Category: NSW News

One of the state’s longest serving train drivers, a Central Coast resident known affectionately as G.O.D, is marking 55 years on the railways of NSW.

John Szabo, Gosford’s Oldest Train driver, was joined at Gosford Station by colleagues, friends, family, and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison to celebrate this milestone.

Minister Aitchison met and congratulated Mr. Szabo, who began his railway career in July 1969 shortly after finishing high school, as a trainee engineman on steam trains.

From his early days shunting steam trains in Sydney yards to completing his diesel train driver training in 1976, he has never considered changing careers. Today, Mr. Szabo drives trains between Gosford, Newcastle and Sydney on the Central Coast-Newcastle train line, which has about a million passenger trips each month.

Over the past half-century, Mr. Szabo has worked on all types of trains, including steam, diesel, rail motors, and electric, safely transporting hundreds of thousands of commuters. Mr. Szabo’s teammates gave him the nickname ‘G.O.D’, even painting the letters on a car parking space at the station.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“The commitment of John Szabo and other long serving rail workers have shown to keeping us safe and on track is truly appreciated by the entire community.

“I had the pleasure of meeting John, and it was humbling to hear about his passion for customer service. I listened to many stories of how he’s helped passengers over the decades. On behalf of the community, thank you John for your decades of hard work and dedication.”

Train Driver John Szabo said:

“Most of what I remember from the steam era is being dirty – I’d go to work clean and come home with soot in my ears.

“I love my job. The simple fact that I’ve been doing it so long is proof enough. The job’s been good to me, it’s paid all my bills for more than 50 years! I will keep driving for as long as they’ll have me. Driving is what makes me happy.”

Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch, said:

“Credit to John for his unwavering dedication delivering train services across NSW for 55 years.

“Committed, experienced and long-term railway employees are the backbone of our public transport system, looked up to by so many in the transport sector as mentors and relied on for the amazing expertise they bring. On behalf of the community of Gosford, thank you for 55 years of fantastic service John.”

In a world-first, Australia’s oldest national park, the Royal National Park in Heathcote has received its first health report, with the publication of an EcoHealth Scorecard.

The scorecard program will be the first scheme in the world to systematically integrate ecological health data and financial data into national park decision making.

Covering both the Royal and the adjacent Heathcote and Garawarra reserves, 40 permanent monitoring sites were set up with cameras and acoustic monitoring equipment, capturing more than one million images, 2,500 bird records, and 2,000 plant records.

The first Scorecard reveals:

• For the first time, the Krefft’s glider and yellow-bellied sheath-tailed bat were detected, along with 45 native mammal species.
• The area is a refuge for the threatened eastern pygmy possum and supports over half of all microbat species in NSW, including at least seven threatened species.
• A diverse range of flora was found with 488 native species, across five major vegetation formations. The extent of weed invasion is low outside of disturbed areas.
• 70% of waterways have ‘very good’ or ‘good’ water quality.

The Scorecard also reveals some challenges, with six mammal species likely to have disappeared from the Park since European arrival. The red fox is widespread across the reserves and likely impacting on populations of native species, while feral deer numbers remain high in some areas. 

In response to these results, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) has ramped up feral animal control by introducing a park-wide aerial baiting program for foxes, is trialling new measures to address myrtle rust and will adjust deer control and fire management.

These evidence-based management responses will improve the conservation outcomes for the unique plants and animals that are protected by these reserves, including the iconic platypus which was successfully reintroduced to Royal National Park last year.

The next report for Royal will be published in mid-2025 including survey results for koalas, gliders and owls. A scorecard will soon be released will be for Kosciuszko National Park. 

NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe:

“We can’t protect what we don’t know about, and this world-leading initiative puts science and data at the forefront of how we manage our iconic national parks.”

“The Minns Labor Government will be expanding these scorecards to almost third of our state’s national parks so we can have the clearest ecological picture of our parks.”

“By measuring and reporting changes in the health of our parks, this program is already shaping decisions about fire management, feral animal control and weed control.”

“It’s a big investment in science, designed to ensure our national parks are among the best managed parks in the world.”

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to pull every available lever to address the housing affordability and availability crisis facing New South Wales, with the first sites to trial modular social housing announced today.

