Category: NSW News

The Minns Labor Government is today announcing a comprehensive $835 million investment to enable development, support job creation and maximise economic growth for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis region.

Spanning 11,200 hectares, the Western Sydney Aerotropolis presents a generational opportunity to create a thriving economic hub which is set to provide thousands of new jobs closer to home for the people of Western Sydney. 

This Aerotropolis package builds on the previously announced $1 billion investment in the first stage of the Fifteenth Avenue upgrade, jointly funded with the Australian Government.

Building Better Communities

Roads are essential infrastructure for the Aerotropolis. Road infrastructure must be in place to not just cater for the growing freight, but to maximise growth.

This year’s Budget includes close to $150 million in additional funding. That is on top of $2.55 billion allocated to existing Aerotropolis roads projects over four years, taking the total commitment to $2.7 billion.

Key new project allocations include:

• $50 million for critical road upgrades across the Aerotropolis, including traffic lights and signals at the Elizabeth Drive and Luddenham Road intersection and a new turning lane at the Mamre Road and Kerrs Road intersection.
• $39 million to plan three key routes – Devonshire Road, Devonshire Link Road and Bradfield Metro Link Road – including a $12.5 million contribution from the Albanese Labor Government.
• $29.6 million for an incident management and response team to deploy rapidly to accidents and traffic delays. The new team will support key routes to and from the airport, along with the broader South Western Sydney road network.
• $30 million for more than 1000 new green directional signs across Sydney directing to the Aerotropolis and Western Sydney Airport.

This builds on major ongoing road projects in the Aerotropolis, jointly funded by the Minns and Albanese Labor Governments, including:

• $1 billion for the first stage of the Fifteenth Avenue upgrade between Liverpool and the new airport.
• $1 billion for the upgrade of Mamre Road Stage 2 between Erskine Park and Kemps Creek.
• $800 million for the upgrade of Elizabeth Drive to connect the new airport.
• More than $2 billion for the toll-free M12 Motorway.

More essential services – Western Sydney’s biggest fire station

The Minns Labor Government is today announcing the new location for the Badgerys Creek Fire Station.

Construction of the facility, on Adams Road in Luddenham, is expected to commence later this year, with completion due by late 2026. The station is set to become the largest in Western Sydney.

The Government is also committing to recruiting 52 new firefighters to staff the 24/7 station with a $42.2 million investment, significantly expanding our firefighting strength in the growth corridor and helping deliver on an election commitment to fund 600 additional firefighters.

This builds on the Governments $15.4 million investment last year to deliver the new Badgerys Creek station, including three new fire trucks.

This investment in the 2025-26 Budget is on top of an additional $17 million over two years to help renew the state’s fire-fighting fleet and strengthen our frontline emergency response. 

Investing in water infrastructure to unlock future industry and housing

Sydney Water will invest $644 million to deliver stormwater and recycled water infrastructure across the Mamre Road precinct in Western Sydney, as part of the largest integrated stormwater scheme in Australia.

The works will support the first precinct to be developed in the Aerotropolis, the 1,020-hectare Mamre Road Precinct, and lay the foundation for the remaining 7,267 hectares of industrial land surrounding the future Nancy-Bird Walton Airport.

The Minns Labor Government has worked with Sydney Water to drive down the cost to developers, giving them certainty and helping them get started with job-creating construction projects.

In March 2023, Sydney Water proposed a bond fee for the Mamre Road Precinct of $1.3 million per hectare. Since then, the Government has worked with Sydney Water to revise the scope, driving down the contribution to $877,000 in the final Development Servicing Plan, released last month.

Under the direction of the Minns Labor Government, this investment will help deliver the critical infrastructure needed to support growth across the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.

The investment will fund:

• The construction of naturalised channels and waterways (instead of concrete pipes and drains)
• Land acquisition and construction of stormwater capture and harvesting infrastructure in the form of basins and wetlands

This funding is part of our plan to deliver better essential services that people and businesses rely on and to unlock investment to grow our economy, setting NSW up for long-term prosperity.

Premier Minns:

“With billions of dollars now committed, we’re not just talking about building a new airport—we’re creating a connected, thriving region that will delivers job, homes and opportunity for generations to come.

“This funding ensures the right infrastructure is in place to support growth and unlock the full potential of the Aerotropolis.

