Category: NSW News

People living in regional and remote NSW will have greater access to training, support and employment opportunities closer to home, as the Minns Labor Government continues to rebuild TAFE NSW and restore pathways into skilled careers across regional communities.

From Semester 1 2027, TAFE NSW will expand course offerings and support services across 10 campuses in some of the state’s most remote communities, like Broken Hill and the Far West, helping more people gain practical skills, industry licences and qualifications without having to leave their community.

For many people living in regional and remote NSW, accessing training can mean travelling long distances or relocating altogether to continue their studies. By bringing more opportunities closer to home, the Minns Labor Government is helping remove barriers to education while ensuring regional communities share in the state’s economic opportunities.

Under the Regional and Remote Campus Delivery Model, training will be shaped by local communities and employers, with courses tailored to community priorities and workforce demand.

This includes foundation skills, digital capability courses, accredited training pathways, industry-relevant licences and tickets, as well as nationally accredited and community-based short courses in priority areas such as construction, hospitality, business basics and community services.

Over the next five years, TAFE NSW will establish onsite support teams at participating campuses and continue working with communities and businesses so students can access training, build skills and connect with employment opportunities close to home.

The participating campuses are Boggabilla, Bourke, Brewarrina, Condobolin, Coomealla, Lake Cargelligo, Coonabarabran, Menindee, Walgett and Wilcannia.

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“Regional communities deserve access to the same opportunities as people living in our cities, and that starts with making sure people can access training and build their careers close to home.

“This investment will help regional people gain the skills they need for local jobs, while giving businesses a stronger pool of skilled workers to draw on.

“By listening to local communities and employers, we can make sure TAFE NSW is delivering the training regional communities need, where and when they need it.

“Strong local workforces are essential to the future of regional NSW, and this is about giving people the opportunity to build those workforces from within their own communities.”

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said:

“After years of underinvestment in TAFE NSW under the former Liberal-National Government, too many regional communities like Broken Hill and the Far West were left without the opportunities they needed into skilled careers.

“The Minns Labor Government is rebuilding these pathways and making it easier for people in regional and remote communities to gain skills that work, build their confidence and take the next step into further study or employment.

“This is a guarantee of a core service from TAFE NSW in remote communities – a 100% contrast to the closures and cuts the Liberals and Nationals delivered.

“By working with local communities and businesses, we’re delivering training options that meet local workforce needs and support the next generation of tradies, skilled workers and professionals.

“Our regional and remote campuses at the heart of their communities. Strong regional communities need a strong local workforce, and that’s exactly what this initiative is helping to build.”

Member for Barwon, Roy Butler MP said:

“I often hear people from Barwon say they would like more opportunities to learn new skills and get qualifications without having to leave town. For instance, many apprentices have to travel hundreds of kilometres just complete the study component of their trade certificate.

“This initiative will help make a significant difference in communities across Barwon by bringing more training closer to home and helping people get the skills they need for local jobs.

“Whether it’s someone looking to pick up a new qualification, or to get a licence for work, or to take the first step towards a trade, having these opportunities available locally is incredibly important for our communities. Saving time, money and a lot of the headaches associated with having to travel long distances to get things done.”

Communities across the Central Coast are continuing to benefit from more timely access to urgent care, with the Long Jetty Urgent Care Service providing more than 32,700 patient attendances since opening in December 2023.

Minister for Health Ryan Park visited the service yesterday and acknowledged its important role in reducing pressure on the Central Coast’s emergency departments and providing patients with a convenient alternative for urgent but non-life‑threatening conditions.

The service provides timely care for a wide range of conditions that can be safely treated in a community setting, including sprains, strains, minor fractures, plaster care, respiratory illnesses, infections, minor injuries, rashes, bites and stings.

Open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm, including public holidays, the Long Jetty Urgent Care Service is staffed by general practitioners, nurses and allied health clinicians, supported by onsite diagnostic services.

The multidisciplinary team provides high quality, safe care and can connect patients with additional support when needed, including Central Coast Local Health District’s Hospital in the Home program and other community-based services.

