Major earthworks have commenced on the Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, which will be at the centre of Sydney’s first 22nd Century City, the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres together with Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack today marked the construction milestone in the $5.3 billion project.
“We know the construction of the Western Sydney International Airport will generate more than 28,000 direct and indirect jobs by the time it opens in 2026, but that is just the start,” Mr Ayres said.
“The nearby Aerotropolis will leverage the unique opportunities of Sydney’s first 24/7 international airport and drive the creation of 200,000 jobs across the Western Parkland City.
“The jobs will cover aerospace, defence, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, agribusiness and education, as well as tourism and hospitality”
The Western City & Aerotropolis Authority has already reached Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with 18 companies, including Hitachi, Siemens, GE Additive and DB Schenker.
Member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies said it is great to see how much global interest there is in the Western Parkland City.
“Half of Sydney’s population will live west of Parramatta by 2036, so it is important we make sure those people have the best employment opportunities available to them in Western Sydney,” Ms Davies said.
Member for Camden Peter Sidgreaves said it is clear the Western Sydney International Airport combined with the Aerotropolis will be a game-changer for the region.
“These major projects will help turn the Western Parkland City into a 30 minute city, bringing everything closer to residents so they can spend less time commuting and more time doing what they want,” Mr Sidgreaves said.
NEW PERSONAL INJURY COMMISSION PROPOSED FOR INJURED ROAD USERS AND WORKERS
The NSW Government remains committed to establishing a Personal Injury Commission (PIC) this year, to simplify the dispute resolution system for injured road users and workers who make a compensation claim.
The PIC will consolidate the dispute resolution systems of the Workers Compensation Commission and Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme.
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said the PIC proposal aligns with the Standing Committee on Law and Justice’s recommendation to establish a one-stop-shop for CTP and workers compensation dispute resolution, which the Government supported in its response to the Committee’s 2018 report.
“The proposed PIC model has been developed in consultation with scheme providers and industry stakeholders over the past 12 months to ensure that it delivers the best possible claimant experience,” Mr Dominello said.
“CTP disputes are currently managed by the State Insurance Regulatory Authority, but will now be consolidated into a single tribunal by expanding the Workers Compensation Commission. Two divisions will be created, with an independent judicial head, enabling the retention of subject matter expertise and personnel in the new body.
“A single tribunal will deliver greater flexibility in the allocation of workloads and resources across different jurisdictions.”
It is expected legislation will be introduced into Parliament in coming months. It will propose no changes to the underlying schemes, so there is no impact to the benefits and rights of involved parties.
The PIC is committed to the digital and efficient delivery of dispute resolution to citizens across NSW, including regional areas.
The intent is to bring about a consolidated and modern tribunal, with minimal impact to insurance premiums and to ensure certainty with business continuity.
FREE TRAINING TO HELP BUSHFIRE-IMPACTED COMMUNITIES
Communities in bushfire-affected areas will have access to fee-free training courses to support the clean-up and recovery operation following the recent bushfires across NSW.
The NSW and Commonwealth Governments have already committed to picking up the bill for the clean-up of residential and commercial properties destroyed by the recent bushfires at no cost to owners.
Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for Disaster Recovery John Barilaro said the fee-free courses will be delivered by TAFE NSW and other providers and will provide immediate and much needed additional resources.
“The recent bushfires have had a devastating impact across NSW and our focus is on helping these communities clean-up and rebuild as soon as possible,” Mr Barilaro said.
“We know the task is enormous and that is why we are doing everything we can to equip these towns with the skills they need to recover.”
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, Geoff Lee said the range of free short courses being delivered was determined following consultation with local government, businesses and the local community.
“The training will be delivered by TAFE NSW and other providers, and will include skills such as tree felling, rural fencing, asbestos awareness and forklift operations,” Mr Lee said.
“These courses will equip community members with the skills they need to rebuild and repair vital infrastructure such as homes and businesses, and employment opportunities.”
TAFE NSW Managing Director Steffen Faurby said that TAFE NSW is committed to ensuring local communities have access to quality customised training to meet their needs.
“TAFE NSW continually collaborates with local people, businesses and industry to ensure that they can access the courses and funding they need to build strong and vibrant communities,” Mr Faurby said.
For more information about the range of fee-free courses available to bushfire affected communities, visit www.training.nsw.gov.au or call 13 28 11.
