Category: NSW News

Western Sydney residents are one step closer to catching fast metro rail services, with TBM Peggy smashing through at the future Airport Terminal station in a major milestone for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport project.

The 1,066-tonne mega-machine completed the first leg of its 5.5-kilometre journey to the Aerotropolis, following TBM Eileen, who made her historic first breakthrough last month.

Peggy has worked around the clock at an average speed of 120 metres per week to build the fully lined 1.26-kilometre tunnel from the Airport Business Park, excavating around 112,000 tonnes of rock – enough to fill about 18 Olympic swimming pools.

In preparation for Peggy’s arrival, approximately 293,000 tonnes of rock (about 48 Olympic swimming pools) have been excavated from the 25-metre-deep Airport Terminal station box.

The enormous machine will now traverse the station box before being relaunched, to tunnel under the future Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport, with the TBM expected to arrive at the Aerotropolis metro station site in 2024.

TBM Peggy is named after Peggy Kelman OAM, an Australian aviation pioneer and adventurer.

Peggy Kelman was a friend of Nancy-Bird Walton, the namesake of the new international airport.

A total of four TBMs will build the 9.8-kilometre-long twin tunnels for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport railway line between St Marys and the Aerotropolis.

TBM Eileen is carving the metro tunnel alongside TBM Peggy from Airport Business Park to the Aerotropolis. TBM Catherine and TBM Marlene have begun their 4.3-kilometre journey from Orchard Hills to St Marys.

A joint venture between CPB Contractors and Ghella was awarded the $1.8 billion Station Boxes and Tunnelling contract in 2021 to deliver 9.8 kilometres of twin metro tunnels, five station boxes and two services facilities shafts for the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport project.

The line will be operational when Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport opens for passenger services in 2026, with an expected travel time of 15 minutes from St Marys metro station to the Airport Terminal Station and a further five minutes to the Aerotropolis Station.

Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said:

“The spectacular arrival of TBM Peggy marks the fantastic progress underway on this vital 23-kilometre transport link, which will not only benefit Greater Western Sydney residents, but for those visiting from around the globe.

“We are thrilled to be shaping the future of this vibrant and growing region with reliable and fully accessible metro services, ready for when planes start taking off at the new Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport.”

NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:

“This city-shaping project is supporting the local economy with more than 14,000 jobs generated during construction, including 250 new apprentices and at least 20 per cent of the contract workforce coming from Greater Western Sydney.

“This project is making Western Sydney the doorway to the rest of the world, and we can’t wait to see it continue to take shape.”

Member for Werriwa Anne Stanley said:

“The community benefit, as the Western Sydney (Nancy – Bird Walton) International Airport continues toward completion, are immense.

Our residents are looking forward to the opportunities, jobs for the future, as well as the construction jobs which support families and the economy in Western Sydney.”

The NSW Government is delivering on its election commitment to save the Powerhouse Museum in Ultimo and preserve the Wran legacy.

The Government is committing $250 million for a heritage revitalisation to the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo.

The iconic and much-loved 1988 Wran building will be saved.

The Powerhouse Museum was established in 1879 as the Technological, Industrial and Sanitary Museum of New South Wales. In 1978 an investment by the NSW Wran Labor Government investment transformed it into the modern Powerhouse Museum.

There has been no significant capital investment into Ultimo Powerhouse Museum since the museum opened in 1988.

The former government allocated $481 million for a Powerhouse renewal project.

NSW families are facing rampant inflation, as well as rising energy and housing costs. The $230 million balance from this decision will support the construction of new school and hospital projects as part of a new era of responsible long-term budget repair.

Independent engineering advice is that there are significant systems that need to be replaced to meet operation and building code requirements.

The NSW Government will undertake further consultation with current staff as well as the arts and culture sector, business and creative industries groups, the education sector, peak bodies, expert advisors, local communities, and the public on the details and timing of this heritage redevelopment.

Minister for Arts John Graham said:

“We promised at the election that we would preserve the Wran legacy and keep the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo open. We are doing just that.

