Category: NSW News

Residents of Western Sydney are set to enjoy a 1,500 capacity Broadway-style lyric theatre, with the designs for the Riverside Theatre Redevelopment released today.

Delivering on an election commitment to transform the Riverside Theatres at Parramatta into a state-of-the-art cultural precinct, the NSW Government is contributing $40 million from Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants program.

The redevelopment will more than double the current capacity of the Theatres with a new 1500 Broadway-style lyric theatre; a newly refurbished 760-seat Riverside playhouse theatre; and new 424-seat black-box drama theatre.

Following an international design competition COX Architecture with 3XN Architects, Aileen Sage, Turf Design Studio, and Bangawarra was assessed by the Design Excellence Competition Selection Panel as having an innovative, imaginative, and creative design that best reflects the vision for the transformation of Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres.

The redevelopment of the Riverside Theatres will include:

• a new 1500 Broadway-style lyric theatre
• a newly refurbished 760 seat Riverside playhouse theatre
• a new 424 seat black-box drama theatre
• a new 88 seat digital studio and cinema
• two fully flexible production rehearsal spaces
• a refurbished back of house, technical and performer spaces
• state-of-the-art technical specifications for all venues
• a new Riverfront Café
• corporate function spaces, and
• enhanced public spaces

The Riverside Theatres project will include significant improvement and reworking of the surrounding public domain, improving the interface with both the river and Prince Alfred Square. The building and landscaping itself will be designed to be more pedestrian friendly and connect the river to the park.

The design is committed to sustainability and targets a 5-Star Green Star rating. The design will reuse existing materials to minimise environmental impact and remediate and restore thriving biodiverse natural ecosystems to the Parramatta riverbank.

The $188 million project is jointly funded with $40 million from the NSW Government’s Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program, and the City of Parramatta Council contributing $148 million. The redevelopment is one of 191 transformational projects being funded under the $2 billion Program.

Construction for the Riverside Theatres Redevelopment Project will start in late 2025, with doors to the new multi-million performing arts facility set to open in 2028.

Other cultural and community projects set for delivery in the Parramatta LGA through the Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program include the Indigenous Centre of Excellence ($78 million), Carter Street Precinct Community Centre ($6 million) and the Don Moore Multi-Purpose Community Hub ($20 million). More than $270 million will be spent in the Parramatta Local Government Area on 23 transformational projects as part of the Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program.

Visit Western Sydney Infrastructure Grants Program for further information.

Minister for the Arts John Graham said:

“Riverside Theatres has a rich and important history in Western Sydney. The redeveloped theatres will open across the river from the Powerhouse Parramatta, two significant landmarks that will transform and reimagine Parramatta’s cultural precinct.

“The redevelopment will ensure people across Western Sydney have a new and reimagined performing arts centre that will allow the arts community and audiences to enjoy more performances on a far bigger stage.

“This was a key election commitment and is essential for Western Sydney’s cultural potential and economic prosperity.

“I’m also excited about the flow-on benefits for the nighttime and visitor economies, particularly with the opening of the Western Sydney Airport.

“The Riverside Theatres redevelopment stands as a testament to this commitment, offering a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to the arts, for generations of artists and audiences to come.”

Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said:

“Parramatta is at the geographical heart of Sydney, and the Riverside Theatres have long played a key role in the cultural fabric of Parramatta.

“The redevelopment will ensure that the people of Parramatta and Western Sydney can enjoy world-class performances, with several large-scale multipurpose production spaces.

“The redeveloped Riverside Theatres, with rehearsal and performance spaces, provides boundless possibilities for our creatives along with an opportunity for people to enjoy premium performances in a world-class performing arts centre.”

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor, Cr Pierre Esber said:

“The reimagined Riverside Theatres will attract talent to Parramatta as we become an epicentre for creativity with our deep roots in arts and culture alongside the new Powerhouse Parramatta.

“Our community will soon have access to a state-of-the-art facility that will attract major Australian works and the best of Broadway and the West End shows to Parramatta for the first time.

“It also offers more opportunities for local and international talent to amplify their stories in a soon to be brand new modern theatre.

