Category: NSW News

As students prepare to return to the classroom today, the NSW Government is providing comprehensive support for schools affected by the antisemitic terror attack at Bondi Beach.

The NSW Government is committed to ensuring every student and teacher feels safe and supported as the school year begins, with resources available across public and non-government schools to ensure a unified approach to community recovery.

In the lead-up to the new school year, principals have been working closely with their staff to identify specific needs and ensure tailored support plans are in place before students arrive.

Dedicated mental health and wellbeing resources have been deployed to schools across the eastern suburbs and Bondi, including increased access to school counsellors and specialist psychologists.

To ensure the highest level of care, counselling staff have undergone intensive training in psychological first aid and trauma response.

This training was delivered by the highly respected clinical psychologist Dr Rob Gordon OAM, ensuring staff have the necessary tools to support students through the ongoing recovery process.

Additional counselling support will be available for any NSW school requiring assistance during the first weeks of the term.

Strengthened security measures are also in place at schools and early learning centres with large Jewish student populations.

Alongside these measures, the NSW Government is working with the Commonwealth’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism to implement a training program for teachers and school leaders to prevent and counter antisemitism.

Any parents and carers who have queries about support as their child returns to school are encouraged to discuss these with their school principal.

The NSW Government is working to ensure that the return to school is a safe and supportive experience for all students and teachers in the eastern suburbs and across the broader Jewish community.

This ongoing support is part of a broader commitment from the NSW and Commonwealth Governments, with approximately $60 million allocated to date for resilience and recovery initiatives for those affected by the attack.

Premier of NSW Chris Minns said:

“Many of our schools and early learning centres across Bondi and the eastern suburbs have been deeply affected by the antisemitic terrorist attack so we’re making sure that everyone affected has the support they need.

“Our message to everyone affected by this horrific attack is clear – we’re with you now and for the long haul.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“Students and staff at all schools have the right to feel safe and secure as they return for the first day of term.

“Our schools have a range of support services available, as our community continues to recover and students return to their school routines.

“I encourage anyone who is finding the return to the classroom difficult to reach out for support.”

The Minns Labor Government maintains its commitment to protect workers from dust diseases with its $2.5 million state-of-the -art Lung Health Mobile Clinic which is providing lung health checks to thousands of people across New South Wales.

The lung bus has arrived in Shellharbour to provide free lung screening checks. These lung health checks can be lifesaving by ensuring early detection and treatment of dust diseases like asbestosis, silicosis and mesothelioma.

The lung bus program provides free lung screening checks to more than 5,000 workers annually in regional NSW.

In collaboration with SafeWork, icare also supports the NSW Silica Worker Register (SWR), which helps identify and monitor workers who have been exposed to respirable crystalline silica across their working lives.

By linking registry data with services such as the mobile clinic, icare is helping ensure workers most at risk are prioritised for screening, follow-up care and specialist referral where needed.

Data from SafeWork NSW shows there have been 12,214 workers registered on the SWR from 597 businesses as at 31 December 2025, most of which are in the construction and manufacturing industries. Close to 3,850 workers are listed as working in tunnelling-related roles.

Launched on 1 October 2025, the SWR is used to help monitor and track the health of at-risk workers undertaking high-risk processing of crystalline silica substances (CSS).

In Shellharbour, 23 workers are currently on the Register and are being prioritised for screening due to potential occupational silica exposure.

Lung health checks are painless and only take around 30 minutes. The process includes chest X-rays to detect abnormalities or damage, lung function testing to assess respiratory performance, consultation with a specialist doctor, who interprets results and provides tailored advice and referral for a CT scan, if required, to get a better image of the chest and lungs.

The Lung Health Mobile Clinic will be located at Stockland Shellharbour, Lake Entrance Rd. on Monday 2 February.

Eliminating the risks associated with silica is a high priority for the Minns Government and the Lung Bus is one of several measures which have been introduced to reduce the risks of working with CSS in NSW.

