Category: NSW News

The Albanese and Minns governments have launched a $9.1 million grant program for community organisations and non-government organisations as they help flood-affected regions on their road to recovery.

The NGO Flood Recovery Program funding will go to service providers and non-government organisations in the Western, Murrumbidgee, Far West and New England districts as they continue to rebuild following the floods which began in August and September 2022.

The grants are jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The grants will provide a range of support, including staffing costs to meet increased demand for help, operational costs, and funding to help people remain safe during recovery:

• $6.5 million will go to community and volunteer-based non-government organisations across the Western, Murrumbidgee, Far West and New England districts.
• $1.5 million will be allocated for administration and local support, including on-the-ground flood support officers deployed on the ground to support grant recipients throughout the life of the grant.
• $1.1 million will be available for applications from current NSW Department of Communities and Justice service providers.

Find out how to apply herelaunch

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Senator Murray Watt said:

“We are providing support for local and non-government organisations as they help lift communities back on their feet after these disasters.

“This funding is another way the Albanese and Minns governments are investing in much-needed recovery services delivered through community-led social recovery programs across the state.”

NSW Minister for Families and Communities and Minister for Disability Inclusion Kate Washington said:

“Flood affected communities have shown a great deal of resilience and courage dealing with the major flooding events of 2022. This funding will help deliver more support to people still struggling.

“Local services are crucial in supporting and strengthening communities during times of hardship. These grants will bolster their efforts in providing valuable assistance to families and businesses still recovering from the floods.”

NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“While storms may last a few days, the recovery efforts can take several years, from rebuilding homes to re-establishing businesses.

“Once emergency services leave disaster-affected areas, community and non-government organisations play a crucial role in helping people recover and rebuild.

“It is important we support these on-the-ground organisations who assist NSW communities, and these grants will mean they can continue to provide vital services.”

The Liberal Party has appointed a Senior Counsel, who is conducting an independent investigation into matters raised in a formal complaint. At all times, the Party has respected the agency and wishes of the person who has come forward, to treat the matter confidentially. Public commentary on this investigation could deny procedural fairness to those involved in this process. The Party will not be making any further comment while the independent investigation is taking place and respectfully asks others to do the same.

The NSW Government is investing $40.9 million to fast-track critical infrastructure for rapidly growing communities in Greater Sydney and the Central Coast where around 18,000 new homes are set to be built in the next three years.

The investment aligns with the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to getting more people into homes and ensuring the infrastructure is there to support them.

The funds will support road upgrades at Waterloo, Box Hill and Ryde, improved pedestrian connectivity in Parramatta, and a new sporting complex on the Central Coast.

The City of Parramatta, Central Coast Council, City of Ryde, The Hills Shire Council and Transport for NSW will be responsible for delivering the projects.

Construction is planned to start from this month.

The fast-tracking of these projects will ensure around 18,000 new homes planned in these high-growth communities will have the infrastructure needed in time for the arrival of residents. 

NSW needs more housing to meet our state’s housing demands – along with our commitments under the National Housing Accord. All projects are expected to be delivered by mid-2026.

The fast-track infrastructure project funding includes:

• Road intersection improvements at McEvoy Street and Botany Road in Waterloo ($13.5 million)
• Pedestrian link through Parramatta CBD, linking Parramatta Square to Powerhouse Parramatta and the foreshore ($10.6 million)
• Funding for a bridge over the Killarney Chain of Ponds at Box Hill ($8.2 million)
• Investment for the construction of Colongra Sporting Complex on the Central Coast ($6 million)
• Funding towards the installation of traffic lights at the junction of Parkes Street at Ryde ($2.6 million)

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“I’ve made clear we need more housing supply, there’s no two ways about it.

“We are getting on with the job of delivering infrastructure to go alongside the new housing.

“The projects will help ensure these growing suburbs get the infrastructure they need and deserve.

“It is an important step, but we know our work to enable housing supply does not stop here.

“We are making progress, but this is a big task with a lot more work to do.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“We’ve inherited a housing crisis so we’re doing everything we can to fast-track housing delivery and get more people into homes quicker.

