Category: NSW News

Shadow Roads Minister, Mark Coure, has called for urgent action to address the state’s worsening road toll, following a tragic Easter period where 10 lives were lost on NSW roads. 
  
Mr Coure said the latest official figures reveal a crisis that is escalating, not improving. 
  
“103 people have tragically lost their lives on NSW roads in 2026 alone, up from 97 at the same time last year,” Mr Coure said. 
  
“Even more alarming, the 12-month road toll has surged to 362 lives lost, compared to 328 the previous year, which is a massive increase that shows we are going backwards.” 
  
“These are not just numbers, they are sons, daughters, parents and friends. Entire families are being torn apart.” 
  
Mr Coure said the shocking Easter toll highlights the urgent need for a stronger, more effective road safety strategy. 
  
“Ten deaths over Easter is a devastating toll. It should be a wake-up call to the Government that what they’re doing right now simply isn’t working,” Mr Coure said. 
  
“Year after year, we’re seeing more lives lost and more people seriously injured on our roads.” 
  
The latest data also shows serious injuries are rising sharply, with 11,667 people hospitalised in 2025, up from 11,120 the year before. 
  
Mr Coure said enforcement alone is not enough to reduce the road toll. 
  
“We need safer roads, more investment in blackspot programs, better signage, and strong education campaigns that actually change behaviour,” Mr Coure said. 
  
“You cannot fine your way to safer roads, you have to build safer roads.” 

Students in Hay and across the Southern Riverina can now access tertiary education closer to home, with a new Country Universities Centre (CUC) officially opened yesterday.

Co-located at the TAFE NSW Connected Learning Centre, the Hay CUC provides high-speed internet, dedicated study spaces and academic support – making it easier for students to undertake tertiary study close to home.

The new centre is part of a growing network that has supported around 7,000 students across NSW since 2017, helping to build a pipeline of skilled workers in areas such as health, education, and community services.

Students across the network are enrolled in more than 616 courses through 171 tertiary providers, with most graduates going on to live and work in regional communities – helping address local workforce shortages.

The Hay centre has been established through Australian Government funding, with support from the NSW Government, and demonstrates how co-locating university study hubs with TAFE NSW facilities can deliver more connected education pathways in regional communities.

Country Universities Centres also support greater participation in higher education among underrepresented groups, including students balancing work and family commitments, with many the first in their family to undertake tertiary study.

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

“Students in Hay can now access hundreds of courses and study close to home, without the cost and disruption of moving away.

“These centres are delivering real results – helping more regional students get qualified and go on to work in their local communities, particularly in areas like health and education.

“By co-locating this centre with TAFE NSW, we’re making it easier for people to move between vocational training and university study, all in one place.”

The Minns Labor Government is backing councils to super charge their electric vehicle fleets, ensuring they have the workforce needed to service and maintain EVs into the future.

Twelve apprentice mechanics from six Sydney councils have undertaken hands-on training during a four-day EV workshop with TAFE NSW. The workshop in Western Sydney provided practical, on-the-ground training and the skills needed to power the shift to electric, keep services moving and fleets on the road.

The workshops are funded by the Minns Labor Government as part of the $252 million Fresh Start program which is enabling councils to hire an additional 1,300 apprentices, trainees and cadets in councils across the state.

The Fresh Start program is building a pipeline of skilled workers with over 1,100 already working in NSW councils. The program is providing careers for young people to work in their local community, which is particularly important for rural and regional communities.

The TAFE NSW EV workshops give council apprentice mechanics the specialist skills to inspect and service EVs as more councils move to electrify their fleets. The training includes:

• Depowering and reinitialising battery EVs
• Inspecting and maintaining battery EVs
• Diagnosing and repairing high voltage rechargeable energy storage systems in battery EVs
• Diagnosing and repairing system instrumentation in safety interlocks in battery EVs.

Training more regional mechanics and expanding the EV Fleets Incentive Program are key focus areas of the Minns Labor Government’s 2026 Electric Vehicle Strategy. Around $5 million will be invested in training around 2,000 mechanics in regional NSW to safely service EVs and charging infrastructure.

The NSW Government has invested in more than 3,300 EV chargers across 1,200 locations including service stations, regional visitor centres, holiday hotspots and residential streets.