As the Government continues to look at innovative ways to bring more homes online sooner, $10 million has been invested to explore and trial the use of modular housing to deliver much needed social homes for the people of NSW.

Following a comprehensive assessment, sites in Wollongong and Lake Macquarie have been identified as suitable locations to deliver the first modular social homes.

Three sites in Wollongong will host three modular social homes, whilst four sites in Lake Macquarie will host five modular social homes.

A procurement process for the delivery of these homes has begun, with completion expected by early 2025.

Modular housing provides a cost effective and time efficient alternative to traditional building methods, which means homes can be brought online faster. It is estimated that modular homes can be delivered 20% faster than traditional methods, with time savings expected to increase over time.

Last year, the NSW Government formed the Modular Housing Taskforce, an expert cross industry panel who have spearheaded this project and provided advice to the government on barriers to the utilisation of and ways modular housing can be harnessed to speed up the delivery of homes.

The Taskforce includes peak industry experts such as; PreFab Aus, Shelter NSW, Property Council of Australia, Local Government NSW and people with lived experiences of social housing.

As modular housing has not previously been used at scale in NSW, feedback from the Taskforce highlighted several regulatory barriers to the rollout of modular housing widely, which the NSW Government is methodically working through.

This work includes collaborating with the NSW Building Commission to set uniform standards for manufactured homes constructed offsite.

The NSW Government will continue to work with the Taskforce, and local governments as it looks to expand the Modular Housing Program across the state and bring more social homes online sooner.

For more information visit: www.nsw.gov.au/homes-nsw/MMC.

Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns said:

“Housing affordability and availability is the single biggest pressure facing the people of New South Wales.

“We are pulling every lever we can to tackle the housing crisis, and today is an important milestone in our work to utilise nontraditional methods of delivering more homes, sooner rather than later.”

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said:

“Today marks another significant milestone in our Modular Housing Taskforce Plan as we announce the locations for the first set of modular social homes.

“These initial sites are a crucial first step towards revolutionising public housing delivery and we anticipate this demonstration project will pave the way for more of these innovative homes to be rolled out in the future.

“Amid a severe housing crisis, we need to look at every option we must get a roof over people’s heads sooner. Leveraging modern construction methods will help us provide sustainable, quality housing faster for the people that need it most.

“We know people don’t have time to wait and while we get on with the job of building 8,400 new public homes announced in the recent budget, we will continue to leverage every opportunity we have.”

Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said:

“Modular and modern methods of construction are used to produce award-winning architecturally designed homes in a timely and efficient manner, so it makes sense to trial this approach to construction as part of the Minns Government’s commitment to build more social housing.

“I welcome not only the use of new and innovative methods of construction that are used the world over to trial them to build more social housing in Wollongong – it is a sensible use of new technology to try and solve a long-term housing waiting list.”

Manildra residents have celebrated the completion of the once-in-a-generation Mandagery Creek Bridge replacement project at a special community event which saw the unveiling of a heritage interpretation area to commemorate the history of the bridge.

The NSW Government provided $12 million to construct the new bridge, which includes a pedestrian footpath, wider lanes and a higher mass limit to boost transport efficiency throughout western NSW.

The new bridge opened to two-way traffic recently and work crews have now completed the finishing work which includes:

• new signage
• linemarking
• footpaths
• fencing
• construction of a heritage interpretation area.

The bridge provides an important link for Manildra residents to access the town centre, as well as for motorists and freight operators travelling between Orange and Parkes.

An innovative ‘half-half’ construction method was used to replace the bridge on its original alignment which involved partially demolishing and then constructing the upstream half of the bridge, before repeating the process for the downstream half.

This construction method meant there was a continuous single lane traffic flow across Mandagery Creek during almost all of the construction period.

NSW Minister for Regional Roads and Transport Jenny Aitchison said:

“The engineers behind this bridge build need to be congratulated for their ingenuity – progressively demolishing and building the bridge on the same alignment to minimise disruption to traffic, which is particularly important for local industry and the movement of freight.

“There are now no limitations on freight movements across the bridge, allowing for reduced travel times in getting materials from paddock to processing.

“We want to thank the whole community of Manildra for their support throughout the duration of the project.

