Category: NSW News

Major construction is underway on the $940 million redevelopment of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPA), which will deliver the biggest transformation in the hospital’s 140-year history.

Premier Chris Minns, Health Minister Ryan Park and Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully joined health workers at the site for a traditional sod-turn event to mark the important milestone.

The major milestone follows the recent approval of the State Significant Development Application for the project.

The $940 million RPA Hospital Redevelopment, with over 700 acute beds available at the end of the project, includes:

• expanded and enhanced emergency department and intensive care units. With the hospital’s Emergency Department to expand from 42 treatment spaces to 91 treatment spaces
• more than a 50% increase in the adult intensive care bed capacity from 49 adult intensive care unit (ICU) beds to 74 adult ICU beds
• state-of-the-art operating theatres.
• expanded and improved adult and paediatric inpatient accommodation/beds
• increased interventional and imaging services
• enhanced maternity services and neonatal services. With the Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Special Care Nurser increasing capacity by more than 30% from 34 beds to 45 beds
• improved signage and landscaping throughout the hospital campus
• a new open garden courtyard.

Work on the redevelopment is being carefully planned to ensure clinical services remain operational during construction, while staff and the community will continue to be updated as the project progresses.

The start of major construction marks the completion of enabling works on site, which includes the temporary relocation of the helicopter landing site to the roof of a multi-storey carpark located off Hospital Road and Grose Street, on RPA’s western campus.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“RPA is one of Australia’s leading hospitals, renowned for its excellence in providing innovative health care and education.

“It is exciting to see the redevelopment taking shape in the heart of Sydney not only for local inner west residents but for patients right across the state who may require the complex healthcare and cutting-edge services that RPA is renowned for.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“The RPA Hospital redevelopment is a once-in-a-generation project which will continue to deliver world-class healthcare facilities to our communities right across the state.

“This major investment will enhance access to vital health services including construction of a new 15-storey clinical services building, an expanded emergency department and intensive care unit, more inpatient beds, as well as medical imaging, operating theatres and neonatal areas.

“I want to thank all the clinicians, staff and the community who have been engaged in the planning and design of the redevelopment every step of the way.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“This state significant development approval will deliver the biggest transformation in the RPA hospital’s 140-year history of caring for the community.

“It is an investment in our future to ensure the growing populations have access to the highest quality health care for years to come.

“The project will generate 1400 construction jobs and 900 additional health related jobs when it’s complete. I am pleased it will be not only be able to provide high-quality health care it will also be able to give the local economy a boost in the process.”  

Get more information on the Royal Prince Alfred hospital redevelopment.launch

War widows in New South Wales were honoured today with events across the state to commemorate the second annual War Widows Day.

War Widows Day is held annually on 19 October, the birthday of Mrs Jessie Vasey OBE CBE (1897-1966), founder of the Australian War Widows Guild.

Mrs Vasey, widow of Major General George Vasey who was killed en route to New Guinea during the Second World War, founded the NSW War Widows Graft Guild, a self-help organisation to support women widowed in the War to come to terms with their loss, while creating opportunities to support themselves and their children financially.

There are more than 15,000 war widows in NSW. Over 1,200 veterans transition from the ADF into NSW annually, and many of these veterans have a family that has supported them through their service.

This year, the Guild, now known as Australian War Widows NSW, is partnering with Legacy to recognise war widows and celebrate their contributions to their families, their communities, and the nation.

Minister for Veterans David Harris will join war widows and the defence and veteran community at a commemorative service at the Cenotaph in Martin Place.

Get more information on how to support War Widows Day.launch

Minister for Veterans David Harris said:

“From the Great War and Second World War, through to more recent conflicts and peacekeeping operations, the service of our veterans is acknowledged and commemorated at various times throughout the year.

“Yet, every veteran has a family, and we must not forget the important role that family plays in thelives of veterans, and the sacrifices that families also make that allow veterans to serve their country.

“Families of our veterans are their primary support network, and families too can be affected by the service of their loved ones.

“It is wonderful that we now have a War Widows Day. The NSW Government designated this day last year, and it is great to see this gaining traction around the country.

“NSW is leading the way in many aspects of veteran support, and with thanks to Australian War Widows NSW we are now paving the way for support to families too.”

CEO of Australian War Widows, Ms Renee Wilson said:

“Today is a special day as war widows from around New South Wales have come together to acknowledge War Widows Day, in honour of our founder, to celebrate the contributions to our families, our communities and our nation.

“I invite you to continue to stand with our war widows and widowers, and to show your support through purchasing a limited release lapel pin or support our ‘Buy a Widow a Coffee’ campaign, to help raise much needed funds to help us to deliver our social connections program.” 