These include:

• Strengthening workplace safety through a Silica Worker Register (SWR) which monitors and tracks the health of at-risk workers undertaking high-risk processing of crystalline silica substances (CSS).
• Leading the ban on engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs containing one per cent or greater crystalline silica. This included a national ban on its importation from January 1, 2025.
• Establishing the Tunnelling Dust Safety Taskforce to help address silica related health risks for workers in tunnelling projects. The Taskforce is made up of Government, medical, industry and union representatives and provides expert guidance to prevent and manage silica and other dust related disease associated with tunnelling projects in NSW.
• Establishing a dedicated silica unit within SafeWork NSW which includes a Silica Compliance Team to enforce strengthened regulations, including proactive visits to sites conducting high-risk CSS processing.
• Allocating $5 million in critical funding for silicosis research and a patient support program for individuals and their families navigating the health risks associated with exposure to silica dust. The grant funding, administered collaboratively by icare and the Dust Diseases Board, will be provided over three years to the Asbestos and Dust Diseases Research Institute (ADDRI).

Workers can also arrange a free lung screening at icare’s Sydney CBD Kent st clinic, or with local providers regionally when the lung bus is not in that part of the state.

To book a free lung health check, contact icare on 1800 550 027.

Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:

“The icare Mobile Clinic underscores the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to removing barriers like cost and location, ensuring workers across NSW have access to the critical support and care they need to safeguard their health.

“The Lung Bus is another important step towards protecting workers from dust diseases and builds on the Government’s recent actions including the Silica Worker Register, the ban on engineered stone, the establishment of the Tunnelling Dust Safety Taskforce and a dedicated Silica unit within SafeWork NSW.

“Every worker has the right to go to work and return home safely.”

Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said:

“The Lung Bus is a terrific initiative that plays a vital role in keeping workers safe and healthy.

“These health checks can be lifesaving by enabling the early detection and treatment of dust-related diseases.

“By bringing these essential services directly to the communities that need them most, the icare Lung Bus is helping to protect the health and futures of our workers.”

Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson said:

“We want to make sure that people in the Shellharbour electorate have access to the healthcare they need, when and where they need it.

“For too many, life gets in the way of regular check-ups so by bringing this service directly to the community, we’re removing one more barrier to staying healthy.

“Whether you’re working in construction, mining, manufacturing or just living in the area – we’re urging everyone to take a few minutes to get checked.”

Icare Group Executive of General Insurance and Care Sarah Johnson said:

“A lung health check could save your life.

“Early detection is critical to effective treatment, and we’re here to make sure every worker, no matter where they live, has access to world-class care.”

Thousands of public school students across NSW are today returning to 12 new and upgraded schools delivered under the Minns Labor Government’s record investment in public school infrastructure – ensuring every child has access to a world-class public education.

These new and upgraded schools include 7 new halls, 6 new libraries and more than 200 new classrooms providing more than 4,500 additional spaces for students, all while making way for the removal of more than 50 demountables.

The delivery of new classrooms is being matched with more teachers in NSW public schools, with teacher vacancies at a 12-year low for the start of 2026.

Among the new and upgraded schools welcoming students into brand new facilities today are:

• Cecil Hills High School – an upgrade delivering 50 new classrooms, including four STEM classrooms, a refurbished hall and expanded canteen.
• Concord High School – an upgrade delivering 40 new permanent classrooms across three new buildings.
• Box Hill High School – a new school fast-tracked to open in temporary facilities for Year 7 students in the fast-growing suburb ahead of the permanent school opening in 2028.
• The Forest High School – relocated and rebuilt with 73 modern classrooms, three Special Support Units and capacity for 1,500 students.
• Three new coeducational high schools – Asquith, Hornsby and Bayside high schools – supporting the election commitment for every public school student in NSW to have guaranteed access to a co-educational high school by 2027.
• Girraween Public School – a new building opening with 38 classrooms and three support classrooms, as well as an upgraded hall, as part of an ongoing major upgrade.
• Ryde Secondary College – an upgrade creating new specialised teaching spaces, extra classrooms and upgraded toilets, library and study areas.
• Wollumbin High School – an upgrade delivering redeveloped classrooms, new support classrooms, upgrades to TAS spaces and a new recording studio for music education.
• Condong Public School and Tumbulgum Public School – flood rebuild schools with new buildings completed in December.

In addition to these projects the Minns Labor Government has construction underway on more than 70 new and upgraded schools.

This stands in stark contrast to the former Liberal and National Government who failed to build schools where they were needed, while promising new schools and upgrades to communities that were never delivered.

