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The NSW Government has today announced $100,000 in funding for Love Your Sister, to support the charity in its goal of improving cancer care for people across Australia.

The one-off grant will assist with the charity’s fundraising activities. All charitable donations received by Love Your Sister are reinvested into Australian medical research focusing on precision medicine to improve cancer survival rates.

Precision cancer treatment aims to tailor therapies to the individual patient by analysing a tissue sample to understand their unique genetic makeup and cancer characteristics.

This approach is designed to increase positive health outcomes, decrease treatment times, minimise side effects and save costs on other, less effective treatments. The data from each sample also helps to further map cancer genetically, potentially saving lives.

Founded by Gold Logie-winning actor Samuel Johnson OAM, Love Your Sister was created after Samuel’s sister Connie, who was living with breast cancer, dared her brother to unicycle around the country to raise $1 million for cancer research and to remind every woman to be breast aware.

Since its inception in 2012, Love Your Sister has raised nearly $20 million for medical research.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“Around one in every two people in NSW will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85, and ensuring they have access to treatments which can improve their outcome is a priority for this Government.

“Cancer touches everyone and the work that Love Your Sister does to ensure voices are heard through research is essential.”

Minister for Medical Research, David Harris:

“Love Your Sister is a wonderful charity that reinvests donations into research which is the key to unlocking continually improved outcomes of people with cancer.

“I am so pleased this funding will support Love Your Sister to boost cancer research right here in NSW.”

Love Your Sister Founder, Samuel Johnson, OAM:

“Love Your Sister proudly passes on every donation, and relies heavily on individuals, businesses, and governments to sponsor our vital work.

“Together we are stronger. Together we accelerate our progress towards Precision Medicine for all cancer patients, regardless of their postcode. Together, we are the solution.”

The Minns Government is supporting jobs and investment for Western Sydney with the approval of a new $139 million warehousing estate that will create more than 600 jobs within the booming Western Sydney Aerotropolis.

The 19.4 hectare estate has been approved as a State Significant Development and will offer a diverse range of warehousing options from around 1,000 square metres up to 30,000 square metres, with a total of more than 63,500 square metres of floor area spread across seven buildings.

In addition to the warehousing use, the development also proposes an onsite café, ancillary office spaces, an estate road network, two landscaped open space areas, stormwater management works, signage, waterway rehabilitation, car parking and infrastructure installation, as well as estate wide landscaping.

The development is one of the first in the Aerotropolis and would support its growth by providing crucial logistics and warehousing space.

The Barings Luddenham Industrial Park will create 250 ongoing roles and 390 construction jobs close to the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport due to open in 2026.

The approval follows the recent approval of Bradfield City’s Central Park and the opening of the First Building.

The NSW Government has invested more than $1 billion to kickstart Bradfield City Centre, providing the early commercial buildings, infrastructure, and services needed to unlock billions in private development that will create more than 10,000 new homes and 20,000 new jobs.

There are also currently $14 billion worth of private development applications in the pipeline for the whole aerotropolis that would create 120,000 jobs.

Construction of the new industrial estate will begin mid-2025, with the first warehouse expected to open in December 2026.

This is all part of the Minns Government’s plan to build a better NSW with more jobs and services, so young people, families and key local workers have more opportunities in the communities they choose.

To find out more about the Aerotropolis, visit the Western Sydney Aerotropolis web page. 

Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

“This investment is not just about warehouses, it’s about jobs, opportunity, and building a thriving future right here in the Aerotropolis. More than 600 jobs will be created through this development, and it’s just the beginning of what is to come.

“The Minns Government is delivering on our promise to grow Western Sydney by backing projects that create jobs, attract investment, and unlock opportunity. This project is a key step forward in activating the Aerotropolis and creating the jobs of tomorrow.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“With the Western Sydney International Airport on the horizon and developments like this one gaining momentum, we’re laying the foundations for a Western Sydney that’s more connected, more vibrant, and offers more opportunity than ever before.

“The NSW Government is helping to drive investment, create jobs and support the development of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis with vital space for logistics.

