Category: NSW News

On International Women’s Day, the Service NSW Business Bureau is celebrating more than 30,000 businesswomen across NSW who have turned their passion into their pay cheque thanks to free personalised support and independent business advice offered through Service NSW.

Being your own boss is the dream that kick-started many of the 850,000 small businesses in NSW. Despite small business accounting for 97 percent of all businesses across the State, women account for only one third of business owners.

Small Businesses want opportunity. They want the NSW Labor Government to remove barriers so they can get on with business.

The Business Connect program within the newly launched Service NSW Business Bureau is delivering one-on-one personalised support to empower women to make their business goals a reality.

No matter the stage of their business journey, women across NSW can receive up to eight hours of free, tailored advice, whether they are just getting started, need support with sales strategies, marketing or managing their finances and cash flow.

Women can connect with an experienced independent Business Connect advisor over the phone, online, in person or through the Service NSW Business Bureau app.

Since the launch of this initiative more than 230,000 hours of business support have been provided to women in NSW, with the most sought-after advice being business planning and marketing strategies.

The success of this service is evident in that almost 96 per cent of business owners are satisfied with the service and likely to recommend it to others.

The Service NSW Business Bureau Support for Women in Business online content hub is also there to help women at every stage of their business, with all the tools they need to succeed in one convenient location.

The online content hub is home to a ‘women in business’ toolkit, networking events, grants, funding, mental health support and training opportunities, such as the fully subsidised NSW Government and TAFE NSW Women in Business initiative.

Access the Support for Women in Business online content hub

Enrol in the TAFE NSW Women in Business initiative 

Find out more about Service NSW Business Connect

Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said:

“Running a business can provide a better work-life balance but knowing where to start or how to grow can be challenging.

“We want to empower women in NSW with the knowledge to kick-start their business and the confidence to turn their career dreams into a reality.

“From getting started, to marketing and managing cash flow, the Service NSW Business Bureau’s advisory programs provide up to eight hours of free expert, independent and tailored advice for women, no matter where they are in their business journey.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“The women of NSW are smart, savvy and strong. The NSW Government is focused on removing the barriers and challenges women across the State may face at every stage of their business.

“More and more women are establishing their own businesses as a way to get into the labour market. Business Connect and the advisory programs provide them with practical tips and guidance to navigate through the process. This is another way the government is empowering and supporting women to achieve their business dreams.”

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said:

“TAFE NSW is proud to be supporting small businesswomen of NSW.

“Owning a small business is no mean feat. Learning the latest business trends, hearing from successful female entrepreneurs and being given access to assistance in setting up and growing your business will help all women on this journey.”

Young people in custody are being given the opportunity to learn new skills to help them transition back into the community thanks to a partnership between Youth Justice NSW and Training Services NSW, which is rolling out trade qualifications across all six Youth Justice Centres.

Minister for Youth Justice Jihad Dib and Minister for Skills Steve Whan recently visited Riverina Youth Justice Centre to see the trades in action, with a barbershop, café and crane service all ‘open for business’ on the day.

Minister Dib received a haircut from a young person in the first dedicated barber shop across youth justice centres in NSW, called Jack of all Fades.

Following on from a successful Try a Trade Day at Riverina Youth Justice Centre in June last year, the centre has been focusing on providing more trade opportunities for young people.

As part of the Try a Trade Day, five businesses visited the centre and taught young people about trades including plumbing, carpentry, painting, traffic control and mechanics.

Since December 2022, more than 200 young people across the six centres have had the opportunity to learn more about new skills and trades as part of the Try a Trade program.

Riverina Youth Justice Centre runs a range of trade programs to get young people work ready, such as food technology, barista training, woodwork, metal work, construction and fabrication, brick and block, white card, manufacturing and engineering, barber shop training, first aid and emergency care, traffic control, and Certificate II in agriculture.

Minister for Youth Justice Jihad Dib said:

“I was delighted to be back in the Riverina this week, to have a coffee made by the young people training as baristas and to have my hair cut by one of the young men learning how to be a barber.

