16 News

The NSW Liberals are calling on locals not to reward Labor for turning its back on small businesses.
 
Shadow Minister for Small Business Tim James said rising costs are crippling small businesses across NSW, with regions like Kiama bearing the brunt of Labor’s neglect.
 
“Under Labor, costs are up, insolvencies are up, and support has been cut. The NSW Labor Government must stop the excuses and start delivering real support for small businesses before more are forced to shut their doors,” Mr James said.
 
“The government’s decision to axe the Business Connect program is the final insult. Business Connect provided free, practical advice to small businesses navigating compliance, planning and financial management. It was one of the few lifelines available, and from 1 October it will be gone, with nothing to replace it.
 
“The NSW Labor Government has abandoned small business. At a time when bills are up and insolvencies are at record levels, Labor has scrapped one of the few supports that was working.”
 
In 2024–25, a record 7,643 businesses were forced into insolvency – a 26.2% increase in just one year. From skyrocketing insurance premiums to soaring power bills, small businesses are being pushed to the wall while the NSW Labor Government stands by with silence, cuts and cancellations.
 
Liberal for Kiama Serena Copley said local small businesses are feeling the full weight of Labor’s neglect.
 
“Running a small business has never been tougher. Local operators tell me they’re being crippled by rising costs and now, with the loss of Business Connect, they’ll be left completely on their own.”
 
“Instead of helping the struggling local businesses, Labor has taken an important service away,” Ms Copley said. “Labor should not be rewarded for delivering only cuts and excuses.”
 
“Small businesses are the backbone of communities like ours. Kiama small businesses employ locals, sponsor local community organisations and sports teams, and create future opportunities for our kids and grandkids.”
 
Local small business owner, Byron James Smith of Balanced World Remedial Massage and Education said, “Business Connect has been a vital program for small businesses like mine.”
 
“Over the past few years I’ve found it incredibly useful in providing guidance, advice and support to help my business grow and adapt. Its success has been clear to so many across NSW, which makes the NSW Labor Government’s decision to cancel it so disappointing. Losing a program that has been so vital leaves a real gap for businesses that depend on practical, on-the-ground support.”

NSW Liberal Leader Mark Speakman has announced the Liberals will match Labor’s commitment to complete the Tripoli Way Extension, saying only the Liberals have a proven record of delivering infrastructure for the Illawarra and South Coast.

“Once again, the Premier is making big promises before an election, and once again they’re hollow. The people of Kiama deserve better,” Mr Speakman said.

“Labor acts as if they started government funding of the project – in fact the former Liberal Government had already put $16.6 million in the bank for it. We wouldn’t have this project without the vision and commitment of the NSW Liberals.”

“Locals shouldn’t reward Labor for their for last-minute election spin.”

“Only the Liberals have delivered real results when it comes to roads and infrastructure. When last in government we delivered the duplication of the Princes Highway through the entire electorate to reduce commute times, boost productivity for business and improve safety for locals, as well as the Albion Park Rail by-pass.”

Liberal for Kiama, Serena Copley, said Labor’s delays have left locals frustrated.

“This is the same old story from Labor, they talk big before the election and fail deliver, Ms Copley said.

“For two years Labor ignored this project and ignored our region. Now, on the eve of a by-election, they expect locals to believe their empty promises. People can see straight through it.”

“We’ve been demanding answers on these delays for two years, and Labor couldn’t give us an honest one. That tells you everything you need to know about their commitment to our community.”

The Minns Labor Government is moving ahead with a new, data-driven system to ensure NSW roads are categorised, funded and maintained by the right authority – ending years of delay and broken promises by the former government.

The New Approach to Road Recategorisation will replace the outdated, ad-hoc review system with an ‘always open’ process, giving local councils and road managers the ability to apply for category changes at any time.

An example of when recategorisation is necessary is when a previously semi-rural area becomes urbanised, or experiences a significant increase in freight volumes.

The Nationals and Liberals’ signature regional roads commitment back in 2019 was to reclassify up to 15,000 kilometres of regional roads but they failed to deliver.

The new Minns Government framework puts evidence at the centre of decision-making, backed by a Self-Assessment Tool under development to help councils identify when a road’s use no longer matches its current category of State, Regional or Local.

The new approach to road categorisation delivers a system that is fair, transparent and evidence-based . This will strengthen the partnership between state and local government in managing the local, regional and state road network.

Consultation earlier this year saw 57 submissions from councils, industry groups and other stakeholders.

