Category: NSW News

Last week the Member for The Entrance, the Member for Gosford, a representative for the Member for Swansea and I met with executives from the Central Coast Local Health District (CCLHD), the NSW Ministry of Health and Minister for Health Ryan Park’s office to express the concerns of the Central Coast community about maternity service provision on the Coast.

The CCLHD is developing a Clinical Services Plan for Women, Children and Families on the Central Coast which addresses both the closure of Gosford Private Hospital’s maternity services and the region’s projected population growth.

It’s important to note there is no reduction in public maternity services on the Central Coast and expectant mothers wishing to have their birth on the Coast will be able to do so.

Gosford Hospital provides 24-hour midwifery, obstetric, anaesthetic, and paediatric support including a Special Care Nursery to support the maternity needs of the Central Coast community.

Wyong Hospital also continues to provide care through the Midwifery Group Practice and Gosford outreach Midwife-led Antenatal Clinic.

In late 2023, the CCLHD introduced a Midwifery Group Practice Homebirth Service to provide local women with more choice about where they give birth.

We were advised the CCLHD is actively recruiting specialist maternity clinician staff.

I look forward to viewing the Clinical Services Plan which is being developed to ensure the maternity needs of the Central Coast community continue to be met.

Penrith Beach remains the coolest place to be this summer with a host of free activities drawing visitors from Western Sydney and beyond for a second successive swimming season.

More than 73,000 people have visited Penrith Beach since it re-opened just over a month ago.

A range of fun and interactive activities have been on show this summer including weekly bootcamps led by rugby league legend Mark Geyer, Sandy Cinema movie screenings and junior lifesaver training.

Beachgoers are continuing to flock to Sydney Zoo’s engaging Wildlife Wednesdays, with this week’s educational session focusing on snakes.

This long weekend, free skin-cancer checks are also available on Saturday, 25 January from the Skin Check Champions’ qualified nurses, with walk-ins welcome.

A six-week beach volleyball tournament will start on Sunday, 2 February and run until Saturday, 9 March. For those looking for something a little different there will also be introduction to dragon boat racing on Sunday, 23 February and Saturday, 8 March.

On-site cultural festivities will see a special Lunar New Year kite festival on Sunday, 9 February followed by a Valentine’s Day fun run on Saturday, 15 February and a Holi Festival inspired colour run on Sunday, 23 March.

Safety continues to be the top priority at Penrith Beach, with trained lifeguards patrolling daily and providing first aid services, alongside regular monitoring of water quality.

On Thursday, 30 January, Royal Life Saving NSW will begin the first of three special water-safety sessions that continue on Thursday, 27 February and finish on Thursday, 20 March, with Surf Life Saving NSW on site to assist.

To sign up for updates or register interest in any of Penrith Beach’s free activities, visit here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/visiting-and-exploring-nsw/penrith-beach

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“Penrith Beach is a wonderful place for a dip, but it is also a space for community connection and outdoor recreation in the heart of Western Sydney.

“These free activities offer something for everyone. We have you covered at Penrith Beach this summer with everything from gruelling bootcamp workouts to educational experiences and laid-back family events.”

Member for Penrith Karen McKeown said:

“Despite a rainy summer, we’ve still had over 70,000 people visit the beach in just a month. The $2.5 million investment in Penrith Beach by the Minns Government means our community has free access to a great place to swim in Summer.

“Safety is front and centre for visitors at this iconic location.

“Lifeguards are not only keeping people safe with daily patrols, but are providing expert instruction on lifejacket usage, inland water safety and CPR essentials as part of their

Renters would get the same rights to beach parking permits in council areas that run two-tiered schemes favouring homeowners, under reforms proposed by the NSW Government.

Mosman and Northern Beaches councils issue free parking at local beaches to ratepayers – those people who own their own property – but charge people who rent for the same permit to park at the beach.

