Category: NSW News

The National Association of Women in Construction NSW (NAWIC NSW) has awarded a prestigious government sponsored $30,000 scholarship for women in property and construction to engineer Nicole Waterman, Project Leader at Laing O’Rourke.

This NSW Women’s Week, the Minns Labor Government is recommitting to gender equality and boosting women’s empowerment and advancement.

In particular, the government is focussed on increasing opportunities in the construction industry, proudly funding the 2025 NAWIC NSW Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship.

The game-changing scholarship was created to recognise women who have made a significant impact on the construction industry and demonstrate potential as future leaders. It provides funding for executive level further education to equip senior women in the construction sector with the leadership skills to drive industry change.

The scholarship was awarded to Ms Waterman at the NAWIC NSW International Women’s Day lunch on Thursday 6 March 2025. 

As a talented engineer who has led teams of up to 250 people, Ms Waterman has contributed to the delivery of multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects and championed women in the industry through mentoring and advocacy.

Ms Waterman is currently leading the TAP3 Footbridge Project at St Marys NSW, was Delivery Partner Lead on the $2 billion Western Tunnelling Package and played a key role in the Central Station upgrade for Sydney Metro.  

The scholarship will provide her career a boost, enabling her to enrol in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Global Executive Academy in the United States. 

Previous scholarship recipients include 2023 winner Talia Keyes, General Manager for Design with Scentre Group and 2024 winner Jua Cilliers, Head of the School of Built Environment at UTS. 

To find out more about the Women in Construction program visit the Women in Construction webpage and the NAWIC NSW Scholarships webpage.

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

“This scholarship is one of many NSW Government-led initiatives aimed at attracting and retaining women in the construction industry across NSW. Our objective is to cultivate a workforce that is both diverse and representative of the entire community.

“Congratulations to Nicole Waterman on securing this wonderful opportunity to enhance her skills and advance her career. The Minns Labor Government is delighted to support the professional growth of women like her.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“Congratulations to Nicole Waterman for being an inspiring leader.

“The NSW Government is committed to bringing about change in the construction industry by removing barriers and creating opportunities for women to succeed.

“It has the potential to change the career trajectory of the recipient and reflects the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to attracting and retaining women in construction.”

Infrastructure NSW Chief Executive, Tom Gellibrand said:

“We are thrilled to announce Nicole Waterman as the recipient of this year’s NAWIC NSW Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship.

“Nicole’s dedication to the construction industry and her leadership in advocating for women in STEM make her an outstanding choice. This scholarship will further empower her to drive positive change and inspire future leaders in the industry.

“The NSW Government Women in Construction Program is proud to support this initiative and remains committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within the construction sector.”

NAWIC NSW Co-President, Taleah Stofka said:

“Nicole stood out for her strategic thinking, collaborative leadership and passion for the construction industry. She is a leader with deep technical expertise and site-based experience, a gift for communication, and an ability to inspire teams at scale. 

“The judges look for industry role models – leaders with a clear vision and commitment to giving back. Nicole is exactly that.

“This year’s scholarship saw a record-breaking number of applications, thanks to an expanded reach through our partnership with the NSW Government Women in Construction Program.”

Five of the state’s most exceptional women have been honoured as recipients of the NSW Women of the Year Awards 2025, at the International Convention Centre in Sydney this morning.

The NSW Women of the Year Awards are the centrepiece of NSW Women’s Week, which runs from Sunday 2 March and concludes on International Women’s Day on Saturday 8 March.

The five 2025 Award recipients are:

Dr Jessica Luyue Teoh (Hornsby), NSW Young Woman of the Year

Dr Jessica Luyue Teoh is a domestic violence advocate and 2023 Churchill Fellow – one of only two women under 30 in Australia to receive this honour.

Sandy Rogers (Tweed), NSW Community Hero

Sandy Rogers has dedicated 40 years to improving the lives of children with intellectual and physical disability and their families.

