Category: NSW News

NSW Health is asking the community to be aware of symptoms of mpox following a recent increase in infections, mostly impacting men who have sex with men.

There have been 93 notifications of mpox in NSW since 1 June 2024. Before 1 June, only one case had been detected in NSW in 2024. In 2022, 56 mpox notifications were reported in NSW, and in 2023 there were 12.

Since 2022, there has been a global outbreak of mpox, with over 97,000 reported cases in many countries outside Africa, including Australia.

NSW Health Executive Director of Health Protection, Dr Jeremy McAnulty said there have been over 15,000 cases of mpox reported in central Africa this year, many of which are due to a new strain (clade 1b) of the virus. However, this strain has not been detected in Australia.

“With the recent increase in cases, NSW Health is asking people who may be at risk of mpox to stay on the lookout for symptoms,” Dr McAnulty said.

“Mpox spreads through close skin-to-skin contact, including sexual contact, and often starts with small pimple-like skin lesions particularly in areas that are hard to see such as the genitals, anus or buttock.

“Some people experience mild fever, headache, fatigue, or swollen lymph nodes and mouth ulcers or rectal pain. Mpox can spread to others until the lesions resolve.

“People who have any symptoms of mpox, even if they have had the mpox vaccine and even if mild, should immediately contact their GP or sexual health service for an appointment.”

Mpox vaccination is recommended for those considered to be at higher risk of developing mpox, including sexually active gay and bisexual men (cis and trans) and their sexual partners, as well as sex workers and their sexual partners.

The mpox vaccine is free for those considered to be at higher risk of developing mpox, and you do not need a Medicare card to receive it. To find clinics offering the vaccination, refer to Mpox vaccination clinics.

It is important to note two doses of vaccine are required, so anyone who has only received one dose should get a second dose at least 28 days after the first.

While no vaccine is completely effective in preventing mpox, two doses of the vaccine can provide vital protection against severe illness caused by the virus.

For further support, you can also call:

• The Sexual Health Infolink: 1800 451 624 for vaccine booking support.
• The Translating and Interpreting Service: 13 14 50 for free help in your language.

More information on mpox can be found on the NSW Health website here.

NSW Ambulance has welcomed 10 new paramedic interns and 27 emergency medical call takers today after they were officially inducted into the service at a ceremony in Sydney.

This is the sixth class of paramedic interns to join NSW Ambulance this year. These new recruits will further boost frontline health services across the state, when they start their new roles from tomorrow.

The paramedics interns will be posted across NSW to complete the on-road portion of their 12-month program before taking permanent positions in metropolitan and regional areas.

The emergency medical call takers will be posted to Triple Zero (000) control centres in Sydney and Charlestown.

One of the new paramedic recruits, Timothy, who is set to complete his internship at Evans Head station on the mid-north coast, decided to become a mature age student to pursue his dream of joining NSW Ambulance.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“I’m proud to welcome our latest paramedic interns to NSW Ambulance where I know they will provide the people of NSW with the best care possible when they are unwell and at their most vulnerable.

“I congratulate these paramedics and emergency medical call takers for reaching this significant milestone in their careers and thank them for their dedication to serving their community.

“I applaud every one of you who have committed to a mission of excellence in care and are boosting the frontline of healthcare across NSW.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan:

“I know all who are graduating today have worked incredibly hard throughout their training. I thank them for their commitment and warmly welcome them into NSW Ambulance.

“As demand for our services continues to grow, we remain committed to providing world class mobile and emergency health care to our patients.”

Paramedic Intern Timothy Cumming:

“Changing careers was difficult and took a lot of dedication, but I don’t regret it for a second because after completing my first on-road placement as a paramedic student, I knew this was the job I was meant to do.

“As a young child I moved from South Africa to Australia, giving me a wonderful education, work opportunities and safety.

“I hope to give back to my country and community in my new career as a paramedic with NSW Ambulance.”

110 new Probationary Constables will be sworn into the NSW Police Force (NSWPF) today before starting at their new home stations across NSW next week.

