Category: NSW News

Liberal candidate for Coogee, Dr Kylie von Muenster, has been campaigning for pedestrian safety in Randwick, and has welcomed the Perrottet Government’s decision to install new signage near two bus stops on Avoca Street.

Following a review of road safety on Avoca Street near Bundock Street and Sturt Street, two pedestrian warning signs will be put in place in Bundock Street and one on the approach to Sturt Street, to warn motorists of foot traffic in the area.

“We care about the safety of every person using our roads, whether motorists or pedestrians or cyclists, and have always been prepared to invest in keeping our community safe,” Dr von Muenster said.

“With three schools nearby – Rainbow Street Public School, Randwick Girls’ High and Randwick Boys’ High – there is often increased foot traffic on Avoca Street so it’s imperative motorists heed the soon-to-be installed pedestrian warnings signs and slow down in this area.

“We encourage motorists to be extra vigilant in all zones where there’s pedestrian movement, particularly around schools, shops and bus stops.

“The Perrottet Government will continue to look at ways to improve our local roads so that all users can keep moving forward safely and confidently.”

The two pedestrian warning signs are expected to be installed by the end of February.

Children with life limiting conditions and their families will benefit from a $16 million funding boost to enhance paediatric palliative care respite and hospice services.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the new services will complement those already provided by Bear Cottage and at the children’s hospitals in Sydney and Newcastle.

“Few of us could ever imagine the extraordinary courage and resilience needed to support a much-loved child as they progress through their illness,” Mr Perrottet said.

“I am absolutely committed to ensuring we improve the quality of life of these kids and their families, whether the care is being provided at home, in a hospital or a hospice.”

The additional enhancement brings the total funding for palliative care from the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government to more than $2.2 billion over the next five years.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the funding would help provide vital care closer to home.

“Parents going through such inconceivable sadness deserve our support to ensure they can receive respite and assistance when they need it most,” Mr Kean said.

Paediatric palliative care aims to improve quality of life of children with a life-limiting illness as they head towards the end of life. It can include the prevention and relief from pain and other symptoms.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said those caring for children with life limiting conditions face the most challenging situation imaginable and need our every support.

“Families often choose to care for their loved ones at home but many children have complex medical and nursing needs which make that task difficult,” Mr Hazzard said.

“By further enhancing paediatric palliative and end of life care services, we are giving more families support and access to the care they need in a home-like environment.”

NSW Health will work with stakeholders including families and carers, relevant non-government organisations and paediatric palliative care clinicians to identify and fund appropriate services, ensuring the best outcomes for children and their families.

These services may include, but are not limited to, providing dedicated end of life care space for children and their families in children’s hospitals and the provision of additional respite care capacity and support services.

The new $632 million Campbelltown Hospital –  with an emergency department that has tripled in size – has had 33,000 emergency presentations and over 950 babies born since opening last year.

Premier Dominic Perrottet, joined by Health Minister Brad Hazzard, Member for Camden Peter Sidgreaves and Member for Wollondilly Nathaniel Smith, today officially opened the clinical services building, the centrepiece of the $632 million Stage 2 redevelopment.

“The NSW Government is delivering major projects across South-West and Western Sydney to make these communities an even better place to live, work, play and raise a family,” Mr Perrottet said.

“It has been wonderful to see this amazing project progress to a modern facility, enabling our dedicated frontline staff to deliver high-quality care to the people of Macarthur.” 

Mr Hazzard said the $632 million investment is on top of the $134 million Stage 1 redevelopment of Campbelltown Hospital and the new $34 million hospital car park.

“No matter whether you look north, south, east or west, the NSW Liberals and Nationals Government is delivering more hospitals and health facilities across the State than any other NSW Government in history,” Mr Hazzard said.

“This magnificent new $632 million clinical tower will help future proof local health services for years to come to accommodate the growing population of Macarthur.”

Mr Sidgreaves said the new tower includes a new maternity unit, increased medical and surgical services, expanded children’s services and integrated mental health services.

“The record investment in our health system ensures people from within the Macarthur region have access to the healthcare they need, close to home,” Mr Sidgreaves said.

“The state-of-the-art building will service the more than 130,000 new residents expected to call the Macarthur Region home over the next decade.”

Mr Smith said over the past three years, some 4,000 workers were employed to support construction for the $632 million Stage 2 redevelopment.

“This new hospital is a major boost to the local economy and jobs. It is an extraordinary achievement to support our health staff and patients,” Mr Smith said.

Since commissioning of the new building, staff have performed more than 1,500 surgical procedures and cared for more than 780 inpatients through its new children’s unit.

The redevelopment is on track for overall completion in late 2023, with works commencing on the first nuclear medicine department, an expanded medical imaging department and an additional entrance.