“We need all parts of the system and all levels of government working together, focused on delivering high quality homes with the right infrastructure and in places where people want to live.

“This includes the Housing and Productivity Contributions scheme I introduced to parliament last month, which will better connect new homes with jobs and infrastructure, like the projects announced today.

“These five projects are a great example of collaboration between councils and the state that will provide the infrastructure needed to deliver thousands of new homes for people in growing communities.”

Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis said:

“This is such an important connection for Parramatta, providing pedestrian access from the river to four forms of public transport in the CBD. 

“This link will provide a wonderful tree lined boulevard for pedestrians to move safely from Paramatta Square through to the new Powerhouse Parramatta and the river foreshore.”

Member for Heffron, Ron Hoenig said:

“These improvements at McEvoy Street and Botany Road will help to ease traffic gridlock that is already taking a toll on Waterloo and Alexandria as a result of WestConnex.

“We need to future-proof this intersection in order to get more housing supply where it makes sense.”

Member for Swansea, Yasmin Catley said:

“The sporting complex at Colongra is a gamechanger for the community.

“This facility will give local clubs a permanent home and provide local schools and the public with access to sporting fields, courts and greenspace.”

Visit NSW Planning for more information and a complete list of Accelerated Infrastructure Fund (AIF) projectslaunch.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has pledged $25,000 to help launch Superhero Week – Bear Cottage’s largest community fundraising appeal.

Minister Park joined children, their families and staff at Bear Cottage’s annual Superhero Week Party to celebrate the bravery and courage of kids with life-limiting illnesses.

“I am proud of the exceptional care provided to children and their families at Bear Cottage and humbled to see the superhuman strength, bravery and resilience these families show every day,” Mr Park said.

“Every year Bear Cottage supports more than 250 families, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing support, respite and end-of-life care to children from right across NSW and beyond.

“This facility provides a home away from home, helping families create precious memories with their children that can be treasured for a lifetime.

“It is wonderful to work in partnership with the community to provide this invaluable service to the children and families who need it most.”

The Superhero Week Party is a chance to celebrate the strength and bravery of children living with life-limiting illnesses and their families, while officially marking the launch of Superhero Week.

The day will include a Superhero Awards ceremony, with every Bear Cottage patient receiving a bravery medal presented by NSW Fire and Rescue Assistant Commissioner Greg Penney.

Minister Park will also present the Superhero Award for 2023 – which recognises a team member who has made a significant impact at Bear Cottage and has used their superhero powers to support the children and their families.

The day will also include visits from Batman, Captain America, Wonder Woman and Spiderman as well as local community heroes from the NSW Police Force and NSW Fire and Rescue.

Superhero Week is held from 23 – 29 July and this year aims to raise $250,000 in essential funds for Bear Cottage.

Bear Cottage is part of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and, cares for newborn infants to older adolescents, in line with the patient cohort of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network.

Together with the newly established Adolescent and Young Adult Hospice, the service is an important part of the NSW Government’s commitment to provide palliative care support for children and young people.

NSW has taken immediate action to reduce the risk of fire ants entering NSW after fire ants were detected at Tallebudgera, a suburb in the City of the Gold Coast, just 5.5km from the NSW border.

Immediately following detection of the ants at the premise, the NSW Biosecurity (Invasive Ant Carriers) Control Order 2023 was triggered to prohibit the movement of materials that could bring the ant into NSW.

Materials such as mulch, soil, baled hay, turf and other high-risk material cannot be moved from within a 5km radius of this site without inspection and certification by Queensland authorities.

Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty said while the nest has been destroyed, it is crucial that residents and businesses in northern NSW be alert for the signs of fire ants and to report any suspected detections.

“This is the closest detection of fire ants to the NSW border since they were first detected at the Port of Brisbane in 2001, and more recently at Mermaid Waters in Queensland, 11.5km north of the border,” Minister Moriarty said.

“It is important to keep NSW free from this invasive and aggressive pest, which if established, will have a huge impact on the way we live our lives and could affect our export markets and ability to trade.

“That’s why the NSW Government recently committed $95 million, over the next four years, towards protecting our State and partnering in the ongoing response to red imported fire ant.

