Category: NSW News

Yesterday’s train debacle, with nearly 2,000 services cancelled and only 5 per cent of trains on time, was a disgrace. Commuters deserve their money back immediately—no excuses, no delays.

The Minns Labor Government must refund every fare for train commuters yesterday – and until reliable services are restored, train travel should be free.

In the unlikely technological event in 2025 that the government can’t do a refund then a fare free day should happen.

This government pocketed almost $600,000 in donations from the unions behind this mess—the RTBU and ETU—and now commuters and small businesses are paying the price.

Enough with the apologies. Labor must refund fares, guarantee reliability, and put the public ahead of their union paymasters.

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said the Minns Labor Government can’t hide.

“Refund the fares, make travel free until this chaos is fixed, and stop the blame game. Commuters deserve better,” Mr Speakman said.

Shadow Minister for Transport and Roads Natalie Ward commuters are fed up with Labor’s incompetence.

“People are furious, businesses are hurting, and this failure is on Labor.”

Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Damien Tudehope said Labor can’t take $600,000 from unions and leave commuters stranded.

“If Labor can’t fix the mess, they need to refund the fares. No one should be paying for a service that doesn’t run,” Mr Tudehope said.

NSW is worse off under the Minns Labor Government.

Volunteer life savers across NSW have performed more than 300,000 preventative actions to keep beachgoers safe as more than four million people flocked to the surf since 1 December.

The warm weather has encouraged big beach crowds resulting in more than 1,000 rescues, serious incidents requiring lifesaving action, and first aid treatment for more than 6,000 people in the first month of summer.

As the holidays continue, the NSW Government is urging those taking advantage of our beautiful coastline to play it safe at the beach with the launch of a new water safety hub.

The new online water safety hub complements the efforts of life savers by bringing together essential water safety information, featuring tips and guidance from key organisations across NSW to help communities stay informed and safe around the state’s stunning waterways.

The Minns Labor Government last year fast-tracked the installation of Emergency Response Beacons (ERBs) at unpatrolled locations, installing almost double the number proposed for the year of these potentially life-saving help points.

ERBs directly connect callers to Surf Life Saving NSW’s State Operations Centre, enabling the rapid deployment of lifesaving and emergency services to a potential rescue site.

With most fatalities occurring on unpatrolled beaches, this can reduce response times when every second counts.

The Government installed 19 beacons throughout 2024, at key locations including Fisherman’s Beach at Collaroy, Narrabeen Beach, South Curl Curl Beach and Forresters Beach on the Central Coast.

Beacons installed in 2024 are now in place at locations including:

• Northern Beaches: Narrabeen Beach, South Curl Curl, Fishermans Beach, North Palm Beach, Turimetta Beach
• Sydney:  Brighton-Le-Sands, Dolls Point, Gordons Bay, Lake Parramatta, Mahon Pool
• Hunter: Moonee Beach
• Central Coast: Bateau Bay, Forresters Beach, Frazer Park
• Illawarra: Woonona Pool, Austinmer
• Far South Coast: Bar Beach Merimbula, Camel Rock, Pambula River Mouth

The next generation of beacons are now being rolled out, with 15 expected to be installed during 2025 at key locations up and down the coast.

The new beacons are fitted with flotation devices and enhanced technology like high-definition video live-streaming to provide another set of eyes on the beach.

Currently, there are 53 ERBs strategically located at beaches frequented by both locals and tourists, ensuring quick access to emergency assistance.

The beacons are part of the NSW Government’s record $72 million additional investment in Surf Life Saving NSW.

Alongside the ERBs, the NSW Government is delivering 67 jet skis over four years, with 14 delivered to beaches along the state’s coastline for the summer.

The NSW Government continues to work in partnership with Surf Life Saving NSW, local councils and community organisations to deliver initiatives that keep residents and visitors safe.

Visit the water safety hub at: https://www.nsw.gov.au/visiting-and-exploring-nsw/visiting-nsw-waterways

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“Our investment in this life saving technology is a significant step forward in ensuring the safety of all beachgoers across NSW.”

“These new beacons, along with our education programs and simple to use tools like the water safety hub, are here to provide a crucial safety net for communities across NSW, especially for those who are most at risk.”

“We are building on the 53 Emergency Response Beacons installed across our beaches, backed by a record $72 million investment in Surf Life Saving NSW.”

