16 News

To mark Refugee Week, the NSW Government has announced $8.5 million over three years to continue important support programs for refugee, new and emerging communities as part of the 2021-2022 NSW Budget.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the multi-year funding will ensure the continuation of key projects for newly arrived communities.
“Funding in this space will ensure we can continue to support our refugees, newly arrived migrants and emerging communities with programs to help them settle and thrive,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Programs such as these are central to the successful integration of newcomers. In particular, they are crucial in helping to reduce social isolation for families who don’t have established networks or access to support.”
The funding will enable the continuation of programs to help newcomers find educational and employment opportunities, navigate and access support services and create community connections.
Minister for Multiculturalism Natalie Ward said the NSW Government works incredibly hard, through cross-sector collaboration with our broader community, to ensure newcomers feel welcome and supported.
“We are committed to bringing existing and emerging communities together, and seeing people from all backgrounds thrive,” Mrs Ward said.
“Refugee Week is also a chance to extend our gratitude to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers for their valuable contributions to our communities.”
The NSW Government is also committed to progressing opportunities for regional resettlement through an existing $3 million investment to deliver the NSW Growing Regions of Welcome (NSW GROW) Pilot Program, which has launched today.
NSW GROW aims to attract and retain newcomers, and to assist with relocation to regional NSW.
“This funding will improve NSW’s capacity to promote social cohesion and encourage successful settlement across the state,” Mrs Ward said.
The NSW Coordinator General for Settlement, Professor Peter Shergold AC, said this significant investment will continue to achieve positive outcomes for NSW.
“NSW GROW will address critical workforce needs in regional areas that would usually be filled through overseas migration,” Professor Shergold said.
“This Program will support coordinated efforts across sectors to create secondary migration linkages between western Sydney and regional NSW and drive sustainable social and economic outcomes for participating regional communities and newcomers alike.”
The Australian Red Cross and Regional Development Australia will support delivery of NSW GROW in western Sydney, and the Murray and Riverina regions.
For more information about Multicultural NSW, visit: www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au

People with a type of debilitating heart valve disease will have greater access to specialist treatment, wherever they live in NSW, thanks to a $21.6 million funding boost from the NSW Government.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the funding in the upcoming 2021-22 NSW Budget will help patients with aortic stenosis, particularly the elderly, who may have no or extremely limited treatment options.
“This funding will allow complex patients who can’t undergo open heart surgery, to have a less invasive, life-saving procedure,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Importantly, this will also improve quality of life. In an ageing population, this is a critical issue and we need to ensure our health system is able to help support that.”
Aortic stenosis is a condition where the aortic valve cannot fully open and close, restricting blood flow. It is generally caused by a build-up of calcium on the heart valve leaflets, and is the most common type of heart valve disease in elderly Australians.
During a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedure, an artificial aortic valve is implanted into the patient’s heart via a thin tube inserted into an artery, and maneuvered with a wire up to the heart.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said TAVI is one of the great success stories in interventional cardiology and this funding offers opportunities to expand this treatment option to our most complex patients.
“Importantly the investment will help NSW Health define and strengthen referral pathways for our regional and rural patients into the seven hospitals offering the highly-specialised High-risk TAVI service,” Mr Hazzard said.
“In addition to extending and improving the quality of life of those affected, our aim is also to build specialist capacity within our health system to deliver TAVI to this high-risk cohort of patients.”
The High-risk TAVI Supra-LHD Service will be available at John Hunter Hospital, Royal North Shore, Royal Prince Alfred, St Vincent’s, Westmead, Liverpool and at a yet to be determined hospital within South East Sydney Local Health District.
The investment in expanding the revolutionary key-hole heart surgery follows the NSW Government’s $150 million investment in cardiovascular disease in the 2018 Budget

