Category: NSW News

Independent health data released today by the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) reveals that hospital emergency department performances in NSW are worsening, with over 69,000 people leaving ED before treatment began or was completed (a 13.3% increase).  

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said Chris Minns and Labor were letting our health system fall apart.

“We’re seeing record wait times, overcrowded emergency departments, and critical services being cut, all while Chris Minns stands by doing nothing. NSW families are paying the price for his failure to invest in health care, and it’s clear that under Labor things are only getting worse,” Mr Speakman said.

Shadow Health Minister Kellie Sloane says everyone in NSW should have access to quality health care when they need it, but under Chris Minns and Labor that has never been harder. 

“After two years of Labor’s real cuts to the health budget, people in NSW are struggling. We have a health system that is stretched and a Premier that would rather fight with striking nurses than focus on improving health outcomes for the community.”

“Every day we are seeing the true face of Labor’s health mismanagement – from people sleeping on the floor of Blacktown ED, to cruel cuts to palliative care, to life saving dialysis being rationed in west and southwestern Sydney.”

The Liberals and Nationals built or significantly upgraded more than 180 hospitals and health facilities across NSW, with a further 130 underway when we left office. Our last (2022-23) Budget saw more than triple the health capital spending and double the health recurrent spending of Labor’s last (2010-11) Budget.

Key Stats:

• Fewer than 55% of patients are leaving emergency departments within four hours, the worst rate since Labor was last in government in 2010.
• Over 69,000 patients are leaving emergency departments without treatment, a 13.3% increase.
• 63.7% of all patients who attended an emergency department started their treatment on time – down 2.1 percentage points compared with the same quarter a year earlier.
• 1 in 10 patients are waiting over 76 minutes to be transferred from an ambulance to ED staff — the longest wait ever recorded.

The Minns Labor Government will take action to reform the ticketless parking fine system, ensuring drivers receive on-the-spot notifications for parking fines. The changes will improve fairness and transparency for drivers.

The legislation to be introduced by the NSW Government will set higher standards by:

• Requiring councils to attach an on-the-spot notification to a vehicle. This could be the penalty notice itself, or a short description of the offence and notice that a fine will be sent to them.
• Requiring councils to take photos of offences – even if they use the traditional ‘ticketed’ method – and make them available for Revenue NSW to provide to drivers. The photos must include images of the vehicle, relevant signage and the physical notice left on the vehicle. This will streamline the review process for any challenged fines.
• Limiting the circumstances where an on-the-spot notification is not required to be left by a parking officer, for example, where it is hazardous or unsafe for them to do so.
• Invalidating ‘repeat’ ticketless parking fines, addressing a key concern of the existing system, that drivers can be fined multiple times for the same offence before they even become aware of the first infringement.
• Introducing data reporting rules to monitor the implementation of the legislation and evaluate if any future reforms are necessary.

The requirement to issue an on-the-spot notification will not apply to a limited number of parking zones, such as enclosed parking areas that use licence plate recognition technology, and in national parks with limited mobile phone connectivity.

Regulations issued by the Minister for Finance will clearly specify these parking zones and describe the wording, font size, colour, and location of signage to give drivers sufficient advance warning they are in a ticketless infringement zone.

Councils issued 822,310 ticketless parking fines in 2023/24, up 49% from 551,441 issued in 2022/23.

Since March 2024, the NSW Government has consulted councils extensively which has informed the development of the legislative reforms. That engagement will now focus on the development of the regulations which will contain operational details.

To protect the safety of infringement officers from abuse and aggression when issuing tickets, they will not be required to leave an on-the-spot notification where it is unsafe to do so. Under existing provisions, assaulting an authorised officer is an aggravating factor to be considered by a court during sentencing.

The overwhelming majority of ticketless parking fines in NSW are for offences in council-operated parking facilities. The parking fine reforms will apply to facilities operated by councils, NSW Government agencies and universities. Acknowledging their unique operating requirements, these changes will not apply to police officers.

These are important and necessary reforms which will ensure the ticketless parking fine system meets community expectations and delivers a uniform experience for motorists across NSW, regardless of where they park their car.

Premier Chris Minns:

“Drivers deserve better than the current system.

“Too many motorists have driven off with no idea they might be liable for a parking fine.

“This system was introduced by the former government without enough protections for drivers. We’re fixing that.”

“Setting new, higher standards for parking fines, including rules about invalidating unfair fines, is the right thing to do and goes a long way to re-building community trust.

