16 News

The Hon Michael Knight AO has been appointed to the office of the Statutory and Other Offices Remuneration Tribunal for a term of three years.

Commencing on 13 November 2024, Mr Knight will hold office as the Tribunal responsible for determining the remuneration for Judicial Office Holders, Court and Related Office Holders, Public Office Holders and Public Service Senior Executives.

Mr Knight has advised on several private sector boards and Government bodies, including as President of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Chair of Sydney Olympic Park Authority and Chair of Sydney Gas Limited.

His work spans a range of areas including infrastructure, tourism, major events, health, transport, energy and police.

Mr Knight also served in the NSW Parliament from 1981 until 2001 and served as the Minister for Roads, Minister for Public Works and Services, and Minister for the Olympics.

Her Excellency the Governor approved the appointment of Mr Knight in line with the Statutory and Other Offices Remuneration Act 1975. The term of the previous office holder, The Hon Greg Pearce, expired on 3 November 2024.

Mr Knight succeeds Mr Greg Pearce a Minister in the former Government. We thank him for his service.

The NSW Government will operate new permanent sand bypass equipment at the Swansea channel to keep the waterway safe and navigable.

This follows an announcement from the Commonwealth Government that they will provide a $10 million grant to the Lake Macquarie City Council to fund the construction of new dredging infrastructure, including a dredge, permanent pipes and sand transfer infrastructure, that will be put in place over the next two years.

Once the dredge and sand bypass infrastructure are built, the NSW Government has committed an additional $6 million to allow NSW Maritime to operate and maintain the equipment, moving sand from the waterway to nourish nearby beaches. 

It follows a successful two-stage dredging process funded by the NSW Government that returned vessel access to Lake Macquarie, supporting the recreational boating community and serving as a gateway to the region’s famous lakes, rivers and beaches.

During the first stage of dredging, 16,690 cubic metres of sand were removed from three areas to create a 30-metre-wide channel, extending from the Dog Leg southeast of Elizabeth Island, up to the Drop Over northwest of the Swan Bay Entrance.

The second and final stage of the operation successfully removed an additional 13,000 cubic metres of sediment from key points.

This initiative is in addition to the Government’s new Boating Infrastructure and Dredging Scheme (BIDS), which will include funding for a statewide program of proactive dredging in priority locations. 

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said: 

“This investment will improve navigation safety for all users of Swansea Channel. A reliable access route is crucial for local businesses and tourists, so we can ensure Lake Macquarie remains a premier destination for water-based activities.

“This dredging initiative is being designed with careful consideration of the surrounding natural ecosystems, ensuring that we protect the beauty of Australia’s largest saltwater lake for generations to come.”

Minister for the Hunter and Member for Swansea Yasmin Catley said:

“We promised to fix the Swansea Channel and ensure it remains safe and navigable and that’s exactly what we’re doing. 

“This will provide certainty to local and visiting boaties and allow them to visit one of the state’s most beautiful waterways year-round. 

“Lake Macquarie is one of New South Wales’ top tourist destinations. By improving access to our wonderful waterways, we’re making sure that locals and visitors can fully enjoy the first class recreational opportunities our region has to offer.”

The NSW Government’s 2024-2025 Return to Work Pathways Program is now open for organisations to fund tailored projects aimed at supporting women experiencing barriers to employment to become job-ready.

Between $100,000 to $250,000 per organisation, up to a total of $2 million in funding, will be available to support the needs of diverse women in NSW who experience lower workforce participation rates.

Organisations working with the following eight priority groups are eligible to apply for funding:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women
• women with disability
• carers
• older women (over 55 years)
• young women (17-24 years)
• women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities
• women living in regional, rural, and remote areas (particularly Far West NSW and North West NSW)
• women living in Western Sydney (see the eligibility criteria for the list of Local Government Areas).

Priorities under the NSW Women’s Strategy are to boost women’s economic opportunity, health and wellbeing and participation and empowerment.

Since its launch in 2023, the Return to Work Pathways Program has funded 22 successful projects and supported more than 1,000 women with their employment goals.

Tailored return-to-work projects are being delivered, addressing the barriers that prevent women re-entering the workforce and providing wraparound supports, including training, mentoring and pathways to employment.

