Thousands of public school students start 2026 in new and upgraded schools

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.”

Minns Government reforms overseas driving licence arrangements to keep NSW roads safe

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.”

Last look before the bore: Giant machines take shape, ready to tunnel under Sydney Harbour

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.”

NSW Liberals and Nationals to introduce strong laws to protect children from extremist grooming…

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.

Targeted sanctions in response to brutal repression of protests in Iran

The Australian Government is today imposing further targeted financial sanctions on Iran in response to the regime’s horrific use of violence against its own people.

Since 28 December 2025, the regime has massacred thousands of Iranians while attacking and arresting many thousands more for participating in peaceful protest.

The regime has imposed nationwide internet and telecommunications blackouts in an attempt to conceal the scale of its brutality.

The 20 individuals and 3 entities sanctioned today include senior officials and entities of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who are complicit in oppressing the Iranian people, violently suppressing domestic protests, and threatening lives both inside and outside Iran.

This announcement builds on the Australian Government’s listing of the IRGC as a state sponsor of terrorism and our comprehensive framework of sanctions against Iran.

Today’s action underscores our commitment to standing with the people of Iran alongside international partners against the Iranian regime’s egregious campaign of oppression and destabilisation.

The Albanese Government has now sanctioned more than 200 Iranian individuals and entities and more than 100 IRGC-linked individuals and entities.

For further information on Australia’s sanctions settings, please visit the Australia and sanctions page on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

National Foundation for Australia-China Relations grants and board appointments

Today I announce the recipients of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations 2025-26 grants round and new appointments to the Foundation’s Advisory Board.

This year, the Foundation will provide grants that support cooperation and engagement between the people of Australia and China. These projects contribute to the ongoing stabilisation of our bilateral relationship. They will support risk-informed engagement with China while strengthening our China capability at home and building meaningful engagement with Chinese-Australian communities.

The funded initiatives span a range of priorities, including:

  • Advancing cooperation with China in the priority areas of climate change, steel decarbonisation and sustainable agriculture
  • Expanding the scope and depth of dialogues by supporting new initiatives focused on foreign, economic and trade policy
  • Building Australia’s long-term China capabilities, through programs that invest in China literacy, research and expertise
  • Empowering Chinese-Australian communities, including through programs that foster civic understanding and leadership
  • Supporting Chinese international students, recognising their importance to Australia’s education sector and long-term people-to-people ties
  • Drawing on arts, culture and sport to build mutual understanding, promote Australia in China, and strengthen people-to-people ties.

There are three new appointments to the Advisory Board of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations.

I am pleased to appoint the Hon Mr Simon Birmingham, CEO of the Australian Banking Association; Mr Clinton Dines, Non-Executive Director and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University Asia Institute; and Dr Darren Lim, Senior Lecturer at the Australian National University, to the Advisory Board.

Together, they bring deep expertise spanning trade and foreign policy, business and research.

The Advisory Board helps guide the Foundation in its work to promote and coordinate enhanced cooperation between Australia and China, in support of Australia’s national interest.

I thank outgoing Advisory Board members Mr Douglas Gautier AM, Dr Wesa Chau and Mr Rowan Callick OBE for their valuable service and contributions.

Through these grants and appointments, the Foundation will continue to strengthen engagement with China in Australia’s interest. More information is available at: National Foundation for Australia-China Relations website.

Greens: Labor’s refusal to sign international statement condemning Israel for demolishing UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem is a new low for the Albanese government

On 20 January, Israel demolished the East Jerusalem headquarters of UNRWA, and 11 countries including UK, Canada and France have signed a joint statement condemning Israel for this action. The Albanese government has declined to sign up to this international statement.

Senator Mehreen Faruqi, Deputy Leader of the Greens and spokesperson for International Aid and Global Justice: 

“Labor’s refusal to join even Canada, the UK and France to condemn Israel for demolishing UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem shows Minister Wong has completely given up the pretense of caring about aid to Palestinians.

“Silence on Israel’s bulldozing of UNRWA headquarters was bad enough, but not even having the moral fortitude to join like-minded nations to condemn them is yet another low for the Albanese Labor government. Though, what else can you expect from a divisive government who is laying out a welcome mat for the president of a state committing genocide and who still hasn’t torn up Trump’s invitation to join the farcical and imperial so-called ‘board of peace’?