The NSW Government has announced that work is underway on a new single digital patient record (SDPR) system.

The current system for recording health records is complex, cumbersome and outdated.

Currently we have 9 systems used for electronic medical records, 10 patient administration systems and 5 pathology laboratory information manage systems in use across NSW Health.

NSW Health is now working on a single streamlined system to record patient records to replace and consolidate what is currently available.

The current system(s)

Currently, these systems are not connected statewide.

Data is routinely collected but is often unable to be shared or integrated in real time.

This can create duplicative data collection or create information gaps in decision making.

As a result, patients may have to recall and repeat complex medical information when they’re feeling unwell.

Often this is when patients are receiving care at different locations or from separate treatment teams and impacts the experience of care they receive.

Benefits to patients

The new system will improve patient experience through better continuity of care.

The SDPR will reduce the need for patients or their carers to recall and repeat health information.

It will provide patients with secure access to relevant medical data to help them make informed care choices and self-manage their own health and wellbeing.

And it will also facilitate more informed consultations.

Benefits to clinicians

The SDPR will provide clinicians with access to full patient clinical information in any location, supporting better continuity of care for patients.

The new system will promote clinical safety and quality, reducing unnecessary duplication of care.

It will also reduce the amount of manual administration, streamline record keeping and give clinicians more time at the bedside.

Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“The NSW Government’s new single digital patient record, will deliver healthcare workers and their patients with consistent, timely and secure health information.

“A consolidated and centralised record keeping system will provide a holistic and integrated view of the care a patient receives right across the NSW public health system.

“As Health Minister, one of my priorities is to embrace innovative solutions to find efficiencies in the way we deliver care.”

NSW Health Secretary Susan Pearce AM said:

“We can now move into the next exciting phase of this project, which is to work together across all of NSW Health on the design, build and testing of the Single Digital Patient Record, so we can create a world-class digital platform that meets the diverse needs of our clinicians, staff, patients and carers.

“The Single Digital Patient Record will support NSW Health’s ongoing commitment to delivering safe, timely, high quality, equitable and patient-centred healthcare for the people of NSW.”

Local residents in Western and South Western Sydney, Dubbo, Queanbeyan, and the Murray region will be encouraged to take up secondary careers in teaching under a new program targeting areas with high demand for teachers.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said the Grow Your Own: Local Teacher Pipeline (LTP) program would help to address the state’s teacher shortage by providing participants financial and other support to complete a secondary teaching qualification.

In return participants would teach at a local public high school for at least 3 years.

The new pipeline program expands on the existing Grow Your Own initiative, which supports non-teaching NSW public school staff to gain their professional qualifications as teachers.

Eligible schools will help identify local people with teaching potential for the LTP program, including potential career changers, school administration and support staff, high school leavers, and existing initial teacher education students.

The team will work with interested schools to identify which areas are most in need locally, with participants’ studies starting from term 1, 2024.

Up to 75 applicants will be offered a place in 1 of 3 paths to qualification:

• undergraduate pathway, with a $30,000 training allowance over 4 years
• postgraduate pathway, with a $30,000 training allowance over 2 years
• industry experience pathway, with a $30,000 training allowance over 2 years and a retention incentive of up to $30,000 paid over the first 3 years of teaching in a NSW public school in an agreed location.

Participants will work 1 day a week to benefit from in-school experience in a local NSW public high school while completing their studies.

Applications are now open until Tuesday 31 October for participants to begin study in term 1, 2024.

To apply, visit Grow Your Own Local Teacher Pipelinelaunch.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Prue Car said:

“This program is tailor-made to help schools where the demand for teachers is particularly high, by tapping into existing local talent within these communities.

“Alongside our once-in-a-generation wage rise for teachers and moves to ease teacher workload, this is another step the Minns Labor government is taking to restore teaching as a career of choice and lift student academic outcomes.”

Football fans will be treated to a jam-packed 4-day schedule in January 2024 with the A-League’s first ever Unite Round.

Unite Round is a coming together of all 13 A-Leagues men’s and women’s clubs, as well as grassroots competitors from under-8 to under-18 age groups.

The Unite Round is being introduced for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons, as the Australian Professional League’s partnership with Destination NSW enters its second year.

As part of the updated partnership, the hosting rights for the finals series from season 2023-24 will revert to previous arrangements whereby the final is hosted by the highest placed qualifier from the Semi Finals.