“Whether it’s new roads, or enabling infrastructure, we’re laying the foundations now to support the Aerotropolis into the future.”

Treasurer Mookhey:

“This Budget makes the critical investments in essential infrastructure to support new growth in Western Sydney.

“We are backing the Aerotropolis precinct with the infrastructure to grow a local economy and create jobs.

“This Budget puts opportunity at the heart of government decisions as we build a better future for NSW.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib:

“Today marks an important investment in safety and resilience for Western Sydney.

“Badgerys Creek Fire Station will play a vital role in strengthening our emergency response in this rapidly developing corridor.

“This investment means our emergency services are prepared to help safeguard the community as the region continues to grow.” 

Minister for Roads Jenny Aitchison:

“This year’s roads Budget includes close to $150 million in additional funding to support the Aerotropolis. We have focused on the must have priorities – new and widened roads, intersections, safety upgrades – that will bust congestion in this growing area.

“We’ll ensure that ahead of the new Western Sydney Airport opening by the end of 2026, we’re building the supporting road network it needs.”

Acting Minister for Western Sydney Courtney Houssos:

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to delivering for the people of Western Sydney, after the Liberals and Nationals allowed infrastructure projects in Western Sydney to stall.

“These investments will ensure families and businesses are supported with the services they need to thrive.

“With the new Western Sydney Airport set to open next year, it is vital we continue to invest in Western Sydney, so the area’s potential can be unlocked.”

Minister for Water Rose Jackson:

“This significant infrastructure investment is about getting the basics right so we can build the homes and businesses Western Sydney needs.”

FRNSW Commissioner Jeremy Fewtrell AFSM:

“The fire station’s proximity to the airport means it can immediately respond and support aviation firefighters in any emergency.

“It’s also a reflection of our ongoing commitment to firefighter wellbeing through modern design and safety-focused infrastructure.”

Two tower cranes supporting the delivery of the new Shellharbour Hospital will officially be known as ‘Shane’ and ‘Anita Lift’ after being named by two local school students.

The ‘Name the Cranes’ competition received close to 130 creative entries from school children across the region, providing the community’s youngest residents with the chance to engage in the new Shellharbour Hospital.

Seven-year-old Shellharbour Public School student Zoe Green who came up with the name ‘Shane’ and seven-year-old Lainey Anger from Primbee Public School who picked the name ‘Anita Lift’ were announced as the winners of the ‘Name the Cranes’ competition.

The students were today joined by the Member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson MP, for a special presentation on site.

‘Shane’ is the combination of the first two letters of Shellharbour and last three letters of ‘Crane’ together, while ‘Anita Lift’ is a play on words and sounds like ‘I need a lift’ when said fast.

The winning names, ‘Shane’ and ‘Anita Lift,’ will be prominently displayed on the cranes, with both cranes now installed. The two cranes stand at 52 and 45 metres high and can be seen across Shellharbour as they tower over the site and work to build the seven-storey structure.

The successful entries were selected by representatives from Health Infrastructure, BESIX Watpac, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and Savills Project Management.

The new hospital is part of the over $780 million New Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services Project, which also includes improvements to Wollongong Hospital, a refurbishment of Bulli Hospital and a new Community Health Centre on a portion of land at the former Port Kembla Hospital site at Warrawong.

The project is expected to support around 800 direct jobs during construction, with the potential to support thousands of indirect jobs over the life of the project.

Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.

Information and updates on the New Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services can be found here: www.shellharbourdevelopment.health.nsw.gov.au

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“This new Shellharbour Hospital and Integrated Services Project represents the significant investment in our region and sets us up for a future where quality healthcare is on our doorstep.

“Congratulations to Zoe Green and Lainey Anger and thank you to all students who submitted a creative entry. It was fantastic to see so many schools embrace the opportunity to help name our new cranes, as we progress construction of the new Shellharbour Hospital.”

Member for Shellharbour Anna Watson:

“It’s great to see the new Shellharbour Hospital progressing, which will transform health services in the Illawarra and will deliver better health outcomes for our local community now and into the future.

“Thank you to everyone who entered the name the crane competition, which is a wonderful way to engage and involve school children in an important project for our community.”

The Minns Labor Government will deliver a record $9 billion over four years for school infrastructure in the 2025-26 Budget — continuing the work of rebuilding public education in NSW.