This follows the Minns Labor Government’s plan to deliver more teachers and better schools through a record $9 billion investment in the 2025-26 Budget, giving our kids a world class education, right where they live.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“We’ve made sure that students and teachers across our state are starting the year in new classrooms, with more teachers and better facilities.

“As the son of a public school teacher, I know just how important giving every kid access to the best education possible is, no matter where they live – and thanks to more teachers and better schools, that is what we’re delivering.

“To every student starting at a new school and to the parents and families supporting them, I wish you a fantastic year ahead, I hope these new classrooms and facilities help make it an even more exciting time to start school.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“I’m thrilled to be joining students and teachers as they celebrate the start of the 2026 year today, with thousands heading into brand new, upgraded and refurbished classrooms across NSW.

“This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to ensuring every child in NSW has access to a world class public education, backed by our record $9 billion investment in a huge pipeline of new and upgraded schools.

“Labor’s commitment to public education goes beyond bricks and mortar to ensuring every classroom has a qualified teacher, and I am proud that public schools are starting this year with vacancies at a 12-year low, a product of our work to raise wages and improve conditions for this vital profession.”

The Minns Labor Government is reforming licensing loopholes and strengthening foreign licence conversion arrangements to help keep NSW roads safe.

As part of its commitment to pull every lever to improve road safety, the Minns Government is tightening licence conversion rules to ensure drivers and riders on NSW roads meet our high safety standards.

From today, Sunday, 1 February 2026, a further group of overseas drivers and riders aged 25 years and over from a broader selection of countries will now be required to pass a knowledge test and a driving test before converting their overseas licence to a NSW licence.

The changes close long-standing inconsistencies that allowed drivers from ‘List B’ countries and jurisdictions to obtain a NSW licence without this testing.

Drivers under 25 from ‘List B’ countries are already required to pass knowledge and driving tests, and that requirement will remain unchanged.

The reform builds on earlier Minns Government action requiring long-term residents to convert overseas licences within six months of moving to NSW and brings NSW in line with other states and territories, ensuring consistent national standards.

To support the changes, Service NSW is boosting testing capacity, temporarily increasing availability with up to 320 extra driving test slots every Saturday, which has become effective from 31 January, with additional capacity delivered through February across metropolitan service centres.

Online bookings are updated weekly, and customers are encouraged to plan ahead and regularly check availability online.

The list of impacted countries and testing requirements can be found here.

Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:

“Road safety is not negotiable, and we are pulling every lever to keep people safe on NSW roads.

“This reform lifts standards and ensures everyone driving in NSW understands our road rules and can drive safely in local conditions.

“Fairness on our roads means the same safety bar applies to everyone – and that is exactly what this reform delivers.”

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government, Jihad Dib said:

“We know getting a licence to drive on our roads safely is an important step for all road users.

“To help drivers get their licence we have increased the number of driver testers and introduced Super Saturdays to add about 300 extra testing slots every weekend through February.

“We would encourage overseas drivers to plan ahead, information is available online to help customers understand what they need to do and what tests may be required and as always, Service NSW staff will continue to support customers and help them access the services they need.”

In a rare last look underground, the tunnel boring machines that will excavate Sydney’s next harbour crossing are being seen for the final time before tunnelling begins.

Deep beneath Birchgrove Oval, the mega machines are in the final stages of assembly inside the cathedral-like launch chambers, ahead of disappearing beneath Sydney Harbour to tunnel the final section of the Western Harbour Tunnel.

The Minns Labor Government is delivering Sydney’s first road harbour crossing in three decades – on time and on budget – and keeping it in public hands.

Once tunnelling starts later this year, the machines will operate continuously beneath the harbour – making today the final opportunity to see them before excavation begins.

The two TBMs, the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, are in the final stages of being meticulously reassembled using 500-tonne cranes – an engineering feat never before undertaken at this scale in Australia.

Named Patyegarang and Barangaroo, the TBMs are tasked with excavating 1.5 kilometres of twin motorway tunnels between Birchgrove and Waverton, up to 50 metres below sea level.

Assembly of Patyegarang is now 45 per cent complete, with its 15.7-metre-diameter cutterhead – weighing 462 tonnes – lifted into position last week. Around 70 per cent of the machine’s components have now been transported into the launch chamber.

Patyegarang is expected to begin tunnelling under the harbour mid-year.

Assembly of Barangaroo is now 20 per cent complete, with tunnelling expected to commence later in 2026.