“The area around the Powerhouse Museum Ultimo has changed extensively since the museum opened in 1988. It is now a major hub for creative industries, technology, innovation, education, and research. This prudent investment allows us to save the Powerhouse Museum at Ultimo and preserve the Wran legacy in a tough fiscal environment.

“We have responded to community calls for a more modest redevelopment, saving the Powerhouse Museum and preserving the Wran legacy with a $250 million heritage redevelopment.”

The NSW Innovation and Productivity Council has outlined a set of recommendations to gain more value from the state’s thriving innovation sector and to better measure the effectiveness of government support.

While the report finds that innovation ecosystems help lower the risks for startups, there’s much more to do when it comes to understanding effective ways to support them.

Accelerating NSW: the impact of coworking spaces, accelerators, incubators, and startup hubs (CAISH entities) finds that NSW is already the centre of the nation’s startup economy.

Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology Anoulack Chanthivong said the report was a welcome contribution.

“We have a thriving community of innovators and their supporters in NSW, with a 325 per cent increase since 2013.

“NSW now has a vibrant ecosystem of innovators.

“Not enough has been done to measure their value or to examine if there are more cost-effective ways to support this part of the economy.

“While the NSW Government wants to support an environment that lets entrepreneurs learn and grow, it’s important that we can be confident that the infrastructure and programs are delivering results.

“We look forward to working with the sector to build an evidence base that measures the effectiveness of public and private interventions in this space.”

The framework can be applied to NSW Government funded programs and CAISH entities and will be integrated into the Council’s NSW Innovation and Productivity Scorecard to provide estimates on the value of CAISH entities to the NSW economy.

Council Chair Charlie Taylor said that despite significant growth in startups and support organisations over the last two decades, there is limited understanding of their impact and value to the economy.

“For the first time ever, we’ve been able to map all of NSW’s CAISH entities, and through the 64 interviews and 27 case studies conducted for the report, paint a comprehensive picture of the state’s CAISH ecosystem,” Mr Taylor said.

“Using the new framework developed by the Council in partnership with experts from the University of Technology Sydney, we can utilise data to measure the impact of these entities and their programs, to effectively measure their success and identify areas for potential improvement.”

The Council report can be viewed online. launch

All bus drivers will be able to travel for free on public transport, as part of a major overhaul by the NSW Government to support the industry and improve services by incentivising more drivers to get behind the wheel.

The NSW Government is moving forward in delivering another of the key recommendations of the Bus Industry Taskforce Interim Report, which called for action to support driver recruitment and retention, including free Opal cards for workers.

Transport for NSW is now consulting with operators, employees and unions on the rollout of these cards, which drivers and other workers will be able to use to travel across the Opal-enabled public transport network and access all staff facilities on the Opal network throughout their shift.

This will ensure bus drivers have public transport travel benefits in line with Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink employees. Consultation will take place over the coming months.

Last month, the NSW Government kicked off a new recruitment campaign in an effort to address the bus driver shortage to help improve reliability for passengers. 

Since the start of the recruitment drive, around 450 new bus driver authorities have been issued and there have been more than 56,000 visits to the Transport for NSW recruitment webpagelaunch.

The NSW Government has already made it quicker, easier, and cheaper for drivers to get their bus driver authority by waiving the $70 application fee for the next 12 months.

Bus operators are also working to recruit more drivers, with incentives like referral bonuses of up to $6,000 and reimbursing driver onboarding costs – such as the cost of Driver Authority training and licence upgrades.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said: 

“We’re giving bus drivers a ticket to ride, with a staff Opal card so they can travel for free on the public transport network.”

“We are doing everything we can to attract new bus drivers and support our current workforce in NSW.”

“This is a no-brainer. We are taking action to address a key recommendation out of the Bus Industry Taskforce’s interim Report and support our hard-working frontline staff.”

“Drivers and operational staff like our mechanics have told us this is what they want, and we’re going to deliver on it.”

“Staff will be able to use these cards to travel across the Opal-enabled public transport network, including to and from work, and to access other facilities like train station bathrooms while they’re out on the road.”

“We want drivers to be able to comfortably take breaks between shifts, before getting back on the road and fulfilling their vital roles connecting the community.”