During Unite Round, grassroots tournaments for junior boys and girls will take place at venues across Sydney from Thursday 11 January, while double-header A-Leagues matches will be hosted at Allianz Stadium, CommBank Stadium and Leichhardt Oval between Friday 12 and Sunday 14 January.

There will be a festival of football surrounding the A-Leagues fixtures with activations, a fan festival and other events taking place across four days.

The Unite Round will provide more opportunity for all players and fans to be part of an inclusive football celebration in Sydney, and strong economic and community benefits for the people of NSW.

Tickets for A-Leagues Unite Round will be on sale from Monday 6 November.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“Unite Round is great news for the football community, and for NSW.

“This will bring fans and players from around the country together in Sydney.

“I encourage fans to get involved in this festival of football.”

Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

“This is a chance for fans and players from right around Australia to come together, be united and be part of something special right here in Sydney.

“The Unite Round is a win-win for fans, the game and NSW as it will provide more opportunity for all players and fans to be part of an inclusive football celebration in Sydney.

“Unite Round will also deliver strong economic and community benefits for the people of NSW – it is estimated Unite Round will attract more than 42,000 people to Sydney for the event and generate more than $10.2 million in visitor expenditure for the state’s economy.”

Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“Sydney has more football fans and players than any other state and our culture of celebrating major sporting milestones is second-to-none.

“We can’t wait to welcome Australia’s football family to Sydney for the debut A-Leagues Unite Round next January and to see this tradition grow.

“This will be the first sporting code to celebrate a full men’s and women’s round in a single city in Australia.”

Australian Professional Leagues Chair the Hon Stephen Conroy said:

“We saw record crowds in the men’s and women’s finals series last season, and we again saw the appetite for professional football in NSW during the FIFA Women’s World Cup. Having all of our teams in one place, over one weekend, is a fantastic way to serve up the best of the A-Leagues for our fans. 

“We are one of the only leagues in the world where almost every club has both men’s and women’s teams, so we are uniquely positioned to create an event like this.

“We thank Premier Minns, the NSW Government and Destination NSW for this fundamentally important partnership and for their continuing support for the development of football in Australia.”

Australian Professional Leagues CEO Danny Townsend said:

“The Unite Round is a brand-new experience which brings together all A-Leagues clubs, fans and grassroots players together for the very first time in Sydney in an unprecedented celebration of football. With the women’s domestic attendance record already broken twice on the first day of this season, we are looking forward to welcoming A-Leagues fans, old and new, to experience our leagues.”

“We have worked closely with our clubs and fans to ensure that there are suitable constructive mechanisms for the voices of fans to be heard. Many of the resulting conversations have included the hosting of the Grand Finals, and the strong sentiments around that, and we thank Destination NSW and Premier Minns for their partnership in creating a truly inclusive experience for our game.”

The NSW Government is today announcing it will hold its vaping roundtable on 16 November as the next step in its commitment to curbing the growing issue of vaping in NSW schools.

This week, invitations were extended to key stakeholders to take part in the NSW Government’s first Vaping Roundtable.

The roundtable will hear from principals, students, health experts, and other key stakeholders about the community-wide issue of vaping.

The Vaping Roundtable will:

• hear evidence on how vaping is affecting young people and schools
• discuss effective school-based vaping interventions.

Those invited to the roundtable include:

• NSW Chief Health Officer, Dr. Kerry Chant.
• Manager of the Cancer Council NSW’s Tobacco Control Unit, Alecia Brooks.
• University of Sydney School of Public Health Associate Professor, Becky Freeman.
• Leaders from the:
  • NSW Department of Education.
  • NSW Teachers Federation.
  • NSW P & C Federation.
  • NSW Advocate for Children and Young People.

A number of NSW public, independent and Catholic primary and secondary school principals have also been invited to the roundtable to discuss their experiences of dealing with vaping and vape-related incidents in their schools.

Information and findings gathered at the roundtable will be used to inform future NSW Government policies and interventions into combatting the issue of vaping in schools.

This work comes in addition to $6.8 million invested by the Minns Labor Government in cracking down on the sale of illegal vapes, to support young people addicted to vaping.

This work will also complement measures implemented by the Australian Government, including its commitment to restrict the sale of vapes and e-cigarettes.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“We’re committed to addressing the prevalence of vaping in NSW schools.”

“The evidence suggests that vaping is now becoming a gateway for an increase in smoking rates in young people.

“This is a way to hear directly from schools, health experts and other key stakeholders on how we can begin to address this serious health issue in our schools.”

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

“Many principals, teachers, parents and schools are struggling with the growing issue of vaping, and how best to deal with it.

“Vaping is a community-wide issue, and the Minns Labor Government is committed to addressing it with an evidenced-based approached.

