Drivers in the Northern Beaches will be able to pay for and top up their parking online, thanks to the NSW Government’s popular Park’nPay app going live in the region.
Minister for Digital and Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said the app makes life easier for drivers by putting more power in their hands.
“This is a game changer for drivers saving them precious time and allowing them to manage their parking from anywhere via the app,” Mr Dominello said. “No one should be rushing back to put money in a parking meter in 2021.
“Smart city thinking should be about making life easier for the customer and so far the 56,000 drivers using the app have given it a 93 per cent thumbs up.
“I commend Northern Beaches Council for coming on board and putting their customers first. This is a big win for the community, and a region boasting world famous beaches and popular restaurants and shops which people want to get to.”
The technology will apply to many machines and Pay and Display carparks across the peninsula’s beaches and reserves.
Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan said: “Council has been keen to support the roll out of this initiative as it will benefit not just our community and visitors but also our local businesses.”
“It will promote parking turn over, reduce parking fines and ultimately provide us with information that will inform the ongoing management of parking across the Northern Beaches.”
The app also helps drivers avoid parking fines, by sending a notification when their meter is running low or their park is about to turn into a no stopping zone.
Drivers simply create an account on the app with their licence plate and payment details. Users have the option of paying with Visa, AMEX, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Parking inspectors can search for licence plate details using an app on their phone to see if a meter has been paid. Parking meters will continue to accept coins and credit cards.
The app already exists in the following councils – Liverpool, The Rocks, Burwood, Hunters Hill, Mosman, Central Coast, Port Stephens, Willoughby, Cumberland and with Park&Ride.
For more information visit www.parknpay.nsw.gov.au
New initiatives to support Australians with disability
The Morrison Government is guaranteeing the essential services Australians rely on in Budget 2021-22.
As part of the Budget, we are delivering two tailored programs designed and delivered by people with disability. These programs will promote accessible and inclusive healthcare practises, and boost community participation in sport for Australians with disability.
A new pilot program for health professionals will be rolled out across five hospitals to develop the most effective way to increase disability inclusion across the hospital sector. The program will provide a range of online resources, face-to-face seminars and training programs that will be designed and delivered by people with disability.
The Government will also launch a program across more than 500 schools and local clubs to increase sporting participation among people with disability from remote communities and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. The Sport4All program is targeted at both schools and sporting clubs to ensure people with disability are welcome and have the same opportunities to participate.
These programs will be delivered by Get Skilled Access, a disability-run organisation with years of experience providing awareness training to organisations across Australia.
Almost one in five Australians has a disability. The findings from these programs will be considered in the new National Disability Strategy to support people with disability over the next ten years.
Skipper rescued from sinking yacht off Newcastle
Officers from the Marine Area Command have helped rescue a skipper and sinking yacht off Newcastle during a 26-hour operation.
The Marine Area Command (MAC) received reports of a 50-foot Beneteau yacht taking on water 95 nautical miles off the coast of Newcastle about 12am on Friday (15 May 2021).
Port Stephens Water Police with assistance from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority located the yacht 73 nautical miles off the coast about 10am.
In rough seas, the vessel and sole occupant – a 40-year-old UK national – were towed to Newcastle Harbour, arriving about 1.30am yesterday (Saturday 15 May 2021).
The skipper has been processed through immigration by Australian Border Force (ABF) officers.
He was then escorted by police to a hotel in Sydney’s CBD where he will undergo mandatory quarantine.
The vessel remains moored at Newcastle Harbour.
Man dies after motorbike crash – Hunter Valley
A man has died after a motorbike crash today in the Hunter Valley.
About 12.25pm (Saturday 15 May 2021), emergency services responded to reports of a motorcycle and utility crash on the Great North Road, Laguna.
Police were told a man riding a motorcycle in a northerly direction, collided with a ute in the south bound lane.
The 49-year-old man was treated at the scene by paramedics, but was pronounced deceased a short time later.
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District established a crime scene.
A report is being prepared for the Coroner.
The occupants of the ute, a man and woman, were not injured in the crash.
Australians to return from India as more essential supplies are dispatched
Flights facilitated by the Australian Government to return Australians from India have resumed, with a plane departing Sydney today set to pick up passengers in New Delhi before arriving back in Darwin tomorrow.
The flight will also carry further life-saving oxygen equipment to India to support its COVID-19 response. These passengers will quarantine at the Centre for National Resilience at Howard Springs in the Northern Territory. All passengers will undergo PCR and Rapid Antigen Testing before they travel.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Women, Senator the Hon Marise Payne said this temporary pause has helped mitigate the risk of potentially higher rates of infection presenting on arrival in Australia and ensured Australia’s quarantine system was able to receive further flights.