“We are committed to providing a thriving cultural precinct in Parramatta and this new design for Riverside brings us one step closer to our end goal.”

Patients across NSW have benefited from more than 55,000 visits to Urgent Care Services since the NSW Government rollout began in mid-2023, easing pressure on busy public hospital emergency departments.

To 30 April, 2024, patients visited GP-led Urgent Care Services on 10,628 occasions while Local Health District-led urgent care services, such as geriatric outreach services and virtualKIDS, were visited on 44,555 occasions.

The NSW Government has delivered 16 Urgent Care Services since July 2023, bridging the gap between primary and emergency care, ensuring that patients have fast access to the urgent care they need without having to turn to a busy emergency department.

The results come as Minister for Health Ryan Park will today officially open the Gregory Hills Urgent Care Service and said it is making a significant contribution to the local community, with 580 visits since the service commenced on 6 February 2024.

The Gregory Hills UCS makes a total of three urgent care services funded by the NSW Government in the south western Sydney region; the Campbelltown Medicare Urgent Care Clinic co-funded by the NSW and Australian Governments takes this total to four.

Gregory Hills UCS is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm and is equipped and staffed to treat a range of illnesses and injuries that are not life-threatening.

To access the service, patients should call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222. A registered nurse will assess the patient’s condition and guide them to the care they need. This could include booking an appointment at the service on the patient’s behalf, referring them to another service such as virtualKIDS, or, where required, escalating their care to NSW Ambulance or advising the patient to attend an Emergency Department.

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

The Gregory Hills Urgent Care Service has been delivered in partnership with South Western Sydney Primary Health Network (SWSPHN).

NSW Health has partnered with Primary Health Networks to deliver additional Urgent Care Services right across the state, in an effort to ease pressure on busy hospital EDs and ensure the people of NSW receive the most appropriate care.

The NSW Government has committed $124 million over two years to deliver 25 Urgent Care Services in NSW by mid-2025. It is also supported by funding from the Commonwealth Government.

Health Minister Ryan Park said:

“Urgent Care Services like this one in Gregory Hills is an example of how the NSW Government is embracing new and innovative ways to relieve pressure on our emergency departments by diverting tens of thousands of unnecessary presentations.

“We don’t want to see people and their loved ones waiting around emergency departments for lengthy periods of time – it’s not good for them, our staff, or other patients.

“Having access to services like these within our communities means more patients can receive care for their urgent health issues in a community setting, without a stressful trip to hospital.”

Member for Camden Sally Quinnell said:

“Care at the Gregory Hills Urgent Care Service is provided by general practitioners and nurses and is free for Medicare card holders and community-based asylum seekers.

“This service has been an important addition to the community as it’s working to ease pressure on our local emergency departments, which are among the busiest in the state.”

Member for Leppington Nathan Hagarty said:

“I’m so pleased hundreds of patients have already been able to access more appropriate, timely care as a result of this new Urgent Care Service.

“This service is about increasing access to healthcare, meaning families are able to get advice and treatment, all without having to step foot in a busy public hospital ED.”

SWSPHN Chief Executive Officer, Dr Keith McDonald said:

“If your GP is closed or you can’t get an appointment, and your condition cannot wait until you can see your regular GP, you can call Healthdirect for advice on accessing appropriate care.

“Urgent Care Services can treat minor illnesses like gastrointestinal illness or urinary tract infections; minor injuries like closed fractures or simple lacerations; and procedures like suturing, drainage of abscesses and basic fracture management.”

Women in regional, rural and remote areas are being publicly recognised on the Hidden Treasures Honour Roll for the important volunteer work they do in their local communities.

The NSW Government is focused on delivering a range of targeted initiatives aimed at supporting and promoting volunteering to enrich the lives of volunteers, strengthen local communities and benefit NSW. 

Hidden Treasures is a NSW Government initiative created to recognise and elevate the invaluable volunteer efforts of women across regional, rural and remote NSW communities.

91 women will be recognised at the ‘Thank you NSW Volunteers’ event in Wagga Wagga today, hosted by the NSW Rural Women’s Network. The event is being held as part of National Volunteer Week 20 to 26 May to celebrate the important role that volunteers play in building vibrant communities across NSW.

