Category: NSW News

Blayney and surrounding communities are benefitting from new and enhanced aged care and hospital services, with the first stage of the Blayney Multipurpose Service commissioned recently and residents moved in.

Stage 1 includes a new residential aged care wing featuring single rooms with private bathrooms, additional inpatient beds and chair-based services with space for future expansion.

A comprehensive, coordinated relocation prior to opening ensured a smooth transition for staff and health services, as well as for aged-care residents who are enjoying more contemporary, comfortable and home-like rooms and facilities.

Aged-care residents and their families were invited to tour the new areas of the facility prior to moving in and the opening, following a Community Walkthrough which welcomed more than 100 people.

The next phase of the project will now focus on demolition of the existing buildings and construction of the facility’s new HealthOne, reception, entry, waiting room, staff area and ambulatory zone. Construction is expected to be complete in 2027.

The Blayney Multipurpose Service (MPS) redevelopment is being delivered in stages to ensure the community can continue to access the same level of clinical services, including those in the existing facility, without impact while construction is undertaken.

The Blayney MPS redevelopment is being delivered by Health Infrastructure and Western NSW Local Health District, in partnership with Taylor Construction Group.

For more information on the project, visit the Blayney Multipurpose Service Redevelopment website.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park

“This is a significant milestone for this project and the community. It brings the people of Blayney and its surrounding areas closer to having the new and modern Multipurpose Service they need and deserve.

“The opening of the first stage of the redevelopment strengthens local health services significantly, and ensures residents can access care close to home in a modern, purpose-built facility.

“The Minns Government is delivering the health services regional communities need and deserve.”

Labor Spokesperson for Bathurst Stephen Lawrence

“It’s fantastic to see the first stage of the Blayney MPS redevelopment open for aged care residents and patients. This an exciting step and a proud moment for the health service and the whole community.

“The new areas of the MPS are impressive and will help the dedicated staff continue delivering the exceptional care they’re known for. I’m excited to see the project continue to progress, and to see the finished product when complete.”

Blayney Health Service Manager Kathleen Hillier

“It has been really exciting the see our aged care residents moving into their new rooms and enjoying a new level of comfort, we worked incredibly hard to make sure the new aged care wing felt far more like home.

“Staff, aged care residents and their families were all involved in the planning and design of this stage of work, which was important to make sure the new facility was tailored to their needs now and as years go on.

“Our community can expect to see plenty of activity on the next phase of works soon, but I know even this initial stage will make a huge difference to the experiences of not just our aged care residents, but also our staff, patients and families as well.”

Communities across NSW will receive a boost for emergency health care as more regional paramedics are recruited and a new class of paramedic interns and emergency call takers is inducted into their roles.

500 Regional Paramedics

An additional 125 paramedics will begin working across regional NSW in coming months as part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to deliver 500 additional paramedics to regional, rural and remote areas.

These paramedics are the third group to join NSW Ambulance as part of the regional 500, joining 250 others who are already on the road.

Paramedics have already started in Grafton, and more will start in Gunnedah, Tea Gardens, and Tweed Heeds from Saturday, 28 February 2026. Additional locations will be announced in coming months.

NSW Ambulance has been consulting with staff and the Health Services Union about the proposed locations with consultation ongoing.

The additional paramedics will help optimise response times and patient outcomes as well as provide support to existing paramedics who continue to provide world-class emergency and mobile healthcare across regional NSW.

The Minns Government will continue to roll out the additional 500 paramedics for regional NSW next year, with future locations determined through NSW Ambulance’s evidence based, best practice service and workforce planning as well as consultation with staff and the Health Services Union.

In 2024, Ballina, Bathurst, Broken Hill, Goulburn, Kangaroo Valley, Lismore, Lithgow, Mudgee, Parkes, Port Macquarie, South West Rocks and Tottenham received additional paramedics as part of the first tranche of the regional 500 program.

As part of the second tranche in 2025, Albury, Blayney, Deniliquin, Dubbo, Moree, Orange, Tamworth South, Temora, Wagga Wagga, Yamba and Young received additional paramedics.

The Minns Labor Government is also investing $10 million into health worker housing for paramedics in regional NSW as part of the $200.1 million Key Health Worker Accommodation program.

Paramedic Interns and Emergency Call Takers

NSW Ambulance has also welcomed 118 new paramedic interns and 26 trainee emergency medical call takers, who were officially inducted in a ceremony at the State Operations Centre in Sydney Olympic Park today.

