Category: NSW News

The Minns Labor Government’s plans to address Sydney’s housing affordability crisis is failing, with their own plans being thrown into chaos, with mixed messages on its proposed re-zoning across Sydney causing confusion and inaction. 

The NSW Opposition is calling on the Minns Government to concede its approach hasn’t worked, and has called on it to work with communities to implement a better plan to deliver much-needed housing. 

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said Labor’s arrogant, lazy one-size-fits-all approach is falling apart. 

“It has now been reported that the Minns Labor Government is telling some councils that they can have an extension, while telling others may be able to ignore the Transport Oriented Development State Environmental Planning Policy altogether,” Mr Speakman said. 

“If Chris Minns had consulted with local communities from the start, instead of telling them to ‘get out of the way’, we would be down a constructive path to delivering more housing instead of his Government having to make concessions because its approach is falling apart.” 

Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Scott Farlow said that with the chaos around Minns Government’s plans, it needed to answer ten key questions about the status of its mishandled reforms. 

“Addressing the housing crisis will require a clarity of vision and policy, as well as co-operation with local communities, and that can only come with complete transparency on the part of the Minns Government about its planning reforms,” said Mr Farlow. 

Ten questions the Minns Labor Government must answer: 

1. What are the Government’s housing targets for this year and for the next four? 

2. What is the definition of a town centre under the proposed low-and mid-rise changes? 

3. When will the Government make land available for development that has been identified by its Land Audit? 

4. What are its infrastructure plans for roads, school and hospitals around the newly rezoned sites? 

5. Has the Minns Government made any progress on the Vacant Housing Audit to which it committed? 

6. Has the Government’s Rosehill MoU with the ATC lapsed? 

7. When will Councils receive their housing targets? 

8. Which Councils will get an extension for the provision of the TOD SEPP as it comes into effect? 

9. After Chris Minns abolished the Western Sydney Parkland Authority and the Greater Sydney Commission, will he just recreate these agencies under a different name? 

10. When will the Government release the infrastructure priorities list for its $1.5 billion tax on new homes? 

As thousands of people head to one of the biggest days of the Royal Easter Show, visitors to this year’s event can be confident the 403 showbags varieties on sale contain no unwanted surprises.

NSW Fair Trading Inspectors completed checks of every type of showbag to be offered at this year’s show finding just one non-compliant item.

This item, a small handheld toy wand had a small piece which was easily removed from the toy and presented a choking hazard. It has been removed and is not included in any showbags available for sale.

Inspectors were on the lookout for toys with missing warning labels and products which contain toxic chemicals or cosmetic products such as face painting kits, which are banned from sale.

After pre show checks, NSW Fair Trading Inspectors returned to Sydney Olympic Park at the start of the Sydney Royal Easter Show for final checks of the showbags and to conduct safety checks of other products offered for sale around the Showgrounds precinct.

The Sydney Royal Easter Show runs until 2 April at Sydney Olympic Park.

Find out more about the safety of children’s products and toys

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“More than two million people are expected to attend the Sydney Royal Easter Show and the showbag pavilion is often one of the first places they head to after passing through the turnstiles.

“Whether their favourite showbag is Barbie, Bertie Beetle or Paw Patrol, those purchasing a showbag can be assured every item sold has been checked to ensure the toys and novelty items are safe for the whole family.

“I am extremely pleased with the excellent compliance levels shown by the showbag sellers this year, with only one non-compliant item found among the 403 showbag varieties to be offered for sale.

“This continues the trend in recent years of having fewer non-compliant items found during NSW Fair Trading’s inspections and highlights the agency’s efforts to ensure toys and novelty items are compliant with Australian Consumer Law, safe and age appropriate.”

One of the largest ambulance stations in NSW is now operational, with the official opening today of the Central Sydney Ambulance Station.

Located on the site of the former Coroner’s Court of NSW in Forest Lodge, the Central Sydney Ambulance Station is on the doorstep of the CBD.

