16 News

The 2025-26 Budget will deliver a new $492 million NSW Health Pathology Statewide Hub as part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to improve essential health services for the people of NSW.

This investment will be essential for the delivery of new and enhanced pathology services on the Westmead Health Precinct, including a new build for the Institute of Clinical Pathology and Medical Research (ICPMR).

It will also include an upgrade to the high security PC4 biocontainment laboratory – the only one in NSW. This lab is used to test, isolate and research high risk infectious diseases that has the potential to be a major infection threat to the wider community. 

Since being elected we have been focused on improving essential health services and building hospitals which meet the needs of some of our most rapidly growing communities.  

The announcement today builds on our existing commitments for health infrastructure across NSW including:

• $2 billion for the new Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital;
• $790 million for the new Rouse Hill Hospital plus $120 million from the Federal Government;
• $550 million for the Fairfield Hospital Redevelopment; 
• $350 million for the Canterbury Hospital Redevelopment; and
• $120 million for additional beds for Blacktown and Mount Druitt Hospitals
• $330 million for the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital
• $200.1 million for Key Health Worker Accommodation in regional, and rural locations

We know there’s more to do, and we want the people of NSW to have access to the best health care services and technology available

Demand on pathology services is only expected to increase with population growth and an increase in our ageing population. 

In NSW alone, there are more than 100,000 clinical and scientific investigations undertaken each day, with 70 per cent of medical decisions relying on pathology investigations and results.

The Westmead laboratory alone conducts 3.5 million pathology related tests per year. Built in 1978, the Laboratory has had minimal refurbishment since and it’s clear it is no longer fit for purpose.

The new and upgraded statewide pathology hub will support the delivery of local and statewide clinical pathology, public health, medical research, and specialised support services on the Westmead campus.

This will allow the hub to take advantage of new and emerging technologies and innovation and best practice models of specialist pathology service delivery. 

This means a major referral hospital like Westmead will continue to have a state of the art on-site lab to assist in the provision of the highest standard of specialist care by enabling close collaboration between pathologists and treating clinicians.  

Once finished, the current laboratory will be retained for future growth to be determined by NSW Health and WSLHD.

As the health system moves towards increasingly personalised specialist treatment approaches, clear and timely communication between specialists and other healthcare providers is essential. 

This is especially important when quick decisions are needed to ensure patients receive the right treatment at the right time. 

The hub will also continue to link with other regional centres, including Orange, Dubbo, Wagga Wagga, Tamworth, and Lismore, across the state, servicing the more complex needs of regional and rural local health districts and providing education, training and research support.

These capabilities rely on the ability to provide urgent services and additional testing, which are vital to supporting the high demands of large emergency departments.

This investment follows 12 years of broken promises and delays by the previous Liberal Government who failed to deliver on a range of health infrastructure projects, including the new Rouse Hill and Bankstown Hospitals. 

The delivery of the new NSW Health Pathology Statewide Hub is part of the Minns Labor Governments comprehensive plan to build a better NSW, ensuring our communities have the essential services people of NSW rely on.

NSW Premier, Chris Minns:

“Since coming to government, we’ve been focused on delivering the essential health infrastructure that communities across NSW need and deserve.” 

“We know there’s more to do, but this new pathology hub is another step in rebuilding our health system after more than a decade of delay and neglect.

“It’s about ensuring our clinicians have the tools and technology they need to provide world-class care.”

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“For 12 years, the Liberals neglected our health system by failing to properly move forward on a number of critical projects for Western Sydney – including Rouse Hill and Bankstown Hospitals.

“Since being elected we have been focused on improving health services and building hospitals which meet the needs of some of our most rapidly growing communities. 

“We know there’s more to do, with demand on pathology services expected to increase with population growth and an ever increasing ageing population which is why we’re making this half a billion-dollar investment at Westmead. 

“This budget delivers on this challenging but important work to rebuild essential health services.”

Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis:

“The critical importance of our pathology services at Westmead became apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when, for a time, all positive COVID-19 tests were directed to Westmead from both public and private pathology labs for genomic and serology testing.

“This rapid increase in demand during the pandemic revealed just how vital it is to have a service available with surge capacity and space for new technology to respond to emerging health challenges.”