“These Emergency Response Beacons can establish an instant link to the Surf Life Saving NSW State Operations Centre, ensuring swift action in emergencies, especially at unpatrolled beaches.”

“With the holiday season continuing, I urge everyone to stay vigilant, follow the guidance of our lifesavers and enjoy our stunning coastline safely.”

“This holiday season let’s work together to reduce the tragic toll of drownings in NSW. Enjoy the warm weather, make great memories, and most importantly, stay safe while cooling down at our incredible beaches.”

Surf Life Saving NSW CEO Steve Pearce said:

“We’ve had an extremely busy holiday period on beaches across the state and are expecting the tempo to remain high for the remainder of the summer. The crowds do put pressure on our volunteers.”

“Swimming between the red and yellow flags isn’t just a smart choice – it’s a lifesaver. No drownings have occurred at patrolled locations during patrol hours, so staying where lifesavers and lifeguards can see you is the best way to keep yourself and your loved ones safe.”

“We’re urging beachgoers to take heed of those basic safety messages; don’t swim at unpatrolled locations – look for the red and yellow flags because if our lifesavers can’t see you, they can’t save you, and understand your limits when entering the ocean.”

The Minns Labor Government is reducing red tape which has in practice stifled farmers’ ability to fight fires on their own property.

During a fire emergency, a landholder can now take water from surface water and groundwater sources on their land without needing to have a water licence and water use approval. This includes streams, creeks and rivers abutting the boundary.

This commonsense exemption has been made via amendments to the Water Management (General) Regulation 2018.

The water can be used by landholders on their property and adjacent land to fight fires. It can also be used for training and controlled burning when it is carried out by or under the authority of a firefighting agency such as the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS), and for the testing and maintenance of firefighting equipment.

Landholders who wish to prepare for the threat of bushfires can now also lawfully take water and store it in a tank or dam for future firefighting purposes. The maximum volume for each property is 100,000 litres (0.1 ML) per year.

The NSW Government will carry out targeted periodic surveys of landholders to understand how the exemption is being used and to identify the extent and scale of water use.

While landholders are not required to submit reports, they are encouraged to log the volume of water they take under the exemption, for their own records.

Find further information on the exemptions.

Acting Minister for Water Jodie Harrison said:

“Rules to protect the state’s water security are important – but the fact is, when there is a fire, no one should need to stop and think if they are allowed to access water to keep themselves and their property safe.

“This is a common-sense decision, and it is great to see these amendments now in place in time for summer. When fire threatens life and property, landholders need fast and easy access to water to protect their properties and themselves.

“These changes make it easier and cheaper for farmers and property owners to access water to prepare for and respond to emergency fire situations.”

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“When it comes to emergencies, landholders can play an important role in bushfire response, and this change further empowers them to act when their properties are under threat.”

“The NSW Government has been proactive in finding common sense ways to make it easier for landholders to fight fires on their properties, which also includes a trial to make it easier for farmers to keep firefighting vehicles on their properties.”

The Minns Labor Government is supporting NSW’s working families, as data shows the parents and carers of a record 200,000 children were provided with fee relief for attending early childhood education and care throughout 2024.

Faced with stubborn inflation and the cost-of-living crisis, many young families are struggling to make ends meet. That is why the Minns Labor Government last year made a record $430 million investment to help families with three-, four- and five-year-olds, with the cost of early childhood education and care.

New Department of Education data shows:

• This investment helped the families of around 200,000 children last year, with parents or carers receiving a subsidy to reduce the costs of early childhood education and care.
• Families of more than 64,000 three-year-old children attending long day care were eligible for fee relief for the first time in 2024, under an initiative introduced by the Minns Labor Government.
• In 2025 the families of at least 200,000 children will be eligible to access fee relief.

Families can now apply for fee relief at their chosen early childhood education and care service for this year. Eligible services will pass on the savings as a weekly reduction in fees.

From January 1, 2025, NSW families can receive:

• Up to $4,347 a year for three- to five-year-olds attending eligible community and mobile preschools
• Up to $2,174 a year for children aged four and above attending eligible preschool programs in long day care services. This can be received on top of the Australian Government Child Care Subsidy payment.
• Up to $515 a year for three-year-olds attending eligible preschool programs in long day care services, on top of their Australian Government Child Care Subsidy payment.