Success stories from the previous funding round include Beacon Laundry’s Women@Work in the NSW Northern Rivers region. Beacon has created 50 jobs for local women experiencing complex barriers to employment. Participants have access to mentoring, on-the-job training, tailored wraparound supports, and pathways to mainstream employment. Women@Work aims to ensure employees are retained at Beacon or are job-ready so they can transition to mainstream employment.

Expressions of Interest for the Return to Work Pathways Program open today Monday 11 November 2024 and close on Friday 6 December 2024.

For more information on the grant program, eligibility information and details on how to apply, visit https://www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/2024-25-return-to-work-pathways-program.

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“Encouraging and supporting women to enter or re-enter the workforce is essential to building their confidence and wellbeing, as well as boosting the economy and benefitting families across NSW.

“Projects funded under the Return to Work Pathways program help women overcome barriers and provide them with the opportunity to secure sustainable employment that they might have otherwise missed out on.

“I encourage all eligible organisations with ideas for projects aimed at supporting pathways to employment and advancing economic participation for women in NSW to apply for a grant.”

People and Pathways at Beacon Laundry General Manager Morag Roseby said:

“This funding has allowed us to do more than provide jobs—we’re able to create a community where each woman can feel supported to address their barriers and work toward their goals.

“For many, this is the first step toward securing stable housing, achieving financial independence, and building a future they can feel excited about. Through providing a safe, welcoming space to gain confidence, learn new skills, and move forward on their own terms, we’re seeing first-hand how this support is transforming lives.

“Take Terri, who at 55 years, has just secured her very first job. Terri’s disability and previous struggles with substance addiction presented barriers for past employers, forcing her into long-term unemployment. Today, Terri is thriving. She was one of our first team members to be offered a permanent part-time contract, giving her a sense of independence and financial security that before Beacon, was out of reach.”

The community, Aboriginal Elders, health care professionals and families who have used the Malabar Midwifery Group Practice are celebrating 18 years of the service providing culturally respectful pregnancy, birth, and postnatal care to Aboriginal families.

Affectionately known as ‘Malabar Midwives’, the service has supported the births of over 1,500 babies since it was established in 2006.

The service provides pregnancy, birth and postnatal care to Aboriginal women, and women with an Aboriginal partner, who choose to give birth at the Royal Hospital for Women.

Malabar Midwives has a unique way of working that promotes flexible and culturally respectful midwifery care, and is available to Aboriginal women and families from anywhere in NSW who seek out the service.

The midwives work alongside an Aboriginal Health Education Officer in a continuity of midwifery model of care, which supports women getting to know the midwives during their pregnancy journey.

Four midwives work on a rotating 24-hour roster so women have a known midwife to provide care around the clock. Two midwives in the team are proud Aboriginal women.

Local community members, Elders, health care professionals and families who have used the Malabar Midwifery Group Practice will be attending celebrations to mark this milestone at the La Perouse Medical Centre at 11:00am on Wednesday, 6 November 2024.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“The Royal Hospital for Women’s Malabar Midwifery Group Practice is an exceptional model of care that other services seeking to establish pregnancy, birthing and postnatal care for Aboriginal women and families can learn from.

“The service is an outstanding example of the success that can be achieved when health professionals work collaboratively with communities to find the best solutions for their health care needs.”

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, David Harris:

“Malabar Midwives is an example of how working alongside community can help close the gap to improved health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

“This successful model of maternal and infant health care for Aboriginal families sets the standard for Aboriginal midwifery initiatives.”

Member for Maroubra, Michael Daley:

“Women from all over NSW travel to Sydney to attend Malabar Midwives, which is a testament to the solid reputation the team has developed across Aboriginal communities.

“I congratulate the Malabar Midwives team on their great success over many years and look forward to them continuing their outstanding service for many years to come.”

Aboriginal Health Worker, Malabar Midwifery Group Practice, Trudy Allende:

“We know the women and families in this community and are able to support their voice within the health system. It’s an incredibly dedicated team and it’s a tribute to the service to have been around for 18 years.

“I believe that the team at Malabar Midwives gives our local Aboriginal community the service and care it deserves to support best outcomes for mothers and babies.”

Motorists using Summerland Way will have a safer drive after the completion of two projects between Casino and Woodenbong, funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The first project at Stoney Gulley, 9km south of Kyogle, has taken just over three months for workers from Transport for NSW to complete.