Patients who have a non-life-threatening condition can call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222 for free advice, anytime of the day or night. A registered nurse will assess their condition and connect them to the right care, which can include referral to a UCS.

Patients needing language support can call TIS National on 131 450 and ask for Healthdirect.

The NSW Government is investing in a suite of ED alternative pathways in an effort to ease pressure on busy hospital EDs and ensure the people of NSW receive the most appropriate care.

This includes:

• $171.4 million to introduce additional virtual care services helping 180,000 avoid a trip to the ED.
• $100 million to continue funding our urgent care services for a further two years to provide a pathway to care outside of our hospitals for an estimated 114,000 patients
• $70 million to expand emergency department short stay units to improve patient flow to reduce ED wait times by nearly 80,000 hours
• $15.1 million for an ambulance distribution matrix that provides real time hospital data to enable paramedics to transport patients to emergency departments with greater capacity and reducing wait times
• $31.4 million to increase Hospital in the Home across the state allowing over 3,500 additional patients each year to be cared for in their home rather than a hospital bed
• $53.9 million to improve patient flow and support discharge planning by identified patients early on that are suitable to be discharged home with the appropriate supports in place

The Minns Labor Government also delivered a record investment into healthcare through the 2026-27 Budget, which included an additional $130.7 million to further expand short stay units by up to 30 additional treatment spaces aimed at improving wait times.

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“This Urgent Care Service at Long Jetty provides an important alternative for Central Coast patients with urgent but non-life-threatening conditions, while helping reduce pressure on our busy hospitals.

“Services like this are making it easier for people to get the right care, in the right place, at the right time, saving them from unnecessary long waits in an emergency department.”

Minister for the Central Coast David Harris:

“It’s fantastic to see so many people on the Central Coast continuing to benefit from the Long Jetty Urgent Care Clinic.

“The high-quality care for the wide range of conditions delivered by a skilled multi-disciplinary team is meaning people can be treated close to home while freeing up our busy hospital EDs.”

Member for The Entrance David Mehan:

“The community has embraced this service because it provides a convenient and trusted option for people who need urgent medical attention but don’t require emergency care.”

Central Coast Local Health District Acting Chief Executive Jude Constable:

“The Long Jetty Urgent Care Service is making a real difference for our community by improving access to timely care and helping patients avoid an unnecessary visit to the emergency department.

“I’d like to acknowledge the dedicated staff at the Long Jetty Urgent Care Service for the exceptional care they provide to our community every day. Their commitment and expertise are helping more people access the right care at the right time, closer to home.”

NSW Ambulance has today welcomed 16 new paramedics from interstate and overseas, providing a further boost to frontline health services across NSW.

The qualified and experienced paramedics, from a wide range of locations including, the UK, Canada, USA, New Zealand and interstate, have completed a comprehensive induction program at the NSW Ambulance Education Centre and will begin their nine week on-road training from tomorrow.

This cohort includes Paul Dowling who worked as a paramedic for British Columbia Emergency Health Services in Canada for six years, and Billy Britton, who served with the London Ambulance Service for six years.

The Minns Labor Government is rebuilding essential services by recruiting more health staff, including paramedics, doctors, nurses, and allied health workers.

This includes strengthening ambulance services in regional, rural and remote communities by rolling out an additional 500 paramedics across the state, through the Regional 500 initiative.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“I’m pleased to welcome these experienced paramedics to join NSW Ambulance as they begin the next stage of their careers serving communities across the state.

“The skills and experience they have gained in ambulance services around Australia and overseas will be a valuable addition to our frontline workforce and help support patients when they need it most.

“Attracting qualified clinicians who have worked around the world is one of the ways we are continuing to strengthen our health workforce and ensure communities across NSW have access to timely emergency care.”

NSW Ambulance Interim Chief Executive Clare Beech:

“These paramedics arrive with a broad range of clinical experience, and we are excited to welcome them to the NSW Ambulance family.