For example, on the Northern Beaches, homeowners are issued two free, annual parking permits to 40 local beaches whereas renters need to apply and pay $250 for a parking sticker.

Homeowners are also allowed to purchase two more permits for a total of four per household – twice as many as a rented household can access.

In Mosman, property owners get a free access sticker to four car parks, including Balmoral and the Spit, while resident renters can purchase up to two permits for $61 each. Mosman property owners who reside in their property can also purchase two more on top of a free permit for the same price.

Casual car parking charges at beaches like Manly and Balmoral are up to $10 an hour for those without a permit and Bondi Beach is $10.80 an hour.

A third of people rent their home in NSW and the proportion of those renting is rising.

The NSW Government is alerting councils with parking permit schemes of the proposed changes and inviting their feedback.

Any change would be issued as part of an update to parking Guidelines under the Road Transport (General) Regulation 2021.

The changes are part of a suite of reforms by the Minns Labor Government aimed at ensuring access to Sydney beaches does not depend on someone’s postcode and they remain open and welcoming to all.

An update to the Guidelines in June last year requires that street parking duration is of a minimum one hour when it is combined with permit holder exemptions.

In one case, Woollahra Council had put a time limit of 15 minutes on visitors to Watsons Bay unless you were a resident with an all-day parking permit.

The NSW Government is also considering changes to the Guidelines which will stop councils excluding residents of strata units and multi-dwelling properties from obtaining residential parking permits on the same terms as other residents.

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“In NSW, the beach belongs to everyone. That same egalitarianism should also extend to the beach car park.

“We do not believe a distinction should be made based on whether someone owns their own home or rents it when it comes to access to the beach. This is a fairness issue, and a cost-of-living issue.

“Similarly, drawing lines based on whether someone lives in a block of apartments or in a house also fails the fairness test.

“In Watsons Bay, we have already put a stop to a parking arrangement that was closer to speed dating than a relaxing visit to the beach and we are asking councils everywhere to consider the equity of their rules. We look forward to their feedback.

We welcome the Albanese Labor Government’s $10,000 incentive payment for apprentices in the construction and clean energy sectors and its focus on apprentice retention.

NSW leads the nation in apprenticeship and traineeship participation, accounting for nearly 30% of Australia’s total, with more than 103,000 apprentices and trainees in training.

These figures highlight the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to building a skilled workforce for the future.

Importantly, completion numbers in NSW are also on the rise, with a 10% increase in the 2024 June quarter compared with 2023.

This includes a 13% jump in apprenticeship completions and 7% growth in traineeships, well above the national average of 3%.

However, we know there is more work to do and finding innovative ways to address skills shortages in the construction sector will be key if we are to meet our NSW commitment to boost housing supply and reach net zero by 2050.

Whenever I meet apprentices, they tell me how difficult it is to keep up with cost-of-living pressures. I know this $10,000 boost will be warmly welcomed by apprentices in NSW.

This incentive payment complements the work under way as part of our newly released NSW Skills Plan, the first in over 15 years, the Apprenticeship & Traineeship Roadmap 2024-26, and the NSW VET Review, which all have a key focus on construction and renewable energy workforces and giving young people opportunities and pathways to fulfilling careers.

The Minns Labor Government has released its Industrial Lands Action Plan which sets out a new approach to plan, secure, and manage the supply of industrial lands to deliver new jobs, drive investment and support the building of more homes.

The action plan is focused on opening up more land zoned for industrial or similar purposes, such as depots, distribution centres, factories and warehouses.

These services are crucial to the economic viability of our cities and towns because they not only create valuable ongoing jobs but are also critical for the production and delivery of construction materials required for building more homes.

The action plan will identify lands as State, Regional, or Locally Significant, to make sure that each plays a specific role in supporting economic activity and long-term growth.

This will also help guide infrastructure investments that unlock the potential of each area.

But the NSW industrial sector is facing escalating land values, increased rents and in some locations almost zero vacancies in industrial lands.

