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Commercial fishing vessels, tourist operators and local boaters will have safer and improved access to the Tweed River following construction of a new $7.5 million boat maintenance facility.
 
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said work on the new Tweed Heads facility would start later this month and once completed would be a significant boost for maritime operations as well as local and visiting boaters at the popular holiday spot.
 
“Better services, facilities and equipment will improve safety for all users while the installation of a commercial wastewater system will help protect the Tweed marine environment.
 
“The new upgrades will increase local use of the boat maintenance facility and improve community access to the river,” Mr Elliott said.
 
Member for Tweed Geoff Provest said the old slipway, which had been in operation since the 1960s, was deteriorating, had reduced lifting capacity and could only cater for a small number and range of vessels.
 
“The new facilities will be a great boost for the local community,” Mr Provest said.
 
“The boat travel lift will include a new hard stand area and an upgrade of the slipway to accommodate a 75-tonne boat travel lift, over-water lift platforms, service pontoons and an access gangway while the boat travel lift is custom-built to have an internal width of 8.4 metres.
 
“The works will involve demolishing the existing boat maintenance facility, including the slipway rails, winch and cradle and workshop before replacing them with a new office building and storage container.”
 
The upgraded boat maintenance facility is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2023. More information about the project can be found here.

Plans for a new 1.85 hectare harbourside park and a stunning new design for the Cutaway have been unveiled as part of the next stage in the NSW Government’s transformation of Barangaroo.   

Minister for Cities Rob Stokes said the park would complement the future mixed-use precinct of Central Barangaroo, and create a new public space on the edge of Sydney’s harbour.   

“What was a vacant container terminal is now a thriving residential, commercial and entertainment hub, soon to be linked to a world-class Metro line,” Mr Perrottet said.  

“The world’s best cities aren’t just liveable and workable, they’re also beautiful. The new harbour park and revamped Cutaway will be the type of public spaces that locals are proud of and visitors are drawn to. 

“To ensure this park is a unique reflection of our city, we’ve appointed a design jury chaired by Paul Keating to help us deliver Sydney’s next great public space.” 

Mr Stokes said the new harbour park and revamped Cutaway would build on the more than eight hectares of public open space and exciting programs of art and events at Barangaroo.  

“The new park will be linked to Barangaroo Reserve and make one of the world’s great harbour walks even more attractive,” Mr Stokes said.  

“Although design and construction will take time some time, we plan on using the space dedicated to the park for temporary activations and pop-ups later this year. 

“New designs for the Cutaway will elevate the venue to become one of Sydney’s premier cultural and event facilities, spanning three levels and creating a space for events, education, art and entertainment.” 

Paul Keating said the new harbour park and the updated Cutaway are opportunities to not only maintain but to enhance the value of the already thriving Barangaroo precinct. 

“In our modern world of city landscapes of redeveloped and ever changing private spaces, the key component that remains at the heart of the city’s function and beauty is the importance of our public spaces,” Mr Keating said. 

FJMT Studio have been appointed as the architects for the design of the Cutaway. 

Waitlists at 18 early childhood education services in remote, regional and metropolitan areas will be reduced, with the NSW Government committing more than $15.5 million in capital works funding.  
 
Minister for Education and Early Learning, Sarah Mitchell, said this round of Start Strong Capital Works grants will create more than 600 additional community preschool places for children to attend a preschool program at least two days per week.
  
“We want every child in NSW to have access to a quality preschool education, no matter their background or location,” Ms Mitchell said.  
  
“This funding will support a range of improvements, including new builds, extensions and renovations of centre-based community preschools.”  
  
Since 2018, the NSW Government has allocated more than $62m to deliver additional community preschool places in areas of need and demand across NSW, creating more than 1,800 additional places.
 
This is in addition to more than $15 billion in early childhood commitments announced by the NSW Government as part of the 2022-23 budget to deliver a brighter future for every child in NSW through a revolutionary transformation of early childhood education, child development and women’s economic participation over the next decade. Through the introduction of a universal pre-Kindergarten year, the Brighter Beginnings initiative, workforce package and affordable preschools  the Liberals & Nationals Government are ensuring NSW is the best state to live, work and raise a family.
 
More information about the Start Strong Capital Works grants program can be found on the Department of Education website.   
 
Successful applicants:   

1. Wycliffe Christian School  
2. Albury Preschool  
3. Tooleybuc Preschool Association  
4. CatholicCare Diocese Broken Bay (Wyoming Preschool)
5. CatholicCare Diocese Broken Bay (Noraville Preschool)
6. Bungendore Pre School  
7. Tomaree Community College  
8. Tumbarumba Start Strong Preschool  
9. IDFS – Bush Preschool  
10. Blinky Bill Early Learning Centre  
11. Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation  
12. Wollondilly Shire Council  
13. Presbyterian Social Services  
14. Shoalhaven Community Preschool  
15. Bundgeam Preschool  
16. Ross Circuit Preschool  
17. North Ryde Community Preschool  
18. Denman Children’s Centre.  

