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Full-strength beer trial kicks off

The Minns Labor Government is pleased to announce the Western Sydney stadiums’ full strength beer trial will kick off this weekend at CommBank Stadium.

The trial will be in place for a six-month period at all NRL, NRLW and A-Leagues matches at CommBank Stadium, Accor Stadium and at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle.

CommBank Stadium will host three matches this weekend, starting with the Panthers-Roosters NRL clash tonight, Western Sydney Wanderers-Melbourne Victory on Saturday night and Parramatta Eels-Wests Tigers on Sunday afternoon.

Fans in general public areas will now have access to full-strength, mid-strength, light and zero alcohol options.

The success of the trial will be determined following consultation with NSW Police, liquor authorities, sport and entertainment partners and feedback from fans.

Venues NSW and NSW Police will work closely to ensure the responsible service of alcohol, as has always been the case for event days.

Fans are encouraged to make the most of public transport being included in their ticket, and to always have a Plan B if choosing to drink alcohol.

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“For too long there has been a disparity in how sports fans in the West are treated, compared to those in the East.

“Yesterday we announced that you can now get free public transport to games at CommBank, and today we are once again making full-strength beer available to those in the West and the Hunter.

“We recognise that fans have been calling for this for a while and we’re excited to see this trial in place from Friday.”

Member for Riverstone Warren Kirby said:

“The decision to allow the sale of full-strength beer at CommBank and McDonald Jones stadiums brings much needed equity between city dwellers and those of us in the surrounding suburbs.

“This decision is not about encouraging people to ‘get on the beers’, it recognises everyone, whether they are in the Eastern Suburbs, Western Sydney or Newcastle, can be equally responsible in their consumption of alcohol.

“I congratulate Minister Kamper for bringing fairness and equality back for sporting fans by putting an end to the beer war between the East and West, recognising all of us as responsible adults.

“The selection of beer offered should not be restricted by where you are going to watch the footy. This is a great decision by Minister Kamper to bring back equality in our sporting venues”

LABOR ADMITS THERE WILL BE NO PUBLIC HOUSING AT FLEMINGTON AND NORTH MELBOURNE TOWER SITES

The Victorian Greens have slammed the Labor Government following their confirmation that there will be no public housing rebuilt at Flemington and North Melbourne as they steamroll ahead with their plan to demolish the public housing towers at the sites.

Today Labor has finally conceded that they have no intention to build any public homes at the sites and will be handing over all responsibility for the Flemington development to a private consortium, as well as also putting a call out to companies interested in developing North Melbourne.

The plan will see Labor hand over the publicly owned land to a private consortium to be responsible for the entire design, construction and management, meaning that the “social” units will be converted to privately-owned community housing.

The majority of housing built across the two sites will be private expensive apartments, including 300 units of so-called “affordable housing.” Not a single unit at the new development will be public housing.

Community housing is more expensive than public housing and community housing residents do not have the same rights. For example, public housing tenants have rent capped at 25% of household income and rights to a life-long lease, whereas community housing tenants have to renew every 3 years, and can pay upward of 30% of their income.

“Affordable” housing has no strict definition and has been found to be leased at higher than market rent even in some government managed properties.

The Victorian Greens say that this confirms Labor’s total retreat from public housing as Victoria already has the least, and spends the least, on public housing in comparison to the rest of the country. It comes after Labor has repeatedly dodged questions from the Greens and the media about whether they can confirm a single public home will be built at the tower sites.

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

“This announcement confirms our fears that Labor is washing their hands of public housing in Victoria.

“Labor is handballing people’s lives and the housing crisis to a private consortium.

“We’re in a housing crisis where we should be building more public housing on public land, but instead Labor’s handing over our public land and demolishing the public housing we already have.”

PREMIER’S KNEEJERK BAIL LAWS WILL DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACT FIRST NATIONS, WON’T IMPROVE COMMUNITY SAFETY

The Victorian Greens have responded to Labor’s kneejerk bail laws saying the changes repeat past mistakes and are at odds with the evidence which tells us that making it easier to put children in prison results in a disproportionate incarceration of First Nations children and doesn’t improve community safety.

Victoria’s bail laws were reviewed less than a year ago and the proposed changes risk undoing reforms that were made in response to the death in custody of First Nations woman Veronica Nelson after the inquest into her death labelled Victoria’s bail laws an ‘unmitigated disaster’.