This investment in our future includes $2.6 billion that will be spent over the coming financial year alone, to deliver our record pipeline of new and upgraded schools to support growing communities across NSW.

Importantly, every new public primary school is being delivered with a co-located public preschool, honouring the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to deliver 100 new public preschools by 2027, including 49 in Western Sydney.

This budget includes the following additional new schools and upgrades:

New schools

• Emerald Hills – new primary school
• Grantham Farm – new primary school
• West Dapto – new primary school
• Wilton – new high school

Major upgrades

• Newington Public School
• Excelsior Public School
• Thornton Public School
• Rydalmere East Public School
• Rydalmere Public School
• Ermington West Public School
• Asquith high schools
• Bayside High School (provisional name)
• Northern Beaches Secondary College Freshwater Campus

These new schools being funded in the 2025-26 Budget will deliver approximately 140 new classrooms that are estimated to accommodate 2,500 students.

The new school that is being announced for the first time today for Emerald Hills, near Leppington, will open for more than 550 students on Day 1 Term 1, 2028, with facilities including modern classrooms, a multipurpose hall, canteen, library and sports field.

Leppington was one of a number of growth areas within the South-West and North-West growth corridors identified by the Government’s Enrolment Growth Audit as the top 10 areas for student growth in the state.

The audit found the former Coalition government failed to accurately reflect the rapid population growth in these areas and failed to build the schools to match it.

Since being elected, the Minns Labor Government has commenced construction on more than 25 new and upgraded schools for growing communities across NSW, with another 30 set to begin before the end of 2025.

In addition to these, the NSW Government has fast-tracked schools to open in temporary facilities while their permanent facilities are built in Box Hill, Nirimba Fields, Tallawong and Gledswood Hills.

This has meant that families in growth suburbs like Marsden Park, Leppington, Tallawong and Gledswood Hills were able to enrol in schools years earlier than planned by Liberals and Nationals.

This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild public education following a decade of neglect that saw new schools and upgrades promised but never delivered by the former government.

This budget continues to ensure students across NSW no matter where they live can attend a public school close to home, and that these schools deliver a world class education to the next generation.

This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild public education and improve student outcomes by addressing over a decade of neglect by the former Government.

We know there’s much more to do, but we’re getting on with the job of rebuilding public education by:

• banning mobile phones in all public schools, which has meant reduced distractions in school
• paying our teachers more, which has seen a 40 per cent drop in teacher vacancies since coming to office. That means more teachers in front our classrooms
• this has meant that the number of merged and cancelled classes have been almost halved
• making more than 16,000 teachers and school support staff on temporary contracts permanent.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“New and upgraded schools are essential, but nothing matters more than having a great teacher in every classroom.

“That’s why we delivered the biggest teacher pay rise in a generation — cutting permanent teacher vacancies by 40 per cent and slashing the number of merged or cancelled classes across NSW.

“This announcement today continues our record investment in public education with new funding for schools in the communities that need them most, fast-growing suburbs that were overlooked for far too long.

“Families in Western Sydney were promised schools that never came under the former government. We’re fixing this — building the schools that these communities need and deserve.”

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:

“The Minns Labor Government, with the leadership of Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car, has invested record funding to build new and upgraded schools across growing parts of NSW that were neglected for too long under the Liberals.

“Our investment also includes new, fee-free public preschools co-located with public schools as part of our commitment to build 100 public preschools across NSW. These will be a game-changer for families in suburbs where access to high quality, affordable early education is scarce.

“For more than a decade, the former Liberal National Government failed to keep pace with population growth in these suburbs and towns. We are fixing that with real investment, building world-class local public schools and early education for families close to home.”

Member for Leppington Nathan Hagarty said:

“I was elected on a commitment of delivering schools for our growing community.

“This new primary school and preschool at Emerald Hills is another example of the Minns Labor Government’s investment in public education – alongside the new Leppington High School, an elective sports stream at Eagle Vale High School, five new public preschools, and four major school upgrades across the Leppington electorate.

“We’re making sure every family has access to quality local schools, close to home.”

The Minns Labor Government will invest over $140 million of new funding to safeguard the future of our states agricultural industry. As part of the Government’s comprehensive plan to build better regional communities this year’s state budget will continue the government’s focus on strengthening the state’s biosecurity program with and primary industries research capabilities.