“One of the many ways we support young people in our care at Youth Justice is to give them real life skills so they can get a job and rebuild their lives.

“The hospitality, barista and barber training we have going on here are just three of the many trade qualifications being rolled out across the six Youth Justice Centres in NSW.”

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said:

“Regardless of what their history is, every young person deserves to be set up for success and given equitable opportunities to pursue a career or further education. Getting an income is a key part of helping people to avoid re-offending in the future.

“Initiatives like the Shepherd’s Park School ensure a seamless transition back into society for young offenders where they can become engaged and skilled members of the community.

“Not only are we empowering young people with the skills and qualifications in their chosen trades, we are also giving them the self-confidence to take back control of their futures.”

Businesses and residents in the northeast corner of NSW are reminded to remain vigilant following the detection of fire ants at Currumbin Waters, approximately 1.2km from the NSW-QLD border.

The National Fire Ant Eradication Plan (NFAEP) has notified the NSW Government of the positive fire ant detection at Currumbin Waters, Queensland.

Following a report from the public, the nest was diagnosed as positive for fire ants and a team from the NFAEP destroyed the nest shortly after the detection.

This detection will invoke movement controls within a 5km radius of the site and thereby involves a mix of QLD and NSW territories on either side of the border.

This has led to the NSW Government needing to issue a Biosecurity (fire ants) Emergency Order within that 5km radius that covers south of the border.  

The NSW Government is working closely with the National eradication team and QLD Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.

The small, impacted section of NSW covers the surrounds of Piggabeen and Cobaki that are now for precautionary measures classified as a fire ant infested area.

Movement of fire ant carrier materials – soil, mulch, turf and hay – out of this part of NSW is now regulated under the Emergency Order and may require a Record of Movement Declaration and a Plant Health Certificate.

The NSW Government is working closely with the national team to prevent red imported fire ants from entering NSW, and ultimately eradicating the pest from Australia.

Around $600 million has been allocated to this fight, with the NSW Government topping it up by $95 million in 2023.

The state’s response plan is working with swift and effective actions such as inspecting any reports of suspicious ants or eradicating found fire ant sites.

Of the 572 reports of suspicious ants to the NSW Government’s hotline, all have been determined as not fire ants except for 2 – South Murwillumbah in November 2023 and Ballina in January this year.

Following those nests’ destruction, extensive ongoing surveillance revealed no further evidence of fire ants in NSW.

For more information about red imported fire ants or to report sightings, visit the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) website or call 1800 680 244.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty:

“The NSW Government is serious about eradicating fire ants and that is why we raised the funding from $15 million under the previous Government to $95 million last year to fight this pest.

“We’ve proven that we respond quickly to reports or detections in NSW or close by in Queensland. The issuing of this Biosecurity Emergency Order across a small area, even though it’s a fire ant site in QLD, is because we will take every precaution and action in the fight against fire ants.

“Fire ants don’t march into NSW, they are carried, as a result of moving fire ant carrier materials such as soil, mulch, hay and turf. That is why control orders and education both play critical parts in the fire ant eradication campaign.

“Biosecurity is everyone’s responsibility, so it’s critical that anyone moving these types of materials complies with this Biosecurity Emergency Order.”

The creation of one of Sydney’s largest parks is one step closer with almost 5ha of rare native bushland near the CBD added to Wolli Creek Regional Park within the first year of the NSW Labor Government.

This new parkland will provide an important opportunity for additional greenspace, outdoor recreation and community spaces, in an area that is one of the most densely populated parts of NSW, Wolli Creek.

The NSW Labor Government understands the need to preserve the natural environment particularly in built up areas. It’s why the Government committed $13 million in the last budget to complete and maintain the park.

It also comes on top of the government’s commitment to convert half of Moore Park Golf Course into a public park, once the operating agreement expires in June 2026.

