Category: NSW News

Construction of Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 will begin under the Minns Labor Government, with a $2 billion investment to build better, connected communities in Sydney’s growing west.

The 2024-25 Budget paves the way for the NSW Labor Government to meet its election commitment; to start construction on this essential project in this term of government.

The investment follows recent NSW Planning Approval for the project, as well as Federal Environmental Approval.

The game-changing transport project will unlock development potential and deliver frequent and reliable public transport options for residents that moved into fast-growing suburbs like Wentworth Point.

The 12km alignment will link the Parramatta CBD to Sydney Olympic Park via Camellia, Rydalmere, Ermington, Melrose Park and Wentworth Point with 14 new stops, three new river crossings and 8.5km of new walking and cycling paths.

Passengers will be able to travel from Sydney Olympic Park to Camellia in around 30 minutes, and on to the Parramatta CBD in another 7 minutes.

Construction will be phased, with initial work to begin later this year on a new 320-metre public and active transport bridge over Parramatta River, between Melrose Park and Wentworth Point.

Stage 1 of the Parramatta Light Rail project is currently in testing and is on track to service tens of thousands of commuters in the coming months.

Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 was promised by the previous government, but never received the funding required to begin construction on this essential transport link.

The people of NSW need a coordinated and sustainable roadmap. A plan that understands how people want to live, and works to provide better services like healthcare, policing, education and good public transport.

The Minns Labor Government’s plan has infrastructure built alongside housing to build better, stronger, well-serviced communities in NSW.

Find out more about the Parramatta Light Rail project

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“We’re getting on with the job and building this essential project that people who live in the fast growing suburbs of Western Sydney were promised.

“People moved into the area with the promise of infrastructure that never arrived. The NSW Labor Government is now delivering.

“Stage 2 will directly link Parramatta to the Sydney Olympic Park precinct residents in Parramatta to the Sydney Olympic Park precinct.

“The light rail’s forecast to carry 28,000 passengers every day by 2026.  That’s a game-changer for communities around Parramatta – connecting venues, schools, shops and people for decades to come.”

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

“With testing powering ahead, Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 is on track to open in the coming months.”

“But we know there are more communities that need access to this vital infrastructure investment.

“This investment will get shovels in the ground and construction started before the end of this parliamentary term. Just as we promised.

“In 2041, 280,000 people are expected to live along the Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2 alignment.

They need frequent and reliable public transport services, and we’ll deliver it.”

Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis said:

“Our community has been promised this vital transport link for years, and now Labor is delivering.

“As Lord Mayor, and now Member for Parramatta, I’ve advocated tirelessly for many years about this project and I’m so pleased the Premier and Minister have listened.”

The NSW Opposition is calling on the Minns Labor Government to deliver a payroll tax amnesty for NSW GPs in this year’s Budget to ensure access to affordable healthcare. 

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman called on Premier Chris Minns to urgently provide GPs with a payroll tax amnesty, so that clinics across NSW are not forced to close or raise their fees. 

“From 4 September, many clinics will be facing a retrospective tax bill of hundreds of thousands of dollars that could force closures or fee increases. This will mean more patients presenting to our state’s overwhelmed emergency departments, which are buckling under the pressure of Labor’s cuts to health funding,” Mr Speakman said. 

“The Minns Government should urgently guarantee a payroll tax amnesty from July 2018 to June 2025, to be followed by ongoing suitable exemptions – such as for bulk billing practices.” 

“But instead this Labor Government is again missing in action – at the same time as they’re cutting the health budget, they’re adding to the hospital waiting lists,” Mr Speakman said. 

“The NSW health system has been seriously impacted by Labor’s cuts to health funding – Bureau of Health Information figures showed that our hospital system is under immense strain as a result of Labor’s budget mismanagement. With people already waiting longer and longer in Emergency Departments, if Labor adds thousands more to that queue they’ll be putting everyone’s health at risk.” 

Shadow Finance Minister Eleni Petinos said that other states have managed to provide exemptions or amnesties, while the Minns Labor Government has been dithering for many months. 