MORE THAN $15 MILLION FOR REGIONAL ENERGY PROJECTS
Seven regional energy projects will share in more than $15 million of funding to support energy affordability and innovation thanks to the NSW Government’s Regional Community Energy Fund.
Energy Minister Matt Kean said the funding will unlock almost 17.2 MW in electricity generation and up to 17.9 MW / 39.3 MWh of energy storage, leveraging $36 million in private funding.
“These grants will help regional communities right across NSW take control of their energy bills and benefit from the economic opportunities presented by changes in our energy system,” Mr Kean said.
“The projects range from a community owned dispatchable solar and battery system at Goulburn to the installation of a 1 MW solar garden at Grong Grong in the Riverina, enabling low-income households and renters to access renewable energy.
“At Ewingsdale near Byron Bay, a grant will enable the installation of 5 MW of solar power and 10 MWh battery energy storage system. The DC coupled battery is a relatively new technology for Australia and enables excess solar energy to be captured more efficiently.”
“In a NSW first, a hydrogen energy storage system will be installed at Manilla alongside a solar-battery system to store renewable energy.
“Hydrogen has the potential to transform our economy and energy mix. World leading green hydrogen initiatives like the Manilla Community Solar project will play a critical role in developing this technology.
“These innovative renewable energy projects will help to make electricity more reliable and affordable for our regional communities.”
The RCEF is funded under the NSW Climate Change Fund to support community energy projects across NSW, improving energy reliability and affordability for regional NSW.
A full list of the successful applicants and projects is available https://energy.nsw.gov.au/regional-community-energy.
Police investigate suspicious blazes at Muswellbrook home
Police are appealing for public assistance after a Muswellbrook home was targeted in two suspicious blazes in the past week.
About 4.30am on Saturday 7 March 2020, NSW Fire and Rescue crews were called to a home on Bligh Street, Muswellbrook, after reports the front of the home was well alight.
Crews extinguished the blaze a short time later.
Then about 5am today (Tuesday 10 March 2020), neighbours contacted emergency services after the same home was fully engulfed in flames.
Fire crews extinguished the blaze a short time later, with officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District establishing a crime scene and commencing investigations.
The home was vacant on both occasions, with the building completely destroyed.
Police are appealing for anyone who may have heard or witnessed any suspicious activity in the area in the early hours of either Saturday 7 or Tuesday 10 March to contact Muswellbrook Police on 6542 6999 or to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Man charged over historical alleged sexual assaults of teenage girl in the Bathurst area
Unsolved Homicide detectives have charged a man over alleged sexual assaults, which were uncovered during inquiries into the suspected 1997 murder of Bathurst teenager, Jessica Small.
Jessica Small, aged 15, was abducted by an unknown man in the early hours of Sunday 26 October 1997 from Eglington, near Bathurst. She has not been seen or heard from since and a 2014 Coronial Inquest found that she had been murdered.
Detectives from the Homicide Squad’s Unsolved Homicide Unit are continuing to re-investigate the circumstances surrounding Jessica’s abduction and suspected murder under Strike Force Carica II.
As part of their inquiries, strike force investigators received reports a teenage girl had been sexually assaulted by a man known to her in the Bathurst area in the mid-90s.
Following extensive investigations, a 43-year-old man was arrested at Newcastle Police Station earlier today (Tuesday 10 March 2020).
He was subsequently charged with two counts of sexual intercourse without consent.
Police will allege in court that the man sexually assaulted the girl, who was known to him, in 1994 and 1996, when she was aged 17 and 19.
The Bruinbun man was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today.
Investigations under Strike Force Carica II are ongoing.
A $1 million NSW Government reward remains in place for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person/s responsible for Jessica’s disappearance and murder.
Govt ignoring frontline sector calls for additional funding to address domestic violence
The Federal Government did not consult with the peak community advisory group before re-announcing $20 million funding for a controversial loan program for domestic violence survivors, an initiative not supported by the sector, the Greens say.
AWAVA [Australian Women Against Violence Alliance] wrote to Women’s Safety Ministers ahead of the meeting last Friday with a key ask to fully fund the specialist services that improve women’s safety and hold men who use violence to account.