The Industrial Lands Action Plan outlines initiatives to boost the supply of industrial lands.

This includes:

• delivering a statewide categorisation policy and approach for the supply pipeline of industrial lands to replace the Retain, Review and Plan and Manage policies;
• making planning policy amendments to increase flexibility on land zoned for industrial purposes, and
• implementing an Employment Land Development Program to coordinate infrastructure investment for the supply of industrial land over the next two decades.

The Industrial Lands Action Plan will also provide industry, council and developers the opportunity to see where there is underutilised or isolated industrial lands which could be transitioned into alternative uses to align with NSW Government key priorities, such as alternative employment uses or housing.

For more information on industrial lands visit the NSW Planning website at https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/research-and-demography/employment-lands

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“After years of neglect, our new Statewide approach will plot the steps to help us grow our industrial pipeline across the State.

“In 2024 alone, industrial related industries and activities contributed approximately $174 billion in gross value to the NSW economy, the Industrial Lands Action Plan provides industry, developers and councils with a holistic and state-wide approach to actively plan, secure, manage and monitor industrial lands across NSW.

“By unlocking the supply of well-located, serviced and competitive industrial land, we are helping to drive investment, create jobs and support the construction industry in the delivery of housing.

“More serviced and development ready industrial lands are required to shore up the supply chain for the housing and construction materials we need to build affordable, well-located houses across NSW.”

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty has today confirmed the successful eradication of avian influenza in the Hawkesbury region, one of the most significant outbreaks in the state’s history.

The NSW Government’s eradication of avian influenza in this zone is a terrific win for our poultry and egg producers, plus consumers, with businesses now able to get back to normal.

From Friday 24 January 2025 the emergency zones will be removed and all emergency orders will be lifted, including movement restrictions for birds, objects and other equipment, officially bringing an end to the NSW Government’s Avian Influenza response.

This follows the easing of the Hawkesbury emergency zone in December 2024 with no new detections of the disease occurring in the area after July 2024. The required surveillance time with no virus detections has now elapsed so the control order can now be revoked.

The Minns Labor Government is serious about biosecurity and protecting our valuable primary industries, and will continue to work with farmers to safeguard agricultural industries.

The NSW Government’s avian influenza response and eradication actions included:

• Managing depopulation of virus impacted birds
• 288 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and inter-agency staff working on the response
• 6,801 samples tested
• 76,000 targeted SMS to property owners
• 1,500 letters delivered in a letterbox drop to the Hawkesbury
• 1,051 calls to the Emergency Animal Disease hotline

In June 2024, Government Biosecurity teams detected and responded to an avian influenza outbreak at two commercial poultry farms and four non–commercial premises in the Hawkesbury region.

All infected premises were subject to quarantine, depopulation, disposal and decontamination in accordance with the AUSVETPLAN Response Strategy for avian influenza ensuring all premises were free of traces of the diseases before regular operations could resume.

The H7N8 avian influenza strain detected in NSW was not the same as the H5N1 strain that is causing concern globally. Australia remains free of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza. In addition it was not connected to the Victorian outbreak of avian influenza.

This has taken an immense response by the NSW Government working with industry, farmers and the community to control this outbreak and eventually eradicate the virus. I want to thank all the staff and industry personnel who worked tirelessly to protect the industry and minimise impacts

Find more information on the NSW Government’s response to the H7 Avian Influenza outbreak.

From design to reality; a life-size prototype metro carriage for the new Western Sydney Airport Metro line has been unveiled, giving passengers a first look at future travel to Sydney’s second airport.

Assembled from a flat pack in a Western Sydney warehouse, the carriage is a full-scale replica which closely mimics the final product’s shape, size and design features.

The mock-up will allow future passengers to test out the carriage and provide feedback on comfort, usability, accessibility and safety – including seat design, boarding experience, and handhold placement.

