Category: NSW News

The Minns Labor government has doubled penalties and prison terms under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 as part of a suite of measures to create safer workplaces across the state.

Under the former government, workplace safety penalties were frozen for nearly 10 years.

Despite an Australia-wide ban on the manufacture, use and importation of asbestos coming into force in 2004, to this day, asbestos continues to still make its way into NSW workplaces.

These new laws will:

• Increase every court penalty imposed in NSW relating to unsafe workplaces.
• Increase maximum fines from $798,383 to $2,168,029 and the maximum imprisonment time from 5 years to 10 years, for the worst offences under Work Health and Safety (WHS) Laws, known as Category 1 offences.
• Empower SafeWork to issue a ‘prohibited asbestos notice,’ to direct people and employers to take safety measures to remove and manage asbestos in the workplace. These amendments will enable the work health and safety regulator to ensure that prohibited asbestos, also referred to as illegally installed asbestos, is removed permanently from workplaces.
• Stop employers gaming WHS laws by banning the use of insurance to pay for WHS fines as a ‘cost of doing business’.
• Establish a silica worker register to track and trace exposed workers to enable early intervention and better healthcare research.

The silica register is 1 part of a comprehensive response the NSW Government is pursuing, including increased silicosis screening, worker education and industry compliances blitzes, while the Commonwealth process nears completion.

Commonwealth WHS ministers will meet in coming weeks to decide on a new regulatory framework or ban on manufactured stone.

These new laws will also clarify powers and responsibilities of inspectors and the liability of corporations for the actions of officers, employees and agents.

Minister for Work Health and Safety and Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:

“I’m sick and tired of seeing lives unnecessarily lost and people being injured at work. These new laws demonstrate just how seriously this government takes keeping workers safe in NSW.

“Everyone deserves a safe place to work, everyone deserves to come home safely to their family and loved ones”.

The Minns government has charted the future course for icare to better protect 3.4 million workers in NSW, with the passage of the State Insurance and Care Governance Amendment (ICNSW Governance) Bill 2023.

icare is now legally required to be transparent, promote early treatment and care for injury and illness and to maintain the affordability of premiums. Treasury will also be empowered to access information to further support icare’s continuous improvement in accountability and transparency.

Astonishingly, since its creation under the former NSW Government icare has operated without objectives set out in legislation. This flaw was highlighted in the 2021 McDougall Review which made recommendations the Minns Government is delivering on.

The objectives introduced to the State Insurance and Care Governance (SICG) Act 2015 include:

• icare must maintain the affordability of insurance as well as the efficiency and viability of all the schemes it administers.
• icare should focus on providing access to treatment and care that helps injured persons get back to work and other activities in the community.
• icare should promote efficiency, transparency and accountability in the conduct of its operations.

Under the changes transparency and oversight of icare will be promoted with power given to the Treasurer and Treasury to request certain information from the state-run insurer.

The amendments also improve the way public interest directions are given to icare’s board by the minister, clarifying the advice the minister must request from the board.

icare provides workers’ compensation for about 330,000 businesses and 3.4 million workers in NSW, managing about 60,000 new claims each year.

Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:

“Putting clearly defined goals in legislation for icare will give the agency a clear direction for the future and is yet another step towards restoring workers’ faith and trust in icare.

“The transparency measures introduced today will give the government more oversight of icare, making sure mistakes made in the past are not repeated and the agency is held accountable.

“These changes put workers’ compensation at the forefront of icare’s objectives, giving the agency a mandate to deliver the best services and affordable insurance to those who need it.”

The Albanese and Minns governments are building infrastructure back better across areas of NSW impacted by natural disasters over the past 3 years.

A total of 136 projects across large parts of the state will repair or build back essential public and community assets to a more resilient standard, through 2 jointly funded programs under the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

With more than $260 million awarded to local councils and NSW Government agencies, the funding will be delivered through the Infrastructure Betterment Fund and Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Package – Community Assets Program.