Following a successful 2025 which saw more than 1,000 paramedic interns and emergency medical call takers join the workforce, 2026 is starting off strong by delivering a significant boost to frontline healthcare services across the state.

These latest recruits bring a diverse range of skills and experiences to NSW Ambulance, including paramedic intern Tomas Scone, a former Australian Defence Force infantry soldier, and trainee emergency medical call taker Jillian Suggate, who formerly worked with the NSW Reconstruction Authority and disaster relief initiatives overseas.

The paramedic interns will now commence the on-road phase of their 12-month internship, working at locations across NSW before transitioning into permanent roles in both metropolitan and regional communities.

The trainee emergency medical call takers will be posted to the Sydney, Northern and Western control centres.

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park: 

“This boost to the paramedic workforce ensures patients right across NSW continue to receive the highest quality emergency medical care, regardless of where they live.

“We are rebuilding our emergency health services by investing in our paramedics. Our commitment to recruit 500 regional paramedics is already helping deliver world-class emergency care to regional and rural communities.

“We know how critical timely healthcare is, and these new roles will help improve outcomes for patients and their families.”

Gerard Hayes AM, Secretary, HSU NSW:

“These additional paramedics are welcome news not only for our regional communities, but also the existing NSW Ambulance staff who are critically important to these areas outside our cities.”

“By investing in more paramedics, the Minns Labor Government is also investing in the wellbeing of our crews on the ground, allowing them to continue doing amazing, life saving work to the highest standard.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan: 

“This latest group of paramedics represents another important step in building a stronger, more resilient emergency care network across regional NSW.

“Our clinicians do an incredible job, at times under challenging circumstances, and these additional resources will provide vital support and help reduce pressure on existing staff.

“As demand for services grows, we remain committed to delivering world-class emergency and mobile healthcare for every community we serve.”

paramedic intern Tomas Scone: 

“I was proud to serve my country, but I knew that becoming a paramedic was my real calling.

“My future aspiration is to utilise my army training and become a special operations team paramedic.”

trainee emergency medical call taker Jillian Suggate:

“Working in disaster relief helping ravaged communities was incredibly rewarding, strengthening my passion for emergency management.

“I thrive under pressure and I am looking forward to being part of a dynamic team with NSW Ambulance.”

The Public Service Association of NSW (PSA) says the Minns Government’s announcement of sweeping foster care reforms, designed to rebuild accountability and transparency across a system supporting more than 13,500 vulnerable children, is a long overdue reset after years of outsourcing failures under the Permanency Support Program.

The union, which represents child protection caseworkers in the Department of Communities and Justice, said the changes recognise what frontline staff have been warning for years: when responsibility is fragmented, children fall through the cracks.

For nearly a decade, caseworkers have operated inside a system where legal responsibility remained with government while service delivery was increasingly outsourced to non-government providers.

A three-year evaluation found the model failed its core objectives, even as funding to providers climbed to around $1 billion annually and the services delivered to children declined.

The PSA said the shift to strengthen oversight, wind down existing contracts and return decision-making authority to government agencies is essential to protecting children and restoring public confidence.

The reforms will also elevate the role of foster carers, expand recruitment, strengthen performance monitoring of providers and invest further in Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations so Aboriginal children can remain connected to kin, culture and community wherever possible.

The union said frontline workers understand the stakes better than anyone.

For years our union has been campaigning on behalf of our members in regard to the dysfunctional child protection system they were left managing by the former government,” said Troy Wright, PSA Assistant General Secretary.

Crucially last year in the Budget the Government committed funds to increase their salaries to a level that would address the workforce retention crisis, but the reforms announced today are the final missing piece.

The out-of-home care system in New South Wales has been subject to more bad reviews than a Bollywood musical and more report card fails than Bart Simpson.

“It offered poor outcomes and even worse value for the taxpayer.

“Non-Government Organisations were virtually being given open-ended cheques with no responsibilities, and when they couldn’t do the work because it was too difficult, the care of children was thrown back on a resource-starved public sector.

This will ensure the decision-making is placed with the Minister, Government and Department with the legal responsibility for children in care, and that accountability is placed on the service who accept the funding to provide it.”

Regional and remote communities across NSW will benefit from a new fleet of tough Service NSW Mobile Service Centres, bringing in essential government services.

Four tough new four-wheel-drives will replace the existing Mobile Service Centres, which have reached their end of life after covering more than one million kilometres and serving more than 70,000 people.

The new fleet will have ‘branch in a box’ technology – a customer service terminal which can be removed from the vehicle and continue to operate independently.