“Over the past four weeks, they have completed an intensive induction program designed to prepare them for working in NSW Ambulance and meeting the unique demands of emergency care across our state.

“We look forward to the contribution they will make to our patients and teams in the years ahead.”

paramedic inductee Paul Dowling:

“Over the past four weeks we’ve been learning the clinical scope, equipment and procedures used by NSW Ambulance. There are a lot of similarities to what I was doing in Canada, but it’s been a great opportunity to learn a new way of working.

“I’m excited to be starting on road and learning from experienced paramedics in Armidale as I begin this next chapter of my career.”

paramedic inductee Billy Britton:

“Joining NSW Ambulance is an exciting opportunity, and I’m looking forward to serving the Hunter community while building on the experience I gained with the London Ambulance Service.

“What I enjoy most about being a paramedic is meeting people and supporting them when they need help. Several former colleagues spoke highly of NSW Ambulance, and I’m looking forward to growing my career here and working towards specialist paramedic roles in the future.”

Today NSW and Commonwealth Ministers gathered with a shared mission to address the rise of sexual violence and misogyny involving and impacting young people in New South Wales.

An urgent Roundtable convened by Acting Premier Prue Car and facilitated by NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr Hannah Tonkin, brought together victim survivors, school leaders, frontline services, researchers, policy makers, and other experts to discuss this pressing issue.

The Roundtable examined how online environments and algorithms are playing an increasingly influential role in shaping harmful attitudes towards gender, relationships and consent, and are contributing to sexual violence among young people.

Attendees welcomed the leadership of Commonwealth Ministers in considering the impact that harmful algorithms are having on young people and the remedies that have been legally imposed through the courts in other jurisdictions.

The Roundtable also examined the critical role of families, schools and the broader community in challenging harmful social norms and supporting trusted adults to have open conversations with young people about respect, consent, healthy relationships and online influences.

Participants identified several priority opportunities to strengthen existing efforts to address sexual violence, including:

• increasing the reach of Respectful Relationships Education in public and non-government schools;
• supporting parents, carers and other trusted adults to have conversations with young people about online influences and healthy relationships;
• working with the Commonwealth Government to explore giving social media users more control over what they see on social media;
• improving coordination and responses to online misogyny, pornography and technology-facilitated abuse;
• expanding evidence-based prevention; and
• strengthening support for victim-survivors of sexual violence.

Today’s Roundtable is the first step in a wider program of ongoing work the NSW Government is doing to address sexual violence. The Roundtable will inform immediate work on developing a contemporary NSW Sexual Violence Plan, due for release in 2027.

The Sexual Violence Plan will build on the most up to date evidence, insights from recent consultations, best practice and lived experience. Consultation with the broader community and sector will be undertaken to develop a contemporary plan to address the serious issue of sexual violence.

In addition, Commonwealth Women’s Domestic Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, Micaela Cronin, and her NSW counterpart, Dr Tonkin, will commence a program of work focused on the experiences of young women and girls, including discussions in partnership with lived experience advocates.

Today’s meeting reinforced the importance of a coordinated, whole-of-community approach to preventing sexual violence, promoting respectful relationships and improving safety for young people across New South Wales.

Marking six months of the Minns Labor Government’s Name and Shame Register, NSW Fair Trading’s Strata and Property Taskforce has covertly blitzed open homes across NSW to identify agents engaging in underquoting and other breaches of property sales laws.

Underquoting is where a real estate agent advertises a property at a price which is lower than their reasonable estimate of its selling price. This is done to attract more interest, which creates fake competition and pushes prices up. It wastes buyers’ time, effort and money.

Ahead of the spring selling season, the Taskforce has attended almost 80 open home inspections over the past two months. This has resulted in 10 agents being issued with fines valued at a total of $20,900, alongside five warnings and 16 education directives.

Posing as prospective buyers, inspectors attended open homes before reviewing agency sales records, vendor feedback and advertising material to determine whether price information provided to consumers was accurate and consistent with agency records.

The operation identified a range of alleged underquoting, consumer protection and record-keeping breaches.

