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Grants pave the way for the next generation of creatives and collaboration

The NSW Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to foster the next generation of artists, creative practitioners, and leaders.

Among the ten small to medium not-for-profit arts and culture organisations supported through a new $500,000 grant program are projects ranging from a multi-platform festival, an interactive futurist activation, to a multi-sensory dining experience. Each project showcases the exceptional strength, talent and entrepreneurial vision of NSW’s arts and cultural sector.

The Creative Industries Connectivity Grants program was established to incentivise new collaborative opportunities and develop new partnerships between the traditional arts and cultural sector and creative industries.

The $500,000 program delivers on the Creative Communities commitment to align NSW Government investment to prioritise programs, services and advocacy that builds pathways to partnerships to enhance distribution opportunities for artists and creative practitioners.

Through grants of up to $50,000, the 10 not-for-profit arts and cultural organisations will each invest in a new venture and work in partnership with creative businesses including 3D imaging technology providers, landscape architects, e-learning platforms, fashion powerhouses, global radio broadcasters, and restaurants.

These projects pioneer new visionary concepts blending traditional artforms with new mediums and influences, that transform how artists connect with audiences and how stories are told.

The program promotes ongoing collaboration across the arts, cultural and creative industries ecosystem, driving further innovation, long-term sustainability, and successful product development.

The recipients of the inaugural Creative Industries Connectivity Grants program are:

– Arts & Cultural Exchange Inc – The Dharug Voices Digital Archive
– Asian Australian Artists Association Inc – Haymarket 2050
– Diversity Arts Australia – Creative Equity at Work Online Learning Program
– Erth Visual & Physical Incorporated – Dinner is the Show
– Marrugeku Inc – Ngurragabu [From the last night]
– NSW Aboriginal Culture Heritage and Arts Association Inc – NSW Aboriginal Cultural Centre Online
– Port Macquarie Historical Society Inc – Birrbay Barray Djuyal (Birpai Country Stories)
– Powerhouse Youth Theatre Inc – From Stage to Screen
– Soft Centre Pty Ltd – SOFT CENTRE 2025 x NTS | White Bay Power Station
– Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre – Mercury Rising

Minister for the Arts, John Graham said:

“Creative Communities outlined a shift in value, scale, focus and settings. We said at its release that the vision cannot be realised overnight or by government alone. Partnerships are crucial.

“These grants are built upon developing partnerships across the creative industries and into other larger creative industry organisations and businesses.

“The goal with this investment is to support collaborative projects that have potential for ongoing partnerships and develop sustainable outcomes for organisations across the creative industries.”

Create NSW Executive Director Kerri Glasscock said:

“The NSW arts and cultural sector is renowned for innovating and pushing boundaries. This new program has delivered a strong line-up of inspiring ideas in its inaugural round.

“These projects have been selected to demonstrate possible future direction of arts and culture and creative industry partnerships.

“We are excited to see so many high-impact partnerships that will combine the vision and talent in the arts and creative industries and create some truly innovative projects.”

Thea-Mai Baumann Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art said:

“Haymarket 2050 is a living time capsule – an immersive, cross-disciplinary collaboration that reimagines the future of one of Sydney’s most iconic precincts.

“Through holograms, cult fashion shows, and augmented reality portals at sites like the Lion Gate, Paddy’s Markets, at 4A and our incubator space 4A LAB, we’re preserving Haymarket’s cultural DNA while projecting its stories into the year 2050. This is about memory, imagination, and placemaking – activating community voices to shape a speculative archive we will unlock again in 25 years.”

Creative Industries Connectivity Project Highlights include:

– Haymarket 2050 is a groundbreaking collaboration between 4A, INJURY x REAL PARENT, local community members and key cultural partners, reimagining Haymarket’s cultural future through contemporary art, fashion, and technology. The bold project features immersive installations, AR activations, and a global virtual experience, bridging physical and digital realms to engage diverse audiences and shape Haymarket’s cultural narrative.

– “Dinner is the Show” is an innovative collaboration between Erth Visual & Physical Inc. and Kitchen by Mike. This multi-sensory exploration examines the intricate relationship between food and art, providing an immersive dining experience throughout the performance.

– Dance company Marrugeku will partner with landscape architectural firm, REALMstudios to develop Ngurragabu [From the last night]. This partnership will imagine, research and map speculative environmental futures, expanding Marrugeku’s ongoing commitment to creating immersive performances that highlight the interactions between human and non-human species, Country, and weather.

