16 News

Sydney’s largest koala population will now enjoy greater protection thanks to the state’s newest national park that winds along the Georges River in the city’s south-west.

Warranmadhaa (Georges River Koala National Park), located between Long Point and Appin, covers 962 hectares. Work is already underway to grow the park with more land transfers planned into the National Park system which will protect up to 1,830 hectares of habitat.

Koalas require large, connected areas of habitat so they can eat, move and breed.

Warranmadhaa National Park will safeguard the most important corridor in the area, facilitating the safe movement of koalas between Campbelltown and the Southern Highlands.

When fully established, the reserve will further protect Cumberland Plain Woodland and Shale Sandstone Transition Forest, which are both listed as critically endangered ecological communities in NSW.

Warranmadhaa National Park delivers on the NSW Government’s commitment to establish a koala national park along Georges River under the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan.

The Plan supports the delivery of approximately 73,000 homes in Western Sydney and will minimise the impacts of development on threatened plants and animals at a landscape scale while creating protected suburban green spaces.

The name Warranmadhaa refers to the geography in the southern areas of the reserve and was chosen in close consultation with Traditional Custodians, the Tharawal Local Aboriginal Land Council and the local Aboriginal community.

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has started the process to prepare a plan of management for Warranmadhaa National Park.

This will provide opportunity for people to have their say to help shape how the park will be managed to preserve its values and how it will be accessed and used by the community.

Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe:

“This new national park is one of the most important in the state for koala conservation, protecting almost 1,000 hectares of vital koala habitat in south-west Sydney and delivering on our promise to safeguard this iconic species.

“$48.2 million has been committed to establish and manage this park, ensuring long-term protection for the south-west Sydney’s koalas.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, Paul Scully:

“It is great to see this land in southern western Sydney transferred into the national park system to protect koala habitat in perpetuity.

“There is even more great news, in the longer term with plans to almost double the size of the park through future land acquisitions in the Georges River area under the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan.

“This is a strategic approach which aims to balance urban development with the protection of important biodiversity including threatened plants and animals.”

Member for Campbelltown, Greg Warren:

“I welcome this important step towards koala conservation in our region.

“Our community has an expectation that wildlife in our region, particularly our koalas, are protected and safeguarded. This commitment is a step towards ensuring that this community expectation is not just met, but exceeded.”

People living with mental illness in Northern NSW are set to benefit from better access to essential clothing and supplies to support their wellbeing, thanks to the expansion of Keith’s Closet to Lismore Mental Health Services.

Minister for Health Ryan Park, Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson and Minister for the North Coast Janelle Saffin officially opened the service, made possible thanks to an investment of $185,000 by the NSW Government to open additional Keith’s Closets across NSW, including at the Lismore Base Hospital campus.

The Lismore outlet is the sixth Keith’s Closet to open since the not-for-profit charity began operating in 2019, and the first outside of Sydney and the Illawarra.

Keith’s Closet is a walk-in wardrobe which helps to clothe and support vulnerable clients with everyday essentials and is co-located at Tallowwood Adult Mental Health Inpatient Unit at Lismore Mental Health Services.

It is open to people who have an arranged ‘shopping visit’ with their assigned nurse where they can select outfits, footwear and toiletries from the donated wardrobe of goods inside.

Pioneered by Keith Donnelly, former Mental Health Clinical Nurse Specialist in the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, the program has been running since 2019.

For more information on Keith’s Closet, visit www.keithscloset.org

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“Keith’s Closet has been supporting mental health consumers to access essential supplies to support their wellbeing since its establishment in 2019.

“Focused on fostering dignity and respect, Keith’s Closet is a truly inspiring space.

“When mental health consumers visit Keith’s Closet, they can choose from a range of donated goods like clothes, shoes and toiletries. This helps them feel better about themselves so they can focus on their treatment and recovery.

“I’m so pleased to support the expansion of Keith’s Closet to another NSW site where I am sure it will deliver for mental health consumers.”

Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson:

“Keith’s Closet reflects the kind of mental health care we believe in. It is practical, compassionate and grounded in dignity.

“This is a simple idea that makes a powerful difference. A clean shirt, a pair of shoes, a toothbrush, these are small things that can help someone feel themselves again and focus on their recovery.

“We are working to build a mental health system that supports people as they are. Keith’s Closet does that by meeting people with kindness and giving them what they need.”

Minister for the North Coast Janelle Saffin:

“The new Keith’s Closet, located at the Lismore Mental Health Service, will provide meaningful support to those in our community living with mental illness.