“The Bus Industry Taskforce will consult with employees, unions and operators over the coming months to help ensure a smooth rollout of the cards.”

“The rollout of these cards will mean every bus and train driver will be able to travel freely on the public transport network they proudly operate every day.”

The NSW Government is delivering on its commitment to get Maitland moving again by investing $15 million into the next stage of the Thornton rail bridge duplication.

After 12 years of a Liberal-National Government prioritising building massive toll roads in Sydney at the expense of regional roads, the Minns Government is determined to get important infrastructure projects back on track.

This funding will kick off initial works and planning to duplicate the rail bridge at Thornton.

When delivered, the project will ease congestion and expand access to Thornton Road which offers a flood-free route for local residents during natural disasters.

Over the next 20 years, it’s expected Maitland will experience an increase of nearly 7000 residents and 3500 jobs, making it the fastest growing regional city in NSW.

The NSW Government is focused on providing a safe and reliable road network to this fast-growing East Maitland area to keep pace with growth.

The NSW Government will begin consultation with community members and key stakeholders over some key issues including tie in points to the north and the south of the bridge, construction over an operational rail line, utility, and property impacts.

The duplication project initially started under the former Labor Government. The former Liberal-National Government gave many commitments that the project would be delivered but it never fully eventuated.

Instead, the former government removed the cap on development north of the bridge, allowing more homes to be built in the Thornton and Chisholm without committing more funding to regional infrastructure.

The NSW Government is determined to end the failed promises of past governments and deliver for regional NSW.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“The NSW Government is determined to end the previous government’s legacy of letting regional infrastructure fall behind while prioritising toll roads in Sydney.

“The NSW Government is delivering on our commitment to take the Thornton rail bridge duplication to the next stage and finally get the wheels turning on this much-needed project.

“Thornton and the surrounding areas are key to the Maitland region’s success. We must invest in key infrastructure projects to support a growing area of regional significance.

“Over the next 20 years it’s estimated we will see an increase of nearly 7000 residents and 3500 jobs, which is why we need to start work now to ensure traffic flows smoothly.

“I’m pleased to be able to be here in Thornton today, to show locals the Minns Labor government delivers on its promises.”

NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison said:

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of the hard work we’ve done to ensure Thornton residents will enjoy smooth and safe travel in future.

“NSW Labor committed $15 million during the election towards planning and early works for the duplication of Thornton rail bridge.

“This is just 1 of the many vital road projects that the former government failed to complete in 12 years. In fact, the Liberals and Nationals removed the cap on developments in Thornton North and Chisholm to enable them to avoid this essential work for more than a decade.”

“The precinct is so congested during peak periods and flooding that it may as well double as a bumper-to-bumper car park sometimes.

“This will be a game changer for essential workers who are constantly stuck in traffic and are spending hours in the car to get to work, education and medical appointments.

“As 1 of the flood-free routes connecting the northern parts of Maitland to the M1, Pacific Highway and the Hunter Expressway, the duplication of this bridge is vital for our community.

NSW Regional and Western NSW Minister Tara Moriarty said:

“This announcement is the first step in delivering a crucial infrastructure project to the Thornton region to ensure the area continues to thrive as it grows into the future.

“Over the last few years, we’ve seen people flock from the cities to our regions, with this trend continuing it’s important that we invest in projects like this that support connectivity across regional and rural NSW.

“The NSW Government will continue to invest in projects just like the Thornton rail bridge duplication to ensure that as our regions continue to grow, they have the infrastructure they need to thrive and stay connected.”

The NSW Government is unveiling the Tomaree Coastal Walk, showcasing the magnificent coastline of Tomaree National Park and offering a 27km walking adventure in the heart of Port Stephens.

The $6.7 million project funded by the NSW Government will enhance tourist opportunities in the Port Stephens region beyond the traditional summer season and encourage visitors to experience new sections of Tomaree National Park.

Tomaree Head already attracts over 300,000 visitors per year and this upgrade will significantly improve the visitor experience, allowing more people to enjoy this spectacular area comfortably and safely. 