“It is important we take on board what we are hearing form health experts, and we listen to what our teachers and principals are telling us.”

Minister for Health and Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said:

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to doing all we can to protect our students from the dangers posed by vaping.

“We know the number of young people vaping is growing, and it’s important we move ahead with an evidenced-based measures to tackle this concerning issue.

“It’s important we take the time to consult with experts as we formulate the best step forward as we look to curb the issue of vaping within our schools.”

The NSW Government is raising the stakes in the war on pest animals, with the state’s first feral pig coordinator ready to roll out a boosted $13 million control program to support farmers.

Highlights of the NSW Government’s program include: 

• NSW’s first dedicated feral pig coordinator appointed to lead the program
• Establishing 3 priority landscape control zones to knock down numbers and reduce impacts in feral pig hotspots across Riverina, northwest, and western NSW
• Boosting regional control programs, including 46 of the highly effective aerial shooting campaigns, and further support existing landholder driven programs
• Equipping farmers with 99 capacity building events to inform them on the latest tools and advice needed to actively manage pest animals
• Fully subsidising the cost of treating grain to bait feral pigs for farmers participating in the Feral Fighters program.

The state’s first feral pig coordinator, Bec Gray, brings to the role 12 years of experience working directly with landholders to manage feral pigs and other pest animals.

Over the next 8 months, she will drive the program to cull at least 87,000 feral pigs across NSW with high focus on the 3 priority hotspots.

These hotspots are known as ‘landscape control zones’ are based on known feral pig populations, impacts on agricultural and environmental assets, plus known landholder control efforts.

This model has proven to be a leading approach to pest animal management, with biosecurity officers and landholders working side by side, across private and public land.

NSW Local Land Services will adapt programs based on feral pig behaviours and movements.

With predicted dry conditions and warm weather over summer, control programs will focus around water resources as feral pigs will concentrate in these areas as other water sources deplete. 

Contact your nearest Local Land Services office on 1300 795 299launch or visit lls.nsw.gov.aulaunch for more information on how to get involved in the Feral Pig Control Program 2023-24. 

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“We have listened to farmers’ concerns since we were elected to government, and we have now delivered a practical plan that will tackle the feral pig population in NSW, getting results in the paddocks and for communities.

“Feral pigs are destructive animals that have huge impacts to farming operations, our economy and our biodiversity.

“I welcome Bec Gray to the pig coordinator role and look forward to her leading the way in managing the feral pigs program.

“This new $13 million program is modelled on extremely successful pig control programs and is targeting areas across the state with high density feral pig populations to get the greatest impact on pig numbers.

“A strong focus of the program is supporting landholders through practical training to help control feral pigs on their properties and subsided feral pig bait.

“Tackling a rising feral pig population requires government and farmers to work side by side, and this program will do exactly that.” 

Local Land Services Feral Pig Coordinator Bec Gray said:

“I am excited to get started and work with a fantastic team as part of this new role.

“We are here to provide support to farmers and to help coordinate large-scale feral pig control programs. Land managers need to play their role and participate in these programs. 

“I have seen firsthand the damage feral pigs cause to agricultural production and the environment, and I am pleased to see a dedicated feral pig program to assist landowners to manage this issue. 

“One of the focuses of this program is capacity-building, to ensure landholders can continue to manage feral pigs on their property into the future to protect their farming operations.

“The more landholders taking part in control programs, the more successful they will be at reducing feral pig numbers and protecting farming operations.

“I encourage farmers and land managers to get in contact with their nearest Local Land Services Biosecurity Officer and work closely with their neighbours in coordinated programs as this gets the best results.”

People across NSW can receive free, personalised business support on 26 and 27 October with more than 50 Service NSW Centres hosting pop-up booths during Small Business Month. 

The specialised Business Booths will be available from 10am to 4pm and provide face-to-face support for business owners.

Each Business Booth will host a Service NSW Business Concierge who can identify unique business needs and strengths and connect customers to government services or advice to create a tailored plan. 

This includes help with applying for licences and permits and accessing mental health support for business owners and employees.

The Business Concierge team has supported businesses across NSW more than 460,000 times and respond to more than 150 requests for support from businesses every day.

Business Concierges can also connect business owners with an independent Business Connect or Aboriginal business advisor for help with essential business management topics such as business planning, marketing and cash flow, alongside access to events and online resources with practical insights and business skills development.

There are more than 840,000 small businesses in NSW, which make up 98% of all NSW businesses. NSW small businesses employ 1.8 million people in the private sector, which is around 45% of the state’s private sector workforce.