Dr Vanessa Pirotta (Canada Bay), Premier’s NSW Woman of Excellence

Dr Vanessa Pirotta is a wildlife scientist renowned for her impact on marine conservation and science communication.

Kirsty Evans (Orange), NSW Regional Woman of the Year

Kirsty Evans has led efforts to provide pro bono legal advice to the community of Molong, affected by severe flooding in 2022.

Marjorie Anderson (Georges River), NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year

Marjorie Anderson is a dedicated leader who has been pivotal in the success of 13YARN – the first national crisis support service for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people in crisis, since its inception.

The Ones to Watch (girls aged 7-15 years)

• Aish Khurram (The Hills Shire)
• Ashleen Khela (The Hills Shire)
• Aurora Iler (Campbelltown)
• Chloe Croker (Goulburn Mulwaree)
• Emilia Trustum (Richmond Valley)
• Hayley Paterson (Hornsby)
• Jiayi Fang (Ku-ring-gai)
• Kat Mulcair (Yass Valley)
• Lydia Tofaeono (Strathfield)
• Waniya Syed (Camden)

This year, a special In Memoriam was added to the Awards ceremony for Maddy Suy, a vibrant girl whose love for life inspired many. Diagnosed with a brain tumour at age six, Maddy faced the challenge with bravery and positivity. Maddy advocated for those who could not. She wanted to leave a legacy and to inspire others to contribute through the Maddy & Co hubs.

Local Woman of the Year 2025 recipients, who were nominated by their local MP also attended the Awards ceremony today and received certificates for exemplary service to their communities. The Local Woman Honour Roll will be published on the Women of the Year Awards webpage.

The NSW Women of the Year Awards have been running since 2012, recognising and celebrating the New South Wales’s revolutionary thinkers, everyday heroes, social advocates and innovative role models.

More details about the NSW Women of the Year Awards program and recorded livestream of 2025 ceremony are available on the Women of the Year Awards webpage.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“I’m delighted to congratulate NSW’s most remarkable women and girls, for breaking barriers and achieving the highest success in their respective fields.”

“You are the future of NSW, inspiring everyone right across the state with your dedication, passion and lasting impacts in the community.”

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“Congratulations to the recipients of the NSW Women of the Year Awards. You are truly deserving of the recognition you received today. The New South Wales Government is proud to celebrate your incredible success and highlight your role in inspiring other women and girls across the state.

“You can’t be what you can’t see, and you all are paving the way forward for women and girls with your strength, resilience and achievements.

“The program also recognises women at the core of communities and families, with our Local Women of the Year recognition.

“I also look forward to following the journeys of our incredible young recipients. You are all already hitting goals and making waves in your communities, so I’m sure you have bright futures ahead.”

NSW Young Woman of the Year 2025 recipient Jessica Teoh said:

“To stand alongside such a diverse and passionate group of women, each making impactful contributions to their communities and fields, is truly inspiring. This recognition highlights the collective strength of women driving change, and I am grateful to be part of this incredible journey.”

NSW Community Hero 2025 recipient Sandy Rogers said:

“I have been fortunate enough to be given great opportunities to help many in our community. Being able to support those needing a ‘little helping hand’ when times and money are tough, make me feel good and I know it means a lot to those we support.”

Premier’s NSW Woman of Excellence 2025 recipient Dr Vanessa Pirotta said:

“This recognition is so powerful and means a lot to me as an early career researcher in science and as a mum. So much of my work is intergenerational and community based, which enables me to ask questions to help equip future generations with important information now about our marine environment. This recognition will help make waves – pardon the pun – across the state to encourage communities to connect with the sea, regardless of whether they live in Bondi, Forbes or where I grew up in Murrumbateman.”

NSW Regional Woman of the Year 2025 recipient Kirsty Evans said:

“It’s a privilege to be acknowledged among such inspiring women who are making a meaningful impact across our state. This recognition is not just a personal milestone but also a reflection of the incredible support I’ve received from my community, my colleagues and family.”

NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year 2025 recipient, Marjorie Anderson said:

“I am passionate about having healthy, sustainable and safe Aboriginal communities. This award reflects my important work in the community and delivery of a world first national crisis line for Indigenous people. Women need to be recognised for the outstanding work they do and supported to continue to achieve greatness.”

As the NSW Government continues to prepare for the impact of Tropical Cyclone Alfred in Northern NSW, we want to thank all the volunteers who are supporting communities.

More than 2,000 NSW State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers are in the field and working with other NSW Government emergency service agencies to prepare and assist communities in the Northern Rivers and on the Mid North Coast. 

NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib has signed a protection order for volunteers involved in responding to Tropical Cyclone Alfred to ensure their employment will not be affected while they assist in the response. 

As this situation continues to unfold, the ongoing support of volunteers will be crucial over the coming days and weeks. 

If you are an individual or part of a group who is planning to or is ready and willing to help, consider partnering with the NSW SES, local authorities and endorsed community groups. 

Your support could be invaluable for urgent tasks such as sandbagging, sharing information, and participating in clean-up activities. 

The NSW Government encourages communities to monitor the NSW SES social media pages for information about volunteering as the situation evolves and community needs are identified. 

People who want to help are urged not to drop off goods or send donations into impacted regions as unrequested donations can disrupt recovery efforts.

If you want to help, please go to GIVIT.org.au to find out exactly what is needed. GIVIT has been contracted by the NSW Government to manage donations of essential goods and services for people impacted by disasters. 

Community members who want to volunteer with the NSW SES can find more information on the Spontaneous volunteers webpage.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said: 

“We’re grateful for our dedicated volunteers and emergency services crews as they work to support the communities facing the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred. 

“If it’s safe and you’re willing and able to help, please consider supporting friends, family and neighbours. 

“I’d also encourage people who are able to look for opportunities to partner with local authorities and community groups for tasks like sandbagging and clean-up activities. 

“If you are elsewhere in NSW, please consider donating to help communities in need through GIVIT. They will ensure people get exactly what they need, when they need it. 

“If we all work together, Northern NSW communities will get the right help at the right time.” 

Minister for the North Coast Rose Jackson said: 

“As the North Coast braces for impact, we acknowledge the tireless efforts of SES volunteers, emergency workers and residents stepping up to protect their communities. 
 
“The days ahead will be tough, but you are not alone. The NSW Government is here, working alongside emergency services and community groups to deliver immediate support and recovery assistance. 
 
“If you’re in a safe position to help, please consider volunteering with the SES, partnering with local groups and if you’re not on the ground – donating through GIVIT to make sure aid reaches those who need it most. 
 
“This region is strong and resilient, with a long history of coming together in tough times. Just a few hours of sandbagging, cleaning up or checking in on a neighbour can make a real difference.” 

The Minns Labor Government is trialling Fishheart; a state-of-the-art temporary fish passage technology in the Lower Darling-Baaka River near Menindee, western NSW.

The goal of this initiative is to test options to connect the Northern and Southern Basin and reduce the accumulation of fish, as part of the Government’s response to the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer (OCSE) independent review into the March 2023 mass fish kill.

The NSW Government continues to make good progress in addressing the recommendations identified in the OSCE report, with 10 of the 26 actions we’ve committed to now complete and the remaining 16 underway funded under the $25 million Restoring the Darling-Baaka River Program.

One of the key actions the NSW Government has committed to is a $6.52 million trial of new temporary fish passage technology at Menindee.

Australian native fish need to migrate to feed, breed and seek new habitat but due to the introduction of barriers to fish passage, like dams and weirs, fish migration pathways have been impacted.

Currently in the Lower Darling-Baaka, fish can only migrate upstream as far as Lake Wetherell and Menindee Main Weir. The Fishheart unit is a floating hydraulic fishway system designed to assist fish moving over existing barriers. Construction commenced to install the Fishheart unit to the Lake Wetherell outlet regulator in December 2024.