It will also help transport authorities and manufacturers evaluate and finalise aspects of the train like the interior lighting, emergency features, and passenger information display systems.

Engineers and designers will be able to use the prototype to validate the final design choices, ensuring the layout, materials, and ergonomics meet the intended specifications.

The feedback collated from the extensive assessments has helped refine the final design for the 12 new trains for the Western Sydney Airport line before they go into production later this month. The contract for the new trains was signed in 2022.

Final checks are also being made to confirm the upholstery design for the train seats, which will feature a specially commissioned artwork by Western Sydney creative team BBR, led by Dharug artist Leanne Redpath, with Tina Barahanos and Alexandra Byrne.

The artwork called Ngurra Baduwa includes reference to Ngurra (Country) and Badu (water) running through Cumberland Plain, the region where the new 23-kilometre metro line will be located.

The grey and blue patterns and colours for the general seats are reflective of the night sky, while the priority seats are yellow and tell a daytime story about meeting places around waterholes found through fields of wattle flowers.   

About 2,300 square metres of fabric, equivalent in length to five basketball courts, will be needed to upholster every seat in the 12 new trains.  

Once operational, the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport line will have the capacity to move up to 7,740 passengers each hour in each direction between St Marys and Bradfield via Sydney’s new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport. 

The new railway will become the transport spine for Greater Western Sydney, connecting residents with job hubs and travellers from the new airport to the rest of Sydney’s public transport system.   

For more information on the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport project: sydneymetro.info/westernsydneyairportline

Deputy Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

“Testing of this mock-up carriage has been underway for many months and no stone has been left unturned to ensure passengers enjoy a world-class experience when they step off a plane in Western Sydney and onto a fast and reliable metro.

“Western Sydney artists at BBR have delivered a fantastic upholstery design for the seats that will create a unique identity for this line, and welcome international visitors with incredible Aboriginal cultural heritage and contemporary art.”  

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

“Being able to look, feel, touch and experience the new Metros is helping our teams put the finishing touches on these trains before they go into production.

“Every train will be fully accessible, beautifully air-conditioned, and a really comfortable way to travel to Sydney’s new airport.

“Once the new Airport metro line opens, each of the 12 new metro trains will have capacity to comfortably move 645 people between Bradfield, St Marys and the new International Airport.

Features of the new Western Sydney Airport metro trains:

• High resolution displays showing real-time flight information via a direct feed from the Airport;
• Multiple seating choices in each carriage, including front and rear facing seating for people travelling in larger groups and traditional metro longitudinal (sideways) seating;
• A wide, accessible aisle through the centre of the train to allow for ease of movement for passengers travelling with luggage;
• Wheelchair areas and accessible spaces; 
• Hearing loops in all carriages
• Four bicycle storage spaces on every train.

The NSW Government will oversee the construction of the new shared NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) brigade station and NSW State Emergency Service (SES) unit in Surf Beach at Batemans Bay to build this important facility.

The services of Public Works NSW have been engaged to undertake project management of the site and ensure work moves quickly on the multi-million-dollar RFS and SES facility.

The new facility will be owned by the Council, replacing the existing RFS facility and temporary accommodation currently being used by the SES.

Public Works NSW will manage the construction phase of the project, with the beginning of the tender process a major milestone and now released following the signing of an MOU between the Council and the NSW Government.

The new headquarters will include operational areas designed to meet the needs of both services.

Facilities will include garages for advanced rescue vehicles and boats, storage for essential equipment, office spaces, a training room, kitchen facilities, change rooms, and a laundry, all designed to enhance the capacity of their emergency response efforts.

Both services are eager to see this vital project come to life, further enhancing emergency response capabilities in the region.

Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib said:

“The devastating 2019/2020 bushfires on the NSW South Coast destroyed homes, businesses, and infrastructure, forcing entire communities to evacuate.

“I understand the community’s desire to get this project moving which is why I am pleased Public Works NSW will now be managing the project and providing the local council with the assistance it needs.