Minister for Local Government, Ron Hoenig said:

“With the current fuel prices, councils need support to future-proof their workers and fleets – we’re delivering exactly that. The Minns Labor Government’s Fresh Start program is equipping mechanics to service electric vehicles and keep local services running.

“There’s never been a more important time to make sure local government staff have the skills they need to keep their fleets on the road. In uncertain times, the shift to electric is becoming a non-negotiable for councils needing a future-ready plan. This program delivers the skills and roadmap councils need to succeed.

“By upskilling council mechanics to work on electric vehicles, we can cut costs, keep jobs local and in-house to make sure councils are ready for the shift that’s already underway. It’s about doing things smarter and backing our workforce for the future.”

Member for Prospect, Hugh McDermott said:

“The Minns Labor Government is ensuring our local mechanics have all the skills they need to service the next generation of electric vehicle fleets.

“The innovative Fresh Start program ensures that TAFE continues to play a vital role in delivering capability for Western Sydney, future proofing our council fleets and giving our mechanics crucial expertise for the future of the industry.”

General Secretary of the United Services Union, Graeme Kelly said:

“The United Services Union wholeheartedly supports the Minns Labor Governments initiative investing in more than 1300 local government apprentices and trainees, particularly the Fresh start EV upskilling project that will ensure councils across NSW are well placed to meet the mechanical needs of the fleets of the future”.

Nurses and midwives will receive their largest pay increase in more than two decades after a ruling from the independent industrial umpire today, with the wage boost being an all-time record-breaker for the lowest paid amongst them.

The Minns Government welcomes the decision delivered by the Industrial Relations Commission, which was restored to resolve exactly this type of matter.

The ruling will see nurses and midwives receive an historic pay rise of between 16 and 28 per cent.

Backdated to July 2025, the pay rise will comprise a reset increase of between 10 and 22 per cent. This will be followed by a 3 per cent increase from July 2026 and a further 3 per cent from July 2027.

Labor was elected with a mandate to scrap the Liberals and Nationals’ unfair wages cap and restore the independent adjudicator. Since then, we have worked closely with workers and unions to rebuild the industrial relations system, putting fairness back at the centre of workers’ pay. This includes:

• Delivering record pay increases to paramedics, police, teachers and other essential workers.
• Making good on our commitment of ensuring a fair, modern and sustainable wages policy.
• Hiring more than 5,000 nurses, who are working in hospitals right now.
• Saving the jobs of 1,100 nurses the Liberals and Nationals would have axed.
• Helping attract and retain the essential workers NSW needs.

All this has been achieved through careful economic management, while putting people at the centre of decisions. Our approach has been in stark contrast to the Liberals and Nationals’ reliance on short-sighted privatisation and punitive wages freeze.

The Opposition must now come clean on whether it remains committed to a wages policy that leaves workers going backwards, after it suppressed pay and refused to introduce safe nurse-to-patient ratios while in government.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“Nurses and midwives are the beating heart of our health workforce and while we acknowledge this was a hard-fought dispute, we believe it is a fair outcome.

“This pay rise is meaningful cost of living support that would have been impossible under the Coalition’s oppressive wages freeze.

“Bringing back the Industrial Relations Commission to serve as an independent umpire is a much better way to resolve a dispute than a blunt wages cap.”

Health Minister Ryan Park said:

“Nurses and midwives will receive one of the largest pay increases in a generation.

“This historic pay increase would not have been possible without the hard work undertaken between the Minns Labor Government and the union movement.

“Together, with the Nurses & Midwives Association, we have worked to recruit 1,200 nurses to roll out staff to patient ratios, saved 1,112 nurses that the Coalition planned to axe, and we will deliver one of the most significant pay increases for nurses and midwives in a generation.”

Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:

“For too long, nurses and midwives have been held back by the former government’s draconian wages freeze.

“After 12 years of neglect, we promised to rebuild the state’s essential services and reform the state’s industrial relations system.

“The days of governments dictating wages are now over.

“We’ve introduced a modern bargaining framework, rebuilt the Industrial Relations Commission and we’ve changed the law to put the achievement of gender equity as an object of the Act.

“90% of nurses and midwives are women and today’s outcome demonstrates why gender equity matters.”

The Minns Labor Government has made it easier for commuters in rural and regional NSW to access public transport, with contactless payments now available on nearly 350 fare-paying buses across 47 local bus networks.