“This innovative model of care builds on the compassionate care health staff at Lismore Mental Health Services provide each and every day to the most vulnerable in our community.”

Keith’s Closet Founder Keith Donnelly:

“During my time as a student and qualified mental health nurse, I recognised that mental health consumers accessing our services often arrived at hospital with just the clothes on their backs and limited access to alternative clothing, toiletries and accessories.

“This is about swapping the traditional hospital white gown for good quality clothing and accessories, helping to reduce stigma and boost morale and wellbeing.

“It’s exciting to see Keith’s Closet grow and now benefit patients in the Lismore area.

“It’s also really important to acknowledge Keith’s Closet would not be the success it is without the amazing support of our volunteers, our sponsors and the wider community.”

The 2025 NAPLAN National Report released today shows some positive progress, with more still to be done to lift literacy and numeracy outcomes across the state.

This year, students in Years 5, 7 and 9 were the first cohort to complete a second NAPLAN cycle under the new proficiency levels first introduced in 2023.

For NSW schools, results in 2025 are stable compared to previous years, with students showing strengths in areas including:

• Year 5 reading up 4.9 percentage points in strong and exceeding compared to the same cohort’s Year 3 results in 2023
• Year 5 spelling up 6.3 percentage points in strong and exceeding compared to the same cohort’s Year 3 results in 2023
• Year 7 spelling up 3.6 percentage points in strong and exceeding compared to the same 2023 cohort in Year 5
• Year 5 grammar and punctuation up 7.4 percentage points in strong and exceeding compared to the same 2023 cohort in Year 3

Today’s results show positive signs for many students in NSW, which is exceeding the national average in writing, reading, spelling, grammar and punctuation, and numeracy. The results also show where continued and consistent support is required, particularly in Years 5, 7 and 9 writing and Years 7 and 9 reading.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to the work of rebuilding public education and lifting outcomes across NSW.

Among our most significant reforms has been our work to address the teacher shortage and ensure every classroom in NSW has a dedicated teacher, by lifting wages, improving job security, reducing workload and improving the classroom environment by banning mobile phones and restoring principals’ authority to manage student behaviour. This work has seen teacher vacancies drop 40% to their lowest level in five years and the number of merged and cancelled classes halved.

The Better and Fairer Schools Agreement we signed with the Commonwealth earlier this year ensures every public school is on a path to getting 100% of the Schooling Resource Standard, with the additional funding going directly towards programs and reforms that will lift student outcomes.

Our ongoing work to lift student outcomes includes:

• Introducing a new Year 1 Number Screening Check trial to assess students’ early numeracy skills, with wrap-around early intervention;
• Delivering the Year 1 Phonics Screening Check with targeted support for schools to ensure students obtain foundational literacy skills;
• Introducing system-wide literacy and numeracy targets with ambitious goals to improve student outcomes;
• Boosting the Small Group Tuition Program to provide more targeted literacy and numeracy support;
• Building teachers’ capacity to deliver the new knowledge and skills rich K-12 English and Mathematics syllabuses through explicit teaching;
• The explicit and systematic teaching of writing is a key focus in all new NSW syllabuses to better support all NSW students. 

The full 2025 NAPLAN national results are published on ACARA’s website.

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:

“Congratulations to all of the students across NSW who participated in NAPLAN testing this year, especially those at more than 300 schools in the state’s north who did so in the face of extreme weather conditions.

“Students, families and teachers across NSW should feel proud of these results – and know that where there are gaps, we are focussed on supporting schools and teachers to close them.

“These results show NSW continuing to perform strongly against national benchmarks, and identify areas that require attention.

“We are committed to reforms that will strengthen literacy and numeracy foundations, including the introduction of an early Phonics and Number Check and a knowledge-rich curriculum explicitly taught across all our schools. These will equip NSW public school students with the vital knowledge and skills they need to achieve excellent outcomes.”

The Minns Labor Government has opened the latest in a growing network of government-owned residential homes, ensuring more vulnerable children in out-of-home care (OOHC) are moved from unsuitable emergency accommodation into stable, therapeutic settings.

The Waratah Care Cottage at Blacktown in Western Sydney is the fourth new property designed to keep sibling groups in the OOHC system together, with a sibling group of three already identified to move into the new cottage in the coming weeks.

The cottages support children who were living in High-Cost Emergency Arrangements (HCEAs) who cannot be immediately placed with relatives or foster carers, with the former government’s arrangements often seeing sibling groups split up.  

