Category: NSW News

Repairs and betterment works are now underway for more than 40 landslip sites on Wisemans Ferry Road in Spencer and Gunderman on the Central Coast, thanks to $28.3 million from Albanese and Minns Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Wisemans Ferry Road experienced widespread damage including embankments with landslides and rockfalls at multiple locations, after major flooding and storms in 2022.

The road will be restored to its pre-disaster function and become more resilient to future natural disasters, as part of Essential Public Asset Reconstruction and Regional Roads Transport Recovery Package initiatives.

These initiatives help local councils in NSW rebuild road and transport infrastructure projects in disaster-impacted communities.

Alongside current road pavement rehabilitation, over the coming months Wisemans Ferry Road will see works across four interconnected segments to rectify several critical landslide and embankment erosion issues.

Completion of the Wisemans Ferry Road project is anticipated in June 2026, weather depending.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Jenny McAllister:

“The Albanese and Minns Governments are committed to working with Central Coast Council to build a stronger and more reliable road network that keeps local communities connected and freight operators moving.

“Restoring and improving vital infrastructure such as Wisemans Ferry Road helps local communities respond and bounce back more quickly to any future natural disasters.”

the Member for Robertson, Dr. Gordon Reid:

“I welcome the collaboration between the Federal and State Labor Governments to start these much-needed rehabilitation works along Wisemans Ferry Road.

“I know through conversations with my community that safety along Wisemans Ferry Road is a top priority, being one of the primary roads in and out of the area.

“As an emergency doctor, it is vitally important that frontline services can access these communities easily and safely.”

NSW Minister for Planning, Paul Scully:

“We have seen Wisemans Ferry Road severely impacted by weather events in recent years so this investment in upgrading more than 40 landslip sites is important.

“When repair works are undertaken in disaster prone areas, we want to make sure they make the area more resilient for the future.

“These works on Wisemans Ferry Road are long overdue for the community to return to their normal travel routes around the area.”

NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison:

“We know Wisemans Ferry Road is vulnerable to severe weather events, and this funding will help Central Coast Council to both carry out necessary repairs and to ensure the local road network is more capable of withstanding future natural disasters.

“This funding will provide a boost to Council, to improve the local roads that people use every day to travel to work, see their families and get to medical appointments.

“Working together, we can help communities remain connected or re-connect faster following a severe weather event.”

NSW Minister for the Central Coast David Harris:

“These extensive rehabilitation works are a huge win for residents, visitors and freight operators who rely on Wisemans Ferry Road.

“These works will improve safety significantly while also ensuring the region can bounce back quicker.

“I’m proud to be part of a government providing funding which will improve the daily lives of regional communities.”

Gosford MP Liesl Tesch:

“Wisemans Ferry Road has been significantly impacted by severe weather events and the local community are very happy to see work progressing to not only restore the road, but ensure it’s improved for the long-term benefit of all locals and visitors.

“The Central Coast deserves to have infrastructure that can recover more quickly from these types of disasters, allowing life to get back to normal more quickly.

“Simply repairing the damage without addressing the underlying problems would eventually be more costly for all concerned.”

Central Coast Council Director Infrastructure Services, Boris Bolgoff:

“The long-awaited works have been much anticipated by the community after many natural disasters and storm events impacted local roads and the day-to-day life of locals, as well as visitors to the area.

“Since the time that emergency works were undertaken to reinstate road access and ensure safe use of the road, Council has continued to work on delivering solutions to get the road back to working order and to better withstand future natural disasters.

“We are excited to have successfully secured funding from the Australian and NSW Governments and for the remediation works on Wisemans Ferry Road to now be underway.

“This is a very welcome milestone for the community and the tourism industry, and we thank the Australian and NSW Governments for their funding support.”

The Minns Labor Government has passed legislation today that will greatly enhance the delivery of regional economic development and to build stronger communities across rural and regional NSW.

Significant changes to the Regional Development Act by the Government, have lifted community confidence in how taxpayer funds will be used in regional NSW following years of porkbarrelling and mismanagement by the former Nationals/Liberal Government.

The NSW Government is committed to delivering change and ensuring government investments are targeted and will make a real positive difference to people and communities.