The tap and go payment system means commuters can leave their wallet at home, accepting payments from phones, smartwatches, as well as credit and debit cards.

The program has been delivered in just 10 months, from its launch in Wagga Wagga in July 2025 to completion in Queanbeyan earlier this month.

On the buses where Transport’s contactless ticketing technology has been installed, in total more than 140,000 tickets have been purchased, accounting for about 40% of journeys.

The Minns Government has partnered with 28 bus operators, ranging from small, single vehicle, family run businesses to larger multi-depot companies to deliver this upgrade, as well as software and hardware partners TransportMe and Littlepay.

The Contactless Ticketing Program does not include dedicated school services where students mostly use pre-paid bus passes or NSW TrainLink long distance coach services where tickets are pre-paid.

Minister for Regional Transport, Jenny Aitchison said:

“The Minns Labor Government has listened to regional communities who told us they wanted simple, modern ways to pay for their bus trips.”

“After over a decade of delay under the former Liberal and Nationals government, which failed to deliver contactless ticketing to the regions, we’ve rolled this program out right across rural and regional NSW, bringing these services in line with what city commuters have had for years.

“We’ve seen strong uptake where this technology has been introduced, with 40% of commuters choosing to tap and go.

“We know that making buses easier to use can help boost patronage and give families the option to leave the car at home, saving on fuel and everyday costs.

“Of course, cash is still available for those who’d like to use it, but this is an important change, giving regional communities more choice and making it easier to catch the bus.”

The Opposition welcomes a pay rise for NSW nurses and midwives but is calling on the Government to ensure there is no cuts to health services as a result of this decision.
 
While the Minns Labor Government is claiming an ‘historic’ win, the reality is they were dragged kicking and screaming to the state’s Industrial Court because they couldn’t reach an agreement with the union.  
 
Shadow Minister for Health and Regional Health, Sarah Mitchell, welcomed the pay rise for our state’s hardworking nurses and midwives, and called on the Minns Labor Government to guarantee that NSW patients and communities will not lose out.
 
“Our nurses and midwives do an incredible job in helping people in their most vulnerable moments and they have been consistently let down by a government that has repeatedly cut the health budget, forced regional people to travel further and wait longer to receive essential healthcare, and refused to have an inquiry into Western Sydney Health,” Mrs Mitchell said.
 
“The Government’s own lawyers argued in this case that service cuts may be required to fund any increase above what was already budgeted, and today the Health Minister failed to guarantee to patients and the wider community that no services will be cut and no hospital projects will be delayed by this decision.”
 
Shadow Treasurer, Scott Farlow, said that today’s IRC decision once again exposes Labor’s big pre-election lie that their wages policy would have no impact on the NSW budget.
 
“The NSW Treasury deputy secretary’s submission to the IRC raised concerns about the impact the union’s pay offer would have on the state’s return to surplus, that such an offer would have to be debt-funded and may negatively impact the state’s credit rating,” Mr Farlow said.
 
“While today’s decision is lower than the union’s demands, the Treasurer has failed to act in an economically responsible way by giving clear answers to taxpayers about what impact this decision will have on the state’s bottom line and has instead resorted to scaremongering.”
 
“Labor are trying to spin this decision as a win for their wages policy, but the reality is that they have fought this decision tooth and nail because their wages policy was built on a lie that it would come at no cost to the taxpayer.”

Families in the Illawarra now have access to free mental health and wellbeing support for their children at the Medicare Mental Health Kids Hub in Fairy Meadow.

Labor is delivering on its commitment to universal, free healthcare by building a network of more than 33 Medicare Mental Health Centres in New South Wales and four Medicare Mental Health Kids Hubs. 

This network puts mental health support close by and takes pressure off families by saving time and money. 

Kids Hubs provide free mental health and wellbeing services for children aged 0-12 who may be experiencing mild to moderate developmental, emotional, social or behavioural challenges.

Today marks the official opening of the Illawarra site to support children’s mental health.

The Illawarra location is one of four Kids Hubs being rolled out across NSW as part of a $50.8 million joint investment of $25.4 million from each of the Australian and NSW Governments to support children’s mental health.

The refurbished building in Fairy Meadow has been purposely designed to make children and families feel welcome, with a range of dedicated treatment spaces. 

