Category: NSW News

Blue Mountains National Park has retained its top spot as the most visited national park in NSW. 

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 2022 Park Visitor Survey shows 6.4 million domestic visits were made to the World Heritage-listed national park, which is home to 260,000 hectares of bushland, including the Three Sisters, Meehni, Wilmah and Gunnedoo.

The second most visited national park in NSW is the world’s second-oldest national park, Royal National Park on Sydney’s southern coast. 5 million visits were reported.

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in Sydney’s north sits third on the list, with 4.4 million visits to its winding creeks, rainforest, rocky cliffs, mangroves and Aboriginal sites.

Number four is Lane Cove National Park which has bushland reaching to East Ryde, Pennant Hills, Wahroonga and West Chatswood, and in fifth place is the alpine wonderland Kosciuszko National Park.

The top 10 most-visited national parks in 2022:

1. Blue Mountains National Park, 6.40 million visits
2. Royal National Park, 5.05 million visits
3. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, 4.40 million visits
4. Lane Cove National Park, 2.61 million visits
5. Kosciuszko National Park, 2.48 million visits
6. Sydney Harbour National Park, 1.93 million visits
7. Eurobodalla National Park, 1.41 million visits
8. Garigal National Park, 1.18 million visits
9. Cape Byron National Park, 1.03 million visits
10. Brisbane Water National Park, 929,000 visits

Across the state, there were more than 53 million domestic visits to national parks in 2022. That’s an increase of 49% in the past ten years. In addition to these domestic visitors, many international travellers also enjoyed our parks.

A record 12.5 million of the visits were made by children. Research has shown that building a meaningful connection with nature at an early age delivers far higher levels of connection and advocacy. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service focuses on younger visitors through dedicated education programs and by fostering fun experiences.

The Greater Sydney region set a record with more than 20 million visits to its 49 National Park reserves. Five of the top ten parks are in Greater Sydney.

Around 1.8 million nights were spent in a campground, cottage, cabin or lighthouse within national parks.

The 895 reserves in the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service system conserve around 10 per cent of the state, protecting unique ecosystems across deserts, Alpine regions, World Heritage Gondwanaland rainforest and Ramsar-listed wetlands.

The Park Visitor Survey started in 2008 and is undertaken every two years to better understand visitor use patterns and enable the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to plan for the future.

The survey reports on the total number of visits, rather than the number of people who visited parks. It considers people who live in Australia.

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“National parks are one of NSW’s greatest public assets, which are loved by people from within our state, across Australia and internationally.

“In a post-Covid world it is clear that visits to national parks are growing.

“Across the state there are 895 national parks, nature reserves, state conservation areas and regional parks. These are places to be in nature, to swim, to seek adventure, to understand Aboriginal and other heritage and to appreciate the beauty of our natural environment.

“The NSW Government is investing $74 million to upgrade visitor infrastructure in NSW national parks so people can enjoy unforgettable experiences, from camping trips in the bush to coastal getaways and alpine adventures.”

The NSW Government is committed to the fight against pests and weeds, and supporting work to minimise their impacts to primary industries.

Current estimates suggest the annual costs of damage by these invasive species is approximately $25 billion nationwide, with the cost to NSW agriculture $2 billion every year.

That’s why the NSW Government has engaged the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to consult on the impacts and risks of invasive species with stakeholders and the public encouraged to have their say online.

This review will enable the government to set a baseline for the extent and impact of invasive species and measure progress in combating pests and weeds. This will inform work with farmers and the community in undertaking coordinated and cost-effective action to manage pests and weeds.

The information and data provided by this review will be critical in supporting ongoing efforts to address the impacts of pests and weeds in NSW. Members of the public are invited to submit their feedback to the Have Your Say page on the subject. Consultation will run until Tuesday 31 October 2023.

Future stages of the review will:

• Identify future risks from invasive species
• Consider how existing programs could better contribute to improved management outcomes
• Audit state and regional invasive species management plans
• Provide advice to the Independent Biosecurity Commissioner on areas of further investigation regarding potential barriers to effective management. 

The review is part of a package of programs being delivered by the NSW Government relating to invasive species management.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“We know that there is an increasing risk to agricultural productivity by invasive pest animals and weeds.

“This government is delivering on our election commitments to take the fight to invasive pests and weeds – including undertaking this review, establishing an Independent Biosecurity Commissioner and directing $10 million towards a Good Neighbour Program to tackle pest and weeds.

“We are committed to ensuring that this government is doing everything we can to support our farmers and communities in managing infestations.”  

