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A SPECIAL SHOUTOUT TO FARMERS THIS NATIONAL AG DAY

• Today, on National Ag Day, farmers in NSW have been recognised and thanked for continuing to produce quality food and fibre in the face of drought, bushfires, mice and COVID-19, as well as the current floods.
• It comes after new data released by the NSW Government revealed the state’s primary industries increased its total output to become a record-breaking $20.9 billion industry.

$9.37 MILLION TO SUPPORT NSW ARTS AND CULTURE PROGRAMS

• The NSW Government is investing $9.37 million in the State’s arts and cultural sector through Round 1 of Create NSW’s 2021/22 Arts and Cultural Funding Program.
• Minister for the Arts Don Harwin announced 198 recipients will share in $9,371,594 million in funding that will deliver record arts and cultural activity across NSW, contributing to the State’s broader economic recovery.

2022 LOCAL WOMAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS

• The NSW Local Woman of the Year Awards is an annual program that provides MPs with the opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contributions of a local woman to her electorate.
• You must submit a formal nomination by 11:59.pm on Sunday 23 January 2022 online at https://facs.smartygrants.com.au/LWOTY22 if you would like your Local Woman to:
  • receive a framed certificate by early March 2022
  • be included on the 2022 Honour Roll
  • be invited to attend the 2022 NSW Women of the Year Awards Ceremony.

GET READY TO HAVE YOUR SAY ON DIGITAL IDENTITY

• Consultation is now open and will be ongoing until 30 June 2022. For more, visit:  https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/digital-identity  New services will be rolled out in 2022 to save customers time and money, including a Digital Seniors Card, Working with Children Check renewals and occupational or vocational licenses.
• Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said the whole-of-government approach to digital identity would give customers the option to use digital credentials for various licences, certifications, qualifications and other eligibility documents.

NSW GOVERNMENT SERVES UP SYDNEY’S LONGEST LUNCH
·       The New South Wales Government is bringing Sydney alive with its longest lunch, a smorgasbord of unique dining experiences for thousands across the city.
·       Sydneysiders and visitors will be able to take a seat on Friday, December 3 for the Sydney’s Open for Lunch event to enjoy our top culinary delights and entertainment.
·       The Sydney’s Open For Lunch event is part of the NSW Government’s CBDs Revitalisation Program.
·       For more information visit www.sydney.com/sydneys-open-for-lunch.
NEW PRACTICAL SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE IMPACTED BY SUICIDE

• The NSW Government is investing $4.5 million to deliver a comprehensive service supporting people and communities bereaved and impacted by suicide, with specific focus on:
  • bereaved families, friends and colleagues
  • first responders who have attended a suicide
  • members of the public who witness or discover a death by suicide
• The service has been co-designed with people with lived experience of suicide and experts in the suicide bereavement field.

PLASTIC REDUCTION & CIRCULAR ECONOMY

• The NSW Government passed the Plastics and Circular Economy Act 2021.
• Key measures include:
  • A phase out of problematic single-use plastic items (such as lightweight shopping bags, plastic plates, and plastic straws);
  • Supporting a transition away from single-use plastic items through education;
  • Product design standards (in particular prohibiting the use of microbeads in cosmetic and personal-care products); and
  • Product Stewardship requirements for plastic packaging.

TWO UP – TRIPLE-A CREDIT RATINGS FOR NSW

• Global ratings agency Moody’s has reaffirmed New South Wales’ triple-A credit rating, just days after Fitch also awarded the State the same top tier rating.
• NSW is the only state in Australia with a Moody’s triple-A credit rating which we have retained despite allocating about $45 billion to support people and businesses and to bolster the health system to combat COVID-19.
• NSW has two triple-A credit ratings (Moody’s and Fitch) and one double-A plus credit rating (S&P Global).

HOME DESIGN TO DRIVE ENERGY BILLS DOWN

• New sustainability standards for homes will save residents up to $980 a year on energy bills and reduce the State’s carbon footprint as we move to net-zero emissions by 2050.
• The Building Sustainability Index (BASIX) is a key assessment tool that ensures new homes are comfortable to live in regardless of the temperature, are more energy efficient and save water.
• Energy bills are expected to reduce significantly as a result of the new BASIX standards:
  • Savings of up to $190 each year for people living in high-rise apartments;
  • Savings of up to $850 each year for people living in new Western Sydney houses; and
  • Savings of up to $980 a year for people living in new houses in the regions.