The Carr Labor Government started the process of creating the Wolli Creek Regional Park in 1998. Twenty years later, the Minns Labor Government is getting on with finishing the job.

For years, the local community including from Georges River, Bayside and Inner West councils and significantly from the Wolli Creek Preservation Society, have fought to complete this park.

Frequented by people from across Sydney, the 4.7ha of new parkland that has been added to the park include 16 parcels of additional land, increasing its total area to 45ha and making it possible to walk all the way from Bexley North to Earlwood, and Earlwood to Wolli Creek.

Of the 4.7ha, 2.1 was transferred to NPWS by the Office of Strategic Lands.

A further 2.6ha has been acquired from the City of Canterbury Bankstown and will protect “Nanny Goat Hill” which offers panoramic views across the Wolli Creek Valley.

This park also conserves iconic bushland along Wolli Creek which provides valuable open space and is also home to an array of birdlife, native mammals and a colony of Grey-headed flying-foxes, which are listed as vulnerable.

NPWS will continue to work with councils and the Office of Strategic Lands to complete the transfer and acquisition of the final 4.9ha.

Premier of NSW and Member for Kogarah Chris Minns said:

“Families across Sydney’s south including my own, love our natural parklands. This expansion of the park will provide them with even more opportunities to enjoy nature right in our own backyards.

“For decades completing Wolli Creek Regional Park has been put in the too hard basket, but now the NSW Labor Government is protecting this important area of natural bushland.”

“With more people continuing to move into this area, this won’t just open up even more open space for them to enjoy, it will also protect this parkland for future generations.

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“Expanding the Wolli Creek Regional Park ensures plants, animals and people can enjoy more of the area’s unique natural landscape.

“This urban oasis provides rare and crucial habitat for more than 460 plant and animal species.

“Reserving additional land takes us a big step closer to completing the park and provides the highest level of long-term security for these diverse ecosystems.”

Member for Summer Hill, Minister Jo Haylen said:

“This has been a long time coming. I’m proud that the NSW Labor Government is going to protect and expand Wolli Creek Regional Park, so we can all enjoy this beautiful and unique part of Sydney.”

“Congratulations to everyone in the community who has worked so hard to make this happen. Community groups like the Wolli Creek Preservation Society have been pushing for this for decades.”

“But this isn’t just a great win for the people of the Georges River, Bayside and Inner West. It’s a great win for everyone across our city who can now come and enjoy this beautiful park.”

Member for Canterbury, Minister Sophie Cotsis said:

“More and more people have discovered great walking tracks across Sydney. Today is a fantastic result for those campaigning for more open space for many years.

“I really look forward to sharing this beautiful space with my family and others from the area. It’s great to celebrate nature, local wildlife and take advantage of everything Sydney has to offer.”

Member for Rockdale, Minister Steve Kamper said:

“First and foremost, I want to thank the outstanding community campaigners that have been advocating for this park for years. This is a fantastic community result.

“Parks and open space are a precious commodity throughout Sydney. As we continue to grow, the NSW Labor Government is delivering the important green space our local communities require to ensure we have the right mix in and around the Wolli Creek area.”

Twenty relatives of crew members who died at sea 120 years ago have come forward to share their family stories, after the wreck of SS Nemesis was found off Port Kembla on the NSW coast.

Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe issued a global call almost two weeks ago, asking for descendants of the 32 people on board the ship when it vanished in 1904 to reach out to Heritage NSW. Crew members were from Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. Between them, they left behind more than 40 children.

So far, 20 grandchildren and great grandchildren have come forward from NSW, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia, to seek and share information about their family history. They include relatives of Captain Alexander Lusher.

Heritage NSW is asking relatives to write down their stories so they can be collated and archived. Until now, these stories were hidden from this chapter in the maritime history of NSW. They are providing a better understanding and appreciation of the plight of SS Nemesis as well as previous unknown details of shipping, trade and craftmanship from the early 1900s.

The discovery and recent identification of the wreck solved a mystery spanning more than a century.

