Category: NSW News

The NSW Government has commenced a rollout of targeted vaccinations for vulnerable species of birds to help protect them against H5 avian influenza (bird flu).

A combination of insurance populations in captivity and wild populations of birds will be vaccinated. This includes the Little Penguins in Manly and Barunguba Montague Island.

Taronga Conservation Society Australia vaccinated the first birds this week, with trial cohorts of Little Penguins, Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos and Red-tailed Black Cockatoos among the first species to receive the initial dose of the two-dose vaccine course.

The NSW Government is working with Taronga to vaccinate and monitor wild Little Penguins at Manly Point.

Other wildlife facilities across NSW will join the state’s vaccine program, ensuring as many species as possible can be covered.

The vaccine requires two doses, administered three-to-four weeks apart. Birds in trials must remain in a controlled environment while completing their primary vaccination course and for 14 days following the second dose so they can be closely monitored for any adverse effects.

The NSW Government is continuing to work with wildlife organisations and other relevant partners to assess potential vaccination sites and ensure appropriate infrastructure, safety measures, veterinary oversight and other requirements are in place before vaccination commences.

NSW is continuing to learn about how the vaccine performs in native wildlife. The controlled vaccination program will provide an opportunity to closely monitor vaccinated animals and identify any potential adverse effects as further plans to vaccinate are progressed.

Complementing the broader rollout of vaccinations, Taronga is leading a vaccine trial that will provide valuable data on immune responses, vaccine effectiveness and future vaccination strategies in threatened and zoo-managed birds.

NSW is taking a careful, evidence-based approach to vaccination, with animal welfare, safety and the latest scientific and veterinary advice guiding decisions about when we use vaccines.

Vaccination is not a standalone solution or a silver bullet for H5 bird flu. It is one tool within a broader response that includes surveillance, preparedness planning, biosecurity and conservation measures.

NSW continues to strengthen surveillance and preparedness for H5 bird flu and has established preparedness plans for priority wildlife sites across the state.

Bird flu has not been detected in commercial poultry flocks or captive birds anywhere in Australia and the risk to human health remains low.

The community also plays an important role in early detection. If you encounter a suspected sick bird or marine mammal, avoid contact, record what you see and report it immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

More than 5,000 calls have been received by the Hotline which has been up and running since June at the State Coordination Centre in Orange.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“The unfortunate reality is that H5 bird flu is a significant threat to our native bird populations.

“While no government can stop the virus from spreading, vaccination programs like this one rolling out at Taronga Zoo are part of our efforts to help protect some of Australia’s most beloved native birds.”

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“We are deeply concerned about the impact that H5 bird flu could have on our native wildlife.

“No government policy can stop this virus form spreading through our wild bird populations. What we can do to support our wildlife is vaccinate insurance populations, protect their habitat and eliminate invasive species.

“From captive wildlife to wild populations, we are carefully considering where vaccination can help protect our precious birds”

Minister for Agriculture, Regional and Western NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“This targeted vaccination program is another important step in NSW’s ongoing work to prepare for and respond to H5 bird flu.

“Vaccination is not a silver bullet, but it is one practical tool we can use alongside surveillance and preparedness planning to help protect vulnerable native wildlife.

“We know this disease presents risks for native wildlife and poultry producers which is why we having been planning for some time with our best veterinary and scientific advisors plus working closely with industry and wildlife groups.

Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Chief Executive Cameron Kerr AO said:

“Taronga is pleased to be working closely with the NSW Government on this nationally significant effort to help protect some of Australia’s most vulnerable bird species from the threat of H5 Bird Flu.

“As a conservation and science-based organisation, this vaccine trial represents an important opportunity to strengthen the scientific evidence base for avian influenza vaccination in threatened birds.

“Through this work, Taronga will generate valuable data on the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine across a diverse range of species, helping to inform future disease preparedness and response efforts across Australia’s unique wildlife.”

More than 130 students are set to make history as the first Year 7 cohort at the new Medowie High School, as the Minns Labor Government delivers the public high school the local community has fought for over decades.

Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington recently visited the site to inspect construction progress, with the new school on track to welcome students from Day 1, Term 1, 2027.