Feedback strongly supported a system that is fairer, faster and more transparent.

This reform is being delivered within existing Transport for NSW funding, supported by a new online self-assessment tool and data portal that will give councils clear, consistent criteria to build proposals.

Implementation of the New Approach will roll out in the coming months, with Transport for NSW keeping councils updated every step of the way.

Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“Roads are the lifeblood of our communities – connecting homes, schools, hospitals, farms, industry, and small family businesses. They need to be funded and maintained by the right authority so they’re safe and reliable.

“With increased populations in regional communities, increasing freight tasks on the regional network and changes to resilient routes to deal with climate change, we need a dynamic, transparent approach to applying for recategorisation that quickly becomes straightforward and business as usual.

“Under the Coalition’s approach, it was unclear who would fund the transfers, or fund and deliver ongoing maintenance, whether or not all regional councils were eligible, and it relied on their ad hoc, one-off approach which wasn’t transparent or accountable to communities. 

“Not only are we fixing the system, we have been fixing the roads after years of Coalition neglect.

“We poured $390 million into regional council roads for pothole repairs in our first budget. In 2024-25 we delivered five times as much disaster recovery funding to councils. This commitment exceeds $1 billion in a single year, more than the former Government did it in its last five years in office, and we are continuing this work in the current year.

“Motorists don’t care who owns the roads, or how they are categorised, they just want them to be functional and maintained. This approach will support all road managers to get on with the vital work of maintaining and improving the standard of our roads.

“This new approach will give councils greater clarity, speed up decisions and ensure roads are categorised based on how they are actually used, not on outdated reviews or political deals.

“Combined with our recent announcement of AusRAP ratings, assessing the condition of State and Regional roads, and our advocacy to the Federal Government to increase Financial Assistance Grants for local council road funding, the Minns Labor Government is pulling every lever to improve the condition of our roads.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Veterans David Harris will join Vietnam veterans at the Cenotaph in Martin Place today to pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of our veterans of one of Australia’s longest military engagements.

Vietnam Veterans Day takes place on 18 August, originally acknowledging the Battle of Long Tan in 1966. One of the fiercest engagements by Australians in the war, the battle resulted in 18 Australian deaths and 24 wounded after three hours of fighting before the Viet Cong withdrew.

The anniversary is now used remember the service and sacrifice of all who fought in Vietnam.

Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam War began with the arrival of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam in July and August 1962, this was the start of a more than decade-long military commitment.

While the deployment was primarily composed of army personnel, substantial contributions were also made by the Royal Australian Air Force, the Royal Australian Navy, and civilians.

Over the course of the conflict, more than 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam. The war came at a cost of 523 Australians who died in the conflict and nearly 2,400 wounded.

Vietnam veteran and President of the RAAF Association of NSW Ron Glew will attend today’s ceremony.

Mr Glew served with RTFV/35 Squadron, which transported personnel and equipment to over 100 airfields across Vietnam, dangerous journeys through enemy fire and poor weather conditions. The squadron flew nearly 80,000 sorties, totalling 47,000 hours of flying time, and carried 677,000 passengers.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“Today we reflect on the incredible service and sacrifice of those who served in Vietnam, a conflict in which hundreds of Australians lost their lives and thousands more were wounded.

“This is a moment for the NSW community to unite in reflection, as we pause for a minute’s silence to honour and remember those who served in Vietnam and their loved ones. Lest we forget.”

Minister for Veterans David Harris said:

“Today is an important opportunity for our community to stop and acknowledge the service and sacrifice of all those Australians who served in the Vietnam war.

“More than 60,000 Australians served in the protracted war, with 523 making the ultimate sacrifice. Nearly 2,400 were wounded, and all who served carry the lasting scars and memories of a conflict that also took a heavy toll on their families.

“The Battle of Long Tan remains a powerful symbol of the Vietnam War – a conflict marked by intense combat and profound sacrifice. Its anniversary now honours all who served over more than a decade of war, whether on land, in the air, or at sea.

“We will remember them.”

Vietnam Veteran Ron Glew said:

“The Vietnam War was the most diverse and changeable environment that ADF forces had to adapt to at that time. Veterans were required to meet change on a mostly daily basis, initially with limited resources, to achieve their operational requirements and, as a result, a strong spirit of mateship and support for each other became the norm.

“We were flying continuously up to 12 hours daily for 3 weeks at a time on routine and emergency flights which required a strong crew effort.