“As some NSW clinics will face demands of retrospective payroll tax bills for more than half a million dollars, the Minns Government needs to commit to an amnesty while a permanent solution is found,” Ms Petinos said. 

“If Labor Governments in Queensland and Victoria can deal with this problem, people can rightly ask why Chris Minns can’t do the same for NSW.” 

Primary care patients and general practice in NSW will be worse off than the rest of Australia if a proposed payroll tax on GPs in enforced, the Primary Care Business Council (PCBC) has warned.
PCBC spokesperson Dr Hamish Meldrum called on the NSW Government to provide a retrospective amnesty to payroll tax to ensure GPs aren’t forced to pay years in back taxes which would bankrupt some operators.
“GP practices are paying payroll tax like any other business, and they pay this on administration staff, nurses and training doctors. However, the possible extension of payroll tax to distributions to contract GP’s will be significant and this tax will need to be passed onto patients,” Dr Meldrum said.
“The NSW Government needs to act now to ensure general practices are not unfairly burdened by a payroll tax which could threaten their very existence and result in more pressure on the public health system.”
If the GP payroll tax if applied to all distributions to contact doctors, it could result in fee increases of between $10 – $20 per appointment. “The Federal Government has supported primary care with an increased bulk billing incentive to assist GPs to bulk bill vulnerable patients. But payroll tax has the potential to reverse any gains,” Dr Meldrum said.
“It would also have the added cost of pushing more patients towards hospital emergency departments which are already over stretched.”
PCBC modelling indicates that NSW could see more than 1,000,000 more patients present to NSW emergency departments instead of visiting a GP because of increased fees. This would result in an additional annual cost of more than $680 million, which would far outweigh the revenue from payroll tax of around $130 million.
“General Practice has been poorly funded for some decades, and it makes no sense to impose a fiscally destructive tax on a primary care system that is already under strain. Doctors won’t be able to cope and ultimately it will be patients who suffer the most,” Dr Meldrum said.
“If you get sick once a year and see your GP you pay the tax once and if you are sick ten times a year and have ten GP visits then you pay the tax ten times. This is a very regressive tax.
“It is disappointing that the NSW Government has not engaged with GP operators particularly when practice viability is at risk – in the last 12 months 184 practices in 17 Public
Health Network sites closed their doors – many more will close if this tax is imposed. “I urge the NSW Government to step back from the edge and engage with the sector to ensure we have a viable General Practice sector going forward.”

A new road bridge at the centre of the Great Western Highway upgrade at Little Hartley is now open to traffic.

The 70-metre-long bridge has been built by a large cohort of local people using locally sourced materials, including concrete from Lithgow and quarry materials from Oberon.

The bridge will carry motorists up and across a new section of the highway to the local road network extending west to Jenolan Caves.

Completion of the grade-separated interchange at Coxs River Road is a milestone for the $232 million jointly funded project to improve safety and efficiency.

The new two-span bridge is 15 metres wide with a shared path for pedestrians and cyclists so active commuters can also safely cross the highway.

In total, 530 jobs will be supported by this upgrade, with work now turning to completion of the 2.4-kilometre new section of dual-lane, separated Great Western Highway.

More than 30 per cent of the entire workforce on this upgrade since work started in March 2023 are local residents from Lithgow, Bathurst and Blue Mountains LGAs, and over 30 local businesses have been engaged.

As well as the concrete and gravel, 300 tonnes of steel was used to build the road bridge, which rests on 14 precast Super T girders, which are each 34 metres long and weigh 60 tonnes.

Once asphalting and sealing of the new road is complete, the site will be landscaped.

The Coxs River Road Upgrade is on track to be completed in 2025.

For further information visit Coxs River Road Upgrade on the Transport for NSW website.

Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said:

“Not only is this a remarkable piece of transport infrastructure, improving safety and efficiency at this intersection, but it is a triumph of local materials and labour.

“Having the newly constructed bridge open to traffic means motorists can start to experience the benefits of our major upgrade through this section of the Great Western Highway, with more positives to come once the whole project is complete.

“Our commitment to this project is demonstrated by the recent Federal Budget commitment of $116 million, as part of providing over $3.1 billion to NSW over the next 10 years for new and existing projects.”

