NSW News – Page 242

Graduating cadets provide major boost to Districts Aboriginal workforce

Four NSW Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Cadets at Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) have completed their training and taken up ongoing positions across the District.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park welcomed the four new staff as an important boost to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workforce in NSW.

“I’m really pleased the NSW Health Aboriginal Nursing Cadetship Program continues to see more and more graduates, ultimately leading to improved health services for Aboriginal communities,” Mr Park said.

“As Regional Health Minister, two of my key focus areas is building up our regional workforce and improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This program delivers on both.”

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said initiatives like the cadetship program are an important part of closing the gap.

“The cadetship program shows the NSW Government’s commitment to closing the gap in health outcomes,” Mr Harris said.

“We know for health outcomes to improve, Aboriginal people need Aboriginal nurses working in hospitals, community and senior management positions and this group of graduates will play a vital role in caring for our communities.”

Jackie Corliss, WNSWLHD Graduate Programs and Traineeship Manager, said the NSW Health Aboriginal Nursing Cadetship Program aims to increase the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nurses across the state, and improve health services for Aboriginal communities.

“We currently have nine Aboriginal cadets across our District and four cadets are graduating from the program,” Ms Corliss said

“The program is designed to financially assist Aboriginal Nursing Cadets during their study, while also providing academic assistance and supporting their transition into the workplace.

“We’re delighted to have offered these cadets ongoing employment within the District as graduates.”

Tony Martin, WNSWLHD Executive Director Aboriginal Health and Wellbeing, said the initiative aligns with the District’s Reconciliation Action Plan, launched last year with a commitment to increase the Aboriginal workforce.

“Providing career opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the field of nursing can make a significant positive impact on the health of our Aboriginal communities,” Mr Martin said.

The benefits of the cadetship program include 12 weeks paid employment in the clinical setting in addition to the clinical experience and knowledge gained as undergraduate nursing students, enhanced job readiness and support from the District’s staff including an Aboriginal mentor.

The four graduates will be taking up positions in Bathurst, Cobar, Mudgee and Dubbo this year, while the remaining five cadets are expected to complete their training over the next couple of years.

WSNWLHD is also in the process of recruiting a further four cadets to start later this year.

Apply for the NSW Health Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery Cadetship Program – Nursing and midwifery scholarships

Local workforce to re-engine Emerald Mark IIs

Sydney’s three Second Generation Emerald Class vessels will be fitted with new, heavier duty engines ensuring safer, smoother and more frequent journeys along the city’s most popular ferry route.

Balmoral was removed from passenger service on 4 February for about 10 weeks for the new engine to be fitted. Once the Balmoral is back in service the Clontarf will be taken out of service, with the Fairlight planned to undergo an engine change in late August.

Transdev Sydney Ferries is starting the re-fitting program after the busy summer holidays. Each vessel will be dry-docked one at a time, to reduce timetable disruption.

The F1 Manly service will continue operating the extended summer timetable with two Freshwater class vessels and two Emerald Class.

The re-engine program will be carried out at the Balmain Shipyard by Transdev Sydney Ferries, with around 30 people working on the project. The cost of the re-fitting program will be paid for by Transdev Sydney Ferries.

Once the engines are installed, Transdev will conduct extensive sea trials with Health and Safety Representatives and industry regulators.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:

“These overseas-built ferries had a challenging start to their time on the harbour, but these new engines will mean the ferries will spend less time out of service and more time serving passengers.

“By re-fitting the vessels with hydrogen fuel capable equipment, we are also moving forward on future proofing the Sydney ferry fleet.

“Passengers can still enjoy a trip on the Harbour between Manly and Circular Quay on the iconic Freshwater Class vessels which are now running twice as often, offering more choice and increasing capacity on the popular F1 route.”

All Sydney families to have access to co-ed public high schools from 2025

The NSW Government is continuing to deliver on its election commitment to ensure every family in NSW has the option of choosing a co-ed public high school, with thousands of families across Sydney set to benefit from next year.

