16 News

Key workers, students, cleaners, and childcare workers are all a step closer to better access to affordable housing in central Wollongong with the approval of 145 new homes including 25 affordable units.

Since the introduction of the Minns Government’s Infill Affordable Housing Bonus in late 2023, where projects can receive up to a 30 per cent increase in height or Floor Space Ratio (FSR) if they maintain at a minimum 10 per cent for affordable housing for at least 15 years, there has been a strong pipeline of projects with recent approvals in North Sydney, Rhodes and Burwood.

But Wollongong is set for a housing boost with the first project approved under the pathway outside of Greater Sydney, providing greater access to private and affordable homes alongside shops, cafes and more parking.

The project, worth nearly $70 million, will provide 145 apartments, including 25 affordable housing units, within two 10-storey buildings above a shared podium.

The mixed-use development, led by The Smith Street Development Partnership, will be built at 106 and 120-122 Smith Street and 3A Charlotte Street in Wollongong.

The affordable units will be managed by community housing provider, Evolve Housing, to make sure they remain available to low and moderate income households for the next 15 years.

The development includes ground floor commercial and retail spaces as well as parking for 185 cars, and easy access to public transport, schools, and other essential services

The project is expected to create 305 jobs during construction, with 30 ongoing jobs as part of the new retail space, once completed.

During the public exhibition period the proposal received three submissions. The concerns outlined in these submissions have been addressed through conditions of consent relating to flood management and road upgrades to support the development.

Choice and diversity are at the centre of the Minns Government’s planning reforms, choice of where you want to live, when you want to live there and the variety of services and amenities you have access to.

The development has been approved as a State Significant Development (SSD) as part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to delivering well-located housing close to transport, shops, and job opportunities.

Under the Infill Affordable Housing pathway, there are currently 29 projects under assessment, which if approved would deliver approximately 8,000 homes, including 2,400 affordable homes.

There have been nine affordable housing projects determined since 1 July 2024, which once constructed will deliver 2,010 homes, including 536 affordable homes.

For more information visit Shoptop housing with in-fill affordable housing Smith Street, Wollongong | Planning Portal – Department of Planning and Environment

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Member for Wollongong Paul Scully said:

“The need for affordable housing close to transport, jobs and amenities is not just something that needs to be delivered in Sydney, cities like Wollongong need this diversity of housing stock too.

“This will help health workers, teachers and other front-line workers or low to medium income families be able to work closer to home in a modern, purpose-built development with excellent new amenities.

“The infill affordable housing bonus scheme is generating strong interest with proposals for thousands of new homes being considered across the state.

“The centre of our cities need to provide homes for a mix of people across all income levels and the Minns Government’s approach allows the delivery of affordable housing, alongside market housing, in good locations.

“The Department reviewed the application closely, in consultation with Wollongong City Council, the community and other relevant stakeholders. The approved development will see the development of a vacant site close to the Wollongong city centre to provide much-needed housing.”

The Minns Labor Government’s handpicked education head wants to eliminate school choice and abolish private education in New South Wales.
 
In extraordinary comments provided online ahead of ABC’s Australian Story last night, NSW Education Secretary Murat Dizdar openly questioned whether private schools should exist. He flagged his desire for a national debate on scrapping all non-government schools and enforcing a one-size-fits-all model of public-only education.
 
Mr Dizdar tried to recover the situation by some later comments published on the Education Department website, but did not walk away from his earlier questioning whether private schools should exist at all.
 
This is an attack on every parent in NSW who dares to make a choice about their child’s education. It is an insult to every Catholic and independent school community. And it is a betrayal of every teacher, principal and staff member working outside the public system.
 
The NSW Opposition believes in school choice—public, Catholic or independent.
 
If the Minns Labor Government truly believes in the continuation of Catholic and other private schools, it’s untenable to have as its education boss someone who wants to abolish them. His views are not merely about, say, a particular curriculum or pedagogical issue, or even as to the appropriate share of funding, but goes to the heart of the structure of the NSW education system and whether two of the three sectors should exist at all.
 
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said parents in NSW work hard, pay taxes and make sacrifices to send their children to the school that best suits their values, beliefs and needs.
 
“Labor’s Education Secretary wants to take that choice away from families. That’s unacceptable and untenable,” Mr Speakman said.
 
Acting Shadow Minister for Education Justin Clancy said we back our public schools and the teachers and support staff who working tirelessly to lift up the next generation.
 