Coordinated by the NSW Rural Women’s Network, the Hidden Treasures Honour Roll calls for nominations throughout the year from individuals and groups, charity organisations, and local members of parliament.

More than 1200 women have been commended on the Honour Roll since 2010.

Nominations for the 2024 Honour Roll are now open. To nominate a woman as a Hidden Treasure and read the 2023 Hidden Treasures digital booklet, visit the Hidden Treasures Honor Roll page. 

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“In regional and rural NSW, women’s dedication to volunteering is remarkable, whether it’s on the frontline with the RFS, on the fields of the local sports team, saving lives with their local surf lifesaving club or providing friendship and support to those in need week in week out.

“These remarkable women see something that needs to be done and they get out and do it.”

“The work of women volunteering and leading volunteers in regional NSW is a key reason why our regional communities thrive and flourish.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“In regional, rural and remote towns, we know women can wear many hats and play many important roles in their communities. So the contribution women make through their volunteer efforts in their tight-knit communities is truly invaluable.

“The Hidden Treasures program as it is a wonderful way to celebrate and commend women for their selfless dedication and passion in bringing their local community together, for uplifting society and for moving industry.

“By recognising these inspirational women, we want to continue to encourage more local regional, rural and remote women to take their future in their own hands to support and advance their community.”

CEO of the Centre for Volunteering Gemma Rygate said:

“Volunteers are an essential part of every community in NSW, from major cities to regional towns. In 2023, 4.3 million people volunteered, with a social and economic benefit of $178 billion to the state economy. These numbers show the importance of volunteering in NSW and highlight how volunteering helps build stronger, more cohesive communities.

“Recognition and celebration of the work that volunteers do is essential and National Volunteer Week is the perfect time to celebrate volunteering. While volunteers are not paid for their work, we know that volunteering is not free and is in fact becoming increasingly costly. The vital work of volunteers in NSW deserves celebration and support from all of community.”

NSW Regional Woman of the Year Teresa Mitchell said:

“Women bring compassion to everything they do. We see the gaps and we have the courage to stand up and make a difference.

“Regardless of where a woman volunteering lives, you can be guaranteed that she is adding value by sharing her skills, time and energy. I have the greatest respect for the women out there making a difference in their communities, and there are many of them.”

The NSW Opposition wants reliable and affordable energy for households and businesses across our state.
 
Today’s ‘deal’ does not guarantee energy reliability or more affordable electricity for households and businesses.
 
The need now to extend the Eraring coal power station is due to Labor’s neglect and mismanagement of the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, which will cost the NSW taxpayer up to $450 million over the coming years and doesn’t even guarantee a solution to forecasted reliability risks.

The Minns Labor Government has created uncertainty for would-be investors in new capacity and now the people of NSW face more expensive and less reliable energy.
 
Over a year ago the Minns Labor Government called for a review of the Roadmap and they have been plagued by inaction ever since. They haven’t finalised planning guidelines and, as a result, the energy industry and consumers have been left in limbo.
 
An update from the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) earlier this week highlighted the risks to reliability from Labor’s failed approach to energy, including delays in delivering transmission infrastructure and battery storage projects such as the Orana battery and the Waratah Super Battery.
 
Responsibility sits with Premier Chris Minns and he should apologise for his Government’s mismanagement.

No mention was made of the costs of energy being driven up by privitisation by liberal governments.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib has urged communities across NSW to add a splash of orange to their outfits this Wear Orange Wednesday, or WOW Day, in celebration of the more than 10,000 hardworking State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers across the state.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib has urged communities across NSW to add a splash of orange to their outfits this Wear Orange Wednesday, or WOW Day, in celebration of the more than 10,000 hardworking State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers across the state.

The past few years have been busy for the NSW SES, with ongoing wet weather conditions and an increase in the number of severe weather events.

WOW Day is an opportunity for communities to say ‘thank you’ to their local SES volunteers, who do everything from flood response to helping in road accidents and bush searches, as well as providing first aid to the community.