The early enrolment figures demonstrate strong demand for a local public high school, with the inaugural Year 7 cohort already comparable in size with those of established secondary schools across the local area.

Medowie is one of the fastest-growing communities in Port Stephens, with the local population expected to increase by more than 4,000 residents by 2040.

For local families, the new high school will mean students can access a world-class public education, close to home, ending the long daily commute faced by some students to reach their nearest public high school.

The new high school will include 29 modern classrooms, including facilities for specialist support classes, specialist workshops for science, wood and metalwork, creative and performing arts spaces, a new multipurpose hall, library, administration, canteen, and sport facilities.

Road and infrastructure upgrades on Abundance Road and Ferodale Road are also being delivered ahead of the school opening to improve traffic flow and provide safe student pick-up, drop-off, and pedestrian access.

The new Medowie High School is a key Minns Labor Government commitment and the first new high school to be built in the Hunter in more than 25 years.

Since coming to office, the Minns Labor Government has been rebuilding public education and delivering new and upgraded schools across NSW, backed by a record $9.2 billion investment in school infrastructure over the next four years, including $2.3 billion for regional NSW.

Enrolments for the school’s first Year 7 cohort are open via https://medowie-h.schools.nsw.gov.au.

The project is part of our record investment in new schools and upgrades over the next four years, ensuring students across the state have access to a world class public education, close to home.  

Deputy Premier of New South Wales and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“For more than a decade, the former Liberal National government told Medowie families there was no need for a local high school.  

“With more than 130 students already enrolled in its first Year 7 cohort, the evidence is clear – this school was desperately needed.

“The Minns Labor Government is rebuilding public education by investing in the schools, classrooms and facilities our communities need, so every child can attend a great local public school, close to home.”

Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington said:

“Our community always knew this school was desperately needed, and these enrolment numbers prove it.  

“I keep meeting local families who can’t contain their excitement about starting the new school year in a brand new school, with all its wonderful facilities, whilst staying connected to our community.

“After fighting for this school for two decades, I’m proud to be part of the Minns Labor Government that’s finally delivering the local public high school our kids deserve.”

Medowie High School principal Kylee Beasley said:

“It is incredibly exciting to see such strong interest in Medowie High School ahead of our school opening next year.

“It is particularly encouraging to see so many students coming from local partner schools and choosing to continue their secondary education within their community.

“We are looking forward to welcoming our first students and building a strong school community from day one.” 

Extraordinary revelations at Budget Estimates today have exposed the Minister for Small Business and Disaster Recovery treating taxpayer money as her own personal expense account.
 
Under questioning in Budget Estimates, Minister Saffin confirmed she has launched a “rapid audit” into her own spending, but refused to answer any questions about the specific allegations put to her.
 
Among the revelations:

• 52 nights of improper Sydney accommodation claims dismissed as an “administrative error”;
• A five-star Sofitel stay costing $1,200 for two nights (double her reimbursement rate);
• A $530.94 “incidentals” charge she refused to itemise or explain;
• Ministerial staff repeatedly travelling to, and staying in her own electorate when she wasn’t there;
• Incomplete and inaccurate Ministerial diary disclosures; and, 
• Staff billing taxpayers for flights in and out of Canberra instead of Sydney to the tune of almost $3,000.

 
Shadow Minister for Government Accountability Alister Henskens said Minister Saffin told Budget Estimates on two occasions that her staff weren’t charging the taxpayer for flights to and from Canberra.
 
“Her office records show members of staff taking at least seven flights to and from Canberra,” Mr Henskens said. 
 
“It’s unacceptable that the Minister refused to answer questions on taxpayer funded expenditure and even worse that she attempted to justify this use of taxpayer funds.”
 
During estimates, Minister Saffin announced that her office, who she blamed for the “administrative error”, would be conducting the review into her spending.  
 
NSW Nationals Upper House MP Sarah Mitchell said this isn’t an administrative error, it’s a pattern of behaviour from this Minister, and the Premier’s office needs to be involved in the audit process. 
 
“Why are four Ministerial staff in her electorate when she was in her Ministerial Office in Sydney? Why are taxpayers forking out for Ministerial staff to swan around NSW with no diary disclosures? The Minister wouldn’t even confirm the total number of staff in her office,” Ms Mitchell said. 
 