Work continued over the summer, with the technology being lowered into the Lower Darling-Baaka River in late January 2025. Calibration and testing of the Fishheart is currently underway. 

The Fishheart unit works by attracting fish into the fishway and then using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect and collect fish in the chambers, counting fish, gathering data before moving fish up and over barriers like the Lake Wetherell outlet regulator.

This is the first time that this innovative technology will be trialled at this scale on Australian inland freshwater fish and builds on Fishheart’s work in Europe and the USA that has shown plenty of promise.

The aim of the project is to test options to connect sections of the river, thereby helping move some fish out of the Menindee town weir pool to complete their life cycle and reducing the biomass and associated risks for water quality and fish kills.

Fisheries Scientists from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) Fisheries will conduct the monitoring program, using underwater sonar and video capture technology, plus trapping activities under appropriate permits.

For more information about the project visit the Menindee Lower Darling-Baaka Temporary Tube Fishway Trial webpage.

To read the NSW Government’s six-month Darling-Baaka progress report, visit the Restoring the Darling-Baaka program webpage.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“This is the first time that this fishway technology will be trialled under Australian conditions at this scale and on native inland freshwater fish and it demonstrates the commitment of the Minns Labor Government to address environmental issues using innovative approaches, especially in western NSW.

“While there is no one size fits all solution to restore fish passage in the Lower Darling-Baaka River or the Menindee Lakes system, this project aims to use innovative science, data and infrastructure as we promised to do.

“Construction has been progressing through very hot days out at Menindee and we are grateful to all the personnel for their efforts in ensuring the fishway can get operational as soon as possible.

“The Fishheart will be trialled for three breeding seasons, to measure its effectiveness in Menindee. But overseas experiences provide strong indicators for success, for moving fish through the fishway safely and hopefully reduce the risks of future fish kills in the Lower Darling-Baaka.”

Minister for Water Rose Jackson said:

“It’s fantastic to see the fish passage being trialled in Menindee which is one of the innovative infrastructure solutions proposed to prevent future fish deaths.

“We pledged to take decisive action on water quality in the Darling-Baaka to improve fish health and we are delivering on this promise, with a six-month progress report now available to show the community where we are up to.

“So far, we have developed new water quality triggers, overhauled our emergency response plans, continued to upgrade monitoring and added additional resources while also exploring state-of-the-art infrastructure solutions such as the tube fishway and microbubble technology.

“I’m encouraged by the progress in a short space of time, which the Chief Scientist himself has acknowledged publicly, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

“The reality is this is an incredibly complex river system with significant challenges that won’t go away overnight, but we are in a much stronger position to respond to changing conditions than ever before, and we are undoubtedly moving in the right direction.”

The Minns Labor Government has today announced Nowra will benefit from a $21 million investment in health worker housing, as the site of the $438 million Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment reached a major milestone.

These investments will provide a significant boost to healthcare on the South Coast of NSW, a rapidly growing region which deserves the best access to world class healthcare.

$21 million Key Health Worker Investment

Nowra will receive new key health worker accommodation which will support staff and the community across the broader Shoalhaven region.

The Minns Labor Government will invest $21 million as part of the broader $200.1 million Key Health Worker Accommodation program.

Now funding has been allocated, planning for the health worker accommodation works is underway.

This planning will determine the best delivery model for Nowra and how many healthcare workers will be accommodated. This will include consultation with health workers and other local stakeholders.

$438 million Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment

The $438 million Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment has reached its highest point, with a topping out of the new seven-storey acute services building.

As part of the traditional ceremony, a tree was lifted onto the roof, with messages tied to its branches from staff, construction workers, and project team members, sharing their excitement and well wishes for the future redeveloped hospital.

The new acute services building is a key feature of the redevelopment and will enable the delivery of contemporary health services and facilities for the local community. The Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment will become a health hub for the region, providing the majority of emergency, critical care, acute, sub-acute and non-admitted health services locally, reducing the need to transfer patients to Wollongong and Sydney.