The modernised Regional Development Act reflects the community feedback and 232 submissions received in response to the community engagement on the Bill.

This engagement also included hearing from rural and remote council Mayors and general managers, regional Councils, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Business NSW, NSW Farmers, Regional Development Australia, regionally located Universities and the NSW Aboriginal Women’s Advisory Network.

The new legislation provides a robust framework for how the Government’s $400 million Regional Development Trust supports community needs and economic development in the communities it is designed to serve.

The changes introduce independent accountability, greatly improve cooperation between all levels of government and provide greater transparency in funding arrangements for regional development projects.

The Regional Development Act has now been modernised with:

• Updated objects of the Act to reflect the contemporary needs of rural and regional NSW and encourage cooperation and collaboration with all tiers of government including local government
• Broader types of financial investment that can be provided from the Regional Development Trust to better respond to the challenges and opportunities in rural and regional NSW
• Reinvestment enabled into the Regional Development Trust by government, private sector and non-for-profit organisations
• Strengthened accountability and transparency through new governance and reporting provisions requiring the publication of an annual report, investment strategy and governance framework so the public have a clear understanding of the focus and investment of the Regional Development Trust
• A mandate that the Minister must establish a Regional Development Advisory Council so that independent expert advice is a constant component of the administration of the Regional Development Trust.

As part of the modernised Regional Development Act, the Regional Development Advisory Council will provide independent advice and oversight on investments from the Regional Development Trust.

Community members interested in shaping the future prosperity of regional NSW are encouraged to apply to become part of the NSW Government’s Regional Development Advisory Council.

Expressions of Interest for the new Advisory Council opened on 11 September 2024 and close on 11:59PM Wednesday 9 October.

For more information about the Regional Development go to: www.nsw.gov.au/regional-nsw/regional-development-roadmap

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“Updating the Regional Development Act is an important milestone that ensures investments into rural and regional communities from the Government’s $400 Regional Development Trust are strategic and provide real benefits for regional communities.

“This new Act represents the full delivery of the Regional Development Roadmap to update our regional development framework. This is in addition to the establishment of the regional development advisory council and the investment of $400m into the regional development trust.

“The Trust will invest where it is needed most and support projects that deliver meaningful benefit to regional communities.

“With these changes, regional communities can have full confidence that investments are made in a fair and transparent way underpinned by independent expert advice.”

NSW Ambulance staff who have provided exceptional care to their communities have been honoured at public events held across NSW to celebrate Ambulance Appreciation Day.

More than 150 NSW Ambulance staff were recognised for commendable acts of courage and going above and beyond in their role in saving lives across the state.

NSW Ambulance Appreciation Day events were held at the State Operations Centre and ambulance stations across the state, including Central Sydney, Liverpool, Woy Woy, Blacktown, Hamilton, Kingscliff, Wagga Wagga and Bathurst to publicly recognise and celebrate our paramedics and ambulance staff members for their achievements and extraordinary care they have provided.

NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM attended the event at Central Sydney Ambulance Station and acknowledged the dedication and compassion of NSW Ambulance staff.

Among those recognised today were Cameron Edgar, Associate Director Helicopter Operations, Guy Blanchard, Duty Aeromedical Manager and critical care paramedic Garth Thomson who all started with NSW Ambulance on the same day 30 years ago.

Other awards presented include the Commissioner’s Commendations for Courage and Service, Commissioner’s Unit Citations for Courage and Service, and service recognition clasps to dedicated staff with more than 30 years of continuous service.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“The outstanding care paramedics and NSW Ambulance staff provide to the community is second to none and today we recognise a special cohort who have gone beyond the call of duty for the people of NSW.

“Those receiving awards today have shown exceptional care to the community and remarkable courage, but I also want to acknowledge all NSW Ambulance staff who put patient care at the centre of everything they do.”

NSW Health Secretary, Susan Pearce AM:

“NSW Ambulance Appreciation Day is a great opportunity to celebrate the professionalism and specialised skills of NSW Ambulance staff and recognise the important work they do around the state in the pre-hospital setting.