“Frustration among drivers and community members about the ticketless parking system is high – and that’s fair enough. The ticketless parking fine system was introduced by the previous government without regard for the impact on drivers and families.

“I want to acknowledge the NRMA for their long-standing advocacy on this matter. Along with motorists, they first raised their concerns in 2020, but were ignored.”

NRMA Spokesperson Peter Khoury:

“The NRMA commends the NSW Government for addressing the increasingly unpopular ticketless parking fine system adopted by dozens of councils.

“Motorists who abuse the limited public parking spaces available obviously deserve to be fined, however ticketless parking fines removed transparency and made it almost impossible for motorists to contest their fine if they felt they had a legitimate case.

“The Government’s announcement today can give the public confidence that enforcement will again be open and transparent and we encourage councils to work with the Government on implementing these measures.”

NSW sporting clubs and organisations have the opportunity to apply for their share of $500,000 in funding from the NSW Government for new life-saving defibrillators.

The equipment is funded under the NSW Government’s Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program which provides up to $3,000 to eligible sporting organisations for the purchase of automated external defibrillators at sports facilities.

Since the Program commenced, more than 2,000 defibrillators have been installed at sports facilities across NSW.

Applications close 27 November 2024 or when funding is exhausted.

For further information, including expanded eligibility criteria, please see the Program guidelines at: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/grants/local-sport-defibrillator-grant-program

Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“With more than 9,000 out of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in NSW each year, the first few minutes following an incident are critical, and access to a defibrillator can mean the difference between life and death.

“The NSW Government wants to ensure people participating in sport have access to this life-saving equipment.

“The Local Sport Defibrillator Program ensures clubs are equipped to respond to these life-threatening emergencies.”

Professor Jamie Vandenberg, Co-deputy Director of the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, said:

“Being able to access a defibrillator quickly and easily could be the difference between life and death for someone suffering a sudden cardiac arrest.

“In fact, survival rates nearly double if a defibrillator is used in the first few minutes of a cardiac arrest.

“Currently just one in 10 people who have a sudden cardiac arrest outside of hospital will survive.

“This is a sobering statistic but it’s one we can change for the better by installing more of these lifesaving devices in sports clubs across the State.”

The Minns Labor Government is undertaking helicopter inspections of fire trails across the state to prioritise maintenance work needed ahead of the summer bush fire season to help protect lives and communities.

Inspections have started in the Sydney region and will work their way around the state throughout September.

Crown Lands is undertaking the inspections together with the Rural Fire Service, with over 540 fire trails being inspected covering more than 2,400 kilometres on Crown land and adjoining lands.

The NSW Government has provided more than $7.9 million in 2024-25 for on-ground maintenance and upgrades of strategic fire trails on Crown land. The former Government left no ongoing funding in the budget for the maintenance and upgrades of these critical Crown Lands fire trails.

A further $4.8 million has been allocated for hazard reduction activities including controlled burns and Asset Protection Zone (APZ) maintenance and upgrades to protect communities.

Helicopter inspections are more efficient than ground patrols by vehicles, particularly in remote and less accessible areas and where fire trails cross multiple property boundaries or have other access issues.

Aerial patrols reduce inspection times in these areas from months to weeks and give an overall ‘point in time’ assessment of the fire trail network. 

Helicopter crews monitor the trails from the air to identify whether trees have fallen and require removal, if erosion or vegetation growth has impacted trails, or where creek crossings may need repair. 

The helicopter is also fitted with a camera to help record where follow-up work is needed. 

Following the aerial inspections, Crown Lands partners with the NSW Soil Conservation Service and the NSW Rural Fire Service to prioritise and undertake any required maintenance works.

The work could include vegetation removal, erosion repairs, drainage and fire trail stability work, and construction and maintenance of vehicle passing and turning bays.

In some areas, this extends to installing signage, gates and bollards to protect fire trails from unauthorised access and rubbish dumping. 

If landowners have concerns about a potential bushfire hazard, they should contact the Rural Fire Service.  

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“Crown Lands is responsible for maintaining approximately 2,400 kilometres of fire trails, and over 660 hectares of Asset Protection Zones across NSW to ensure adequate fire breaks between bushland and buildings in residential areas. 

“Ensuring our fire trails are properly maintained is critical to protecting our firefighters and communities across the state as we head into a potentially dangerous bushfire season. 