“Well before construction started, I was pleased to hear Transport for NSW worked closely with the community and stakeholders including Cabonne Council, the Manildra and District Improvement Association, Manildra Group, MSM Milling and emergency services to prepare for the project.

“As well as a new bridge, locals and visitors now have a special place to stop, sit and appreciate the local history of the creek crossing at the heritage interpretation area.”

Labor’s spokesperson for Orange Stephen Lawrence MLC said:

“It’s great to see the history of this iconic bridge being honoured permanently.

“The first Mandagery Creek Bridge was built in 1879 and two horsedrawn wagons were the first traffic to cross it, but after 49 years of service, it was washed away by floodwater in February 1928. A concrete bridge was built to replace it in almost the same position, which was opened on 21 April 1930.

“But 90 years later, that bridge was in poor condition and failing to meet modern design standards.

“We now have a replacement bridge that meets current design standards and will improve safety for motorists and pedestrians.

“A big shout out to the hard working project team who, despite significant delays due to weather and losing the established project site in the 2022 flood, ensured the project was finished on time.”

Motorists are reminded to slow down and remain vigilant with school zones back in force from Monday 22 July, as Term 3 commences in NSW.  
 
Sally Webb, Deputy Secretary of Safety, Environment and Regulation at Transport for NSW said school zones are generally in place from 8 to 9.30am and from 2.30 to 4pm, and although Monday is a teacher development day at some schools, some students still return to school tomorrow. 
 
“Children can be curious and unpredictable on the road, so please look out for them when they are crossing, waiting to cross or as they get on or off buses. 
 
“Tragically, 23 children were involved in a crash in an active school zone last year, and five of them were seriously injured.  We don’t want more children to be hurt on our roads, so we need everyone to be responsible.” 

Ms Webb said drivers need to observe school zone limits and those who disobey road rules and gamble with the lives of children will face higher penalties and risk losing their licence. 
 
“We take road safety around schools very seriously, which is why we have over 1,450 trained school crossing supervisors at over 980 schools across NSW, to help students arrive to school and leave safely. 
 
“I also encourage parents and guardians to start teaching their children from a young age about how to be safe on the road. Remind them to Stop! Look! Listen! Think! every time they cross the road, and to keep checking until they safely reach the other side,” Ms Webb said.

For more information on school zones, please visit https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/community/schools/school-zones

The Minns Labor Government has set up a taskforce, comprised of Transport for NSW, NSW Police and Revenue NSW, to crack down on drivers exploiting the demerit point system.

The Minns Labor Government has set up a taskforce, comprised of Transport for NSW, NSW Police and Revenue NSW, to crack down on drivers exploiting the demerit point system (PDF, 122.61 KB).

The Demerit Point Integrity Taskforce has been established to identify any fraudulent behaviour in the demerit point scheme, such as drivers racking up high numbers of demerits and those selling demerit points online, including on Facebook Marketplace.

It will investigate any gaming of the legitimate process for nominating another driver to take demerit points for an offence.

The NSW Government is beefing up the system to make it more robust after a recent high-profile case where a French national had more than 200 demerit points applied to his licence.

There are 6.9 million NSW driver licence holders, but the Taskforce will focus on a tiny fraction (0.005%) of drivers who have 20 or more demerit points.

The Taskforce will review the suitability of current penalties, suspensions and what extra measures are available to deter people who rack up extremely high demerits.

For example, a driver with 13 demerit points receives the same five-month suspension as a driver with 20 or more.

The Taskforce will also examine:

• Who is eligible to opt for a good behaviour period in lieu of a suspension, based on how many demerits they have
• The ability for a driver to be back on the road between suspensions. This can occur when, for example, a driver is first suspended for unpaid fines. When that suspension is lifted, a driver with excess demerits will then be served with notice to suspend but is able to drive in the intervening period before the next suspension starts
• Better enforcement options in the case that someone owns a vehicle, does not drive it, but still receives the infringements associated with the vehicle
• Rental companies accessing demerit balance or driving history before approving a rental

The Taskforce will initially run for three months and report its findings to Government.

In light of a rising number of lives being lost on roads across Australia, the NSW Government is committed to improving road safety to keep communities safe.