“These government-facilitated flights will be focused on returning Australian citizens, residents and families who have registered with our High Commission and consular offices within India and will prioritise the most vulnerable people.”
Tomorrow’s flight into Darwin brings the total number of government facilitated commercial flights from India to 39 – returning over 6,400 Australians since March 2020.
This will be the second flight of essential medical supplies to support our partners in their COVID-19 health response under the Morrison Government’s $37.1 million support package for India, which is experiencing a severe rate of COVID-19 infections.
The next government-facilitated commercial flight from India is expected to arrive in Darwin on 23 May. Arrangements for further facilitated flights into Australia are underway.
Australia has now delivered over 15 tonnes of medical supplies to India, including over 2,000 ventilators and more than 100 oxygen concentrators.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Greg Hunt, said the Australian Government stands ready to offer further emergency medical supplies if requested by the Indian Government.
“The Australian Government is committed to doing all it can to support the Indian Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Minister Hunt said.
Minister Payne also praised the response of Australian businesses and everyday Australians and welcomed the support offered from state and territory governments.
The Victorian Government has committed 1,000 ventilators, the Queensland Government has donated $2 million in relief funds to the Australian Red Cross and Western Australia has also donated $2 million in relief funds. The Australian Government is in close consultation with the New South Wales and South Australian governments on their proposed support to India.
The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance. For urgent consular assistance, contact the Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas and 1300 555 135 from within Australia.
Australians seeking travel advice should consult the Smartraveller website. For nonurgent enquiries, contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate or email smartraveller@dfat.gov.au
Extension for Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability
The Morrison Government today announces that it will extend the final reporting date for the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability to 29 September 2023.
This provides an additional 17 months to account for the impact of COVID-19 and recognising the broad issues of inquiry under the Royal Commission’s terms of reference.
“This extension will enable the Government to receive and implement recommendations as expeditiously as possible,” Minister Ruston said.
“This will make meaningful change to the lives of people with disability, while also enabling the Royal Commission to fulfil its terms of reference.
“We remain focused on supporting people with disability, their families and supporters, advocacy groups and the disability community.”
Attorney-General Michaelia Cash said the Government had favourably acted on requests from the Chair since the inquiry started.
“The Government has added a seventh Commissioner, refined the Letters Patent to articulate the Chair’s role and progressed legislative amendments to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to assist the Commission’s workload,” the Attorney-General said.
The Royal Commission is independent from Government and sets its own processes including how it approaches its terms of reference, informs itself for the inquiry and, importantly, hears directly from people with disability, their families and loved ones.
The Government continues to fund free and independent counselling and advocacy support for people with disability that have experienced violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation, as well as their families and carers, and anyone affected by the Royal Commission.
A national legal advisory service and legal financial assistance scheme are funded and available for people or entities giving evidence or engaging in other ways with the Royal Commission. Additional funding for support services for an extended reporting date will be considered through the ordinary budget processes.
The Government looks forward to receiving the Royal Commission’s final report on 29 September 2023.
Cutting-edge technology unlocks new ways to preserve and share Newcastle’s stories
Rare and fragile items dating back to the early 1800s are now able to be digitally preserved for future generations by City of Newcastle.
Officially launched at Newcastle Library today, the high-tech digitisation lab will feature cutting-edge equipment including 3D scanning instruments and robotic page turners capable of converting 2,500 pages an hour into digital information.
The $400,000 DigiLab was co-funded through the City of Newcastle’s works program and an $85,000 Metropolitan Public Library Grant from State Library of NSW.
Councillor Carol Duncan said the DigiLab will enable the City to preserve hundreds of thousands of archival records, photographs, maps, pictures, newspapers and rare books, which document the story of Newcastle and the Hunter Region.
“Collecting, preserving, and sharing our local history and cultural identity is a key pillar for our Library Service and aligns with the objectives of our Community Strategic Plan 2030,” Cr Duncan said.
“The Library History and Heritage Collection encompasses more than 440,000 items, with some of these collections dating back to the early 1800s and featuring rare, unique and notable items.
“As the custodians of the City’s archives, we look forward to being able to preserve the many ageing records we look after thanks to the assistance of the State Library of NSW grant and our own significant investment.
“Following our successful digitisation of these records, we look forward to being able to open up this exciting service to our customers.”
Manager Libraries and Learning, Suzie Gately said providing greater access to this wonderful collection will support local researchers and inspire local creatives to interpret and use the digitised materials to present local history in different ways to reach new audiences.
“The DigiLab will provide rich, high quality content for both physical exhibitions as well as augmented and virtual reality, allowing us to tell Newcastle’s stories in new and innovative ways,” Ms Gately said.
“We will also be able to integrate this output with the technologies on offer at our Digital Library at 12 Stewart Avenue, including the 8 metre-wide Digital Storywall and the digital multimedia ‘Magic Box’, which is only the second of its kind in Australia.”