The Minns and Albanese Labor Governments have teamed up to double the incentives available for NSW households and small businesses to install a solar battery and connect it to a Virtual Power Plant, providing almost $5,000 in upfront benefits for a typical system that unlocks long-term cost-of living reductions.

The Australian Government’s $2.3 billion Cheaper Home Batteries Program will support households and small businesses with a discount on the cost of installing small-scale battery systems. This will reduce the cost of a typical installed battery by around 30 per cent, making this support around double the current incentive available to NSW consumers.

The Minns Labor Government will now almost double its incentive for households and businesses to connect their solar battery to a Virtual Power Plant. It will stack with the Commonwealth solar battery incentive, to unlock more cost-of-living relief.

From 1 July 2025, the Minns Labor Government is increasing the incentive to up to $1,500 to encourage more households and small businesses to install a battery and connect to a Virtual Power Plant. The incentive varies by the size of the battery.

It means NSW households and businesses will be able to access double the current incentive for installing a battery (through the Commonwealth program) and double the current incentive for registering it with a Virtual Power Plant (through the NSW scheme).

For example, if a household installs a typical 11.5 kWh system, the combined support would be almost $5,000. If the household installs a larger 27 kWh battery, which costs just over $30,000 without support, it will receive a discount of around $10,000 from the Commonwealth program. If it then connects the battery to a Virtual Power Plant, it will receive an upfront payment of almost $1,500 from the NSW scheme.

Virtual Power Plants are connected groups of solar powered batteries owned by households and small businesses. Connecting to a Virtual Power Plant allows them to generate revenue on an ongoing basis by selling the excess energy stored in their battery to their neighbours and community when demand on the grid is high.

Virtual Power Plants also reduce demand on the electricity grid, which makes the state’s energy supply more stable and less prone to outages. This prevents price spikes and drives down the price of electricity for everyone, while taking us closer to our Net Zero targets.

The increased Virtual Power Plant incentive will replace the NSW home battery installation incentive which has been doubled by the Commonwealth program.

The NSW Government incentive for solar batteries has been a huge success, with more than 11,400 battery installations in six months.

Anyone with a compatible solar battery, including those installed under the NSW incentive since November, who has not yet taken up the Virtual Power Plant incentive, is eligible for the newly doubled incentive from 1 July.

The Clean Energy Regulator is responsible for ensuring the safe installation of home batteries under the Commonwealth’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program, including the eligibility of products and accreditation of installers. The program builds on Australia’s well established and successful rollout of rooftop solar, which has seen more than 4 million solar installations and one-in-three homes harness sunshine for their power.

The NSW Government will continue working with stakeholders on future opportunities for the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme, including considering what new activities could be incentivised.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen:

“NSW is world leading when it comes to generating rooftop solar power – and attaching more batteries to soak up our sunshine and store that energy will be good for bills and good for the grid.

“We’re working with the Minns Labor Government to make sure more homes and small businesses can slash their bills by installing a battery and connecting it to a Virtual Power Plant.

“The Albanese and Minns Labor Governments are teaming up to double the benefits available to NSW households and small businesses. We’ll help more people in NSW access cheap, fast and safe solar energy in their homes and businesses night or day, when they need it.”

NSW Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe:

“We know the best benefit for the grid comes when these batteries are linked together, and NSW wants to be world-leading in encouraging households and small businesses to be a part of that.

“The Minns Labor Government is working with the Albanese Government to double the current benefit available when you install a solar battery and connect it to a Virtual Power Plant.

“By increasing battery uptake we’re reducing demand on the whole grid, putting downward pressure on bills for everyone.”

Further information for media:

What is a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) and how does it work?

• VPPs are connected groups of solar powered batteries owned by households and small businesses that allow excess stored power to be sold to the electricity grid.
• There is no extra physical connection – the VPP is operated remotely by the VPP provider.
• The VPP provider remotely tracks available energy and uses it based on the contracted conditions agreed to by the consumer.
• The VPP passes on the financial benefits directly to the consumer.

What are the benefits of joining a Virtual Power Plant?

• Get an upfront payment through the NSW Government’s incentive. The amount depends on the battery size. For a 27 kWh battery, this could be up to $1,500.
• Continue to make money selling the battery’s excess stored electricity.
• Electricity sold from batteries connected to a VPP has the potential to attract a higher price than electricity sold through grid-connected solar because of higher power prices at night.
• Earning money helps pay off solar panels and battery faster.
• Help manage peaks in electricity demand to keep power costs down and the lights on, and decrease NSW’s reliance on fossil fuels.