“It also has broader bushfire management responsibilities across the entire Crown land estate.  In addition to the aerial inspections, there are also many other fire trails on Crown land that are more easily accessible and so are inspected using 4WD vehicles.”

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“All of this targeted preparatory work ensures our fire trails are ready for summer so that firefighting crews and their vehicles can access these routes to fight fires.

“Quick responses to control bush fires are crucial to help contain blazes before they spread and this is one of many measures we are putting in place to support firefighting efforts.

“Along with targeted hazard reduction activity, this work helps reduce risks to residents and property.”

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“These inspections and the maintenance work that will follow are about making sure we are as prepared as we can be when the bushfires inevitable come this summer.

“Making sure the fire trails are clear of fallen trees and other obstacles gives our firefighters the best chance of getting to a blaze quickly and protecting lives and property.

“Agencies including the Rural Fire Service, Fire & Rescue NSW, National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Forestry Corporation all rely on properly maintained fire trails for their fire-fighting appliances, so I applaud this work to ensure we are ready for summer.”

The communities of Milton, Ulladulla and surrounds are being encouraged to provide feedback on the Milton Ulladulla Hospital draft Health Service Plan by participating in consultation sessions during late September and early October.

The draft Health Service Plan will guide the planning and development of health services at Milton Ulladulla Hospital to meet the community’s health needs now and into the future.

Members of the community are invited to provide feedback through a range of consultation activities, with both online and face-to-face options available. A dedicated consultation session will also be held to discuss maternity services on September 30th.

The draft Plan has been developed using data, including population trends and projections, as well as considering evidence-based practices, value-based healthcare principles, and changes to how healthcare will be delivered in the future. Extensive feedback from key clinical and non-clinical staff and stakeholders has also helped inform the draft Plan.

The draft Health Service Plan and a summary document are available on the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) website.

Community consultation opportunities include:

Pop-up information stalls (drop in – no registration required)

• 95 Princes Hwy, Ulladulla (outside Ulladulla Beach Pharmacy) – 1 October (9am – 11am)
• 82 Princes Hwy, Milton (footpath outside The Star Hotel) – 2 October (9am – 11am)

Community consultation sessions (registrations required)

• Maternity focused consultation – Ulladulla Civic Centre – 30 September (6pm – 8pm)
• Medical and allied health professionals – Ulladulla Civic Centre – 1 October (6pm – 8pm)
• General community consultation – Ulladulla Civic Centre – 2 October (6pm – 8pm)
• Online community information session and Q&A – 3 October (6pm – 8pm)

To assist with planning, the community are asked to register for the consultation sessions by visiting the ISLHD website, phoning Milton Ullladulla Hospital main switch on 4454 9100, or in person at the hospital. 

Feedback can also be provided by completing the online survey or emailing: ISLHD-YourSay@health.nsw.gov.au. Handwritten feedback can be dropped into collection boxes at Milton Ulladulla Hospital and Ulladulla Community Health Centre. 

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“Community consultation is an essential part of planning health facilities and services to help ensure they are tailored to the needs of our communities, staff, patients and their families and carers.  

“We’re encouraging the community to come along to meet the team from Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and find out more about the Milton Ulladulla Hospital draft Health Service Plan and share your thoughts and feedback.

“The consultation has been planned to provide a range of different opportunities for the community to participate, whether that’s online or by attending one of the pop-up stalls or sessions happening in the local area.”

Member for South Coast Liza Butler:

“I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting with members of the community during the face-to-face consultation sessions to hear what they think about the draft Health Service Plan.

“We know the Milton and Ulladulla region is growing and changing and so are the health needs of the local community.

“The draft Health Service Plan will help guide future health and hospital service delivery over the next 10 to 15 years, which is why it’s so important we hear directly from the community about their needs.”  

ISLHD Chief Executive Margot Mains:

“Communities play a critical role in the process of health service planning, and we’re proud to present the Milton Ulladulla Hospital draft Health Service Plan for feedback.

“We appreciate that local communities are passionate about Milton Ulladulla Hospital, and we are committed to working with them, our clinicians, and other key stakeholders in shaping the future of the facility. 

“As always, our primary goal is to ensure we can continue to provide high quality health services at Milton Ulladulla Hospital.”

Residents across NSW will head to the polls today to have their say on who will represent them in local councils over the next four years.

Local government elections are being held today for all but one of the state’s 128 councils.