“I am immensely proud of all the paramedics, doctors, nurses, control centre staff, corporate staff and volunteers who are being acknowledged and awarded today.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive, Dr Dominic Morgan:

“Today is about celebrating the remarkable achievements of NSW Ambulance staff from across the state and recognising their hard work and exceptional skills.

“I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to our staff on the road, in the air, at our stations, airbases, control centres, offices and State Operations Centre for your dedication in providing excellent care to the NSW community.”

The Minns Labor Government will support all nine recommendations from the NSW Parliament’s inquiry into government procurement, paving the way for more transparent, fair and effective practices.

Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement Courtney Houssos referred the matter to the parliamentary inquiry in response to concerns about the decline in local manufacturing and a lack of local content policies under the previous Liberal-National Government.

The NSW Government welcomes all of the report’s recommendations which will see:

• An expanded definition of ‘value for money’ so that opportunities for job creation and local industry support can be factored into government spend,
• The amending or removal of obstacles to opportunities for small and medium size enterprises to bid for government contracts,
• Improved compliance and assurance with procurement policies and directions,
• New measures to ensure timely feedback is offered to all parties involved in a competitive tender bid.

Under the previous Liberal-National Government, thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of major contracts were sent abroad. What came back were delays, cost blowouts and, ultimately, inferior products.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to reforming government procurement to encourage the development of local industries and remove barriers to local growth.

The inquiry’s recommendations complement the suite of reforms already commenced by the NSW Government, including:

• Mandating that agencies engage with local NSW suppliers before tendering for contracts worth more than $7.5 million, and if the contract is awarded to a supplier outside NSW, to undergo a ‘please explain’ outlining why it wasn’t,
• Revoking rules which made it unlawful for NSW government agencies to seek, or even consider, local employment and business growth opportunities at any stage of the procurement process,
• Slashing red tape for small and medium enterprises who contract with the NSW Government, and increasing the threshold for direct engagement to $250,000,
• Announcing plans to legislate a Jobs First Commission which will mandate local tender weightings and minimum skills requirements, and monitor their implementation,
• Announcing plans to create a debarment scheme to ban dodgy suppliers from engaging with the NSW Government.

Last year the NSW Government spent approximately $42 billion on goods and services.

Chaired by the Hon Dr Sarah Kaine MLC, the inquiry received 64 submissions from a range of stakeholders including industry, unions, associations and councils, academics and members of the public. It held a series of public hearings to hear first-hand from industry professionals, key stakeholders and government agencies. 

The inquiry’s first report, and the full NSW Government response are available on the NSW Parliament website at <https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/committees/inquiries/Pages/inquiry-details.aspx?pk=3014>.

Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement Courtney Houssos:

“We have the opportunity to be smarter with our procurement dollars, better leveraging them to deliver better outcomes for businesses and workers across NSW.

“The inquiry’s report made it clear that there is significant reform required to ensure the effective operation of the procurement framework to maximise value-for-money for taxpayers.

“By reforming the way the government spends its precious procurement dollars we can unlock new opportunities for local suppliers and small businesses.

“The inquiry’s findings demonstrate that the reforms we have already put in place have us on the right path. There’s clearly more work to be done to make sure more of the NSW Government’s $42 billion spend can go to support local jobs and local industries.

“I thank the committee for their work and look forward to receiving their final report.

inquiry chair Dr Sarah Kaine MLC:

“This is an important inquiry, given the vital role government procurement plays in the NSW economy. With almost $42 billion spent each year, we need to make sure that this spend factors in the overall impact and cost to our community not just the ticketed price.

“I am pleased the Government will be supporting all nine recommendations, it highlights this Government’s commitment to ensuring our procurement system is fit for purpose, and to leverage the power of government procurement to promote local jobs and foster our local manufacturing industry.”

Strata managing agents face tough new laws that crack down on secret kickbacks through greater transparency and higher penalties for agents doing the wrong thing.

Strata laws put owners’ corporations in charge of making key decisions on the buildings and common property of townhouses and apartments, usually with the assistance of a strata managing agent.

The new laws will ensure tough action against agents who don’t properly declare conflicts of interest.