Class 363 attested at the Goulburn Police Academy following eight months of training in the Constable Education Program (CEP) – four months by distance, four months training at the Academy.

They now undertake 12 months of on-the-job training as a Probationary Constable.

The new recruits will be on the beat across metropolitan and regional communities from Monday:

• Central Metropolitan Region – 32
• Northwest Metropolitan Region – 23
• Northern Region – 19
• Southwest Metropolitan Region – 19
• Southern Region – 8
• Western Region – 9

Today’s attesting cohort were paid by the NSW Government to train at the Goulburn Police Academy – the second class to receive the full study allowance.

Class 363 includes 80 men and 30 women aged from 18 to 44.

Seven recruits received awards for outstanding academic or physical performance.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley welcomed Class 363 to the NSW Police Force and reaffirmed the Government’s ongoing commitment to support our police and boost the number of officers across NSW.

Since the Government announced recruits would be paid to study, the NSWPF has received 1,853 applications to become a police officer, a 50% increase on the same period last year.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

“Congratulations to Class 363 for your hard work and commitment that’s culminated in being sworn into the NSW Police Force today.

“You have shown a steadfast commitment to serve and protect our community and we thank you for it.

“A career in policing is like no other and I wish you all a long and rich career with the NSW Police Force.

“Our police work tirelessly to keep us safe, and this Government is committed to ensuring they have what they need to continue this important work. The decision to pay recruits has seen an outstanding uptick in the number of applications to join the NSWPF.” 

NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb APM said:

“Those attesting today have worked hard over the past eight months and I am proud to welcome them all into our world-class police force.

“They will have an integral role to play in serving their local communities and in keeping NSW safe.

“I encourage all the attesting probationary constables to seize every opportunity, never stop learning, and to take pride in the uniform you wear every day.

“The work you will do throughout your career will make a difference to countless lives.”

Sydney Metro City is set to open its doors to passengers on Monday 19 August, after final approval was granted by the national independent safety regulator.

Based on its independent assessment, the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) has reviewed and signed off on the transport mega project.

The City Section of the M1 Line includes an additional 15.5-kilometres of city-shaping metro rail extending the Metro North West line from Chatswood, below the harbour and through the Sydney CBD, to Sydenham.

The M1 Line will commence services at 4:38am at Tallawong Station and 4:54am at Sydenham Station seven days a week for the first four weeks of operation.

After this, services will commence at Tallawong Station at 4:08am and at Sydenham Station at 4:54am seven days a week.

Information on services will be clearly signposted at stations and available at www.transportnsw.info prior to opening.

A game-changing 2,645 new metro services will travel through the heart of the city each week, moving 17,000 people each way per hour in the AM peak.

Once open, passengers will have fast metro travel times including from Victoria Cross in North Sydney, under the harbour to Barangaroo in 3 minutes, between Martin Place and Central in 4 minutes and from Sydenham to Chatswood in 22 minutes.

An updated bus timetable is in place to support the line’s opening, which has been running smoothly since it was introduced on 4 August, ready to support M1 passengers.

Sydney’s new M1 line includes:

• 445 new metro services each weekday, with a train every four minutes in the peak, seven minutes during weekdays between morning and afternoon peak services (increasing after the first month to a train every five minutes) and every 10 minutes during off peak and on weekends;
• Six fully accessible new stations at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Barangaroo, Martin Place, Gadigal and Waterloo, along with new platforms at Central and Sydenham;
• Simple interchanges with buses at all stations, ferries at Barangaroo, light rail at Central and with train services at Martin Place, Central and Sydenham;
• Uninterrupted network mobile coverage; 
• Safe journeys monitored by a state-of-the-art control centre, with approximately 100 CCTV cameras at every station and 38 cameras inside each train; 
• Over 600 secure bike parking spaces at Crows Nest, Victoria Cross, Waterloo and Sydenham, as part of 900 new bike parking spaces across all eight stations;
• Platform screen door technology to keep people and objects safely away from tracks.