SS Nemesis departed Newcastle in July 1904, loaded with coal and headed for Melbourne. It was last sighted signalling distress in a storm off Wollongong. The bodies of at least four crew members washed ashore at Cronulla Beach in the days after, and the men were buried in Sutherland.

In 2022, remote sensing company Subsea Professional Marine Services discovered the vessel in deep, high-current water, and this year experts from Heritage NSW and CSIRO have been able to match the wreck’s distinctive features with historical photographs and sketches of SS Nemesis.

Those with a connection to SS Nemesis are asked to contact Heritage NSW or heritagemailbox@environment.nsw.gov.au.

Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe said:

“This discovery is already bringing closure to families tied to this maritime tragedy, and I hope more and more people will come forward, from Australia and possibly even the UK and Canada.

“NSW now has a better understanding of its heritage, thanks to this huge collaborative effort to discover what happened to SS Nemesis and her brave crew in stormy waters back in 1904.”

Denise Burrell, Great Granddaughter of Captain Alexander Lusher said:

“My family members are descendants of Alexander Lusher, Captain of SS Nemesis at the time it was wrecked.

“My mother, who is 99 years old, is Captain Lusher’s granddaughter and now his oldest surviving relative.

“After hearing the wreck had been found, Mum re-told our family the story of SS Nemesis from what she remembers.

“Throughout my life I have heard the ‘family folklore’, but this research and discovery has made it so much more real.

“The partnership between Heritage NSW, CSIRO and Subsea Professional Marine Services has provided us with so much information to fill the gaps in our knowledge. Thanks sincerely for this.”

A $1.2 million trial of new digital technology to improve level crossing safety in rural and regional areas will soon get underway in New South Wales.

Transport for NSW will run the trial, in partnership with the Australian Government, the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) and technology company Rail Safety Systems.

The technology, called Rail Active Crossing System (RAXS), is a modular low-cost wireless solution specifically designed for rural and remote locations to turn passive level crossings into active sites.

This will be done using both flashing lights at the crossing as well as wireless train- activated advanced signage which warns motorists that there is a train approaching the level crossing ahead.

In the rare event of a system disruption, it automatically enters ‘stop sign’ mode, and becomes like a passive crossing – with motorists having to obey the stop sign rules. This compares to existing active level crossings, which activate warning bells and lights until maintenance crews arrive.

The system is solar-powered, wireless and a modular design, can be quickly and cost-effectively installed, and needs less maintenance, potentially overcoming some of the barriers to getting more activated level crossings.

There are more than 2,700 level crossings in NSW, including 1,307 on public roads and of these, 858 are passively controlled by stop or give way signage.

Installation of the first level crossing with the new technology is due to occur this year and Transport for NSW is working with ARTC to determine a suitable location.

The system’s innovative design allows for new features to be developed and tested. As part of the trial, Transport will be seeking community and industry feedback on the use of advanced warnings and developing future features to improve level crossing safety.

The NSW Government is providing $715,000 funding for the trial, along with $500,000 from the Australian Government’s Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program.  

Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said:

“Saving lives and livelihoods by improving road and rail safety is a top priority for the Albanese Government, which is why we are partnering with the NSW Government to trial this new level crossing technology.

“Regional and rural communities have been campaigning for safety upgrades at level crossings and we are acting, with this grant being just the latest example.

“Through the Regional Australia Level Crossing Safety Program, we are investing a total of $180 million towards level crossing safety initiatives, from infrastructure upgrades such as boom gates through to other innovative technologies and data.

“I look forward to seeing this technology make a real difference during the trial, and to continuing to work with the NSW Government to advance level crossing safety in the state.”

NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“Most fatalities at level crossing crashes happen in rural and regional areas, leaving families and whole communities devastated.

“Geography, lack of access to power, and other infrastructure constraints mean it is not always possible to install traditional level crossing treatments.

“I am pleased to be able to announce a trial of this innovative technology, which has been long awaited by regional communities, survivors and family members of those we have lost in level crossing crashes.