Research shows that children who attend quality early childhood education and care for two days a week, or 600 hours a year in the two years before starting school, gain lifelong benefits. This supports their social, emotional, and cognitive development, with these benefits evident throughout their schooling years and into further study or the workforce.

The Minns Labor Government is also investing an additional $40 million in 2025 to drive improved quality in long day services delivering preschool programs for three-year-olds. Funding can be used by the services to pay salaries of early childhood teachers and educators, buy educational resources and develop quality early childhood education programs.

The Minns Labor Government is prioritising quality education in the early years of a child’s life, with $1.82 billion invested in early education and care as part of the 2024-25 NSW Budget.

In addition to fee relief, the Government has made the largest ever investment in public preschools. The Government will also build 100 new public preschools in public schools by 2027, the largest ever expansion in NSW.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“High-quality early childhood education and care should be affordable and accessible for all children across NSW, no matter their postcode or background.

“That is why we are making a record investment in fee-relief – so more families can access quality preschool and long day care, where they can develop their language and social skills before starting school.

“More affordable preschool means more support for parents to return to work, which can make a big difference to hardworking families.”

More information on Start Strong fee relief is available on the Department of Education website.

The Minns Labor Government has unveiled a plan for a 42-hectare site in Parramatta North to meet the evolving needs of Parramatta, one of Sydney’s fastest growing central business districts.

The rezoning proposal will allow for the delivery of 2,500 new homes well located on the new Parramatta Light Rail line and a new university campus with potential for up to 25,000 students in support of the Westmead Health and Innovation District (WHID). Importantly the new proposal will increase the amount of recreational green space, with roughly half of the precinct to be open space for the local community to enjoy.

The Parramatta North proposal will also deliver up to 12,000 high-value jobs by transforming the WHID, incorporating health services, research, education and supporting industry.

As part of the proposal, planning controls for State Significant Development Applications will include design guidelines and design excellence processes to streamline the delivery of quality community outcomes.

The rich history, cultural significance and local heritage of the area has been sensitively considered in the rezoning application of Parramatta North with over 30 significant heritage buildings earmarked to be conserved. 

Parramatta North’s Cultural Precinct, which incorporates the Parramatta Female Factory, is not included in the rezoning application. Respecting the heritage of this place, new and varied uses will rejuvenate historic buildings, showcasing compelling stories and enriching this historic area.

Home of the Burramada people of the Dharug Nation, PDNSW is working with local Dharug people as well as the Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council to understand and reflect the wishes of First Nations peoples in the plans for Parramatta North.

The public exhibition will conclude on 10 February 2025. For more information, visit: https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/housing-and-property/our-business/precinct-development/parramatta-north-precinct

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“Parramatta is going from strength-to-strength, and delivering a vibrant Parramatta North is the next piece in the Parramatta puzzle.

“The rezoning of Parramatta North is crucial to unlocking the full potential of this precinct delivering jobs, housing, and open space, whilst taking full advantage of the new Parramatta Light Rail.

“Delivering a vibrant mixed-use precinct will mean the local community will be able to live, work and play on the doorstep of one of Sydney’s fastest-growing central business districts.”

Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said:

“As Parramatta grows, we need to make sure the things that make Parramatta special are maintained. Importantly, this proposal will protect the cultural precinct and earmark 30 significant heritage buildings for conservation, whilst delivering 21 hectares of open space.

“We achieved these outcomes through meaningful consultation with the local community. I encourage members to continue to have their say to shape the future of Parramatta North.”

I am aware that Police are currently investigating offensive, antisemitic graffiti that was located on a home in Sydney’s east and on a synagogue in Newtown overnight.

Police have also released CCTV vision of the person alleged to have graffitied the Southern Sydney Synagogue yesterday. We encourage any witnesses to come forward to NSW police through Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or through Triple Zero (000).

Our message is clear – these acts designed to intimidate and divide will not work.

In addition, the NSW Government is announcing today the extension of a one-off grant of $340,000 from the Premier’s Discretionary Fund to the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies to contribute towards enhanced temporary security measures for the NSW Jewish Community.

These people are determined to divide our community in two. We will always call out these acts for what they are – monstrous and appalling.

The Minns Labor government will continue to strengthen the laws protecting people’s right to worship safely as well as ensuring NSW Police have the resources they need to catch the people who commit these bastardly acts.

When Parliament resumes this year, we’ll be introducing legislation that protects religious institutions and places of worship to prevents attempts to intimidate or stop religious people from practicing their faith.