The Infrastructure Betterment Fund is focused on building back essential public assets, such as roads, bridges and drainage impacted by the storm and flood events in 2021 and 2022, as well as the 2019–2020 Black Summer bushfires. Funding will mean assets are repaired to a more resilient standard that can better withstand future natural disasters, while also delivering associated economic, social and productivity benefits.

The Community Assets Program is repairing and building back community assets, including parks, walkways, community buildings, and tourism and recreational facilities, impacted by the storm and flood events in February and June 2022.

The program’s key focus is on incorporating betterment principles into projects to make sure they are more resilient, while also focusing on accessibility and inclusion benefits of rebuilt assets.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the funding will help local councils and NSW Government agencies to improve the resilience of essential assets damaged by natural disasters.

“This significant investment by the Albanese and Minns governments supports the massive reconstruction program that’s needed following 3 years of natural disasters across NSW,” Minister Watt said.

“By rebuilding our schools, roads and drainage systems back to a higher standard, we are better prepared for future disasters, and can keep communities connected, reduce the amount of hardship they experience, as well as avoid future reconstruction costs during and after a disaster event.

“Our partnership to also repair playgrounds, walkways and community facilities will enable councils to work towards greater disaster resilience and contribute to stronger community wellbeing.

“This is another example of both levels of government working together to change the way we spend recovery funding after disasters across NSW so communities are less exposed in the future, as disasters become increasingly frequent and intense.”

Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said by providing this assistance the NSW Government is helping disaster impacted communities work towards greater flood resilience and reclaiming their unique individual identities.

“High quality essential assets and community infrastructure are what drive local economies,” Ms Moriarty said.

“For example, we’re investing $10 million to combine, relocate and improve 2 of Tweed Shire council’s works depots to a single site outside of the high-risk flood zone. It’s projects like this that will allow services to stay open and operating so they can keep supporting their communities during future natural disasters.

“By rebuilding these facilities, we are ensuring communities have the amenities they need to entice visitors, encourage local businesses and residents to thrive and will allow services to keep supporting their communities during future natural disasters.”

NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the projects align with the NSW Reconstruction Authority’s disaster mitigation and adaption work.

“Long term objectives have been set by the NSW Government to see our state better adapt to disaster and reconstructing these key assets in line with this vision is a step in the right direction,” Mr Scully said.

NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said while natural disasters can’t be avoided, building resilience is one of most important ways of preparing communities and helping them recover quicker.

“The focus on betterment means we have an opportunity to build back better and stronger after vital infrastructure has been damaged in natural disasters.

“Whether it’s roads or buildings, we can take learnings from natural disasters and better prepare infrastructure and community assets for future challenges.”

For more information, including the full lists of successful projects, visit the:

• Infrastructure Betterment Fund
• Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Package – Community Assets Programs.

Works have officially started at 2 new schools in Sydney’s north-west growth area, as the Minns Labor government gets on with the job of fast-tracking schools.

Construction work is officially underway on the new Melonba Public School and Melonba High School, after approval of local and State Significant Development applications were granted.

Temporary facilities, built alongside the future permanent public and high schools, will open on Day 1 Term 1 of 2024, catering for students in this growing community, where the local population increased from 16,106 to 45,613 between 2016 and 2021.

Melonba High School and Melonba Public School are being built by the Minns Labor government to service north-west Sydney’s growing population, along with Tallawong Public School and Nirimba Fields Public School.

Once completed, the schools will be able to accommodate 4600 students across Sydney’s north-west growth area.

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

“I am so proud we are beginning construction on the future Melonba High School and Melonba Public School.

“This community were made promises by the Liberals and Nationals that were never delivered, and have had to fight to have local schools.

“This was a key reason why these fast-growing communities backed Labor at the state election this year – they are looking to this government to deliver, and we are getting on with the job. 

“Marsden Park and Melonba locals will be well served by finally having a new, public primary and high school to meet their educational needs of the community.”