The Blacktown cottage opening builds on a $49.2 million investment in 44 government-owned homes for children in OOHC with the most complex needs as part of the record $1.2 billion Child Protection Package in the 2025-26 Budget – the largest in NSW history.

The purpose-built and upgraded homes will accommodate up to four children each, providing:

• Trauma-informed care in a stable environment tailored to support recovery and wellbeing
• Improved safety and permanency outcomes
• A reduction in the number of children in High-Cost Emergency Arrangements (HCEAs)
• Greater flexibility for government to respond to placement needs
• Better staffing models that increase visibility and accountability, and reduce service delivery costs

The new homes will be located in metropolitan Sydney and regional areas including the Hunter, using both new construction and upgrades to existing government-owned properties.

This investment reverses the former Liberal and National Government’s complete outsourcing of residential care services, which stripped away public oversight and control, and left vulnerable children without the protections they deserve.

In our first two years, the Minns Labor Government:

• Ended unaccredited emergency accommodation for vulnerable children – meaning no children are living in places like hotels and motels as of April this year
• Reduced the number of children placed in all types of High-Cost Emergency Arrangements (HCEAs) by 35 per cent since November 2023
• Restarted the recruitment of foster carers in the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ), a critical program which was disgracefully abandoned by the Liberals and Nationals more than a decade ago
• Recruited more than 240 emergency carers so far, who have kept hundreds of children out of emergency arrangements
• Announced the first real increase in the Foster Care Allowance in 20 years, with $143.9 million budgeted to recognise the critical role of foster carers to keep NSW children safe
• Delivered a record $350 million investment for family preservation programs delivered by Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations
• Invested $191.5 million to recruit more than 200 new caseworkers and retain 2,126 caseworkers with higher pay and more specialised training, as well as 100 new leading caseworker roles
• Redeployed our best and brightest casework specialists back to the frontline. Already this means more than 300 additional vulnerable children have been given support
• Insourced 300 family time workers, directly employing staff to keep children in OOHC connected to their parents
• Released a comprehensive roadmap for reform

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“This new cottage builds on our record $1.2 billion investment to protect and support the most vulnerable children in NSW.

“We are building the capacity of the child protection system to provide safer, more stable care — and reversing years of neglect under the former government.

“Every dollar we invest in frontline services and stable homes is an investment in a better future for these children.”

Minister for Families and Communities Kate Washington said:

“These children have experienced the most serious trauma — and they deserve care, stability, and a real chance to heal.

“For too long, too many children with complex needs have been let down by a system that isn’t providing what they need most: a safe and stable home.

“The government’s historic investment will help us change that. It means purpose-built homes, specially trained staff, and a care environment that supports recovery and hope.

“The Minns Labor Government is rebuilding the system from the ground up — putting children’s safety, wellbeing and futures at the centre of everything we do.”

Member for Blacktown Stephen Bali said:

“I’m incredibly proud that this new Waratah Care Cottage will play a critical role in protecting vulnerable children – and keeping siblings together here in Blacktown.

“It’s not just a house – it’s a safe and supportive home where children get the care and stability they deserve.

“This is what real change looks like on the ground, and I’m pleased to see it’s happening right here in Blacktown.”

Shadow Minister for the Environment, James Griffin MP, has slammed the Minns Labor Government for presiding over an environmental catastrophe, following the release of data showing a 40% surge in land clearing across New South Wales in 2023.

According to the 2023 NSW Statewide Landcover and Tree Study (SLATS) released yesterday, 66,498 hectares of native vegetation were cleared last year – a 40% increase from the previous year, and the equivalent of 237 Sydney CBDs or four Royal National Parks lost in 12 months.

Mr Griffin said the Minns Labor Government has betrayed conservation and communities across New South Wales.

“What we’re seeing is environmental vandalism on a scale comparable with palm oil deforestation in Indonesia. This Labor Government came to office promising reform, and two years later they’ve delivered nothing but excuses and inertia,” Mr Griffin said.

“Labor campaigned in 2019 and 2023 on curbing land clearing yet clearing has exploded on their watch. They campaigned on this issue and have delivered absolutely no solutions.”

Mr Griffin said, “The State of the Environment Report earlier this month was a shocker, the Great Koala National Park is a farce, there are no aquatic reserves or marine conservation ideas to speak of, and clearly the environment doesn’t really matter around the Minns Cabinet table”. 