In one matter, an agent was fined for telling prospective buyers a property was expected to sell for $3.65 million. However, a review quickly discovered the agency’s own records estimated the property’s value at between $4 million and $4.4 million, while online advertising used a $4 million search price.

Meanwhile, another agent was issued a warning for recording and reporting purchaser feedback that did not accurately reflect conversations which took place during an open home inspection. Behaviour like this has the potential to mislead the seller about buyer sentiment and price expectations.

This operation builds on the Minns Labor Governments reforms to strengthen the state’s underquoting laws which recently passed NSW Parliament. Consultation on the regulations for these laws is currently underway with industry stakeholders.

It also marks the first six months of the Name and Shame Register, which has recorded 118,000 visits since February. Launched earlier this year, the Register provides a central, publicly accessible record of disciplinary and enforcement action taken against real estate agents, strata managers and agencies, helping consumers make informed decisions before they sign on the dotted line.  

The Government has invested $8.4 million in the Strata and Property Taskforce to bring together specialist inspectors, investigators and dispute resolution experts to crack down on misconduct and lift professional standards to support consumers.

While most property professionals do the right thing, NSW Fair Trading will continue to target those who fail to meet their obligations and undermine consumer confidence in the sector.

This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to create a fairer, more transparent property market.  

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“When the Minns Labor Government established the Strata and Property Taskforce, this is exactly the kind of work we envisioned they would do.

“Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you can make, and people deserve confidence that price information is accurate and transparent.

“This operation shows that NSW Fair Trading is actively monitoring the market and taking swift action where real estate agents are not meeting their obligations.”

Strata and Property Services Commissioner Angus Abadee said:

“Strong compliance benefits consumers, but it also benefits the many agents who do the right thing by ensuring they are not competing against businesses willing to cut corners or ignore the rules.

“The overwhelming majority of property professionals do the right thing, but those willing to push the boundaries should be on notice that Fair Trading officers could be at their next open home.”

States and territories will today raise the growing issue of bed block across the country with the Commonwealth Government at the Health Ministers Meeting in Sydney.

There are now over 3,600 patients stranded in state hospitals across Australia waiting for Commonwealth Government aged care placements.

The national number increased from over 2,700 in mid 2025 to over 3,600 in mid 2026:

• Queensland – from 1076 to 1272
• NSW – from 750 to 1,027
• South Australia – from 245 to 476
• Western Australia – from 230 to 423
• Victoria – from 226 to 302
• Tasmania – from 55 to 78
• NT – from 76 to 74
• ACT – from 78 to 80

When patients are unable to be discharged to appropriate care, beds in wards cannot be used, surgeries cannot be undertaken and patients wait longer in emergency departments.

Ultimately, in Australia’s joint funded health system, the accessibility of aged care services rests with the Commonwealth.

Public hospitals were not designed as alternatives or substitutes to aged care facilities, and patients waiting indefinitely in hospital face poorer prospects for recovery.

States and territories will work with the Commonwealth on this issue and today will call for a commitment to more Support at Home packages facilitate the return of stranded patients to home settings. There are almost 100,000 people waiting for Support at Home packages.

NSW Minister for Health and Chair of the Health Ministers Meeting Ryan Park said:

“I am concerned the prevalence of bed block is accelerating and is far beyond sustainable. We acknowledge the Commonwealth has pledged investment into aged care builds, but we know that can take some time. We will work constructively with the Commonwealth including on issues such as seeing a more immediate response to this crisis, including the delivery of more Commonwealth Support at Home packages.”

ACT Minister for Health Dr Marisa Paterson said:

“Older Australians should not have to spend extended periods in hospital when their care needs could be better met in the community or in residential aged care. These delays are difficult for patients and their loved ones and contribute to increasing pressure across the broader health system. People deserve timely access to the right care in the right setting, and we will continue engaging with our federal counterparts to help make that a reality.”