The Central Sydney Ambulance Station includes:

• 30 parking bays for ambulance vehicles and 5 parking bays for motorcycle rapid response units
• Rapid roller door allowing crews to get on the road faster
• Administration, office areas and training rooms
• Gym room, showers, changerooms and rest area to promote the wellbeing of our emergency workers
• Rooftop solar panels along with uninterrupted power supply batteries.

The NSW Government has committed $438.6 million to a major boost to NSW Ambulance in our regional and rural areas, with 500 paramedics to be recruited over a 4-year period and 3 new helicopter bases to be built.

The NSW Labor Government is committed to rebuilding essential services in our state, including delivering a record pay increase for paramedics.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“Today marks a new chapter in NSW Ambulance’s nearly 130-year history serving people in and around Sydney’s CBD.

“Ambulance services in Sydney began in a borrowed police station at Railway Square in 1895. This new facility shows just how far ambulance services have come since then.

“The new Central Sydney Ambulance Station will serve this part of Sydney for many years to come.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“This new facility means our paramedics are in the best place to respond to any job, while having a facility with the capacity for the current and future growth needs for emergency ambulance services, not just in the CBD but throughout surrounding suburbs.

“The state-of-the-art Central Sydney Ambulance Station can accommodate more than 200 staff, 30 ambulance vehicles as well as space for 3 motorcycle rapid response units, which is a massive boost to our growing network of ambulance stations throughout the state.

“This purpose-built facility will be a centralised hub for paramedics to start and finish their shifts from; it will also streamline logistical tasks such as cleaning and restocking and provide space for on-station training and education.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan said:

“The Central Sydney Ambulance Station will further enhance paramedics’ ability to save lives.

“Sydney is an international city that attracts millions of visitors from overseas and interstate each year, therefore having a large ambulance station right near the heart of the city will further optimise our responses within the CBD and surrounding suburbs.

“Central Sydney Ambulance Station is a vital hub in our network of hundreds of stations right across NSW. This new facility will ensure we continue to provide excellent emergency medical care now and into the future.”

In a nation-leading trial that could help protect communities during severe weather events, the NSW Government is testing technology that harnesses artificial intelligence (AI) and the mobile phone network to predict the possible impacts of flooding.

The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) has partnered with researchers from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and TPG Telecom to develop and test network sensing technology, which extracts localised weather information including rainfall, water levels and river flows using signals transmitted on the communications network.

Real-time weather information is combined with historical Bureau of Meteorology data and flood information, with a 4D visualisation made possible through the NSW Spatial Digital Twin (SDT) to demonstrate changes to the landscape and built environment.

The SDT allows for large amounts of data to be visualised in 3D and 4D models and to understand and analyse the data through detailed analytics.

Artificial intelligence could then be used to predict risks to infrastructure and communities, paving the way for the NSW SES to potentially use the data for the rapid dissemination of information to affected communities through targeted alerts.

While still in development, the technology could be transformational for emergency services.

Currently, accurate real-time information can be challenging to obtain due to the number of flood sensors, sensor network coverage and network outages during weather events.

In addition to rainfall and water levels, real-time environmental data including wind and landslide information, can be combined with historical flood information to better predict the risk of floods and storms to communities.

Testing of the technology is underway along Sydney’s Parramatta and Georges Rivers and will continue as the centrepiece project of UTS and TPG’s new Network Sensing Lab.

The Flood and Storm Intelligence Sensing project is funded through Transport for NSW’s Smart Places Acceleration Program, a special reservation of the Digital Restart Fund, administered by the Department of Customer Service.

The project builds on cross-agency work on improving flood warnings, and the State Disaster Mitigation Plan which flags early warning systems as a priority for the NSW Government.

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

“Researching this technology is an opportunity to pioneer a new era of flood and storm intelligence.

“This work represents a significant step in the NSW Government’s efforts to combat risks to lives and properties during severe weather events.

“As we face increasingly severe weather influenced by climate change, we are supporting the NSW State Emergency Service with technology that could help communities access important storm and flood information quicker.