Labor’s inaction contrasts with the forward-looking initiatives of the previous Coalition government – conservation initiatives such as those aimed at: 

• The establishment of NSW’s first Natural Capital State Accounts – a nation-leading framework to measure, value and protect the state’s ecosystems in economic decision-making.
• Major investments in koala habitat corridors and private land conservation agreements.
• Strengthened data systems for land cover monitoring and vegetation mapping.
• And an ambitious push to integrate biodiversity metrics into infrastructure planning.

Authorised by Chris Stone, Liberal Party of Australia, NSW Division, Level 2, 131 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

Donations by individuals to registered political parties of between $2 and $1,500 in a financial year are tax deductible. Phone: 02 8356 0300.

Privacy Policy

From 12.01am Thursday 31 July to 6am on Saturday 2 August 2025, travel will be free on all Sydney Trains, Airport Link, and Sydney Metro services.

Opal gates and readers at Opal enabled train and metro stations will be turned off during this fare free period meaning customers will not need to tap on and tap off.

Passengers traveling on NSW TrainLink regional rail services who purchased a ticket from 12.01am Thursday 31 July to 11.59pm on Friday 1 August will be refunded but must have booked a ticket to secure their seat to travel.

However, passengers on all other services including bus, ferry, and light rail must tap on and off as normal as fares will continue to be charged.

For more information see the news article.

Netball NSW is proud to announce the athletes selected in the 2025 Regional Emerging Talent Team, part of the broader Emerging Talent Program that identifies and supports the next generation of netball stars across Regional, Metro, and First Nations pathways.

Twelve athletes from across New South Wales have been named in this year’s Regional Team, recognised for their skill, dedication, and potential to progress to Netball NSW’s underage 17/U and 19/U State Teams.
Recognising the tyranny of distance, additional travel and accommodation costs, and the commitment required from regional families, Netball NSW is deeply committed to breaking down barriers and nurturing talent from across the state.

“This program gives our regional athletes the opportunity to step into a high-performance environment and see what’s required at the next level,” said Mardi Aplin, General Manager – Performance and Pathways at Netball NSW.

“By bringing them into Sydney for training, we’re able to provide the same quality of coaching, education, and support as their metro counterparts-ensuring an even playing field and a clear pathway to future success.”

Throughout the five-week program, the regional athletes train as part of a 36-athlete performance cohort, coming together for a mix of on-court sessions and off-court education. These sessions are led by Netball NSW’s top coaches and performance staff and are designed to expose athletes to the intensity, preparation, and mindset required at the elite level.

Regional athletes receive targeted support tailored to their specific needs and challenges. This includes training in performance analysis, helping them learn how to review and self-assess their own games at home; education in nutrition and recovery strategies, especially relevant for those who travel long distances to train and compete; access to physiotherapy and injury-prevention resources; and structured workshops in high-performance behaviours designed to build habits for success both on and off the court.

Bringing regional athletes to Sydney ensures they are immersed in a true high-performance training environment, while still being able to connect with teammates and coaches from their home areas.

“While they wear different colours during the tri-series tournament, all Emerging Talent athletes train and grow together,” said Aplin. “It’s not just about skills on the court, it’s about building the confidence, resilience, and behaviours needed to thrive in our sport.”

Athletes in the Regional Emerging Talent Team were identified through a range of talent ID platforms, including Senior State Titles, Regional Academies of Sport, and previous state trials.

The program not only supports athletes but also contributes to long-term talent identification for Netball NSW’s state teams, ensuring that regional athletes are front and centre as selectors look toward future state and national squads.

“We know that talent is everywhere – and this program is about making sure opportunity is too.”

2025 Netball NSW Regional Squad

ATHLETE FULL NAME NETBALL ASSOCIATION 1ST 2ND
Ava Francisco Dubbo GD WD
Chloe Eyles Charlestown GA GS
Emma McCallum Lakeside C WD
Eve Power Newcastle GD WD
Gemma Humphery Illawarra District GA GS
Isabella Christian Illawarra District WD C
Jade Stringer Lakeside GA WA
Molly Brownell Maitland GS GA
Molly Stephen Wagga Wagga WA C
Paiton Cook Newcastle WA C
Skye Hutchison Barellan & District GK
Sophie Lockyer Illawarra District GK GD

Head Coach: Linda Macleod, Dubbo Netball Association
Assistant Coach: Charli Wright, Armidale Netball Association
Apprentice Coach: Alex McNeil, Illawarra Netball Association