“NSW DPI is working closely with the National Fire Ant Eradication Program, Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and northern NSW local government authorities.

“Residents and businesses should check their properties as finding fire ants early and alerting NSW DPI will increase the chances of successful eradication.”

Fire ants are dark reddish-brown with a darker black-brown abdomen and from two to six millimetres long. They look similar to other ants, but their ant nests are distinctive with mounds of loose, crumbly or fluffy looking soil with a honeycomb appearance, up to 40cm high, with no obvious entrance holes.

Red imported fire ants can damage electrical and agricultural equipment, sting people causing allergic reactions, sting pets and livestock, kill native plants and animals as well as damage ecosystems beyond repair.

Residents and businesses should report any sign of fire ants to the NSW DPI on 1800 680 244launch.

Anyone bringing nesting materials into NSW, such as mulch, woodchips, compost, sand, gravel, soil, hay and other baled products from the red imported fire ant biosecurity zone in southeast Queensland, should check the measures being implemented before entering NSWlaunch.

Visit NSW DPI for more information about red imported fire antslaunch.

The NSW Government is investing $8.7 million into collaborative cardiovascular research projects to drive improvements in the prevention and treatment of heart disease and stroke.

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said the 9 grants would create collaborative opportunities across a number of leading research institutes and universities so that knowledge and skills are shared.

“These grants highlight the power of bringing the right people together to solve health problems in the hope of saving lives,” Mr Harris said.

“With this increased funding, we are positioning NSW as a leader in cardiovascular research.” 

Associate Professor Jean-Frédéric Levesque, NSW Health Deputy Secretary, Clinical Innovation and Research, said cardiovascular disease currently affects more than 4 million Australians and is responsible for 1 in 4 deaths.

“Tragically, this equates to a rate of 118 people each day who die as a result of heart and vascular diseases,” Assoc. Prof. Levesque said.

“Investment in innovative and translational research in this space is vital because we want to ensure our health system is doing everything possible to prevent, detect and treat cardiovascular disease.”

The 9 funded projects involve expert multidisciplinary teams from several research institutions. Each project team also includes 2 or more early career researchers to ensure that the NSW Government is building a future pipeline of researchers in this critical field.

The Cardiovascular Collaborative Research Grants are part of the $150 million the NSW Government has committed to cardiovascular disease research over a 10-year period.

The grants will cover a range of research areas, including:

• prevention of recurrent stroke 
• new treatments to repair damaged heart muscle 

• enhancement of implantable medical devices including stents 
• better diagnosis and prevention of immune system driven blood clots 
• developing new materials that will last longer than current treatments for heart valve disease
• supporting reduction in high blood pressure across the whole population 
• preventing atrial fibrillation by identifying and treating its causes 
• exploring the impact of women’s diets during pregnancy on the long-term cardiac health of their children
• evaluating new anti-clotting therapies to reduce brain damage and other complications of acute stroke. 

More information on the recipients and the research projects can be found here in the Office of Health and Medical Research directorylaunch.

NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) winter athletes, coaches, support staff and high-performance sport administrators attended the annual NSWIS Winter Induction ceremony at the Jindabyne Sport and Recreation Centre, to celebrate the past 12 months of success and welcome the Institute’s newest scholarship holders.

Forty athletes, including Olympians, Paralympians and Crystal Globe champions, from moguls, snowboard cross, park and pipe attended the prestigious event which welcomes returning scholarship holders as well as new scholarship athletes to high performance.

Among the NSWIS scholarship holders were 2022 Olympic Champion Jakara Anthony and 2023 Para World Champion Ben Tudhope and world championship medallists Valentino Guseli, Josie Baff and Matt Graham as well as 6 new athletes to the program.

Present to recognise and welcome the athletes were NSWIS CEO Professor Kevin Thompson, Snow Australia CEO Michael Kennedy and strategic partners from Perisher, Thredbo, and Jindabyne Sport & Recreation Centre.

NSW Minister for Sport, Steve Kamper said:

“The performance of our winter athletes on the world stage is nothing short of extraordinary and it highlights the outstanding support NSWIS provides our athletes on their journey to become world’s best.