The team excavated unsuitable material and placed rock backfill to repair the slope above a 100m section of road, to stabilise the cuttings and provide a low-maintenance solution.

The Burnetts Slip project, 52km north along Summerland Way at Dairy Flat, started in May and required similar repairs along a 126m section of road.

Over the past three months the project team has excavated and installed rock backfill, while also carrying out extensive drainage repairs.

Work was carried out under single lane, alternating traffic flow arrangements which have now been removed.

Transport for NSW thanks the community and all road users for their patience while this essential flood recovery work was completed.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister:

“Summerland Way is an important route for the Northern Rivers, connecting communities from Kyogle to Casino.

“We’re helping build the road back as efficiently as possible, and to a more resilient standard.

“Work is now complete which is excellent news for everyone traveling in the region.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully:

“Summerland Way is an important secondary transport route that links a number of major towns on the Northern Rivers.

“This disaster recovery effort will take pressure off the major highways and is the transport lifeline for commuters and primary producers.

“This work will make a big difference to daily lives of people on the Northern Rivers.”

NSW Regional Transport and Roads Minister Jenny Aitchison:

“Repairing the Summerland Way is great news for the 700 vehicles who use this route every day, of which about 20 per cent are heavy vehicles.

“This is an important route for locals, visitors and freight operators connecting southern Queensland with northern NSW and I’m sure all who travel along this section of road will be happy to see it’s back in business.”

NSW Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery and State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin:

“The Summerland Way, an alternate route to the Pacific Highway, is a key rural road for daily commuters, freight carriers and tourists, and these two projects will help make driving conditions safer for all.

“I congratulate Transport for NSW work gangs on making such great strides to stabilise flood-damaged slopes above both sections of road, reopening the Summerland Way to traffic in both directions.

“I have a long history with the Summerland Way, securing $50 million from then NSW Minister for Transport Carl Scully to do a substantial upgrade.” 

The Minns Labor Government today opened the next round of Recreational Fishing Trust Grants, with $5 million available for fishing clubs, community groups and other organisations to run projects which improve and promote recreational fishing in their local area.

For the first time, applicants in this round will be able to access the $2 million recreational fishing small infrastructure grants program announced by the NSW Government in August.

This program will make it easier for local fishing clubs, community groups and other organisations to apply for funding for projects such as fishing platforms, fish cleaning tables, fishing access tracks, kayak launching platforms and other fishing facilities.

Applicants are encouraged to contact dedicated Department staff to discuss their ideas and for assistance in applying your small infrastructure grants.

As well as small infrastructure, funding is also available to promote participation in the sport and the mental health and well-being benefits of fishing, such as for free fishing events, fishing workshops, come and try fishing days, fishing for therapy initiatives, and the development of educational material to promote sustainable and responsible fishing practices.

Grants are available for both large projects valued at more than $10,000 in funding and small projects involving less than $10,000.

Applications will be open for the next six weeks, until 18 December 2024.

Following the recent review of the Recreational Fishing Trust, the NSW Government will continue to provide greater support to the NSW recreational fishing community by:

• Strengthening communications with all fishers and organisations to encourage them to apply for grants to improve fishing in their local areas.
• Providing more support for applicants to discuss ideas for projects and assist with developing their applications through the dedicated Recreational Fishing Trust grants assistance phoneline.
• Making the grant application process clearer and simpler, so groups have the best opportunity to receive funding, including streamlining the application form.

This round of funding follows the recent announcements of some $20 million in grants and program funding from the Recreational Fishing Trust to enhance recreational fishing across the State.

Funding guidelines and the new online application form are available here at –  https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/recreational-fishing-fee/licence-fees-at-work/apply-for-funds or you can email recreational.fishingtrust@dpird.nsw.gov.au or call the dedicated Recreational Fishing Trust phoneline on 02 4424 7428.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty said:

“We want to make fishing accessible, enjoyable and safe for everyone.

“By streamlining the grant application process, we aim to provide every fishing group with a greater chance to secure funding for projects that improve the fishing experience in their local communities.

“The $2 million infrastructure grants program will ensure more of the licence fees collected from recreational fishers are invested back into the infrastructure we know fishers want, such as fishing platforms, fish cleaning tables and other fishing facilities.