“If successful, the trial of RAXS technology could make activating more regional level crossings more affordable and rolled out more quickly. Up to three sites could be upgraded for the cost of traditional level crossing treatments.

“The NSW Government is committed to implementing a suite of measures to improve level crossing safety, including grade separation, new technology upgrades and low speed limits, depending on the circumstances and constraints at each crossing.

“Most importantly we are working on a coordinated approach that provides certainty to those who have experienced a catastrophic crash at a level crossing that we will act to improve level crossing safety across the network.”

The NSW Government is proud to mark International Women’s Day, a global moment where we celebrate women’s achievements, raise awareness about ongoing gender inequalities and recommit ourselves to taking action.

The NSW Government is proud to be the first in the states history to have achieved gender parity in Cabinet.

However, the Government also knows that there is still a long journey to gender equity across the state. In fact, the NSW Gender Equality Key Economic Indicators Index lays that out in stark numbers:

In NSW there is still a gender pay gap of 11.8 per cent, with men on average earning $1924.8 a week, while women earn $1697.0.

On average each week NSW women undertake approximately 30.3 hours of unpaid labour. This is almost double the 17.9 hours performed by men.

Despite bearing the brunt of unpaid labour, women have lower rates of paid workforce participation at 61.4 per cent, compared to males who participate at a rate of 70.4 percent.

This Year, the United Nations International Women’s Day theme is, Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress.

The NSW Government is proud to mark International Women’s Day with an investment of $5.8 million for the Future Women’s Jobs Academy, to boost the job readiness, workforce participation and economic security of NSW women.

This commitment was initially made prior to the election, one year ago today on International Women’s Day 2023.

The two-year program will support 1,000 women to access the free, virtual service, delivering one to two hours of activities per week to members to build their confidence, capabilities, and connections needed to commence their job search, secure employment pathways and thrive at work.

Jobs Academy NSW will offer a range of activities for participants including:

• Future Proof webinar series
• Small group mentoring
• Jobs Connections webinars
• Opportunities Board
• Future Women Leadership Summit
• Gender diversity literacy program for employer partners

The program is particularly focused on providing access to women from communities that have lower workforce participation rates and face intersecting barriers to entering and progressing in the workforce. This includes:

• Culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) women
• Women with disability
• Women living in regional, rural, and remote areas
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait women (for whom applications will be considered first for acceptance into the program).

The program will be delivered by Australian company Future Women in partnership with the NSW Government.

Find out more about the two-year program, which opens for applications in May 2024.

Chris Minns, Premier of NSW said:

“The NSW Government understands our responsibility in continuing to invest in and work towards gender equality across NSW.

“This is an important investment, because we know equality will not just happen, we have to take action to ensure it is achieved.

“As a government we are committed to doing that.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“The NSW Government is committed to fostering economic opportunity and boosting participation and empowerment for women and girls across the state.

“I’m very excited to announce we will be funding this program, especially on International Women’s Day where we celebrate women’s achievements. It’s also important to use this day to commit and redouble our efforts to address barriers that perpetuate gender inequality.”

Founder and Managing Director of Future Women Helen McCabe said:

“Since inception we have had to sadly turn women away and this investment allows us to support an additional 1,000 women over the next two years.

“The participants will have access to our innovative pre-employment program which supports women through a range of resources including online jobs and skills fairs, coaching, resume assistance, podcasts and articles.

“But what sets this program apart is the sense of community. The participants are encouraged to support one another in the often daunting task of re-entering the workplace especially if they are older.”

After almost 12 months since being elected, the Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig is continuing to demonstrate that the Minns Labor Government has no direction or vision for New South Wales.

During the Minister’s Budget Estimates hearing, he revealed another backflip, this time on the IPART review of the Council Financial Model in NSW he announced just four weeks ago.