The new acute services building will deliver a range of new and expanded health services including:

• a new emergency department and emergency short-stay unit
• new intensive care unit
• medical wards
• dedicated acute mental health unit
• double the number of operating theatres, endoscopy and procedure rooms
• a dedicated cardiology inpatient unit, coronary care unit and cardiac catheterisation laboratory
• a new rooftop helipad.

Consultation with staff, patients and the community has been a key part of planning and design for the redevelopment, ensuring the new hospital meets the unique health needs of the Shoalhaven region.

The new hospital building is on track for completion in 2026.

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

“Today’s topping out ceremony marks a major achievement for the $438 million Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment project.

“The redevelopment will transform healthcare delivery for local residents, and ensure they continue to have access to quality care closer to home without needing to travel to Wollongong or Sydney.

“Our government is committed to investing in modern, sustainable accommodation options for key health workers who are the backbone of our regional, rural and remote communities.

“Strengthening our regional health workforce is a key priority for our government and this $21 million investment in accommodation will support attraction of key healthcare workers to Nowra.”

Member for the South Coast, Liza Butler:

“Funding for Key Health Worker Accommodation in Nowra will enhance the Local Health District’s ability to attract and retain essential healthcare professionals to Shoalhaven Hospital.

“As work continues on the $438 million Shoalhaven Hospital Redevelopment this will be particularly important, with the project set to transform healthcare services across the region, delivering modern health facilities and expanded health services for communities across the South Coast.

“Not only is this redevelopment great for healthcare in the region, but it has also been great for local jobs and I am really proud that more than 70 per cent of the construction workforce is based locally.”

The Albanese and Minns Governments have activated disaster assistance to communities in 15 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Northern NSW in anticipation of the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

The NSW Government’s Natural Disaster Declaration applies to the LGAs of: Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Dungog, Kempsey, Kyogle, Lismore, Lord Howe Island, MidCoast, Nambucca Valley, Port Macquarie-Hastings, Richmond Valley and Tweed.

Support has been made available under the joint Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Assistance measures that may be provided to communities include:

• Assistance for eligible residents to help meet immediate needs like emergency accommodation and essential items generally provided from evacuation or recovery centres.
• Grants for eligible low-income residents to replace lost essential household items to maintain basic standard of living.
• Grants for eligible low-income residents to undertake essential structural repairs to restore their homes to a basic, safe and habitable condition.
• Support for affected local councils to help with the costs of cleaning up and restoring damaged essential public assets.
• Concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers, and non-profit organisations and grants to sporting and recreation clubs to repair or replace damaged or destroyed property.
• Freight subsidies for primary producers to help transport livestock and fodder.
• Financial support towards counter disaster activity undertaken by emergency service organisations to keep communities safe

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister said it’s a challenging time as communities are already experiencing the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred.

“We are activating a range of support to assist flood impacted residents begin their recovery as soon as possible,” Minister McAllister said.

“As we understand the full extent of damage from this event, we will move quickly to activate appropriate support for these communities.”

“We are working closely with Premier Minns and his government as we prepare and respond to this event.”

“Our message to community is clear. Know your local risk, have a plan and prepare your home now.”

NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said natural disaster declarations are a vital step in unlocking joint assistance so communities can begin the clean-up, rebuilding and recovery process.

“We are rolling out support measures for communities we know are likely to be impacted by Tropical Cyclone Alfred. As the event unfolds and impacts are known, further measures will be considered in response to community need,” Minister Dib said.

“The NSW State Emergency Service and other emergency services along with the NSW Reconstruction Authority are on the ground in Northern NSW, preparing for the impact of the cyclone and working to keep the community safe.

“For a region already in recovery from the devastating 2022 floods, we understand this latest disaster will be difficult for many people, and we are committed to continuing to support this resilient community through these challenges.