The Tomaree Coastal Walk will offer these outdoor adventurers a multi-day experience, turning day-trips into overnight stays, and providing a boost to local tourism and hospitality businesses, including cafes, restaurants, and accommodation providers.

The Tomaree Coastal Walk is the latest in a network of national park upgrades being established in NSW national parks, as part of a plan to transform the state into a bushwalking attraction for domestic and international visitors.

The central focus of the Tomaree Coastal Walk project is to create a continuous track linking Tomaree Head to Birubi Point.

The walk has been carefully designed and constructed so a wider range of people can access and enjoy the beauty of the Port Stephens coast. The upgrades allow wheelchair and mobility restriction.

Starting at Tomaree Head, with unparalleled views of idyllic Port Stephens and its coastline, the multi-day walk hugs the coastline of the national park, guiding visitors across rock ledges, along secluded beaches and through angophora forests via boardwalks and easy-to-navigate walking tracks.

Visitors can do self-guided walks of the entire route or tackle shorter sections of track in any direction, supported by expanded parking along the length of the walk.

The Tomaree Coastal Walk traverses the traditional lands of the Worimi people, an ancient volcanic landscape that has unique cultural, natural and historic values.

New lookouts offer panoramic views of the ocean, as well as providing ideal spots for whale watching during the annual migration of Humpback whales along Australia’s east coast.

Upgraded visitor precincts include improved parking, seating, stairs and walkways, as well as signage and artwork celebrating the cultural heritage of Worimi Country.

Premier of NSW Chris Minns said:

“This new Coastal Walk add to the NSW Government’s deep commitment to showcasing our state’s spectacular natural beauty and boost tourism in our regional communities.

“This enhancement of Tomaree National Park adds another breathtaking experience befitting this region’s fantastic landscape and our state’s environmental character.

“The Coastal Walk will entice local and tourists to come and enjoy the natural surrounds while taking the opportunity to stay overnight at local accommodation, dine in local restaurants and stop by local cafes. It’s a win-win for visitors and local businesses.

“We’re excited to see this project boost the region’s tourism economy and for visitors to enjoy this new iconic coastal experience.”

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“The new Tomaree Coastal Walk will provide a first-class nature-based tourism attraction for Port Stephens, promote the natural and Aboriginal cultural heritage of Tomaree National Park, and build a valued legacy for future generations.

“This area is steeped in history, with ancient volcanic peaks, deep and on-going connection with Worimi People, rich World War 2 heritage, whales, wildflowers, and wildlife just waiting to be discovered.

“Offering a series of short, half- or multi-day walk options, walkers can choose their own adventure, with a range of accommodation options available in nearby coastal villages.

“As we enter spring, now it’s the perfect time to lace up your walking shoes and hit the trails of the Tomaree Coastal Walk.”

Minister for Families and Communities and Member for Port Stephens Kate Washington said:

“Tomaree National Park is one of the most special places in Port Stephens, and on the planet!

“From the iconic headland to the sensational sand dunes which are part of the culturally significant Worimi Conservation Lands, the Tomaree Coastal Walk transports you somewhere stunning at every turn.

“Locals and visitors alike, will absolutely fall in love with our amazing new Tomaree Coastal Walk.”

Related information

• Tomaree Coastal Walklauncheast
• Walks Near Meeast

The Secretary for Digital and the NSW Department of Customer Service, Emma Hogan, will leave her role with the NSW Government later this year. 

Miss Hogan joined the NSW Government as the Public Service Commissioner in May 2018 and was appointed as Secretary of the Department in October 2019.

Miss Hogan will remain in the role until the end of November, unless a new Secretary is appointed earlier.  

Minister for Customer Service Jihad Dib said:

“Emma Hogan has led the department through a period of significant challenges in NSW, including natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“Through her time as Secretary, she has demonstrated her absolute commitment to delivering digital innovation and improved customer outcomes for the NSW community.”

“The NSW Government thanks Miss Hogan for her skill, service and dedication in leading the Customer Service team, and I am personally grateful for her assistance during this transition to the Minns Labor Government. I wish her all the very best for the future.”