The IPART review is still open for submissions on terms of reference, it was envisaged once terms of reference were agreed upon the review would take at least 12 months to conduct the review, yet instead of shortening the timeframe of the review, the Minister has detailed plans for an Upper House Committee on the matter.

“I have sought to find a chair who will take the poison chalice,” Minister Hoenig said today on the financial sustainability of Local Government in NSW.

Shadow Minister for Local Government, Wendy Tuckerman said that since Labor came to power, Councils across NSW have been in financial and operational turmoil under a Minister who continues to contemplate rather than take considered action.

“The Minister, after 12 months, is still considering what direction to take – meanwhile the Local Government sector is left languishing, with no direction or support for the sector, which is burdened with uncertainty across the state – inaction from Labor is impacting communities,” Mrs Tuckerman said.

“You have an IPART review which is still deciding its terms of reference and detailing that they will take another 12 months to undertake the actual review – and the Minister’s solution is another review entirely, a backflip all within a month of the original announcement.

Questions were raised in estimates about his choice in selecting the Upper House Committee for the review and why it wasn’t discussed with the portfolio committee. A pointed question was whether the Minister was hoping to achieve a certain political outcome with the upper house review, a point he denied.

“With the amount of Special Rate Variation requests across NSW, the Labor Government needs to address the bill shock being faced by communities across NSW.

The Minister stated he continues to advocate to the Federal Government for increased revenue for the Local Government Sector but highlighted the considerable tension between the Federal Labor Government and the NSW Government on the increase in the taxation income for both the state and the Local Government sector.

The Local Government Sector is looking for leadership, the Minister needs to turn off cruise control and start driving change.

Crumbling classrooms, leaking roofs, and 15-year-old Wi-Fi systems in TAFE NSW campuses will be fixed by a new $300 million Labor program now underway.

The NSW Labor Government knows that to address the critical shortage of skilled workers we must have functional classrooms with modern equipment.

The NSW Labor Government is investing $300 million into TAFE NSW this financial year to upgrade classrooms and campus infrastructure, deliver new teaching equipment, and improve digital connectivity across regional and remote campuses.

This landmark financial injection into TAFE NSW will refurbish workshops and specialist facilities to train more electricians, metal fabricators, plumbers, and healthcare workers in communities like Wagga Wagga, Albury, Goulburn, Port Macquarie, Orange, and Armidale.

From welders at Wagga Wagga, to tractors at Wollongbar and Goulburn, and forklifts at Nirimba, and Albury, the funding will deliver new equipment to support the continued delivery of industry-aligned training to learners.

In addition to maintenance work and new teaching equipment, the investment also provides more than $36 million for over 8,500 new digital devices and directs funding into improved digital connectivity at 28 regional campuses across the state.

The investment in digital connectivity is a particularly major win for regional communities and will be used to overhaul outdated network infrastructure, improve Wi-Fi connectivity, and build cyber security resilience, which is critical for effective teaching and learning in the 21st century.

The funding will also ensure the completion of the redevelopment of TAFE NSW Kingscliff and the upgrade of TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour, ensuring a pipeline of more skilled workers in these booming regional communities.

Northern NSW can expect more demand for skilled healthcare, hospitality, and construction workers over the next three years. This investment ensures TAFE NSW is well-placed to meet the educational and employment needs of such communities.

This investment reflects the NSW Government’s commitment to place TAFE NSW at the heart of the vocational and education training system.

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan said:

“This critical $300 million investment will rebuild the physical and digital infrastructure at 120 TAFE NSW campuses neglected for a decade by the previous Liberal-National Government.

“When I became Minister for TAFE, I was alarmed to get letters from students at TAFE colleges in country NSW telling me they were using their own phones to get internet connectivity on their campuses – because the Wi-Fi was so out of date.

“Stories about neglected classrooms don’t help to attract the people we need to see taking on training or teaching. NSW Labor is doing something about it.

“In Wagga Wagga, this investment will mean $600,000 to deliver upgraded fabrication and welding facilities and equipment, ensuring apprentices working on major projects like Inland Rail, or maintaining local bridges across the Riverina are set up for success.