The four-wheel drive capability also means the Mobile Service Centres can be quickly deployed to communities impacted by natural disasters, where staff play a critical role in the delivery of financial support grants and recovery efforts.

Communities will be able to access more than 1,300 NSW Government transactions including vehicle and driver services, Seniors Card applications, Working with Children Checks and cost-of-living support.

The Mobile Service Centres will continue their existing nine-week circuits, visiting more than 148 regional and remote communities across NSW. In the first month locations include Sussex Inlet, Berry, Moss Vale, Bermagui and Jindabyne.

This includes the “Kangaroo Bus”, which visits more than 40 Aboriginal communities and includes Aboriginal Outreach officers from Revenue NSW, NSW Births, Deaths and Marriages and a business specialist from the Business Bureau to help provide tailored support.

For upcoming Mobile Service Centre visits, please visit: service.nsw.gov.au/mobile-service-centres

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib said:

“Mobile Service Centres play a critical role in making sure people in regional and remote communities can access essential services without having to travel out of their local area.

“This tough new fleet of vehicles with ‘branch in a box’ technology will help ensure greater flexibility of service in more remote areas.

“Rain, hail or shine the Mobile Service Centres will be out on the road ensuring everyone in the state has access to the services they need.”

As thousands of students across NSW have commenced the academic year this week at university, TAFE and other vocational education, NSW Fair Trading is reminding renters to keep their rental rights in mind before they sign on the dotted line.

With more than 431,000 students enrolled across NSW universities, and a further 218,465 enrolled in TAFE, many young people will be moving out of home for the first time. This monumental life change makes it crucial for students and other first-time renters to understand their protections and obligations before signing a lease. 

Students entering into leases should understand their rights and responsibilities in NSW, including:

• Always have a written lease agreement: A written agreement outlines key terms, such as rent amounts, how often you pay rent, bond requirements, and other responsibilities. The landlord must give you a copy of the signed lease agreement – that includes their full contact details and, if there is agent, the contact details of the agent.
• Know how a rental bond works: A bond cannot be more than four weeks’ rent and is fully refundable at the end of the tenancy, provided there is no unpaid rent or damage. Landlords and agents must lodge all bonds with NSW Fair Trading.
• Understand landlord responsibilities: Landlords have several legal responsibilities they must meet under a tenancy agreement, including providing and maintaining the property in a safe, liveable condition and completing necessary repairs.
• Know your rights when it comes to evictions: Landlords and agents must have valid grounds to evict a renter and must follow the correct legal process. No-grounds evictions are now banned in NSW.
• Where to seek support: If students are unsure about their rights or responsibilities, they can contact NSW Fair Trading for information and guidance on rental matters, including bonds, rent, and repairs. NSW Fair Trading can also assist renters and their landlord or agent in resolving disputes about their tenancy agreement.
• Where to seek legal assistance: To find your nearest Tenants Advice and Advocacy Service, visit www.tenants.org.au or call 1800 251 101.

Students should also be aware of the landmark rental reforms introduced by the Minns Labor Government, which have created new protections for renters.

These changes include:

• Limiting rental increases to once a year.
• Giving renters security by banning no-grounds evictions.
• Saving renters money by mandating fee-free ways to pay their rent.
• Banning solicited rent bidding so renters can’t be coerced into offering higher rent to secure a place to live.
• Funding the NSW Rental Taskforce to protect renters by enforcing the new laws.
• Delivering the free Rent Check website so people can be sure what they’re asking to pay in rent is fair.

For more information on your rights as a renter, please visit the NSW Fair Trading website.

For more information on sharing a rental property, please visit the NSW Fair Trading website.

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“Students deserve stability and certainty when securing a home, and the Minns Labor Government’s landmark rental reforms help ensure they get exactly that.

“This Government has banned no-grounds evictions, funded crucial tools and delivered tangible policies to help renters save money – and we want everyone to know about it.

“Renters deserve to enjoy the full extent of these changes, especially if they’re entering into their first lease.   

“That’s why we’re making it easier to understand your rights, manage costs, and feel secure in your living arrangements.”

NSW Rental Commissioner Trina Jones said:

“Renting as a student has long been a rite of passage for young people, but understanding rental rights and obligations early helps prevent disputes and ensures a safe, fair living arrangement.

“Starting tertiary study is an exciting milestone, and for many students it’s the first time living out of home. We want young renters to feel confident, informed, and protected when securing accommodation.

“We encourage all students to take the time to read their rental agreements, ask questions, and never sign anything they don’t fully understand. Students are encouraged to contact NSW Fair Trading to report breaches of rental laws.”