Federal Regional Development, Local Government and Territories Minister Kristy McBain said:

“It was fantastic to visit the Coxs River Road Upgrade recently – which will make it easier for locals and tourists to get around, and keep our freight vehicles moving efficiently.

“That’s exactly what’s happening with this new bridge now open. It will improve road safety and unlock new economic opportunities in the Central West of NSW – a fast-growing part of the state.”

NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said:

“Completion of the Coxs River Road bridge is just the start of improvements to the Great Western Highway at Little Hartley.

“The new bridge is vital for ensuring the preservation of local heritage buildings whilst improving safety and reducing congestion for local, tourist and freight traffic through the valley.

“The new pedestrian access will encourage more active transport and improve safety for the local community.”

Stephen Lawrence MLC said:

“It’s wonderful to see that this project has supported our regional economy, particularly here on the western side of the Blue Mountains through employment and the use of local business.

“Supporting local people, products and services is key to leaving a positive legacy beyond the impressive new infrastructure, once crews have finished the job and packed up and left.”

The NSW Government has announced a $13 million forestry funding package to provide much needed protection of critical timber supplies in the Murray region in the lead up to the next bushfire season.

This package will build a better resilience into this important regional industry. The measures will deliver fire prevention, detection and response works that have been developed following consultation with forestry industry groups and government agencies.

The NSW Government has a plan for developing regional NSW and a plan for delivering more housing. Protecting softwood forests and production is critical to delivering on both of those plans.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty made the funding announcement in the Murraguldrie State Forest, 60km from Wagga Wagga, with Independent Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr and representatives of the NSW timber industry.

Feedback from industry highlighted three key focus areas to ensure the forestry sector is better prepared for the next bushfire season and the package delivers on these as follows:

• Prevent bushfires occurring or spreading by constructing new and maintaining established strategic fire trails and asset protection zones.
• Build rapid response capability and suppress fires and prevent their spread such as towers, remote sensing and camera technology to detect fires early.
• Improve tactical and operational response with additional fire tankers, equipment and infrastructure.

Today’s funding announcement puts the region in a much better position to focus on these preparedness measures.

During the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires, it is estimated up to 65,000 hectares of softwood plantation were affected across NSW representing around a quarter of the softwood resource state-wide.

Softwood plantation forestry in southern NSW injects some $3 billion in economic value annually and provides more than 11,000 jobs.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“The clearest message we have received from forestry industry representatives in the region is that all effort needs to be put into protecting the forests from bushfires. This package demonstrates how the Government is responding – get the job done and protect our forests and communities.

“The NSW Government has made it clear we are focused on expanding plantation assets, and we are boosting protection of the existing and future plantation resources.

“I want to thank the Forest Industries Advisory Council, the Softwoods Working Group, the Australian Forest Products Association, Forestry Corporation and other NSW agencies and industry representatives for their input and efforts in this important area.”

Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr said:

“Sadly, the horrific memories of the Black Summer fires are still fresh in local memories and now is the time to do all we can to reduce the risk of a repeat.

“Our softwoods industries are crucial to the future of the entire region, and especially to the Snowy Valleys, so I applaud government and industry measures to prevent bushfires in the first place, and to improve response capabilities when fires do start.

“Thousands of jobs and many millions of dollars in economic activity depend on secure, stable softwoods supplies and I congratulate industry groups and the government for this important investment in protecting the industry’s future.”

Chairman of the Softwood Working Group Peter Crowe said:

“The Softwoods Working Group (SWG) commends the minister for well targeted funding for essential projects which will significantly enhance fire protection for the valuable plantation in the NSW Murray.

“The SWG and its members look forward aiding the Minister and the department on the most valuables infrastructure investments for communities, industry and the region broadly.”

Detailed analysis reveals the extent of the rebalancing of new homes across Greater Sydney as a result of the housing targets released by the Minns Labor Government earlier this week.

The rebalancing follows more than a decade of unfair distribution of new homes that saw Western Sydney being forced to accept the overwhelming proportion of new homes, many delivered without the necessary supporting infrastructure.