How do battery owners join a Virtual Power Plant?

• Connect through a NSW Government Accredited Certificate Provider to receive an upfront payment. For a list of providers visit the NSW Climate and Energy Action website.
• Pricing, timing and other conditions of the VPP will be set by a contract with the provider.
• Not all batteries can be connected to a VPP, so check before you purchase. All batteries that were installed through the NSW Peak Demand Reduction Scheme can be connected.
• If you are looking to install a battery with a discount, find out more about the Australian Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries Program available from 1 July 2025 by visiting the Cheaper Home Batteries Program web page.

Secret government documents obtained by the Opposition through a call for papers from Greater Sydney Parklands have confirmed what we all suspected – Chris Minns’ promise of new football fields at Moore Park was never real.

While the Premier stood in Parliament and in front of cameras telling families he’d deliver more places to play sport, his own officials were warning the opposite.

The email put it plainly – 

“There is nothing in this for community sport… all sports codes need to know… not to be fooled.”

That says it all.

Internal maps show that building playing fields would mean “mass tree clearing” and that the “community would not cop this”. So instead of footy fields, locals can look forward to a walking track, a couple of benches, and maybe a slippery dip, if they’re lucky.

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said Chris Minns keeps making announcements but never delivers. 

“This was never a plan, it was a headline,” Mr Speakman said. 

Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Scott Farlow said this is what happens when a government is run off media releases instead of actual plans.

“It’s a thought bubble, not a policy,” Mr Farlow said. 

Shadow Minister for Sport Eleni Petinos said sporting clubs were promised fields.  

“Our sporting groups are getting spin. This isn’t support for grassroots sport — it’s a PR stunt dressed up as a win,” Ms Petinos said.  

There is a practical, balanced plan on the table from the Moore Park Coalition. More public space, better facilities, and the 18-hole course kept intact. Chris Minns threw it out for a photo op.

It’s rinse and repeat with this government — announce, spin, backpedal, repeat. And communities are left wondering when they’ll actually see something delivered.

The NSW Government’s $30.4 million investment will provide some immediate relief for overwhelmed homelessness services, but investment at a scale that matches the magnitude of the housing crisis is still needed.

The funding package includes $20 million to expand crisis and transitional housing and $10.4 million over four years for The Rev. Bill Crews Foundation.

Homelessness NSW CEO Dom Rowe said the investment provides some immediate relief for overwhelmed services but emphasised the need for much greater long-term commitment.

“This $30.4 million provides breathing room for frontline services, but we must be clear about the magnitude of the challenge we face,” Ms Rowe said.

“The 2025 Street Count showed an eight per cent increase in rough sleeping to 2,192 people, compared to 2,037 people in 2024. Around 68,000 Australians sought help from specialist homelessness services in NSW in 2023-24, with many turned away due to overwhelming demand.

“Homelessness services across the state are overwhelmed. They cannot help everyone and must make heartbreaking decisions about who to turn away. This should not be happening in one of the wealthiest places on Earth.”

Ending the homelessness crisis requires greater structural change.

“Today’s announcement will provide breathing room, but it’s a band-aid on a much larger wound. The state’s worsening housing crisis is forcing more people to bed down on streets because they can’t afford the broken rental market.”

Homelessness NSW is calling on the state government to:

Increase social housing stock from 4.7% to 10%

Deliver a 30% increase in baseline funding for specialist homelessness services

“With over 65,000 households on the social housing waitlist and wait times up to 10 years, we need bold action that matches the scale of this crisis,” Ms Rowe said.

“Every person sleeping rough tonight deserves better. We need sustained, substantial investment at the scale that matches the crisis we’re facing.”

After a year of silence, where NSW has witnessed a dramatic increase in illegal tobacco shops and associated criminal violence, Chris Minns on Monday finally offered up a solitary idea to fix the problem – “make cigarettes cheaper”. 

Yesterday, the Federal Treasurer shot down the Premier’s idea saying he didn’t think making cigarettes cheaper was the answer and that the focus needed to be on compliance. 

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said that under Chris Minns, NSW has become the Chop Chop capital of Australia.  