A multi-million dollar project to deliver the new Green Square Public School and community spaces is officially under construction as the Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell and City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore celebrated this milestone with the turning of the sod.
 
The new $76 million primary school co-funded by the NSW Government and City of Sydney will deliver 24 fit-for-purpose learning spaces to cater up to 600 students along with a library, canteen, and staff and administration space. It will also include a covered outdoor learning area and new out of school hours care facilities.
 
The project will also deliver additional community facilities and shared spaces designed for both school and community use.
 
Ms Mitchell said she was delighted to be at the site to celebrate the NSW Government has continued investment in public school infrastructure. 
 
“The new Green Square Public School will meet the local demand in one of Australia’s fastest growing neighbourhoods,” Ms Mitchell said.
 
“I’m proud the NSW Government is delivering on our commitment to provide the best facilities to support local students in the Green Square community.
 
“The new primary school is an exciting project for the community and I look forward to watching as the school takes shape in the coming months.”
 
Ms Moore said that the school will sit at the heart of the growing Green Square community and set a new benchmark for urban development.
 
“This revolutionary design will provide much-needed community facilities that will be activated day and night for the whole community to use. It is an important addition to the area’s educational, social and cultural life,” the Lord Mayor said.
 
“By 2030, more than 60,000 people will call Green Square home. The school will serve as a lynchpin that connects our award-winning library and civic plaza, and the Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre. By planning for the community’s needs alongside residential development, we are transforming Sydney’s oldest industrial heartland into a lively, connected and well-serviced community.”
 
The NSW Government is investing $8.6 billion in school infrastructure over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 160 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW. This builds on the more than $9.1 billion invested in projects delivered since 2017, a program of $17.7 billion in public education infrastructure.
 

Police are investigating after a man was reportedly shot in the arm in the Hunter this morning.

About 5am (Friday 10 June 2022), officers from Hunter Valley Police District were contacted after a 27-year-old man presented to Cessnock Hospital suffering a gunshot wound to the arm.

Police have been told the man was walking his dog on Middle Road, Paxton – near a paddock at the intersection of Sawyer Street – about 2.30am, when he was approached from behind and shot.

He did not see anyone and went home before he was driven to hospital where he remains in a stable condition.

Police have established a crime scene and commenced an investigation into the incident.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Cessnock Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Innovative plans to improve open spaces and boost outdoor recreation for all ages are set to come to fruition, thanks to more than $18 million in NSW Government funding.
 
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said the funding, delivered through the new Open Spaces and Metropolitan Greenspace Programs, will see more than 50 projects brought to life, with the aim of getting NSW residents outdoors to play, swim and roam.
 
“Enjoying and exploring the outdoors is a way of life throughout NSW and we are helping deliver greater access to well-designed open spaces, close to where people live,” Mr Roberts said.
 
“Whether it’s taking the kids for a swim in the Nepean River, exploring the tunnel at The Coal Loader, or spending some time in nature at the new inclusive playspaces in Kew, there are opportunities for everyone.”
 
The Open Spaces Program will fund 40 projects through three streams – Places to Roam, Places to Swim, and Places to Play – with an over $15 million investment in this inaugural round to deliver new swimming facilities, community gardens, regional walking and cycling trails, and adventure play areas.  It will also help councils speed up their delivery of homes and jobs over the next decade.
 
Mr Roberts said, additionally, through the latest round of the Metropolitan Greenspace Program, a total of $2.7 million has been allocated to 12 council-led projects, selected to improve access to open space across Greater Sydney and Central Coast.
 
“These projects will bring to life both new and improved outdoor areas within a 10-minute walk from more than 13,000 homes,” he said.
 
“It will also feed into our green grid strategy in the Inner West, which will support more than 80,000 homes with better access to a network of quality green spaces.
 
“The Metropolitan Greenspace Program has been running for almost 40 years, giving councils the autonomy and support to create spaces that people love, including the Great Blue Mountains Trail and Narrabeen Lagoon Boardwalk.”
 
For more information, visit Open Spaces Program and Metropolitan Greenspace Program.

A man will face court today charged after shots were allegedly fired following a neighbour dispute in the Hunter region overnight.

About 7.30pm (Friday 29 April 2022), police were called to a rural property home on Durridgerie Road, Turill, about 125km west of Scone, following reports of a shooting.

Police have been told the occupants of neighbouring properties, who are known to each other, were involved in an argument before one allegedly produced and discharged a firearm while the other ran into nearby bushland.

The 42-year-old man was not physically injured.

Officers attached to Hunter Valley and Orana-Mid Western Police Districts responded and a Nissan Navara was stopped on Durridgerie Road

The driver, a 56-year-old man, was arrested and taken to Mudgee Police Station.