“Since coming to Government, we have made a significant investment in initiatives to support the SES and RFS, including new tankers, vessels, and vehicles to ensure they are better equipped to respond to natural disasters.

“This project is an excellent example of collaboration between local and state governments along with our emergency services agencies to deliver long-term benefits for our volunteers and the local community.”

RFS Commissioner, Rob Rogers said:

“The release of this tender marks a significant step forward in delivering a critical resource for the Batemans Bay community.

“This new facility at Surf Beach will provide modern, purpose-built amenities to better support our firefighters in protecting life and property. It represents our commitment to ensuring our volunteers have the tools and spaces they need to operate effectively.”

NSW SES Commissioner, Mike Wassing said:

“Our volunteers have shown exceptional dedication while operating out of temporary facilities since the 2019/2020 bushfires.

“This permanent home will give our Batemans Bay team the resources and space they need to train, plan, and respond effectively to emergencies.”

An exciting new prefabrication building company based in Central West NSW is helping to address the state’s current housing crisis, while also sourcing local timber and creating local jobs.

Green Timber Technology, which has recently been established in partnership with The Pentarch Group, will start operating in December from the former Electrolux factory site in Orange, which has been vacant since 2016.

Green Timber Technology will fabricate timber walls, roofs and floors in the factory and then deliver them to site for assembly, mostly within NSW.

Housing affordability and availability is the single biggest pressure facing the people of NSW.

Instead of taking around nine months to build a new home, this process can produce around ten homes per week.

Once fully operational, the company will build a new home roughly every four hours.

The company also aims to achieve zero waste.

The houses that will soon be fabricated at the Orange site will not only be affordable, but also high-end architecturally designed homes.

The 10,000m² facility is also adding a robotic element to its production line while still creating local jobs, with plans to employ 70 people by 2026.

While the prefabrication element helps dramatically reduce the amount of time it takes to build a new home, the operation still involves essential building trade elements including plumbers, builders and electricians as part of the final construction phase.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“This exciting new approach will help deliver on the Government’s priorities by producing affordable housing, which is the single biggest pressure facing the people of NSW.

“It will significantly increase the speed of construction through automation and avoiding weather impacts.

“I congratulate the company for also working to achieve zero net waste and providing improved worker safety, because construction will occur in a controlled environment.

“This prefabrication building company is also vertically integrated with Pentarch Forestry’s softwood plantations and mills which are based at Oberon, which is ensuring local timber and timber products are sourced in the region, reducing transport costs.

“NSW sourced timber has an important role to play in addressing our housing crisis, and it’s companies like this that are demonstrating well timed critical problem solving to address this challenge.

“The benefits for the local economy, industry and the community have come at a very welcome time.”

Executive Director, The Pentarch Group Stephen Dadd said:

“Sourcing local products is an integral part of this new venture for our company.

“In addition to the timber aspect, we hope in the future to see some other companies follow our lead and look at what other housing products could be produced locally.

“We are not using the entire Electrolux site, so there is potential for further growth into a prefabrication housing hub.”

CEO of Green Timber Technology’s Orange site Pete Morrison said:

“We are excited to be part of the Orange community through this new initiative and to bring this new approach to housing to the Central West.

“We’ll employ around 20-25 people in the early stages of production on the floor to oversee the panel, flooring and roofing components, and additional staff in the design and structural engineering aspect.”

The Minns Government is continuing its efforts to safeguard primary industries from bushfire threats, with a raft of projects announced today to help protect critical plantation timber in southern NSW under the Government’s $13 million Plantation Fire Protection funding package.

Funding has been endorsed for 15 local projects which will form a network of enhanced fire protection initiatives across the Murray region, including Greater Hume, Snowy Valleys, Cootamundra-Gundagai. Albury and Wagga Wagga LGAs.