The NSW Government is making vital investments in mental health with an additional 109 forensic mental health beds to be delivered in NSW to ensure more people with severe mental illness can get treatment.

Expanding the existing NSW network of forensic and mental health units is a crucial step to improving the system as part of a $700 million investment in mental health services.

Forensic mental health units are a key part of both the mental health and justice system, which ensures people receive comprehensive mental health care when engaged in the criminal justice system as a result of their ill health.

There’s currently a total of 209 beds in forensic mental health units across NSW so the government is delivering a 50% increase to ensure NSW facilities have the capacity to meet people’s needs and help them get on the road to recovery.

This investment from the NSW Government is an important first step, which includes:

• A new mental health intensive care unit (MHICU) located within the Forensic Hospital at Malabar (Freshwater Unit).
• Additional low secure and medium secure forensic beds located within the mental health precinct at Concord Hospital.
• Relocation of the Cumberland Bunya Medium Secure Forensic unit to Blacktown Hospital and the addition of new low secure forensic beds.
• Relocation of the Morisset Kestrel Medium Secure Forensic unit to the New Maitland Hospital and the addition of new low secure forensic beds. This includes the relocation of the adult acute and older persons services previously provided at Morisset to the New Maitland Hospital.
• The new beds will be delivered in Concord, Freshwater, Blacktown and Maitland over the next 4 years.

Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said:

“The care provided in our forensic mental health units is vital in reducing the risk of repeat offending resulting from untreated mental illness and improves the safety of NSW communities.

“This investment will help to address statewide gaps in in-patient forensic services so that people get the right care, at the right time, in the least restrictive environment.

“We’re increasing the number of beds available in low, medium and high security facilities to ensure we can meet patients where they’re at and support their pathway to recovery.

“Our goal is to put people back on their feet and in the right head space so they can recover and transition back into the community to live meaningful, purposeful lives.”

The NSW Government continues to prioritise the future of our rail network, making major progress towards more reliable, resilient, comfortable and accessible journeys for passengers.

Commuters can now tap back onto the T3 Bankstown line after a two-week closure saw significant work completed in preparation for the line’s Metro City & Southwest conversion.

Approximately 500 workers were on site during this time, many around the clock, undertaking crucial track upgrades, installing security fencing and cables, excavating the future Bankstown Metro platforms and testing new infrastructure. The new pedestrian overbridge at Dulwich Hill Station is also complete and open to commuters from today.

Sydney Metro took advantage of the school holidays to complete this work, as train patronage is generally lower, meaning less disruption to passengers.

As Metro City & Southwest upgrades continue to ramp up, there will be additional closures and replacement bus plans during school holidays and weekend periods:

• Wednesday 27 December 2023 to Thursday 25 January 2024
• Saturday 13 April to Sunday 28 April 2024
• the target start date for the 12-month closure of the T3 Bankstown line is between July and October 2024.

Transport for NSW is developing detailed plans to support passengers during the final T3 conversion period and the community will be informed well ahead of time.

Rail Repair Plan passes halfway mark

Just four months in since the launch on 4 June, the Sydney Trains Rail Repair Plan has hit 60 per cent completion, 10 weeks ahead of schedule.

With more than 1,150 high-priority defects removed across the network so far, Sydney Trains is on track to complete the 1,900 target ahead of the June 2024 forecast.

Weekend works were kept to a minimum over the Labour Day long weekend, to ensure the community could access major events including the NRL Grand Final.

Jo Haylen, Minister for Transport, said: 

“It’s fantastic to welcome commuters back to the T3 Bankstown Line, with services back up and running in time for everyone’s return to school.”

“Under our Rail Repair Plan, we’re ahead of schedule in 18 weekends of trackwork, set to improve reliability for passengers across our network and ensuring everyone has a smoother ride in 2024.”

“We know we still have a long way to go, but we’re pleased to see this progress. I want to thank the thousands of workers who have gotten us to this milestone, and passengers for their patience.”

Matt Longland, Sydney Trains Chief Executive, said: 

“This past month, our on-time running performance exceeded 92 per cent for the first time since May 2022, showing our hard work is starting to pay off.”

“While we are confident that the network will be more reliable with fewer incidents, it’s worth remembering this doesn’t mean there will be no issues. Our rail infrastructure is ageing and the network is complex.”

A month-long compliance blitz has found nearly 99% of pubs and clubs inspected in NSW are now free of external gambling-related signage, as the NSW Government begins its statewide reform on gaming room advertising.

During the compliance program, Liquor and Gaming NSW (L&GNSW) inspected over 1100 venues across 35 metropolitan and 8 regional Local Government Areas (LGAs). This represents just over 50% of all venues in NSW with an entitlement to hold gaming machines.