NSW Small Business Month is a month-long program created for small businesses across the state to attend events aligned to their individual business interests. The theme for October 2023 is My Small Business and is focused on providing assistance and tips on how small businesses can strengthen their business.

To book a Business Booth appointment, call Service NSW on 13 77 88launch. 
 
For more information about business support available through Service NSWlaunch.

NSW Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said: 

“The NSW Government is focused on removing barriers for small business owners at every stage of their business journey, so to celebrate we are providing Business Booths in Service NSW Centres across the state during Small Business Month.” 

“The Business Booths are a wonderful way to connect with the business community while providing free, face-to-face support for people looking to start, run or grow a business in NSW.”

“A strong business idea is the same in any language, in every community and Service NSW can coordinate translating services in any language to be available for an advisory session.” 

The NSW Government is continuing to invest in grassroots sporting organisations and championing women’s participation is sport with the opening of the Level the Playing Field Program and Organisation Sport Program.

From today, up to $30 million is available to providers of grassroots sport through the Level the Playing Field Program to support the continued growth of women’s and girls’ sport and recreation off the back of the Matildas’ success in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. 

The program will fund new and upgraded facilities as well as deliver fit-for-purpose amenities, such as change rooms and improved lighting, to foster a safe and inclusive environment for women and girls.

The NSW Government has also doubled the funding available to state sporting organisations, with $5 million aimed at supporting organisations to increase participation of in sport and recreation, with greater incentives for increasing female participation in sport both on and off the field.

Both grant programs are now open for applications.

Level the Playing Field Program applications will close at 1pm on Thursday 30 November 2023.

Organisation Support Program applications will close at 2pm on Friday 11 November 2023.

To apply, visit:

• Level the Playing Fieldlaunch
• Organisation Support Programlaunch.

NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“The Matildas have changed the landscape of women’s sport forever and this funding will ensure the momentum continues across all codes.

“Research shows that girls start to lose interest in sport and physical activity during their teens. Factors that can influence their decision to withdraw from sport include the quality of facilities and whether the environment is inclusive.

“Our aim is to nurture the lifelong participation of girls in sport by delivering fit-for-purpose facilities and amenities so that women and girls of all ages feel comfortable, safe and welcome.”

NSW Minister for Women Jodie Harrison:

“Watching the Matildas during the recent Women’s World Cup really galvanised the nation and put a fire in the belly of women and girls to get involved in sport.

“But we know women face different barriers to men when participating in sport. This is an important announcement which demonstrates the NSW Government’s commitment to levelling the playing field and backing female participation in sport.”

Chairman Sports NSW Chris Hall said:

“The increased funding through the Organisation Support Program is vital to ensuring our sporting codes can swiftly respond to emerging trends and challenges as well as increase participation across the state.

“It is particularly important that state sporting organisations are supported to build capacity so they can increase diversity and grow participation in NSW.

“Community sport builds connected, healthy and active communities – which would not be possible without the support of the NSW Government.”

Applications are now open for $16 million in NSW Government funding to maintain and improve Crown land reserves for the use of communities across the state, with $14 million in grants and $2 million in loans on offer.

Applications for the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund (CRIF) are open from 16 October to 17 November 2023 through Crown Lands in the Department of Planning and Environment. 

Eligible applicants include all Crown land managers including local councils, community organisations, and user groups that are licensed to use Crown reserves across NSW, as well as commons and also showgrounds on freehold land.

CRIF grants and loans support projects that can deliver social, cultural, environmental or economic benefits to local communities. They help maintain and upgrade reserves and facilities on them so residents can use and enjoy them, and also protect areas of important environmental land.

Grants also support weed and pest management projects to ensure we have healthy public reserves that help protect native plants and animals from invasive species.

The 2023-24 CRIF round will focus on projects that have positive community impacts by:

• Maintaining or increasing public access, amenity and use of a reserve.
• Supporting social cohesion and participation in community life.
• Enabling people with accessibility requirements or living with a disability to be included.
• Delivering a service or infrastructure to enable Aboriginal people to access, care for or protect and manage land.
• Conserving heritage values and/or natural values of a reserve.
• Creating employment or business opportunities.

For more information and to apply visit Crown Reserves Improvement Fundlaunch. 

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“Crown reserves support communities by protecting the environment and providing open spaces and facilities for parks, ovals, walking, cycling, camping and other sports and recreation activities, to keep communities healthy and happy.

“They also provide land for community organisations and assets like showgrounds, public halls, scouts and girl guide groups, surf life saving clubs, racecourses and more.

“These grants will help ensure local community land continues to prosper into the future.”