“This project shows confidence in Western Sydney’s economic future. From construction jobs to long-term roles in logistics and operations, it’s investments like this that are helping to power our state’s growth and prosperity.”

A woman has died following a crash near Newcastle earlier this week.

About 1.30pm on Thursday 24 April 2025, emergency services were called to a showground on Cowper St, Stroud, following reports of a crash.

Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended and found two women – aged 72 and 82 – had been struck by a vehicle.

Both women were treated at the scene before the 82-year-old woman was taken to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.

About 9.30pm on Friday 25 April 2025, police were notified the 82-year-old had died.

The driver of the vehicle – a 68-year-old woman – was taken to Maitland Hospital for mandatory testing.

Police established a crime scene and commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the crash.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Inquiries are ongoing.

A woman has been charged following an investigation into an alleged fraud in the Hunter.

In May 2024, police attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were notified of fraudulent activity within the accounts of a cleaning business.

Police will allege in court that multiple deposits had fraudulently been made from a business account to the personal account of an employee between 2018 and 2024.

Following extensive inquiries, police arrested a 37-year-old woman at Maitland Police Station yesterday (Sunday 27 April 2025).

She was charged with seven counts of steal property as clerk/servant over $15000.

She was granted conditional bail to appear before Maitland Local Court on Wednesday 21 May 2025.

One hundred and fifty-nine million dollars will be invested into infrastructure projects as part of City of Newcastle’s draft Budget for 2025-26.

This will facilitate the delivery of critical upgrades such as the renewal of Longworth Avenue and Minmi Road in Wallsend, the continued protection of Stockton’s coastline, multimillion-dollar improvements of local centres in the Hunter Street Mall and Georgetown, along with the finalisation of the design for stage two of the Newcastle Ocean Baths upgrade and a year-round aquatic facility at Lambton Pool.

Total expenditure of more than $430 million is proposed across 348 projects in line with the Council’s community strategic plan to ensure Newcastle continues to grow as a vibrant, welcoming city, offering boundless opportunities for residents, workers, and visitors alike.

The 2025-26 draft Budget and Delivery Program will go to Council on Tuesday night seeking support for it to be placed on public exhibition for community and stakeholder feedback throughout May.

CEO Jeremy Bath said financial sustainability remains at the heart of everything City of Newcastle does.

“Our careful financial planning ensures we can continue to invest in the services and projects that matter most to our community, whilst forecasting a small Budget surplus of $510,000 for next year,” Mr Bath said.

“Prudent economic management has allowed us to increase our investment and services for our community without risking City of Newcastle’s track record of financial sustainability.

“We have worked extremely hard to diversify our income to make our Budget less reliant on rates with 47% of our income next year to be funded via sources other than rates. This is why we will invest $2,145 per property on infrastructure projects, while limiting the average residential rate to $1,881.71.

“The projects in this year’s Budget are designed to support Newcastle’s growth while preserving the character and natural assets that make our city unique.”

Budget highlights include:

• $42.2 million on road rehabilitation, resurfacing and footpaths including $24.3 million on Longworth Avenue and Minmi Road Western Corridor Upgrades

• $22 million on recreation, aquatics and sports improvements including Foreshore Park

• $12.9 million on Coastal, City and Urban Centres including East End, Hunter Street Mall, and Georgetown Local Centres

• $9.4 million on waste management and the Summerhill Waste Management Centre

• $7.5 million on street and park trees, bushland and watercourses and Blackbutt Reserve

• $6.2 million on city-wide stormwater upgrades and flood planning and management works including Cooks Hill

• $5.5 million on footpath and pedestrian projects

• $5.4 million on cultural facilities including the Art Gallery, Libraries, Museum, Fort Scratchley and Civic Venues

• $5.2 million on coastal management including Stockton coastline protection work, estuary and wetlands

• $4.5 million on affordable housing

• $4.2 million on cycleway projects

• $1.5 million on climate action and sustainability initiatives

“Lambton Pool will be one of the big winners from this year’s Budget. Not only will the old roof of the grandstand be replaced, but $1 million has also been set aside to progress the design of a year-round indoor pool as promised by the previous elected Council,” Mr Bath said.