Secretary Emma Hogan said: 

“It has been the greatest privilege of my professional career to have worked for NSW.”

“After 4 years as Secretary, I have decided the time is right to step aside, take a break, and make space for a change of leadership and some fresh energy during the next era for the department.”  

“I couldn’t be prouder to have worked with my 13,000 teammates across the department during some unprecedented times, and I’m excited to see what they do next for and with our community under our new government’s agenda.”  

Flood-impacted medium-size businesses across the central west and southern NSW can now apply for up to $200,000 in support through a jointly-funded Albanese and Minns Government grant program, delivered by Service NSW.

The Medium Business Support Grant is available to business and non-profit organisations with more than 20 and less than 200 full-time equivalent employees who were directly impacted by storms and floods from August to September 2022.

Funds can be used to help offset the costs of recovery and re-establishing a business, including for safety inspections, building repairs, cleaning equipment, materials needed to resume trade, disposing of debris and spoiled stock or leasing temporary space.

The Medium Business Support Grant will be available in the local government areas (LGAs) of Balranald, Berrigan, Bogan, Bourke, Brewarrina, Cabonne, Carrathool, Central Darling, Cobar, Cowra, Dubbo Regional, Edward River, Federation, Forbes, Griffith, Gunnedah, Hay, Junee, Lachlan, Leeton, Moree Plains, Murray River, Murrumbidgee, Narrabri, Narrandera, Parkes, Wagga Wagga, Walgett, Warren, Warrumbungle and Wentworth.

The grant is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

For more information and to apply, visit the Service NSWlaunch website or call Service NSW on 13 77 88launch.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said:

“By expanding the Medium Business Support Grant to an additional 31 flood-affected LGAs, both levels of government are directly supporting flood-affected businesses to get back on their feet and help with the costs of clean-up.

“We know that these businesses play an important role in driving regional economies. Supporting them to get back up and running as soon as possible will benefit the broader community.

“This support is now available, and we encourage businesses to apply.”

Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“From Dubbo to Bourke and Wentworth to Wagga Wagga, the Medium Business Support Grant will deliver more support and security for businesses and communities across the central west and southern NSW to reopen or continue operating through the recovery process.

“We know how badly regional communities have been impacted by storms and floods and this grant will complement the support already available to small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations and help get local economies moving again.”

NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib:

“The NSW Government is committed to the long-term recovery of flood-affected communities and the $200,000 Medium Business Support Grant will help ensure these businesses bounce back stronger than ever.

“Service NSW business concierge staff will be proactively reaching out to business owners to provide support with applications and help ensure funds are provided where they are needed as quickly as possible.”

The NSW Government has begun work to deliver a heavy vehicle rest area in Sydney for truck drivers to rest, park, shower and access services.

Currently there are very limited rest areas that are fit for purpose for truck drivers between Pheasants Nest to the south of Sydney and Wyong to the north – a distance of 180km and nearly 2 hours driving.

There are other minor rest areas that provide single direction opportunity to stop but have limited facilities, including some with no toilet and wash facilities or capacity to host larger trucks.

This means truck drivers need to take significant detours off the motorways in order to take a break.

The NSW Government is calling for feedback from the freight industry and truck drivers to inform the development of the new proposed rest area for Western Sydney. This area will provide heavy vehicle drivers with a safe and accessible area to rest as part of their journey.

Roads are the workplace for heavy vehicle drivers, and rest areas are important facilities that support driver wellbeing and compliance with mandatory rest breaks.

Options for a rest area are being considered across 6 local government areas: Blacktown City, Penrith City, Fairfield City, Liverpool City, Camden and Campbelltown City.

Transport for NSW will be engaging with the road freight industry and heavy vehicle drivers, including the potential location, services and facilities, as well as consideration of oversize and dangerous goods requirements.

Heavy vehicle drivers and the road freight industry are invited to participate in an online survey to provide their insights and advice.

Have your saylaunch. Consultation will be open until Sunday 1 October 2023. 