“History shows that we, and our ADF sisters, brothers and support services, far exceeded expectations, reinforcing the ‘Digger’ legacy amongst our allies and that teamwork and a ‘can do’ attitude created a bond between veterans that continues to this day.

“Vietnam Veterans Day gives us a unique day of recognition of our service to our country and affords us the opportunity to reconnect again with our mates and collectively remember our fallen.”

The NSW Government is ramping up its support for regional and remote towns by injecting $15 million into supercharging a groundbreaking program that helps safeguards water and sewage services for thousands of people.

The investment is a huge win for country NSW funding the rollout of phase 3 of the government’s highly successful Town Water Risk Reduction Program building on more than $32.8 million for the initiative since 2023.

Over the past 2 years, the program has helped dozens of regional councils and local water utilities (LWU) tackle the most severe risks to town water, addressing critical skills shortages and improving the regulatory framework to give them the tools to better manage services effectively.

This next chapter of the initiative will focus on unlocking more opportunities to support local communities and provide safer and more reliable water.

It will: 

• deliver $2 million in funding to enable 20 Local Water Utilities to carry out critical infrastructure upgrades that will lock-in a more secure, top quality water supply
• address critical skills shortages and boost water operations by providing training and employment opportunities in regional NSW for school leavers, Aboriginal students and existing water operators
• develop critical reforms in response to the Productivity & Equality Commission’s Review of Funding Models for Local Water Utilities enabling the sector to deliver more efficient town water services to regional NSW communities and more effective funding models
• enable local water utilities to accelerate responses to dam safety audits and address water quality risks, leveraging the expertise of WaterNSW.

Work on phase 3 is now underway and will be implemented across the state over the next three years.

For more information on NSW Government’s support of local water utilities visit the Local water utilities web page. 

NSW Minister for Water Rose Jackson said:

“The Town Water Risk Reduction Program is a game changer, enabling councils and local water utilities to better plan and manage water and sewerage services across NSW.

“We’re seeing an increase in climate extremes that have the potential to impact water infrastructure, so our remote communities need all the help they can get.

“By rolling out phase three, we can ensure the most at-risk towns have improved equipment and the best operators on the job who can respond immediately to emergencies. 

“The new funding is a massive win for country NSW and means we can charge ahead and give even more LWUs the tools they need to deliver cleaner and better quality drinking water.”

Uralla Shire Council Mayor, Robert Bell said:  

“The Town Water Risk Reduction Program is one of the most effective and valuable NSW Government initiatives that we have ever experienced. Uralla Shire Council and the community are deeply grateful for the program’s support and this new funding is great news.” 

Hay Shire Council Mayor, Carol Oataway said: 

“This collaboration is a strong example of what can be achieved when local leadership and the NSW Government work together hand-in-hand to tackle water quality issues and improve outcomes for regional communities.” 

Commonwealth, state and territory governments have agreed to progress work towards a national product stewardship scheme for solar panels, ensuring they are managed from start to end of life.

At Friday’s meeting of the Energy and Climate Change Ministerial Council in Sydney, NSW presented a paper advocating a national mandated scheme to prevent solar panels ending up in landfill, instead directing them towards remanufacture or recycling. NSW is already developing a mandated stewardship program for batteries.

Annual solar panel waste volumes in Australia are predicted to nearly double over the next five years, from 59,340 tonnes in 2025 to 91,165 tonnes in 2030. The surge in waste is expected to be greatest in metropolitan cities from domestic use, with volumes beginning to grow in regional areas from large-scale solar facilities after 2030.

Energy Ministers recognised increasing calls for improved end-of-life management of solar panels, including those at large-scale facilities. Many solar panels are disposed of well before the end of their useful life and typically end up in landfill, stockpiled, or exported.

More than 95% of a solar panel is recyclable and contains valuable materials, including aluminium, glass, copper, silver and silicon, which can be beneficially recovered and reused.

The Smart Energy Council estimates that around one-third of solar panels could be re-used instead of being thrown away. This could contribute up to 24 gigawatts of energy by 2040, enough to power six million homes a year.

Energy Ministers agreed that NSW will lead preliminary work, together with other jurisdictions, in drawing up a Regulatory Impact Statement.

The draft will help the Government evaluate options for a national mandatory product stewardship scheme that could catalyse a national recycling and reuse sector for solar panels and their batteries.