These inspections revealed 16 venues with prohibited external signage, which L&GNSW is investigating. This represents an overall compliance rate of almost 99%. 

This signage has been found to be triggering for those with gambling-related issues and were banned from 1 September 2023.

L&GNSW has directly communicated with industry on the changes, first announced in May, including issuing a compliance position paper and several communications on its website and to venues in the months and weeks leading up to the ban which came into place on 1 September.

Inspectors are currently assessing the instances of prohibited signage identified during the blitz, to determine the cause of delay in removing the signage. Those venues which are not able to produce clear evidence that the delays were caused by factors outside of their control will be fined.

L&GNSW Inspectors also identified some operators who have put in place signage in what appears to be an attempt to circumvent the restrictions. L&GNSW is investigating this signage and will determine whether further action, including enforcement or administrative action needs to be taken.

L&GNSW has clearly signalled those venues with existing non-compliant signage, or new signage that attempts to circumvent the restrictions in the legislation, will face escalated enforcement action, with a zero-tolerance approach from 1 December 2023. Failure to comply with these requirements carries penalties of up to $11,000, per offence.

Removal of all external signage is just one part of the NSW Government’s broader gaming reform to reduce harm including:

• Reducing the cash input limit from $5,000 to $500 for all new electronic gaming machines from 1 July 2023
• Capping the number of gaming machine entitlements in circulation
• Banning political donations from clubs involved in gaming
• Introducing Responsible Gaming Officers at venues with more than 20 machines
• Expanding a third-party exclusion register to the whole state
• Establishing an independent panel of expert stakeholders including industry, harm minimisation organisations, academics, law enforcement, cyber security and the union movement to oversee the cashless gaming trial and recommend an implementation roadmap for gaming reforms.

For more information visit Liquor and Gaming NSWlaunch.

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said:

“Removing this signage for pubs and clubs is just one part of our commitment to reducing gambling harm in our community and I thank licensees and industry bodies for getting on board.

“We have been working positively and proactively with industry associations and venues across the state to educate, inform and support them through this process and ensure this high level of compliance.

“We welcome the positive impact this campaign has had on the exteriors of licensed venues which now solely feature advertisements for a diverse range of offerings such as food and beverage specials, live music and entertainment instead of signs designed to advertise the presence of gaming machines. It makes a noticeable difference to the amenity of our cities and suburbs.

“It’s great to see industry and government working together to prevent and reduce gambling harm in the community and we will continue to do so.”

Pubs and clubs’ patrons will be the big winners during October thanks to the NSW Government extending trading hours for venues that televise and support major upcoming sporting and cultural events.

A series of special event extended trading nights kicked off on the long weekend and will continue through until the Rugby World Cup final on 29 October.

Special event extended trading hours are made available under the Liquor Act 2007 for events that are of “regional, state or national significance.”  

Extended trading does not apply to takeaway alcohol trading times and individual trading restrictions and other special conditions on a venue’s liquor licence remain in force.   

Additional extended trading hours for 2023:

Event	Extension
Bathurst 1000	10pm to midnight, 8 October for venues in the Bathurst LGA (specifically Abercrombie, Bathurst, Eglinton, Kelso, Llanarth, Mitchell, Mount Panorama, Orton Park, Perthville, Raglan, South Bathurst, West Bathurst and Windradyne)
Rugby World Cup 2023—Quarter-Final 1	Midnight to 5am, 14 October to 15 October, statewide
Rugby World Cup 2023—Quarter-Final 2	5am to 8am, 15 October, statewide
South by Southwest Sydney	10pm to midnight, 15 October for venues in Sydney and The Rocks in the City of Sydney LGA
Rugby World Cup 2023— Quarter-Final 3	Midnight to 5am, 15 October to 16 October, statewide
Rugby World Cup 2023—Semi-Final 2	5am to 10am, 22 October, statewide
South by Southwest Sydney	10pm to midnight, 22 October for hotel or club premises in Sydney and The Rocks (City of Sydney LGA)
Rugby World Cup 2023—Final	5am to 10am, 29 October, statewide

More information on extended tradinglaunch.

More information about South by Southwest Sydneylaunch.  

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy Jonh Graham said:

“These big events, whether they are major televised sporting and motor racing fixtures or the first ever South by Southwest festival to be held in Sydney, are bringing people together and of course we want to support that as part of returning vibrancy to NSW.

“Local venues get a much-needed boost in numbers out of this and in turn boost their local and night-time economies.