He was charged with fire firearm manner likely injure persons/property, possess unauthorised firearm, contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO (Personal), possess prohibited drug, and possess prohibited lant.

The man was refused bail to appear at Dubbo Local Court today (Saturday 30 April 2022).

Inquiries continue.

The Auditor General’s report into threatened species paints a bleak picture for the survival of Australia’s koalas and wildlife, the Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has said today.

“The report by the Auditor General into the management of Australia’s threatened species and wildlife is a damning assessment of the Morrison Government’s treatment of our environment and native animals. 

“The independent audit report reveals that Australia’s most endangered species like the koala, the leadbeater’s possum and the swift parrot stand no chance against a bureaucracy that is ineffective and ill-equipped, and a Minister that is ignorant to their plight. 

“The figures themselves paint a dark picture for the survival of our threatened and endangered species. Some of our most iconic animals are on a pathway to extinction – that means gone forever. 

“The report details a litany of delays and missing information that is leaving almost 2000 threatened species without any plans to save them from extinction. 

“A lack of funding and concern from the Government is putting our Australian wildlife on death row. 

“It is no wonder Australia leads the world when it comes to extinction rates. It is a shameful record and one the Morrison Government should be ashamed of. 

“Our environment laws are failing to protect our animals and native species. Big developments, land-clearing and mining are destroying habitat and pushing our environment and wildlife to brink.  

“We need stronger laws, including assessing climate impacts of projects, and an independent watchdog to enforce them – because it clear the Environment Minister and the Government cannot be trusted to protect the environment.”

The Greens have condemned the alleged vandalism that occurred last night to the Woolnorth Road Virtual Fence Project, designed to mitigate roadkill of a healthy Tasmanian devil population in north west Tasmania. 

Greens Senator for Tasmania, Peter Whish-Wilson said:

“This senseless and infuriating act of vandalism is to be condemned, but we must not allow it to deter or slow our efforts to protect Tasmanian devils from becoming roadkill, especially not in one of the last remaining bastions for healthy devils in Tasmania. 

“I expect the police to conduct a thorough investigation into this incident, and hope Circular Head Council will now put in place security measures – such as hidden cameras – to protect this critical mitigation project. 

“There are numerous factors threatening the Tasmanian devil’s chance of survival, and what this frustrating event highlights very clearly is that our response to these threats must be diverse.

“Increased signage, awareness/education campaigns, changes to speed limits, high density devil crossing mitigation measures, removal of roadkill, roadside mowing, and other measures must all be considered in the fight to protect the Tasmanian devil.” 

The Morrison Government has opened a $25.5 million funding round for critical infrastructure projects at Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS) to support these services to continue their critical work.

The Service Maintenance Program (SMP), which provides funding for repairs, maintenance and minor upgrades for ACCHS is part of a $1 billion national commitment to help achieve Closing the Gap (CTG) Outcomes, and part of the $254.4 million CTG health infrastructure measure announced by the Prime Minister in August 2021.

Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the funding round will give priority to projects related to ventilation and infection control.

Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said that ACCHS are a core part of the Australian health system, delivering comprehensive primary health care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. 

 “ACCHS set the benchmark for delivering holistic, culturally safe and responsive care and services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities and have played a major role in the Government’s response to COVID-19. This funding will improve their facilities so they can maintain the high level of care they offer their communities”, Minister Hunt said.

“These grants help ensure fit-for-purpose health infrastructure, which is integral to closing the gap in life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”

The SMP and the Major Capital Program make up the Closing the Gap health infrastructure measure.  The opening of the Major Capital Program, which will fund the building and purchase of health clinics and staff housing, as well as major renovations, is due to be announced shortly.

Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, said the funding round announced today showed the Government was serious about closing the gap in health outcomes and life expectancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

“This investment in the ACCHS sector is a key component of the Government’s commitment to closing the gap through improved health infrastructure,” Minister Wyatt said.

“Key to making real progress, and one of the fundamental principles in the National Agreement on Closing the Gap, is to work in true partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.

“Accordingly, we worked in partnership with the ACCHS sector, through the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), to co-design these grant opportunities”.

Lead Convenor of the Coalition of Peaks and CEO of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation, Ms Pat Turner, said, “NACCHO has advocated for a long time for increased funding for infrastructure for the health sector and this funding supports and recognises the critical role that ACCHS play in the Australian primary health care architecture”.

“I am pleased to see that this funding is being delivered in line with the Priority Reforms in the National Agreement, where programs and services are developed in partnership with our peoples and where funding is delivered through our community-controlled organisations”.

Information about the SMP grant opportunity can be found on GrantConnect.

The Morrison Government continues to prioritise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health and ageing outcomes, providing $781.1 million in the 2021-22 Budget and ongoing funding through the Indigenous Australians Health Programme of more than $4 billion from 2021-22 to 2024-25 to deliver culturally appropriate initiatives to increase access to health care and improve the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.