The new 12-storey clinical services building includes:

·       New state-of-the-art digital operating theatres and procedure rooms;

·       Double the ICU bed capacity in the future;

·       Almost double the number of maternity beds (as well as an almost 60 per cent increase in the special care nursery and 50 per cent increase in birthing suites);

·       New and expanded surgical services, including interventional radiology; and

·       Significantly expanded mental health services, including a specialised older people’s unit and civil secure unit for adults.

Former buildings have already received a range of refurbishment works, including significant expansion of the hospital’s Pathology Laboratory, Pharmacy, Clinical Information Department (medical records), and for the first time a new Dental Centre.

The works also include landscaping and a range of enhancements to Cancer Therapy Centre, staff administration areas, overnight stay rooms and a dedicated area for Junior Medical Officers.

The NSW Government is investing a record $11.9 billion in health infrastructure to 2025-26. More than 180 hospitals and health facilities have been built since 2011, with a further 130 currently underway.

More than 3,600 graduate nurses and midwives will begin their career across 130 NSW public hospitals and health services this year in a major boost for patients and communities throughout the state.

The latest intake of graduate nurses and midwives is an 18 per cent increase on last year. It is also the largest intake of any state or territory in Australia ever.

Premier Dominic Perrottet, Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor and Minister for Health Brad Hazzard today extended a warm welcome to the new nursing and midwifery recruits, many of whom start work across NSW public hospitals this month.

“This is an exciting time for the thousands of graduate nurses and midwives who are starting their careers in our world-class health system and it’s a terrific day for our state,” Mr Perrottet said.

“Our nurses and midwives are highly valued and it’s encouraging to see so many people joining their profession, perhaps inspired by the commitment shown by our frontline services in recent years.”

“The dedication and professionalism of our nurses and midwives across the state is nothing short of extraordinary,” Mr Hazzard said.

“These enthusiastic graduates have a unique opportunity to play a vital role in our healthcare system at a time when it continues to adapt and innovate to the changes and challenges brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said more than a third of the record number of graduates beginning their careers with NSW Health have chosen to work in our rural and regional hospitals.

“It is so wonderful to see so many nurses and midwives either choosing to move to the bush or returning home so they can care for their communities,” Mrs Taylor said.

“As someone who spent the best part of their nursing career at a regional hospital, I know the skills and experience these new nurses will gain will set them up for success into their future nursing career.

“On behalf of our regional communities, I am thrilled to welcome this next generation of nurses and midwives and wish all our new starters the very best of luck as they embark on their new career.”

NSW Health’s Chief Nursing & Midwifery Officer, Jacqui Cross, said the new graduates will make a big difference to the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve.

“Remember what you do as nurses and midwives is at the very heart of the public health system, caring for people in our hospitals, at home and in our communities,” Ms Cross said.

“The commitment, compassion and skills you bring to the role make a huge difference and contribute greatly to the health and wellbeing of the people of NSW.”

NSW Health has the largest health system in the country and employs more than 53,000 nurses and midwives, more than ever before.

Overall, between mid-2012 and mid-2022 NSW Health increased its workforce by an additional 25,700 full time equivalent staff – an increase of 25.2 per cent, including 9,340 more nurses and midwives, 4,140 more doctors, and 2,490 more allied health staff.

The NSW Government recently announced the largest workforce boost in the nation’s history in the 2022-23 Budget with a $4.5 billion investment over four years for 10,148 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff to hospitals and health services across NSW.

Parents are being offered a new tool to help them stay on top of their child’s school vaccinations as the new academic year gets underway.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard said NSW Health has launched a convenient new online portal for parents to consent to their child being vaccinated in the free school vaccination program.

Parents are also strongly encouraged to access any missed vaccines through their GP and pharmacist immunisers.

Mr Hazzard said the reminder comes as recent changes to the National Immunisation Program have reduced the HPV vaccination schedule to a single dose for the majority of people aged under 25. People who are immunocomprimised will need to continue with the recommended three-dose schedule.

“Almost one million students have been vaccinated against HPV since the school program was expanded to include both girls and boys in 2013,” Mr Hazzard said.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic has caused some disruption to the usually high take-up rates of HPV jabs, so the new school year is the perfect time to get back on track.

“Before COVID-19, around 85 per cent of students were vaccinated against HPV each year but that has fallen in 2022 with 71 per cent of males and 75 per cent of females in Year 7 being vaccinated. So 2023 is our chance to lift those rates again.

“The new online portal will help NSW Health to streamline registrations for all school-based vaccinations by removing any chance of parental consent forms getting lost or damaged in school bags, or forgotten.”

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell welcomed the milestone and the key role schools have played in the program.

“Schools are the centre of their communities and they’ve played a pivotal role in helping young people get vaccinated. Having the service at schools makes it easier for parents to make sure their child is protected and I’d encourage any parents with children who missed out to take up the opportunity,” Ms Mitchell said.