Motorists in Western Sydney suburbs located nearby one or more tolled motorways are benefitting most from toll relief after 12 months of the Minns Labor Government’s $60 weekly toll cap.

There are now five suburbs in the $1 million club where paid claims total $1 million or more – Blacktown, Baulkham Hills, Auburn, Merrylands and Marsden Park.

The NSW Government is today urging drivers everywhere to familiarise themselves with the toll relief claim process because there is a little under twice as much money available to be claimed in relief than has so far been paid out under the scheme.

Since the cap was introduced on 1 January 2024, $75 million has been paid to motorists but the total that can be claimed exceeds $215 million – leaving $140 million still to be claimed as of today.

Toll relief has become a key cost-of-living support measure under the Minns Labor Government after the Liberals left behind a total toll bill of $195 billion in nominal terms that must be paid by motorists out to 2060 on top of the billions they have already paid.

The Government is progressing toll reform in negotiation with the private toll road concessionaires while providing vital toll relief through the $60 cap.

In Marsden Park, it is estimated that motorists are eligible to claim $3.1 million but have so far been paid out just over $1 million, leaving $2.1 million to be returned. Likewise in Greystanes, eligible toll relief is approximately $1.97 million, with over $660,000 so far returned to drivers, according to Transport for NSW data.

With the claim period for the fourth quarter of 2024 having opened on January 9, there are now 720,000 toll road users eligible to make a claim.

A little over 276,000 claims have been paid out, with $277 being the average claim returned to motorists.

There are 115 suburbs where the average claim is $300 or above, including, Parramatta, Lidcombe, Schofields, Westmead, Toongabbie, Merrylands and Auburn.

As part of a “fair use” provision in place, motorists can claim up to a maximum of $340 per week for each tag or licence plate number after they pass $60 paid on tolls in any one week.

Claims for quarter four of 2024 (30 September to 29 December) opened on Thurs 9 January 2025 with eligible motorists able to claim for 2024 toll spend until Monday 30 June 2025.

Drivers who have spent more than $60 a week on toll trips are encouraged to visit the Service NSW website, link your toll account to your MyServiceNSW Account and claim if eligible. 

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“The $60 toll cap is a critical cost-of-living support for hundreds of thousands of drivers, many of whom really have no viable alternative than to use Sydney’s toll road network to get to work or get the kids where they need to be.

“When we designed the toll relief scheme we did so with those suburbs in mind where paying a toll is the price to get around and where in many cases public transport service is nowhere near the level of service enjoyed by other parts of Sydney.

“Labor does not forget these suburbs that were saddled with such high tolls by the previous coalition government. We know people are doing it tough and the toll cap is making it just that little bit fairer for drivers that heavily rely on the toll roads.

“The NSW Government is progressing with toll reform to make tolls fairer overall. I want to remind motorists to get on to the Service NSW website and claim what they are entitled to in relief.”

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

“The quarterly data keeps telling us that it is the people whose journeys start and end in Western Sydney who are claiming the lion’s share of toll relief, and this is where it is needed most.

“Drivers from the Central Coast, Blue Mountains, and Wollongong are also benefitting in great numbers, showing just how far and wide the benefits are flowing.

“This is a great initiative we have delivered through Service NSW to put money back into people’s pockets at a time when they need it most.

“The claim process is quick and simple to follow on the Service NSW website but if you need that extra support to understand the process, team members at Service NSW Centres across the State are ready to help in person or via 13 77 88.” 

Top toll relief claim suburbs
Suburb	Claim Count	Claim Amount	Average Amount
Blacktown	3,723	$1,250,711	$336
Baulkham Hills	3,838	$1,237,822	$323
Auburn	1,844	$1,067,737	$579
Merrylands	2,416	$1,009,022	$418
Marsden Park	2,661	$1,007,888	$379
Castle Hill	3,172	$980,905	$309
Quakers Hill	2,663	$845,430	$317
Kellyville	2,678	$777,926	$290
Lakemba	1,267	$718,402	$567
Greystanes	2,221	$664,123	$299
Bankstown	1,604	$636,616	$397
West Pennant Hills	1,760	$619,333	$352
Glenwood	1,742	$544,136	$312
Punchbowl	1,317	$537,696	$408
Schofields	1,626	$532,126	$327
Glenmore Park	1,990	$512,897	$258
Seven Hills	1,477	$508,506	$344
Maroubra	2,010	$507,334	$252
Mosman	2,310	$506,883	$219
Carlingford	1,534	$501,144	$327
Cherrybrook	1,440	$499,052	$347

The Minns Labor Government has launched a new program of low-cost technology trials on highways throughout regional NSW to prompt safer driver behaviour on roads in 2025. 