Homes that are already in the system, those already planned, approved and under construction, cannot be changed without tearing up existing development applications and building contracts.

With a housing crisis, now is not the time to stop building.

The NSW Government has significantly rebalanced the targets with the distribution of new homes.

The number of new homes has been developed from our planning reforms, the Transport Oriented Development and Low and Midrise Housing programs and are included in the targets.

Of the new homes in the targets, 53% are in Eastern Sydney LGAs including Ku-Ring-Gai and Northern Beaches. This compares to 34% of homes already in the pipeline to be delivered.

Comparatively, Western Sydney LGAs such as Penrith and Hawkesbury Council will have a target of 18% for new homes, as compared to 25% of homes already in the system.

Similarly, Central Sydney LGAs including Parramatta and Canterbury-Bankstown that make up 41% of homes already in the pipeline, account for 29% of the new home targets set by the NSW Government.

This rebalancing of new homes is part of the Government’s plan to deliver homes close to existing infrastructure and jobs, building even better communities in NSW.

Minister for Planning and Public Space Paul Scully said:

“Our new housing targets rebalance the location of new homes across Sydney.

“Of the projected homes between now and 2029, more than half are in Eastern Sydney LGAs while less than a fifth are in Western Sydney LGAs.

“Homes that are already planned in the western suburbs will continue to be built while other parts of Sydney will be doing their part to confront the housing crisis.

“For too long we’ve been building infrastructure in Sydney’s east and putting housing in the Sydney’s west.

“It’s not fair and it’s not working for communities or for taxpayers.

“Rebalancing housing is part of our plan to build better homes and better communities for NSW with homes better connected to transport and jobs.”

	Housing targets	Homes in the system	Additional homes to meet targets
Eastern Sydney LGAs	107,100	41%	58,290	34%	48,810	53%
Central Sydney LGAs	97,200	37%	70,670	41%	26,530	29%
Western Sydney LGAs	59,100	22%	42,410	25%	16,690	18%
Total	263,400	171,370	92,030

Young people in custody are being given the opportunity to learn skills to help them transition back to the community and into jobs on the land, thanks to a partnership between Youth Justice NSW and the Department of Education.

Focusing on skills for the bush, training programs in sheep shearing and fence construction are being run in Youth Justice Centres and are proving popular with young people there.

A shearing program was rolled out at Riverina Youth Justice Centre in Wagga Wagga this week, providing hands-on training for young people who might be interested in the profession post release.

Funded by the NSW Department of Education and delivered by the TAFE NSW Primary Industries Centre, the program includes a range of skills including preparing a handpiece for shearing, penning sheep, undertaking basic shearing and crutching, and carrying out wool pressing.

Meanwhile, fencing accredited training was run at Cobham Youth Justice Centre by Emergency Australia over 3 days this week, teaching young people how to install, maintain and repair farm fencing.

Young people have access to a range of skills and accreditation opportunities in Youth Justice Centres, with trades ranging from bricklaying, mechanics and panelling to hairdressing and barista training.

Minister for Youth Justice Jihad Dib said:

“Everyone deserves another chance and one of the many ways we support young people while they are in a Youth Justice Centre is to give them real life skills that are useful in their future, not only in jobs but in everyday life.

“We are providing training in areas where there is high demand in regional New South Wales such as shearing and fence construction, making sure our young people have the best chance of finding a job.

“Whether it’s hospitality, barista, barber training and mechanics or horticulture and traffic control, the trade qualifications being rolled out across the 6 Youth Justice Centres in NSW are varied and provide a range of opportunities for young people to learn important skills.”

Minister for Skills and Training Steve Whan said:

“Regardless of what their history is, every young person deserves to be set up for success and given equitable opportunities to pursue a career.

“This is a fantastic program and another example of how the Department of Education and TAFE NSW provides students with the in-demand skills to get a job and make an immediate impact in the workplace.

“Empowering these young people with the skills and confidence to find meaningful work will help them make a positive contribution to the community and the agriculture industry.”