“I congratulate all the athletes and their support staff on their results as well as their ongoing determination to represent our state at the highest level.”

NSWIS Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Thompson said:

“The NSWIS Winter Sports Induction ceremony is a unique and rare opportunity where all our winter athletes are together under the one roof.

“It’s a time to celebrate the success of our programs, the athletes and staff. It’s a time to foster rich cultural traditions and a time to recognise our stakeholders and strategic partners.”

NSWIS Winter Sports Manager Peter Topalovic said:

 “So many records were won by NSWIS athletes this season including a record six world championship medals and a record 11 top 10 world championship finishes.

Among them were first time world championships medals for Valentino Guseli (snowboard park and pipe) and Josie Baff (snowboard cross), Australia’s first ever world championship medal in snowboard big air by Tess Coady (park and pipe) and two world championships silver medals for Matt Graham in single & dual moguls.”

Snow Australia CEO Michael Kennedy said:

“It’s fantastic to see so many new Snow Australia athletes across moguls, snowboard cross, park & pipe and para-alpine and snowboard joining the established cohort, as NSWIS scholarship recipients for the upcoming season.

“There has been a great deal of work by our team over the past few years to prepare athletes for this moment via the Emerging Talent Program (ETP) and we wish them well as they begin their journey as NSWIS athletes. 

“With the likes of Olympic and Paralympic medalists Jakara Anthony, Matt Graham, Tess Coady and Ben Tudhope excelling in the program, it shows the snow sports pathway is producing results, and allowing us to develop present and future talents across all disciplines.

The NSW Government has awarded $3 million to 6 promising researchers to build health and medical research talent in NSW.

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The NSW Health Early-Mid Career Researcher Grant program supports outstanding researchers in the early stages of their careers to further strengthen their research and development.

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said the funding will help build an advanced therapeutics research workforce, supporting the emergence of NSW as a global centre of excellence.

“We want to keep the best and the brightest here to ensure we have the most innovative and solution-focused healthcare system in the world,” Mr Harris said.

“The research undertaken by this talented cohort will improve community health and wellbeing, making a real difference to people’s lives.” 

This year’s grants have been funded in the fast-growing field of microbiomics, which involves the investigation of a group of microorganisms together, such as in the mouth or gut, and how changes to them impact on our health. This focus on microbiomics builds on existing NSW leadership in genomics and proteomics.

The 6 career researchers are conducting studies in a range of areas including the gut microbiome, faecal microbiota transplantation, childhood cancer and early identification of infectious diseases in children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

Deputy Secretary, Clinical Innovation and Research, Adjunct Professor Jean-Frédéric Levesquesaid the grant funding will support the development of a pipeline of researchers ready to fill the jobs of the future in this fast-growing field.

“The early-mid career researcher grants reinforce NSW’s commitment to supporting the best researchers so that they can concentrate on excelling in their research field. We want to ensure NSW is a place where innovation and medical research can fuse together to firmly place NSW as a leader in research,” A/Prof Levesque said.

NSW researchers awarded NSW Health Early-Mid Career Researcher Grants include:

• Dr Guy Cameron, University of Newcastle
• Dr Caitlin Cowan, UNSW Sydney
• Dr Craig Haifer, St Vincent’s Hospital
• Dr Emily Hoedt, University of Newcastle
• Dr Xiaotao Jiang, UNSW Sydney
• Dr Erin Shanahan, University of Sydney.

The $3 million grant forms part of the $10 million over 4 years towards building health and medical research talent by supporting outstanding researchers in the early stages of their careers.

Further information on all recipients and their research projects is available on the NSW Office of Health and Medical Researchlaunch website.

The NSW Government has confirmed 2 new appointees to the board of Venues NSW for the positions of Chairperson and Member of the Public Service. 

The Cabinet has endorsed former Premier of NSW Morris Iemma as the new Chairperson and has endorsed Emma Hogan as a board member.

The role of Chairperson was advertised after the previous chair vacated the position in February 2023.

The NSW Government instructed the Premier’s Department and the Office of Sport to lead an appointment process for this role.