Melonba High School Principal Leon Weatherstone said:

“I am excited for the opportunity to be working with the community of Melonba and Marsden Park to deliver a world class high school to the students in our community.

“I have been working hard connecting with local families and the broader community to ensure we have strong foundations on which to build the school.

“We are busy recruiting staff to join for this term, to ensure detailed planning is in place so we are ready to go for Year 7 and 8 students at the beginning of 2024.”

Bus passengers in Epping, Ryde and surrounding areas will have the chance to speak with the NSW Government on what they want from their bus services on Monday 16 October.

As part of the Minns Labor government’s Bus Industry Taskforce the face-to-face forum will provide a much-needed opportunity for bus passengers to have their feedback captured by Taskforce members and Transport for NSW planners.

The Bus Industry Taskforce was formed to make recommendations to improve the reliability, quality and effectiveness of bus services across NSW.

Commuters can discuss bus services, frequency, reliability, routes, bus stop set ups and accessibility and feedback received will be used by the taskforce and the Minister for Transport to inform further considerations and decisions on how to improve bus services in Wollongong.

The community is encouraged to register for 1 of 2 sessions.

For those unable to attend in person, feedback can be submitted at Have your say – Bus Industry Taskforce. Translation options are available and feedback can be submitted in a preferred language. 

Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Marjorie O’Neill said: 

“Hearing directly from our passengers and communities is a vital step in ensuring the government delivers a reliable public transport network.

“The current state of the bus service delivery is not good enough and we will keep working to bring bus services to where the should be.

“We have already put measures in place to entice more people to joining the industry, like slashed Bus Authority costs and free opal cards for drivers, but I also want to hear from the passengers on how bus services can improve in your area.

“Service reliability and connectivity have been a hot topic in this area and I know the community wants to see an improvement to their bus services.

“I am looking forward to hearing from community groups, passengers and business representatives and discussing their frustrations as we move towards a solution.”

The NSW Opposition has called on the Premier to sack the Police and Counter-terrorism Minister Yasmin Catley.
 
The latest accusations of misleading Parliament, plus her strange written statement tonight in response, confirm that she is not up to the vital task of leading the police and counter-terrorism portfolios at this critical time.
 
“Media reports tonight that the Minister may have misled Parliament are gravely concerning,” said Mr Speakman. “When asked, point blank, whether she had told any Jewish leaders that their community should stay away from the Sydney CBD –her unequivocal response was ‘No, I did not’.”
“The Minister should have apologised to the Jewish community for the way that she failed to heed their needs on Monday night for a vigil at the Opera House and to take any action to stop an ugly mob descending on the Opera House and engaging in despicable anti-Semitic acts.”
 
“The Minister’s claim in her written statement tonight that she ‘apologised ‘for the way this has been handled’ is false. Despite repeatedly being asked in Parliament for such an apology, the most that the Minister could muster was to say ’of course I apologise to anyone if they feel unsafe’ on Wednesday and ’Yesterday, I apologised to those in the Jewish community who ongoingly feel unsafe in New South Wales’ today, in contrast to the Premier’s genuine apology.”
 
“Her written statement tonight did not deny that she referred to the Jewish community as ‘you people’.”
 
“From Question Time today it appeared that the Minister was not even aware of her powers under the Police Act to direct the Commissioner.”
 
“The Minister has a catalogue of other failures – such as her failure in the wake of the tragic tasering of grandmother Clare Nowland; her failure to provide a timely response to escalating gang warfare in Sydney’s west, with children exposed to the horrific scene of a dead body in the street on the way to school; and her failure to take action on the LECC report dealing with police handling of domestic violence cases.”
 
“With rising community tension, fear and potential risk in the weeks and months ahead, the Premier must act now to install a new Police and Counter-terrorism Minister in whom the public can have confidence to lead efforts to keep them safe.”

Three men have been charged after being arrested in Darlinghurst this morning.