Key changes include:  

• increasing the maximum penalties and penalty infringement notice amounts for existing agent obligations to disclose information about commissions
• strengthening the conflict-of-interest disclosure requirements
• banning agents from receiving a commission on insurance products when they don’t play a role in finding the best deal for residents
• strengthening NSW Fair Trading’s enforcement and compliance powers.

The higher penalties, greater transparency and new enforcement powers follow an $8.4 million investment in more resources for NSW Fair Trading to tackle issues in strata and property services in this year’s budget.  

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“Building more high quality, higher density housing is a key pillar of the Government’s comprehensive plan to build a better NSW so we need people to have confidence to invest and live in strata schemes.

“The Government has wasted no time in tightening controls to respond to community concerns about accountability and conflicts of interest in the strata industry.

“These changes will help to restore the confidence of the 1.2 million people already living in strata schemes and change the perception that strata managing agents can take advantage of owners without consequences.”

Passengers are advised that industrial action this week may cause disruption to NSW train services.  
 
Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink have been notified about a range of industrial actions from the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union.  
 
The rail agencies continue to bargain in good faith with the Combined Rail Unions for a new enterprise bargaining agreement.
 
We have had two full day bargaining sessions with the Combined Rail Unions this week including yesterday, Tuesday 17 September, and today, Wednesday 18 September.
 
This industrial action could cause train services to be cancelled at short notice and impact the ability to respond to operational incidents on the rail network.  
 
In addition, weekend rail services may operate at lower frequency and there may be impacts on planned track work and special event transport services.  
 
Train service plans for the major events this weekend are under development, and we will update passengers as soon as possible.
 
We apologise for the inconvenience this industrial action may cause and ask passengers to plan ahead, leave extra travel time, and keep updated about any changes to services by using the Trip Planner, checking travel alerts and our social media channels. 

TAFE NSW is encouraging the next generation to take up an in-demand career in the booming agricultural sector by showcasing training pathways at the Henty Machinery Field Days.

It comes as the agriculture industry faces an ongoing skills shortage with Australia’s peak farming body, National Farmers’ Federation (NFF), saying TAFE NSW will play a critical role in ensuring the industry has the workforce to meet future demand. The NFF Roadmap outlines its vision to grow the agricultural workforce by 25 per cent over the next decade.

The iconic three-day event, which runs from 17 to 19 September, is southern Australia’s largest agricultural fair, featuring the latest in machinery and farm equipment, farm produce, agronomy, government and health services, and agribusiness.

TAFE NSW Primary Industries Centre has had a site at the event for more than 35 years and this year’s is one of its largest ever.

The TAFE NSW site includes seven “junior judging stations”, featuring demonstrations and interactive displays in subject areas including beef genetics, sheep production, crops and pastures, animal studies, and wool.

Local high school and primary school students have been invited to participate in the stations and gain a deeper understanding of how a TAFE NSW agriculture course can lead to an exciting and rewarding career.

The TAFE NSW site at Henty also includes a shearing demonstration, horticulture display, domestic pet first aid demonstration, and two hi-tech virtual welders.

A host of TAFE NSW Certificate IV and Diploma agriculture students will be at the event to network with employers and industry heavyweights, as well as see the latest farm equipment, machinery and services.

According to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES), the nation’s agriculture industry was worth a record $80 billion in 2022-23.

In July, the NSW Government announced it was helping futureproof the state’s farming industry and support regional economies by extending a program focused on upskilling the agricultural workforce.

AgSkilled is an industry-led training program designed to upskill and better prepare the agricultural workforce for fast-moving changes driven by innovation, research, and technology.

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

“It’s great to see TAFE NSW continuing to support Henty Field Days and help foster the next generation of agricultural workers.

“As a former Minister for Primary Industries and current member of an electorate that has agriculture baked into its DNA, I’m acutely aware of the importance of ensuring the agriculture industry has the workforce to meet future demand.

“Agriculture is a rapidly changing industry and whether it’s at the cutting edge of technology, working on the land, or in a lab, agriculture offers so many exciting career opportunities.

“TAFE NSW works closely with major agricultural employers to ensure training meets their changing needs, and Henty Field Days is a great opportunity to take the pulse of industry.

“The Riverina-Murray makes the largest regional contribution to agriculture production in NSW, and TAFE NSW has two specialist campuses in the region – TAFE NSW Primary Industries Centre and TAFE NSW National Environment Centre.