“But we also back parents. School choice is not a privilege—it’s a right. Mr Dizdar’s comments are out of step and wildly inappropriate for someone in his position. The Premier and Education Minister have handed over the education department to someone who wants to abolish private schools altogether,” Mr Clancy said.
 
This is not about pitting sectors against one another. It’s about demanding leadership that respects the diverse fabric of our education system.
 
The Minns Labor Government must decide—do they stand with parents, or with a bureaucrat ideologue who wants to abolish their rights?

Another strike. Another crisis. Another day the Minns Labor Government fails to deliver the healthcare people in NSW deserve.
 
For the first time this century, doctors are walking off the job.
 
Surgeries are being cancelled. Emergency departments are under pressure. And the Premier can’t even be bothered to meet with doctors and negotiate an outcome.
 
This comes off the back of failed negotiations with nurses, midwives, and the mass resignation of public hospital psychiatrists.
 
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said Chris Minns is running a government of excuses, not outcomes.
 
“Chris Minns leads the Do Nothing Government — they don’t do leadership, don’t do reform, and they certainly don’t do new delivery. NSW doesn’t need another press conference. We need a government that actually does something,” Mr Speakman said.
 
Shadow Health Minister Kellie Sloane said this week, patients in NSW hospitals will pay the price for the Minns Labor Government’s industrial chaos.
 
“They will pay for it in longer waits in our EDs and cancelled surgeries. The Government has admitted that patient safety may be compromised – this is an unacceptable outcome.
 
“Doctors, nurses and psychiatrists have all say the same thing – this government isn’t listening, and it isn’t negotiating in good faith,” Ms Sloane said.
 
After two years of Labor:

• Health is breaking.
• Trains are delayed.
• Housing has stalled.
• The budget is busted.

This isn’t a government. It’s a slogan factory with no follow-through.
 
The Do Nothing Government is running out of excuses, won’t take the blame and is out of its depth.

The Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (ASMOF) has advised it will proceed with planned strike action between Tuesday and Thursday this week – in breach of the orders of the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC).

ASMOF’s strike plans will disrupt our hospitals and health facilities across NSW – both to emergency departments as well as planned surgeries – contrary to the union’s claims patient care will not be impacted.

Preparations are now urgently underway to manage impact on our patients.

Patients with surgeries postponed will be contacted.

We remind the community that if you need advice, treatment or care and it is not a life-threatening emergency, HealthDirect should be your first call on 1800 022 222.

You can continue to phone Triple Zero (000) in the event of an emergency.

We do not want this. We reinstated the independent IRC for this very reason.

The IRC allows workers to advance their claims without the limits of the wages cap the previous government imposed, without endangering the welfare and safety of the community.

This is not something the government devised on our own – unions and workers fought for it too.

And we have always said our government would accept a determination of the IRC, whether it rules in our favour or not.

I share the community’s desire to see our healthcare workers paid more – it’s why we’ve offered a 10.5 per cent multi-year wage increases (on top of the 4.5 per cent already in pockets) and sat down with unions over many years to deliver those pay increases.

This is not a union without options – it is inexplicable ASMOF would actively choose to jeopardise patient safety over resolving its claim in the IRC.

I say to ASMOF, it is not too late to return to the IRC.

The Minns Labor Government today officially opened the first new Crown cemetery in 85 years at Varroville in Sydney’s South-West.  

This followed an independent report that found that years of indecision and infighting by the previous government increased the risk that Sydney would run out of cemetery space. 

The new $125 million Macarthur Memorial Park, will help ensure future burial supply for Sydney, covering 113 hectares and providing capacity for 136,000 burial plots and over 300,000 ash interments, catering for all religious and ethnic groups. 

Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper joined Crown cemetery operator Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Limited and religious leaders at Macarthur Memorial Park prior to its opening to the public on Wednesday. 

Macarthur Memorial Park has been designed as a contemporary cemetery with the local community at heart.  It includes 35 hectares of publicly accessible parklands including six lakes and eight kilometres of walking and bike tracks available to the public during daylight hours, as well as a cafe. 

For members of the public laying loved ones to rest, Macarthur Memorial Park is primarily a lawn cemetery with areas for natural burial, cremated remains and monumental lawns. There are 20 dedicated burial areas for specific religious and ethnic groups. 