NT Minister for Health Steve Edgington said:

“The NT Government is delivering more beds, more nurses, and more equipment in a record NT Health budget with one new ward opening this week and another later this year to help deal with capacity issues. Our hospital pressures are exacerbated by Commonwealth failure to invest in aged care fast enough as we wait for a promised new facility in the Top End. We could potentially free up another 70 beds and this would make a significant difference to bed block, pressure in the ED and the health system in general in the Territory.”

Queensland Minister for Health Tim Nicholls said:

“Queensland remains ground zero for stranded older patients, with more than 1,270 stuck in our hospitals and interim care through no fault of their own. Our message has been very loud and clear and that is that the Commonwealth needs to honour its commitments and invest in more aged care supports in Queensland, and across the country. These vulnerable patients need to be moved out of our busy, noisy hospitals and into more appropriate settings so they can get the care they deserve.

SA Minister for Health Blair Boyer said:

“Nationally, we need an additional 10,000 aged care beds each year – last year we had just 800. And this crisis is only going to get worse with current projections showing the total population aged over 70 in South Australia will nearly double over the next 30 years – from 226,568 to 441,395. There are currently 476 older South Australians who are ready to leave hospital but cannot access an aged care placement. That’s up from 60 in late 2022. That number of aged care patients waiting for a bed is about the same as the number of patients at the Lyell McEwin hospital – one of our largest metro hospitals. If we were able to get them into an aged care bed, it would free up a whole hospital so we could treat those patients that need it. This is putting a huge demand on our healthcare system as the new beds we’ve added to the system are being taking up by aged care patients. Older people should not have to spend weeks, months, or even years in some cases, in hospital waiting for aged care support – and we need the Federal Government to act now.”

Tasmania Minister for Health Bridget Archer said:

“Too many Tasmanians remain stuck in our hospitals, sometimes for weeks and even months at a time, because the Federal Government has not provided them with the aged care or NDIS supports needed. These Tasmanians are not just statistics, they are Tasmanians who deserve dignity, compassion and a proper place to recover. While the Tasmanian Government will always provide high-quality care, the ongoing lack of leadership and support from the Federal Government is unacceptable.”

Victoria Minister for Health Ingrid Stitt said:

“Every older Victorian deserves to age with dignity – and no one should stay in hospital longer than they need to. We’ll continue to advocate strongly to the Commonwealth to ensure its aged care reforms are properly funded and no Victorian misses out.”

WA Minister for Health Meredith Hammat said:

“The number of older Australians awaiting aged care in public hospital beds during winter reached worrying new heights in Western Australia. That’s about 100 more than we had 12 months ago, and another 100 fewer beds available for acutely unwell patients. Older Western Australians deserve a more dignified care setting when they’ve been cleared for discharge.”

The NSW Government has wrapped up its first trade mission to India, opening new doors for NSW businesses, investment and jobs in one of the fastest-growing major economies in the world.

Premier Chris Minns and Treasurer Daniel Mookhey spent four days in New Delhi and Mumbai meeting senior government and business leaders across critical minerals, technology, tourism, education, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing and creative industries.

India was chosen for the Premier’s first overseas visit in recognition of the importance of the relationship between NSW and India.

Two-way merchandise trade between NSW and India is already worth almost $7 billion a year, but the clear message from the mission was that both sides believe the relationship can go much further.

The mission delivered and progressed a number of opportunities for NSW, including:

• Refreshing NSW’s sister-state agreement with Maharashtra, with both governments committing to develop a joint action plan within 90 days to grow trade and investment.
• A new partnership between NSW-owned traffic technology SCATS and HCLTech, exploring how AI can help expand the use of NSW traffic technology in India.
• A partnership between NSW Mid North Coast boat builder Steber International and Mumbai-based West Coast Marine to bring electric boat technology to India.
• Meetings with major Indian companies including Tata, Mahindra and JSW about opportunities to invest and expand in NSW.
• Putting NSW critical minerals directly in front of Indian government and industry, as India looks to secure the minerals it needs to grow its manufacturing sector.
• Pushing for more direct flights between India and Sydney, including discussions with Air India, and hearing directly from tourism operators about the opportunities to make it easier for more people to visit Australia.
• Building stronger education and research links, including Western Sydney University’s new Greater Noida campus and growing collaboration between NSW universities and Indian institutions.
• Opening the door to more Indian film production in NSW, including the announcement that Heyy Babyy 2 will be filmed in NSW.