“These are basic questions the Minister should be able to answer on the spot. Instead, she has taken them on notice and given herself three weeks to work up a response.”
 
Chris Minns promoted Janelle Saffin to Cabinet after Jo Haylen was dumped for using her Ministerial driver to travel to and from a winery in the Hunter Valley. The question now is if he’ll apply the same standards to Janelle Saffin? 

Family First National Director and NSW Legislative Council candidate Lyle Shelton is calling on Premier Chris Minns to immediately keep his promise that biological males identifying as women will not be housed in New South Wales women’s prisons, saying the latest revelations suggest the Premier has lost control of a corrections system being run by woke bureaucrats thumbing their noses at his publicly stated positions.

Mr Shelton said the scandal also exposed a much bigger problem: the Minns Government’s farcical gender self-identification laws undermine the right of all NSW women and girls to safe, female-only spaces — not just women in prison.

Chris Minns told the people of New South Wales that changing your documents would not allow a biological male to move from a men’s prison to a women’s prison,” Mr Shelton said.

Yet we now know that under his Government that is exactly what has happened.

Premier, keep your promise. Put it into law: no biological male identifying as a woman should ever be housed in a women’s prison. Better still, abolish your stupid laws that say a man can become a woman.

And explain how your corrections bureaucracy was apparently able to disregard the position you publicly gave to the people of New South Wales.

Either Chris Minns is in charge of his Government or the woke bureaucrats are.”

The Daily Telegraph reported today that the male-born inmate at the centre of Thursday’s revelations was granted bail 24 hours after Corrective Services Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Galouzis told Budget Estimates that one of the state’s 47 transgender inmates was “housed according to their identified sex”, and hours after the paper sent questions to Corrective Services, Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong and Premier Chris Minns.

The paper reports it is understood Corrective Services and the Government were told of the successful bail application only after the story was published.

The man faces charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wilful and obscene exposure, and using offensive language in or near a school.

A man charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm was in a women’s prison on Monday and out of it on Tuesday,” Mr Shelton said.

Nobody should be asked to accept that timing without an explanation.”

Mr Shelton said bail was properly a decision for a court, but the circumstances surrounding the case demanded answers from the Government.

Who applied and when, did the Crown oppose it, who was consulted, and is it true that the Commissioner who approved the transfer learned of the release after the fact are all questions the Premier must answer,” Mr Shelton said.

Women’s Minister Jodie Harrison told Budget Estimates on Thursday that she had not been advised of the transfer, did not know where the inmate was being housed, and did not know whether he had been “sharing accommodation, showers or changerooms with female inmates”.

In May, asked to define the word “woman”, Ms Harrison declined, saying instead that women and girls should be safe and feel safe “in all settings, including schools, hospitals, changerooms and sporting environments”.

The Minister for Women says women and girls should be safe in every setting, yet she cannot tell you what a woman is,” Mr Shelton said.

You cannot protect a category you refuse to define.

And this is why what has happened in the prison system matters to every woman and girl in New South Wales.

If biological sex can be displaced by gender identity, the same principle threatens female-only spaces everywhere — prisons, hospital wards, refuges, changerooms, sporting competitions and other facilities where women and girls have a legitimate expectation of privacy, dignity and safety.”

In May the Premier said a male who changes his certificates cannot change prisons, and that biological differences “needs to be reflected in the law”.

Three months on, not a line of New South Wales law has changed.

Since 1 July 2025 an adult can change the sex recorded on a birth certificate with a statutory declaration and a supporting statement from somebody who has known them for twelve months.

The Corrective Services policy governing the placement of transgender inmates has been off the public portal for 13 months. Forty-six of 47 transgender inmates are housed according to biological sex, while one is not, apparently as a result of the Commissioner’s discretion.

A policy that ultimately rests on one official’s discretion is not protection for women,” Mr Shelton said.

The Premier told NSW that biological sex matters in prisons. His bureaucrats appear to have done something different. Now he needs to decide whether he runs the Government or they do.”