Three local government areas – Central Coast, Wingecarribee Shire and Balranald Shire will also return to having democratically elected councillors after periods of administration.

There are 3,889 candidates vying for 1,289 councillor positions across the state, an increase from the last council elections held in 2021.

Communities in 37 local government areas will also be voting for their Mayor, while all other councils will hold a vote to elect a Mayor once new councillors are sworn in.

Uncontested elections, where only the required number of candidates or less have nominated have been declared for a small number of local government areas and wards, and nominated candidates in those locations will be elected unopposed.

Voting in the NSW local government elections is compulsory, and fines apply. To find your nearest voting centre, use the NSW Electoral Commission electorate search tool: https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate

Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:

“Democracy is a vital part of our society and exercising your right to vote is an important responsibility.

“Today is a chance for the people of NSW to have their voice heard about who they want to represent their local interests and make their community a better place.

“I urge voters to familiarise themselves with their local candidates and what they stand for so they can make an informed decision at the polling booth.

“As someone who served in local government for over 30 years, I can attest that being a councillor is an honour that carries significant responsibility.

“Councils invest more than $15 billion each year delivering services and around $7 billion on infrastructure and community facilities.

“We need to elect councillors who are competent and hard-working so make your vote today count.”

A new wellbeing services and support centre for Central Coast-based veterans and their families opened its doors in Wyong yesterday.

The RSL LifeCare Central Coast Veteran and Family Hub will bring together organisations providing important wellbeing services, support and opportunities to the region’s veteran community.

In keeping with the proven success of the one-stop-shop Veteran and Family Hub model, the Wyong hub will offer a wide range of freely available support services including: financial assistance, employment assistance, educational opportunities, Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) claims and advocacy and mental health support.
The centre will host support groups, workshops and social events, offering a safe space for veterans and their families to come together, share experiences and build lasting connections.

The hub is funded by a $1.5 million grant from DVA’s Veteran Wellbeing Grants ‘One-Off Program’.

RSL LifeCare worked closely with Central Coast Council and Central Coast-based RSL sub-Branches to establish the hub.

More than 50 veterans, serving defence force personnel and their families joined dignitaries at an official event to open the hub yesterday.

Minister for Veterans David Harris said:

“As the Member for Wyong, Minister for the Central Coast and Minister for Veterans, I am thrilled the new Veteran and Family Hub has opened on the Coast.

“The Central Coast is home to more than 7,600 veterans who, along with their families, will benefit from the wide range of support services now available at their local hub.

“It will also serve as a safe place for the veteran community to get-together to access the many services and activities, or simply to catch up.”

RSL LifeCare CEO Janet Muir said:

“We are proud to open a welcoming space for veterans and their families to find support and connection.

“The new hub, like our other active hubs across NSW, and in partnership with RSL NSW and local RSL sub-Branches, will provide essential wrap-around services.”

RSL NSW President Mick Bainbridge said:

“RSL NSW sub-Branches are a critical component of the hub-and-spoke model and will connect veterans and their families on the Central Coast with the services and support offered by a consortium of ex-service organisations operating from the Veteran and Family Hub.

“RSL NSW is committed to supporting the network of Veteran and Family Hubs across NSW because we know they work.”

A female mechanical engineer and a male early childhood educator have taken top honours in the 2024 NSW Training Awards, highlighting the opportunities for those following non-traditional career paths.

NSW State of Origin women’s rugby league player, Rachael Pearson, was named Apprentice of the Year while early childhood educator, Lachlan Carey, who was forced to give up league after suffering two strokes as a teenager, is the 2024 Trainee of the Year.

For the second year in a row, women dominated the NSW Training Awards with four of the seven individual awards won by females.

The award judging panel described Ms Pearson, from Helensburgh, as a “multi-skilled, highly decorated individual and a shining example for what’s possible with vocational education”.

She excelled in a mechanical engineering apprenticeship and was awarded the 2022 Stan Gilmore Memorial Award for first in stage 1 Fitting-Machining at TAFE and followed that up by being named the Apprenticeship Employment Network (AEN) Women in Trade Apprentice of the Year in 2023. 

The 31-year-old has put her career on hold to co-captain the Parramatta Eels in the National Rugby League Women’s competition but has every intention of getting “back on the tools” when her rugby league days are over.

Trainee of the Year, Mr Carey, from Newcastle, suffered two strokes in Year 10 which required multiple surgeries and a lengthy recovery time.

