Starting today school, early childhood, TAFE NSW, Vocational Education and Training (VET) and university staff can access the Qudos vaccination hub in Homebush for Astra Zeneca vaccinations.
Minister for Education and Early Childhood Education Sarah Mitchell said tens of thousands of vaccinations have been reserved exclusively for education staff, with vaccinations one of the best lines of defence against the virus.
“The Qudos hub is complimented by 35 walk-in clinics in western NSW, and countless more clinics, GPs and pharmacies across regional NSW who are taking bookings,” Ms Mitchell said.
“As we prepare for a staged return to school from 25 October, and holding HSC exams from 9 November, vaccinating all staff is essential to increase safety and minimise disruption.
“I’m pleased to see that large numbers of the teaching workforce have already come forward to be vaccinated. Vaccinating staff, along with stringent school restrictions including mask wearing, will help make schools as safe as possible when students return.”
From 8 November 2021, all NSW school and preschool staff will be required to have received two doses of COVID-19 vaccine.
“The Qudos hub and walk-in hubs across NSW provide an opportunity for any staff member 18 years and above to quickly start or finish their vaccination journey,” Ms Mitchell said.
“With more supply entering the system I am hopeful we can create even more opportunities for staff and students to be vaccinated.”
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the safety of the state’s students, apprentices and trainees, as well as teachers and support staff is at the heart of the education vaccination blitz.
“We know that skills training will play an important role in helping our industries and economy re-open and recover from COVID-19, which is why the NSW Government is prioritising vaccinations for those working in this sector,” Mr Lee said.
“By getting vaccinated, you are ensuring apprentices can get back to learning the tools of their trade, students can get back into classrooms and teachers can get back to teaching face-to-face as soon as possible.”
The Department of Education will continue to work with NSW Health to prioritise vaccinations for all staff across NSW, as well as HSC students over the coming weeks.
For more information about the COVID-19 Vaccination Program in NSW please go to nsw.gov.au/covid-19
BOOKING DETAILS
Qudos Bank Arena Vaccination Centre, Sydney Olympic Park
7am – 9pm, from Monday 6 September – Sunday 12 September
Bookings available here or via HealthDirect: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/
Parking is free in P1, Sydney Olympic Park
Walk-in locations and booking details for education staff in regional areas are available at the following link:
https://wnswlhd.health.nsw.gov.au/covid-19-information/covid-19-vaccination
Author: admin
New video with first responders released for Rural Road Safety Month
The NSW Government is appealing for drivers in regional NSW to take extra care this Rural Road Safety Month, as a confronting new video is released, showing the tragic impacts of a horror crash near Dubbo.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said he hoped the video would remind everyone to take road safety seriously – and that the decisions people make behind the wheel can have fatal consequences.
“The video shows the aftermath of a seven vehicle crash at road works on the Newell Highway, north of Dubbo in January 2018, where two young people – 21-year-old Reagan Skinner and 19 year old Hannah Ferguson, tragically lost their lives,” Mr Toole said.
“It also includes interviews with workers who witnessed the crash and a NSW Police Officer who was one of the first responders. Their stories drive home how one moment can change the lives of so many in an instant.”
So far this year, 184 people have died on NSW roads – 127 of those on country roads.
“This is why the NSW Government is investing $640 million over four years as part of the Saving Lives on Country Roads Initiative, to upgrade roads throughout regional NSW,” Mr Toole said.
“So far we’ve delivered 183 projects in 2020/21 and work is currently underway on 132 new and continuing road safety infrastructure projects right across the state, including $47.6 million on the New England Highway between Willow Tree and Uralla and $37.5 million on the Olympic Highway.
“This includes safety measures such as installing wide centre lines, life-saving flexible barriers, rumble strips and other safety devices to help prevent run-off-road and head-on crashes on country roads.
“Although COVID-19 means we are seeing fewer people on the roads, now is not the time to be complacent. It’s my hope that this video will remind all road users to think about how their driving behaviour can help keep everyone on the road safe.
“Before you get behind the wheel, stop and think about what you can do to make sure you arrive at your destination safely – slow down, make sure you’re well rested and never drive if affected by drugs or alcohol.”
Rural Road Safety Month is an initiative of the Australian Road Safety Foundation. More information can be found at: https://arsf.com.au/rrsw-home/
Child missing in the Hunter region now located
A child missing on a rural property in the Hunter region since Friday has been located following a large-scale search.
Just before 12.30pm on Friday (3 September 2021), officers from Hunter Valley Police District responded to reports a child was missing at a rural property on Yengo Drive, Putty, about 75km south of Singleton.
The three-year-old could not be located after he was last seen at a home on the property about 11.45am.
Officers commenced a coordinated multi-agency response which included Trailbike officers, Police Rescue, The Dog and Mounted Unit, Police divers, and PolAir.
Police were assisted by NSW Ambulance, State Emergency Service (SES), Rural Fire Service (RFS), and the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA).
The search continued since then, assisted by hundreds of emergency service volunteers.