Family First is calling on Premier Chris Minns to put his Government’s position into law rather than leave it to press conferences and bureaucratic discretion:

• Legislate that no biological male is held in a women’s correctional centre, regardless of a change of certificate or surgery.
• Apply a clear biological definition of woman across New South Wales law, including corrections, anti-discrimination, health, sport, schools and public facilities.
• Restore biological sex as the basis of birth certificates and publish the withdrawn Corrective Services policy, along with relevant ministerial directions governing inmate placement.
• Explain fully and publicly the sequence of events surrounding this inmate’s placement and subsequent release on bail.

Family First again backs Opposition Corrections spokesman Anthony Roberts’s call for an inquiry.

Mr Shelton said that if elected to the Legislative Council in March 2027 he would move to repeal the gender self-identification laws.

This scandal is about far more than one prisoner,” Mr Shelton said.

Gender self-ID erases the legal boundary women and girls rely upon when they need female-only spaces.

Women in prison are among the most vulnerable women in our community, but they are not the only ones entitled to privacy, dignity and safety.

Every girl changing for sport, every woman in a hospital ward, every domestic violence survivor seeking refuge and every woman using a female-only facility has a right to expect that ‘female-only’ actually means female.

Chris Minns acknowledged that biological differences matter. Now he needs to make the law reflect that reality and keep the promise he made to the women of New South Wales.”

KEY FACTS:

• A male-born inmate transferred into a NSW women’s prison was granted bail after Budget Estimates evidence that one inmate was “housed according to their identified sex”, and hours after The Daily Telegraph sent questions to Corrective Services, the Corrections Minister and the Premier. The charges include wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wilful and obscene exposure, and using offensive language in or near a school (The Daily Telegraph, 28 August 2026).
• Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Galouzis told Budget Estimates there are 47 transgender inmates in custody and 46 are accommodated according to their biological sex. Women’s Minister Jodie Harrison said she had not been advised of the transfer and did not know whether the inmate had been “sharing accommodation, showers or changerooms with female inmates” (The Daily Telegraph, 28 August 2026).
• Premier Chris Minns said in May 2026 that changing government certificates “will not mean that you can change from a male prison to a female prison” and that biological differences “needs to be reflected in the law”. In the same month Ms Harrison declined to define the word “woman”, saying women and girls should be safe “in all settings, including schools, hospitals, changerooms and sporting environments” (The Daily Telegraph, May 2026).
• Since 1 July 2025 no medical procedure is required to change the sex recorded on a NSW birth certificate (NSW Government). The Corrective Services policy on transgender inmates came off its public portal in July 2025 and has not been replaced 13 months later (The Daily Telegraph, 27 August 2026).

More than 11,390 students across the state have benefitted from the Minns Labor Government’s $121.9 million investment in tertiary study subsidies since the program began in 2024.

The program is designed to create a future pipeline of health workers by supporting students commencing study with up to $12,000 to help with fees, technology, travel, or other study-related costs.

Students graduating study can receive a one off $8,000 payment if they have completed an eligible qualification and have an offer of employment with NSW Health.

All recipients must be willing to make a five-year commitment to working in the NSW public health system.

Successful applicants have come from across the state, with all regional and rural local health districts benefitting from the program.

Of the more than 11,390 students who have benefitted from the tertiary study subsidies more than 5,600 were students in their first year of study, and more than 5,770 graduates began working within the NSW Health system.

So far this year, the recipients include 778 medical students, 1,542 nursing students, 203 midwifery students, 544 allied health students, and 318 paramedical students.

In 2025, recipients included 890 medical students, 1,754 nursing students, 166 midwifery students, 675 allied health students, and 434 paramedical students.

The $121.9 million Tertiary Study Subsidies program builds on the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to improving health outcomes for people living in regional, rural and remote areas, with several initiatives currently underway to strengthen our regional workforce. This includes:

• The $200.1 million Key Health Worker Accommodation program which delivers modern, self-contained and fully furnished housing across rural, regional and remote NSW to attract and retain frontline healthcare workers.
• The NSW Rural Health Workforce Incentive Scheme, which provides incentives of up to $20,000 for the hardest to fill and critically vacant positions in rural and regional NSW.
• Expanded training pathways, such as the Rural Generalist Single Employer Pathway, which has assisted 74 doctors to train as rural generalists across NSW.
• Investing $83 million to boost maternity care across regional NSW, including funding for an additional 53 full-time equivalent midwives.
• Delivering an extra 500 regional paramedics.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park

“It’s great to see that more than 11,300 students from every corner of NSW have directly benefitted from our tertiary study subsidies.