– Port Macquarie Museum and creative technology partner Studio ESEM will create an immersive interactive installation using Gathang voices and language to introduce and connect audiences to Country and stories. Birrbay Barray Djuyal (Birpai Country Stories) will weave narratives of kinship, culture and the environment into a multi-sensory artwork using historical, contemporary and virtual imagery and sounds.

Minns Labor Government establishes new Chief Midwife role in NSW Health

The Minns Labor Government is creating a new role of Chief Midwife in NSW Health to support the experiences of pregnant women and their families, and strengthen leadership to midwives across the NSW public health system.

Established in response to the NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry, the Chief Midwife will develop policy and strategies related to midwifery professional practice and the role of midwives in maternity services.

They will also focus on workforce planning, training and retention to support the growth and development of midwifery-led care across public health maternity services.

The Chief Midwife will provide their expert advice to the Minister for Health Ryan Park and the NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM.

They will work with key professional bodies including the Australian College of Midwives, and universities offering midwifery training programs.

The establishment of the Chief Midwife role is the latest step by the Minns Labor Government to improve maternity care across the state.

This announcement follows the recent NSW Budget to support healthier families and communities with more than $83 million to boost maternity care which includes:

$44.8 million to increase access to midwifery continuity of care models, including funding for an additional 53 full-time equivalent midwives in regional NSW
enhanced training for clinicians in respectful maternity care
enhanced antenatal education and consumer information for patients
$26.8 million to maintain seven family care centres, five mobile services and the Macksville residential unit, all in regional and rural NSW
$5.7 million to support free vaccination to pregnant women to protect them and their babies from whooping cough, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection
$250,000 for virtual paediatrician support to general practitioners across NSW.

This builds on the five accelerated initiatives that are in progress in response to the Birth Trauma Inquiry. These five initiatives include:

increasing access to maternity continuity of care models
embedding trauma-informed maternity care
improving the way information is provided to women
improving consent processes in maternity care
supporting women who experience pregnancy complications.

Recruitment to the role is expected to commence shortly.

Minister for Health Ryan Park

“Nearly 90,000 women give birth in NSW each year and I am committed to ensuring that all women in the state receive respectful, evidence-based, and equitable maternity care.

“I want to thank the courage and strength of the thousands of women who shared their deeply personal and difficult experiences throughout the Birth Trauma Inquiry.

“We will continue to listen and learn, and the Chief Midwife will provide important advice so that we can deliver the best possible midwifery care for women, babies and families in NSW.

“The establishment of the new role of Chief Midwife strengthens our commitment to improving experiences for all women and ensuring they have the choice and care they deserve.”

NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM

“Midwives are essential to the NSW public healthcare system, playing a vital role across the state’s hospitals and health facilities.

“I’m thrilled that the new position of Chief Midwife will provide expert advice and leadership to the profession now and into the future.

“The experiences of women heard throughout the Birth Trauma Inquiry highlighted the critical importance of respectful, compassionate, trauma-informed and culturally safe maternity care.”

Labor quiet on news housing waiting list has ballooned fourteen percent

The revelation that Labor has overseen a fourteen percent increase in people waiting for public housing over six months underlines the fact that their approach to the housing crisis is not working says Deputy Leader of the ACT Greens, Jo Clay.

The news was revealed after questioning from the Greens in Budget Estimates yesterday afternoon. The line of questioning found that the housing waiting list had increased from 2975 to 3402 in the six months between November 2024 and June 2025.

Quotes attributable to Jo Clay, Deputy Leader of the ACT Greens:

“The news that Labor has been sitting on the fact there has been a fourteen percent surge in the public housing waiting list is yet another blow to the credibility of their so-called plan to build more affordable homes in this territory.

“During the election, Labor only committed to building one thousand new public homes by the end of the decade. That’s a clear admission from the Labor Government that they will leave people struggling on the streets given we already know the public housing waiting list is over three-thousand people long.

“The news that the public housing waiting list has grown is no surprise given we know our community has been facing a serious housing crisis for years now. This should be a wakeup call for Labor that their policies which leave thousands of Canberrans out in the cold are not going to cut it—they need to step up to the plate.

“Already during estimates, we’ve heard from numerous community housing providers that the government will not be able to meet their target of five thousand new so-called ‘affordable’ homes—and this news takes that fact one step further.