“The much-touted meeting of Women’s Safety Ministers is nothing more than a talk fest if it ignores calls from frontline services for additional funding for domestic violence prevention and support,” said Greens Senate Leader and spokesperson on women, Senator Larissa Waters.
“Frontline services have been vocal in what they need — more funding for the Family Court, prevention and early intervention programs, specialist legal and support services, crisis accommodation and housing support to improve the family law system.
“We need an urgent investment of $5.3 billion for a new ten-year billion National Partnership Agreement on Domestic Violence and Violence Against Women between state and Federal governments.
“Anything less is a band-aid solution to the national crisis of violence against women.
“Following the meeting, Women’s Safety Ministers have also called for a COAG-level council focussed on domestic violence. It too will fail unless the Government listens to frontline services and provides sustained investment in improving women’s safety,” she said.
STATE-OF-THE ART MRIs OPEN AT NEPEAN HOSPITAL
Nepean Hospital patients will be among the first in Australia to access two next-generation MRI machines under a $6.5 million NSW Government project to improve imaging services.
Minister for Health and Medical Research Brad Hazzard, joined by Member for Penrith Stuart Ayres, today unveiled the state-of-the-art Ingenia Ambition 1.5T and even more powerful Ingenia EIition 3T magnetic resonance imaging machines.
Mr Hazzard said the two world-class MRI machines are 50 per cent faster, and together will enable clinicians to scan on average 10 more patients each day.
“These state-of-the-art MRI machines also provide images with up to 60 per cent higher resolution than previous models, which means more accurate diagnostics contributing to better outcomes for patients,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The new MRI machines not only directly benefit patients but will also be used by Nepean Hospital researchers to conduct clinical trials as part of their research projects.”
Mr Ayres said patients across the Nepean Blue Mountains region will reap the benefits of the NSW Government’s $6.5 million investment to expand medical imaging at Nepean, one of the state’s busiest hospitals.
“Providing first-class, accessible medical services close to home is a top priority for the NSW Government, which is exactly what we are delivering today to this community,” Mr Ayres said.
Patients have a more comfortable experience inside the machines, which are quieter and have wire-free and contactless monitoring. Fast positioning technology also makes it easier for technicians to align patients in the machines.
The NSW Government has invested $10 billion to deliver more than 130 new and enhanced health facilities statewide since 2011, including the $1 billion Nepean Hospital redevelopment. The NSW Government is also investing $10.1 billion more over the next four years, including more than $900 million for rural and regional areas in 2019-20.
Police investigate East Maitland armed robbery
Police are appealing for public assistance after an armed robbery in the Hunter region overnight.
About 8.45pm (Sunday 8 March 2020), a man entered a fast food restaurant on Lawes Street, East Maitland, armed with a baseball bat.
The man threatened an employee before he fled the scene with a sum of cash in an easterly direction along Lawes Street.
Officers attached to Port Stephens-Hunter Police District attended a short time later and established a crime scene.
The man was last seen wearing dark coloured clothing with his face covered.
Police are appealing for any witnesses or anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage of the nearby area to contact Maitland Police on 4934 0200 or to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2020
Today we recognise the incredible contribution all women make to our society and the very long way we still have to go to reach gender equality in our country.The tragic and violent events of the last month have been a shocking reminder of the progress Australia still has to make towards true equality.
On average, one woman a week is murdered by a current or former partner in our country.
Today we are renewing our call for a national summit on violence against women and children.
This needs to be called out for what it is – an epidemic of toxic male violence and a scourge on our society.
These events do not occur in a vacuum. We recognise that gender inequality contributes to the scourge of violence against women and children in Australia.
Sadly, the Prime Minister has so far rejected our calls for a national summit on this issue. We hope that today he can recognise this would be a valuable thing for our nation and take forward our proposal in a bipartisan manner.
The fact is that under the Morrison Government, Australia is going backwards on gender equality.
Australia is now ranked at 44 out of 153 countries when it comes to gaps between men and women in health, education, work and politics according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report.
After almost seven years of Government it is clear the Liberals and Nationals have not done enough to ensure Australian women are paid equally to men in the workplace.
The latest ABS data reveals the gap is 13.9 per cent, with women earning $242.90 a week less than men. This is a disgrace and it is far past time for this to come to an end.