The $5 million Smarter Highways program will harness emerging and existing technologies in innovative ways to address driver behavioural issues that can lead to crashes. The aim is to improve journey management, especially when a major disruption occurs. 

Each trial will feature technology that detects an issue on the network causing systems to be activated to warn drivers about hazards and, if possible, provide alternative options.

Most of the trial technologies are wireless solar-powered systems that can be installed relatively cheaply and are also tailored to suit individual sites, taking into account the environment and conditions of the road. 

Smarter Highways is part of a suite of measures to improve road safety but also aims to use technology to help create a safer work environment for road crews, traffic managers and emergency workers by reducing the amount of time they are exposed to live traffic.

Transport for NSW will trial the technologies on state managed highways but also consider how they could be adapted for use on local roads, in partnership with councils. 

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said: 

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to making our road network safer, more reliable and more resilient to better connect our communities. We are always looking at harnessing innovations in technology as they become available.

“What’s so important about Smarter Highways is that the technology’s focus is to effect behavioural change and reduce risky driving actions, such as not driving to the conditions, that we know contribute to deaths and injuries on our roads.

“I’m glad that the Smarter Highway technologies will be trialled in the regions because outside of the cities, driving is often the only available form of transport and sometimes there are no alternative routes, so we need to make those journeys safer. 

“Key to these innovations is improving safety for road crews by reducing the risks of carrying out works near traffic. The aim is to minimise the amount of time work crews have to spend in live traffic environments by increasing the use remotely controlled traffic operations, which creates a safer work environment.”

The Smarter Highway trials

Smarter Highway Activated Vehicle and Environmental Systems (SHAVES)

• Self-adaptive electronic signage with machine learning capability which is able to predict events and provide motorists with advance warning of hazards such as black ice, smoke or wildlife.
• Designed to replace the current processes whereby maintenance crews need to source and locate portable Variable Message Signs (VMS) to high-risk areas.
• Includes three components to warn motorists – prism signs with vertical slats that slide across to reveal different warnings, VMS screens and flashing lights
• Solar powered with high-capacity batteries, localised radio communications between signs, and full Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity for real-time remote access and status reporting.
• Trial locations under investigation

Permanent traffic counters – Road Pod Vehicle Magnetometer (VM)

• A new form of permanent traffic counter device installed on the road which can detect and provide information on vehicle volumes, classifications, speeds, headways, road temperatures and system health in real time.
• A very low-cost 4G technology system that is powered by solar-panels and offers significant cost and time savings compared to ad-hoc traffic surveys. It is also easy to install and takes less than an hour to set up.
• Allows live monitoring of traffic in various scenarios but will be especially beneficial particularly during the start and end of holidays, during harvest sessions, and situations where monitoring seasonal variations and natural disaster periods is critical.
• Importantly, data collected will be provided via NSW Traffic Viewer.
• Can be deployed relatively quickly when a part of the network is likely to face disruption to help monitor and address impacts. For example, key routes that connect ports to renewable energy zones.
• Trial locations – Great Western Highway, Kelso and Newell Highway, Dubbo.

Rural Intersection Activated Warning System (RIAWS)

• When a vehicle on a side road approaches a high-speed main road, sensors trigger Variable Speed Limit Signs (VSLS), which instruct drivers on the main road to slow down.
• Designed to provide safer gaps in the traffic and provide more time for better driver reactions. This is particularly important for larger vehicles (such as trucks and buses) looking to turn from a side road onto a main road with a higher speed limit.
• Less severe crashes due to the reduced speed limit when traffic is merging from the side roads.
• Reduces the need for permanent speed reductions on main roads.
• This technology is currently being used in Victoria.
• Trial location under investigation

Improving local area traffic management during major disruptions

• Using technology to provide safe reliable access in times of unplanned and planned events that cause disruption on the roads.
• One trial will be conducted at Jenolan Caves ahead of its planned opening to the public in late 2025, the other will be Cowra, where roads are often flooded.
• The type of technology to be used is still to be determined.