He was forced to give up playing rugby league and did not return to school to complete his HSC.

But the health setback put him on a pathway to become an award-winning early childhood educator.

Both Ms Pearson and Mr Carey will now go on to represent NSW at the 2024 National Training Awards to be held in Canberra on Friday, 6 December.

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said:  

“I congratulate all the winners and finalists at the 2024 NSW Training Awards, the annual showcase of the best skilled technicians, training providers and employers around the state.

“We know the economic prosperity of our state depends on us growing a skilled workforce in areas of critical importance such as housing, aged and early childhood care and manufacturing.

“The NSW Training Awards highlights the importance of our VET sector and the wonderful opportunities it offers for a rewarding and prosperous career.

“Importantly, our Apprentice and Trainee of the Year showcase that gender is no barrier to success in non-traditional careers and highlight the importance that breaking down stereotypes will play in meeting our skills shortages.”

2024 Apprentice of the Year, Rachael Pearson said:

“I am proof that if you are passionate about the trade, committed, dedicated and set realistic goals, you can have it all and most importantly you are paid to live this dream along the way.

“I feel so grateful to have my trade to come back to when I finish my NRL/W career.”

2024 Trainee of the Year, Lachlan Carey said:

“I chose a career in early childhood in the hope I could make a difference in the lives of children.

“I realised from my own personal experiences after my strokes that there were people who supported me, and their help and support has made a lasting impact on my life.”

The full list of winners can be found below:

Apprentice of the Year
Rachael Pearson, Helensburgh – Certificate III in Engineering – mechanical trade

Trainee of the Year
Lachlan Carey, Newcastle – Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Student of the Year
Baylun Williams-Pinkie, Matraville – Electrotechnology

Vocational Student of the Year
Samantha Zannes, Kelso – Early Childhood Education and Care

School-based Apprentice/Trainee of the Year
Dascha Harrison, Newcastle High School – Health Services Assistance

Women in Trades Award
Jacinta Ferris, Hunterview – Electrotechnology

VET in Schools Student of the Year
Gabriella Ward, Tamworth (Peel High School) – Health Services Assistance

VET Trainer/Teacher of the Year
Michael Pfeffer, Hospitality

Organisational Award Winners

Large Training Provider of the Year
Mines Rescue Pty Ltd

Industry Collaboration Award
ARC Training and Civic Disability Services for their Support Employee Program

Large Employer of the Year
NSW State Emergency Service

Small Employer of the Year
Early Childhood & Co. Services Pty Ltd

An overhaul of how major infrastructure proposals are assessed will help to speed up decision making in the middle of a housing crisis.

A new framework governing the business case system will cut red tape, save money and get potential projects out of a clogged system and built faster.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey will today announce new rules which include:

• Developing a fast track for significant proposals in the fields of housing, health and energy infrastructure.
• Relaxing the criteria for when a business case is required, including:
  • Increasing the threshold for a business case on recurrent proposals from $10 million to $20 million.
  • Allowing lower-risk, lower-cost proposals (Tier 3 and 4) to have a lean business case or short-form assessment.
• Sharpening the purpose and content required in business cases.
• Supporting more work in-house to reduce overreliance on consultants.

These changes, if enacted five years ago, would have avoided the requirement to prepare more than 1,200 business cases.

The changes will return business cases to their primary purpose, which is to set out the evidence needed to inform government investment decisions.

For major projects, expensive and time-consuming work including detailed procurement plans, management plans and technical investigations will now be conducted following government approval for projects to proceed to this stage – instead of before, which could be a waste of money if the project is not approved.

In some of the worst examples of waste, the former government spent a combined $134 million on business cases to support buildings dams at Dungowan and Wyangala, which never stacked up from the earliest stages and were never built.

And in NSW schools, business cases for new school investment had been outsourced on a rolling contract, instead of the same straightfoward analysis being done in-house.

In the middle of a housing crisis and an energy transition, there is no time to waste.

These changes will help to streamline the business case system and ensure government can make timely decisions on projects that NSW needs into the future.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“These reforms will see us continue to rely on thorough business cases for government decision making. But they’ll be adjusted to ensure that we make the cases that need to be made.

“If these changes were in place 5 years ago, we could have avoided the requirement to create more than 1,200 business cases.

“Overall, these new rules should improve the efficiency, quality and cost of our decision making and ensure NSW builds the future people need.”