The escalation in gangland violence across Sydney is a predictable consequence of the Minns Labor Government taking its eye off community safety. 
  
The kidnapping and death of Chris Baghsarian and shootings in St Clair and Guildford West and Greenacre are the latest in an upswing in violence in Sydney’s West, North West and South West.  
  
Under the watch of the Minns Labor Government organised criminal networks have been left unchecked, and communities left anxious as we pay the price for the failure to take decisive action sooner.  
  
Shadow Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism, Anthony Roberts, said while welcome, today’s announcement about the expansion of Operation Shelter raises questions about resourcing. 
  
“NSW and law-abiding members of the community deserve better than a reactive approach to law and order in this state,” Mr Roberts said. 
  
“These criminals have been emboldened to continue with the tit for tat violence as a direct result of the Minns Labor Government’s failure to act.” 
  
“There are critical questions as to whether NSW Police have the resourcing they need to staff this new unit without diverting officers from critical frontline policing roles particularly in Sydney’s West, South West and North West,” Mr Roberts said. 
  
“The Minns Labor Government needs to invest in our police to ensure they have the capability to respond to incidents, threats and high-risk areas as well as combat the criminals that are running rampant in parts of Sydney.” 

Pro-“Palestine” Activists are calling on the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras (SGLMG) to reverse its decision to remove a pro-Palestine float, and will gather at the Sydney Town Hall steps at 3:30pm to protest the decision.
The unprecedented move to kick out Pride in Protest’s “Celebration Without Compromise” float comes after years of refusal by SGLMG to exclude organisations alleged to have behaved in violent or homophobic ways from marching, in the name of “inclusivity” — such as the NSW Police Force and the Liberal Party.
The Mardi Gras CEO’s threat to remove Pride in Protest was issued at 11am on the day before the parade, giving just six hours until close of business to respond. It was based on allegations Pride in Protest had breached parade terms and conditions for a social media post critiquing the “pro-genocide” stance of another parade participant. In correspondence, the Mardi Gras CEO does not dispute the truth of Pride in Protest’s social media comments. Further correspondence from the Mardi Gras CEO confirmed he was kicking out Pride in Protest. (see attached)
image.jpeg Photo: 2025 Pride in Protest Mardi Gras Parade Float, Provided by Pride in Protest
Background:

In 2024, Dayenu publicly opposed the SGLMG Board’s open letter calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. At the time, LGBTQIA+ Jews of Tzedek Collective: https://www.tzedekcollective.com/statements/queer-jews-of-tzedek-collective-denounce-dayenus-anti-palestinian-statement/ denounced Dayenu’s “anti-Palestinian” statement and called them out for “holding onto Zionist ideologies and the perpetration of genocide”. Following this, Dayenu paid for then-director of SGLMG Louis Hudson to visit Israel.
The United Nations: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/09/israel-has-committed-genocide-gaza-strip-un-commission-finds has found that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Evan Gray (they/them), Pride in Protest
“This is a disgusting and unprecedented overreach by the SGLMG leadership who are destroying the organisation with their vendettas. Ordering groups to remove social media posts criticising support for the genocide, regardless of the truth, is a way of equating Jewishness with genocide. It is Zionism.”
“The NSW Police have physically assaulted us, called us slurs, harassed and intimidated and discriminated against us. The Liberal Party has called us extremists and called for Mardi Gras to be defunded, and in other states is locking up trans women in men’s jails and taking healthcare away from trans kids. Neither of these organisations has been threatened with removal from the parade for their violence.”
“The SGLMG board are chasing Adelaide Writer’s Festival in a race to the bottom with their censorship. This is the same board that says it is unfair to encourage floats to support trans rights as that would be an ‘imposition,’ but is now demanding to control the social media of organisations who march in the parade.”
“Pride in Protest refuses to comply with this authoritarian censorship that silences speaking out about genocide. We refuse to be silent whether it is Minns’ cops, or the SGLMG co-chairs, trying to silence us.”

Latoya Aroha Rule (all pronouns), Wiradjuri, Te Ātiawa, takatāpui/queer researcher 
“From the earliest days of resistance to today, raising our voices has been how we have defended our land, our cultures, and our right to exist with dignity. Pride is protest, and protest is a vital expression of truth-telling and self-determination. When we stand together — Blak, queer, allied — we honour the strength of our Elders and create space for the next generation to live freely and proudly. The right to peaceful protest must be protected, because our voices have always mattered, and they always will.”