The Premier and Treasurer met senior government leaders including Indian Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, as well as senior business leaders across both Delhi and Mumbai.

Alongside the business program, the Premier and Treasurer took part in a number of community and cultural visits.

The Premier and Treasurer visited religious and community institutions, met Mumbai’s famous dabbawalas and spent time with people from India’s food, film and cultural industries.

The visits were an opportunity to better understand the country and its people, and recognise the important role NSW’s Indian community can play as a bridge between the two.

The mission concluded with a NSW-India investment forum in Mumbai, bringing together major Indian and Australian businesses to discuss where they could do more together.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“The clear message we’ve heard this week is that we’re just at the beginning of what this relationship can become.”

“We already do almost $7 billion in two-way trade, but there’s much more we can do in critical minerals, technology, education and tourism.

“We’ve also spent time with communities here and had the chance to get a real sense of the people and culture.

“NSW has a huge advantage in the more than 200,000 Indian-born people who call our state home and understand both countries.

“Our job now is to turn the conversations we’ve had this week into more investment, jobs and opportunities back home.

“We leave India with a much better understanding of the opportunities in front of us, some strong new relationships and plenty of work to do.”

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“The big takeaway from this week is that India is ambitious, NSW is ambitious, and there is a genuine appetite to do more together.”

“We’ve met businesses with the scale, technology and capital to invest in NSW, and we’ve seen first-hand the opportunities for NSW businesses in India.

“But the relationship is bigger than business. The links between our people, our universities and our communities give NSW a head start that many other places simply don’t have.

“For a state of eight and a half million people, the opportunity to sell our goods, services and expertise into a market of 1.4 billion people is enormous.

“This trip has opened doors. The work now is to keep those doors open and turn that interest into real economic opportunities for NSW.”

The expansion of the Nioka Palliative Care Unit at Tamworth Hospital has reached an important milestone, with the first major concrete pour completed for the new building.

Funded as part of the Minns Labor Government’s $93 million world-class End of Life Care program, the expansion will double its current capacity, increasing the total number of beds from six to 12, enhancing services for Tamworth and surrounding communities.

Concrete has been poured to form the foundations for a new linkway to the existing palliative care unit in the hospital, and for the expanded section of the unit, which will feature six palliative care bedrooms with ensuites, communal areas, meeting spaces and flexible outdoor spaces.

Around 30 truckloads of local concrete were used, with more than 200 cubic metres of concrete poured at the site. With the foundations now laid, the building’s structure will start to take shape over the coming months.

When complete, the enhanced and expanded facilities will support staff to deliver specialist care while also promoting the privacy, comfort and dignity of people with life-limiting illnesses who have complex symptoms or end-of-life care needs.

The facility has been designed to create a home-like environment and will feature oversized bedrooms with warm interior finishes and large windows overlooking private courtyards.

Three courtyards will provide green spaces for relaxation, including a private outdoor area, and an overnight room to enable additional family members to stay close to their loved ones. An enclosed linkway will provide private access to the Palliative Care Unit and the Rehabilitation Unit from the Acute Services Building.

Work to refurbish the existing Nioka Palliative Care Unit is also underway, including improvements to inpatient rooms and general areas that will integrate with the expanded unit once complete.

Construction for the expanded unit is expected to be completed in 2027.

The Minns Labor Government is investing $11.9 billion to deliver more beds and expanded services across 32 new or upgraded health facilities in NSW as part of the 2026-27 budget. This includes nearly $3 billion over four years for hospitals across regional NSW.

The world-class End of Life Care program is redeveloping and refurbishing palliative care facilities across NSW. Other locations include Nepean, Orange, Westmead and Wyong hospitals.