The Victorian Greens are deeply concerned that the Premier is more interested in the optics and playing politics with laws that risk First Nations deaths in custody, than implementing evidence-based policies that are proven to improve community safety.

Early interactions with the criminal justice system have been proven to significantly increase the likelihood of a young person re-offending whereas programs that support children, such as diversion and early intervention as well as preventive services, significantly decrease the likelihood of reoffending and that when bail is granted is the best opportunity for intervention.

Victorian Greens spokesperson for Justice, Katherine Copsey:

“Making it easier to put children in prison doesn’t improve community safety, it actually significantly increases the chance of a young person reoffending and results in First Nations children being disproportionately incarcerated.

“What we need is evidence based, long term solutions like early intervention and preventative measures, that get to the root cause of the problem and support children, not just kneejerk policy on the run from a panicking Premier.”

Time To End The War on Weed

Greens Senator and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge has today launched a fully costed scheme for legalising cannabis across Australia.

The policy is supported by new costings from the Parliamentary Budget Office. The costing shows total tax revenue from legalising cannabis tracking at over $700 million a year within 3 years of operation. This is just part of the shift of wealth from bikie gangs and organized crime towards the public and legitimate businesses when we legalise recreational cannabis. It’s also fresh money that can be invested in schools, hospitals and climate action.

A legal, well-regulated cannabis market means safer products, billions in public revenue, and no more pointless arrests for possessing a plant. With our plan, you’ll be able to buy regulated cannabis from licensed dispensaries and cannabis cafes or even grow up to six plants at home. No more dodgy deals—just a smart, safe, and fair system.

Greens Senator and Justice Spokesperson David Shoebridge:

“Labor had the chance to vote for legalisation last year and blew it. We’re not waiting for them to wake up.

“The Greens plan will let the public decide if they want to spend more time and money on the failed war on drugs or grow a new sustainable and exciting industry.

“Billions of dollars in revenue, just imagine what that fresh funding could do for mental health, education, and drug programs.

“Legal weed isn’t a wild idea—it’s already working in Canada, Germany, and most of the US. Why is Australia stuck in the past?

“Safe, labelled, quality-controlled cannabis, maybe even organically grown, that’s the future we see. This would be an amazing step up from the current policy setting that so often delivers random strength mystery weed and billions in profits to an illegal industry.

“The future we see is one with secure regional jobs, safe products, flourishing small businesses and the option to visit a chilled out cannabis cafe.

“If you can responsibly enjoy a beer, why not an infused smoothie or a fresh baked brownie? Adults should be trusted to make their own choices when it comes to cannabis.

“We’ve already hashed out the details, now is the time to make legal cannabis a reality”, Senator Shoebridge said.

City of Newcastle doubles down on youth-led climate action

Young Novocastrians have another chance to design and deliver local solutions to climate change with applications opening tomorrow for $150,000 in funding through City of Newcastle’s Youth Climate Action grants program.

Newcastle was one of only three Australian cities selected to receive $75,000 late last year from the Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Youth Climate Action Fund.

City of Newcastle selected 12 projects to share in the grants, which led to initiatives such as a youth climate action summit, upcycling and recycling programs, and multi-media climate action projects.

Blue Minds co-creators Cooper Chapman and Kal Glanzing join City of Newcastle’s Dr Heather Stevens and a group of students from a variety of local high schools at Dixon Park Beach for the Blue Minds Youth Ocean Leadership summit.The initiative proved so popular, City of Newcastle exhausted its initial allocation and was able to successfully apply to Bloomberg Philanthropies for the second round of funding.

City of Newcastle’s Executive Manager of Environment and Sustainability Marnie Kikken said it’s vital we empower the next generation to have a meaningful role in achieving our net zero emissions objectives in the Newcastle Environment Strategy.

“We’re thrilled to support even more young people in designing and delivering local climate action projects that will bring Newcastle closer to reaching the target of net zero emissions by 2040,” Ms Kikken said.

“This expanded round of funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies allows us to not only amplify the voices of young people but also provide them with resources to ensure their priorities are front and centre in our city’s climate strategy.”

City of Newcastle’s Climate Change and Sustainability Manager Dr Heather Stevens said microgrants of between $1,500 and $7,500 will be available for 15 to 24-year-olds or organisations that represent them.

“If you have an idea about how to tackle the climate crisis, now is the chance to apply and make it happen,” Dr Stevens said.

“The last round funded a diverse range of projects, from upcycling programs to youth leadership training, so it’s great to build on that momentum with this new round of grants.”

