to publicise or advertise the commission of that offence.
• Paying recruits to attend the Goulburn Police Academy and welcoming 294 probational constables to the NSWPF ranks in December, the largest class to graduate in a decade.
• Passing and enacting ‘Jacks Law’ which provides NSW Police with powers to scan people for knives without a warrant and raised the age from 16 to 18 for the sale of knives to young people.
• Doubling the maximum penalty for certain knife crimes.
• Introducing new offences for repeated and serious breaches of Apprehended Domestic Violence Orders.
• Introducing Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders.
• Modernising the definition of ‘stalking’ to include monitoring a person online.
• Making it harder than ever for alleged domestic violence offenders to get bail.

NSW Premier, Chris Minns said:

“We know that what works in the middle of Sydney won’t work for our regional communities, which is why we are making this long-term investment to ensure local knowledge informs the action we take to address local issues.

“We know there is no easy solution to address the issue of crime in our regional communities, but that is why we are pulling every lever possible from law reform to investing in local organisations. “