Committed to during the election, the NSW Government has completed a review of intake areas in Sydney suburbs where students previously only had a single-sex public high school.

As a result, the intake boundaries of 20 co-educational high schools have been adjusted.

This review included extensive consultation with the community, staff and students from more than 120 schools and more than 300 parents and carers of students.

In adjusting intake areas, the Department of Education considered:

enrolment trends
public transport access, holding discussions with Transport for NSW
capacity of the co-educational high schools
student numbers across catchment areas

As demand for co-education continues to grow the NSW Government has also commenced work to ensure children in all intake areas outside of Sydney have a guaranteed option to attend a co-educational public high school by 2027.

The final intake areas and a summary of the community feedback can be found on the Department of Education website.

A full list of the single sex school intake areas which will have a guaranteed co-educational high school option by 2025 can be found below.

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

“The NSW Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to provide guaranteed access to co-educational high schools.

“There is growing interest in co-education, and no family should have to face leaving their local area to access a co-educational high school.

“These changes have been made in consultation with local communities to provide guaranteed access to coeducational high school education for the first time.”

Member for Summer Hill Jo Haylen said:

“For years, kids in Ashfield and Canterbury High School catchments have had no co-educational high school options.

“Life is co-ed, and parents and students should have access to a co-ed school option.

“Under our Government’s new boundaries, families across my electorate of Summer Hill will now have access to two brilliant co-educational high schools, Dulwich High School of Visual Arts and Design and Marrickville High School.

“Inner West families have been campaigning for this change for years, and today our Government is delivering on this important election commitment.”

Single sex school intake areas which will have a co-educational option by 2025:

Ashfield Boys High School
Auburn Girls High School
Bankstown Girls High School
Belmore Boys High School
Beverly Hills Girls High School
Burwood Girls High School
Birrong Boys High School
Birrong Girls High School
Canterbury Boys High School
Canterbury Girls High School
Granville Boys High School
Homebush Boys High School
James Cook Boys High School
Moorefield Girls High School
Punchbowl Boys High School
Strathfield Girls High School
Wiley Park Girls High School

Emergency Department Taskforce meets to tackle wait times

NSW’s Emergency Department (ED) Taskforce will meet for the first time today, bringing together clinical experts from across the state to improve wait times in the state’s busy EDs.

NSW EDs are under continuing pressure, with more than 3 million attendances each year, and treating more patients with serious illness than ever before.

The new Taskforce will work to ensure NSW hospitals continue to deliver timely, high-quality care to the people of NSW now and well into the future.

The Taskforce will focus on enhancing models of care and adapting workforce models across the whole hospital to improve timely access to treatment in EDs. It will also consider ways to reduce avoidable ED attendances, improve patient flow, and boost inpatient capacity through early and supported discharge from hospital where clinically appropriate.

The Taskforce will meet monthly and will be co-chaired by Clinical Director, Emergency Care Institute, Agency for Clinical Innovation, Dr Trevor Chan and NSW Health Deputy Secretary, System Sustainability and Performance, Adjunct Professor Matthew Daly.

The NSW Government is also embracing a suite of innovative initiatives to divert unnecessary presentations to hospitals and relieve pressure on GPs.

This includes:

rolling out 25 urgent care services across the state,
empowering pharmacists to prescribe certain medications,
increasing the use of virtual care, and
making it easier for doctors in regional health districts to work in both GP and hospital settings.

The Taskforce will regularly engage with workers and their unions on this important priority.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“I’ve got to be honest – people are waiting too long in emergency departments.

“I’ve visited emergency departments, met the hardworking staff in our hospitals. They do an incredible job day in and day out.

“We’ve seen good early signs when it comes to elective surgery. I want to see the same results for emergency department wait times.

“Rebuilding our healthcare system will not happen overnight, but by removing the wages cap and implementing safe staffing in NSW hospitals we can start to turn things around.”

Health Minister Ryan Park said:

“Our hospitals and EDs are under continuing pressure and the NSW Government is committed to doing everything possible to improve the experience of care for patients and better support our dedicated frontline health staff.