Blue Minds Youth Ocean Leadership was one of the recipients of the initial round of funding, using the allocation to organise a free leadership summit for high school students at Dixon Park Surf Club today.

Program co-creator Kal Glanzing, one of Australia’s leading youth ocean and climate champions, and creator of the documentary Rising Up, said the grant helped continue Blue Minds’ mission of tackling eco-anxiety and creating a wave of change amongst young people.

“Australian youth are going to be disproportionately impacted by climate change and they want to understand how they can rewrite the future for the better,” Mr Glanzing said.

“We are grateful that with support from City of Newcastle we can empower students in Newcastle and provide them with practical tools to address their climate change concerns.

“It’s exciting to think that the students who attended the Blue Minds leadership summit today, will have an opportunity to apply for a grant that can help bring their ideas to life.”

Applications for the new round of Youth Climate Action Fund grants open on 12 March and close on 13 April 2025.

Information webinars will be held on 19 March and 2 April 2025.

For more information and to apply, visit:

https://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/community/grants-and-sponsorships/grants/youth-climate-action-grants

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:

Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people.

The organisation focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health.

Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a pro bono consultancy that works with mayors in cities around the world.

In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies invested $3.4 billion around the world.

City of Newcastle launches plan to develop 10-year cultural roadmap

Newcastle’s cultural credentials will take centre stage as part of a 10-year strategy that will guide City of Newcastle’s commitment to the local arts, culture and creative industries.

Expressions of interest are now being invited to support the research and development of City of Newcastle’s new Cultural Plan.

Cr Sinead Francis-Coan, City of Newcastle Executive Director of Creative and Community Services Alissa Jones, Cr Jenny Barrie and Cr Deahnna Richardson support the upcoming development of a 10-year Cultural Plan.

It will build on the achievements of the existing strategy, endorsed in 2016, and deliver a clear action plan for the next 10 years.

Community and Culture Strategic Advisory Committee Chair, Councillor Jenny Barrie, said Newcastle is an innovative and creative community.

“City of Newcastle has a long history of supporting and investing in arts and cultural opportunities, community pride and local identity,” Cr Barrie said.

“This has included the work of our Community and Culture Strategic Advisory Committee and the endorsement of our Cultural Precinct Plan to enhance cultural connectivity and encourage larger audiences across diverse venues.

“I look forward to the development of this new strategy, and our ongoing work with the local creative community to amplify existing and emerging opportunities across the cultural landscape.”

Councillors Deahnna Richardson and Sinead Francis-Coan, who also sit on the Community and Culture Strategic Advisory Committee, supported the upcoming development of the plan.

“This will build our long-term support for all those involved in this sector, from the established and emerging practitioners showcased through the Newcastle Museum, Civic Theatre, Newcastle Art Gallery and our libraries, to the millions of dollars in grant funding given to local artists, writers and performers through City of Newcastle’s grant programs. I look forward to fostering deeper connections with these communities as part of this plan,” Cr Richardson said.

“Newcastle is known for its vibrant cultural life and an amazing depth of talent within its performing and visual arts sector. Our previous cultural strategy enhanced this recognition through the establishment of our flagship New Annual arts festival and the expansion of the Newcastle Art Gallery and I can’t wait to see this commitment continue for the next decade. With our new plan, I would also like to see increasing surety for local creatives, creative spaces and local nightlife,” Cr Francis-Coan said.

The development of the Cultural Plan responds to a notice of motion endorsed by the previous elected council in July 2024.

City of Newcastle’s Executive Director of Creative and Community Services Alissa Jones said the strategy will articulate the role of local government as a partner, advocate, enabler, and investor in developing a local cultural and creative ecosystem.

“The Cultural Plan will investigate the city’s cultural infrastructure, consider the retention or increase of affordable creative workspaces and the use of City of Newcastle owned and managed facilities and services,” Ms Jones said.

“It will also determine focus areas for investment in programs and service delivery by City of Newcastle and include support for creative workers and their creative workspaces as a strategic priority.

“City of Newcastle is committed to a creative Newcastle and as our city grows we are seeking to ensure that the creative industries and community are properly supported.”

Plans for the development of the 10-year Cultural Plan were discussed as part of the first meeting of the new Community and Culture Strategic Advisory Committee last week.

Expressions of interest are open until 1 April via Tenderlink, with the plan expected to be finalised by the end of the year.