An assessment panel shortlisted the candidates. The assessment panel was comprised of Office of Sport CEO Karen Jones, Diane Lesson (nominee of the Acting Secretary, Premier’s Department) and Axiom Managing Director Peter Perry.

A selection panel assessed candidates on their skills, experience, suitability and capability. The selection panel was comprised of International Olympics Committee Vice President John Coates AC, Office of Sport CEO Karen Jones and Axiom Managing Director Peter Perry.

A former Premier of NSW, Mr Iemma has 40 years’ experience in public administration and the non-government sector.

Mr Iemma is currently chairman of the NSW Government Cancer Institute, the Usman Khawaja Foundation, Clean Energy Partnerships and the Astra Institute of Higher Education.

The former premier is currently on the boards of Football NSW and the Ingham Medical Research Institute and was previously a trustee of the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust (which has since become a part of Venues NSW).

The former government also appointed Mr Iemma to:

• Chair, Greyhound Racing NSW
• Board Member, NSW TAFE
• Commissioner South District, Greater Sydney Commission.

Ms Hogan joins the Venues NSW board after leading the Department of Customer Service since 2019.

She was only months into the role when she guided the department to support the NSW Government’s response during the unprecedented 2019-20 bushfire season, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and flood and storm events more recently.

She is currently a board member at Destination NSW and ReachOut Australia, is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration and is a member of Chief Executive Women.

NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“First and foremost, I would like to thank the work of those involved in the selection process and those who put their name forward for the roles.

“I am looking forward to working collaboratively with Morris Iemma and the entire Venues NSW board to ensure that we can continue our mission to make NSW and our venues the premier destination in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Morris Iemma is an outstanding candidate with a wealth of experience, including as the 40th premier of NSW – and that is something that history shows both sides of politics can agree on.

“Emma Hogan is an incredible leader and public servant. Her work leading Service NSW and the people of NSW throughout COVID-19 was exemplary. She is an outstanding professional who will no doubt bring invaluable customer-focused experience to the board.”

Seven additional trucks will be removed from the road for 6 months with suspended registrations as the NSW Government raises the pressure on companies and owners to stop overheight vehicle incidents in Sydney’s road tunnel network.

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Since Friday 14 July, 6 companies and 1 owner-operator whose vehicles breached height clearance rules and stopped traffic have been served with registration suspensions, part of the Minns Government’s zero-tolerance approach to overheight incidents.

BG Drilling Pty Ltd has been issued with a suspension notice for an incident on 16 June in which a truck registered to the company struck sprinklers in the Airport Tunnel, activating the deluge system. A northbound lane had to be closed and traffic held in both directions while the truck was taken out of the tunnel.

Absperex Services Pty Ltd will also be without a truck after an incident on 29 June when its truck fitted with a self-loading container arm hit the physical barrier ahead of the Cooks River Tunnel before the driver lowered the arm inside the tunnel and proceeded to a breakdown bay on the M5, disrupting traffic.

The 5 other companies that will have 1 less truck in their fleets for the next 6 months are Brisbane Transport Pty Ltd, Recycling Metal Industries Pty Ltd, Transpacific Superior Pak Pty Ltd, D & H Group Australia Pty Ltd and an individual operator.

These follow the first registration suspension in late June since a deal between the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator and the NSW Government which sees all overheight breaches automatically referred to Transport for NSW for investigation and sanction.

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“The NSW Government is a supporter of the freight industry and the overwhelming majority of truck drivers who do the right thing, know the height of their load and plan accordingly. These registrations suspensions are necessary because our message of zero tolerance has unfortunately not yet got through to all drivers.

“The message to those who own and operate trucks is if you do not plan properly and your drivers find themselves overheight and being backed into a slip lane then there are severe consequences for your business – not just the individual driver’s licence and bank account.

“Registration suspensions are one way to ensure we see fewer cases in which Sydney traffic is brought to its knees. We have also formed the Overheight Truck Taskforce, bringing together NSW Police, the freight industry, Transport and the Transport Workers’ Union to formulate new strategies to address this persistent problem.”