“This Taskforce is one part of the NSW Government’s comprehensive strategy to address ED wait times. We are also committed to delivering 25 Urgent Care Services by mid-2025, allowing communities to access urgent healthcare in a timely way and avoid unnecessary trips to the ED.

“We are tackling issues we have right now with this Taskforce, but also looking to the future so we can continue to innovate and adapt to meet the growing health needs of our communities.

“This Taskforce will look at opportunities to streamline and deliver treatment in more strategic ways, so the people of NSW receive the best possible care.”

Clinical Director, Emergency Care Institute, Agency for Clinical Innovation, Dr Trevor Chan, said:

“I look forward to working with my colleagues from across the health system who will bring their skills and experience to the Taskforce to make a real difference in our EDs.

“We will aim to develop strategies that will improve how our EDs function, support frontline healthcare workers, and improve the experiences of care for our patients.”

NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM said:

“By bringing together expert senior clinicians from a range of disciplines with this new taskforce, we can generate new ideas and solutions to support the healthcare workers in our busy EDs and the patients they care for.”

Opposition seeks missing details about Labor’s housing reforms

The NSW Opposition has sought missing details from the Minns Labor Government about their signature housing policy – the Transport Oriented Development Program (TOD), amid widespread criticism from numerous Labor Mayors across Sydney.

Reports today have revealed that the Department of Planning expects only 10% of houses under this plan to be built in the next five years.

Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Scott Farlow, has used Parliament to compel the Minns Government to release all documentation outlining the selection of the eight TOD accelerated precincts and the 31 TOD precincts, including analysis of the enabling infrastructure capacity of all 305 stations across the Six Cities Region.

“A massive uplift in housing supply in NSW must be a top priority. The Opposition support measures, including increasing density along transport corridors, to meet ambitious housing targets, but they must be done right and in consultation with local communities,” said Mr Farlow.

“The Opposition has sought detail from the Minns Government today to understand the capacity of local infrastructure in areas around transit stations selected for the TOD program, and the criteria used to select individual stations.”

“New housing must be supported by infrastructure upgrades to build functional, liveable communities. Communities across NSW are concerned about the capacity of local schools and hospitals, congested roads and full public transport during peak hour.”

“The Minns Government cannot have a housing plan without a plan for upgraded infrastructure in all TOD areas. All Labor has to offer are lazy one-size-fits-all policies impacting areas from Medowie to Mollybrook and Bondi to the Blue Mountains.”

“The only information that the Minns Government has provided the public is a 12 page glossy document for one of the largest reforms to the planning system in years. These reforms are due to come into place on 1 April with no opportunity for proper community consultation.”

“Councils from across Sydney have been frustrated by a lack of detail, which has led to fanciful one month turnaround times over Christmas for desperately needed feedback. Mayors are making clear that having all the required rezonings gazetted by 1 April is unrealistic and cannot happen. Labor Mayors have been the first to speak out against the Chris Minns and his Planning Minister.”

“Amid complaints about a lack of detail on Government policies and inability to the Department of Planning to answer basic questions, I have written to all Mayors and General Managers in LGAs impacted by the Transport Oriented Development Program, and all Councils concerning the low and mid-rise housing reforms asking about questions and issues faced by Councils to put to the Planning Minister at the upcoming Budget Estimates. Consultation is how NSW will build more homes and alleviate the housing crisis.”

The Opposition believes in working with local communities to set housing targets, allowing communities to formulate their local controls and if they refuse to do so that’s the appropriate time to impose local planning controls – not at the beginning.

“Every community has different impacts from these policies which is why local communities should be involved in formulating the policy for their areas. A lack of consultation will end in homes simply not being built and the housing crisis getting worse. That cannot be allowed to occur.”

NSW-Tokyo strengthen ties to accelerate clean economy

Bilateral opportunities between NSW and Tokyo have been strengthened today with the signing of two significant Memoranda of Understanding (MoU).

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the NSW-Tokyo Sister State Agreement, the Premier and the Governor of Tokyo, Her Excellency Ms Koike Yuriko, signed an updated agreement solidifying a continued partnership.