Increasing female participation prompts strategic sports update

City of Newcastle will reshape its Strategic Sports Plan to meet the needs of an expanding population and enable more women and girls to train and compete.

Adopted by the elected Council in December 2020, the 10-year plan was designed to address future demand and inform the ongoing supply, maintenance and upgrade of sporting infrastructure across the Local Government Area.

City of Newcastle has already delivered or commenced 78 of the plan’s 93 recommendations, with more than $20 million invested into new and upgraded infrastructure over the past three years, but the rapid growth of women’s sport and a predicted population boom as part of the Broadmeadow Place Strategy have brought forward the need to update the plan.

Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz and City of Newcastle Executive Manager Community and Recreation Lynn Duffy join participants from local sporting clubs at the 2025 Sports SummitCity of Newcastle announced the review in front of more than 100 participants at last night’s fourth annual Sports Summit, which is designed to foster stronger relationships with local sporting groups.

Executive Manager Community and Recreation Lynn Duffy said City of Newcastle was committed to continuing collaboration with clubs and associations as part of the updated Strategic Sports Plan.

“We’re proud to work closely with our local clubs and governing bodies on the need for facility upgrades, ensuring players at every level of their chosen sport and the community have continued access to high quality sporting and leisure opportunities,” Ms Duffy said.

“In recent years this collaboration has led to the development of more inclusive, accessible and female-friendly facilities and amenities.

“That includes upgrades at Myers Park and Lugar Park, as well as major grandstand redevelopment projects at Darling Street Oval and Passmore Oval worth almost $6 million.”

Chair of City of Newcastle’s Sports Infrastructure Working Party, Councillor Peta Winney-Baartz, said the need for facilities that support universal access is greater than ever.

“We know that a governing body such as Northern NSW Football has set a goal of having 30,000 female participants by 2026 and they’ll all need somewhere to train and play,” Cr Winney-Baartz said.

“The Strategic Sports Plan covers 12 other field-based sports including athletics, AFL, baseball, cricket, croquet, equestrian, netball, rugby league, rugby union, softball, tennis, and touch football/Oztag.

“If you take into consideration the Broadmeadow Place Strategy, we’re likely to see a population increase of 40,000 residents in that area alone, so we need to ensure we’re getting maximum use out of the 152 fields City of Newcastle manages.

“Reviewing the plan will help us secure State and Federal government funding for new and upgraded sporting facility bathrooms, change rooms and lighting, while we also continue to upgrade everything from field layout to drainage and irrigation.”

City of Newcastle will call for expressions of interest for an independent consultant to update the Strategic Sports Plan in the next financial year.

Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Bill 2025

I want to make clear the NSW Government will not be repealing hate speech laws passed in Parliament last month.

Our laws criminalised intentionally and publicly inciting hatred towards another person, or group, based on race.

They send a clear message: the people of New South Wales stand together against inciting racial hatred in our great multicultural state.

NSW has seen hundreds of antisemitic attacks and incidents.

This racial hatred has caused our Jewish community to live in fear in their own state.

While the caravan was part of a criminal conspiracy – and not the plot of a terrorist organisation – it was still appalling racial hatred.

It targeted the Jewish community. It targeted a racial group to instil terror in our state.

While these laws were drafted in response to horrifying antisemitism, we have always made clear they would apply to anyone, preying on any person, at any time.

In response to calls for the laws to be scrapped, doing so would be a toxic message to our community that this kind of hate speech is acceptable when it’s not.

These laws are very important to maintaining social cohesion.

New fund to turbocharge take-off for Western Sydney Airport

A new government fund will put Sydney’s second international airport on course for a successful opening by accelerating aviation capacity from day one, boosting the NSW visitor economy and creating more choice for NSW travellers.

The $8 million Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund will incentivise international airlines to fly new routes into Western Sydney International Airport (WSI) ahead of its grand opening in late 2026. The funding will be matched by WSI, representing a combined fund value of $16 million to boost airline capacity.

The new airport will play an important role in achieving the NSW Government’s goal of $91 billion of visitor expenditure by 2035, with the total $16 million funding package forecast to deliver over 162,000 international visitors to NSW and generate an estimated $530 million of visitor expenditure.

The Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund comes at a critical stage for the state’s newest international gateway with airline tickets for WSI flights scheduled to go on sale from late 2025. This fund will incentivise more carriers to join Qantas and Jetstar (domestic) and Singapore Airlines (international) as the airport works to accelerate passenger numbers to 10 million per year.

