Category: NSW News

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.”

The Opposition condemned a callous backflip by the Minns Labor Government on council demergers.

Local Government Shadow Minister Wendy Tuckerman said that before the election Labor was telling communities that it was going to help councils to demerge, and even passed a legislative amendment to ensure the Government paid the demerger costs.

“Since coming to Government, Labor and Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig have completely changed their tune on council demergers,” Mrs Tuckerman said. “The Labor Government is trying to backpedal as fast as they can from their own amendment, and the Budget handed down just weeks ago has no funds available for councils like Cootamundra-Gundagai that had already done the hard yards and been through the Boundary Commission inquiries.”

“The former Coalition Government set out a clear demerger roadmap, in consultation with the council and the local community, that guided the entire process – which has now been completely and senselessly discarded by Ron Hoenig.

“Instead of following the roadmap, which was near completion to delivering a demerged council, the Labor Government – true to form – starts another review.

“The Coalition Government’s had also announced in February that the legal path for demerging the council would likely require legislative change to facilitate the process after the March State Election,” said Mrs Tuckerman. “So, either the Minister wasn’t paying attention, or he is wilfully misleading the community and should apologise.”

“Despite having a roadmap that is almost complete and advice to urgently create new legislation, the Minns Labor Government will be returning the issue to the Boundaries Commission for the third time further dragging out this process and risking the Council’s ability to hold a demerged election in time with other councils across NSW.”

“The Minister needs to urgently fix this mess, and provide clear details on the demerger process, including timelines and what financial support will be provided.”

“I am devasted for the residents and the Cootamundra-Gundagai Council staff – this is yet another example of Labor saying one thing before the election and doing another after the election. This is a Government that just doesn’t care about regional and rural communities,” Ms Tuckerman concluded.

The Minns Labor Government has launched a $20 million trial grants program aimed at improving working families’ access to early childhood education and care when and where they need it most.

Offering providers a pool of up to $20 million over two years, the Flexible Initiatives Trial will provide grants to support existing ECEC services to expand and innovate, to better meet the needs of children and families and allow parents to enter the workforce or increase their hours.

New or adapted operating models will include:

• extending hours of care beyond traditional working hours  
• providing flexible pick-up and drop-off times    
• improved access to ad hoc care arrangements outside scheduled hours
• establishing new family day care services in remote areas.

The Flexible Initiatives Trial includes funding to ensure the workforce is supported to deliver flexible models of ECEC. It is one of a suite of ECEC programs to be delivered by the NSW Government in 2023-24, which aim to improve affordability and access.

As part of its recent Budget, the Minns Labor Government affirmed a $5 billion investment in the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund (the Fund) to boost the early childhood workforce and make ECEC affordable and accessible for more families.

The Fund will help deliver on new initiatives that directly support those who need it most –  children, families and the early childhood education workforce.

It will also be used to provide $500 per child of fee relief to 3-year-old children attending eligible preschool programs in long day care centres, effective from early 2024.

Additional programs will be made available over the coming months.

All eligible ECEC service provider types are invited to apply for the Flexible Initiatives Trial, with funding to support family day care services on offer for the first time.

Applications are now open for the first round of the program, and close on 1 December 2023.

Visit the NSW Department of Education website for more information, including the program guidelines, eligibility and upcoming information sessions.

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Penny Sharpe said:

“Flexible early childhood education and care options are a critical need for working families, particularly for parents and carers who are in part-time, casual or shift work.

“The Flexible Initiatives Trial is part of the Minns Government’s commitment to improving access to early childhood education and care.

“Through the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund, exciting new initiatives are being developed to respond to the most pressing needs of the sector and the community.”

Emergency department nurses across NSW will gain valuable real-time experience with stroke care through new virtual reality (VR) training program being rolled out across the state.

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park today officially launched the program, which will be rolled out across 27 hospitals in NSW, with a demonstration of the immersive training at Royal North Shore Hospital.