Earlier in the year, the Minns Labor Government closed the loophole left by the Liberal-National government to ensure all motorists driving on a foreign licence will now have a maximum of six months to convert to a NSW licence.

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“The demerit point system in NSW was designed more than 50 years ago and has been a key plank in improvements that have enhanced road safety over those five decades.

“The NSW Government has zero tolerance for anyone trying to subvert the system. There is one set of road rules and they apply equally to all.

“This is the right time for Police, Transport for NSW and Revenue NSW to come together to review the demerit point scheme and make sure it remains completely robust.”  

Acting Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Tara Moriarty said:

“The demerit point system exists for the safety of every road user.

“Unfortunately, the NSW Police Force continue to witness dangerous driver behaviour every day on our roads, from speeding, to drivers using their mobile phones and not driving to the road conditions, these are serious offences that endanger not only the driver’s life, but those of their passengers and other road users.

“I want to make clear there is zero tolerance for anyone who tried to subvert the demerit and penalty system. This Taskforce will help ensure the penalties apply to all road users.”

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison:

“The demerit point system is a key tool to keep drivers accountable for their behaviours on our roads.

“The system is in place to keep everyone safe. The NSW Government is committed to identifying and addressing any opportunities for exploitation that affect the operation of the scheme and put road users at risk.

“Acts like falsely claiming to be the driver and taking points for a fee are criminal and the Taskforce will examine ways to help identify and punish unscrupulous people who take advantage of the system.

“The Taskforce will also consider the most appropriate way for Transport for NSW, NSW Police and Revenue NSW to work together in the future to ensure that the demerit point scheme is fair and equitable for every NSW licence holder and continues to support road safety in NSW.”

Retired NSW State Emergency Service (SES) uniforms will be saved from landfill thanks to a partnership with Uniforms 4 Kids, a charity that will turn the former orange and blue uniforms into clothes and items for children and families in need.

Officially launched today, the partnership means donated emergency service uniforms can be turned into evacuation bags, children’s clothes, hats, pencil cases, library bags and soft toys.

The partnership is an opportunity for the NSW SES to help the communities it serves even further, while also supporting sustainability.

The charity relies on volunteers to cut, stitch and sew the items. It also partners with the New South Wales Police Force, Queensland Police Service, Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force, Ambulance Victoria, Queensland Ambulance Service, Royal Flying Doctors and Australia Zoo.

Uniforms 4 Kids was founded in 2015 by Order of Australia recipient Yvonne Pattinson, who began recycling donated police uniforms for children in remote and rural communities.

To date, more than 55,000 items made by the charity have been donated to domestic violence shelters, remote communities, families and children in need throughout Australia and in countries overseas where the AFP and Australian Border Force provide assistance.

Anyone interested in getting involved can visit www.uniforms4kids.com.au

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“Our dedicated SES volunteers do a lot for their local communities, and this partnership with Uniforms 4 Kids extends that ethos of helping people out.”

“This partnership will help ensure fewer retired SES uniforms go to waste, not only helping families who might need financial assistance during these challenging times, but also helping to reduce landfill.”

“Volunteerism makes the world a better place, and to have two volunteer organisations partner to improve the lives of the communities they serve is inspiring.”

NSW SES Acting Commissioner Deb Platz APM said:

“We’re proud to partner with Uniforms 4 Kids, which is a very worthy cause that will make a difference to the lives of others in need.”

“Not only that, but being able to give children evacuation bags made from old NSW SES uniforms will further develop community awareness and get families talking about what they may do, or pack, into the bag should they need to evacuate during a natural disaster.”

Uniforms 4 Kids Chairman Glenn Ferguson AM said:

“We are thrilled to have the NSW State Emergency Service partner with us to further deliver on our mission of creating unique clothing for children in need, no matter who or where they are.”

“By being able to repurpose donated uniforms for the good of others, we’re continuing the use of the NSW SES uniform to protect and serve communities, all while reducing waste.”

“Our dedicated sewing volunteers are based all over the country, with some groups formed in nursing homes, assisted living villages, church groups, or social groups, adding to the social impact we’re having.”

“Our team is made up of volunteers, and all monies raised go towards enabling the creation of outstanding and beautiful clothes.”

