16 News

The Hundreds of families in the state’s south-east are closer to fee-free early learning, with contracts awarded to deliver four new public preschools.

The new public preschools will offer places for up to 320 children a week across the region, providing quality early education to give our youngest learners the best start in life.

These preschools will be co-located on local public primary school grounds, making drop-off and pick up easier for busy families and helping children transition into kindergarten with confidence.

Zauner Construction Pty Ltd will deliver the four public preschools, with construction expected to begin later this year and doors opening early 2027.

The four public preschools will be built at:

• Boorowa Central School
• Moss Vale Public School
• Queanbeyan East Public School
• Queanbeyan South Public School

They will join the recently opened Gulyangarri Public Preschool in Liverpool – the first new public preschool built in NSW in almost 20 years.

As the biggest expansion of public preschools in the state’s history, these sites are part of the Minns Labor Government’s $769 million commitment to build 100 public preschools by 2027, with almost half located in the regions. Site selection prioritised areas of highest need – including long-overlooked parts of South Eastern NSW – based on a rigorous selection process.

Once complete these 100 public preschools will provide places for 9,000 children across NSW to benefit from high-quality early education in their local community.

This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s record investment to rapidly expand the provision of public early learning in NSW, backed by record investment in the 2024-25 Budget.

This historic investment is a major turnaround from the former Liberal National Government, which didn’t build a single public preschool in 12 years.

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said: 

“Access to preschool can be difficult for young families, particularly in regional areas, which is why we are delivering four new public preschools across the towns in the state’s south-east in areas where they are needed most.

“The Minns Labor Government, with the advocacy of Deputy Premier Prue Car, is committed to improving access to free quality public preschool for our youngest learners because we know how crucial early learning is for a child’s development. 

“The former Liberal National government failed to deliver for young families in the regions and didn’t build a single new public preschool while in office.

“The Minns Labor Government made this historic commitment to deliver the biggest expansion in public preschools in NSW’s history because we strongly believe all children should have access to high-quality early education, no matter their postcode.”

Member for Monaro Steve Whan said:

“Labor is delivering what the former Coalition government wouldn’t – local preschools, local jobs and access to fee-free early learning for our community.

“I am very excited over government is delivering the public preschools we promised at Queanbeyan East and Queanbeyan South public schools.  Both schools serve a population that needs additional affordable preschool options and it will help break down barriers to quality education.

“I look forward to construction getting underway for the new preschools shortly.”

The Minns Labor Government has delivered the largest increase in government-built public, community and affordable homes in over a decade.

In the past year alone, 1711 new social and affordable homes have been built or brought back into use as part of the Minns Labor Government’s historic $6.6 billion Building Homes for New South Wales program. 

This includes:

• 1408 new public, community and affordable homes built or delivered by Homes NSW; and
• 303 long-vacant public homes brought back into use.

Homes NSW has helped rehome 7,796 households over the past year, providing thousands of families with a safe and stable place to call home.

This is in sharp contrast to the previous Liberal National Government, who sold off more than 4730 homes in 12 years.

While this progress is promising, there is still much more to be done, which is why the Government is keeping its shoulder to the wheel to ensure homes are being delivered, not just promised and the public housing system is being rebuilt after a decade of neglect.

Last year the Minns Labor Government announced the largest investment in housing in the state’s history, through the $6.6 billion Building Homes for New South Wales package.

This included $5.1 billion to deliver over 8,400 new social homes, with at least 50 per cent of which will be prioritised for victim survivors of domestic and family violence.

This work has continued in this year’s budget with a world leading pre-sale guarantee to accelerate housing construction and help tackle the state’s housing supply challenges.

At the same time the Government has introduced the largest planning reforms in a generation including standing up the Housing Development Authority and building well-located homes around public transport hubs.

The Minns Labor Government is getting on with the job of delivering well located residential, social and affordable homes.

Premier Chris Minns:

“We are getting on with the job of delivering the social, affordable and residential housing that New South Wales needs.

“Today’s numbers are a really positive sign that we are making progress, but there’s still more to be done.

“We are losing twice as many young people as we are gaining on a year-by-year basis and a city without young people is a city without a future. The only way we can provide that future is with housing.

“We are cutting red tape, introducing landmark reforms, releasing surplus government land and making unprecedented investments to confront the housing crisis facing the state.”

Minister Rose Jackson:

“This is the biggest year for social and affordable housing in our state’s modern history. We’re not just talking about the housing crisis, we’re doing something about it.

“For too long, governments walked away from public housing. We’re rebuilding it. Brick by brick, house by house, street by street.

“We inherited a public housing system that was left crumbling, where homes sat empty or were sold off. We’ve brought those homes back to life. We’ve got a long way to go, but this milestone proves that when you invest in housing and make it a real priority, you can change lives.

“This is about dignity. It’s about recognising that everyone deserves a safe, secure and affordable place to call home and housing is a human right.”

The NSW Coalition will introduce a Bill in Parliament to crack down on criminals and make NSW the hardest place in Australia to sell illegal tobacco and vapes. 

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said while other states have cracked down on illegal tobacco, the Minns Labor Government has let NSW become the easiest place in the country for crooks to make money.

“Everyone knows what’s going on — these dodgy shops are all over our suburbs, run by criminals selling illegal tobacco and vapes like it’s completely normal. Chris Minns has done nothing while communities and small businesses wear the cost. If Labor won’t clean it up, we will,” Mr Speakman said.

“Our plan will shut these shops down, hit the criminals with million-dollar fines or jail, and make it crystal clear — if you’re dealing illegal tobacco in NSW, your days are numbered. No more soft touch. No more excuses.”

Shadow Attorney General Alister Henskens said the Minns Labor Government has allowed criminals to easily defy the law. 

“Organised crime has had a free ride under this NSW government. These aren’t corner stores — they’re fronts for crime gangs.  Chris Minns has let them pop up in plain sight and endanger our community with random violence,” Mr Henskens said. 

“Our laws will disrupt their business model by shutting the doors, tearing up the leases, and putting the crooks behind bars. If you’re breaking the law, under the Coalition, there will be nowhere to hide.” 

Shadow Health Minister Kellie Sloane said communities across NSW were crying out for real action on illicit tobacco. 

“We are seeing high streets across NSW being taken over by dodgy tobacconists and organised crime gangs profiting from Chris Minn’s inaction,” Ms Sloane said.

“We can’t risk a new generation getting hooked on cheap cigarettes and destroying their health because the Minns Government failed to act on enforcement and tougher penalties.”

Shadow Regional Health Minister Gurmesh Singh said criminals now see NSW as a soft target given the state’s weak penalties and enforcement.

“Victoria, Queensland and South Australia have all stepped up with tougher penalties and strong enforcement. Chris Minns inaction has left NSW exposed to more criminals, more violence and more illicit tobacco,” Mr Singh said. 

The Coalition’s Public Health (Tobacco) Amendment (Stopping Illicit Tobacco) Bill 2025 will:

• Further increase the penalties for the sale of illicit tobacco, including prison sentences of up to 7 years for serious offending or a $1.5 million fine. 
• Provide NSW Health with the power to issue closure orders for businesses selling illicit tobacco and vapes for up to one month.
• Provide magistrates with the power to issue closure order for businesses selling illicit tobacco and vapes for up to 12 months. 
• Give lessors the statutory right to terminate leases where a closure order has been issued. 
• Create a new offence for lessors who knowingly permit their tenant to use the store for the sale of illegal tobacco or vapes.