Category: NSW News

The NSW Opposition is calling on the Minns Labor Government to come clean with the people of NSW regarding their plans for Corrective Services across the State.
 
Last week it emerged that wings would be closed at Bathurst, Cessnock, Goulburn and Long Bay from 12 February, but conflicting reports about the consultation undertaken requires the Minister for Corrections to come clean on the Government’s plans.
 
“On the one hand, the Department of Corrections claim sufficient consultation was undertaken, while on the other hand, the Public Services Association say the upcoming closures had been “badly handled” and the union hadn’t been made aware of the plans,” Shadow Minister for Corrections Mark Taylor said.
 
“The big question mark is over the future security of jobs at these centres, particularly in the regional centres of Bathurst and Goulburn, the Minister must come clean and guarantee these jobs.”
 
“The Minns Labor Government went to the election promising integrity, accountability, transparency and fairness, yet this is another example of the Labor Government making swift decisions behind closed doors with no consultation with the public.”
 
The NSW Opposition said this is yet another example of the Minister missing in action.
 
“It’s clear that the Minister simply doesn’t have time for this Portfolio. The Minister for Corrections must come clean on his decision to not meet with the Public Services Union to discuss these closures,” Mr Taylor said.
 
“It follows the decision in October to hand control of the Junee Correctional Facility to the heavily unionised Corrective Services NSW, a decision that was taken without the Minister even visiting the Junee Correctional Centre.”
 
“The Minister’s hands-off approach should alarm every person in NSW, we need a Minister who cares about the state of Corrections.”

The NSW Government is delivering on its election commitment for additional regional paramedics, with the first cohort beginning their six-week induction programs this month.

It will see 125 additional paramedics arriving in regional, rural and remote communities by the middle of this year. 

The following regional and rural locations have been proposed to receive the additional paramedics:

• Port Macquarie Station
• South West Rocks Station
• Lismore Station
• Goulburn Station
• Bathurst Station
• Blayney Station
• Lithgow Station
• Mudgee Station
• Parkes Station
• Broken Hill Station
• Ballina Station

NSW Ambulance will be consulting with the Health Services Union and local staff about the proposed locations. 

The HSU have been strong advocates for more regional paramedics and have worked closely with the government on the implementation of this ambitious structural reform.

These new paramedics will join a cohort of more than 6,700 NSW Ambulance staff who share a commitment to excellence in serving their communities across NSW. 

This major workforce boost will deliver better health outcomes for patients and their families, while also providing more support to our existing NSW Ambulance staff in the bush.

The NSW Government will continue to roll out the full additional 500 paramedics over a four year period. 

The recruitment of additional health workers follows the announcement of a record pay increase for paramedics announced in December. This historic four-year agreement was partially funded from savings from the Health portfolio including savings associated with paramedic recruitment challenges such as additional paramedic recruitment. 

The Minns Labor Government’s commitment to boost regional paramedics forms part of a broader suite of measures to build a supported regional workforce and improve access and delivery of healthcare across regional communities, including:

• doubling rural health incentives
• boosting more doctors in our regional GP surgeries and hospitals through the expansion of the single employer model which makes it easier for training rural doctors to maintain their employee benefits and training support between workplaces
• preparing to roll out health worker study subsidies for those working in regional and rural areas
• rolling out health worker accommodation
• delivering safe staffing levels in our hospitals, including in the bush.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said: 

“Everyone should be able to access quality healthcare, no matter where they live, including in regional NSW. 

“Our priority is to retain our existing paramedics while still delivering critical increase in paramedic numbers where they are needed most, in particular in rural and regional NSW.” 

“We know that regional, rural and remote communities are grappling with significant workforce shortages, but we are focused on boosting, recruiting and retaining more health workers. 

“We are embracing a comprehensive range of measures to do this. 

“Investing in and supporting our frontline healthcare workers with an additional 500 paramedics is a core ministerial priority. 

“I want to thank the Health Services Union for their advocacy and continued collaboration on this important structural reform.” 

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan said: 

“The significant increase to the paramedic workforce will boost NSW Ambulance’s capacity to provide high quality care to patients across NSW. 

“I look forward to welcoming these new paramedics to NSW Ambulance, where they will be able to build upon their skills learned in training to help their local communities. 

“We have completed service demand and workforce planning to determine where these important roles will be allocated in regional and rural NSW.”

Work is ramping up at The Bays to construct the new 24-kilometre metro railway line that will transform Sydney as part of the NSW Government’s enhanced Sydney Metro West project.

Two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) Daphne and Beatrice are preparing to re-launch in the coming weeks, as they make their way from the Five Dock Metro Station site to Burwood North Station site.