“Lighting will also be upgraded, and a platform for both the 25m and 50m pools will be installed to improve accessibility to help all swimmers safely enter the pools. 

“For the third year in a row Council will allocate $1 million to a sinking fund to ensure that when the time comes, Council has the money for the upgrading of Lambton Pool. On top of this another $1 million will be spent over the next 12 months on infrastructure upgrades at all of our five swimming pools.

“A second platform to improve pool accessibility will also be installed at Mayfield Pool over the winter recess break.

“Stockton swimming pool will also get a makeover with the playground equipment, barbecues, and picnic tables to be upgraded, along with new shade structures to be installed.

“Half a million dollars is included in the Budget to complete the design of the second stage of Newcastle Ocean Baths in anticipation of the development application being approved later this year.”

Lord Mayor Ross Kerridge said the draft Budget will see City of Newcastle engaging with the community to shape a Newcastle that thrives for all.

“We recognise that our strength lies in collaboration, and we remain committed to working closely with the community to shape the future of our city,” Cr Kerridge said.

“I’m pleased the works program in the draft Budget has an increased emphasis on renewal and repair over new works.

“We are determined to strengthen Newcastle through prudent investment in service delivery, infrastructure, public spaces, and local communities.”

The Minns Labor Government welcomes data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) showing a sharp increase in crimes solved by police.

The study, Trends in police legal action rates 2009-2023, examines the rate of legal action taken by police across 11 categories of offences over 15 years.

It reveals a significant increase in charges laid over violent offences including robbery (up 20 percentage points), between 2009 and 2023.

There were also increases across the rates of legal action for domestic violence-related assault (up 7 percentage points), non-domestic assault (up 2 percentage points), sexual touching and other sexual offences (up 2 percentage points).

The rate of legal action taken over malicious damage to property offences rose 14 percentage points over the same period.  

Significant increases were also recorded across non-dwelling break and enters (up 13 percentage points), dwelling break and enters (up 8 percentage points), motor vehicle theft (up 8 percentage points) and steal from motor vehicle (up 3 percentage points).

The Government pays tribute to the hard work of the NSW Police Force in delivering these results, which show the risk of being caught is higher than ever before.

It is their diligence in thousands of cases over that time – pursuing leads, examining evidence, and working alongside victims – that has delivered this result.

The fact this was achieved amid the former government’s chronic shortage of police officers is a testament to the skill and dedication of police.

The Minns Labor Government is backing our police force through boosting pay for officers, along with paying recruits to attend the Goulburn academy as part of our commitment to community safety.

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

“Police are bringing more people to court than we’ve seen in a long time – a clear sign that their hard work is making a difference.

“Police don’t just catch offenders – they put in the tough, behind-the-scenes work to make sure those people are held accountable a process that is often complex, relentless, and doesn’t always get the credit it deserves.

“This is yet another example of the incredible work our officers do day in and day out. I want to give a genuine thank you to every officer out there giving their all to keep our community safe.”

Acting Attorney General Ron Hoenig said:

“These figures reveal more alleged domestic violence offenders and perpetrators of serious property crime are being charged and brought before the courts.

“Community safety is the priority of the NSW Government. We are continuing to invest in stronger protections for domestic violence victim-survivors and have made it harder for alleged offenders to get bail.

“At the same time, we have tightened the bail test for young people accused of repeat break and enter and motor theft offences to break the cycle of youth offending.”

In a major milestone, four wind, solar and battery projects have been granted the right to connect to new power lines in the South West Renewable Energy Zone (REZ).

These landmark projects will help keep the lights on in NSW and deliver long-term benefits for local workers, communities and electricity consumers.

EnergyCo has granted access rights to wind, solar and large-scale battery projects with a combined generation capacity of 3.56 gigawatts. That’s enough to power more than 1.6 million homes a year.

This follows a competitive access rights tender process by AEMO Services Limited. The strong level of interest and competition between developers is a testament to the high quality of the renewable energy resources in the South West REZ.