“The new technology will improve data-driven decision-making for first responders, filling an information gap that could make an important difference in emergency situations.

“This work will build on our investment in early warning systems and work to ensure communities are better prepared before disasters strike.”

NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York APM said:

“This innovative research project has the potential to make all the difference in protecting people’s homes and keeping people safe during major flood and storm events.

“Intelligence forms the basis for decision-making during emergency responses for the SES, so it is critical we have access to timely and accurate information.

“This technology could give the SES access to real-time flood and storm intelligence data, potentially changing the way we are able to respond to disasters.

“The real-time delivery of localised data from this new technology, and its capability to visualise the impacts of floods, could be applied to decisions relating to deployment of assets and personnel, warnings, evacuations, property protection, resupply and the provision of information and advice to community members.

“This is a really exciting partnership for the NSW State Emergency Service, and I look forward to seeing how this groundbreaking research program unfolds.”

University of Technology Sydney Vice-Chancellor Professor Andrew Parfitt said:

“This project is a manifestation of UTS’s mission to translate research into societal impacts, contributing to NSW and Australia’s economic sustainability, prosperity and community resilience.

“Thanks to NSW Government support, our world-leading wireless research team, led by 
Distinguished Professor Jay Guo, can build on 6 years of research establishing the foundation for the flood and storm intelligence sensing system now in development.

“Network sensing can potentially transform the way our emergency personnel manage and mitigate flood and storm risks, but there are other applications for the technology that also will be explored in the new TPG-UTS Network Sensing Lab.

“This landmark partnership between UTS, TPG Telecom, NSW SES and the NSW Government has the potential to place NSW and Australia at the forefront of how new telecommunication technologies can help in addressing climate challenges and saving lives.” 

NSW Police Force Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon APM has been appointed to act as the Chief Executive Officer of the NSW Reconstruction Authority.

Simon Draper PSM will cease his responsibilities at the Reconstruction Authority to solely focus on leading the public service as Secretary of Premier’s Department.

Deputy Commissioner Lanyon led flood recovery efforts in the Northern Rivers as the Northern NSW Recovery Coordinator in 2022 and has had an extensive career in the NSW Police Force.

Deputy Commissioner Lanyon will commence his role as Acting CEO from 8 April 2024.

Simon Draper commenced as Secretary of Premier’s Department on 1 September 2023 and has been undertaking both roles over the past 7 months.

This delivered continuity and certainty for the Reconstruction Authority across the summer bushfire season.

The Reconstruction Authority was established on 16 December 2022 to proactively reduce the impact of floods, fires and other major disasters, and to help communities across NSW recover from them faster.

Many NSW residents live in disaster-prone areas, with several communities across the state experiencing major disasters since 2019. 

Following devastating floods in February and March 2022, the Northern Rivers region has continued to move forward with the recovery, repairing and rebuilding its communities. The floods were unprecedented and the recovery will be a long road for communities.

The Central West region was impacted by flooding events that started in August and September 2022 and extended through to early 2023.

The Reconstruction Authority is committed to standing by these communities on their recovery journey.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully said:

“The Reconstruction Authority will be in safe hands with Deputy Commissioner Lanyon, an experienced and accomplished leader with extensive experience in working hand-in-hand with communities in both disaster response and recovery.

“I look forward to working closely with Deputy Commissioner Lanyon in the coming months.”

Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib said:

“When disaster strikes, our communities rely on the dedication and unflagging efforts of our frontline responders across the emergency services and NSW Police Force.

“I welcome the appointment of Deputy Commissioner Lanyon to lead the NSW Reconstruction Authority as it continues its essential work to build resilience in our communities.”

Janelle Saffin, Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery said:

“I worked alongside Mal following the devastating floods in the Northern Rivers and am thrilled to be working with him again. 

“There is no better person to lead this organisation, to ensure our state is prepared for disasters, and to help NSW recover after they strike.