Permanent Congestion Management

• Using existing technology, such as radars and traffic signals, and combining them in a way that will enable dynamic management of traffic congestion at a notorious breakdown location in the Blue Mountains.
• Designed to resolve issues caused by vehicles breaking down while queuing on the steep climb up Victoria Pass during peak periods such as holiday periods and around key events such as the Bathurst 1000.
• The system will detect eastbound queues forming at the top of Victoria Pass and that data would then be fed into the operation of traffic lights at the bottom of the hill. The vehicles will then be released up the hill in a managed way that is safe and reduces the number of vehicles breaking down on the incline.
• If the trial is successful, this system will be a more permanent replacement for the current system whereby crews have to stay onsite during congested periods and use temporary signals to control the flow of traffic.
• Trial location – Victoria Pass – Great Western Highway near Mount Victoria.

Motorists will soon experience improved rest stop facilities in both directions on the Hume Highway between Tarcutta and Holbrook with work to start this month on upgrades to the Kyeamba Gap Rest Areas.

Thanks to a more than $1.8 million investment from the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments, the existing composting toilet at the northbound rest stop will be upgraded to feature flushing toilets with disabled access and improved lighting.

The upgraded southbound rest stop, which currently only offers bins, will soon boast a new toilet block with disability access.

Both rest stop upgrades will also include the installation of new lighting, and parking for heavy vehicles.

The northbound rest area will be upgraded first, with works set to start this month and be completed by March, weather permitting.

During construction the northbound rest area will remain open, with additional portable toilets installed to limit impacts on road users.

The southbound rest area will be closed to all traffic when construction is expected to start later in 2025.

Motorists are advised the next available rest areas are at North Billabong (southbound) and South Tarcutta (northbound).

Access to local properties will be maintained throughout the work.

Work will be carried out on weekdays from 7am to 6pm and from 8am to 1pm on Saturdays.

Electronic signs and safety fencing will be in place to alert motorists to the upgrade work and access to the rest area will be maintained for motorists to continue to use the rest area during work.

Federal Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Senator Anthony Chisholm:

“These upgrades will vastly improve the amenities available to motorists and truckies who travel along the Hume Highway with toilets now open, new lighting installed and more parking available.”

NSW Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, Jenny Aitchison:

“Driver fatigue is one of the top three contributors to fatal crashes on NSW roads so these rest area upgrade investments we are making are designed to improve facilities to encourage the community to stop and rest.”

NSW Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr:

“Rest is something that should be factored into all road journeys and this is the perfect reminder to motorists to stop in at a rest area like Kyeamba Gap and make the most of these facilities, before hitting the road again.”

A new report from Geoscience Australia, in collaboration with the Geological Survey of New South Wales, has found elevated levels of natural hydrogen and helium in locations throughout New South Wales.

This research is an example of the benefits from the Australian Government’s $3.4 billion investment over 35 years into the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, under its Future Made in Australia plan. 

The report provides Australian explorers with geological information and a comprehensive methodology for testing soil gas samples for natural hydrogen, bringing scientific rigour to this emerging field. 

Australia is considered one of the most prospective locations for natural hydrogen because of our ancient geology. 

Since the discovery of a 98 per cent pure natural hydrogen gas field in Mali in 2018, explorers around the world are looking for accumulations of natural hydrogen. This is because natural hydrogen holds the potential to be a new, emission-free energy source, especially if it can be recovered at low cost from the earth directly for use. 

In Australia, hydrogen gas is primarily used for industrial processes including ammonia and fertilizer production, while helium is used in medical equipment, manufacturing, research, and the space sector.

Hydrogen can also be used to reduce carbon emissions from hard-to-abate industries, like remote power applications, heavy vehicle transportation, and industries like iron and steelmaking. 

Minister for Resources, the Hon. Madeleine King MP:

“The economics of our geology is undeniable and presents us with an enormous opportunity.

“The Albanese Government is committed to unlocking our minerals potential and discovering opportunities for alternative energy and storage. 

“This report is just one example of how our government is working with our state and territory colleagues to help build a Future Made in Australia.”

Acting NSW Minister for Natural Resources, the Hon. John Graham MLC:

“This new data grows the wealth of knowledge about NSW’s geological potential, as well as our understanding of natural hydrogen and helium. 

“Natural hydrogen has potential as a new energy source and can support the economy’s shift to a net-zero future. 

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to exploring new ways to innovate and create a clean energy future using NSW’s natural resources.”