The first deployment of NSW firefighting specialists will depart Sydney today in response to a request for assistance from Canada, which is again battling severe summer wildfires.

To help fight more than 650 wildfires, which have already burnt more than 1.5 million hectares of land, 31 NSW personnel will travel to Canada as part of a 116-strong Australian-New Zealand contingent.

A team of 20 Rural Fire Service (RFS) members, as well as five personnel from the National Parks and Wildlife Service, four from Forestry Corporation NSW and two from the NSW State Emergency Service, will be part of two deployments leaving this morning and on Sunday.

The firefighting personnel will be on the ground for more than a month to assist their counterparts in Alberta and British Columbia, who have been working for weeks without rest.

The NSW contingent includes air attack supervisors, incident managers, fire behaviour analysts and heavy machinery managers, and will remain in Canada for up to five weeks.

The Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council’s National Resource Sharing Centre is facilitating the deployment of the Australian and New Zealand personnel and resources, following a formal request for assistance from Canada’s Interagency Forest Fire Centre.

Minister for Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“We wish our National Parks and Wildlife Service specialist firefighters safe travels as they head off to join the international effort to bring the Canadian wildfires under control.”

“The request for our National Parks fire fighters is a testament to the professionalism of the team, who are specially trained remote area firefighters and incident managers.”

“This is an important opportunity to exchange skills and knowledge and thank them for their efforts.”

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“Our thoughts are with the people of Canada and their communities affected by these fires.”

“In NSW, we are keenly aware of the destructive nature of bush fires, and we stand ready to support Canada in its time of need.”

“Our skilled and experienced firefighting personnel will provide their international colleagues with much-needed relief and support.”

“I’d like to thank this team for answering the call and wish all our people well on their travels. We look forward to their safe return.”

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“My thoughts and best wishes are with the Australian firefighters heading to Canada and those Canadians already on the fire front.”

“I’m pleased that our firefighting agencies in NSW, including Forestry Corporation, can work collaboratively locally and assist their counterparts in Canada.”

“Fire really is a universal issue and the skills we have here in Australia for fighting forest fires can be transferred through these overseas deployments.”

Acting Commissioner of the RFS Kyle Stewart APM said:

“NSW emergency services have a proud history of supporting their international colleagues, joining multiple deployments overseas, including to Canada, over the past two decades.

“These specialist personnel are repaying Canada for the support it has generously provided when we have called on its firefighters for help. It is testament to the expertise and professionalism of our members.

“The RFS is also currently supporting US fire operations, with our 737 Large Air Tanker, ‘Marie Bashir’ on deployment to California since June.”

The communities of Gulargambone and Menindee can look forward to high-speed and reliable Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) internet, thanks to an agreement between the NSW Government and telco infrastructure provider, Opticomm announced today.

This initiative is part of the NSW Government’s $250 million investment in digital infrastructure to future-proof connectivity for rural, regional, and remote NSW communities.

More than 800 homes and businesses across Gulargambone and Menindee will be eligible for a fibre internet connection, with premises along Menindee Lakes’ Sunset Strip also set to benefit.

This initiative is an example of the government bringing metropolitan equivalent services to rural NSW, bridging the digital divide and reducing the current dependency on satellite services.

The new fibre network replaces the unreliable and limited internet currently available and will ensure these communities have reliable infrastructure and affordable, high-speed internet services.

Digital connectivity is critical to fuelling regional development, fostering community wellbeing, and providing rural and remote citizens with access to telehealth, education and other online services.

Improved internet connectivity has many benefits including support for students doing home-based learning, adults seeking jobs or engaged in online education, aids businesses with faster access for cloud computing and teleconferencing, enhances family entertainment options, and strengthens connections with loved ones and the community.

Planning and design for the Gulargambone and Menindee fibre network will commence in the coming months, with construction expected to start in late 2025.

For more information visit: www.nsw.gov.au/connectregionalnsw

Minister for Agriculture, Regional NSW and Western NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“The NSW Government is committed to improving opportunities and choice across rural and remote communities.”

“We want our rural and regional communities to have the benefits of online education, entertainment, telehealth and other online services.