Once excavation begins, the TBMs will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with up to 40 workers on each machine at any one time. The tunnels will be lined with around 13,000 precast concrete segments manufactured at a specialist facility in Western Sydney – showcasing the Minns Government’s commitment to domestic manufacturing and procurement.

Overall excavation across the Western Harbour Tunnel project is now 76 per cent complete.

The 6.5-kilometre Western Harbour Tunnel is scheduled to open to traffic in 2028, and under the Minns Labor Government, will remain in public ownership.

Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:

“This is a major milestone for one of the most complex infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Australia.

“These machines are almost ready to disappear underground and do some of the hardest work on this mammoth project, carving a new harbour crossing that will serve Sydney for generations.

“The Minns Labor Government is proud to be delivering the Western Harbour Tunnel and keeping it in public hands.

“This is a once-in-a-generation piece of infrastructure, and it should remain an asset for the people of New South Wales – not a privatised road sold off to the highest bidder.

“With excavation now more than three-quarters complete, this project is moving forward.

“We made deliberate changes to the construction methodology to ensure this tunnel is built safely, properly and to deliver new public parkland at Berrys Bay.

“The Western Harbour Tunnel is on time and on budget, with overall excavation now at 76% complete.”

The NSW Liberals and Nationals will introduce two Bills to the NSW Parliament aimed at protecting children from violent extremist grooming and taking a clear, unequivocal stand against antisemitism in NSW.
 
The Countering Violent Extremism Bill 2026 responds to growing concern about radicalisation, both online and in the community, and the targeting of children and vulnerable people by extremist actors, conduct that currently falls outside existing terrorism laws.
 
This Bill would create new criminal offences of grooming, recruiting, coercing, threatening or deceiving a person to participate in violent extremism, with higher penalties if the offence is targeted at a child.
 
It would also add the offences involving children to the existing mandatory reporting scheme, so that children at risk of being groomed for participation in violent extremism are identified and protected in the same way as children being groomed for sexual abuse.
 
The Prevention of Antisemitism Bill 2026 provides long-overdue legal clarity by explicitly defining and addressing antisemitism, ensuring it is recognised, understood and acted upon consistently across government and public institutions, including universities and local government authorities.
 
The Bill would specifically prohibit government grants to or the procurement of goods and services from people or organisations engaging in antisemitic activities.
 
The definition of antisemitism would also guide the interpretation of the hate speech offences in sections 93Z and 93ZAA of the Crimes Act 1900.
 
Leader of the Opposition, Kellie Sloane, said the new laws represent the NSW Liberals and Nationals detailed and considered response to combatting violent extremism and antisemitism, particularly in the wake of the Bondi Terror Attack.
 
“Our proposed laws ensure that extremist actors who seek to target children and vulnerable people online or in the community can be held accountable for their attempts to radicalise people to further their twisted agenda,” Ms Sloane said.
 
“Every parent, teacher, and reasonable member of our community wants to see our young people protected.”
 
“Creating a new offence provides law enforcement agencies with more tools to combat and prevent violent extremism.”
 
“There should be no ambiguity when it comes to confronting antisemitism.”
 
“Enshrining a definition of antisemitism in NSW law, as recommended by the Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, makes it clear that antisemitism has no place in our public institutions, our universities or our community, and that government funding should never support it.”
 
“In March 2022, all Labor members voted for a motion supporting the IHRA definition moved by the then Liberal Nationals Government in the Legislative Council, so we are calling on Chris Minns and Labor to maintain their position and support our new laws.”
 
“The people of NSW expect the Parliament to take every step possible to stamp out antisemitism and all forms of extremism across our State.”
 
Shadow Attorney General, Damien Tudehope, said these proposed laws create clear offences for conduct that is already occurring but is not adequately captured by current law.
 
“Grooming, recruiting or coercing someone into violent extremism is profoundly serious conduct, particularly when the target is a child,” Mr Tudehope said.
 
“These offences send a clear message: if you are radicalising people towards violence, you will face serious criminal consequences.”
 
“By adopting the IHRA definition and its explanatory examples, this Bill gives clarity to courts, public institutions and the community about what antisemitism looks like in practice today.”
 
“This is about ensuring antisemitism is recognised, addressed and not excused by ambiguity or double standards.”
 