“We are thankful for the dedication of our emergency services – including the incredible volunteers from the local area and across the state – who are already working around the clock to support communities in Northern NSW.”

More information on disaster assistance can be found at NSW Government and Disaster Assist websites.

The Minns Government is asking councils to take into consideration the need for additional supply chain support when responding to any complaints about operations at warehouses and distribution centres, wholesale and retail centres.

As the community prepares for the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Alfred, the NSW Government is asking councils to be considerate of the exceptional circumstances and support supermarkets and other essential retailers to help keep their shelves stocked.

The Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and its regulation authorises councils to take compliance action in response to breaches of conditions of a development consent relating to operating hours, noise limits and vehicle movement caps.

We are reminding councils they also have discretion in choosing whether to exercise their enforcement powers. This includes considering the temporary nature of any breach, the low level of harm caused and the broader public interest in restoring supply chains.

The complex extension of Sydney Metro services from Sydenham to Bankstown will be completed in 2026 due to the ongoing impacts that industrial action has had on the project.

This conversion of a century old train line to a brand-new state of the art metro is a very complex and difficult project that the NSW Government warned last year could take over 1 year to complete.

The complexity of this project has been compounded by more than 130 days of work on the project that have been impacted by industrial action and its subsequent effects, placing increasing pressure on the construction and testing programs.

Industrial action limited access to work sites and restricted the provision of crucial work permits, which are required for contractors to safely complete work in a live electrical network environment.

This is particularly crucial at the interfaces between the future metro network and the existing Sydney Trains assets.

This has required significant reprogramming of vital construction activities including overhead wiring upgrades, electrification changes, disconnection from adjoining rail networks, track improvements, and platform extensions at Bankstown Station.

This resulted in a delay to the commencement of dynamic train testing, a crucial component of safely testing and commissioning the new railway.

Despite the significant disruptions, the project team and delivery partners have worked tirelessly to progress the Southwest Conversion.

Dynamic testing of Metro Trains on the Southwest conversion is imminent, following approval by the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator.

Passengers on the M1 Line will have experienced some disruption to their commutes with partial closures of the service to allow for work to progress when possible. These disruptions will continue as the testing program commences. We acknowledge passengers will be frustrated and apologise for any inconvenience caused. These possessions will allow the team to complete necessary work to extend metro services to Bankstown.

All platform screen doors and mechanical gap fillers along the line from Marrickville to Bankstown have been installed, taking teams approximately 500 hours to fit out each station.

Since the conversion began a large portion of works have been completed including new lifts installed at Wiley Park, Dulwich Hill, Hurlstone Park, Punchbowl and Canterbury Stations, as well as new kiss and ride zones and refurbishing of station buildings and platform surfaces.

A total of 28.3 kilometres of high-tech railway fencing has been installed along the alignment, which is made up of 5.8km of segregation fencing to separate the existing freight line and the metro corridor and 22.5km of security fencing.

The security fencing includes first-of-its-kind intrusion and object detection system which uses fibre optic cables to monitor for possible intrusions.

Southwest Link buses will continue to operate and will continue to be free for passengers until the new Southwest Metro opens.

Minister for Transport John Graham said:

“The Government has always said that this complex and difficult project may take longer than 1 year. We need to let people know that over 130 days of work have been impacted by industrial action. That means we’ll complete this project in 2026.

“Works like upgrades to overhead wiring and station platforms, as well as electrical work to disconnect the line from the wider train network haven’t been able to proceed on schedule. Testing will start soon but industrial action has been very disruptive.

“Converting a 130-year-old rail line to metro standards is a highly complex project and we are very sorry that passengers will have to wait a bit longer to jump on the metro from Bankstown to the Sydney CBD.

“We promise it will be worth the wait – passengers can look forward to fast, safe and reliable trips, with a train arriving every 4 minutes in the peak.

“When the extension to Bankstown opens in 2026, a trip from Bankstown to Central will take just 28 minutes, Marrickville to Macquarie University will take just 36 minutes and Dulwich Hill to Victoria Cross will take 21 minutes.”