Officers from Kings Cross Police Area Command were called to Darlinghurst Road shortly before midday (Friday 13 October 2023), after three men allegedly performed a Nazi salute.

The men – aged 30, 31, and 40 – were arrested and taken to Kings Cross Police Station.

They have now each been charged with behave in offensive manner in/near public place/school, and knowingly display by public act Nazi symbol without excuse

All three were released on conditional bail to appear in Downing Centre Local Court on Tuesday 31 October 2023.

The NSW Government is delivering on a major election commitment, launching the first phase of the $59 million NSW Landcare Enabling Program. 

The first phase of the program will activate $33 million in funding to employ up to 83 full-time equivalent local and regional Landcare coordinators and support staff across NSW.

Local and regional coordinators play a key role in the program including:

• supporting and facilitating the delivery of on-ground projects that care for the local natural environment and agricultural systems
• strengthening the capacity of Landcarers by further developing their knowledge and skills
• ensuring effective collaboration and partnerships between Landcare groups, Local Land Services, other government agencies and Landcare NSW
• leveraging funding opportunities to maximise socio-environmental outcomes 

This funding also includes up to $5000 for each local and regional coordinator role to undertake professional development over the course of the 4-year program. 

For the first time, support staff roles have also been included in the program to provide additional support with administrative tasks, allowing coordinators to focus on the delivery of on-ground projects.

Coordinator and support roles will be available in all 11 Local Land Services regions and can be subject to part time or job-sharing arrangements, where the need is demonstrated. 

Funding to host coordinators and support roles will be awarded through a targeted competitive grant process administered by Local Land Services.

Funding will be available to incorporated Landcare NSW groups and regions to host a coordinator, or coordinators and newly created support roles. 

Applications will open on Monday 9 October and close on Friday 3 November at 11:59pm. 

Visit the NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027: Local and Regional Coordinators for program guidelines, including detailed role descriptions.  

Landcare NSW and Local Land Services have worked closely with land carers to ensure this program meets the needs of Landcare and regional communities.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“As a government, we understand the importance and the positive impact Landcare has across the country and throughout NSW.    

“Our record investment in the program has paved the way for 83 full-time equivalent local and regional Landcare coordinator and support staff positions, which under the former program were only part-time roles. 

“This boost will give coordinators more time to focus on what matters most and will result in improved facilitation and delivery of on-ground projects that care for our environment and improve agricultural productivity. 

“We have also heard that regions need additional support with administrative tasks to ensure coordinators can focus on the delivery of on-ground projects, which is why we’ve created a support role for each region in this program.

“This new workforce will enable improved facilitation and delivery of on-ground projects and meet the growing needs of local and regional communities across NSW.

“Importantly, we recognise the challenges of recruiting in regional areas, so we have built flexibility into these roles allowing for part-time positions and job sharing where the need is demonstrated.” 

Landcare NSW Chair Stephanie Cameron said:

“Landcare is needed now more than ever. The Landcare movement across NSW provides essential support services and harnesses the efforts of our dedicated volunteers to ensure our environment and communities are more resilient to extreme climate events and to protect our precious biodiversity while supporting sustainable agriculture.

“A supported Landcare community returns at least $4 for every $1 invested. This funding will go to local jobs that support rural and regional communities. 

“The investment will include supporting leadership development heading into the next generation and the employment of 83 community leaders to help combat the increasing skills gap expected to occur over the coming decade in rural and regional NSW.”

The NSW Government is urging people to Think Safe to Drink Safe this summer as part of its commitment to supporting a safe and vibrant hospitality industry across NSW.

The Think Safe to Drink Safe campaign aims to educate both patrons and venue staff on positive drinking behaviours, as well as provide tips to mitigate potential risks to personal safety.

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said he was particularly concerned by data from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research which found NSW Police recorded 220 food or drink spiking incidents between July 2022 and June 2023 – an increase of 20% on the previous year.