The Illawarra Kids Hub will also provide outreach services to Warilla, Kiama and Nowra through Community Health Centres, ensuring families across the region can access support.

Mental health clinicians, allied health professionals, care navigators at the service will tailor care to the needs of each child and family who visits.

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“This is a significant investment in the wellbeing of children across the Illawarra. Early intervention changes lives, and this Kids Hub will help families get support when it matters most.

“Having a dedicated, purpose-built space here in the Illawarra means families can access high quality mental health care without travelling or paying out of pocket.

NSW Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson:

“Free, accessible healthcare is a cornerstone of a strong public health system, and every family deserves access to quality mental health care, regardless of their circumstances.

“This service ensure children and parents in the Illawarra can get the support they need, when they need it, without cost being a barrier.

“People across the Illawarra have been calling for easier access to mental health support for young people and this is a great example of how the Minns and Albanese Labor Government are working together to ensure this care is delivered.”

Assistant Minister McBride: 

“The Albanese Labor Government is putting mental health at the heart of Medicare and services in the centre of communities. 

“The new Medicare Mental Health Kids Hub will provide a safe and welcoming place for Illawarra children and their parents, carers and kin. 

“We know that early intervention is crucial, and that’s why we’re removing barriers to accessing support. 

“We’re proud to partner with the NSW Government to deliver more mental health services, like Medicare Mental Health Kids Hubs, across the state.”

Alison Byrnes, Member for Cunningham: 

“Accessing services and support before behavioural and mental health challenges escalate ensures better outcomes for children and families. 

“I’m delighted that this free local hub will make it easier and more affordable for Illawarra families to access help early, freeing up specialist services for those who need it most.”

Member for Wollongong Paul Scully:

“This is a welcome expansion in local mental health services. Opening the Illawarra Kids Hub not only provides a central location for services but also a series of outreach services to provide accessible services across the region.

“The Illawarra Kids Hub at Fairy Meadow is well-located with a mix of transport options available for people to get to it and get the support they need, whether it’s getting advice or accessing health professionals.” 

Families in Worrigee have had a first look at their new public primary school and preschool, with the Minns Labor Government releasing designs as planning progresses.

The new public primary school will ensure families in the rapidly developing suburbs of Worrigee and South Nowra can access a world-class public education close to home.

The primary school will have 24 modern classrooms, three support learning classrooms, a multipurpose hall with a covered outdoor learning area (COLA), library and special programs rooms, a sports field and multipurpose sports court.

The co-located preschool, one of 100 new public preschools the Minns Labor Government is opening in 2027, will have capacity for up to 120 children every week, ensuring the community will have access to high-quality early education.

It is one of four new public preschools being delivered in the Shoalhaven area, with others being built at Bomaderry Public School, Greenwell Point Public School and Sanctuary Point Public School. In contrast the former Liberal and National government did not build a single new public preschool during 12 years in office.

The new Worrigee public preschool is scheduled to open in 2027, while the new primary school is set to welcome students in 2028. The planning application for the public preschool is currently open via the NSW Planning Portal.

The new school and preschool will cater for local families amid significant growth in South Nowra, which has seen a 150 per cent increase in new dwellings over the past decade.

The new public school at Worrigee will alleviate pressure on Nowra Public School and Nowra East Public School while also easing traffic in the broader area by reducing the number of students and parents having to travel across suburbs.

The Minns Labor Government has committed $2.9 billion to upgrade and build new schools in regional areas as part of its commitment to rebuild public education across the state.

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

“The Minns Labor Government is dedicated to enhancing educational opportunities and building a brighter future for our children. This new school and public preschool will play a vital role in supporting the educational needs of families in the Worrigee and South Nowra areas.

“The new Worrigee public school and public preschool has been long time coming for the families across South Nowra, who were neglected by the former Liberal National Government.

“We are committed to providing students with a high-quality, state-of-the-art learning environment that meets the demands of a growing population, such as South Nowra and Worrigee.”

Member for South Coast Liza Butler said:

“I’m thrilled the artist impressions have now been shared with the community to see an indication of how the new primary and public preschool in Worrigee might look.

“The Nowra community continues to grow, and it is vital we continue to invest in these areas so every child can access high-quality public schools close to home.

“Investing in our public schools is essential to ensure all students across NSW can access the best possible education.”