NSW SES volunteers are among more than 100,000 emergency services volunteers across NSW who are being celebrated this National Volunteer Week. The NSW Rural Fire Service, Surf Life Saving NSW, Marine Rescue NSW, VRA Rescue NSW, and Fire and Rescue NSW Community Fire Units are also acknowledging the dedicated individuals who make up their ranks and give their time to helping others.

Over the past 12 months, NSW SES volunteers have responded to 28,000 incidents across the state. Volunteers have attended more than 20,000 storm related jobs, performed 366 flood rescues, helped at more than 600 road crashes, responded to more than 500 community first responder incidents (a specialist first aid role in rural areas) and assisted other emergency services on more than 1500 occasions.

In March this year, the NSW SES commenced a recruitment campaign, encouraging communities – particularly in regional areas – to join the volunteer emergency service. 

Get more information about how to Volunteer in the NSW SES. 

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“It’s incredibly important to acknowledge and thank volunteers for everything they do, and in turn encourage others to consider joining up to a local emergency volunteer service.”

“SES volunteers don’t expect praise or thanks, but today I’m joining many others across the state by saying thank you and adding a touch of orange to my outfit to honour their efforts.”

“This is a great opportunity to acknowledge SES volunteers, who have had a busy and, at times, challenging run, with wet weather and severe weather events impacting communities across the state.”

NSW SES Acting Commissioner Damien Johnston said:

“Today is a special day for the NSW SES, as we take a moment to reflect on the remarkable work of our volunteers across the state.”

“As we celebrate National Volunteer Week and WOW Day, now is a great time to consider donning orange overalls and joining the ranks of the NSW SES.

“Volunteering gives you the opportunity to make lifelong friends, learn new skills and improve your physical and mental health.

“We offer incredible training opportunities for all ages and abilities. Our volunteers do everything from using chainsaws to cut fallen trees, to performing logistics or intelligence roles in an incident management team.

“There is a role for everyone at the NSW SES, which is one of the greatest benefits of joining as a volunteer.”

The NSW Government is accelerating the roll out of major battery projects across the state, boosting electricity reliability to keep the lights on in NSW.

$8.4 million in new funds has been awarded to Transgrid and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) to hire more engineers, enabling them to fast-track grid connections for four battery projects of more than 100 megawatts (MW) each.

The total capacity of these projects is equivalent to 15 per cent of the 2023-24 NSW summer peak demand or supplying approximately 800,000 households with energy during a peak demand event.

The most recent AEMO report forecasts increased reliability risks in NSW from 2024 to 2028, driven largely by retiring coal plants and not enough renewables coming online to fill the gap.

These large batteries will play a critical role in delivering affordable, reliable energy in NSW by storing renewable energy during sunny and windy periods and supplying that electricity to the energy grid during peak demand.

The projects which could benefit from the grants include:

• Waratah Super Battery (850 MW, 2-hour storage duration)
• Liddell Battery Energy Storage System (500 MW, 2-hour storage duration)
• Orana Battery Energy Storage System (415 MW, 4-hour storage duration)
• Richmond Valley Battery Energy Storage System (275 MW, 8-hour storage duration)

This investment will bring forward completion dates of these priority battery projects by as much as 12 months, helping to decrease current reliability risks to NSW consumers.

Connecting projects to the grid is highly technical and a lack of qualified staff can cause delays.

Transgrid will use a $3.2 million grant to fund extra technical staff on grid connections to reduce the risk of delays. Transgrid will also establish two dedicated ‘squads’ of engineers, technicians and customer support staff, to provide additional grid connection application review and support.

AEMO will receive up to $5.2 million for additional staff to project manage the grid connection process and coordinate with Transgrid and other project proponents to get the supported battery projects up and running by 2025-2026.

The funding for these battery projects is one of many measures the NSW Government is putting in place to deliver affordable, reliable energy for the people of NSW including $1.8 billion to establish the Energy Security Corporation.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said:

“The NSW Government is committed to accelerating replacement electricity infrastructure and is funding additional staff to ensure priority battery projects are connected to the grid as soon as possible.