Prioritising our state’s biosecurity

$100 million in new additional funding will be invested to further strengthen the state’s biosecurity detection, protection and response, bringing the states biosecurity budget to a historic $1.05 billion.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to making investments which grow the state’s economy. Primary industries contribute $20 billion annually to our state, as well as playing an essential role in keeping us fed and clothed, however invasive pests, diseases and weeds pose a significant threat.

This funding will drive the development of a new, sustainable and integrated biosecurity model. It will enable strengthening of surveillance and improve the state’s emergency response capacity in the event of a biosecurity incursion.

The Minns Labor Government was elected with a commitment to prioritise the state’s biosecurity, this funding will build on the work undertaken over the past years, which has delivered:

• the appointment of the state’s first ever Independent Biosecurity Commissioner
• the control management of more than 212,000 feral pigs and 18,000 feral deer
• over 200 workshops with over 5,000 attendees to equip farmers with the knowledge they need to undertake best practice pest control and management
• more than 39,000 one-on-one consultations by Local Land Service biosecurity officers
• the investment of $95 million, more than any other state, to monitor, respond to and eradicate the threat of red fire ants.

Strengthening our state’s research capabilities

$41.2 million will be invested to modernise the primary industry research and development program, including upgrades to digital infrastructure to promote research in emerging areas such as AI assisted farming.

This funding will also support a graduate program to give a pathway to young scientists ensuring NSW has a pipeline of skilled researchers, safeguarding the productivity and efficiency of our state’s agricultural industry into the future.

This builds on the over $60 million invested last year to deliver vital upgrades to seven research facilities, and five emergency response sites across regional NSW, that were neglected by the former Liberal National Government.

These upgrades and additional funding will support the staff undertaking research across the state in vital areas such as, animal nutrition, climate change, aquaculture breeding as well as biosecurity surveillance and responses.

In the face of global challenges, including climate change it is imperative that NSW farmers have the tools to adapt and thrive. This funding will ensure the vital work undertaken at research facilities becomes more strategic, focused and valuable to farmers and producers.

This new research funding is in response to the final report of the Independent Research and Development Review conducted by a panel of eminent scientist and agricultural economists chaired by the former NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer, Professor Mary O’Kane AC.

Premier of New South Wales, Chris Minns said:

“We are working hard to build a better New South Wales, by making investments which will grow the economy and set the state up for long term prosperity.

“We know that New South Wales cannot reach its full potential if our state’s farmers and agricultural industry are not thriving and safeguarded into the future.

“I’ve been lucky to meet with many farmers across our state and listen to their concerns, whether it’s feral pigs, deer, weeds or fires ants, all of them have raised the unrelenting threat biosecurity incursions pose.

“That is why we are making this essential investment to ensure that farmers can continue to do what they do best, knowing that the Government has their back when it comes to managing weeds and pests across the state.”

Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty said:

“These significant budget investments build on the work we have carried out over the last two years to turbo charge the fight against ferals, pests, diseases and weeds.

“Biosecurity is receiving unprecedented attention from our Government due to the increasing risk to our farmers and landscapes. We are standing with our farmers to show them the way on how to deal with these problems and to battle any feral problems head-on to make a real difference.

“We are committed to modernising our research and development effort for primary industries with an additional $41.2 million, so that there has been more than $100 million in new funding over the last year, and it is bringing a stronger, strategic and resilient focus to the future of primary industries.

“Establishing a graduate pathway for young scientists and researchers into our primary industries research program is essential to maintaining a continuous and dedicated specialist workforce driven by purpose and achievement.”

The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (CHW) has become the latest NSW hospital to implement the Safe Staffing Levels initiative, as the Minns Labor Government continues to deliver on its promise to deliver staffing reform.

CHW recently completed a successful recruitment campaign of more than 19 FTE nurses in the Emergency Department (ED), to facilitate the Safe Staffing Level requirements.

The staffing boost will enable a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied ED resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three generally occupied ED treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts.

The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce was established to oversee the rollout of the Government’s commitment of 2,480 FTE over four years. It includes key leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA), NSW Health, and local health districts.

Phase one of Safe Staffing Levels has commenced in the level 5 and 6 emergency departments, which treat the most critically ill patients, and will then be progressively implemented across other key areas in a phased approach.