NSW has opened the largest energy storage tender in NSW history, seeking new long-duration storage projects to boost electricity reliability and keep the lights on in NSW.

These projects will help ensure a steady and reliable supply of energy around the clock. They will play a significant role in the NSW Government’s transition to renewable energy, which will deliver reliable and affordable power to households and businesses at the same time as driving down emissions to meet our net zero targets.

Long-duration storage projects can bid for financial support under the new NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap Tender 5 which is now open. This tender offers support for up to 1 gigawatt of projects, which can each release energy into the NSW grid for at least 8 hours.

The energy stored within 1 gigawatt of 8-hour long-duration storage is equivalent to the daily energy consumption of around 505,000 households.

This tender will take NSW closer to its target of 2 gigawatts of new long-duration storage by 2030.

Long-duration storage serves an important role as it allows renewable energy such as solar and wind to be stored and then released on demand when needed. Projects could include pumped hydro, batteries, compressed air storage and other technologies.

This is the fifth tender under the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap, and the third for long-duration storage. It is open to projects connecting to new planned infrastructure in Renewable Energy Zones with Access Schemes, or existing infrastructure state-wide.

Renewable Energy Zones are the power plants of the future. They group generation and storage projects in areas where there is plenty of renewable resources, and connect them to transition lines to pump the electricity around NSW.

The NSW Government is also announcing that a second Renewable Energy Zone is open for business. The new NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap Tender 5 is accepting applications for the right to connect projects in the South West Renewable Energy Zone, around Hay.

Companies can apply for access rights, which allow them to progress their connection to the electricity grid.

Projects will compete for an initial 3.98 gigawatts of Access Rights, which unlocks the ability to generate enough electricity to power more than 1.9 million households.

They will be assessed on their contribution towards and engagement with communities, and those awarded rights will pay fees to fund community benefit and employment programs in the region.

The South West Renewable Energy Zone is expected to receive up to $2.8 billion in private investment by 2030. At its peak, it is expected to support more than 2,000 construction jobs in the region.

AEMO Services is conducting the long-duration storage and South West Access Rights tenders, as the state’s independent Consumer Trustee.

Projects can register on the AEMO Services website.

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said:

“Opening this tender for long duration storage projects and access to a second Renewable Energy Zone are milestones in the Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.

“They will deliver projects that ensure NSW has enough renewable energy generation and storage when coal-fired power stations retire. They also give certainty to investors and communities.

“Long-duration storage is a key part of our future energy system, ensuring we have power when we need it.

“The opening of the second access rights process will ensure the right combination of projects can connect to the grid in a way that delivers for NSW electricity consumers and host communities.

“It shows the NSW Government is delivering the transition to a renewable energy system that will allow households and businesses to access affordable, reliable and clean energy to bring down bills and greenhouse gas emissions.”

The NSW Government has changed the way affordable and social housing development assessments are processed delivering faster approvals and more homes for those who need it most.

Under a new state-led rezoning pathway, the Government will accelerate rezoning proposals from the State’s housing agencies including Homes NSW (NSW Land and Housing Corporation and Aboriginal Housing Office) and Landcom.

A newly dedicated team within the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) will manage the applications from concept review to lodgement, exhibition and final assessment.

As wait-times for social and affordable housing grow, greater responsibility is placed on councils and planners to move projects through the planning system. In the meantime, people are doing it tough. Under this new pathway these timeframes are set to halved.

Establishing an accelerated pathway for rezoning for the Government’s housing delivery agencies allows councils to focus on the assessment of local development applications.

These are the latest changes the Government is making to streamline the planning system, all aimed at expediting the delivery of more homes to the people of NSW.

This Government has already taken significant steps to improve and expand social and affordable housing services by introducing:

• A new bonus Floor Space Ratio (FSR) on new developments of up to 30 per cent and a height bonus of up to 30 per cent where a proposal includes a minimum of 15 per cent of the gross floor area (GFA) as affordable housing.
• Changes to self-assessment powers for certain social, affordable and public housing providers to ensure more homes can be built faster.
• A requirement for affordable housing to be delivered at all TOD locations.