For more information about the Program, visit nsw.gov.au/palliative-care-program. 

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to ensuring people with life-limiting illnesses receive the highest quality end-of-life care and the expanded Nioka Palliative Care Unit is a great example of this.

“The expansion of the Nioka Palliative Care Unit will double capacity of the current unit, meaning more people and their loved ones can access palliative care and support when it’s needed most.

“We are grateful to the staff and members of the community who have provided valuable input to shape the expanded unit, which will significantly enhance palliative care facilities for Tamworth and surrounding communities.”

Labor Spokesperson for Tamworth, Anthony D’Adam:

“This is a significant milestone that brings the Tamworth community another step closer to these expanded services.

“By delivering more comfortable, private, and welcoming spaces, we are helping to ensure that people receiving end-of-life care are supported with dignity and compassion.

“The expanded spaces will help deliver enhanced palliative care services for the region, making a big difference for the community.”

Director of Clinical Operations Hunter New England Local Health District, Susan Heyman

“I know how much the Nioka Palliative Care Unit means to our community, and it is so good to see this important expansion taking shape.

“When people are facing end-of-life care, comfort, privacy and time with loved ones matters. This expansion will help create a calmer, more welcoming environment for patients and families, while supporting our staff to provide compassionate specialist care.

“The first major concrete pour is an exciting milestone for the project, and over the coming months the community will start to see the new spaces take shape.”

The Minns Government is responding to three new events of H5 bird flu after samples were taken from greater crested terns at Port Kembla and Warriewood on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, as well as a Hutton’s shearwater at Corindi in Coffs Harbour.

This is the first confirmed detection in a shearwater bird in NSW.

There are no signs of any mass mortality in the area or anywhere else in NSW and surveillance is continuing so we can detect any further cases early.

As of 3 September 2026, there are 20 H5 bird events in NSW and 468 across Australia.

Given the spread of bird flu across Australia, NSW now reports detections under the nationally consistent event system, where a single investigation may involve one or more birds and considers factors such as location, timing, species and other findings.

A national surveillance plan is in operation to monitor for any further detections and facilitate rapid, coordinated response.

Bird flu has not been detected in commercial poultry flocks, captive birds or any other birds native to NSW and the risk to human health remains low.

The Government is continuing to receive many calls to the Emergency Animal Disease hotline and key stakeholders are being briefed regularly on the current situation.

The NSW Government has commenced a rollout of targeted vaccinations for vulnerable species of birds to help protect them against H5 avian influenza.

A combination of insurance populations in captivity, and wild populations of birds, are in the process of being vaccinated. This includes the Little Penguins in Manly and Barunguba Montague Island.

If you see sick or dead wild birds, domestic birds, marine mammals or other wildlife showing signs of H5 bird flu – Avoid contact, Record what you see, Report it via the online reporting form or Emergency Animal Disease Hotline –1800 675 888.

The NSW Government continues to work closely with Australian and State and Territory governments to roll out the plans developed with industry, agriculture and wildlife organisations.

The Chief Veterinary Officer has advised the poultry industry that there is at this stage only a voluntary housing recommendation for poultry birds.

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“We are deeply concerned about the impact that H5 bird flu could have on our native wildlife.

“No government policy can stop this virus form spreading through our wild bird populations. What we can do to support our wildlife is vaccinate insurance populations, protect their habitat and eliminate invasive species.

“The public also has an important role to play by avoiding contact with sick or dead birds and reporting them to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline, helping us detect new cases and target our surveillance efforts.”

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“NSW so far has 20 H5 bird events, while the rest of Australia has more than 460, and there have been no mass mortality or poultry bird events.

“Our focus is on preparedness, surveillance and responding to events quickly.

“Now is the time for everyone who has backyard chickens or pet birds in aviaries to take precautionary steps to ensure there are no interactions between their chooks and pets with wild birds.

“The Government also recommends people be careful with their dogs when walking on beaches or parks and ensure they don’t eat carcasses or chase wild birds. There is low risk of exposure but it’s important to minimise any risk for your pets”.