“I’m very pleased that people attending South by Southwest will have the chance to see Sydney at its best after dark, with more venues able to open later as people walk between shows and venues soaking up the music, the ideas and the culture of an event being held for the first time outside its home city of Texas.”

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said:

“This October is going to be huge for sporting and cultural events in NSW and we want to support fans and venues to enjoy a piece of the action.

“Our bumper October of extended trading kicked off with the NRL Grand Final. It was a huge success, with patrons able to celebrate for longer than usual after the final whistle at the same venues where they had been cheering on their favourite teams. 

“I look forward to NSW sports fans being able to enjoy extended trading hours at their favourite venues as they watch the rest of this month’s big sporting events, including the Rugby World Cup and the Bathurst 1000.

“What’s more, audiences attending the wide mix of technology, music, film and cultural events on opening and closing nights of SXSW Sydney can continue the celebration with hotels and clubs in the City of Sydney LGA open until midnight.”

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is continuing to work with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities to deliver key home fire safety messages as the weather warms up.

FRNSW attended the Canterbury-Bankstown Safety Expo today, with firefighters from Arabic, Greek and Vietnamese backgrounds spending time with locals to discuss fire safety in their native language.

More than 27% of NSW residents were born overseas, and 1 in 3 households speaks a language other than English.

Engaging CALD communities through education initiatives is an important way FRNSW is preparing residents for any emergency, helping overcome knowledge and awareness barriers that might put these communities at risk of home fires.

While fires are more likely to occur during winter, the risk remains year-round with working smoke alarms and cooking safety perennial concerns for firefighters. 

As the weather warms up, residents living near bush and grass land are urged to be aware of the fire risk in their area and to heed the advice and warnings of authorities.

Barbecue use is more popular during warmer months, but it carries a heightened risk on hot days and residents are urged to observe limitations on barbecue use during total fire ban days.

Translated fire safety fact sheets and videos are available in several languages on the Fire and Rescue NSW websitelaunch where you can also book in a free home safety visit from your local station.

Minister for Emergency Services and Member for Bankstown Jihad Dib said: 

“I can’t stress enough the importance of creating consistent messaging for people from all backgrounds.”

“Bankstown is home to people of diverse languages and backgrounds, and finding a way to reach communities in a way that is familiar to them is incredibly important.”

“I commend FRNSW for recognising this as an outreach opportunity.”

Fire and Rescue NSW Assistant Commissioner Paul McGuiggan said:

“As an organisation we are fully committed to connecting to, and working with, multicultural communities to help prepare them for any emergency.”

“Explaining fire safety messaging in a way that simplifies the language used and the understanding of potential outcomes is crucial.”

“We need to make sure we are able to educate people from different backgrounds, in the language and concepts that make sense.”

Labor’s approach to Australia’s immigration system is too similar to the Liberal Party and leading to the same disastrous human rights outcomes.

“Secret transfers of people seeking asylum to Nauru is a disgraceful continuation of the last government’s war on refugees,” Greens Immigration Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“They need to explain why they are exiling people to Nauru instead of ending the barbaric practice of offshore detention immediately.”

“Labor’s approach to asylum seekers is so flawed it may as well have been designed by Scott Morrison or Peter Dutton.”

“This Government was elected on a platform of change, not just to offer the same rubbish in a different bin.”

“The Nixon Report identified the massive delays in asylum seeker resolution – that needs to be addressed by actually investing resources into resolving claims quickly and fairly.”

“It also needs to be addressed by restoring massive cuts the Status Resolution Support Services, as Labor promised to do.”

“Labor should rule out using the Nixon report to remove people’s rights, ditch the Dutton law and order rhetoric and concentrate on making the visa processing system faster and fairer.”

The NSW Government held the annual Veterans Employment Roundtable at the Anzac Memorial in Hyde Park today focussing on collaborative communication to assist veterans transitioning from the Defence Force into private and public sector employment.

Around 1,200 Defence Force personnel transition to employment in NSW every year.

Minister for Veterans David Harris hosted public and private sector stakeholders along with veterans’ support and employment organisations to foster ongoing discussions and initiatives for veterans career opportunities after their service.

Roundtables have been held since 2020, with a focus on the work that government can do in partnership with private employers, to foster increased collaboration and supports to ensure veterans find meaningful employment.

This year’s Roundtable had a special focus on communication, and a key goal was to build opportunities between organisations to effectively share information about services and communications to reach and assist veterans in their job search.

Mark Bransdon, an Army Veteran of 22 years’ service, discharged in 2019 and is now the Learning and Development Officer at Campbelltown City Council. He shared his story with the Roundtable, highlighting the value to veterans transitioning to employment outside of the Defence Forces.