“This campaign is crucial for raising awareness of drink spiking, which is at its highest rate in NSW for 5 years,” Mr Harris said.

“Drink spiking is a serious criminal offence and I encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses this behaviour to report it to NSW Police.

“The NSW Government is committed to supporting efforts that help venues keep their patrons safe, as well as educate patrons themselves on what to be alert for.”

The education campaign features information and tips for both venues and patrons across posters, a fact sheet, coasters, social media tiles and key messages.

“I invite all venues to roll out the Think Safe to Drink Safe creative assets and content to help educate their staff and patrons about how to protect themselves and their friends,” Mr Harris added.

“I am pleased to see the campaign receiving tremendous support from industry representatives and police at yesterday’s Liquor Accord Forum held in Darling Harbour.

“By working together, we can ensure everyone has an enjoyable and safe summer season in our great venues across NSW.”

Liquor Accords are made up of liquor licensees, community members, businesses, local councils, police, government departments and other community groups. These groups work together to develop strategies tackling alcohol-related issues, anti-social behaviour, and violence in local areas.

Tuesday’s Liquor Accord Forum allowed opportunities for collaboration ahead of the summer party season and showcased a range of initiatives including the Think Safe to Drink Safe campaign.

The free Think Safe to Drink Safe toolkit is available at Liquor and Gaming NSWlaunch.

Think Safe to Drink Safe tips include:

• Don’t accept drinks from others. Always buy your own and watch it get made. Never leave your drink unattended and avoid batch drinks like punches that may have unknown ingredients and alcohol content.
• Pace yourself. Count your drinks, try a low-alcohol alternative, or have a ‘spacer’ of water between alcoholic drinks. Don’t let people continually top up your drink, as it’s hard to keep track of your alcohol consumption and be aware that different drinks have different strengths. Set a timer on your phone to help you pace your drinks.
• Avoid shouts, drinking games or shots. Drink at your own pace, you don’t have to join in every round and consider buying a non-alcoholic drink when it’s your turn. Don’t be pressured into drinking more than you want or intend to.
• Eat before or while you are drinking. If you have a full stomach, alcohol will be absorbed more slowly. Avoid salty snacks, as these make you drink more.
• Stay busy. If you have something to do, you tend to drink less, so have a game of pool or hit the dance floor.
• Trust your feelings and instincts. If you feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or worried for any reason, try to get somewhere safe and find someone you trust who can help you, like a friend, bar staff, security or police. You won’t get in trouble.
• Have a ‘plan B’. Plans change quickly, ensure you have multiple options to get home safely. Remember you may still be over the limit the next morning.
• Always tell your mates where you’re going. Let someone know which venue you’re drinking at. If you go to another location, particularly with someone you don’t know well, send the address to a trusted friend. If you decide to go home early, leave the group or even just go to the bathroom, let your mates know.
• Keep an eye on your mates! If you are going out in a group, plan to arrive together and leave together. Never leave a friend who’s been drinking on their own. If you’re at a party, check in with them during the night to see how they’re doing. If something doesn’t look right, let a friend know you are uncomfortable or worried about their safety.
• Sometimes sticking together isn’t enough, you need to recognise when you might need to call for help.
• Consent and boundaries. Alcohol can lower your inhibitions. Be aware of this and set boundaries for yourself before going out. Remember if someone seems drunk, they probably can’t consent. Instead, trade numbers.
• Drink spiking. Many drugs and alcohol used to spike drinks are tasteless. If there’s a change in your drink’s flavour or if it tastes or smells stronger than what you were expecting, get rid of it and let a trusted person know. Know the signs and symptoms of drink spiking: feeling dizzy, faint, ill, sleepy, incoherent, confused or drunk even though you’ve consumed a small amount of alcohol. If you experience these, let someone know. If you see a friend experiencing these symptoms, check in and stay with them until they recover. Call TripleZero (000) in an emergency.