The NSW Government has announced a major investment in sports facilities across NSW awarding more than $52 million in grants under the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund.
Eighty-nine sporting bodies and councils across NSW have shared in the investment to boost sporting infrastructure across the state.
Minister for Sport Natalie Ward said the projects would keep communities healthy and active while creating a sports infrastructure construction boom.
“The NSW Government recognises investing in new and existing sports infrastructure is vital to improving the health and wellbeing of NSW residents,” Mrs Ward said.
“Over the next two years, we will continue to stimulate local economies, boost employment and importantly, facilitate healthy lifestyles by investing in sports infrastructure.
“These projects will continue the construction boom across the State as part of the NSW Government’s multi-billion-dollar infrastructure pipeline.”
The Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund provides grants from $100,000 – $1 million to Councils, local sporting bodies, NSW State Sporting Organisations, State Sporting Organisations for People with Disability, National Sporting Organisations and private enterprises.
Highlights of Round One include funding for the construction of community snow sport facilities at the National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC), upgrades to Temora Swimming Pool, Moree Artisan Aquatic Centre and netball facilities at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley, plus the redevelopment of amenities at Darling Street Oval, Hamilton South.
Mrs Ward said projects aimed to improve existing accessibility, inclusion and participation opportunities for females and people with disability were a priority of the Fund.
“Providing sports facilities to meet the needs and expectations of the community is a focus of the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund,” Mrs Ward said.
For further information on the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund, visit: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/clubs/grants

Hospital workers, paramedics and police who helped fight the pandemic are among the public sector workers who will receive a significant wage increase of up to 2.5 per cent in response to NSW’s economic rebound from COVID-19.
The financial ‘thank you’ will come into effect for all public sector workers due to be renewed from 1 July 2021.
This change in the Government’s wages policy is forecast to cost approximately $2.7 billion over the four-year forward estimates.
This increase is significantly above current private sector wage growth, with most recent figures trending at 1.7 per cent for the sector that employs the vast majority of workers in NSW.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the Government’s decision to boost pay came on the back of renewed confidence in the NSW economy following a year in which the country experienced its first recession in a generation severest post-war recession.
“The pandemic has meant making sacrifices and difficult decisions. This included wage restraint during the worst of the crisis,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We put all of our financial strength into protecting people, providing economic stimulus and boosting job-creating programs. The economy is back growing and we are now able to give a wage increase to government workers and their families.
“I would like to thank all of our public servants for the work they have done in protecting the people of NSW over the past 18 months.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said while the NSW economy had rebounded, the impact of COVID-19 was still being felt.
“We have committed more than $29 billion in support and stimulus measures to support the economy during the pandemic,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Last year’s reduction in pay rises was a tough decision, but everyone remembers the very confronting scenes from last year of people lined up outside Centrelink, by making that decision we were able to protect and boost jobs when needed to.”
The NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) awarded most public servants a wage increase of 0.3 per cent in October last year in the midst of the pandemic.
After spiking to just over 7 per cent, the NSW unemployment rate now sits at 5.0 per cent with the Australian unemployment rate at 5.1 per cent.
Mr Perrottet said NSW has regained more than the 270,000 jobs that had been lost during the pandemic and the recovery in the economy is well underway.
“We know there is still a lot more to do and we will continue to support people and businesses with a strong focus on productivity growth and reform,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We weathered the storm and after a pandemic induced pause we can return to a fiscally responsible policy.”
The NSW Government’s policy of up to 2.5 per cent remuneration increases was introduced in 2011.