“Attracting skilled healthcare workers is a longstanding challenge, and one we are committed to addressing so that people can access the care they need no matter where they live.

“Across NSW, we are recruiting more doctors, nurses, paramedics, and allied health workers – and we are paying them more.

“After more than a decade of the Coalition neglecting the health workforce and subjecting workers to a cruel wages cap, we are taking steps to rebuild and strengthen the system.”

The Minns Labor Government will continue the Australian-first police drone trial in Moree for another two years and will look to roll out the technology in other regional areas.

The drones are part of the Government’s ongoing efforts to ensure NSW Police have world-class, modern technology to help keep regional communities safe.

Two drones have been operating in Moree this year giving officers another tool to respond to and prevent crime.

Known as POLAIR Remote, the drones are remotely piloted from a ‘Remote Operations Centre at the NSW Police Force Aviation Command at Bankstown Airport.

Police can reach anywhere in town within minutes of launch, improving police response times.

This is the first time drone technology has been used in this way in Australian policing.

An evaluation of the Australia-first trial in Moree is currently underway, with the evaluation looking at the operational effectiveness of the technology.

A community survey of 516 people was also undertaken to consider community confidence in the trial, which found that:

• 85% report no perceived negative impact
• 83% believed the drones enhance public safety
• 82% were either positive or very positive about the drone use
• 78% of respondents believed the drones improved emergency response times
• 76% said they had very high or high trust in police use of drones
• 75% feel safer or much safer as a result of the drone presence

Further consultation, including with Aboriginal stakeholders, will be undertaken as part of the expansion of the drone program.

The Moree drone program is part of the Minns Labor Government’s long-term place-based response plan to address youth crime and improve community safety across regional New South Wales, including:

• Investing $13.4 million for a targeted place-based response in Moree
• Investing $23 million to address youth crime and improve community safety in regional NSW
• Investing $6.3 million to provide intensive bail supervision and support for young people
• Providing $5.5 million for youth diversion and violence reduction programs
• Creating a new ‘Post and Boast’ offence for offenders who record their crimes for social media notoriety
• Securing a historic payrise for officers and paying police recruits to train to boost frontline numbers.

Learn more about the NSW Government’s investment via Moree place-based response.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“We’re extending this Australian-first trial in Moree for another two years because we want to give police every tool we can to keep regional communities safe.

“These drones can be anywhere across Moree within two or three minutes, giving police on the ground eyes in the sky and critical information about what they’re responding to.

“There’s no single answer to regional crime, but we’ll keep investing in police, prevention and new technology that can help make communities safer.”

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

“This is smart policing at its best. Police and the local community have told us the drone program is a real game changer, so we’re extending it.

“This technology is changing the way police fight crime and it’s happening because the Minns Labor Government is giving police the tools they need to keep our communities safe.

“Modern policing happens in the community, in the sky, on the road and at the scene not behind a desk. That’s the legacy we’re building.”

The Minns Labor Government has announced plans are now underway to build a new Integrated Health Hub for the growing South West Sydney community of Wilton.

The future Integrated Health Hub will create a one-stop-shop for non-acute healthcare such as primary care, preventative care, and early intervention services to meet local health needs closer to home.

The hub will facilitate earlier patient discharge from the region’s hospitals, among the busiest in Australia, reduce avoidable ED visits and hospital admissions, and deliver essential care much closer to home.

This will help to reduce pressures on hospitals, allowing higher acuity care to be prioritised for those who need it most.

Land acquisition is a critical first step towards establishing the Integrated Health Hub, which will shift appropriate care from higher acuity hospital facilities to a more suitable and accessible community setting in Wilton.

In selecting the site, the Government will consider how easily it can be accessed by the community as well as its closeness to population centres, including connectivity with commercial and retail centres, as well as public transport option and parking.

The future Wilton hub will bring together community, outpatient and virtual health care in an accessible location, reducing the need to travel outside the local community for these services.