“I also take this opportunity to thank Simon Draper for establishing the NSW Reconstruction Authority, and for doing such a fantastic job of getting us to the stage where we now have a State Disaster Mitigation Plan and teams in locations across the state.

“Simon took over following the massive disaster in the Northern Rivers plus a series of other major disasters. He has pulled together a strong team to help NSW recover and respond when disasters happen.”
        

The NSW Government is moving ahead with plans for the revitalisation of the Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshore Precinct started by the former Government.

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper joined the Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh, to provide bipartisan support for the 20-year shared community vision to connect community with Country and to create a revitalised Coffs Harbour Foreshore precinct.

The masterplan has been informed by more than 3600 responses from the community and will create a self-sustaining, cost-neutral precinct that reinvests all proceeds into improving the foreshore’s public areas to create a family friendly area that everyone can enjoy, including renewal of parklands, and better recreational facilities.

Much of the Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshore Precinct is currently inaccessible for public enjoyment. While gravelled areas provide overflow parking, these do not reflect the potential of this foreshore land.

Community outcomes to be delivered by the revitalisation will include additional housing to address the housing crisis Coffs Harbour and the wider state is facing, as well as an expansion of tourism and hospitality offerings to support a thriving regional economy, increase in quality public open space and deliver more and better parking.

Our work in Coffs Harbour is strengthened by extensive engagement, including with the Aboriginal community, shaping the masterplan with broad perspectives that respects and celebrates the unique Gumbaynggirr culture and its profound connection to Country.

Coffs Harbour is a key regional city for the North Coast and, with the arrival of the Coffs Bypass in 2027, there is a need to reimagine its future direction. The Coffs foreshore has unlimited community potential but much of it is currently inaccessible and without the proper infrastructure needed for public use and enjoyment.

Find out more about the Coffs Jetty Harbour Foreshore Precinct Revitalisation

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“The NSW Government is standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh to deliver this once-in-a-generation opportunity for this great regional city.

“We will not develop any foreshore land here for profit, and all funds generated will be reinvested into the Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshore Precinct to revitalise the land to create a family-friendly precinct with a focus on parks and places that are attractive, safe and lively.

“Revitalising the foreshore will benefit locals and deliver more jobs, economic and tourism benefits for Coffs Harbour together with much-needed housing.”

Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said:

“Coffs Harbour has undergone significant change over the years. As a regional city, there is a need to reimagine its future direction.

“The majority of people in Coffs Harbour want to see this current site transformed into a thriving destination that attracts tourists, supports local jobs and businesses, addresses housing needs and makes us all proud.”

The Albanese Government’s $1 billion investment in the Solar SunShot program will supercharge Australia’s ambition to become a renewable energy super power at home and abroad.

The significant new commitment follows today’s introduction of legislation establishing the Net Zero Economy Authority to help catalyse investment in a clean energy future made in Australia’s regions.

Solar SunShot will help Australia capture more of the global solar manufacturing supply chain through support, including production subsidies and grants.

This will help ensure more solar panels are made in Australia, including in the Hunter Region, where the Prime Minister made the announcement at the site of the former coal-fired Liddell Power Station.

While 1 in 3 Australian households have solar panels – the highest uptake in the world – only 1% of those have been made in Australia.

In parallel with Solar Sunshot, the NSW Labor Government is delivering the NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative, with the $275 million first round now open to support workers, small businesses, manufacturers and innovators to take advantage of the transformation of our energy grid.

In the second round, the NSW Labor Government will work with industry to leverage government procurement to offer offtake agreements to local manufacturers of renewable products and low carbon materials.

Initiatives like Solar SunShot and the NSW Net Zero Manufacturing Initiative, mean the regions that have long powered this country will continue to prosper in the net zero economy by deepening the industrial; base, largely located in the regions.