“Stroke is a time-critical medical emergency and this technology will help to improve outcomes for people presenting with stroke,” Mr Park said.

“Fast response and treatment of stroke is vital to saving lives and improving recovery.

“By simulating a real-time scenario, this training will give emergency nurses practise in how to handle those first critical minutes.

“A total of 27 VR headsets have been distributed to regional, rural and metropolitan hospitals, with a focus on smaller hospitals where staff may have limited exposure to stroke presentations.

“It’s really pleasing to see this innovative technology being used to train nurses.”

The stroke VR nurse training program will run in all regional local health districts, including the following hospitals: Tweed, Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Moree, Armidale, Tamworth, Port Macquarie, Manning, Dubbo, Broken Hill, Orange, Bathurst, Lithgow, Blue Mountains, Goulburn, Cooma, Shoalhaven, Griffith, Wagga Wagga, Deniliquin, Moruya and South East Regional Hospital (SERH).

It will also run in the Sydney, Northern Sydney and South Eastern Sydney local health districts at Royal Prince Alfred, Prince of Wales, St Vincent’s and Royal North Shore hospitals.

NSW Health Deputy Secretary Clinical Innovation and Research and Chief Executive, Agency for Clinical Innovation, Dr Jean-Frédéric Levesque, said the VR training is another innovative way the public health system is using technology to improve patient care.

“VR training gives patients and nurses access to best-practice stroke care, especially in regional areas where a local hospital does not receive the same volume of stroke patients as its city counterparts,” Dr Levesque said.

“This new training program complements the successful NSW Telestroke Service, which uses video consultation to provide people living in rural and regional NSW with rapid access to specialist stroke diagnoses and treatment.

“Telestroke is now operating in 23 hospitals across the state.”

The TACTICS VR stroke training program is a collaboration between the Agency for Clinical Innovation and the University of Newcastle Centre for Advanced Training Systems.

University of Newcastle Professor Rohan Walker said the VR nurse training follows Telestroke training already produced using the TACTICS VR platform.

“Health staff find the immersive, interactive and evidence-based training easy to use and it improves their confidence in best-practice clinical care,” Professor Walker said.

For more information on stroke care, visit the Agency for Clinical Innovationlaunch.

The state’s annual trout fishing season commenced on September 30, with rivers and streams in prime condition following the 4-month fishing closure. 

Great fishing across the NSW trout fishery is expected this season.

The annual closure allows trout to breed during the spawning season, to allow good recruitment and ensure we maintain our fishing assets for future seasons.

Consistent rainfall over the past few years has allowed for good natural recruitment, which bodes well for this open season.

NSW boasts an array of popular trout fishing locations, including a range of productive streams in the New England area, the iconic Thredbo and Eucumbene rivers in the Snowy Mountains, and the Fish River near Bathurst in the Central West.

It is important that all anglers check they have a current and valid NSW Recreational Fishing Licence. It’s also a good idea that anglers take the opportunity to remind themselves about the fishing rules, to ensure our trout fishery remains viable into the future.

The NSW trout fishery is carefully managed to ensure sustainability while delivering socio-economic benefits.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“Trout are an incredibly popular freshwater sportfish in our general trout streams, artificial fly and lure streams, and create fantastic opportunities for fishers.

“DPI’s Gaden and Dutton trout hatcheries have completed their breeding programs for the season, and we are working with local clubs and acclimatisation societies to organise stocking of trout fry and fingerlings.

“The wet conditions over the past few years have given a great boost to trout fishing and we look set for yet another bumper season this year, right across the state.”

The 2023-24 trout season is open through to Tuesday, 11 June 2024. A summary of fishing rules and regulations is available via the FishSmart Applaunch or by accessing the NSW Recreational Freshwater Fishing Guidelaunch available at NSW DPI offices, fishing fee agents or online.

Anyone with information about illegal fishing or suspected illegal fishing should contact the Fishers Watch phone line on 1800 043 536launch or report illegal activity online via the link.