Implementing Safe Staffing Levels is just one of a range of measures that the NSW Government is embracing to build a more supported health workforce, including:

• funding the equivalent of 1,112 FTE nurse and midwife positions on an ongoing basis
• abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in over a decade for nurses and other health workers
• beginning to roll out 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“Safe staffing is one of the most significant reforms in the way our hospitals have been staffed in decades.

“Reaching Safe Staffing Levels in the Emergency Department at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead is a significant accomplishment and reflects the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to continuing to improve service delivery.”

Member for Parramatta, Donna Davis:

“We acknowledge how challenging it can be for families when a child is seriously unwell and requires treatment in hospital.

“This major staffing reform will support our dedicated frontline health staff to provide more timely, personalised care to some of our youngest, most vulnerable patients.”

The latest NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) quarterly update reveals a welcomed downward trend in break and enters and motor vehicle thefts across the state but domestic violence assaults in regional parts of NSW have risen to even more alarming levels. 

In the March 2025 quarterly report, recorded incidents of break and enter (both dwellings and non-dwellings), motor vehicle theft, and retail theft have all seen significant declines highlighting a strong police performance in reducing certain major offences across NSW.

However, domestic violence-related assaults increased by 3.6%, with rises recorded in 8 of 13 Regional NSW areas and 3 of 15 Greater Sydney locations. In some areas, such as the New England and North West region, the rate of violent crime is more than double the state average.

Over the past 2 years, family violence has increased by 7.3%, while the number of child victims of domestic violence has increase by 9.5%.

Intimidation, stalking and harassment are up 4.8%, while Apprehended Domestic Violence Order compliance checks continue to drop under Labor, by almost 17,000 from 113,509 in 2023 to 96,520 in 2025.

Shadow Minister for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Natasha Maclaren-Jones said that under the Minns Labor Government family and sexual violence has reached record highs.

“These are not just statistics in a report, they represent women and children, which the Minns Labor Government is failing,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones said.

Shadow Minister for Police Paul Toole said the latest report gave a sobering reminder of the reality of domestic violence in NSW. 

“The lack of decisive action from the Minns Labor Government is leaving victims in regional communities vulnerable and allowing domestic violence incidents to increase,” Mr Toole said. 

“The statistics speak for themselves. Whatever Labor is doing is not working and the Ministers responsible need to take some accountability. 

“We cannot continue to have innocent lives lost or permanently affected by acts of violence in their own homes, so we need new approaches, new thinking and a hell of a lot more resourcing. 

“The cries from the bush are going unanswered by this city-centric government and this cannot go on.” 

In 2024, the NSW Police Force attended 152,268 domestic and family violence incidents, equating to on average NSW Police officers responding to 560 domestic and family violence incidents each day.

The Minns Labor Government is delivering on its commitment to improve essential services by fully and fairly funding public schools while delivering targeted reforms aimed at lifting student outcomes across NSW public schools.

In 2025, the NSW Government’s annual investment in every public-school student will be more than $17,000 — an increase of $2,203 per student compared to the former Liberal-National Government’s 2023 commitment.

This is a total investment of $13.1 billion by the NSW Government in the 2025 calendar year.

This follows the State and Federal Labor Governments signing a historic 10-year funding deal earlier this year that will see the Federal Government fund 25 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) by 2034 through an additional $4.8 billion 10-year commitment, ensuring that public schools are fully funded.

The remaining 75 per cent of SRS required to fully fund NSW public schools has already been delivered by the Minns Labor Government two years ahead of schedule through a total additional $5.6 billion investment over 10 years.

This is the largest funding commitment to public school students in NSW history, ensuring every child has access to free public education and the opportunity to reach their full potential, regardless of where they live.

In contrast, under the former State and Federal Liberal Governments, funding was capped at 95 per cent while driving up teacher vacancies to record levels of 3,300 vacancies.

This increased funding is being directed to expand critical early intervention programs, including:

Small Group Tuition Program

The Minns Labor Government is boosting the government’s small group tutoring program to $80 million, a $27 million increase on last year. This will help lift literacy and numeracy outcomes for our students.

This additional funding means the program is now available to nearly 60,000 students with an increase in the support available for students from 10 weeks of tutoring to 15 weeks.

This program provides targeted literacy and numeracy support in small groups (of two to five students).

It will introduce an assessment for students before and after the program to measure how much they’ve improved.