“Through this initiative, more than 800 families and businesses in Gulargambone and Menindee will be eligible to enjoy a second to none fibre connection to their premises, with access to over 40 internet service providers allowing them to select an affordable internet plan that’s right for them.”

Independent State Member for Barwon, Roy Butler said:

“Poor connectivity out West has many trickle-down impacts in regional and remote communities. When we cannot connect, we lose business, tourism, education, and telehealth opportunities, which are lifelines to places like Menindee and Gulargambone.

Weather-related events that take out our telecommunications network can isolate towns that already feel disconnected. Using fibre to mitigate these weather events means communities can be sure they remain connected and can continue to run their households and businesses without disruption.

This is a welcome announcement from the NSW Government.”

Opticomm Chief of Infrastructure Networks and Technology, Geoff Aldridge said:

“We’re pleased to partner with the NSW Government to deploy a Fibre to the Premises network capable of super-fast speeds, that will support these communities with more than enough bandwidth now and into the future.”

“Opticomm will use next generation technology to deliver a Fibre to the Premises network to more than 800 addresses within Gulargambone and Menindee.

“As the second largest fibre wholesaler in Australia, Opticomm has a long-standing history of building, owning and operating fibre networks that are future-proofed with potential speeds of up to 8 gigabits per second (Gbps).”

General Manager Darling Central Shire Council, Greg Hill said:

“Central Darling Shire welcomes this new agreement, which will deliver high-speed and reliable internet for the community of Menindee and residents along Sunset Strip.

“Menindee residents and businesses will be able to keep pace with the digital world through faster downloads, seamless streaming, and reliable access to government or online health services.”

General Manager Coonamble Shire Council, Paul Gallagher said:

“Fibre to the Premises internet unlocks a world of possibilities for Gulargambone, and we’d like to thank the NSW Government for making this a reality.

“Our existing rural businesses will be empowered to innovate and deliver services more efficiently than ever before, ensuring our local economy is future-proofed and allowing our community to thrive in the digital age.

“High-speed fibre internet also provides families and students with reliable and efficient platforms for their study and online activities.”

The Central Coast community is being invited to have its say on the proposed final design of a major $420 million upgrade of the Pacific Highway through Wyong Town Centre.

The Australian Government and NSW Government are investing in this once in a generation upgrade which involves duplicating the highway from Johnson Road at Tuggerah through the town centre.

As part of the upgrade the road bridge over the Wyong River is set to be replaced with a new four-lane bridge.

Following completion of extensive geotechnical investigations, including in the Wyong River and the rail corridor, Transport for NSW is now taking the next steps to deliver the upgrade.

Community members are invited to have their say on the proposed final design of the project which builds on earlier design work and includes new features such as:

• A new plaza for more better connections between buses, trains and the Wyong town centre
• More cycleways
• Additional shared pathways for people walking and cycling in the area
• Wider footpaths

To comment on the proposed design changes, visit the interactive portal https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/pacific-highway-upgrade-through-wyong-town-centre. Submissions can also be made via mail to wtcproject@aecom.com before 11 August 2024.

The community is also invited to attend two drop-in sessions to be held at Wyong Race Club & Function Centre Magic Millions room, 71-73 Howarth St, Wyong on Tuesday 30 July 1-4pm and Thursday 1 August 4-7pm.

An analysis of the feedback received will be included in an Addendum Review of Environmental Factors, which is expected to be published later this year.

A tender for final detailed design and construction of the project is expected to be released in 2025.

NSW Minister for Central Coast and Member for Wyong David Harris:

“Wyong is growing and the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are moving forward with this major upgrade to help improve journeys for all road users.

“This project will make a massive difference to how people move around this wonderful part of the Central Coast and we want to make sure we get it right.”

NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison:

“This project has been on the books for well over a decade and I’m pleased to be part of a Labor government which is delivering for the Central Coast.

“Up to 36,500 vehicles pass through the Wyong town centre each day and we’re determined to make those journeys are as safe and stress-free as possible by investing in this major upgrade.”

Federal Member for Dobell Emma McBride:

“This project will improve safety and reduce travel times for the thousands of people who travel through Wyong each day.

“We know how important this project is to the people and businesses of Wyong and your views matter.

“The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are working together to progress this project, which has been advocated for by our community for so long.”