“At a time where UNWRA and aid is needed the most, this is just going to further fast-track Israel’s genocide and erasure of Palestinians who are already facing starvation, bombing and murder even during a ceasefi

Labor must not leave inflation fight to RBA

Australians are bracing for another interest rate rise because Labor has turbo-charged the housing crisis and refused to tackle corporate price gouging, the Greens say.

With the RBA likely to raise rates this week, the Greens argue that millions of people will face an interest rate rise because the government has not tackled two major causes of inflation, spiraling housing costs and corporate profiteering.

Sen. Larissa Waters, Leader of the Australian Greens said:

“If you’re a mortgage holder or a renter, you face being hit by the RBA to “fix” the government’s “inflation problem”.

“Anyone with a mortgage will be giving more per month to the big banks. Renters are going to cop it as it will trickle down into unfair rent rises. That leaves you with less money to spend on food, or the things you enjoy.

“It’s hard enough right now to get ahead, you shouldn’t be doing it harder. It shouldn’t be on you.

“This is about choices. The government’s priorities mean that you are copping the pain while banks, energy companies and property investors keep winning.

“If they’d taken them on, you wouldn’t be getting a rate rise.”

Sen. Nick McKim, Greens Economic Justice spokesperson said:

“Labor has chosen to leave inflation to the Reserve Bank instead of tackling some of the causes of rising prices – skyrocketing housing costs and corporate price gouging.

“If the Reserve Bank increases interest rates the Treasurer will wring his hands and pretend he shares peoples’ pain when in reality he is responsible for increasing pressure on the RBA to raise.

“If you have a mortgage you are going to feel the pain, while the big banks keep winning. If you’re renting, higher interest rates will flow straight into rent increases.

“Labor pretends this is out of their control. It isn’t. This is about political choices, and Labor has chosen to protect corporate profits while ordinary people wear the pain.

“Big corporations are driving up prices and making massive profits, and Labor refuses to make price gouging illegal across the economy.

“At the same time, Labor is handing out around $180 billion in investor tax breaks that push up house prices and rents.

“The big winners from rising interest rates are the big banks, which already make around $200,000 in profit on the average mortgage.

“Energy giants like AGL and Origin are also cashing in, with around a third of people’s power bills going straight to profit.

“We need to make corporate price gouging illegal, and we need to end tax breaks that help wealthy investors hoard housing.

“People deserve a government that fights for them, not one that leaves inflation to the RBA while protecting big banks and corporations.”

Sen. Barbara Pocock, Greens Finance, Housing and Homelessness spokesperson said:

“In the midst of a housing crisis, families across Australia are holding their breath in anticipation of another interest rate rise. Millions of people are already in mortgage stress, already hurting in a cost of living crisis.

“Australia’s inflation problem is being driven largely by rising house prices, caused by Labor’s failed housing policies.

“$181 billion worth of investor tax handouts are driving up the cost of housing. Investor lending is running hot and now economy wide inflation is in resurgence.

“Labor’s 5% deposit scheme, combined with their massive subsidies for property investors are spiking housing costs, which is the biggest driver of inflation.

“It’s clear that Labor cares more about investors with dozens of properties than it does about renters, first home buyers and homeless people.

‘The Albanese government must urgently slow housing inflation. Labor needs to stop treating housing like a game of monopoly. It needs to scrap the tax breaks for wealthy property investors and directly build social and affordable houses.”

Latest AEC donations data shows Labor and Liberals still pocketing handouts from their favourite corporations

The latest update to the Australian Electoral Commission’s transparency register confirms that the major parties continue to take handouts from the same big corporations and dirty industries in exchange for access and influence.

Fossil fuel companies, gambling interests, pharmaceutical companies and the major banks and supermarkets continue to write cheques to Labor and the Liberals – while Australians pay the price with weak climate laws, stalled gambling reform, and rising cost of living pressures.

With analysis ongoing, some of the largest sources of funds for Labor from the 2024/25 data includes donations of $100,000 each from the Australian Hotels Association and the Pharmacy Guild, $82,000 from the Minerals Council of Australia, one of the country’s largest fossil fuel lobbies, $130,000 combined from gambling companies Sportsbet and Tabcorp, and hundreds of thousands from major fossil fuel companies like Santos, Chevron, Inpex and Woodside, and the peaks that represent them.  

Many of these payments are classified as “other receipts,” a vague category that can allow corporations to buy access to events and forums where they can directly influence politicians.