Dr Amanda Cohn (she/her), Member of the NSW Legislative Council
 
“It’s an extraordinary act of censorship to exclude Pride in Protest from the Sydney Mardi Gras parade, especially when the organisers are happy to include the Liberal Party who have called for the parade’s funding to be reviewed and continue to vote against LGBTQIA+ rights in Parliament.”
 
Michelle Berkon (she/her), Jews Against the Occupation ’48
 
“As proud anticolonial antizionist Jews, we are used to establishment Jewish communal bodies delegitimising our Jewishness for our criticism of Israel and rejection of Zionism. This disgraceful overreach by SGLMG leadership, claiming that Pride In Protest’s morally consistent opposition to oppression, erasure, and genocide places them outside the parameters of acceptable LGBTQIA+ identity is a tune from the same hypocritical disgraceful songbook. Dayenu and the SGLMG leadership are betraying the very principles of the struggle for equality that Mardi Gras is supposed to embody.”

The Minns Labor Government is helping spread the message of gambling harm by funding social media awareness campaigns co-designed by Aboriginal young people for Aboriginal young people.

Our Mob, Our Media, Our Message – Gambling Harm Prevention Grants of $400,000 were offered by the Office of Responsible Gambling (ORG) after a recent survey showed 10.4 per cent of Aboriginal people in NSW experience at-risk gambling, compared to 3.8 per cent across the general population.  

The program acts on advice from Aboriginal stakeholders and organisations on the importance of raising awareness about gambling harm among Aboriginal youth. 

It was made clear that social media is a powerful way to influence attitudes, and that for the content to be engaging and effective, it should be developed by Aboriginal people for Aboriginal people. 

Three not-for-profit organisations with experience working with Aboriginal communities will now partner with young Aboriginal people to create culturally relevant messages about gambling harm and use social media as a tool to engage and educate them. 

The three organisations awarded grants and their projects are:

• $149,620 to Souths Cares for the Souths Cares Gambling Education Campaign, a six-month digital initiative to reduce gambling harm among Aboriginal young people by using Souths Cares’ community networks and the South Sydney Rabbitohs NRL club brand to co-design culturally appropriate messages with youth and ambassadors. South Sydney Rabbitohs is also a partner of the NSW Government’s Reclaim the Game program that enables the club to turn down sports betting sponsorships and eliminate sports betting advertising at their home games.
• $150,000 to the Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation to run the Don’t Get Caught in the Gambling Net Campaign, a 12-month Aboriginal youth-led campaign that will engage young people across Macarthur, Illawarra and the South Coast to co-create culturally specific media assets through on-country workshops and storytelling.
• $100,000 to the Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation for the Ungooroo Gambling Minimisation Project, a co-designed, community-led campaign to reduce gambling harm among Aboriginal young people in the Singleton and Muswellbrook regions by empowering local voices to share lived experiences and create culturally safe, community-informed messages.

The organisations will have 18 months to deliver the educational campaigns.

Capacity building activities were incorporated into the program to support organisations to apply for, co-design and deliver their projects and meet reporting and evaluation requirements. 

For more information, go to: https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/our-mob-our-media-our-message-gambling-harm-prevention-grants

Minister for Gaming and Racing and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said:

“I’m pleased to support these three organisations to create engaging social media content that encourages conversations about gambling harm and challenges attitudes around gambling.

“The Office of Responsible Gambling was established to provide support to people experiencing gambling harm, which it achieves through a range of services, including face-to-face, telephone and online counselling.

“The statistics showing the higher rates of Aboriginal people experiencing gambling harm in NSW are concerning and this partnership approach to reach young Aboriginal people will help close this unacceptable gap and ensure our goal of preventing and minimising gambling harm can be met across all communities in NSW.”

Souths Rabbitohs NRL player and Souths Cares Ambassador Cody Walker said:

“Souths Cares leads the way in promoting positive messages that empower young people.

“I’m proud to support this campaign as an ambassador and help young people rethink gambling and recognise the harm it can cause.”

About the organisations

Souths Cares is an independent not-for-profit public benevolent institution, delivering transformational education, employment, training and health promotion programs. It was built upon the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ long and proud history of supporting the community, in particular Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Tharawal Aboriginal Corporation is a not-for-profit holistic Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation. It provides a wide range of comprehensive, culturally safe health and wellbeing services at the highest standard possible to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in the Southwestern Sydney region.

Ungooroo Aboriginal Corporation is a not-for-profit, 100 per cent Aboriginal-owned community organisation based in Singleton NSW. It provides a range of services such as health, youth support, training and employment opportunities, Aboriginal art and tourism, economic development and social inclusion services, including NDIS and mental health programs.