SYDNEY TO HOST MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP SEMI

• Following Australia’s outstanding success at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Dubai, the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) has been announced as the host of a semi-final for next year’s tournament.
• Sydney will be one of seven cities in Australia hosting a total of 45 matches for the competition, to be held in October and November next year.

NEW WESTERN SYDNEY OUTDOOR MUSIC FESTIVAL IS ON ITS WAY

• Some of South-West Sydney’s most talented performers will join emerging artists to take to the stage in February 2022 for a new outdoor music festival.
• ValleyWays, which will be held at Onslow Park in Camden has been developed by renowned local talent and ARIA award-winning artists, The Rubens, in partnership with TEG’s Live Subsidiary, MJR Presents.

ROUSE HILL REGIONAL PARK EXPANSION

• One of Sydney’s best regional parks will grow by more than a third with the acquisition of private land to be dedicated as a permanent public space

NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has received a significant funding boost to upgrade facilities, supporting jobs and improving access to the state’s national parks.
As part of the NSW Government’s Economic Recovery Strategy an additional $91.5 million will be invested into shovel-ready projects in our national parks in a significant boost to our nature-based tourism industry.
Treasurer and Environment Minister Matt Kean said this investment will support jobs by creating better facilities – such as walking trails and family-friendly amenities –across the State’s vast network of national parks.
“From Western Sydney to the Far West of NSW, families are flocking to national parks and we want to make sure facilities are up to scratch and able to meet this increased need,” Mr Kean said.
“Before COVID we had more than 60 million visits every year, national parks were already a key driver of the visitor economy, generating $18 billion in economic activity and supporting over 74,000 jobs.
“Since COVID visitation levels have skyrocketed, highlighting the role parks play in supporting the physical and mental health of the community. Put simply – national parks are good for the soul.”
This funding is part of the largest ever investment in national park visitor infrastructure, enhancing our natural environment and supporting regional economies with over $14 million will be invested in critical conservation projects .
Visitor infrastructure projects include:

• $3.45 million upgrade to the elevated rainforest boardwalk in Budderoo National Park;
• $3 million in visitor precincts including in Georges River National Park;
• $3 million for better visitor infrastructure at Ebor Falls in Guy Fawkes River National Park;
• $1.5 million to improve public roads access to the Royal coastline in Royal N.P;
• $795,000 for short stay accommodation at Kinchega and Paroo Darling national parks in the Far West;
• $600,000 for enhancements to the mountain bike track network at Glenrock State Conservation Area.

The NSW economy grew 1.4 per cent in 2020-21, reflecting the State’s improved economic conditions following the bushfires, drought and the pre-Delta lockdown.
Treasurer Matt Kean said the State Accounts, issued by the ABS yesterday, showed the NSW economy was more than $18 billion larger in 2020-21 than pre-COVID, highlighting the State’s strong economic recovery to the end of June 2021.
“Even though COVID-19 has caused one of the worst economic contractions in the State’s history, the ABS data shows the fundamentals of our economy are strong and the Government’s economic stimulus measures are working,” Mr Kean.
“NSW business confidence hit a record high of +29 in October, as we achieved our 70 per cent and 80 per cent vaccination milestones quicker than expected and restrictions eased.
“By keeping people safe and rolling out around $45 billion in health response and economic support programs since March 2020, we invested in the fundamentals of our economy – our people, our businesses and our workers.
“Now we are seeing the returns of that investment, demonstrating the power of making sure the State’s finances are working for our economy and our people, not the other way around.
“The NSW Government is continuing to invest in the State’s future with our $2.8 billion Economic Recovery Strategy helping to accelerate the recovery.”
In the most recent payrolls summary, NSW reported the largest gain in weekly payrolls of all states, with a 3.5 per cent increase for the fortnight to 16 October.
While the nation lost 46,000 jobs in October, NSW employment rose by 22,000 people as NSW businesses increased staffing in the lead up to restrictions easing.
In November, consumer sentiment rose by 4.4 per cent to 107.9 index points to record the highest consumer sentiment in the country.