Later this year when Sydney Metro City is fully integrated and providing reliable services from Sydenham to the CBD, the T3 Bankstown Line will close for up to 12 months for the final conversion works to support what will be known as the M1 Northwest & Bankstown Line. These upgrades mean by 2025, south-west Sydney communities will have turn-up-and-go metro services every four minutes in the peak directly into Sydney CBD.

A temporary transport plan will be in place, including Southwest Link – dedicated, high-frequency bus services between Sydenham and Bankstown train stations.

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

“We look forward to welcoming passengers on board Sydney’s amazing new railway from Monday 19 August.

“This is the biggest change to Sydney’s public transport system since the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It’s going to double rail capacity across our harbour, take pressure off our heavy rail network and deliver a fantastic new transport service for passengers right across our city.”

“The M1 Line will see 45 state-of-the-art metro trains, that can carry around 1,150 passengers, moving through six new stations across our city.”

“So if you’re looking for a great way to start the week, jump on the new metro and see what this transformational new public transport service looks like for yourself.”

Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray said:

“It’s all systems go for Metro City and everyone at Transport for NSW is getting ready to support passengers as we integrate this new railway into our existing network.

“This is a massive change for Sydney that will transform the way we move around, so we’re asking people to please plan ahead at transportnsw.info and using the Opal app, as well as third party apps, or speak to our friendly staff for information about your journey.”

Sydney Metro Chief Executive Peter Regan said:

“We are so excited to welcome passengers on board the new M1 City Line. More than 50,000 people have worked on this project and I know they are as proud as I am to show Sydney what we have been working on.

“This comes after a year of testing and commissioning, including more than 200 simulated exercises that have included disruption, emergency scenarios and security drills to ensure the trains and stations are ready for passengers to enjoy.

“We thank everyone for their patience. We have always said safety is the number one priority, and we’ve worked with the relevant authorities throughout construction and commissioning to ensure everything is safe and secure.”

The Minns Labor Government is continuing work to ensure taxpayer money is used responsibly with the release today of reforms that give greater clarity for non-government schools on the appropriate use of government funds.

In 2023 the NSW Government commenced a review of the operation 83C of the NSW Education Act, which governs the funding of non-government schools across the state, to ensure its function aligned with community expectations.

Released today, the review has provided recommendations which provide a path to greater transparency and accountability.

While the report noted the current implementation approach is effective in ensuring the integrity of non-government school financial practices, there are reforms available that will improve regulation and efficiency of the system while maintaining and strengthening the oversight of school financial practices.

In line with key recommendations of the report, the NSW Government will:

• Transfer regulatory oversight of public funding for non-government schools from the Department of Education to NESA. This will align funding regulation with broader regulation of non-government schools.
• Develop regulations to clarify services and functions that do not constitute a breach of a school’s not-for-profit requirements.
• Improve guidelines to make the regulator’s role clear and transparent in assuring that school expenditure arises from the operation of the school.
• Develop more timely and less costly remedies to address as they arise, such as compliance or show cause notices, to avoid unnecessary litigation.
• Strengthen the oversight role of the Not-for-Profit Advisory Committee.

The Review was chaired by Professor Tom Alegounarias, former president of the NSW Board of Studies and Chief Executive of the NSW Institute of Teachers who consulted closely with stakeholders, on this report.

Professor Alegounarias will oversee the implementation of these changes, which will be implemented by mid-2025.

See the review report and submissions received. 

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

“I want to thank Professor Alegounarias for his tireless commitment to consultation throughout the review and to all those who made a submission.

“It is important that the public have confidence that taxpayer funds are being used appropriately for the education of students.

“It is in everybody’s interests for the rules to be clear.”

Work to deliver the new Shellharbour Hospital is on track following the appointment of the main works contractor.

Minister for Health Ryan Park said BESIX Watpac has been engaged following a competitive tender process to build the new hospital, which is being delivered as part of the more than $780 million new Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services project.

The project, which is jointly funded by the NSW and Australian Governments, includes:

• An expanded emergency department 
• Increased surgical capacity 
• Rehabilitation and aged care services 
• Acute medical services 
• Mental health services
• Renal dialysis 
• Outpatients care services 
• Car parking and improved public transport links   

The new hospital is being designed to enable construction of a future rooftop helipad. 