More than 50,000 Australians each year will gain the benefits of industry-led digital training with a new TAFE Centre of Excellence opening at the Institute of Applied Technology – Digital at TAFE NSW Meadowbank. 

In a joint initiative, the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are investing $11 million into the Centre to strengthen Australia’s digital and technology capability, providing practical digital skills training to students shaped by industry needs and helping employers access a pipeline of digitally skilled workers. 

Building on the success of TAFE NSW’s Institute of Applied Technology – Digital pilot, the Centre will:

• upskill and reskill students and workers in cybersecurity, AI, big data, cloud computing, and software;
• expand the skills pipeline by supporting priority cohorts including women, culturally and linguistically diverse learners and First Nations students;
• offer flexible delivery including on-site and online training to support regional and remote cohorts across the state and the country;
• work with industry, universities and small and medium-sized businesses to deliver applied research and practical solutions to real world digital workforce challenges; and
• deliver microskills, microcredentials, vendor certifications, and accredited qualifications across the digital skills domain. 

This investment is part of the Albanese Government’s $325 million in funding to establish a national network of up to 20 TAFE Centres of Excellence under the National Skills Agreement with states and territories. 

This builds on the Minns Labor Government’s record $3.4 billion investment in TAFE and skills, ensuring the state’s training system continues to deliver modern, industry-aligned training in critical skills areas.  

More information on TAFE Centres of Excellence is available on the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations website.  

Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles: 

“TAFE Centres of Excellence are designed to ensure Australians can get the skills they need for good secure work into the future. 

“Australia’s vocational education and training system must remain agile and keep pace with technological change and evolving job roles – work that our Government is doing with industry, training providers and others in the sector. 

“By working closely with the Minns Government in backing this project, our new TAFE Centre of Excellence here at Meadowbank will strengthen Australia’s digital capability and boost pathways into skilled digital jobs.” 

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

“This investment reinforces the role of TAFE NSW as a leader in delivering innovative, industry-focused training, in high-demand skills areas. 

“The Institute of Applied Technology Digital – National Centre of Excellence builds on a proven skills delivery model, providing opportunities for students and workers to gain the digital skills that work for communities and industries.  

“By working closely with industry and university partners, we are ensuring training keeps pace with technological change delivering job-ready graduates.” 

Member for Bennelong, Jerome Laxale: 

“It’s an exciting day for our local community. Playing host to this new, national TAFE Centre of Excellence will supercharge the work already being done by TAFE NSW Meadowbank to ensure students here and across the state get the skills they need for the future. 

“Over the coming years and decades the global demand for technology skills will skyrocket – the Albanese Labor Government is ensuring that students can remain ahead of the pack by benefitting from the best of digital and AI skills training, right here in our community.” 

The first passenger service of the new intercity Mariyung train on the South Coast Line will depart Kiama Station at 7:56am today, bound for Central Station.

The introduction of the Mariyung in the Illawarra will be followed later in the year by a service uplift that will deliver a train every 15 minutes in the peak between Wollongong and Sydney – up from the current three an hour in the peak – as part of the new 2026 Sydney Trains timetable.

The inaugural journey on Tuesday will mark the beginning of the final phase of the rollout of the Mariyung fleet which entered service on the Central Coast & Newcastle Line in December 2024 and the Blue Mountains Line in October last year. 

Mariyung trains offer more spacious two-by-two seating, a quieter journey with modern air-conditioning, spaces for luggage, prams, bicycles and wheelchairs, enhanced safety and improved accessibility. 

Seating includes tray tables, arm rests, high seat backs and charging ports for mobile devices. On-board digital screens are easier to read, and CCTV throughout the new trains will enhance the safety and security while helping deter anti-social activity. 

The Mariyung trains are the first new intercity fleet in almost 20 years and have an expected service life of 35 years. They will gradually replace the Oscar trains that entered service in 2006.  

Following 12 months of testing and enabling track and station works, the South Coast Line is getting a phased rollout of the Mariyung fleet, starting with seven new train sets this month, increasing to 16 trains by 2027.  

The first phase will involve 4-car and 6-car sets, the second phase will see 8-car sets later this year, followed by 10-car configurations in 2027.

The new train timetable, to be introduced later in the year, will add a fourth service an hour in peak. There will be a service every 30 minutes outside the AM and PM peaks.