The NSW Legislative Council Transport and Arts Committee has also commenced a parliamentary inquiry into pressures on heavy vehicle drivers. The inquiry will explicitly consider how these pressures impact on the use of rest areas and other fatigue management practices.

To make a submission to the parliamentary inquiry visit the NSW Parliamentlaunch website.

Submissions to the inquiry will be accepted until Monday 18 September 2023.

NSW Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“Truck drivers have said to me Sydney is the least friendly city for truckies on the east coast. That’s partly because there is nowhere to rest. We are determined to change that.

“We are committed to providing a new heavy vehicle rest area in Sydney for truckies travelling the 2 hours between Pheasants Nest and Wyong.

“Truckies are the backbone of our economy; we all rely on our goods getting to us in a timely, efficient, and safe manner.

“Current arrangements are simply not good enough for drivers, and we are working with the industry to do better.

“The Western Sydney area needs more parking facilities so our truckies can rest, stage their longer journeys, or if they are early for their timeslot and simply need a place to park.”

Member of the Transport and Arts Committee Dr Sarah Kaine MLC said:

“The parliamentary inquiry is examining the pressures on heavy vehicle drivers. This is a critical issue as freight volume are expected to rise 56% by 2061 in Greater Sydney alone.

“There has been decades-long research into the relationship between pay and conditions and wellbeing of heavy vehicle drivers and mortality rates, for not just heavy vehicle drivers but also other road users. Understanding the pressures on heavy vehicle drivers in NSW is a step in the right direction to decreasing the fatalities in this industry, and our community.”

“This year alone there have been 28 fatal vehicle crashes resulting in 40 fatalities in NSW. A large body of established research shows the wellbeing and pay and conditions of truck drivers is intimately linked to safe driving and reducing fatalities on our roads – providing adequate rest areas has an important part to play in the wellbeing of drivers.

“We look forward to helping shape a positive way forward for drivers and the industry.

“Western Sydney is the perfect spot to service the industry due to its proximity to major freight routes across Sydney, connecting the north-south, east-west axis between ports and where freight needs to go.

“A new rest stop would remove semi-trailers parked in Western Sydney streets and would also provide essential facilities between Pheasants Nest and Wyong where there are limited rest stops for truckies.”

Related information

• Have your say: Western Sydney heavy vehicle rest arealauncheast
• Heavy vehicle parliamentary inquiry | Parliament of NSWlauncheast

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The Minns Labor Government is giving more time back to teachers and principals to focus on helping their students in the classroom by scrapping the need to re-demonstrate their accreditation practice to the regulator every 5 years.

The burdensome task of accreditation maintenance will be simplified under the changes, bringing NSW into line with other states and territories. From November, teachers will simply need to declare to the NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA), that they have completed the required professional development aligned to the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

Principals will no longer need to sign off on a teacher’s practice every 5 years under the revamp, but schools must continue to notify NESA if they have determined a teacher fails to meet the necessary Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.

The move is part of the Minns Labor Government’s drive to ensure teachers in government, Catholic and independent schools are spending more time teaching and less time on administrative tasks.

Since coming to office the Government has halved more than 70 mandated changes to policies and processes in public schools, put on hold new pilots, and hired more than 400 new administrative staff to relieve teachers of some of the tasks that were taking them away from the classroom.

Teachers still need to complete the 100 hours of professional development every 5 years. Completing professional development ensures teachers are up to date with relevant content, skills and pedagogy, and supports their professional growth.

The changes place a greater emphasis on the importance of ongoing professional development and recognise that fully accredited teachers are qualified, meet child safety requirements and have already met tough standards to be accredited.

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

“It is vital that we set high benchmarks for teachers entering the profession, but once they are in the classroom we also play a role in ensuring they want to stay. Removing unnecessary tasks from teachers’ to-do lists is one way we are doing that.

“Under the previous Liberal National Government teachers were overburdened with admin tasks which took them away from what their core role – to bring education alive in the classroom.

“This is sensible policy that is based on respect for the profession, where appropriate verification and standards are in place.

“We want teachers who have already demonstrated they meet rigorous standards to focus on doing their job – not spending unnecessary extra hours proving that they are doing it.”