“This is an excellent example of how funds generated by the NSW Recreational Fishing Licence Fee are reinvested into projects that directly support the recreational fishing community.

“If you have an idea on how to improve your local fishing spot or make fishing even better for your local community, I encourage you to contact our dedicated DPIRD staff to discuss your ideas.”

A new permanent BreastScreen NSW clinic will soon be available in Blacktown, providing women in the community with access to free breast screening services all year round.

Minister for Health Ryan Park today announced the new location, which will better support the almost 60 per cent of eligible women in the Western Sydney Local Health District (WSLHD) who are overdue for their two-yearly breast screen.

The new clinic at Warrick Lane, Blacktown, will be open in of the middle of 2025, seven days a week and will deliver vital breast screening services to more than 80,000 women who live and work in the Blacktown area.

A mobile screening van is currently active at various locations across the Blacktown Local Government Area, including the Blacktown Workers Sports Club and Blacktown City Council to service the Blacktown community.

Other western Sydney screening sites can also be found at Mount Druitt Hospital, Castle Towers Shopping Centre and Parramatta Westfield. There is capacity available at all of these clinics and mobile sites, with no delays for screening appointments.

You can find details of these locations as well as more screening centres near you at BreastScreen NSW or by calling 13 20 50.

For women aged 50-74 years, a breast screen every two years is the best way to detect breast cancer early, before it can be seen or felt. Breast screening is available from the age of 40.

BreastScreen NSW recommendsAboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have a mammogram every two years from age 40.

Anyone with breast symptoms should contact their GP or health worker without delay.

Any woman with a family history of breast cancer should discuss their needs with their GP. To book a mammogram with BreastScreen NSW, call 13 20 50 or visit BreastScreen NSW – Online booking.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park

“We encourage all eligible women in western Sydney to make breast screening a priority.

“Early detection is the key with breast cancer, and a mammogram is one of the most important things eligible women can do for their health and I strongly urge women in Blacktown to visit the team when the new service opens.

“It takes just 20 minutes of your time, with no doctor’s referral required, and could save your life.”

Member for Blacktown, Stephen Bali

“Having a permanent clinic at Blacktown will enable more western Sydney women to have this life-saving screening in a convenient location.

“This new clinic with comfortable surroundings will treat women with dignity and increase screening participation, which is lower for many multicultural communities, often due to barriers like language, health literacy and trauma.”

NSW Chief Cancer Officer and Cancer Institute NSW Chief Executive Officer Professor Tracey O’Brien AM

“Breast cancer affects far too many women in our community and detecting it in its earliest stages is key to saving lives.”

“I know life gets busy, but I urge all women in western Sydney to not delay and book in their breast screen today.”

Nirmala Pathmanathan, Director, Westmead Breast Cancer Institute

“I’m so pleased women in the Blacktown community will benefit from this new permanent clinic. We know a screening mammogram can pick up cancers well before you can feel them, so having a mammogram every two years for women should be a priority and part of their routine health checks.”

The NSW Government has announced an additional $5 million investment in the Safe Places for Faith Communities Grants program furthering efforts to improve safety and security for faith groups across the state.

This funding comes after a successful first round, where $5 million was distributed to 103 community and faith organisations addressing security needs at places of worship, and congregation.

This funding is part of a $15 million program focused on creating secure, resilient and cohesive spaces for NSW’s diverse faith communities. This new grant round provides new applicants a chance to apply for $5,000 to $250,000 to be used anywhere in NSW at eligible faith-based centres including places of worship, seminaries, religious museums, religious community centres, religious retreats and places of religious significance.

The program takes a holistic approach to safety and security by supporting community preparedness, wellbeing and resilience, as well as more traditional protective security measures at places where faith communities gather.

An information session will be held online on Monday, 18 November 2024 at 4pm. To register for the information session email safeplacesgrants@multicultural.nsw.gov.au by Friday 15 November.

To apply, visit multiculturalnsw.smartygrants.com.au/SafePlacesforFaithCommunitiesGrants2024-25. Applications close 3pm, Thursday 19 December 2024.

NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said:

“In NSW we are proud of our reputation as a safe place for people to practice their faiths and come together without fear of harm.”

“This funding will assist faith communities to maintain and improve the security of their places of worship so they can continue to be places of guidance and peace for attendees.”