“Illegal tobacco businesses have exploded under Chris Minns, and organised criminal gangs are raking in big money, because they know NSW has minimal enforcement and some of the weakest penalties in the country.” 

“While other states have acted to drastically increase penalties and improve enforcement, Chris Minns has been missing in action. Now that the Federal Treasurer has ruled out changes to the federal excise, Chris Minns needs to tell people how he is going to tackle this issue,” said Mr Speakman. 

Shadow Minister for Health Kellie Sloane said Chris Minns has only woken up to this issue after illegal tobacco shops started popping up in his own electorate.

“We’ve been telling the Minns Government for a year that this is a serious issue, but they have been dragging their feet. The Opposition have pushed for stronger illegal tobacco penalties, a fit and proper person test to stop criminals getting tobacco licences and a parliamentary inquiry into this issue,” said Ms Sloane. 

Shadow Minister for Regional Health Gurmesh Singh says regional communities are bearing the brunt of the tobacco wars and Chris Minns needed to step up. 

“We’ve seen fire bombings, stand over tactics, violence and legitimate small businesses put under pressure due to the rise in illegal tobacco. The lack of enforcement in regional communities means that these criminals can illegal tobacco with little fear of getting caught.” 

Shadow Minister for Police Paul Toole said once again the NSW Police Force are being called in as the last line of defence to pick up the slack because of the failures of the Minns Labor Government and NSW Health to deal with illegal tobacco here in this state.

“The NSW Labor Government is treating the NSW Police Force like a dogsbody to pick up the pieces after other agencies fail to their job.

The NSW Police force is stretched paper-thin and passing the buck to the police cannot be this Government’s answer to every issue,” Mr Toole said.

Today the Upper House has stood up for the people of New South Wales — not for spin, not for backroom deals, and not for rushed legislation.

The motion for an inquiry was carried on the voices with the Government not calling for a division to avoid labor MPs ashamed of their position being forced to have their names recorded on the vote or worse still crossing the floor.

A proper inquiry will now be established — because when you’re dealing with the livelihoods of every worker and the future costs to every business in this state, you don’t get to say “trust us.” You show your homework.

This was never about 1 July. That deadline is a political invention, not a legal obligation. And today on Sky News, the Treasurer himself admitted there is no impact on the state budget this financial year. As to 2025-26 premiums, they’ve already been set.

In the Legislative Assembly the Opposition voted for the bill on the second reading. If the Government had treated the Opposition’s amendments in a satisfactory way, we would have voted for the bill on the third reading too. On the Government’s own figures, an amended bill through both Houses would have delivered most of their projected savings immediately, without adjusting WPI thresholds. In addition are savings provided by the Opposition’s extra proposals.

Instead the Government, having sat on a deteriorating scheme until the last moment, wants to stop longer term support for severely psychologically injured workers without explaining its workings, releasing the modelling, or ever levelling with the people who will carry the cost — workers, families, and small business owners.

What’s at stake here are real lives.

The teacher, still standing at the whiteboard long after the bell, juggling lesson plans and parent emails, now fearful of being exploited by deepfake technology.

The nurse stepping into a second shift without hesitation — because her patients don’t get to take breaks.

The Service NSW worker on the frontline after a flood, handing over a grant cheque to someone who’s lost everything — no cameras, just care.

These are the people who kept NSW going through fire, flood and pandemic. And now, without modelling, without facts, and without fairness, Labor tried to rewrite the rules on them and got caught.

This isn’t reform. It’s cover. A government trying to hide its own failure to manage a budget, trading in secrecy and panic over transparency and truth.

The NSW Opposition will always support reform that is fair, sustainable and built on integrity. But we will never rubber-stamp legislation written in haste, driven by internal panic, and enforced through political muscle instead of public trust.

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said today was about restoring process in the nation’s oldest Parliament.

“Workers, families and business deserve clarity — not confusion, chaos or spin. Today’s decision means the truth can finally come out,” Mr Speakman said.

Shadow Treasurer Damien Tudehope said the Treasurer’s own words on Sky News undermined every claim made to justify the rushed legislation.

“Why the secrecy? If the numbers stacked up, Labor would have shown them. Now the inquiry will deliver what the government wouldn’t — answers,” Mr Tudehope said.

For workers, for businesses, for the entire NSW community — today was a step towards restoring trust.

And for every person who’s felt left out of this process, the Parliament heard you.