The Minns Labor Government is investing $11.9 billion to deliver more beds and expanded services across 32 new or upgraded health facilities in NSW, while also easing pressure on the system by increasing access to care through alternate pathway, including by:

• Investing in virtual and urgent care services
• Supporting geriatric outreach and Hospital in the Home.
• Expanding scope of practice for pharmacists to treat uncomplicated skin conditions and UTIs, and resupply and prescribe the contraceptive pill
• Expanding scope of practice for GPs to diagnose and treat ADHD

Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“Not only are we investing in more beds and more hospitals, but we are also investing in community-based care that is more accessible and closer to home.

“This is a part of NSW that is growing quickly. This Hub will help meet the needs of the growing community, securing the future of health services for the broader Macarthur region.

“By planning for a new Integrated Health Hub in Wilton, we are ensuring people will have improved access to care while also relieving pressure from some of the country’s busiest hospitals.”

Member for Wollondilly Judy Hannan:

“The NSW Government is investing in the health of people now and into the future by establishing new ways of delivering healthcare.

“Once established, the Wilton hub will not only provide a better patient experience, but also better value for NSW taxpayers as we direct them away from more expensive acute facilities and towards appropriate community-based options.

“For our Wollondilly community, from seniors to young families, it is critical to have accessible public health services close to home.”

Chief Executive South Western Sydney Local Health District Sonia Marshall:

“Taking local health care beyond the typical hospital setting and into communities not only improves convenience for patients, it ensures the long-term sustainability of the health system.

“As a local health District, we take a long-term view to health service planning, not only delivering the care people need now, but looking at new and better ways to serve our growing community in the future.”

The first funding boost from the Minns Labor Government’s historic $184.1. million increase to the specialist domestic and family violence sector will be rolled out to services engaged to help women and children experiencing domestic violence safely remain in their communities.

More than $40 million will be allocated to increase the capacity of services providing the Staying Home Leaving Violence program so they can support more women and children stay safely in their own homes, rather than having to leave when experiencing domestic and family violence.

All 52 Staying Home Leaving Violence services provided across New South Wales will receive a 50 per cent increase to their core funding over the next four years. The first funding uplift to each service’s will be paid this financial year, strengthening capacity for providers sooner.

This historic funding boost follows the NSW Government’s expansion of this crucial program to all 128 local government areas in New South Wales as part of the 2024/25 Budget. The additional $25.9 million funded 15 new services to close gaps in access in regional and some metro areas.

Last financial year, Staying Home Leaving Violence services supported more than 9,200 victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, including 2,399 children who had experienced abuse. With this additional funding, it means even more women and children will have access to this critical service.

The Staying Home Leaving Violence program helps victim-survivors remain in their homes, when it is safe to do so, instead of having to leave because of violence. It provides practical support including safety planning, security upgrades, case management and help navigating legal processes.

In collaboration with NSW Police and local courts, it aims to increase family safety and stability, and provides a range of support such as safety planning, improving home security, support for children and help with the legal process.

A 2022 independent evaluation found the program effectively enhanced the long-term safety and housing stability of women and families, while also improving the wellbeing of women and children affected by domestic and family violence.

As part of the Minns Labor Government’s 2026/27 Budget, five other specialist domestic and family violence programs will also receive a 50 per cent uplift over the next four years, including the Integrated Domestic and Family Violence Service, Safer Pathways, Specialist Workers for Children and Young People, Men’s Behaviour Change Programs and Domestic Violence Response Enhancement program.

Funding uplift for the remaining programs will be rolled out progressively, with investment directed to where it is needed most of each program.

The Budget commitment will help stabilise the sector and is part of the Minns Labor Government’s longer-term work to support victim-survivors, intervene earlier and stop violence before it starts.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:

“The Minns Labor Government is working to stabilise the frontline domestic and family violence sector so that it has the capability to meet growing demand, and victim-survivors can access timely life-saving support when they need it.

“The Staying Home Leaving Violence program is a vital part of our crisis response, allowing women and children to stay safely in their own homes, close to their support networks. This supports their healing and recovery as they rebuild their lives after violence.

“We know the domestic and family violence services have been under pressure, and this funding increase means services can support more people and continue providing the quality tailored support that victim-survivors need.”

Domestic Violence NSW CEO Delia Donovan said:

“This is a vital and welcome investment in specialist domestic and family violence services, and recognition of the critical role Staying Home Leaving Violence plays in supporting women and children to remain connected to their homes, schools, workplaces and communities where it is safe to do so.