TAFE NSW will benefit from a more than $2 billion investment in the 2021-2022 State Budget to bolster skills training and deliver a strong workforce.
There are currently around 102,000 apprentices and trainees in training in NSW, a 19.8 per cent increase from 2020.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the pandemic has demonstrated now more than ever the need for a flexible workforce.
“This investment in TAFE will help equip people with the skills they will need now and into the future,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The recently released NSW Productivity Commission White Paper highlighted the need to ensure our workforce has the skills needed to adapt to the challenges and opportunities that will emerge in a post-pandemic world.
“Today’s announcement underscores our ongoing commitment to creating jobs and cementing NSW as the best to place to live, work and raise a family.”
To help meet the booming demand, the investment will include nearly $6 million for 16 undercover training facilities for trades across the State including in Broken Hill, Kingscliff, Moruya and Western Sydney and $19 million invested in information and communication technology and other assets at campuses across the State.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said students are at the centre of the NSW Government’s more than $2 billion investment, and would benefit from continued subsidised courses, improved training facilities and an ever-expanding training footprint.
There will also be $11.4 million to continue or complete construction of Connected Learning Centres in Bateman’s Bay, Cobar, Jindabyne, Hay, Tomaree, Nambucca Heads and Byron Bay.
“TAFE is an economic engine room for the State’s skills-led recovery, training nearly 80 per cent of all NSW apprentices and hundreds and thousands of students in a broad range of courses,” Mr Lee said.
“The NSW Government’s investment in TAFE is producing highly skilled workers that will help deliver the record pipeline of infrastructure projects across the state and futureproof the workforce.”
“A strong TAFE means a strong economy and the NSW Government is backing it all the way.”

The NSW Government has announced almost $200-million to supercharge a major overhaul of the NSW curriculum will be included in the 2021-22 Budget.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the $196.6 million package over four years represented the first major rewrite of the school curriculum in thirty years.
“Education is key to giving our children the brightest futures and this government is investing in education like never before, improving schools inside and outside the classroom, helping our young people reach their potential through a world class education,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Under this reform, the curriculum will be updated and streamlined by more than 200 syllabus experts to ensure it provides a strong foundation in literacy and mathematics, and clearer post-school pathways, linking learning to future employment or study.”
The new NSW Curriculum will be delivered on a new interactive digital portal to support teachers deliver the curriculum in the classroom, a first for NSW.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the new curriculum portal is a critical part of the most significant curriculum reform in a generation.
“The NSW Curriculum reform is about delivering the knowledge and skills students need to succeed, and it is all backed up by evidence,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The new portal will help teachers integrate syllabus materials and deliver lessons driven by the latest research and resources, meeting the needs of our students in a way we have never been able to do before.
“The new curriculum and the portal will save time for teachers, improve clarity and make the implementation of the syllabuses even easier. The investment will allow teachers to unlock the curriculum’s potential while arming them with the best resources, multiplying the positive impacts of the reform.”
The new platform is under development, with the goal of going live in Term 4, 2021 with the new K-2 English and Mathematics syllabuses.

More than 25,000 free trees will be given to households across Greater Sydney and another 20,000 trees planted by councils as part of a program to make our cities, towns and suburbs greener and more beautiful places to live.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes has launched a partnership with Bunnings at its Narellan store to give away 26,500 free trees to Greater Sydney households.
“Our Free Tree Giveaway with Bunnings is open to all 33 local government areas across Greater Sydney, giving 10,500 eligible households a tree to plant in their yard,” Mr Stokes said.
“Trees make a huge difference to our lives; they improve air quality, create habitats for our beautiful wildlife and are the best way to manage the urban heat island effect which we know is a particular problem in Western Sydney.”
Member for Camden Peter Sidgreaves said that the free tree giveaway was a great opportunity for the community to get planting while the time is right.
“This is a great partnership where people can simply order w tree online and go and pick it up at their local Bunnings,” Mr Sidgreaves said.
“The varieties available will change every month, so keep an eye out for native trees, flowering trees and even some fruit trees.”
Mr Stokes also announced a $9.9 million in grants as part of the Greening our City program for 20,000 trees to be planted in 23 council areas.
“Greening our City is a wonderful program to increase our tree canopy. It was first launched in 2018 and has since delivered more than $15 million to local councils for planting 66,000 trees,” he said.
“We’re already more than halfway to meeting the Premier’s Priority to plant one million trees by 2022 and every tree planted from each of these programs gets us one step closer.”
Applications for a free tree can be made online and the local Bunnings store will be in contact when the trees are ready to be collected and planted. A variety of seasonal trees will be available between June and October.
For a list of eligible suburbs and participating Bunnings Warehouse stores for the Free Tree Giveaway visit: www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/free-tree
For a list of successful Greening our City applicants visit: www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/greeningourcitygrants