The $1 billion federal investment in the Solar Sunshot program builds on over $40 billion of investment committed by the Australian Government to make Australia a renewable energy superpower.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will now work with industry to design and deliver this initiative, along with the Australian Government. ARENA will look at the entire supply chain from ingots and wafers to cells, module assembly, and related components, including solar glass, inverters, advanced deployment technology and solar innovation. The consultation is expected to commence in mid-April.

This complements other processes underway such as the Hydrogen Headstart program also administered by ARENA.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese:

“Australia should not be the last link in a global supply chain built on an Australian invention.

“I want a future made in Australia. And I want a future made in our regions. Places like the Hunter that have powered our nation for more than a century will power our future.

“We have every metal and critical mineral necessary to be a central player in the net zero transformation, and a proven track record as a reliable energy producer and exporter.

“We can also invest in strategic manufacturing capability, particularly in components critical to the energy and economic transition, like solar panels.

“Historically, Australia has been good at going from the mining pit to port, and long may this continue. But the Australian Government will also invest in the path from pit to panels and capture more value for our economy and workforce.”

Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen:

“Australian research helped invent the modern solar panel – today’s announcement is about creating Australian jobs to help manufacture them.

“We know that the world’s climate emergency is Australia’s jobs opportunity, $1 billion to support Australian manufacturing in solar technology will help seize that opportunity.”

QMinister for Industry and Science, Ed Husic:

“Solar panels were our idea, we should be making them here and that’s what we’ll do. Aussie know-how is creating Aussie jobs, that’s what a future made in Australia is all about.”
NSW Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe:

“This will see NSW households putting NSW made solar panels on their roofs to deliver long term energy bill savings and a strong domestic renewable manufacturing sector.

“It’s great to be able to align NSW and Commonwealth funding to support clean energy manufacturing, with this fund bolstering our $275 million investment in Net Zero Manufacturing that’s currently open for NSW innovators and businesses.”

NSW Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement Courtney Houssos:

“We will leverage our government procurement spend to build in offtake agreements with local solar manufacturers and foster the industry’s growth.

“For every job created in manufacturing there are a further three-and-a-half jobs sustained in the supply chain.

“The NSW Labor Government is committed to rebuilding the domestic manufacturing sector and bringing jobs back to NSW.”

Sydney barrister Rashelle Seiden SC has been appointed a judge of the District Court of NSW, as well as a Deputy President and head of the Administrative and Equal Opportunity Division and the Occupational Division of the Civil and Administrative Tribunal of NSW (NCAT).

Ms Seiden brings almost 30 years of legal expertise to the bench, with her experience ranging from constitutional and administrative law, trusts, corporate and commercial law, insolvency and revenue, including tax crime.

Regarded as an astute strategist, Ms Seiden has represented government, private and corporate clients in her distinguished career.

Most recently practising at New Chambers, Ms Seiden will be sworn in as a judge of the District Court of NSW on 15 April.

Ms Seiden was first called to the Queensland Bar in 1996 before being admitted to the NSW Bar in 2000.

Appointed a Senior Counsel for the State of NSW in 2013, Ms Seiden has practised at Ground Floor Wentworth Chambers and, most recently, New Chambers.

She has also been a Principal Member (sessional) of the NCAT.

In addition, Ms Seiden has regularly accepted pro bono matters, provided mentorship to other barristers and has served on a number of committees.

NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“I warmly congratulate Ms Seiden on her appointments to the District Court of NSW and the Civil and Administrative Tribunal of NSW (NCAT).

“Ms Seiden is highly regarded in legal circles for her incisive approach to thorny legal matters and ability to bring clarity to complex cases.

“Her skills and expertise will be welcomed by the District Court of NSW and NCAT.”

NSW Fair Trading Inspectors are out in force in the lead up to the Easter long weekend to ensure service stations are displaying correct fuel prices on site and in the NSW Government’s FuelCheck app.

More than 2 million people have downloaded the FuelCheck app, which provides consumers with real-time prices for petrol at service stations across NSW and the Australian Capital Territory.

Under law, service stations in NSW must publicly publish fuel prices to NSW FuelCheck, display price information on signs visible to passing motorists and disclose fuel octane content ratings.