Schools across the North Coast of NSW will be non-operational for the next two days to safeguard students and staff as Tropical Cyclone Alfred approaches.

Due to potential impacts of the cyclone, including a heightened risk of flooding, more than 230 public schools, 29 Catholic schools, five independent schools and 16 TAFE campuses, along with two additional TAFE campuses being used as evacuation centres, are closed. The closures are expected to impact schools from Wednesday 5 March, through to Friday 7 March 2025.

Tropical Cyclone Alfred is expected to cross the coastline north of Brisbane as a Category 2 cyclone late on Thursday or early Friday.

Substantial flooding is expected with up to a metre of rain forecast to fall in southern Queensland and north-eastern NSW over several days.

Because of these risks, families have been asked to not send children to school for the next two days.

At this stage schools are expected to resume operations on Monday 10 March 2025.

The department has a stock of essential products ready to be dispatched to support our school communities, including gloves, paper towels, pump soap, tissues, toilet paper, bottled water and personal insect repellents. Additional blow-drying units and air purifiers are also available.

The Department of Education also requires all early childhood education and care (ECEC) services to operate safely, including during extreme weather events, and is contacting services in affected regions.

The Department urges services to assess the risk of severe weather in their community and if necessary, activate their emergency plans and procedures. We encourage services to follow the advice of local authorities and the SES.

The SES has asked families to prepare their homes for strong winds, by putting away loose items around their home, trimming trees away from properties and not parking vehicles under trees or powerlines. 

Never drive, walk, ride through, play or swim in flood water, and any avoid unnecessary travel. Download the Hazards Near Me App to stay across the latest warnings and information.

Call the NSW SES on 132 500 if you need emergency assistance in floods and storms. In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000) or visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au

Visit the Department of Education website for up-to-date list on information on schools that are non-operational. A list of TAFE NSW campuses that are non-operation is available on the TAFE NSW website.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“As our communities prioritise their safety and prepare for the arrival of Cyclone Alfred, we are ensuring teachers, students and school staff are not unnecessary placed in harm’s way by attending school.

“Keeping our students and families safe must always be our top priority.

“While we usually do not advocate for the closure of schools and places of learning, in these circumstances, an abundance of caution can be what keeps our community safe.”

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“It is important that at this critical time we plan ahead, and we are asking the community to keep their children home from school.

“Please follow the advice of emergency services and continue to check the NSW State Emergency Service website for the latest information and, if you haven’t already, download the Hazards Near Me App which includes the latest warnings and information.

“The NSW Government is doing all we can to prepare ahead of Tropical Cyclone Alfred crossing the coast later this week and we are asking the community to take steps now to ensure that they are prepared.”

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

“Our number one priority is the safety and wellbeing of our staff, students and their families.

“We are incredibly grateful to our team of dedicated TAFE NSW staff who have a wonderful track record of supporting their communities by ensuring campuses can be turned into evacuation centres during natural disaster events.”

Deputy Secretary of Public Schools Deborah Summerhayes said:

“The department is taking a safety-first approach. We know a lot of our North Coast communities have been through difficult periods in recent years –  with the 2022 floods still fresh in their memories.

“That’s why we are planning for the worst and hoping for the best.

“We want to do everything we can to ensure our school communities are well supported and our staff and students are safe.”

This morning, the Governor of NSW appointed Ms Rachael Ward as the Acting Children’s Guardian while a Special Ministerial Inquiry is conducted into the Office of the Children’s Guardian.

Mr Steve Kinmond, who commenced as Children’s Guardian in January 2023, has agreed to step aside from that role for the duration of the Inquiry. 

Ms Ward has more than 23 years’ experience specialising in child protection law and is a member of the Children’s Court Advisory Committee. She has, most recently, served as Director of Child Law within the Department of Communities and Justice.  I am confident Ms Ward’s knowledge and experience will be an asset to the Office of the Children’s Guardian during this time.