The NSW Government is giving the State’s visitor economy a $200 million boost to turbocharge recovery by securing global events for Sydney and regional NSW.
The new $200 million State Significant Event Fund – delivered over four years – will put NSW in pole position to secure major events that attract visitors to the State.
Meanwhile, this summer the Cahill Expressway will be temporarily transformed into a world-class stage.
Road traffic will make way for foot traffic on the Cahill Expressway from 31 December 2021 (for New Year’s Eve) to 6 January 2022 with markets, performances and big screens during the day, then headline acts and pop-up food and bar experiences into the night.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said both initiatives were part of the NSW Government’s plan to support the recovery and growth of the visitor and 24-hour economies, activate public spaces and showcase the State and Harbour City to the world.
“As we push through the pandemic, we are working to make sure Sydney and NSW continue to shine, businesses stay in business, and people return to our amazing Harbour City to support the rebounding economy,” Mr Perrottet said.
“An innovative activation on the Cahill Expressway is one of the recommendations from businesses that we heard during the CBD Summits, and it will attract people into the city, during the key summer trading period.”
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said the creation of the State Significant Event Fund would extend the opportunities for NSW in terms of visitation and global profile.
“Getting more visitors to Sydney and regional NSW, giving them high quality experiences and offering a smorgasbord of events to include in their itinerary will propel us toward our goal of being the premier visitor economy and events capital of the Asia Pacific by 2030,” Mr Ayres said.
“This is about letting the world know that we are open, our State is thriving, and there is nowhere better to visit right now.
“We know visitors are looking for unforgettable experiences so we want to secure blockbuster international concerts for Sydney and regional NSW venues, exhibitions direct form the world’s top galleries, high profile international sporting code events and events celebrating fashion and design, popular culture, and creativity and innovation.”
The Cahill Expressway will be closed to traffic from Friday 31 December 2021 to Thursday 6 January 2022, with public transport and alternate routes available for visitors and residents.
For more information about what’s on in Sydney and NSW, go to www.sydney.com and www.visitnsw.com.

The NSW Police Force has welcomed 192 police recruits after they were sworn in as probationary constables at a ceremony in Goulburn today.
The new probationary constables have been assigned to police area commands and police districts across the state.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott congratulated the new recruits who bring a fresh boost to the Force.
“Congratulations to the men and women of class 347, who graduate today and will join the NSW Police Force at its strongest and most efficient,” Mr Elliott said.
“After eight months of world-class training, the attesting officers will join their stations next Monday and invigorate the policing capabilities of this state.”
The NSW Government has committed to invest $583 million to introduce 1500 extra police over four years to enhance community safety across NSW and is investing $60 million over four years to upgrade the Goulburn Police Academy.
Police Commissioner Mick Fuller APM welcomed the latest intake of probationary constables.
“Today is a significant day for each of the attesting recruits. Policing is a job like no other and as the probationary constables of Class 347 start their duties next week, I congratulate them on the hard work and diligence which allows them to attest today.” Commissioner Fuller said.
“They have sworn their oath of office and will now embark on a rewarding career in policing.”
Class 347 includes 137 men and 55 women. Twenty-one recruits were born overseas in countries including Jamaica, the Philippines and China. Many are from non-English speaking backgrounds, with seven recruits fluent in a second language including Arabic, Chinese and German.
Seven recruits are Indigenous with 1 recruit coming through the Indigenous Police Recruitment Our Way Delivery (IPROWD) program.