The new Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services Project also includes:

• Expanded sub-acute services at Bulli Hospital 
• New rehabilitation and palliative care beds at Wollongong Hospital  

A new community health centre in Warrawong which will also be built on the old Port Kembla Hospital site.

The appointment of the builder, which follows the recent approval of the State Significant Development Application (SSDA), paves the way for main works construction to start shortly, as they will begin to establish the site, and finalise the design of the new hospital.

Construction of the new hospital is expected to be complete in 2027.

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park:

“I’m delighted that we have reached another milestone in this important project, which will deliver a suite of enhanced health care facilities for the residents of the Illawarra as well as hundreds of local jobs.

“The new Shellharbour Hospital will ensure the local community has first class healthcare at their doorstep in state-of-the-art facilities.”

Planning and Public Spaces Minister Paul Scully: 

“With the builder appointed, the new Shellharbour hospital will come to life soon, with main works construction to start shortly.

“This approval is an important step for the local health services and local job creation.”

Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson:

“The new Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services Project will cater for local population growth into the future and relieve pressure on other parts of the Illawarra Shoalhaven health network, including Wollongong Hospital.

“The works will also help drive education and job opportunities for the Illawarra region, supporting around 800 direct jobs during construction, with the potential to support thousands of indirect jobs over the life of the project.”

Self-driving robotic vehicles are communicating with traffic lights on the streets of Sydney, as part of an intelligent transport trial that positions New South Wales as a global leader in road safety innovation.

The vehicle-to-infrastructure technology under development aims to save lives by feeding data about pedestrians, cyclists, other motorists and traffic light signal changes to driverless vehicles, as well as manually operated vehicles.

Two self-driving vehicles will drive in live traffic on the streets of Chippendale using wireless connectivity to interact with traffic lights equipped with Transport for NSW’s Sydney Coordinated Adaptive Traffic System (SCATS).

As the automated vehicles approach the traffic lights, the software under development – Cit-e, sends messages about the intersection’s layout, right of way, timing of signal changes and warnings of imminent hazards including vulnerable road users.

A receiver in the vehicle uses the information in conjunction with the vehicle’s position, direction and velocity to gauge whether it is likely to commit a red-light violation or endanger other road users.

The self-driving vehicles used in the live traffic trial are designed by University of Sydney’s Australian Centre for Robotics and have undergone rigorous safety testing at Transport’s Future Mobility Testing and Research Centre in Cudal.

The Cit-e software could be launched commercially as early as next year by SCATS, and can be retrofitted to standard vehicles and traffic infrastructure meaning it could be in use long before the arrival of driverless vehicles.

The trial will be showcased at the Intelligent Transport Systems Summit in Sydney from 13-15 August – and delegates from around the world will get to experience the integrated solution on the Chippendale circuit which is a collaboration between Transport, iMOVE Cooperative Research Centre and Sydney University.

Minister Graham will be announcing the new technology in a keynote at the summit at 1:30pm today.

Find out more about SCATS

Learn more about Future Mobility at Transport

Read the Transport Technology Strategy

Minister for Roads, John Graham said:

“As cars get smarter, there’s the opportunity to make them safer and save lives on NSW roads.

“This innovative technology will put NSW at the forefront of the national conversation on smart car innovation and road safety.

“This vehicle-to-infrastructure technology can make a difference now, years before driverless vehicles become the norm because it can be retrofitted to existing intersections and built into the cars of today.

“Along with the safety benefits, this technology will also reduce traffic congestion, with communication between cars and infrastructure allowing the variation of a green-light windows to alleviate long queues.”

Secretary of Transport for NSW, Josh Murray said:

“This is a joint project with Sydney University and iMove to future-proof our traffic network and prepare our roads for an automated driving future.

“While this signals a real-world trial of the cutting-edge technology, at its core is an extension of Transport’s SCATS offering – a home-grown NSW Government innovation. Developed in house 40 years ago, SCATS is the global leader in intelligent traffic signals control and has been installed in more than 63,000 intersections across 216 cities in 32 countries.