“The reality is, if Labor was serious about building homes that people can actually afford to live in, they would step in and build enough public homes for every single person on the public housing waiting list—not leave it to the community sector.

“No doubt Labor’s hubris will mask this damning announcement as just another quirk of governing, and the government will continue giving handouts to the gambling industry and wasting money on road duplications while people are hungry, homeless and in need of support from a government that has forgotten about them.”

“COERCION AND SECRECY”: DAMNING EVIDENCE PILES UP AHEAD OF LABOR GOVERNMENT APPEARANCE AT PUBLIC HOUSING INQUIRY

Today’s public housing inquiry heard devastating evidence that the Allan Labor Government’s tower demolition plan is built on coercive relocations, ignored alternatives, and a secretive privatisation model.

From the first witnesses, the message was clear – the relocation process is traumatising, unaccountable, and deeply harmful. Residents have been pressured to leave with little or no support – some told to “pick a home” off realestate.com.au, others given verbal ultimatums. Advocates described elderly tenants in tears and migrant residents unable to access critical information.

The Law Institute of Victoria’s Dr Bill Swannie and former Supreme Court Justice Kevin Bell AO KC condemned the project as a breach of international law, labelling this as “forced displacement backed by eviction,” and confirmed he will be making a complaint to the United Nations.

Witnesses also exposed the disturbing lack of transparency surrounding the decision to demolish. No documents have been released showing that refurbishment was ever properly assessed, despite repeated government claims that the towers are “beyond repair”.

Expert architects from OFFICE told the inquiry that refurbishment is not only viable, but it would also save $354 million, deliver more modern, environmentally sound homes, and avoid the devastating health and social harm of relocation.

Instead, the Labor Government is pressing ahead with the Ground Lease Model (GLM) – a delivery model that was repeatedly discredited by expert witnesses today, being laid bare as a political fix designed to give the illusion of retaining public land while actually providing no public housing and handing control of a public asset to private consortiums.

Researchers from RMIT slammed the model’s total lack of transparency, describing it as a “black box” of tax subsidies and responsibility shifting, shielded from Freedom of Information laws, with no public oversight. They told the inquiry there is no evidence the model is effective, that the risks are unknown, and that it’s “by design” and that similar models have already been banned or abandoned in the UK following cost blowouts, governance failures, and tenant harm.

The inquiry heard that the Ground Lease Model is just an investment opportunity for superannuation funds that will leave taxpayers footing the bill, paying billions in subsidies and government payments required to prop it up from day one.

Homes Victoria and the Housing Minister will be fronting the inquiry that was secured by the Greens tomorrow.

Victorian Greens spokesperson for Public and Affordable Housing, Gabrielle de Vietri:

“There was never any justification for Labor’s plan that’s well and truly falling apart during this inquiry which has heard repeated, damning evidence of coercion and secrecy.”

“It’s profoundly unsettling watching just how little thought went into this reckless plan, given the devastating impact it will have on people’s lives and the housing crisis.”

“There’s more evidence being presented in this inquiry than Labor has ever managed to provide and now it’s time for Labor to reckon with the fact that this plan cannot be defended, and no one’s defending it, except those who are going to profit from it.”

Teals’ GST plan shows warped priorities

A Teal proposal to jack up the GST and apply it to fresh food and utilities, rather than increasing taxes on big corporations and the super wealthy, shows totally warped priorities, the Greens say.

“Kate Chaney’s plan to raise the GST to 15% and apply it to fresh food and utilities is a lazy idea,” Greens Economic Justice spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“If we want to make people’s lives better we should make big corporations pay their fair share of tax and use the revenue to provide genuine cost of living relief.

“Since the pandemic the cost of essentials has skyrocketed, and the best idea the Teals can come up with is to make food more expensive?”

“If we are serious about easing cost of living pressures we should be making big corporations and the super wealthy pay their fair share of tax.”

“One in three of the biggest corporations pays no tax at all. The ultra-wealthy stash billions in trusts and tax shelters. But instead of ending those rorts, the Teals want to hike up taxes on baby formula and electricity.”

“The Greens will fight any attempt to make inequality worse. We’ll keep pushing for a fairer tax system where big corporations and the wealthy pay their fair share.

End of housing crisis is possible, only obstacle is Labor

The Australian Greens welcome ACOSS’s calls to urgently address the unfair tax breaks that benefit property investors, as well as their call for redirecting funds to building more social housing.”