University teaching students will also be able to provide hands-on classroom experience as tutors — supporting student outcomes and strengthening the future teaching workforce.

The Australian Government Productivity Commission’s report on school funding identified that small-group tuition can improve learning outcomes in reading by up to 4 months, and mathematics outcomes by up to 3 months.

Year 1 Phonics Support Program

All Year 1 students currently take a short phonics test to help identify how strong their key early reading skills are. The check helps teachers quickly spot students who need extra help and provide them with support.

The Minns Labor Government is supporting this work with more classroom resources and targeted support with 144 schools  participating this year in a focused support program, providing extra training, tools and leadership support to lift phonics outcomes.                                                                                                                                                      

Year 1 Number Screening Check

The Minns Labor Government is trialling a new check across 165 public schools to assess Year 1 students’ early numeracy skills.

This is helping over 7,000 Year 1 students to identify gaps in key numeracy skills — including counting, ordering, and basic operations — giving teachers immediate insights to deliver tailored support.

The check is part of the government’s plan to lift student outcomes after years of decline in NAPLAN results.

Rebuilding public education

This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild public education and improve student outcomes by addressing over a decade of neglect by the former Government.

We are ensuring that students across NSW can attend a public school close to home, and that all families can access a world class education.

We know there’s much more to do, but we’re getting on with the job of rebuilding public education by:

• Banning mobile phones in all public schools, which has meant reduced distractions in school;
• Paying our teachers more, which has seen a 40 per cent drop in teacher vacancies since coming to office. That means more teachers in front our classrooms;
• Making more than 16,000 teachers and school support staff on temporary contracts permanent;
• Delivering a record $8.9 billion investment in new and upgraded schools across NSW.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“This is the single largest investment in public school students in NSW history, because every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, no matter where they live or what their background is.”

“We know that funding alone isn’t enough. That’s why we’re also delivering practical changes like early literacy and numeracy checks and expanded tutoring — to make sure students get the right support when they need it.”

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:

“This announcement is a tribute to Deputy Premier Prue Car and her tireless work to deliver record education funding and ensure that every public school student can achieve their full potential.

“This is part of our work to reverse declining student outcomes after more than a decade of neglect and mismanagement under the former Liberal-National Government.  

“The Minns Labor Government is rebuilding the NSW public education system to ensur

The Canowindra community is one step closer to integrated, easily accessible healthcare services, with construction of the Canowindra HealthOne facility now underway.

The local community joined healthcare workers and the project teams on site today for a groundbreaking event to mark the milestone.

More than $8 million will be spent on the new HealthOne facility which will be built on the existing hospital site and include contemporary spaces to accommodate a range of multi-disciplinary providers like General Practitioners (GPs) and community healthcare services.

The first stage of construction includes upgrades to roads and infrastructure surrounding the existing hospital, which will enable the safe build of the new HealthOne without impacting on services or hospital access.

Construction is expected to take approximately 12 months to complete. Zauner Constructions has been engaged as the main works contractor for the new health facility.

For more information on the Canowindra HealthOne project visit the Engage Western NSW platform.

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

“It’s fantastic to see construction underway on the new Canowindra HealthOne. With a range of healthcare providers on one site, this new health facility won’t just improve access to healthcare, it will also reduce the need to travel for our local and broader communities.

“I’m certain the Canowindra HealthOne will provide wonderful opportunities for healthcare professionals across a range of disciplines to establish themselves in a welcoming, friendly community.”

Member for Orange, Phil Donato:

“This new health facility will make a significant difference to patients, their families and our healthcare professionals, not just in Canowindra but for the surrounding communities as well.

“With a range of services right next door to the hospital, I’m sure our patients will experience a far more seamless transition between care providers, which will increase their comfort levels and their overall wellbeing.”

Matt McGrath, Canowindra Health Service Manager:

“This is an exciting milestone for this project, our health service and our staff, but also for our entire community here in Canowindra.

“Our community has been involved in this project from the start, and I’d like to thank them again for their input during the planning and design phases.

“I’m thrilled to see construction start, and while there will be some minor disruption as you’d expect with any major redevelopment, we will do everything we can to minimise that where possible.

“I’d ask our community keeps their eyes open on the campus, as there will be some changes to traffic flow as we move through construction, to ensure everyone’s safety until the new HealthOne is complete and fully operational.”