“The funding to AEMO and Transgrid will reduce the risk of connection to the grid being delayed and help to address the reliability risks identified in AEMO’s recent report.

“These batteries will ensure consumers in NSW have access to affordable and reliable electricity sooner.”

A newly released NSW Youth Volunteering Guidelines will help support and boost youth volunteering in the state.

Launched today during National Volunteer Week (20 to 26 May), the guidelines are underpinned by 3 overarching pillars– Recruit, Retain and Recognise.

Extensive research and consultation were undertaken by the NSW Government, including gathering information from young people and volunteer organisations to ensure the guidelines are a valuable and useful resource.

The Youth Volunteering Guidelines are an initiative under the NSW Volunteering Strategy 2020-2030, which is focused on engaging young volunteers to strengthen the sector’s future sustainability.

The NSW State of Volunteering Report 2023 showed that young people are volunteering at higher rates than ever, with 35% of volunteers under the age of 30, and 70% of all people under the age of 25 engaging in some form of volunteering activity.

The guidelines were developed in response to recommendations made by the NSW Volunteering Taskforce set up to build the capacity of volunteer organisations to recruit, train, manage and recognise young people as active volunteers.

The new guidelines will provide advice and guidance to organisations on how to best strengthen youth participation in the volunteering sector, in particular tapping into the different skills they bring to encourage them to volunteer. 

View the Youth Volunteering Guidelines and youth volunteering opportunities.

Minister for Youth Rose Jackson said:

“We need to foster the next generation of compassionate, socially conscious individuals to lead the charge in the volunteering sector.

“We want to encourage more young people to reap the benefits of volunteering and effectively engage with them to recognise their valuable contribution. These guidelines provide guidance, strategies, and ideas around how to do this.

“It’s especially important to increase participation of young people from diverse backgrounds, including from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island communities, which will effectively result in volunteering having a greater impact on the people and communities it supports.”

Minister with responsibility for Volunteering Jodie Harrison said:

“The NSW Government is committed to increasing opportunities for youth-led volunteering initiatives that forge supportive, community-based partnerships between young people and volunteer organisations.

“Young people across NSW are talented, highly capable, and full of fresh ideas, all of which are valuable assets to our volunteering sector.

“We want to achieve growth in participation by young people, support continued active participation and acknowledge and showcase the contribution young people make to the volunteering sector.

“We need to develop and invest in young people now, so they become the leaders of today and tomorrow. By harnessing the skills and qualities of our young volunteers, we can create a dynamic volunteering sector that is forward-thinking, innovative and embraces everyone’s unique skills.”

Youth Leader with St John’s Ambulance’s Bankstown Cadets Division Trist Wang said:

“When I started volunteering with St John Ambulance, I had 2 things in mind. I wanted to engage in community work and meet people outside of school. But it quickly became so much more.

“My role right now involves leading and mentoring young people who are the same age I was when I first started volunteering. I tell them that volunteering is about enacting a scalable impact on your community. It’s fulfilling and fun, and but also builds character, friendship and growth.”

A new framework to welcome more nature into our backyards, balconies, rooftops and footpaths has been released, to celebrate Biodiversity Day 2024.

Australian research has shown that increasing the volume of native understorey by 10-30 per cent can result in a 30-120 per cent increase in species such as native birds, beetles and bugs.

That means greener, healthier, happier communities for all species.

The Biodiversity in Place Framework, developed by the NSW Government Architect (GANSW), provides a practical guide to bring nature back into our cities, towns and suburbs.

The framework has been developed for industry and community groups to use on new developments and when existing developments are being updated.

How we plan and what we plant on our verges, backyards, balconies, public spaces, rooftops as well as in the land around critical infrastructure, such as our roads, railways and creek corridors, can make a big difference in the health of local environment.

We have seen councils and community groups doing some great work designing and supporting a more resilient and sustainable future. This framework will further inform this work.

For more information on the framework please visit here.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“As cities evolve, so too does their urban fabric. We have seen cities across the world carefully and successfully balance more housing and employment activities with urban greening.

“As we collectively respond to the need for more housing and jobs, this framework will support councils and community groups to make the most of our public spaces.