Hundreds of pre-cast tunnel segments have been delivered to The Bays Metro Station site, ready to meet the machines as they progress up to 90 metres below Sydney’s inner west.

Each day, more than 250 precast tunnel segments will be transported from The Bays, through the newly built tunnels beneath Iron Cove to Five Dock, where they’ll meet Daphne and Beatrice.

TBMs Beatrice and Daphne launched last year from the western side of The Bays Station. Both machines have progressed significantly in their tunnelling journey, having installed approximately 30,700 of 150,000 segments that will line the new tunnel walls.

At the eastern end of the site, work has commenced to prepare the 32-metre-deep station box for two new TBMs that will launch from The Bays to tunnel under Darling Harbour towards the city in mid-2024.

These TBMs, each weighing about 1,300 tonnes, are the final two of six mega tunnelling machines for Sydney Metro West.

A second, supersized shed on the western side of The Bays site is being used for storing excavated material after it is transferred from the TBMs on conveyor belts. The shed holds a maximum of 40,000 tonnes of material that is continuously being moved for reuse on other sites across Sydney.

As announced by the NSW Government, The Bays is one of the priority precincts to be rezoned to allow for a major new housing uplift.

The Bays Metro Station will deliver a rail service to the area for the first time and support this renewal of the harbourside precinct.

Sydney Metro West is expected to be complete by 2032.

Get more information about the project.launch

Quotes attributable to Transport Minister Jo Haylen:

“Our Metro Review has ensured a new and improved Sydney Metro West will be delivered for the people of NSW, with a focus on driving housing supply.

“The Bays is in full tunnelling mode and teams here are laser-focused on constructing this new metro line that will deliver unrivalled public transport for all of Sydney.

“The benefits of this city-shaping mega project extend beyond fast, reliable travel. Sydney Metro West will transform communities, act as a catalyst for new housing and support new precincts like at The Bays which hasn’t previously been serviced by a rail connection.”

International and Australian road safety experts, advocates for motorists and road traffic victims, academics, as well as federal and state stakeholders will be brought together on Thursday 22 February to focus on safer roads and saving lives.

The NSW Government road safety forum will be the first time in the state’s history that experts from interstate and around the world will be brought together to tackle the issue of deaths on our roads. It will take advice from Scandinavian countries that have succeeded in reducing road fatalities over the last 20 years.

The government is hosting the forum in Sydney to lead the conversation on how to address the road toll, which has risen across Australian jurisdictions as traffic volumes have rebounded following COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions.

There will be a particular focus on preventing regional road fatalities. A third of the NSW population resides in regional areas, but two thirds of the state’s road fatalities take place in our regions, including urban centres in regional areas.

Federal Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Carol Brown will provide a federal perspective, with NSW keen to increase cooperation between the states and territories on this shared challenge on our roads.

The NSW Government is inviting the state opposition and members of the crossbench to be part of the forum, to be hosted by Transport for NSW.

The Minns Labor government has been active in introducing new road safety measures, including the use of mobile phone detection cameras that will this year begin enforcing the use of seatbelts.

The government has also pioneered the carrot-and-stick approach through the demerit point scheme. More than 1.3 million NSW drivers remain eligible to have a demerit point removed from their licence when the first 12 months of the trial ends on 17 January if they maintain a spotless record for a year.

Minister for Roads Minister John Graham said:  

“The Minns Labor government is focused on improving road safety and making sure everyone gets home to their loved ones every time.

“The road toll has increased across Australia and many parts of the world after Covid. This forum is an opportunity to hear from experts who have had some success in reducing the road toll and identify new measures and actions from the Road Safety Plan that could be accelerated.

“In 2023, NSW experienced the tragic loss of 351 lives on our roads. The NSW Government is issuing a resounding call for every individual to make safe driving a resolution in 2024.

“Road safety is a shared responsibility that requires the collective efforts of government agencies, communities, and individuals. The forum will provide a platform to discuss new actions to save lives. 

Minister for Regional Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said:

“While one third of our population lives in regional NSW, over two thirds of fatalities (70%) occur on regional roads.

“I have been out in the far north-west of regional, rural and remote NSW this week hearing directly from those communities about the road toll.

“Any death on a road is one too many but for regional communities where everyone knows everyone, it hits particularly hard.

“We all need to take responsibility for our actions when it comes to road safety. We need community involvement, particularly in the regions, if the government’s road safety initiatives are to succeed.  

“I hope regional leaders will participate in the forum to share their experiences and work with the government to find solutions to road safety issues.

“The forum will include discussion of how we can strengthen road safety enforcement and tackle unsafe road user behaviour.” 