One aspect of the DigiLab that will be available for use by the community now is the Memory Lab, which will allow people to preserve their own histories and stories for future generations by converting treasured family items on VHS, VHS-C cassette and 8mm video camera tapes into digital files for free. Bookings are required to make use of the MemoryLab, contact Newcastle Library for more details.
Statement from the Australian Greens on Israel/Palestine
The Australian Greens are horrified by the ongoing escalation in violence in Israel and Palestine, which has resulted in more than 109 Palestinians and 7 Israelis being killed.
Senator Janet Rice, Australian Greens foreign affairs spokesperson, said:
“This escalation in violence follows the threatened evictions of Palestinian families from East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah to make way for Israeli settlers, and the restrictions and violence against worshippers at Al-Aqsa mosque during Ramadan.
“Fundamentally, the latest outbreak in violence stems from the Israeli Government’s unlawful and unjust occupation of Palestine, which has subjected Palestinians to systematic discrimination and oppression.
“The Greens oppose any violence, whether that be airstrikes or rockets, especially that which impacts innocent civilians. But we cannot ignore the asymmetry of power or that this cycle of violence will not end until the root causes of injustice are addressed. It will not stop until the occupation ends – we must end the evictions, the illegal settlements, the demolitions and the oppression.
“Staying silent is not an option. If the Australian Government is committed to a two-state solution, it must forcefully call on the Israeli Government to cease its occupation of Palestine. Once again we urge the Morrison Government to recognise Palestine.”
Labor’s housing plan doesn’t go nearly far enough
Australian Greens Housing spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that Labor’s plan doesn’t go nearly far enough to tackle the housing crisis, slash waiting lists and provide universal housing.
Senator Faruqi said:
“The scale of the housing crisis requires serious ambition and unprecedented funding. Labor has missed the mark on that front.
“Any housing plan that doesn’t dismantle the tax loopholes which inflate prices isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. Labor has failed to renew its commitment to wind back negative gearing and capital gains tax exemptions, forgoing revenue that could be used to build more homes.
“When it comes to new builds, we need to be talking in the hundreds of thousands of homes – not in the tens of thousands.
“The sector expects that over the next fifteen years, we’ll need more than 700,000 new dwellings. Labor’s commitment is a fraction of what’s required.
“The Greens have committed to building one million homes over the next twenty years to obliterate public housing waiting lists, finally end homelessness, and ensure everyone has a roof over their head.”
Labor’s New Energy Apprenticeships to Support Tradies in the Jobs of the Future
The world’s climate emergency should be Australia’s jobs opportunity.
But after eight long years of energy policy chaos under the Liberals – it’s an opportunity missed.
An Albanese Labor Government will invest $100 million to support 10,000 New Energy Apprenticeships.
It will encourage apprentices to train in the new energy jobs of the future.
Examples of eligible industries include rooftop solar installation and maintenance, large-scale renewable projects including emerging green hydrogen, energy efficiency upgrades to homes and businesses, renewable manufacturing, and relevant agricultural activities.
Australia has some of the world’s best natural assets – solar, wind and minerals that could power the globe’s new energy economy.
And some of the smartest, hardest-working people on earth.
Yet three in four solar companies say they have difficulty recruiting electricians because they can’t find workers with specific experience in renewables.
Instead of securing new energy jobs for Australians, the Liberals have wasted 8 years worrying about their own jobs and bickering over more than 22 climate policies.
Under Labor, new energy apprentices will receive $10,000 over the cycle of their apprenticeship in a new energy industry.
This incentive payment will encourage today’s apprentices to take on the occupations that we need for the new energy economy.
The program cuts across multiple skillsets – sparkies, mechanics, fridgies, construction workers, and more – because the opportunities new energy presents are economy wide.
Labor will also invest $10 million in a New Energy Skills Program to tailor skills training to the specific needs of new energy industries.
The New Energy Skills Program will work with the states, industry and unions to ensure workers have access to training pathways that are fit-for-purpose.
This is a downpayment on the many measures to support employment security for existing energy workers as part of Labor’s jobs-focussed climate policy.
The skills and training sector can supercharge Australian ingenuity and spur on economic growth, but only a Labor Government understands the power of it.
A Prime Minister that can barely say the word solar can’t deliver these jobs for Australian tradies.
Yes, Australia is a lucky country – but it’s our people that make it so.
We need a Government that invests in them and their skills to turn that luck into gold.
And that’s exactly what an Albanese Labor Government will do.
Chris Bowen, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy said:
“The world’s climate emergency should be Australia’s jobs opportunity – but under Scott Morrison it’s an opportunity missed.”
We’re directly supporting apprentices to train in the new energy industries that will boost our economy”