For more information on the pathway visit here.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“This newly created team will prioritise social and affordable housing by streamlining the application process to help deliver critical housing for people in need for years to come.

“The former Government left us with a planning system that made the delivery of social and affordable housing, prolonged and complicated, these changes are just the latest step in rectifying this.

“All applications using this pathway will still need to meet eligibility criteria including their alignment to the State and Commonwealth housing commitments.”

Minister for Housing Rose Jackson said:

“We have been clear – all options are on the table to address the housing crisis. A key area for reform is our planning rules. This government is dedicated to exploring new ways to increase housing supply and enhance existing systems.

“One of those improvements is the new social and affordable housing planning pathway which will help our agencies get the job done faster.

“This is another important step in rebuilding the housing system in NSW. We need to expedite the delivery of more social and affordable homes and not have applications held up in unwieldly and complicated planning rules that don’t deliver homes for people in need.”

Nominations are now open for a fresh round of Blue Plaques to celebrate the people, groups and events which have contributed to the rich heritage of NSW.

The Minns Labor Government is inviting everyone from individuals and families to schools and community organisations to submit a nomination.

Whether it’s an unsung hero, group or landmark event, now is the time to put them forward for recognition in this popular Heritage NSW program. More than a dozen recipients will be chosen from these submissions.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to protecting, preserving and modernising NSW heritage, and ensuring it reflects our diverse community.

This round of blue plaques will celebrate the diversity of our community, with nominations falling into themes including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, environment and sustainability, sport, social justice and advocacy, war-time stories, the elderly, disability, LGBTQIA+ and more.

Nominating for a blue plaque is easy and can be done online. To be eligible, they must:

• relate to a person, people or event that has made a lasting impact on a community in NSW or NSW as a whole
• be appropriate, sensitive and engaging to a wide audience
• relate to a person or people who passed away more than 20 years ago, or an event which occurred more than 20 years ago
• have a location in NSW for the blue plaque that is publicly accessible and has a direct connection to the person, people, or event.

Heritage NSW and independent historians will evaluate nominations based on the eligibility criteria.

For the first time, the NSW Government is announcing a People’s Choice Blue Plaque. Heritage NSW has shortlisted favourite nominations from past rounds and launched a public vote to decide the inaugural People’s Choice Blue Plaque.

The nominations people can vote for are:

• Abdul Wade (Abdul Wahid Khan) – an Afghan immigrant who pioneered camel transportation in Australia’s outback.
• Coralia Stavropoulos (Sister Kaliniki) – Australia’s first ordained Greek Orthodox nun who dedicated her life to supporting Greek immigrants in Australia.
• Malcolm Cole – Dancer, teacher, and LGBTQIA+ activist who championed social change and Indigenous rights.
• Marie Beuzville Byles – The first practising female solicitor in NSW who paved the way for women in law.
• Mother John Baptist De Lacy – A pioneering Irish nun who laid the foundation for healthcare and health education in colonial Sydney.
• The Resch brothers – German migrants who brewed their way from outback NSW to creating beverage empires.
• Ruby Payne-Scott – A trailblazer in radio astronomy and advocate for women in science.
• The creation of Weet-Bix – The Australian breakfast staple.

To date, close to 50 blue plaques have been announced in cities and towns right across NSW, to honour noteworthy individuals and moments that have contributed to our rich cultural heritage.

They include activists, authors, artists, architects, pioneers, philanthropists, groups including Bondi Surf Bathers Life Saving Club and events such as the Soldiers’ Riots.

Nominate or cast a vote.

Nominations close Sunday 30 June, 2024.

Minister for Heritage Penny Sharpe:

“Everyone is invited to get involved in preserving and celebrating the diverse history of NSW, ensuring the stories of those who have shaped our state are honoured and remembered.

“I want everyone to share interesting, quirky or lesser-known stories of the people, groups and events which have made NSW what it is today.

“The Minns Labor Government values the diversity of our community and history, and we look forward to it being recognised in this round of Blue Plaques.

“The People’s Choice category is an exciting way for everyone to get involved, even if they don’t have a specific nomination in mind.”