“That’s NSW-know-how delivering proven safety benefits to one billion people globally.

“These new trials help us understand the challenges, and demonstrate the feasibility, of introducing emerging technology so we’re able to channel it in our day-to-day running of the network.”

A new one-stop-shop to help families navigate the difficult world of cyberbullying has been launched today in a collaboration between the NSW Labor Government and Federal eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant.

The Spotlight on Cyberbullying website brings together free and easily accessible cyberbullying prevention resources for parents, carers, teachers and schools.

The launch comes after NSW Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car tasked NSW Chief Behaviour Advisor Professor Donna Cross to develop an evidence-led suite of anti-cyberbullying resources as part of her role, as NSW develops a nation-leading approach to social media and its role in bullying and violence among young people.

As part of the Minns Labor Government’s ongoing work to address the harms posed to young people by social media, Prof Cross worked with eSafety Commissioner Inman Grant to develop the free and easy-to-use tools, resources and webinars for parents and carers, school staff and the wider community.

The new best practice resources include frameworks, toolkits, videos, classroom and family learning materials, guides on how to respond to specific online situations, and advice and support for parents/carers and teachers, available to all states and territories.

Cyberbullying prevention and online safety have been prioritised in NSW by the Minns Labor Government, with initiatives including:

• Implementing a mobile phone ban in all NSW public schools from Day 1, Term 4, 2023.
• Partnering with the South Australian Government to host a social media summit to explore formulating a public health response to minimising the harms caused by social media. The upcoming summit will be attended by Meta whistleblower Frances Haugen.
• Launching a $2.5 million research fund to investigate the impacts of excessive screen time, video games and mobile phone use on young people and their learning.
• Delivering new syllabuses for teachers that explicitly address respectful relationships, online safety, cyberbullying, consent education and harassment or abuse.

A comprehensive Evidence Review highlighting effective evidence-based policies and practices to reduce cyberbullying, led by Professor Cross, has also been released today, which the NSW Government will consider in the lead up to the October Social Media Summit.

The new site can be used by teachers in addition to existing anti-bullying resources available through the NSW Department of Education.

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

“Our Government is prioritising young people’s online safety, and working to ensure our children can stay safe online.

“These new resources will help families, who may struggle with how to help when their children become victims of cyberbullying or other harmful online behaviours.

“I thank eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant and our NSW Chief Behaviour Advisor Professor Donna Cross for their work in establishing these practical resources.”

NSW Chief Behaviour Advisor Professor Donna Cross said:

“We know that young people are more likely to be cyberbullied outside school hours than at school – so it is vital that parents and carers also have evidence informed digital skills, knowledge, and the tools they need to support their children.

“These are nation leading resources that ensure quality evidence is used to inform its approach to tackling cyberbullying and other behaviours influenced by social media.”

E-Safety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said:

“Education remains a cornerstone of eSafety’s work.

“Our focus on prevention and early intervention though initiatives like Spotlight on Cyberbullying is central to these efforts.

“Spotlight on Cyberbullying delivers a one-stop online shop aimed at preventing online harms and collaborating closely with education sectors and schools, nationwide.”

eSafety is hosting a range of events for the National Week of Action against Bullying and Violence, including Virtual Classrooms for primary students; teacher professional learning and parent/carer webinars.

Children living with cancer in regional NSW will be able to receive care closer to home, thanks to a $100,000 funding boost for the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation.

The funding, announced today by Health Minister Ryan Park, will go towards the James Tedesco Outreach Program, run by the Kids Cancer Centre at Sydney Children’s Hospital (SCH), Randwick.

The program is led by outreach nurses, who work closely with local medical teams and local GPs involved in a patient’s care to provide children, adolescents and their families with necessary support and practical assistance, saving them from having to travel hundreds of kilometres.

In 2022, the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation pledged three years of support to fund an Outreach Clinical Nurse Consultant for the James Tedesco Outreach program. The role, which officially started in April this year, is supporting families and helping with the establishment of new outreach centres. The additional $100,000 funding boost will help continue this important work.

The Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation provides almost one million dollars a year to major children’s hospitals across Australia, including SCH and The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, to support Clinical Nurse Consultant positions for outreach programs for children living with cancer.

Named in honour of Sporting Chance patron, James Tedesco, the James Tedesco Outreach Program provides support and education to regional and rural patients, communities and hospitals.

The Kids Cancer Centre cares for more than 200 patients and families from regional NSW and the ACT every year, with all of these families able to access outreach services.

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“I’m really proud to offer our support to the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation through a $100,000 grant for its James Tedesco Outreach Program.

“Having the ability to deliver care closer to home, reduces the inequity experienced by regional, rural, and remote families with children and adolescents living with cancer.

“This initiative enables children to receive care and treatment in their local communities with the support of their local healthcare networks, while allowing children to remain in the comfort of their homes, supported by their families.”

Member for Coogee Marjorie O’Neill:

“I’m really thrilled the NSW Government is supporting the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation’s James Tedesco Outreach Program based at the Kids Cancer Centre in Randwick.

“The ongoing generosity and work of the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation plays an important part in supporting some of the youngest members our community dealing with cancer.” 

Mark Taylor, Chairman of Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation:

“As the current Chairman and a Patron of the Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation, I’d like to thank the NSW Government for the support of our wonderful nurses. Their work across NSW with kids diagnosed with cancer and their families has an extremely positive impact within the family unit and is often life changing.”

James Tedesco, Patron of Sporting Chance Cancer Foundation:

“I’ve been a patron of Sporting Chance for a number of years now and I’m very proud to be involved in this charity and to see first-hand the service they provide for kids and families in need and the difference they make.”

Dr Richard Mitchell, Director of the Kids Cancer Centre:

“While it’s incredibly challenging having a child diagnosed with cancer, it makes it even harder when you are away from home. Sadly, this is the case for almost half of the patients we see.

“Our outreach program aims to relieve this burden and ensure children can receive the care they need as close to home as possible.”

Outdated conditions that force patrons to be seated while drinking outside a licenced premises will be removed as part of the Minns Labor Government’s crusade to strip back useless red tape and rebuild nightlife and vibrancy across the state.

A blanket ban on standing and drinking as part of approvals for outdoor dining on footpaths in front of licensed venues will be scrapped.

The rule was part of COVID-era provisions to encourage outdoor dining and the use of footpaths. It is currently being used by around 145 licensed venues, including 60 pubs, clubs and small bars.

In future, the simple approval pathway under the Liquor Act will no longer have a blanket condition that stipulates patrons must be sitting down to consume alcohol in outdoor areas.

Individual venues will still need to meet safety and compliance standards.

The reform is part of a suite of changes that will form the NSW Government’s second tranche of Vibrancy Reforms.

The first tranche:

• Made temporary outdoor dining provisions permanent
• Ended single neighbour noise complaints against local pubs and other licensed venues
• Made it easier to activate streets for festivals and events (Open Streets program) and a regulatory model that allows streamlined approvals for repeat events (Permit, Plug, Play)
• Expanded Special Entertainment Precincts that empower local councils to change the rules around noise and opening hours in a designated area to support live entertainment and nightlife
• Increased incentives for live music and live performance, with two hours extended trading and an 80% reduction in liquor licence fees for licensed venues offering live music and performance
• Easier pathways for extended trading hours for major events like the Olympics and World Cups.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“For too long Sydney’s nightlife has been strangled by red tape.

“We’re fixing this by removing the restrictions destroying entertainment venues, tackling the housing crisis head on and helping the city get back on its feet.

“Having an economy that fires up at 5pm during the week is critical for global cities like Sydney.”

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:

“We are getting the social scene back on its feet in Sydney and right across NSW.

“A blanket ban on standing with a drink in hand is a red tape hangover that has no place in 2024.

“Adults should be trusted to choose whether they stand or sit while having a drink.”

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said:

“Our government is making a stand to elevate NSW back to its rightful place as no.1 for having a vibrant, diverse and inclusive night-time economy.

“We’ll get there with common-sense regulations that support businesses and communities to enliven our city.”