Momentum is growing – ACOSS joins a chorus of stakeholders, including the ACTU and banks, calling on the government to wind back negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount ahead of the Government’s Economic Reform Roundtable.”

Under the Greens 2025 election policy, both negative gearing and the CGT discount would be grandfathered to one existing investment property and removed on all second and subsequent properties, ensuring “mum and dad” investors with a single investment property are not negatively impacted, while disincentivising future speculative and unproductive investment in the property market.”

Greens spokesperson for housing Senator Barbara Pocock:

“Every day these tax handouts keep flowing to wealthy property investors, the housing crisis gets worse. They’re cooking our housing system and fuelling intergenerational inequality. Ending the housing crisis is possible, but it’s up to Labor.”

“Momentum is growing – we’ve seen calls from across the sectors – unions, banks, economists, welfare groups – all urging the government to take action. It’s absolutely imperative that changes to negative gearing and CGT concessions are on the Economic Roundtable agenda. Winding back the tax discounts for wealthy property investors is the obvious first step in fixing our housing crisis.”

“Labor has a choice – it can help fix this housing crisis by reforming the tax discounts for wealthy property investors or it can choose to continue with a system that locks out first home buyers and increases rents. It could choose to redirect funds to build more public and community housing.”

“Let’s be clear – these are tax breaks for wealthy property investors, which come at a cost to first home buyers and owner-occupiers. These are tax breaks that increase levels of homelessness, which advocacy groups have said is the worst in living memory – increasing by 10 percent under this Government since it was elected in 2022.”

“Unless the Government makes the necessary reforms to the tax concessions for property investors, we’ll continue to see house prices rise and rents spiral. The Greens stand ready to work with Labor to action this urgent reform.”

Lines attributable to Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim:

“Negative gearing and the CGT discount is a gift to wealthy investors that’s helped turn housing from a human right into a speculative asset.”

“They are some of the most destructive tax concessions in the country. They drive up prices, fuel inequality, and help to shut an entire generation out of home ownership.”

“Labor should listen to what the housing advocates, equality stakeholders and Greens have been saying for years, and bring reform to these unfair tax handouts for property investors into the parliament.”

Community invited to help shape future of harbourside landmark

Novocastrians are being asked to share their memories and put forward new ideas for the future of Queens Wharf.

The waterfront precinct has been a popular destination since it was constructed as a Bicentennial project and officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II in 1988.

Thirty-seven years later City of Newcastle is looking to breathe new life into the harbourside landmark for the next generation of Novocastrians and visitors.

The Queens Wharf precinct includes two separate buildings, two car parks, a public promenade and the Transport for NSW owned ferry wharf.

The western building has been vacant since a fire in May 2020 rendered it unusable. City of Newcastle will lodge a development application later this month to prepare for its demolition.

The adjacent Queens Wharf Hotel will continue trading under its current lease.

Lord Mayor Dr Ross Kerridge encouraged community members to help guide the new vision for Queens Wharf by getting involved in the consultation, which officially opens today.

“For more than three decades this much-loved harbourside destination has served as the backdrop for countless memorable moments,” Cr Kerridge said.

“The transformation of Queens Wharf is a chance to create a place that will be a meaningful landmark of our city for current and future generations alike.

“We’ll be working closely with the community and local businesses to ensure it reflects shared priorities and responds to real needs.”

CEO Jeremy Bath said the community consultation and future demolition of the western building were critical steps in realising a new and vibrant future for the site.

“Queens Wharf is owned by City of Newcastle and this won’t change. Our vision is for this precinct to be the vibrant heart of Newcastle’s waterfront, connecting Stockton, Honeysuckle, Foreshore Park and Newcastle East,” Mr Bath said.

“The revitalisation of Queens Wharf is a complex undertaking that requires careful due diligence, consultation with the community and detailed technical studies to guide its progression.

“Site assessments for the western building have been underway throughout this year to prepare for the early works and approvals needed to support future redevelopment.”

Councillor Declan Clausen, Chair of City of Newcastle’s Asset Advisory Committee, said the Queens Wharf precinct is an important hub on Newcastle’s waterfront.

“We’re reimagining Queens Wharf to celebrate our local identity and establish a legacy for future generations,” Cr Clausen said.

“The revitalisation of Queens Wharf will continue the transformation of Newcastle’s historic East End into a thriving and dynamic destination for the region.”

Community members can have their say through a range of consultation activities, including an online survey seeking feedback on how City of Newcastle can turn Queens Wharf into a vibrant destination in the short and long term.