Today we call again on the Morrison Government to help fix this gap by making companies with more than 1,000 employees publicly reveal how much they pay women compared to men. Only through taking this action will we see some real progress. Labor stands ready to support this important and urgent work.
Let’s use International Women’s Day to remind the Morrison Government that there are many benefits to forging a gender equal world.
On average, one woman a week is murdered by a current or former partner in our country.
Today we are renewing our call for a national summit on violence against women and children.
This needs to be called out for what it is – an epidemic of toxic male violence and a scourge on our society.
These events do not occur in a vacuum. We recognise that gender inequality contributes to the scourge of violence against women and children in Australia.
Sadly, the Prime Minister has so far rejected our calls for a national summit on this issue. We hope that today he can recognise this would be a valuable thing for our nation and take forward our proposal in a bipartisan manner.
The fact is that under the Morrison Government, Australia is going backwards on gender equality.
Australia is now ranked at 44 out of 153 countries when it comes to gaps between men and women in health, education, work and politics according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report.
After almost seven years of Government it is clear the Liberals and Nationals have not done enough to ensure Australian women are paid equally to men in the workplace.
The latest ABS data reveals the gap is 13.9 per cent, with women earning $242.90 a week less than men. This is a disgrace and it is far past time for this to come to an end.
Today we call again on the Morrison Government to help fix this gap by making companies with more than 1,000 employees publicly reveal how much they pay women compared to men. Only through taking this action will we see some real progress. Labor stands ready to support this important and urgent work.
Let’s use International Women’s Day to remind the Morrison Government that there are many benefits to forging a gender equal world.
Today we recognise the incredible contribution all women make to our society and the very long way we still have to go to reach gender equality in our country.The tragic and violent events of the last month have been a shocking reminder of the progress Australia still has to make towards true equality.
On average, one woman a week is murdered by a current or former partner in our country.
Today we are renewing our call for a national summit on violence against women and children.
This needs to be called out for what it is – an epidemic of toxic male violence and a scourge on our society.
These events do not occur in a vacuum. We recognise that gender inequality contributes to the scourge of violence against women and children in Australia.
Sadly, the Prime Minister has so far rejected our calls for a national summit on this issue. We hope that today he can recognise this would be a valuable thing for our nation and take forward our proposal in a bipartisan manner.
The fact is that under the Morrison Government, Australia is going backwards on gender equality.
Australia is now ranked at 44 out of 153 countries when it comes to gaps between men and women in health, education, work and politics according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report.
After almost seven years of Government it is clear the Liberals and Nationals have not done enough to ensure Australian women are paid equally to men in the workplace.
The latest ABS data reveals the gap is 13.9 per cent, with women earning $242.90 a week less than men. This is a disgrace and it is far past time for this to come to an end.
Today we call again on the Morrison Government to help fix this gap by making companies with more than 1,000 employees publicly reveal how much they pay women compared to men. Only through taking this action will we see some real progress. Labor stands ready to support this important and urgent work.
Let’s use International Women’s Day to remind the Morrison Government that there are many benefits to forging a gender equal world.
On average, one woman a week is murdered by a current or former partner in our country.
Today we are renewing our call for a national summit on violence against women and children.
This needs to be called out for what it is – an epidemic of toxic male violence and a scourge on our society.
These events do not occur in a vacuum. We recognise that gender inequality contributes to the scourge of violence against women and children in Australia.
Sadly, the Prime Minister has so far rejected our calls for a national summit on this issue. We hope that today he can recognise this would be a valuable thing for our nation and take forward our proposal in a bipartisan manner.
The fact is that under the Morrison Government, Australia is going backwards on gender equality.
Australia is now ranked at 44 out of 153 countries when it comes to gaps between men and women in health, education, work and politics according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report.
After almost seven years of Government it is clear the Liberals and Nationals have not done enough to ensure Australian women are paid equally to men in the workplace.
The latest ABS data reveals the gap is 13.9 per cent, with women earning $242.90 a week less than men. This is a disgrace and it is far past time for this to come to an end.
Today we call again on the Morrison Government to help fix this gap by making companies with more than 1,000 employees publicly reveal how much they pay women compared to men. Only through taking this action will we see some real progress. Labor stands ready to support this important and urgent work.
Let’s use International Women’s Day to remind the Morrison Government that there are many benefits to forging a gender equal world.