About 11.30am today (Monday 6 September 2021), the boy was located on a nearby riverbank by PolAir, who directed ground search crews to his location.
He has been reunited with his family and is being assessed by NSW Ambulance paramedics.
Family statement after child located – Hunter region
Our family is together again. For that we are grateful to everyone who has assisted in any way over the last three days.
Thank you to the NSW Police, Rescue Services, volunteers, community members, friends and family who have worked tirelessly to find AJ.
AJ is fine. Hold your kids close.
Please give our family the privacy to appreciate what we have.
Fatal pedestrian crash – Lake Macquarie PD
A man has died after being struck by a vehicle in the state’s north today.
Just after 8.30am (Monday 6 September 2021), emergency services responded to reports a pedestrian had been struck by a truck on George Booth Drive at Cameron Park, near Lake Macquarie.
Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District attended and located the body of a man.
He died at the scene and is yet to be formally identified.
The truck driver – a 52-year-old man – was uninjured and taken to hospital for mandatory testing.
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash is underway and anyone with information or dashcam footage is urged to contact Lake Macquarie Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
TGA approves Moderna vaccine for 12 to 17-year-olds
The Australian Government has welcomed today’s decision by Australia’s medicines regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), to provisionally approve the use of the Moderna (Spikevax) COVID-19 vaccine for adolescents aged 12 to 17 years.
The approval by the TGA to allow the 12 to 17-year-old age group to be vaccinated with the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine follows the approval last month of its use in adults aged 18 years and older.
Australia has an advance purchase agreement with Moderna to secure 25 million doses of the vaccine – 10 million this year and 15 million of booster vaccines in 2022, with the first doses arriving later this month.
The Government will now await the advice of the independent Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) on how the approval of the Moderna vaccine for 12 to 17-year-olds should be incorporated into Australia’s vaccine rollout program. This advice is expected in the coming week.
The TGA’s approval of the Moderna vaccine for 12 to 17-year-olds was based on a detailed evaluation of available data to support its safety and efficacy – and is an important step in the Government’s program to vaccinate children.
It follows the Government accepting ATAGI’s advice that the Pfizer vaccine be administered in adolescents aged 12 to 15 years. Bookings for this age group open on 13 September.
Significant preparatory work has been undertaken by Operation COVID Shield on how the rollout will be expanded by including the Moderna vaccine and the first doses of the Moderna vaccine will be available through community pharmacies and workplace vaccination clinics.
Through increased supply and additional vaccination sites coming on board, we are setting vaccination records on an almost daily basis. Almost 2 million vaccines were administered last week and more than 20 million have now been administered across the country.
The Government is absolutely committed to vaccinating children as part of the rollout program – and it is expected everyone aged 12 to 18 years of age will have access to a vaccine during 2021.
Super Sunday vaccination blitz
A Super Sunday vaccination blitz has been organised for this Sunday for all police, fire and emergency services personnel who live or work in LGAs of concern.
Eligible workers can log in and book a priority Pfizer vaccination appointment for tomorrow (Sunday 5 September 2021).
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said police and emergency workers have been in the frontline of the COVID battle for more than 20 months and eligible workers need to come forward.
“While there has been a very high take-up of vaccination by workers in these services, there are still some in the LGAs of concern who need to be vaccinated and I’d strongly urge anyone eligible to log on and book your place for Super Sunday,” Mr Elliott said.
“This is your opportunity to get your vaccination and ensure you, your family, your work colleagues and your clients are protected.”
Only police, fire, and emergency service workers who live or work in the LGAs of concern are eligible. Tomorrow’s Super Sunday is also open to healthcare, hospital and aged-care workers. Workers from all agencies must be 16 years or above.
Emergency services workers and volunteers from organisations including the NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW SES, Fire and Rescue NSW, Marine Rescue NSW, Surf Life Saving NSW, and VRA Rescue NSW are encouraged to come forward for vaccination.
The LGAs are: Bayside, Blacktown, Burwood, Camden, Campbelltown, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cumberland, Fairfield, Georges River, Liverpool, Parramatta, Penrith, Strathfield, Randwick suburb (2031).
Proof of occupation (ID card or letter from employer) is required at the appointment to demonstrate eligibility.
Participating vaccination hubs are located at Sydney Olympic Park, Bankstown, Macquarie Fields, and Prairiewood; booking links can be found on the webpage: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/health-and-wellbeing/covid-19-vaccination-nsw/emergency-services-super-sunday
NSW Police Force welcomes 250 additional positions
The NSW Police Force has been bolstered by the addition of 250 new officers this year, representing the third allocation of the NSW Government’s commitment to invest in 1,500 new police over four years.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said 115 of the police positions will join commands in regional and metropolitan areas, while other positions will be allocated to specialist commands.
“The Raptor Squad will benefit from 20 additional officers to target organised crime, while the Criminal Groups Squad and Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad will both benefit from 10 extra positions,” Mr Elliott said.
“These new officers are part of a $583 million investment by the NSW Government, to add 1500 additional police over four years.”