Senator Carol Brown, Assistant Minister for Infrastructure and Transport said:

“Road safety is everyone’s responsibility – from local, state and territory governments as well as the Australian Government and individual road users.

“I look forward to the discussions had at the forum and how the outcomes can be carried through to the National Road Safety Conference shortly after. 

“The National Road Safety Conference has been convened to bring together road safety ministers and police ministers from across the country to engage on the worrying trends we are seeing on our roads.”

The NSW Opposition has called on the Minns Labor Government to take urgent action to better protect NSW’s marine emblem, the Eastern Blue Groper.
 
Shadow Minister for the Environment Kellie Sloane said just last Friday, three female Blue Gropers were killed by a spear fisher on the NSW South Coast near Jervis Bay. This follows the January 5 spearing of a large Blue Groper at Cronulla.
 
“This is another senseless and deeply upsetting situation, and we need to make sure there are no more deaths of our iconic and much-loved Blue Groper fish this summer,” Ms Sloane said.
 
“While most recreational fishers in NSW are doing the right thing, some are either ignorant of the laws or are deliberately breaking them.”
 
“Blue Gropers are our Labradors of the sea, loved by many in our community, and the Minns Labor Government needs to urgently act to better protect this iconic fish. There is an urgent need for the NSW Government to invest in greater education campaigns, improve signage where spearfishing is occurring and review penalties to ensure they’re a sufficient deterrent.”
 
“In NSW, the Blue Groper sits alongside the Platypus and Kookaburra as part of our state emblems; they reflect the unique and rich diversity of our environment. Chris Minns and his government needs to listen to local communities, who care deeply about the iconic Blue Groper, and tell us what steps he will be taking to better protect our state’s marine emblem.”

Testing is hitting full throttle as the Sydney Metro City & Southwest line gears up for passenger services to begin this year.

While most of NSW was easing into 2024, testing was ramping up in the 15.5-kilometre twin metro tunnels between Chatswood and Sydenham.

Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 January saw major testing milestones achieved, with 33 of all 45 metro trains in the combined fleet completing at least one return journey between Tallawong and Sydenham.

Eight trains have now successfully travelled on the new track at the same time, double the previous maximum of 4 trains running simultaneously.

Testing up to eight trains at once allows the performance of each train to be monitored closely to ensure the new turn-up-and-go metro timetable of a train every 4 minutes in the peak can be replicated.

Since the rigorous testing and commissioning program started in April 2023, more than 7500 hours of a total of 11,000 hours of required testing have been completed.

Extensive noise trials have been completed inside the trains and new tunnels, with microphones and vibration sensors installed, which are sensitive enough to detect a pin drop. This form of testing confirms noise emitted across the network does not exceed predicted noise and vibration comfort levels.

Over the coming months, final integration testing between the trains, signalling and station systems will continue. This includes assessing passenger help points and trialling passenger information displays, before heading into trial running.

When world-class metro services start deep below the Sydney CBD this year, commuters will have access to easy, fast and reliable public transport service with record travel times including from:

• Castle Hill to Martin Place in 35 minutes
• Macquarie University to Central in 26 minutes
• Chatswood to Gadigal in 13 minutes
• North Sydney’s Victoria Cross under the harbour to Barangaroo in 3 minutes
• Central to Martin Place in 4 minutes
• Central to Sydenham in 7 minutes
• Sydenham to Chatswood in 22 minutes

The next stage of Sydney’s Metro transformation will be the extension of metro from Sydenham to Bankstown. That will not occur until this new city section of the line is up and running, providing a reliable service for commuters from Sydenham into the CBD.

The T3 Bankstown line will be closed for the 12-month conversion project, in order to deliver turn-up-and-go metro services every 4 minutes by late 2025. A comprehensive temporary transport plan, including alternative bus and rail services for passengers, will be released in the coming months.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:

“2024 is the year of Metro, as Australia’s biggest public transport project powers towards the finish line. Six new stations will open below the CBD, connecting our city like never before.

“World-class metro services starting deep below Sydney’s CBD is on par in significance with the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge – the launch in mid-2024 will be a historic moment in transport history.

“A train will run between Sydenham and Tallawong up to every 4 minutes, doubling our rail capacity between Central Sydney and North Sydney.

“We are entering the home stretch of this city-shaping project, and it’s exciting to see our biggest weekend of testing go off without a hitch.”

Elvis Presley impersonators and fans have kicked off their annual pilgrimage, decked out in their own ‘King’-themed costumes on their way to one of the biggest Elvis festivals in the world.