Ranging from latest technology fire detection cameras to aerodrome-based water supplies for firefighting, the projects have been identified to collectively deliver the maximum fire protection, hazard reduction and response capabilities for plantations and communities in the region.

A panel of government and industry experts have identified the projects by analysing existing arrangements and identifying gaps and opportunities.

While the projects will protect plantation resources, they also provide increased protection for the local residents and businesses of the area.

The projects were identified by representatives from the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and the Softwoods Working Group, facilitating additional input from plantation owners, local councils, Forestry Corporation and other fire authorities.

Approved projects include:

• $1,100,000 for the upgrade of Ellerslie Range Fire Trails Program which are strategically important to protect at-risk plantation estates in the Snowy Valley which includes the Southern Cross Forest complex, Green Hills and Bago State Forests;
• $983,339 for the upgrade and maintenance of priority fire trails in Bondo, Bago, Carabost and Jingellic State Forests;
• $5,720,000 for Tumut Aerodrome, to improve water supply for aerial firefighting and the construction of hangar for fire suppression aircraft;
• $100,000 for two high volume trailer mounted water pumps for rapid refilling of water transport trucks and fire tankers, to be housed in the Bondo forest depot and Ardrossan forest depot;
• $329,490 for a network of Remote Automated Weather Stations to provide data to the Bureau of Meteorology to inform fire preparedness and response across the region;
• $145,625 for firefighting water storages in strategic locations exposed to uncontrolled fires – for both private and public plantation land in the Ellerslie forests area to the west of Adelong, forest areas to the west of Humula, Carabost State Forest and Murraguldrie State Forests;
• $456,000 for two bulk tankers to transport firefighting water, to be housed at Green Hills;
• $387,106 for specialist tractor and mulcher, based in Tumbarumba, to undertake growth suppression and non-burn hazard reduction in key fire corridors;
• $1,537,800 for an all-terrain firefighting machine with water tank and high flow water pumps that will deliver large volumes of water in difficult plantation situations to be housed in the Tumut area;
• $828,139 to expand the PSN (Public Safety Network) radio network for plantation workers, across the Murry region;
• $325,000 for three additional fire detection cameras on Mt Ikes, Table Top and Mt Flakney to complete the network monitoring the Murray Valley timber plantation estate;
• $220,000 for the Australian Fire Danger Rating System – which provides critical data to assess fire risk across the Murray region;
• $767,500 to upgrade of cabins in five fire towers to ensure early detection in Munderoo Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys), Tumorrama Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys), Burngoogie Fire Tower (Wagga Wagga), Kendall Fire Tower (Snowy Valleys) and Kangaroo Fire Tower (Cootamundra-Gundagai).

Together these projects will be administered as a pilot program, with monitoring and evaluation to be undertaken by DPIRD to help determine the potential to broaden this program across the State.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“The Murray region was hit particularly hard in the 2019/20 bushfires and we lost a significant stock of our future housing timber – we can’t afford to lose anymore.

“These projects will play a vital role in protecting the remaining critical timber supplies in the Murray region as we move into the 2024-25 bushfire season and beyond.

“These same timber plantations will produce the quality timber our NSW housing sector so desperately needs now and for generations to come, so it’s important to find ways to protect them from bushfires.

“I am confident this program will build resilience into this important regional industry through measures that deliver improved fire prevention, detection and response, making our communities safer in the process.”

The Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr, said:

“Memories of the disastrous Dunns Road fire five years ago are still fresh in local minds, so these measures to reduce the fire risk in the Snowy Valleys are very welcome.

“The softwoods industry is an economic powerhouse for the local economy so it’s essential that all steps possible are taken to protect livelihoods and businesses that depend on safe and secure plantations.

“The enhancements at the Tumut aerodrome will be an important addition to the region’s firefighting capacity.

“This is the result of positive collaboration between industry, the Rural Fire Service, Snowy Valleys Council and government and I congratulate all involved.”