The memorial park features three chapels, called The Sanctuary, with seating for up to 500 people, and a separate function centre for a variety of family and community events with seating for 250 people. 

Development has been restricted to protect the visual landscape. There will be no headstones visible from nearby roads and screen plantings will conceal burial plots.  There are no mausoleum, crypts or crematoria on site. 

Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Limited will manage Macarthur Memorial Park which will remain under the ownership of the NSW Government as a Crown land cemetery. 

Premier Chris Minns said: 

“Macarthur Memorial Park is a sustainable and multi-denominational cemetery that will provide burial space to Sydney families for generations to come while also providing the local community with much needed recreation space.  

“The new Crown cemetery will ensure thousands of people can continue to lay loved ones to rest, and that we can continue to offer burial space to meet the religious and cultural needs of those for which burial is the only option.” 

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said: 

“The cemeteries sector has been in a crisis. Macarthur Memorial Park is the first crown cemetery to open in nearly a century and ensures that people of all faiths will benefit from this facility.  

“It is imperative that the people of NSW have access to sustainable and affordable burial and cremation services that are respectful of culture and faith and provided in a compassionate and accountable way. 

“The Minns Labor government has prioritised addressing the serious challenges around cemeteries and crematoria inherited from the previous government.  

“We have reformed the Crown cemetery sector and are implementing our strategy with strong consumer protections, sustainable practices to encourage new burial supply, and certainty for operators. 

Member for Leppington, Nathan Hagarty said: 

“This new Macarthur Memorial Park is a welcome addition to South-West Sydney.  

“It ensures access to culturally appropriate burial options, meeting the needs of a growing and diverse community.  

“It’s a place where families can honour their loved ones, and where locals can enjoy peaceful, open space.  

“It reflects the values of respect, inclusion, and forward planning.” 

Catholic Cemeteries and Crematoria Chief Executive Officer Lauren Hardgrove said: 

“We are delighted to provide this park for the people of NSW and look forward to the community embracing this unique facility in the Scenic Hills.” 

Thousands of NSW households are enjoying lower energy bills thanks to the strong early adoption of the Minns Labor Government’s household battery incentive, which delivers thousands of dollars off the cost of installation.

Since the incentive was launched in November, more than 7,800 batteries have been installed in homes and businesses across NSW.

By using the incentive scheme, eligible homeowners and businesses get an upfront discount on the cost of battery installation through installers working with government-accredited suppliers.

The discount amount is related to the size of the battery, meaning larger batteries attract bigger discounts. For a typical household battery with 13.5 kilowatt-hours of capacity, this is a discount of more than $2000 on average and is available for both new and existing solar systems.

A typical household with an $1850 annual electricity bill can save around $1500 per year by installing solar and a battery.

More than half of the 7,800 installations have taken place outside the Sydney Region, including 23 in the City of Broken Hill. The scheme has reached more than 90% of all Local Government Areas in NSW, with more than 600 installers taking part across the state.

The top 15 Local Government Areas for installations so far are:

With more than one-third of NSW homes now equipped with rooftop solar systems, the ability to store this solar energy in batteries for later use offers significant benefits for household budgets and energy reliability.

Households will also be able to receive an extra discount and generate revenue by signing their new and existing batteries up to a Virtual Power Plant. This will allow excess energy that households have stored in batteries to be sold back into the grid.

The household battery incentive is part of the NSW Government’s Peak Demand Reduction Scheme, reducing peak electricity demand in NSW, maintaining grid stability during periods of high electricity demand and reducing the grid’s reliance on fossil fuels.

The Minns Labor Government is delivering cost of living relief through $435 million in annual energy bill rebates, $200 million to support the roll-out of public EV charging stations and $175 million to make energy savings upgrades for 24,000 social housing homes.

Find out more information about the NSW Government’s household battery incentive program.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“More than a third of NSW homes already have rooftop solar, and now we’re helping thousands of them connect a battery so they can store the energy produced when the sun is up, and use it around the clock.

“We know there is a lot more work to do to reduce cost of living pressures but schemes like this are putting money back in people’s pockets in a way that is good for energy reliability and good for the environment.”

Minister for Climate Change and Energy Penny Sharpe said:

“NSW has set a cracking pace for battery adoption across the country, and we only see this momentum picking up.

“These installations are providing cost of living relief through lower energy bills and are making a valuable contribution to a more sustainable and secure energy system.”