As part of the new timetable changes, South Coast Line services will operate to and from Central and will no longer run on the Eastern Suburbs railway to Bondi Junction.

South Coast passengers wanting to access T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line stations from Town Hall to Bondi Junction will be able to interchange at Hurstville, Sydenham, Redfern or Central or change to Metro at Sydenham. 

Under the new timetable to be introduced later this year, South Coast Line trains will no longer stop at Wolli Creek Station – affecting about 2% of current passengers. They will need to change at Hurstville or Central to access services to the Domestic and International Airport stations. Trains will continue to stop at Wolli Creek until the new timetable is introduced.

The former Liberal-National government botched the introduction of the Mariyung fleet, spending $1.7 billion more than they estimated in 2014, according to the NSW Auditor-General, and failing to get them on the tracks while they were in office – despite promising they would be in service in 2019.

This included the need to widen tunnels and extend platforms.

When operated in their longer format during the peak, Mariyungs will be difficult to turn back at Bondi Junction.

Today’s first passenger service will stop at the following stations along the South Coast Line: Bombo, Minnamurra, Shellharbour Junction, Oak Flats, Albion Park, Dapto, Unanderra, Coniston, Wollongong, North Wollongong, Thirroul, Helensburgh, Sutherland, Hurstville, Wolli Creek and Redfern on its way to Central Station. 

The introduction of the modern Mariyungs will improve reliability for passengers, part of a $458 million push by the Minns Labor Government to bring rail reliability up to scratch.

Minister for Transport John Graham said: 

“This is a very exciting day for commuters in the Illawarra as these brand-new trains begin to enter service, bringing a new level of comfort, safety and convenience to a region where people often spend long hours on the train as part of their commute.  

“The introduction of the Mariyungs will allow us to increase services from Wollongong to every 15 minutes in the peak and every 30 minutes in the off peak and weekends later this year.

“The people of the Illawarra deserve our best trains and more services and that’s what they’re getting.” 

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

“South Coast residents have been very much looking forward to the new Mariyung going into service. 

“We have thousands of people who commute to Sydney regularly and they will now be able to relax and enjoy the scenic trip in extra comfort.  

“The added features such as the tray tables and USB charging ports will be a welcome addition to those commuters who work in Sydney.”

Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said: 

“The new Mariyung intercity trains will bring improved comfort and accessibility to travellers between Kiama and Central.

“The 136-year-old South Coast Line is one of most beautiful but challenging rail corridors in NSW due to the terrain, so the project team has made complex infrastructure upgrades to get these new trains operating.

“The Mariyung project has helped to create around 1600 jobs through enabling works and the construction of the maintenance facility at Kangy Angy.

“Passengers can now enjoy the scenery during a very smooth and safe journey, which will particularly enhance the increasingly popular weekday working commute to Sydney’s CBD.” 

Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said:

“This is an exciting day for passengers on the South Coast Line with a new Mariyung train taking its maiden journey on the South Coast Line.

“For years Wollongong commuters have wanted more frequent services on the South Coast Line and the new Mariyung trains mean the Minns Labor Government can make it happen.”

Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson said: 

“Residents in Shellharbour deserve a public transport system that is modern, comfortable and accessible, and the Mariyung fleet will deliver exactly that for communities along the South Coast.

“These new intercity trains will provide a major improvement for local commuters, with more spacious seating, better accessibility, modern technology and enhanced safety features.”

Member for Kiama Katelin McInerney said: 

“It’s great to see the South Coast Line get access to the modern Mariyung Fleet which ensure our local commuters will get to enjoy features like charging ports, luggage and bike storage.

“This investment is long needed crucial part of delivering a modern passenger focused service for our growing region.”

Member for Heathcote Maryanne Stuart said: 

“The Minns Labor government has undertaken major capital investment to make the new Mariyung train fit for purpose for all commuters along the South Coast Line. 

“I thank commuters for their patience whilst the project teams worked to upgrade the rail network, the platforms and rolling stock – including adding a guard’s cabin for additional safety.

“As the daughter of a train driver, I am excited for the much-improved reliability, accessibility and a better commuting experience.”

Chief Executive Sydney Trains Matt Longland: 

“I want to thank the thousands of people who have worked on the Mariyung project.  

“Our station staff and train crew are looking forward to welcoming our South Coast passengers onto these brand-new intercity trains.”