“As the peak body for specialist domestic and family violence services across the state, Domestic Violence NSW has consistently advocated alongside our members for greater investment in frontline services. It’s encouraging to see the NSW Government responding to these calls and investing in the capacity of services to meet growing demand.

“As the broader investment is rolled out, it will be important to continue working closely with the sector and the NSW Government to ensure services have the resources they need, now and into the future, to meet demand and ensure the best possible outcomes for victim-survivors.

“We look forward to continuing to work constructively with NSW Government, our members and the broader sector to build on this investment and ensure sustainable support across the NSW domestic and family violence service system.”

Support:

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.

For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, call the Sexual Violence Helpline on 1800 424 017 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For information on Men’s Behaviour Change Programs operating in your local area, contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

The Minns Labor Government’s own report has once again confirmed identification is essential if you are serious about enforcing e-bike laws, exposing Labor’s continued refusal to act and protect the community.
 
The NSW Liberals and Nationals are calling on Labor to deliver an effective identification scheme after the Productivity and Equality Commission’s report reiterated concerns a lack of identification makes it harder to identify riders and devices, enforce rules and ensure accountability.
 
Shadow Minister for Transport Natalie Ward said the report reinforces what the Opposition has been saying for months.
 
“The Commission says identification makes non-compliant e-bikes ‘easier to detect and enforce against’. That reinforces the Opposition’s call for a proper identification regime,” Ms Ward said.
 
“Labor has spent months dismissing identification and registration while announcing reviews, taskforces and crackdowns.”
 
“The Minns Labor Government should now act on the review it commissioned and deliver the identification scheme which the Opposition put forward almost a year ago.”
 
Ms Ward said the report also cites identification and registration schemes operating in Germany, China, and France.
 
“Identification is being used as an enforcement tool globally. NSW Labor can’t keep pretending identification is some radical proposition,” Ms Ward said.
 
“This isn’t about punishing the overwhelming majority of people who ride responsibly. It’s about giving police and enforcement authorities the tools to identify illegal e-bikes and riders, and deal with dangerous behaviour.”
 
The NSW Liberals and Nationals have proposed a clear and practical regime to introduce low-cost identification plates attached to an e-bike when in use for specific rider cohort, including:

• Riders under the age of 18;
• Riders who use e-bike for commercial purposes; and
• Commercial shared service schemes. 

The policy also includes penalties for non-compliance and safety education.

The NSW Liberals and Nationals have welcomed the Minister for Veterans’ decision to finally advocate for the protection of the state’s historic Defence sites, including Victoria Barracks, and are calling on the Minns Labor Government to now back legislation to protect their future.
 
Under questioning at Budget Estimates, Minister David Harris agreed to speak to the NSW Minister for Heritage to advocate for sites to be heritage listed, after conceding he had not done so thus far.
 
Shadow Minister for Veterans Tim James said the Minister’s commitment was welcome but had come after months of inaction.
 
“Anthony Albanese is selling off these historic Defence sites to prop up his Budget, and Chris Minns has spent months standing by. It has taken sustained pressure from the Liberals and Nationals, veterans and the community to finally force him to act.”
 
“The Minister now needs to follow through and make it clear to his federal Labor colleagues that these sites should not be sold off.”
 
Earlier this month, Member for Lane Cove Anthony Roberts introduced the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Defence Lands Parliamentary Approval) Bill 2026, which would require the approval of both Houses of NSW Parliament before major planning changes could materially alter the development, use, subdivision, density, scale or intensity of five significant Defence sites.
 
“Heritage listing is an important step, but these sites are too significant for their future to be decided behind closed doors or through ordinary planning processes alone,” Mr Roberts said.
 
“Given the Premier finally declared his opposition to the sale, he must now also declare Labor’s support for our bill to show it is serious about protecting our Defence heritage.”
 
Shadow Minister for Heritage Jacqui Munro said heritage listing the sites was also key.
 
“Victoria Barracks, Lancer Barracks and HMAS Penguin are an irreplaceable part of our state’s military heritage, and once that history is lost, we can’t get it back,” Ms Munro said.