Perpetrators of sexual violence and other criminals who’ve evaded the criminal justice system for years, or even decades, will now face the prospect of tougher sentencing from NSW courts, which will no longer be bound by outdated sentencing practices.
Attorney General and Minister for Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Mark Speakman said the Government was drafting a bill that would require courts to apply current sentencing practices to all crimes, regardless of when they were committed.
“Right now, except for child sexual abuse, courts must apply sentencing patterns and practices related to the offence that were in place at the time the offence was committed, instead of at the time of sentencing,” Mr Speakman said.
“But sometimes those guideposts don’t reflect our community’s current stance on crimes – this is especially so for heinous acts like sexual assault or domestic violence.
“Asking courts to put themselves in the shoes of a judge years or decades earlier can be impractical, inefficient and produce inconsistent outcomes. Our bill will change this so people who committed offences years ago will be sentenced according to current practices.
“It’s unacceptable for an offender to get more lenient treatment, just because they’d dodged police detection, or their offence had not yet been reported by an often traumatised victim.
“While courts will still be guided by the maximum penalty and any standard non-parole period that existed at the time of the offence, historical offenders will now face the prospect of tougher penalties, particularly for crimes like sexual assault that are often reported later.”
The proposed reform comes after a NSW Government review of historical sentencing practices, which engaged legal experts, victims’ rights groups and law enforcement.
The move also follows 2018 legislation that ensures child sex offenders are sentenced according to contemporary practices. The 2018 Act came after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse recommended legislation to ensure sentences for child sexual abuse are imposed according to practices that exist at the time of sentencing.
“This applies consistency to all offending so we won’t perpetuate any past errors by using old practices, which don’t align with contemporary attitudes or our current understanding of serious crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence,” Mr Speakman said.
Key stakeholders will be consulted on a draft exposure bill this year. Feedback will then be considered and a final bill will be introduced to NSW Parliament in 2022.

The Sydney Modern Project, set to almost double the exhibition space of the Art Gallery of New South Wales and attract exhibitions from across the globe, has reached a construction milestone.
Premier Dominic Perrottet and Minister for the Arts Don Harwin visited the site to mark the construction reaching its full height with a “topping out” ceremony today.
The Premier said the $344 million expansion would attract the world’s biggest touring collections and divert tourists from Brisbane and Melbourne to our city.
“Sydney is the cultural capital of Australia, this major expansion of our art gallery will attract tourists from around the world,” Mr Perrottet said.
“New York is synonymous with The Met, this investment will make our gallery a similarly iconic global attraction.
“Sydney Modern ensures our state remains on everyone’s ‘must see’ list, bringing jobs and business opportunities for our tourism industry, forming a key part of our vision for the future.”
The expansion will allow many warehoused artworks to be displayed and also provides a prominent new destination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artworks.
Mr Harwin said the transformation that is taking place at the Art Gallery of NSW is extraordinary.
“We are investing in our future by creating a world-class destination for art and culture. The remarkable Sydney Modern Project cements our city’s position as Australia’s arts capital,” Mr Harwin said.
“The project is a major investment in art, artists and culture and sends a strong signal of confidence for a vibrant and exciting future.”
Together with the NSW Government’s $244 million in funding, the Art Gallery has raised more than $100 million to support the expansion project.
It is the largest government and philanthropic arts partnership of its kind in Australia to date.
Art Gallery of New South Wales director Dr Michael Brand said it’s exciting to see the building take shape.
“We’re creating an indoor-outdoor campus set in the stunning landscape overlooking Sydney Harbour, on Gadigal Country, with exceptional art experiences for everyone to enjoy and only possible in Sydney,” Dr Brand said.
The Sydney Modern Project is Australia’s first museum to be awarded the highest rating for sustainable design with a 6-Star Green Star rating by the Green Building Council of Australia.
The project is expected to inject more than $1 billion into the NSW economy over 25 years and is expected to double the number of annual visits from one million to two million per year.