Face-to-face opportunities will also be provided for people to share their ideas for the site, with the first of four engagement stalls popping up at the Homegrown Markets at The Station this Saturday from 10am to 2pm. Future sessions will be held at Queens Wharf, Market Street Lawn and Stockton Foreshore.

For more information on how to get involved visit the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle’s website before 3 September.

Minns Government delivers Broadmeadow rezoning

Broadmeadow is set to be transformed as the Minns Government finalises its state-led rezoning to deliver new homes, affordable housing and jobs across the precinct.

New planning controls will enable up to 3,200 homes to be built on government-owned land, including 5 to 10 per cent affordable housing, while supporting up to 2,350 new construction jobs.

The Hunter Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) will be the delivery co-ordination agency and will support the transformation of the Broadmeadow precinct into a vibrant community with great services and access to entertainment and sporting facilities.

The rezoning will preserve significant heritage sites and deliver new public and green spaces, as well as new pedestrian and transport links to connect to surrounding areas, including Broadmeadow Train Station.

Rezoning of the first four government-owned sites within the Broadmeadow precinct marks the beginning of the most significant urban renewal project to be undertaken in Greater Newcastle and will occur progressively over the next 30 years.

The Broadmeadow Place Strategy approved earlier this year and jointly delivered by the NSW Government and the City of Newcastle, will guide new development in the precinct.

HCCDC will now prepare an infrastructure delivery plan for the rezoned land, in collaboration with the City of Newcastle and other relevant state government agencies.

For more information, view the Finalisation Report and other supporting documents on the NSW Planning Portal.

Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley said:

“This rezoning is a huge win for the Hunter and marks another important step towards making this major project a reality.

“People have been waiting a long time for clarity around this site. The community has been calling for certainty and that’s exactly what we’re delivering today.

“This project isn’t just about building homes; it will also create thousands of new jobs for our region – a clear sign that the Minns Labor Government is serious about backing the Hunter and setting it up for a strong future.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“Broadmeadow is about to enter an exciting new chapter. This rezoning will help deliver new homes, including much-needed affordable housing, and jobs right in the heart of Greater Newcastle.

“The NSW Government is working to provide new well-located homes for Broadmeadow, that will deliver new jobs and an economic boost in the Hunter region.

“Rezoning this land will create a new and vibrant community that is better connected to essential services and transport to support the City of Newcastle’s growing population.”

Member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said:

“With new pedestrian links, green spaces, and better transport connections to places like Broadmeadow Station, this renewal will breathe new life into this area of Newcastle. Locals will be able to live, work and play in a community that’s vibrant, sustainable, and well-connected.

“This project will create thousands of jobs for our region, both during construction and over the long term, bringing new energy and opportunity to Broadmeadow. It’s about investing in our future and creating a thriving, connected community.”

Sydney roads roll out the red carpet as 90,000 runners hit the streets for annual City2Surf

Major route preparations are underway to safely deliver the world’s largest fun run this Sunday.

A sold-out field of 90,000 people are expected to power across Sydney’s streets on 10 August for the 55th annual City2Surf – a 14km fun run from the CBD to Bondi Beach.

The Minns Government is asking the public to prepare for road closures and detours, with strict parking restrictions to be enforced along the entire course.

The Government is also calling on motorists to prepare for significant delays across the Eastern Suburbs while roads are closed to keep runners safe.

Road closures will begin at 3:30am around Hyde Park’s starting line, with major closures rolling out from William St and New South Head Rd at 6am through to Bondi Beach. All roads will be sealed off by 7am.

From 1am Sunday, the entire 14km course will become a special event clearway – including Bondi Road, where hundreds of buses will shuttle participants throughout the day.

Roads won’t start reopening until 11:30am in the city and 1pm in the eastern suburbs, with full access restored by 4pm.

Motorists are being urged to avoid unnecessary travel through the eastern suburbs entirely.

The event runs from 7:35am, with the final runners crossing the finish line around 2pm.

Event organisers are strongly encouraging participants toward public transport, with extra metro, train, bus and light rail services running. Travel on all modes is included with race registration – participants just need to show their race bib or event t-shirt.

However, shuttle bus queues from Bondi Beach are expected to be extensive, with participants warned to be patient or consider enjoying local venues until crowds clear.

Major bus route diversions will be in place between the city and eastern suburbs throughout the day.

Special event clearways are strict no-parking zones that will be heavily enforced. Vehicles left in clearways will be towed with fees applying.