The NSW Liberals and Nationals will introduce both Bills in the Legislative Council this week and seek to debate them over the coming Parliamentary sittings.

The NSW Government’s Rural Generalist Single Employer Pathway is continuing to boost the regional health workforce, with another 24 doctors joining the program this week as part of the 2026 intake.

These doctors will work across smaller regional hospitals, regional and rural GP practices and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations, and some regional centres.

Seventy-four rural generalist trainees, including this year’s intake, have been employed across eight regional Local Health Districts since the program began in 2024.

Rural generalists are General Practitioners who have an extended skill in a specialty area such as anaesthetics, obstetrics, paediatrics, emergency medicine, mental health or palliative care.

The program is an employment pathway for doctors seeking a career as a rural generalist who work across both primary care and hospital settings.

The program offers a length-of-training contract with a Local Health District in regional NSW, allowing trainees to retain and use their NSW Health Award entitlements during GP training.

Rural generalist trainees also receive the same pay and conditions as their hospital-trained counterparts.

The Minns Labor Government is building an engaged, capable and supported workforce, by:

• Abolishing the wages cap and delivering the largest wage increase to healthcare workers in a decade;
• Implementing ratios in our emergency departments;
• Saving 1,112 nurses which the Liberal Government planned to sack;
• Supporting our future health workforce through providing them with study subsidies; and
• Investing $274 million to deliver an additional 250 healthcare workers at upgraded hospitals left with inadequate staff by the previous government.

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park:

“I’m excited to welcome our 24 new trainees to the program, all with a commitment and passion for regional healthcare and communities.

“This program is a game-changer. It supports rural generalist trainees throughout their training, helping to prepare them for a career providing our regional, rural and remote communities with the essential care they need.

“The Minns Labor Government is improving the access, quality and sustainability of health care in our rural and remote communities through a dedicated medical workforce.

“NSW Health is supporting these doctors through their training and it is great to see them setting down roots in our regional communities and experiencing firsthand how rewarding a career in rural medicine can be.”

Rural Generalist Trainee Dr Jack Grentell:

“Living and working in a regional area gives me the perfect balance, a 10-minute commute, space to enjoy the outdoors, and a strong sense of community. It’s the kind of life I want to build for the future, and I can’t imagine doing anything else.

“This rural generalist pathway has been the perfect fit. It offers security, flexibility, and the ability to plan ahead. Being able to train and work where I want has allowed us to buy a house and settle down, which is rare in medical training.

“With a supportive team behind you and the ability to tailor placements to your interests, you can focus on becoming the kind of doctor you want to be. Every step of the way, I’ve met inspiring people who’ve reaffirmed my decision to stay in regional medicine.

“Being a rural generalist means doing it all, and that diversity is both challenging and incredibly rewarding. You feel truly integrated into the community, and the gratitude from patients reminds you why this work matters.

“Programs like this are essential to ensuring people can get the care they need, close to home. If you’re from a rural background and thinking about entering the program, just give it a crack. We need more people like you out here.”

The Government’s OneFund strategy is delivering strong results, with a balance of $70.4 billion at the end of calendar 2025 and having returned $8.8 billion from its inception at the end of August 2024.

Following the implementation of Phase 2 in 2025, OneFund is now expected to deliver around $2.2 billion more than the previous government’s approach would have delivered by 2028-29.

This will be achieved while also taking on $16.3 billion less debt than the previous government’s approach.

OneFund pools the State’s investment funds together, with all funds sharing a common risk appetite and investment strategy. This structure means that funds can be invested more efficiently and flexibly, with a focus on the longer term.

OneFund has an investment return objective of CPI + 4.5 per cent per annum over rolling 10-year periods, similar to the Australian Government’s Future Fund.

In the 16 months since inception OneFund has returned 11.3 per cent p.a.

TCorp manages OneFund, which initially incorporated $47 billion in investments.  In April 2025, three additional state investment funds worth $11 billion were added.

The State continues to manage market volatility by investing in a diverse portfolio including a number of defensive tools – meaning OneFund is less susceptible to equity market volatility than if it were invested in equities alone.

The Minns Labor Government announced the creation of OneFund in its second Budget as part of an ongoing commitment to budget repair, including turning around a record level of inherited debt.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“The OneFund strategy continues to deliver returns to the NSW taxpayer demonstrating value, not just for today – but decades to come.”