“The additional positions will make a real difference to the NSW Police Force and give them a greater ability to keep our State safe, especially during a time when police have been relied on so heavily,” Mr Elliott said.
NSW Police Force Commissioner Mick Fuller APM said the additional police positions put the organisation in a solid position to adapt and respond to new and emerging crime issues.
“A modern police force must be resilient, adaptable and responsive. We have clearly demonstrated that capability over the past 20 months as we responded to the threat of COVID-19,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“Despite stay-at-home orders and other gathering limitations, criminal enterprise has not ceased. These additional resources will be the boost we need to respond to whatever threats we may face in the future.”
Field Operations Commands set to receive extra positions for 2021-22 are:
- Northern Region – 18 (including one Child Protection Register officer and three positions for the Region Enforcement Squad)
- Southern Region – 18 (including four Child Protection Register officers and two officers for the Region Enforcement Squad)
- Western Region – 13 (including four Child Protection Register officers and two officers for the Region DV High Risk Offender Team)
- Central Metropolitan Region – 14 (comprising nine Child Protection Register officers and five officers for the Region DV High Risk Offender Team)
- North West Metropolitan Region – 36 (10 Child Protection Register officers and three officers for the Region Operations Support Group)
- South West Metropolitan Region – 16 (including four Child Protection Register officers and six officers for the Region Enforcement Squad)
Additional positions allocated to Police Area Commands and Police Districts include,
- Barrier PD (four additional positions),
- Camden PAC (seven additional positions)
- Coffs/Clarence PD (three additional positions)
- Lake Macquarie PD (two additional positions)
- Quakers Hill PAC (seven additional positions)
- South Coast PD (six additional positions), and
- The Hills PAC (nine additional positions).
The remaining allocations will be distributed to other specialist commands across the Force. Allocations are determined based on resource requirements and how best to prevent, disrupt and respond to emerging crime issues.
Search continues for missing child in the Hunter region
A large scale coordinated search continues for a child, missing on a rural property in the Hunter region.
Just before 12.30pm yesterday (Friday 3 September 2021), officers from Hunter Valley Police District responded to reports a child was missing at a rural property on Yengo Drive, Putty, about 75km south of Singleton.
Anthony ‘AJ’ Elfalak, aged three, could not be located after he was last seen at a home on the property about 11.45am.
Anthony lives with autism and is non-verbal. He is described as being of Mediterranean/Middle Eastern appearance, with short dark hair and believed to be wearing a grey jumper and pants, and sneakers.
Officers commenced a coordinated multi-agency response which includes Trailbike officers, Police Rescue, The Dog Unit, Police divers, and PolAir.
Police are being assisted by NSW Ambulance, State Emergency Service (SES), Rural Fire Service (RFS), and the Volunteer Rescue Association (VRA).
The search continued overnight, and more than 100 emergency services volunteers are assisting with the search today (Saturday 4 September 2021).
Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.
Morrison Government's assault on science reaches new lows
The Greens have slammed the Morrison Government for politicising science in an attempt to deny the dangerous decline of the Great Barrier Reef.
Documents obtained by the ABC under Freedom of Information laws reveal the Morrison Government coerced an independent science agency to rush the release of a major scientific report.
The Government then leaked the report to selected media outlets to assist a lobbying trip to stop the Great Barrier Reef being declared in danger by UNESCO.
Greens spokesperson for Healthy Oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson said:
“Yesterday the Liberals teamed up with One Nation to block Senate scrutiny of their shameful campaign to deny the Great Barrier Reef from being declared in danger, and today we learn why.
“This Government will go to extraordinary lengths to deny climate change. Environment Minister Sussan Ley has proven to be content to gaslight us by interfering with scientific processes.
“How would you feel being a scientist who has had your life’s hard work bastardised by a Government intent on abusing it for political gain?
“This Government’s sorry crusade to protect its appalling reputation on climate change – and the interests of their fossil fuel donors – is the most shameful thing I’ve seen in my time in politics.
“This Government has spent years ignoring and attacking science, now they’re politicising it. This raises serious questions: what did Sussan Ley promise the UNESCO World Heritage voting nations in return for not listing the Reef as in danger? For what possible reason would the Government want to hide the truth, except to avoid embarrassment on climate inaction and to help their fossil fuel donors?
“The Greens will not stop fighting to expose the truth on this matter ahead of UNESCO’s review of the Great Barrier Reef’s World Heritage status in February 2022.”
Greens deputy leader and Queensland Senator Larissa Waters said:
“If the government had as much enthusiasm for actually protecting the Great Barrier Reef as it did for hiding its failure to protect it there wouldn’t be a need to declare the Reef ‘in danger’!
“Pressuring an independent scientific agency to join its appalling propaganda campaign is, sadly, just the kind of dodgy behaviour I’d expect from a government that will pull every dirty trick in the book to dodge accountability.
“It’s astonishing that a government that purports to be all about jobs, job, jobs would be so willing to kill off 60,000 of them by doing nothing to prevent the decline of the Reef.”