The 7-hour journey is a celebration aboard the NSW TrainLink Elvis Express as fans prepare to take part in a 5-day festival dedicated to the ‘King of Rock and Roll’.

Around 250 passengers, many of them dressed in outfits including sequined suits and iconic aviator sunglasses, are travelling from Sydney’s Central Station to the 2024 Parkes Elvis Festival in the state’s Central West.

Minister for the Arts, Minister for Jobs and Tourism and Minister for Music and Night-time Economy John Graham farewelled the NSW TrainLink Elvis Express this morning at the starting point of its 365km journey. Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison is travelling on the train from Orange East Fork to Parkes.

This festival, which runs until Sunday 14 January, is expected to attract more than 25,000 fans. This year’s theme is ‘Jailhouse Rock’.

It’s estimated that the multi-award-winning event brings around $15 million to the Central West region each year, with all accommodation fully booked in Parkes and flow-on bookings in surrounding towns.

Minister for the Arts, Minister for Jobs and Tourism and Minister for Music and Night-time Economy John Graham said:

“In the tradition of Elvis’ Mystery Train this is a specially branded 5-carriage train service that will be rockin’ and rollin’ Elvis fans all the way to Parkes.

“I hope the train full of fans from all walks of life will enjoy the music and the beautiful view as they travel from our harbour city to the big dish.”

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“This partnership between NSW TrainLink and the 2024 Parkes Elvis Festival enriches the festival experience and reinforces the significance of regional events in showcasing the diversity and charm of our communities across the state.

“The Elvis Express is more than just a train ride; it is also an experience that offers passengers the chance to celebrate and enjoy a nostalgic journey in the vibrant and festive atmosphere of the Presley era.

“Through special event services such as these, as well as its regular scheduled services, NSW TrainLink remains committed to regional communities and passengers who are looking to enjoy the ride to events all over NSW.”

Mayor of Parkes Shire Council Neil Westcott said:

“We are honoured to be hosting the 31st Parkes Elvis Festival in 2024 and the passion for our event grows every year.

“We’re grateful for our ongoing relationship with Transport for NSW and their support in enabling the unique travel experience from Sydney to our festival.

“As soon as you board this train you’ll quickly realise the next few days are going to be an experience you’ll treasure for a lifetime!”

In the first state-wide compliance blitz of the new year, Operation Stay Afloat, NSW Maritime officers have stressed to jetskiers a good time should be a safe time for everyone on the water.

As part of the safety and educational campaign aimed at driving home the importance of responsible riding on the state’s waterways, NSW Maritime crews conducted more than 2000 vessel safety checks.

While 87% of boat and jetski operators were found to be complying with all license and safety requirements, NSW Maritime issued 186 official warnings and 81 penalty notices.

31.4% were issued for not wearing or carrying a lifejacket, 27.7% were for unlicenced drivers or unregistered vessels and 11.2% were for speeding. 

It follows a year where jetski-related offences were on the rise. There were a total of 1560 jetski offences recorded in NSW during 2023, up 53% on the previous year’s 1023 jetski infringements. Speeding made up almost 30% of offences recorded.

More jetskiiers are found to be non-compliant in Sydney waters compared to other parts of NSW, with the George’s River, Botany Bay and Port Hacking taking the top spots for illegal activity leading to infringements.

The popularity of jetskis and personal watercraft has soared over the last 4 years, with over 90,000 licenced riders in NSW, an increase of over 35% since 2020.

The largest jump in jetski licences has been among Generation Z, those born between 1995 and 2010. There are more than 23,000 licenced riders aged between 13 and 28 in NSW, an increase of 22% on this time last year.

The top 5 Local Government Areas for newly issued licences are Canterbury-Bankstown, Sutherland Shire, Central Coast, Lake Macquarie and the Northern Beaches.

A spate of serious injuries involving personal watercraft, including jetskis, has authorities on high alert a week into the new year. Locations of particular concern to authorities are Brighton Beach and Georges River in Sydney.

For more information on jetski safety, check out the Personal Watercraft (PWC) Handbook.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:

“Jetskis are a lot of fun, but they’ve got to be used responsibly.

“The best way to enjoy a day out on a jetski is to plan your adventure, pack essentials like water, food and sunscreen, wear a lifejacket and stick to the rules.

“It’s great to see a new generation enjoying our beautiful waterways, but inexperience means they need to be extra vigilant when it comes to safety.

“Dangerous driving can be deadly, so ski carefully and look out for yourself and others.”

Member for East Hills Kylie Wilkinson said:

“The George’s River is South-West Sydney’s very own water wonderland where locals from Picnic Point to Bankstown come to cool off and create fun memories with the whole family. Everyone has a role to play in making it a safe place for boaters, swimmers and jetskiers alike.