Inspectors have been checking to confirm the fuel and price shown on service station signs matches what is in the FuelCheck app in the lead up to Easter to ensure consumers can rely on the data to make informed decisions about where to fill up ahead of the break.

In 2023, NSW Fair Trading found 44 service stations non-compliant with the laws, which was a pleasing number given there were 2380 service stations across the state registered with NSW Fair Trading and appearing on the FuelCheck app at the time.

Service stations found to not be obeying the rules can be issued with a $1100 Penalty Infringement Notice.

The app includes a Favourite Stations function, allowing users to save their favourite petrol stations.

There is also a Trends page, showing the cheapest day of the week to fill up and the day’s price range for Unleaded 91 (U91), Ethanol 10 (E10), Premium 95 (P95) and Premium 98 (P98), as well as Diesel and Premium Diesel.

Find more information on FuelCheck and to download the app.

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“With the current cost of living challenges, FuelCheck provides consumers with the most comprehensive and reliable information on where the cheapest fuel is in their area.

“There can often be a price difference of more than 30 cents per litre between service stations located just a few kilometres apart, so motorists stand to bank big savings by using the FuelCheck app.

“For those planning driving holidays during the four-day weekend, now is the perfect time to download FuelCheck.

“While most service stations are doing the right thing, if motorists notice the price at the pump does not match what is shown in the app or if there is no sign at the service station, they are encouraged to make a complaint directly to NSW Fair Trading.”

A NSW government funded program with Royal Life Saving NSW is helping seniors in the Hunter region learn to stay safe and build confidence in the water, while socialising with others in the pool.

It is one of 21 organisations across NSW to receive funding under the $600,000 Connecting Seniors grants program which aims to help older people stay connected.

The Royal Life Saving Active Adults program has been running in Lake Macquarie during the Seniors Festival and new programs have been released for Maitland, Central Coast and Bateman’s Bay. The sessions comprise three, one-hour sessions covering CPR and a review of health factors to consider when exercising, an in-pool water-safety session and a swimming or water activity.

The Connecting Seniors grant program builds on previous grants, which have been proven to reduce social isolation for thousands of seniors in NSW.

The recipients include 16 not-for-profit organisations and five local councils organising a variety of activities to cater to all interests. More than half of the projects will support seniors living in regional NSW and about one-third will assist Aboriginal people over 50 and seniors with disability.

The grants deliver on the Ageing Well in NSW: Seniors Strategy 2021-2031, with the Government committed to creating a more inclusive community and addressing isolation and loneliness.

More information about the grants program and the full list of recipients.

Find out more about the Royal Life Saving program.

Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison said:

“The Connecting Seniors Grants support activities which can provide a social lifeline for seniors, especially those who live alone.

“The NSW Government is pleased to be partnering with Royal Life Saving NSW in this program, which not only provides seniors with a refresher in water safety to help them stay active, it also contributes to their wellbeing as they connect with others in and out of the pool.

“As our population ages, we want to make sure we provide our seniors with opportunities to socialise while enjoying engaging experiences.”

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

“This is a great opportunity for Hunter seniors to get out and try something new.

“Getting in the water is a part of the lifestyle here as anyone from the Hunter knows. That should be for everyone.

“This grant supports an important program run by Royal Life Saving NSW, making sure we support our seniors to enjoy the water with their families.”

Royal Life Saving NSW Manager for the Hunter Tanya Brunckhorst said:

“Building your fitness and confidence around the water as you age is as important as it was when you first learned to swim as a child, and we are calling all older adults to seek out new ways to get active.

“Last year, the leading contributing factors in drownings among Australians over 65 included low levels of fitness, trips or falls, lack of swimming and survival skills and underlying health conditions.  The 65 to 74 year age group is one of our most vulnerable populations, representing 30 per cent of those who drowned last year.

“Any regular, structured activity helps build fitness, improves your ability to manage in the water and offers fantastic social community benefits.”