“We’ll also spend $500,000 to replace 164 digital devices, and $550,000 for a new Aboriginal Cultural safe space at Wagga Wagga TAFE.

“TAFE NSW offers learners a great experience, but we don’t want it diminished by facilities that should have been maintained properly by the last government. And now it won’t be.

“This investment adds to the NSW Labor Government’s $3.8 billion investment in the skills and training sector, made together with the Commonwealth Government.

“Employers are relying on TAFE NSW to equip learners with in-demand skills using industry-standard equipment and technology, ensuring they graduate job-ready.

“This announcement will ensure the right skills mix to drive jobs, opportunity and productivity in NSW.

“The continued investment in TAFE NSW’s infrastructure will expand learning opportunities in local communities, improve educational outcomes, and support the state’s critical skills needs.”

Clarence Town is set to get a new bridge over the Williams River. The new bridge will be built alongside the heritage-listed Brig O’Johnston Bridge on Limeburners Creek Road.

It will allow for semi-trailers of at least 45.5 tonnes and 68-tonne B-Doubles – more than double the load capacity of the existing bridge.

It will also cater for over-width vehicles, unlike the Brig O’Johnston Bridge, which is restricted to vehicles of up to 2.8 metres wide and can carry only one lane of traffic with a load restriction of 22.5 tonnes.

The works will also deliver a pedestrian walkway.

The project is expected to improve freight access and productivity, improve road safety, and support local industries. Tenders are expected to be called in coming months.

The new $20.6 million bridge is funded by the Australian and NSW governments. The Australian and NSW governments had previously approved $8.8 million and $5.5 million in funding respectively.

The NSW Government has now increased its contribution by a further $5.5 million to $11 million and the Australian Government by $781,000 to $9.581 million.

The Brig O’Johnston Bridge will be retained and rehabilitated.

Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said:

“This is fantastic news for the people of Clarence Town and for surrounding businesses and industry.

“Heavy vehicles currently have to detour up to 52 kilometres to bypass the existing bridge.

“The new bridge will allow industry to increase load width and mass, eliminating the detour and enabling the use of more productive vehicles.

“This will result in time savings while reducing energy costs and emissions.”

NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said:

“I recently visited Dungog and the growing need for a new bridge was clear to me.

“The NSW Labor Government’s announcement of additional funding to ensure the new Bridge is delivered is fantastic news for the people of Clarence Town and for surrounding business and industry.

“The key driver for this project is to provide uninhibited access and egress for heavy vehicles into the Dungog Shire area.

“It will also provide a freight link from the Pacific Highway and the Bucketts Way into rural agricultural areas of Dungog, Vacy and East Gresford.

“Many of the region’s agricultural industries will benefit from larger, more productive freight transport into this area.

“These will include larger milk collection tankers, larger livestock transport vehicles, larger feed delivery vehicles and poultry farm access for deliveries of feed and stock.”

NSW Government Duty MLC for the Upper Hunter electorate Emily Suvaal said:

“By building a more reliable road freight network, we’re ensuring that food, produce and raw materials, which feed and power our state, can move to market as efficiently as possible.

“This project is a great example of all three levels of government working together for the benefit of the community.

“It was made possible thanks to a combination of Australian and NSW Government funded programs, and I commend Dungog Shire Council on its vision and support of this important project.”

Dungog Mayor John Connors said:

“We have been advocating heavily for this project across all levels of government for several years, and we’re thrilled that we can finally deliver a safe, reliable and accessible bridge that the Clarence Town community deserves.

“As a region, the Dungog shire has been identified as potentially needing 2400 residential homes by 2041, so it’s great to know that the infrastructure on major arterial routes – such as the Clarence Town Bridge, will support this level of growth.

“We’re incredibly grateful to the NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison and Federal Minister for Infrastructure Catherine King for working with us to make this asset a reality for the Dungog shire.”