“By investing in the skills and training of our workforce at these campuses, the NSW Government is ensuring our farmers and agricultural workers are well-prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.”

TAFE NSW Primary Industries Centre Head Teacher of Agriculture, Rob Harris said:

“I’ve been attending Henty Field Days with TAFE NSW Primary Industries Centre for more than 30 years and this is one of the largest exhibitions TAFE NSW has ever had.

“It’s an ideal opportunity to showcase the many pathways available at TAFE NSW to get the real-world skills and knowledge to launch a career in agriculture.

“It also gives current students a close-up view of the changing face of agriculture and allows them to meet major industry employers.

“Our two local agricultural campuses are set on working farms, giving students the opportunity to learn hands-on skills and engage with the latest technology to get a running start to their careers.”

The Minns Government is helping farmers across NSW boost productivity, improve on-farm technology and connectivity by expanding its innovative $33 million Farms of the Future Agtech program to 2028.

The Farms of the Future Program is designed to drive the uptake of state-of-the-art agriculture technology which is estimated to boost on-farm productivity by up to 25%, equating to a $3 billion increase in GVP per year.

Agtech includes new technologies and innovations that have the potential to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture.

It includes sensors and devices that enable real time monitoring of on-ground conditions such as weather, soil moisture and water supplies as well as devices, hardware and software that enable automation and robotics. 

The expanded Farms of the Future program, which previously targeted 11 LGAS, will now be open to all NSW farmers and will be more sharply focused on accelerating the adoption of Agtech and education around it.

The program will also focus on addressing key barriers faced by farmers in the take up of Agtech such as on-farm connectivity, digital capability, unclear benefits and poor user experience. 

Changes to the program include a broader education offering, ensuring farmers feel equipped with the knowledge and expertise they need to get the most out of Agtech on their property.

Changes to the program, which has now been extended to 2028, include:

• Industry specific training courses which cover fundamentals right through to aspects of new technology.
• Demonstration Hubs, located in 10 DPIRD research stations across the state, will allow farmers to witness firsthand how devices operate in real farm settings, observe the data collected, understand how farms use this data.
• Agtech Alley which is a designated space for Agtech suppliers at major field days to connect directly with farmers.
• Agtech Toolbox which is an extensive resource offering articles, case studies and how-to-videos.

Further information on The Farms of the Future Program is available here.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“The changes to our Farms for the Future program are about helping more farmers understand and reap the enormous benefits of Agtech including increased productivity, better farm management and greater connectivity.

“Agtech provides more reliable and current information, helping farmers make better and quicker decisions that supports both productivity and sustainability.

“This transition to a broader state-wide program, will help farmers really embrace Agtech solutions and ensure they are supported every step of the way.

Case Study

Michael and Helen Payten: ‘Alfalfa’ outside Canowindra, Central Western NSW

Michael and Helen Payten run a mixed enterprise farm with 50% cropping and 50% pastures for sheep on their 1,180 hectare farm, ‘Alfalfa’ outside Canowindra.

They manage 3,500 breeding ewes and 100 hectares of irrigated lucerne, producing a mix of small and large bales.

Technology currently being used on Alfalfa and connectivity utilised includes spray advisory system, weather station, hay storage monitoring, fuel level monitor.

Michael Payten said:

“We have benefitted greatly from being involved in the Farms of the Future Program. There is great Agtech available, and this program gave us the confidence and momentum to adopt some new technologies.

“The spray advisory system we have installed is becoming a crucial factor in determining optimal spraying windows.

“It combines all the key data including temperature, wind, delta T, humidity & potential inversion layers and takes out the risk of poor spray outcomes, a win for both crop production and the environment.”

Helen Payten said:

“We’re very happy with the tank monitoring, complete with alerts. With four water supply tanks fed primarily by solar pumps, we were always anxious and constantly needing to check tank levels.

“With livestock needs and house water supplies dependent on the tanks, we now get early warning if there’s a sudden fall. It gives great peace of mind.”

The Minns Labor Government today issued a Control Order to protect NSW’s valuable tomato, capsicum and chilli industries by reducing the risk of the devastating tomato brown rugose virus entering the state.