The Commonwealth is also supporting low-cost recycling technologies for solar PV through the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, to help support the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of industry approaches to solar product stewardship.

Minister for Energy and the Environment, Penny Sharpe said:

“We are proud to be leading the charge to create a unified approach to solar panel waste management and recycling.

“This work builds on the momentum of our nation-leading reform on batteries, and the new legislation already in place in NSW to enable a mandatory product stewardship scheme – ensuring suppliers take responsibility for the safe design, recycling and disposal of their products.”

Smart Energy Council CEO, John Grimes said:

“It’s been a decade since the federal government acknowledged solar panels going into landfill was a problem. Now, four million panels are coming off roofs a year with less than 5% being recycled.

“The time for talk has passed, an immediate first step is a national solar stewardship pilot to keep the industry alive and inform the Regulatory Impact Statement.

“The Smart Energy Council welcomes the restated focus from governments on the critical need for stewardship of solar PV, and particularly acknowledges the efforts of the NSW government for leading on this.’

Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union NSW/ACT State Secretary Brad Pidgeon said:

“A national solar panel stewardship scheme is a major opportunity for Australian jobs.

“Remanufacturing and recycling panels here means more onshore work in the renewable energy supply chain instead of shipping valuable materials offshore or losing them as waste.”

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to make koala safety on NSW roads a top priority, with new fauna fences and motorist warning signs going up at vehicle strike hotspots in western and southern Sydney suburbs.

It’s a critical time to protect the much-loved marsupials with breeding season running from August until the end of summer, meaning many more koalas will be moving around.

In Sydney’s south, koala protection on busy Heathcote Road has taken a major step forward with work on the $1.9 million project starting this month, thanks to funding from the NSW Koala Strategy.

More than a kilometre of fencing is being delivered around Deadmans Creek in strategic locations to prevent koalas and other fauna from entering Heathcote Road between St George Crescent at Sandy Point and Pleasure Point Road at Pleasure Point.

The koala fencing stands 1.5 metres high with non-climbable sheeting and will connect into existing fencing and safe fauna crossing points under the road.

Access for koalas under the existing Deadmans Creek Bridge will be improved with the installation of repurposed logs to help koalas climb across drainage lines.

A modified cattle grid – known as a koala grid – that impedes koala access and a pedestrian gate that stops koalas while allowing human access will also be installed at St George Crescent, along with one-way escape hatches in the fence.

This work follows the installation of six permanent koala warnings signs on Heathcote Road in 2023 and temporary electronic signs deployed during koala breeding seasons.

Construction is set to begin next year for a planned koala underpass with concrete rectangular tunnel (box culvert) and logs around Appin Road at Ousedale Creek in Sydney’s west, one of three underpasses to be built between Appin and Rosemeadow developed in partnership with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.

The specifically designed koala-friendly underpass will be located 35 metres south of the Brian Road intersection and will be supported by grids, fencing and escape poles to allow koalas to climb to safety.

In response to community feedback, interim koala protection fencing is being installed along around 700 metres of Appin Road near Beulah Reserve.

This is designed to deter koalas from venturing onto this busy stretch of road and is in addition to other measures including warning signs and road markings.

Further south, 3.5 kilometres of new wildlife fencing is being added on both sides of Picton Road at Cataract between the Picton Road westbound rest area and Cordeaux Dam Road to adjoin the existing fence.

This fence extension is being installed with $6.3 million provided under the Safer Roads Program that has already delivered widening of the eastbound lane and centre barrier installation. It will be completed by the end of August.

This work follows the installation of a grid at Cordeaux Dam Road to deter koalas from entering the roadway.

This new fencing between the Picton Road rest area westbound and Cordeaux Dam Road will close a gap in the existing fencing and further help to prevent koala strikes.

The upgraded wildlife fencing used on all of these projects is designed to be durable and secure with the use of thick-gauge wire, strong mesh, and tie wires installed frequently to provide strength and longevity.

For more information on Heathcote Road, visit the Transport for NSW website. 

For more information on Appin Road, visit the Ousedale Creek Koala Underpass web page.

Minister for Roads and Minister for Regional Transport Jenny Aitchison said:

“The Minns Labor Government has long been committed to koala protection.

“Vehicle strikes are both a tragedy for our threatened wildlife and a safety hazard for motorists, so we need to do more to prevent them through thoughtful improvements to our road infrastructure.

“Koalas live with us in our suburbs and bring nature into our lives. We have an obligation to protect them and to act as good neighbours.”