It also marks Her Excellency Ms Koike Yuriko’s first official visit to NSW.

The first MoU marks a renewed commitment to progress and strengthen existing ties in the areas of education, sports, sustainable city planning, and encompasses new areas of commitment around the clean economy transition and liveability.

The second MoU aims to further enhance collaboration around the energy transition, focusing on hydrogen.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“We have a long-standing relationship with Tokyo, one which is underpinned by shared values and a long history of cooperation.

“Our Sister State Agreement was first signed in 1984 by then-Premier Neville Wran, and to this day is one of our state’s longest-standing and most highly regarded partnerships.

“Signing an updated MoU today signifies our commitment to renewed areas of cooperation and to our ongoing collaboration with one of our largest Indo-Pacific partners.”

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said:

“Global competition for hydrogen market share, supply chains and expertise continues to grow and we need to make sure NSW is at the forefront of discussions and opportunities.

“This partnership will open doors for bilateral investment opportunities and further enhance NSW’s position as a growing hydrogen leader.”

Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“Japan is our second-largest trading partner and it’s home to the world’s largest metropolitan city, Tokyo. This is a critical trade and investment partner for NSW.

“NSW is a part of the global battle to attract new investment and to tap new markets for our world class products and services, this agreement is an opportunity to do even more to give NSW an edge.”

Governor of Tokyo, Her Excellency Ms Koike Yuriko said:

“Since the establishment of a friendship state relationship in 1984, NSW and Tokyo have engaged in cooperation and exchange in various areas.

“It is truly a pleasure to be able to visit NSW in this very special year, which marks the 40th anniversary of our friendship state relationship, to meet with Premier Minns. And, I am very pleased that we were able to sign an agreement such as this MoU.

“All of the exchange and interaction that has taken place between our states thus far is bearing fruit in the form of today’s MoU. And, I look forward to the further development of our relationship with NSW.”

De-amalgamation bill delivers certainty for NSW councils

The NSW Government has introduced new legislation that will remove a major roadblock to council de-amalgamations and ensure local democracy is enshrined in the decision-making process.

The amendments to the Local Government Act 1993, introduced to Parliament today, will provide a new legal pathway for NSW councils seeking to demerge, including those that already have de-amalgamation proposals under consideration.

The amendments repeal the legally flawed section 218CC of the Act and replaces it with a clear and democratic process.

This follows years of failed policy making by the former government that left councils across NSW in limbo and failed to take into account the budgetary impacts for NSW taxpayers on proposed de-amalgamations.

Under the changes, councils wishing to de-amalgamate must develop a robust business case upfront. This must consider the financial impacts and council’s ability to fund de-amalgamation, long-term strategic plans and the service delivery capacity of the new demerged councils.

Councils will also be required to undertake community consultation on the business case.

Upon receipt from a Council, the Minister must forward a business case to the NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission.

Following a subsequent independent review by the NSW Local Government Boundaries Commission, the Minister may then approve a constitutional referendum with a compulsory vote, which would require majority support from local electors to proceed with a de-amalgamation.

In addition, the Government’s Bill provides transition arrangements for councils which have already been approved for demerger by the Minister.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig:

“The forced amalgamation of NSW councils was a failed and expensive experiment.

“While the NSW Government strongly supports a clear process for councils and communities to exercise their democratic right to pursue de-amalgamation, we also have to be realistic about some of the challenges this brings.

“It’s why one of my main priorities as Local Government Minister has been to find a way to remove the roadblocks posed by the existing demerger process, and give communities the opportunity to decide.

“These amendments the Government has introduced provide a clear path forward for councils wishing to de-amalgamate, providing much more clarity for current and future proposals.

“However, it’s essential that local democracy is enshrined in the decision-making process so that councils and communities are fully informed of the financial and other implications of de-amalgamation.

“The amendments we have introduced are more pragmatic than other legislative proposals being put to Parliament and ensure de-mergers can be effectively managed by councils and that any new councils are financially sustainable.”