NSW remains free of tomato brown rugose fruit virus, which was for the first time confirmed in Australia when it was found this August in tomato crops near Adelaide.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus is a highly contagious plant virus which could be a serious threat to Australia’s $5.8 billion vegetable industry and the $2.8 billion plant nursery industry.

The control order restricts high risk produce from entering NSW, including tomatoes, capsicums and chillies, from infested properties in South Australia.

Restrictions apply to other properties which are linked to the infested sites.

Plans are in place to eradicate the virus, which has been found in just four greenhouses on three South Australian properties.

The greenhouses are enclosed, which supports efforts to contain the disease and apply control measures to rid Australia of this threat.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is working with industry, international and national experts to maintain NSW’s disease-free status and safely allow continuing trade in fresh produce, seedlings and seeds.

Containment of the disease underpins these plans and extensive surveillance is ongoing in South Australia, NSW and other states and territories. 

The South Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) is responding to the confirmed detection, which was found in tomatoes.

Industry and home gardeners are urged to be on the lookout for signs of tomato brown rugose fruit virus and call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline 1800 084 881 if suspect plants are found.

Signs of the virus include:

• mosaic and mottled patterns, yellowing, discoloration and deformities on leaves
• fruit with yellow patches, marbling, brown wrinkled spots or uneven ripening.

Symptoms vary between plants and laboratory diagnosis is needed to identify tomato brown rugose virus, which is similar to other viruses from the same family.

More information is available from the NSW DPIRD website.

NSW Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty, said:

“Tomato brown rugose virus is a serious threat to the state’s $115 million combined tomato, capsicum and chilli industries.

“The NSW control order is in place to protect NSW from the disease and allow industry to safely trade in fresh produce, seedlings and seeds.”

“Biosecurity is a top priority for the NSW Government and if problems arise in other states, we need to take swift and urgent action to protect our industries.

“I encourage all growers to look out for signs of the virus in tomato, capsicum and chilli crops.

“There is no risk to food safety or human health from eating tomatoes with the virus.”

The latest Bureau of Health Information (BHI) Health Quarterly results show the NSW health system remains resilient in the face of unprecedented pressure.

There were 795,817 emergency department (ED) attendances in the April to June quarter, up 3.3 per cent from the same quarter last year and only marginally lower (1.8 per cent) than the record-breaking January to March 2024 quarter.

The NSW Government remains focused on expanding alternative care pathways outside of the hospital.

In 2023-24 more than 235,000 people who were assessed by HealthDirect received advice or referral to a health service avoiding a trip to the ED.

Despite significant pressure, many EDs have exhibited incredible resilience and even significant improvements in key performance indicators, including

• Canterbury Hospital which saw an 18.9 per cent increase in the proportion of patients treated on time;
• Moree Hospital which saw a 14.8 per cent increase in the proportion of patients treated on time; and
• Liverpool Hospital which saw a 15.3 per cent improvement in the proportion of patients transferred from paramedics to ED staff.

The NSW Government’s comprehensive strategy to relieve pressure on EDs includes creating pathways to care outside of the hospital as well as improving patient flow inside the hospital, through:

• $100 million for urgent care services and $171.4 million for three new virtual care services to divert hundreds of thousands of presentations from EDs;
• Allowing pharmacists to provide consultations for low complexity conditions, relieving pressure on GPs; and
• Improving patient flow within the hospital with $70 million for short stay units; $31.4 million for hospital in the home; and $53.9 million to deploy 86 patient flow officers in hospitals across the state.

The Minns Labor Government has also introduced the $189 million Bulk-Billing Support Initiative which will help stem declining bulk-billing rates, and foster greater access to GPs, and in turn, relieve pressure on our busy hospitals.

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“We are so grateful for the hard work of our dedicated hospital staff who are confronted with record demand.

“While our EDs grapple with unprecedented pressure, I’m really encouraged by the work being undertaken in creating alternative pathways to care outside of the hospital.

“This is almost a quarter of a million people who may have otherwise ended up a long time in a busy ED.

“We are undertaking a comprehensive and world leading range of measures to relieve our busy and stretched emergency departments.”