This week, the Greens intend to reintroduce legislation to ban donations from industries that profit at the expense of the public good.

Greens Democracy Spokesperson, Senator Steph Hodgins-May:

“Once again, we see Labor getting cosy with the big corporations that are ripping off everyday Australians.

“While households struggle with groceries and rent, Labor continues to take hundreds of thousands of dollars in dirty donations from the very companies causing the cost of living crisis. 

“Fossil fuel giants have bought their way into the heart of our government. It’s why Labor’s new nature laws ignore climate change — they’re protecting the billions they hand out to big polluters instead of protecting our planet.

“There’s massive public support for real gambling reform but instead of listening to the families being ripped apart by gambling harm, it spends its time banking cheques from multinationals like Sportsbet and Tabcorp.

“If there was any doubt that Labor answers to big corporations, this is the latest receipt. It shows they prioritise the interests of Woolworths, Woodside and Westpac over the needs of everyday families.

“We welcome better donation disclosure, but sunlight alone won’t stop these dirty deals. If we want a democracy that works for the people, we have to ban dirty donations altogether.

Liberals Unveil Plan to Cut Red Tape and Get Australia’s Economy Moving Again

The Liberal Party today announced a comprehensive deregulation agenda to get Australia’s economy moving again, lift productivity, and reverse the decline in living standards under Labor.

At the heart of this agenda we will cut red tape so tradies, farmers and businesses can spend less time dealing with government and more time doing their job, saving time and saving money.

This will help small business and large businesses reduce compliance, and get government out of the way of enterprise by:

  • Establishing a clear target to reduce the overall red tape burden
  • Conducting the first comprehensive regulatory stocktake since 2014
  • Cutting the existing stock of unnecessary and duplicative regulation
  • Stopping the flow of new red tape through stronger regulatory discipline
  • Introducing a national red tape tracker to improve transparency and accountability
  • Using technology and AI to simplify compliance and reduce regulatory burden

After nearly four years of the Albanese Government, Australians are working harder but getting ahead less. 

Australia has experienced the largest decline in living standards in the developed world, while economic growth and productivity have stalled.

Since Labor came to office, GDP per capita has been flat or falling in 10 of the past 13 quarters, including no growth at all in the most recent quarter.

Productivity has gone backwards, falling by 0.8 per cent over the last year, undermining wages growth, business investment and long-term prosperity.

The Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley said Australia is being weighed down by a growing web of red and green tape that is choking enterprise, investment and innovation.

“Australia cannot grow its way to higher wages and better living standards if productivity continues to fall,” the Leader of the Opposition said.

“Right now, our economy is being smothered by regulation with businesses spending more time filling out forms than investing, employing and growing.

“Labor’s answer to every problem is another rule, another process, another layer of bureaucracy and that approach is failing.”

Research shows the cost of complying with federal regulation has risen to around $160 billion, equivalent to 5.8 per cent of GDP, up sharply over the past decade. 

Since coming to office, Labor has introduced thousands of new regulations and hundreds of new laws, adding billions of dollars in compliance costs to the economy 

Under Labor, Australia’s global competitiveness has slipped, productivity growth has declined, and living standards have gone backwards. 

Small businesses, farmers, tradies and manufacturers are on the front line of this failure.

The Liberal Party’s deregulation agenda is focused on one clear goal: getting the economy moving again by lifting productivity and restoring confidence to invest and grow.

Today, the Liberal Party is releasing a discussion paper outlining a practical plan to cut red tape and reboot Australian enterprise.

Shadow Minister for Productivity and Deregulation Senator Andrew Bragg said deregulation is not about lowering standards, but about ensuring rules are fit for purpose and work for Australians.

“Good regulation protects the public interest while bad regulation crushes initiative and holds the country back,” Senator Bragg said.

“Australia’s economic recovery will not come from Canberra writing more rules. 

“It will come from backing Australians to take risks, start businesses, build homes and create jobs.

“We cannot lift wages, restore living standards or strengthen the budget unless we fix productivity and we cannot fix productivity unless we cut red tape.”

The Liberal Party is inviting businesses, industry groups and the broader community to make submissions on where red tape is doing the most damage and how it can be cut, streamlined or modernised 

The Liberal Party’s door is open to businesses, industry groups and the broader community to contribute practical ideas and real-world examples from those who deal with regulation every day and understand where the system is broken.

This agenda is about restoring economic momentum, rebuilding confidence and getting Australia moving again.