Visit the Transport for NSW website for more information about the transport planning and road closures.

Visit the Live Traffic NSW website for detailed road closure information.

Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“The City2Surf is one of Sydney’s most iconic events.

“While it’s a fantastic celebration of community, fitness and fun, it does bring major road closures and detours, and we are calling on everyone to plan ahead.

“We’re closing up to 14 kilometres of Sydney’s roads to keep 90,000 runners safe – it’s a massive operation and we’re asking for motorist’s patience.

“The clearways are strict no-parking zones for all vehicles and will be enforced. Make sure you check signs carefully on Saturday and especially if you leave your car overnight.

“We urge all City2Surf participants and volunteers to catch public transport because travel on all modes of public transport is included with event registration – just show your race bib or t-shirt to transport staff when boarding services.”

Minister for Tourism and Minister for Sport Stephen Kamper said:

“The City2Surf is a shining example of why Sydney is one of the world’s great destinations – 90,000 people from across the globe will experience our beautiful harbour city from the CBD all the way to iconic Bondi Beach.

“This event showcases Sydney at its absolute best, with participants running through some of our most spectacular locations while being cheered on by thousands of locals lining the streets.

“I encourage everyone to get out and cheer on the runners this Sunday – it’s a celebration of everything that makes Sydney the incredible destination it is.”

Minns Labor Government releases 10-year strategy to address homelessness

The Minns Labor Government is continuing work to build a better New South Wales, where homelessness is rare, brief and not repeated, with the release of the NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035 today.

Led by Homes NSW, the whole-of-government 10-year strategy is the first of its kind in New South Wales and will shift states system to focus on early intervention, local coordination and long-term housing outcomes.

Developed in collaboration with homelessness and housing services, people with lived experiences of homelessness and Aboriginal organisations the Strategy outlines a coordinated approach to homelessness reform across government, the homelessness and housing sectors, local services and communities.

Key reforms in the first stage of implementation include:

replacing hotel and motel stays with more appropriate homelessness accommodation delivered with supports that are tailored to the person or family’s needs
developing local housing and homelessness collaboration networks in partnership with local homelessness services, housing providers, councils, to identify and address service gaps, reduce duplication and target resources where they will have the most impact
establishing a NSW Street Sleeping Registry to improve service coordination for people sleeping rough by ensuring people don’t have to keep retelling their story and better coordinating access to housing and support
developing new targeted responses for young people and Aboriginal people who face particular challenges in the service system
designing a system-wide Housing First approach for NSW with the homelessness and housing sector, so people can access stable housing as quickly as possible, with the supports they need
reducing exits from government services into homelessness, through new cross agency governance, referral pathways and better service system responses.

The NSW Government will continue to work with the sector as these reforms are developed and implemented.

This is the latest in the Minns Labor Government’s action to make the housing system in New South Wales fairer, which has so far seen:

a record $6.6 billion investment into social housing and homelessness through the Building Homes for NSW program
the delivery of over 1,700 homes over the past year, the largest increase in government-built public, community and affordable homes in over a decade
the upgrading of over 6000 social homes
the social housing waitlist reduced by an average of 8 months across New South Wales
modular housing being utilised for mass public housing for the first time in New South Wales, with over 90 modular public homes to be delivered over the next year.

For more information, please visit the NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035 web page.

Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson:

“We are formalising and embedding the Housing First approach as the official government policy to end homelessness in NSW. This approach ensures that people have stable housing first, backed in by the support they need to rebuild their lives.

“This strategy is a first for our state. It’s a game-changing, long-term approach to homelessness that shifts our focus from crisis management to prevention and support.

“You simply cannot take on a complicated challenge like homelessness without a strategy. Without a plan, your interventions are random and uncoordinated, and you can’t make or measure progress. We are changing that.

“The establishment of the NSW Street Sleeping Registry will revolutionise how we coordinate services for people experiencing homelessness. No one will have to tell their story repeatedly. We’ll connect them to housing and support faster and more effectively.”

Dom Rowe CEO of Homelessness NSW:

“The cost of living crisis our communities are facing sees more people living in their cars, couch surfing between friend’s places and worst of all sleeping rough on our streets.

“Our sector has been calling for a whole of government response to this crisis, that acknowledges a need to respond now but also sets a reform agenda for the future.

“This Homelessness Strategy answers that call and sets a path to a better future for people at risk of homelessness and the services that support them.”