“As we work to tackle other challenges in our cities and urban environments it is important to consider how we can add greenery to our suburbs.”

Government Architect NSW Abbie Galvin said:

“We acknowledge that our cities need to be greener.

“Our next step is to radically rethink the way we design and provide that green space. Our urban spaces need to work harder than ever before.

“To improve the quality of our public and private landscapes and make our cities more resilient, we need to shift our thinking from providing the relative monocultures of lawn with exotic trees to planting highly diverse ecology in rich understories.

“Biodiversity loss is one of the greatest challenges worldwide. Bringing nature back into our cities provides an opportunity to halt the decline of biodiversity and pave the way for cultivating a vibrant urban environment where people and nature thrive together.”

Australia’s biggest festival of light, music, ideas and food kicks off in a blaze of colour this week, with visitors, especially families, urged to plan ahead to maximise their enjoyment.

After 3.48 million people attended Vivid Sydney 2023, another bumper turnout is expected over 23 cost-of-living-busting nights between Friday 24 May and Saturday 15 June.

Visitors are asked to remain considerate of others and enjoy the sense of community throughout the CBD and surrounds, including the Sydney Opera House, The Rocks, Circular Quay, Royal Botanic Garden, Walsh Bay, Barangaroo, Machine Hall Precinct, Darling Harbour, Carriageworks and The Goods Line in Ultimo.

Families with younger children and prams are advised to attend on typically quieter nights, Monday to Thursday, and for those wanting to experience the entire Vivid Sydney Light Walk, consider spreading the experience across three nights.

Key road closures will be in place throughout the Sydney CBD, Circular Quay, Darling Harbour, Haymarket, The Rocks and Walsh Bay with parking restrictions daily from 3pm and road closures by 5pm each night of the festival, along with additional closures on Fridays and weekends.

Local residents are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the road closures as access to properties and driveways will be restricted while roads are closed each night.

When planning travel, it is strongly encouraged to leave the car at home and take public transport to avoid any traffic delays and get the best out of your Vivid Sydney experience. All Vivid Sydney precincts are within short walking distance of major transport hubs and will have plenty of extra services running to help get you to and from the city.

Due to road closures, large crowds and weekend trackwork, transport services will operate differently on Friday nights and weekends during the event.

Commuters are advised to regularly check for updates on Transport for NSW’s Trip Planner, which will be continuously updated to show travel options, as will other map providers like Google Maps.

Visitors are also reminded that while ferries are a great way to see the Vivid Sydney lights, they are very popular and will reach capacity early, particularly on weekends. Expect long queues, have a back-up transport option in mind and allow plenty of extra travel time.

During the Vivid Sydney drone shows on Saturday 8, Sunday 9 and Saturday 15 June, ferries to and from Circular Quay will be affected between 9pm and 9.30pm.

Visit the Vivid Sydney website to plan your trip. It also includes transport details, information on road closures and program highlights.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

“On Friday, the bright lights of Vivid Sydney will once again transform our city, mesmerise, delight and inspire.

“The number of visitors to Vivid Sydney in 2023 was a staggering 3.5 million and it has become such an important night out for families across Sydney and the state who are doing it tough due to the cost-of-living squeeze.

“Vivid Sydney is also a welcome period for businesses in the CBD during the colder months.”

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

“Vivid is an unmissable time of the year for Sydneysiders and visitors alike, but the best way to enjoy it is to leave your car at home and use public transport.

“We’ll have 400 additional rail services running on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays throughout the Vivid season, as well as additional bus and light rail options.

“People will have three weeks to enjoy the lights, sounds and spectacles of Vivid. There will be no trackwork in the city over the three weeks of Vivid, but the critical maintenance of our railway will continue. Passengers should check the Opal app where required and make the most of free Park and Ride facilities on other lines.”

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

“The NSW Police Force will have a visible presence across Vivid to help ensure everyone stays safe while enjoying this brilliant event.

“Large crowds are expected, so be mindful of your own safety and watch out for those around you.

“The NSW Police Force work around the clock and sacrifice so much to keep us safe. If you see an officer – thank them.”