The NSW Government is committed to honouring our veterans and their families, and the NSW Veterans Strategy and 2023-2024 Action Plan ensures that the veteran community is supported. One of the strategy actions is the organisation of an annual NSW Veterans Employment Roundtable.

The NSW Government Veterans Employment Program leads the way in assisting veterans finding roles within the NSW public sector. For more information visit Veterans Employment Programlaunch.

Minister for Veterans, David Harris said:

“It was great to meet key leaders in the employment field to discuss how we can all work together and assist veterans with their job search and use the skills they have learnt while serving in the Australian Defence Force.

“Their unique skillset enables them to work in a range of sectors and contribute positively to the NSW economy and community.

“We understand it can be challenging for some veterans to apply for work after their service.

“Today’s discussions are a positive step forward to ensure our veterans have a clearer path and a smoother transition from military service to civilian life.”

Army veteran and Learning and Development Officer at Campbelltown City Council, Mark Bransdon said: 

“I have brought a lived experience to Campbelltown City Council with my transition.

“The hiring manager for the role I applied for was aware of the skills I learnt in Defence, that I could bring to the role. That made a big difference to my transition.

The opportunities moving forward are that we can share this information with other councils and organisations to make it easier for them to implement a program assists veterans transitioning.

“Councils are also a beneficiary as they employ someone with great skills that can add value to their organisation.”

The NSW Government has welcomed the appointment of 4 new members to the Multicultural NSW Advisory Board.

Malaemie Fruean OAM, David Giang, George Vardas and the board’s newest Youth Member, Polina Mycak, will each serve 3-year terms on the Advisory Board until 2026.

Ömer Incekara, was reappointed after serving a 3-year term and Esther Adeyinka was appointed to a general board member from the youth position to an additional 3-year term.

The merit-based selection process attracted more than 150 applications.

Minister Kamper thanked the outgoing Advisory Board members (Margaret Piper, Ken Hong, Sam Elmir and Grace Ho) for their committed service advising government on multicultural policy, improving equitable access to services for all people in NSW, and ensuring no one is left behind.

Chaired by Nick Kaldas APM, the Multicultural NSW Advisory Board provides advice and guidance on a range of matters relating to culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Further information about the new members is as follows:

• Polina Mycak (youth member) – Polina Mycak is passionate about the promotion of multicultural principles. She is also a member of the Ukrainian Youth Association, and an undergraduate at Macquarie University studying psychology and arts, with an interest in cross cultural psychology.
• George Vardas – George is a practising lawyer, accredited mediator, and cultural heritage consultant. He has extensive experience advising on multicultural policy and working with multicultural groups to effectively campaign to bring about positive change.
• Malaemie Fruean OAM – Malaemie is a strong advocate for Pacifica communities and is well known and respected across Western Sydney. She is committed to sharing her knowledge and extensive experience in community engagement to increase cultural awareness.
• David Giang – David is Managing Director and Editor of Australia’s first and only Vietnamese language newspaper, Chieu Duong (The Sunrise Daily) – the only remaining Vietnamese print publication in Australia today. He recently founded the Independent Multicultural Media Association.

The following 2 members have been reappointed:

• Esther Adeyinka – Esther is passionate about making sure that diverse voices are heard and respected in decision-making spaces, particularly the voices of young, diverse women. She works as a lawyer in a commercial law firm and is also a small business owner
• Ömer Incekara – Ömer is passionate about community language schools and promoting multiculturalism. Ömer is CEO of an advertising agency and sits on several boards and associations. He is Chair of the Ataturk Scholarship and Director of the Australian Turkish Mutual Alliance (ATMA).

NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said:

“The Advisory Board has a vital role to play as a conduit between community, Multicultural NSW and the NSW Government.”

“Drawing on their community connections, cross-cultural understanding and lived experience, our Advisory Board elevates the voices of the wider community.”

“In partnership with Multicultural NSW CEO Joseph La Posta, I look forward to working with the new members and entire Advisory Board, to ensure future generations of NSW residents can enjoy the benefits of living in one of the world’s greatest multicultural states.”

Multicultural NSW Advisory Board Chair Nick Kaldas, APM said:

“Our vision is for a stronger NSW, using our cultural diversity as a vehicle to achieve cultural and economic prosperity.”

“We are committed to ensuring the views and concerns of all people are heard in government decision-making processes and that everyone has equal access to government services.”

“Through understanding our communities, we can deliver improved services, make better use of our cultural and linguistic resources and be more cohesive and resilient in response to challenges.”