“OneFund has allowed the State to grow its assets base without signing future generations up to the mountain of debt the former government wanted us to take on.”

“Our OneFund strategy allows us to generate strong investment returns over time while reducing the amount of debt the State expects to hold.”

The NSW Government will today introduce legislation into Parliament to strengthen councils’ enforcement powers to shut down unlawful places of worship.

The legislation is a crackdown on ‘factories of hate’ which are unlawfully promoting hate, intimidation and dividing our community.

It will seek to bolster existing powers by increasing fines for illegal places of public worship and give councils the power to cut off their water and power if they breach planning laws and ignore orders to cease.

The Local Government and Other Legislation Amendment (Places of Public Worship) Bill 2026 will support the implementation of measures announced last month in response to the antisemitic terror attack in Bondi on 14 December by amending the Local Government Act 1993 and Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2021.

The proposed legislation will:

• Allow councils to issue development control orders to stop activities on premises that breach planning laws or pose a risk to public health and safety.
• Double existing penalty notice fines from $3,000 to $6,000 for individuals and from $6,000 to $12,000 for corporations.
• Enable councils to apply to the Land and Environment Court for orders directing utility providers of water, electricity and gas to cut off services to hate preaching venues if they fail to comply with an order.
• Increase the maximum existing failure to comply penalties from $11,000 to $110,000 for individuals and from $22,000 to $220,000 for corporations.

The changes will also be complemented by amendments to the Planning System SEPP that introduce a new requirement for local councils to consult with NSW Police on community safety matters before approving a development application for a new place of public worship, including approving changes to the use of an existing place of public worship.

These measures build on previous legislation to combat hate including new offences for inciting racial hatred and displaying Nazi symbols at Jewish places and additional protections for people seeking to attend their place of worship.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“These reforms give councils another practical tool to stop unlawful premises being used to spread hate and intimidation.

“If a place of worship is operating outside the law and dividing the community, councils will now have real power to shut it down.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“There’s no place for factories of hate in NSW. These changes are a practical step the Minns Labor Government are taking to stop hate preachers in their tracks.

“By strengthening enforcement powers and giving NSW Police visibility of development applications for places of public worship we are taking additional steps to keep our communities safe.”

Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said:

“All sectors of the NSW government are working together to implement and enforce these changes which will safeguard and protect our communities.

“Freedom of religion is a fundamental right in NSW but that freedom does not extend to operating unlawfully or putting community safety at risk and this legislation will make sure councils have strong powers to shut down unlawful places of public worship manifesting hate.”

All NSW school staff, including principals and school leaders, will be subject to strengthened conduct requirements that explicitly prohibit hate speech, under reforms to be announced today by the Minns Labor Government.

The changes close a clear gap in existing guidance, which does not adequately address the incitement of hate speech, and make unequivocally clear that engaging in hate speech will not be tolerated by any NSW school.

The changes will come into effect immediately and will apply across more than 3,000 government, independent and Catholic schools and will tighten the rules governing the conduct of all school staff, including school leaders.

Hate speech will be explicitly prohibited in the Codes of Conduct set out by all school sectors and will now apply to all members of school staff.

These changes to the rules follow the new hate speech legislation passed by both the state and Commonwealth governments and build on the Minns Labor Government’s recent legislation to strengthen laws against hate speech and hate crimes, making clear that there is no place for extremism or vilification in our classrooms or our state.

A review into the process to assess a fit and proper person – the legal test required for school leadership – is currently underway to investigate if it is fit for purpose and whether the current standards meet community expectations.

Under the new arrangements, expectations around acceptable conduct will be made clearer in the school registration manuals.

NESA is updating its rules in early Term 1, 2026, which will require all schools to prohibit hate speech in their Codes of Conduct for all people employed at the school.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“Until now, the rules haven’t been clear enough. Schools should be places where young people feel safe, respected and supported, not exposed to hate or extremism.

“These changes make it absolutely clear that hate speech has no place in any NSW classroom, from any staff member, in any school and it gives the regulator clear guidelines to act.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“The vast majority of principals and teachers in NSW schools do an incredible job. They are committed to our students and their education.

“These common sense changes are about maintaining this high standard and giving parents peace of mind.

“When parents send their children to school in NSW, they can know they’re learning in a safe and supportive environment.”