The new Western Sydney International Take-Off Fund will be administered by the NSW Government’s lead agency for the visitor economy, Destination NSW.

Allocation of funding provided to airlines will be agreed between Western Sydney International Airport and Destination NSW on a case-by-case basis and will include incentives such as passenger subsidies and marketing support. The funding provided to each airline is subject to the number of services and subsequent number of passengers they carry over the first three years of operation.

This aviation investment comes on top of $10 billion of joint NSW-Federal funding for roads and transport infrastructure to connect WSI to Sydney’s transport network.

Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

“You only get to open a new airport once, that’s why we’re backing Western Sydney airport to land new routes and ensure this once in a generation opportunity is a runway success.

“Western Sydney airport will be a massive growth engine for the NSW visitor economy. This fund will pour jet fuel into that engine.

“The more passengers we can bring in, the more spending across Western Sydney’s incredible food precincts, the sights of the Blue Mountains and the food and wine in the Central West.

“The NSW Government is pulling every lever we can to grow the NSW visitor economy to $91 billion by 2035. This is a crucial one and there’ll be more to come.”

Western Sydney International Airport CEO Simon Hickey said:

“With tickets for our first flights set to go on sale later this year and our opening day rapidly approaching, this initial investment with the State Government is very welcome news and another strong signal that Western Sydney International Airport is well and truly open for business.

“This airport – Sydney’s only 24-hour international gateway – will deliver a major boost to the state’s visitor economy and provide further support for the vibrant and diverse tourism attractions that NSW has to offer for both domestic and global travellers alike.”

“WSI is built for growth, with plans in place that will eventually see it become Sydney’s biggest international airport, handling more than 80 million annual passengers, which is akin to London’s Heathrow airport today.”

First $15 million to support new jobs and investment projects in NSW Southern Basin communities

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to support regional NSW with $15 million now available for communities in the Southern Basin affected by the Federal Government’s water buybacks to develop new job and investment projects.

The NSW Minister for Agriculture, Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty made the announcement in Griffith today [Thursday 13 March] as part of wider ongoing consultation with communities affected by the buyback program.

Minister Moriarty also met with business leaders from across the Riverina in Griffith at a round table concerned about the program.

The $15 million now available is the first round of funding under the $160 million program which will deliver targeted support to affected communities.

This initial round of funding is designed to provide immediate support to create jobs and boost local economies and will be targeted to the nine Local Government Areas of Balranald, Berrigan, Carrathool, Edward River, Griffith, Hay, Leeton, Murray River and Murrumbidgee.

Organisations eligible for the Early Investment Round can apply for $50,000 to $1 million for programs, initiatives and capital investment projects and between $250,000 to $4 million for infrastructure projects. Funding will be rolled out until the $15 million is exhausted.

Projects that would be considered for funding could include enabling infrastructure or technology upgrades to support business, plant and equipment for increased productivity or targeted workforce skills and capability development programs.

At the roundtable representatives from the region’s business community provided feedback about the types of investments that could support them to create and retain jobs.

This meeting is part of a wider consultation process helping the NSW Government understand the needs of Basin communities and will inform the roll out of future financial support.

The NSW Government will continue to consult widely, with further roundtables planned throughout the Southern Basin, to understand community priorities and the investments needed to strengthen local economies exposed to water recovery measures.

The remaining $145 million under the Sustainable Communities Program will be available for all exposed and vulnerable NSW Basin communities. This support is expected to commence in the 25/26 financial year, after detailed consultation with these communities occurs.

For more information on the Early Investment Round and to apply, visit nsw.gov.au/scp

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“The NSW Government is committed to getting money out the door as fast as possible to support NSW Basin communities against the impacts of water recovery measures, including the Australian Government’s water buybacks.

“While we don’t support water buybacks, we do believe that investing in infrastructure and programs to support local business and industry is crucial to building strong, vibrant regional communities.

‘This first $15 million of funding gives communities the opportunity to get on the front foot.

“I encourage organisations based in the nine eligible Local Government Areas to take advantage of this first round of funding that will support them to grow and thrive well into the future.”

Serena Hardwick, Regional Director Business NSW said

“We look forward to working with Government to ensure that the funding helps to build capability and capacity in our local business community. ”

“Investment to assist businesses in the region increase productivity, foster innovation and commercialise their research and development will not only see benefit to our local economy but contribute to the economy”

“With a large skill and workforce gap, this is an opportunity for us to consider how we can, as business, foster a skilled future workforce and rewarding career pathways with this investment.”