The grant of access rights provides more certainty to communities in the south west of NSW about the renewable energy projects that will be developed in the region over coming years, The access fees paid by these projects will fund community benefits programs that will deliver legacy benefits informed by community priorities.

The projects are Origin Energy’s Yanco Delta wind farm, Spark Renewables Dinawan Energy Hub, Someva’s Pottinger Energy Park and BayWA’s Bullawah Wind Farm:

Developer	Project	Project Type	Maximum capacity (megawatts/MW)
Origin Energy Pty Ltd	Yanco Delta	Wind	1,460 MW
Spark Renewables	Dinawan Energy Hub	Wind, Solar and Battery	1,007 MW
Someva Pty Ltd/AGL Energy Hubs Ltd	Pottinger Energy Park	Wind and Battery	831.2 MW
BayWa r.e. Project Australia Pty Ltd	Bullawah Wind Farm	Wind	262.3 MW

The projects include more than 700 megawatts of battery storage, capable of powering up to 300,000 households during peak demand.

The granting of access rights is a key milestone in the Minns Labor Government’s plan to unlock reliable renewable energy for homes and businesses, and put downward pressure on prices.

The South-West REZ projects will play a critical role in ensuring reliable, more affordable and clean energy as the state’s existing power stations retire.

The REZ is expected to create more than 2,800 jobs at the height of construction. This includes opportunities for around 265 apprentices, reflecting a strong commitment to skills development and training.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe:

“The South West Renewable Energy Zone is expected to drive more than $17 billion in private investment in solar, wind and energy storage projects, and this landmark tender shows the high interest in investing in NSW.

“These projects will help ensure NSW has enough renewable energy generation and storage when coal-fired power stations retire. They also give certainty to host-communities, who will directly benefit from the fees paid by these companies to connect to the REZ.”

EnergyCo chief executive, Hannah McCaughey: 

“We had strong interest from industry in the South West Renewable Energy Zone access rights tender. The access scheme will also ensure we make the best use of new power lines, to put downward pressure on energy bills for everyone in NSW.

“The first projects are expected to come online from 2027 to 2030, which will help keep the lights on and secure our energy future.”

Further information:

What is a Renewable Energy Zone?

REZs will group new wind and solar power generation and batteries into locations where it can be efficiently stored and transmitted across NSW.

Five zones have been identified and will keep NSW electricity reliable as coal-fired power stations retire, delivering large amounts of new energy to power our regions and cities.

REZs will help deliver lower wholesale electricity costs and place downward pressure on customer bills through increased competition and efficient use of the network, while supporting local jobs and business opportunities during construction and operation.

Where is the South West Renewable Energy Zone?

The South West REZ is centred around Hay and takes in towns including Balranald and Buronga.

The location was chosen due to an abundance of high-quality wind and solar resources, proximity to existing and planned high voltage transmission including Project EnergyConnect, relative land-use compatibility and a strong pipeline of proposed projects.

At its peak, this REZ is expected to support over 2,000 construction jobs in the region.

A proud piece of Australia’s aviation history has been preserved for future generations with West Wyalong’s much-loved Douglas DC-3 Dakota going through a multi-month restoration to bring it back to its former glory in time for Anzac Day.

The vintage warbird has been a fixture in the town since it was moved from Cootamundra to Lions Park in March 1983.

Restoration on the plane and its installation in Lions Park was completed in the past week.

Bland Shire Council received $167,670 from the NSW Government to repair and upgrade the plane, including site works, concreting, paint stripping and re-painting.

The DC-3 saw service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal Australian Navy (RAN) between 1950 and 1974, before being bought by Cootamundra aviator and airline operator Jack Masling OAM for spare parts.

But the local Lions Club decided the old bomber deserved a different fate and approached him about saving it, and Mr Masling agreed to donate the plane to the club as a memorial.

West Wyalong resident John Hudson owned the transport company that moved the plane from Cootamundra to West Wyalong, and says it was quite the effort, with the normally one-hour trip taking a painstaking four hours.