“We’re lucky to live on the banks of one of NSW’s most beautiful and accessible inland waterways, the George’s River. Compliance blitzs like these keep our waterways safe. It’s important that everyone knows the rules, behaves sensibly and is looking out for each other so people can keep making happy memories here for generations to come.”

Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said:

“Speeding and unsafe riding on a jetski is a recipe for disaster on our waterways.

“Jetskis are overrepresented in serious injury incidents, if you have an accident on one, it’s highly likely you’ll suffer a serious injury.”

“They are fast and they don’t offer much protection. Use common-sense if you jump on one.

“We want our Illawarra and South Coast communities to feel safe and relaxed when using all of our beautiful waterways, including Lake Illawarra. If jetski riders are making others uncomfortable, Maritime will take action.”

Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:

“A fun day on the water shouldn’t turn into a tragedy.

“It’s great we’re seeing locals enjoy our Hunter waterways on jetskis, including young people. But we need them to look after themselves, and each other. Safety and compliance are the priorities.

“When you take out a jetski, just like anything on the water, follow the rules so everyone can relax and enjoy themselves.”

Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said:

“The Central Coast’s beautiful waterways are one of the things that make the Coast such a wonderful place to live. While we are out and about on the water this summer, it’s important to remember that our beaches and waterways are there for everyone to enjoy.

“I am always thrilled to see people get out and enjoy the water in new ways and encourage everyone to get out and enjoy our stunning maritime landscapes. However please remember, safety always comes first. Be mindful of those around you in the water, making sure that everyone can stay cool and safe on our beautiful waterways this summer.”

Jetski Club member Wahib Gereige said:

“Spending a day out on your jetski with friends is what summer’s all about. Ruining it for others by being reckless or irresponsible, isn’t.

“There is a stigma about jetski riders which is giving us all a bad reputation. Rules and regulations are there for a reason, respect them and everyone can have a great time out on the water.”

Leader of the NSW Opposition Mark Speakman has called on Premier Chris Minns to put the people of NSW first in 2024 and make some New Year’s resolutions to fix his Government’s many failures.
 
“There is a long list of New Year’s resolutions Chris Minns should make, and it should start with removing his two of his embattled Ministers from their critical portfolios,” Mr Speakman said.
 
“Jo Haylen’s ‘jobs for Labor mates’ scandal continues to distract from the important task of delivering on our state’s transport needs. Yasmin Catley has failed to comprehend the most basic elements of her job as Police Minister.”
 
“Chris Minns should also resolve to address the ongoing cost-of-living crisis with better support for families and households. He should immediately adopt the Coalition’s energy relief plan which would see every household in NSW eligible for $250 off their bills.”
 
“Chris Minns went to the election saying he would ‘roll over’ important cost-of-living programs including Active Kids, Creative Kids and back-to-school vouchers. Instead, he viciously cut these programs leaving many families worse off in the middle of Labor’s cost-of-living crisis.”
 
Chris Minns’ New Year’s resolutions list, for starters:

1. Remove embattled Ministers Jo Haylen and Yasmin Catley.
2. Restore cost-of-living support for families and households.
3. Come clean on impact of union wage deals.
4. Reverse heartless cuts to palliative care.
5. Involve local communities in addressing housing supply.
6. Outline new infrastructure plans to match new housing proposals.
7. Reverse attacks on community clubs.
8. Reverse parking charges for hospital staff.
9. Address the state’s rising road toll.

 
The NSW Opposition will continue to hold the Minns Labor Government to account in 2024, put families and households before unions and deliver the vision and drive that NSW deserves.

The NSW Opposition has called on the Minns Labor Government to ensure that the Electrical Trades Union industrial action does not drive up energy costs for NSW households and small businesses.
 
Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Damien Tudehope condemned the energy union for a power grab at the expense of families and businesses across New South Wales. 
 
“After raiding the public coffers for unfunded public sector wage rises totalling $9.5 billion, the unions are going after private businesses, and they risk holding the people of NSW hostage in the process,” Mr Tudehope said.
 
The Union rejected a pay rise of 13% last year and is now striking in a way that will affect and delay crucial renewables and transmission projects. Any such delays ultimately hurt households and small businesses through energy shortages and increased power bills.
 
“Families and small businesses across our State are doing it tough, and the last thing they need is to be caught up in the crossfire of a union power grab. 
 
“Chris Minns needs to tell his union mates to stop using NSW people and businesses as pawns in their games.
 
“The Minister for Energy needs to urgently guarantee that union disruptions will not lead to delays and cost blowouts for critical energy projects,” Mr Tudehope said.