Once relocated, the plane was reassembled by RAAF personnel from Wagga Wagga who were billeted in town overnight and treated to a celebratory BBQ.

The West Wyalong DC-3 was built in 1943 in Oklahoma City and served as a transport aircraft and flying classroom for multi-engine training, search and rescue, navigation and anti-submarine warfare, clocking up 4,254 flying hours before it was retired.

The first DC-3 prototype flew in 1935, starting as a passenger liner in the US but the planes quickly earned a reputation with the US military for freight and transport and supported the D-Day landings at Normandy.

DC3’s are affectionately dubbed ‘biscuit bombers’ for their role doing food drops to troops, including on Papua New Guinea’s Kokoda Track during World War II.

After the war these workhorses became a mainstay of global passenger and freight services in regional areas because of their low running costs and ability to perform on rough airfields and with low maintenance.

The restored DC-3 can be viewed in Lions Park every day of the week.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“It’s wonderful to see this local landmark and tourist attraction get a new lease on life and I hope visitors take a moment to pause and reflect on the meaning of service this Anzac Day.

“New landscaping around the plane will make it more accessible for residents and visitors, and will keep this piece of local history, which is a source of immense community pride at the heart of West Wyalong for years to come.”

Minister for Veterans David Harris said:

“It is fantastic to see the Douglas DC-3 Dakota has been restored to its former glory just in time for the 110th anniversary of Anzac Day. 

“Local landmarks like this allow communities to gain a deeper understanding of the service and sacrifice of our veterans during times of conflict.”

Bland Shire Council Mayor Cr Brian Monaghan said:

“The restoration effort, done in partnership with the Royal Australian Air Force’s Heritage Restoration Team, is one of the most unique projects he’s seen during his time with council.

“This has been a truly rewarding experience for Bland Shire Council, it’s not every day you get the opportunity to restore a piece of Australia’s aviation history and breathe new life into something so iconic.

“The DC-3 Dakota is a beloved landmark in West Wyalong and this restoration ensures its continued presence as an important part of our community as the plane is not only a piece of the past, but a symbol of our community’s pride, and I’m incredibly pleased about the work that’s gone into it.”

Plane transporter John Hudson said:

“We had quite the crowd that day, I took the fuselage, and another bloke took the wings and we had a police escort and everything.

“We couldn’t come down the main road and had to follow the creek and we only took out one powerline and blew a transformer so not a bad effort.”

The Albanese Labor Government’s plan to establish a critical minerals strategic reserve is good news for mining projects, regional communities and workers across NSW.

With leading deposits of critical minerals – including antimony, cobalt and rare earth elements – the NSW mining industry would benefit from a re-elected Albanese Labor Government.

The critical minerals strategic reserve also complements the Minns Labor Government’s efforts to support projects as they enter production, including through our $250 million royalty deferral, which begins on 1 July 2025. 

NSW has more than 10 critical minerals and high-tech metals projects that are ready for investment. They need around $7.6 billion in capital investment value and are expected to generate about 4,600 jobs during construction and 2,700 ongoing jobs.

I look forward to working with Prime Minister Albanese, Federal Resources Minister King and a re-elected Labor government to bring these projects to life and support Australia’s ambition to be a leading producer and supplier of critical minerals.

There will be a lot of people disappointed by this decision – and we understand that. We’re disappointed too.

The Crime Commission is entirely independent.

The Commission has said the use of complex discretionary trusts to conceal the proceeds of crime is a national problem that requires legislative reform.

That’s why the Commission – alongside several other State and Commonwealth agencies – is contributing to the development of a national approach to beneficial ownership disclosure obligations.

The NSW Government supports legislative change to ensure that people who engage in corrupt conduct are not able to hide the proceeds of these crimes.

Mr Obeid’s actions were one of the most serious examples of the misuse of public office in NSW.

The people of NSW need to have faith that public institutions and elected officials are acting in the public interest. That faith is central to a working and healthy democracy.

It’s why we support these important oversight bodies, like the Crime Commission and the ICAC – because they hold all of us to account.