Schools will provide the link to the online consent portal directly to parents before the planned school vaccination visit.

The world-leading HPV school vaccination program, together with cervical screening, has Australia on track to be the first country in the world to eliminate cervical cancer.

If vaccination rates get back to pre-COVID levels, the HPV school vaccination program is likely to see a reduction of cervical cancer of up to 90 per cent in the coming years.

Strains of HPV can lead to mouth cancer, throat cancer, cervical cancer and various cancers of the genital area in men and women. Signs of infection are often not visible.

NSW Health Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant urges parents to use the portal to ensure their kids are up to date with their school vaccinations to help keep them safe.

“The benefits of vaccination against HPV are greatest when given before exposure to the virus, which is why we offer vaccination to all students in Year 7,” Dr Chant said.

The change to a single dose is based on advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI), which has considered the latest international scientific and clinical evidence showing a single dose gives comparable protection against HPV infection in healthy young people.

The Australian Government has provided HPV vaccine free to girls aged 12-17 years since 2007, through the national HPV vaccination school-based program.  Males were added to the program in 2013. The cervical screening program was established in 1991.

The NSW Government has invested approximately $148 million in the 2022-23 Immunisation Program budget, including Commonwealth and state vaccines.

The NSW Government’s $5 billion WestInvest program is securing the best quality of life for the people of Western Sydney – one of the youngest, fastest-growing and most diverse populations in the nation.

Treasurer Matt Kean today revealed more than $250 million for local councils, community groups and Western Sydney University in Parramatta to provide 16 transformational projects.

It brings the total WestInvest funding allocated so far to more than $3.45 billion, with more to come.

New parks and walking tracks, youth hubs, libraries, school upgrades and sporting precincts are some of the projects that will benefit a huge cross-section of people.

The once-in-a-generation city-changing enhancements include:

· About $1.8 billion from the $3 billion WestInvest NSW Government Allocation to deliver new and improved schools and critical road upgrades;

· More than $1.3 billion for councils and community groups to deliver 100 projects in Western Sydney through the $1.6 billion WestInvest Community Project Grants – Competitive Round, with more projects to be announced;

· More than $357 million for eligible councils to deliver 68 projects through the $400 million in Community Project Grants – Local Government Allocation, with projects still to be announced in Strathfield, The Hills and Hawkesbury.

Mr Kean said WestInvest is securing a brighter future for Western and Southwestern Sydney families through transformative local infrastructure that will benefit residents.

“Thanks to the NSW Government’s strong economic stewardship and successful WestConnex asset recycling program, we continue to deliver once-in-a-generation improvements to Sydney’s west,” Mr Kean said.

“Today in Parramatta we are announcing a new state-of-the-art Indigenous Centre of Excellence, a huge boost to walking and cycling paths, new parks and a revamp of the 30-year-old Riverside Theatre.”

Mr Kean said the projects will deliver more open spaces and help connect communities.

“We are forging a new era for this great region that will continue to benefit from WestInvest projects for many decades,” Mr Kean said.

“Western Sydney is one of the most diverse and dynamic economic centres in Australia. WestInvest will support the region’s growth and help spur local jobs to lift our State to even greater heights.”

The NSW Budget remains on track to return to surplus in 2024-25, despite a challenging global economic landscape, unprecedented flooding across the State, high inflation and record cost of living.

Treasurer Matt Kean today released the 2022-23 Half Yearly Review, showing the State’s finances remain solid and economic growth has exceeded expectations, underpinning the Government’s continued investments to support families and build a brighter future.

The key updates include:

· The State remains on track to return to surplus in 2024-25

· Real Gross State Product (GSP), a measure of the State’s economic output, is expected to increase by 3¾ per cent in 2022-23

· The Government is continuing to support households by providing $7.2 billion  in cost-of-living relief in 2022-23

“The Budget remains on track to return to surplus, just as the Government first promised in November 2020, despite the Delta and Omicron outbreaks, the unprecedented flooding, high inflation and interest rate hikes our State has faced since then,” Mr Kean said.

“The fact that NSW remains the only Australian state with two triple-A credit ratings and leads the nation in business conditions speaks to this Government’s record of strong economic management.

“The strength of the NSW economy and budget underpins the Government’s plan to support households with cost-of-living relief and invest in economic reforms and infrastructure to boost productivity and crush inflation.”

The 2022-23 NSW Budget included $7.2 billion for cost-of-living support such as the Toll Relief Rebate Scheme, Back to School vouchers, Energy Bill Buster program and more than 70 rebates, vouchers and concessions to help households manage their budgets.

In the Half-Yearly Review, the State’s infrastructure program has increased to a record $116.6 billion over the four years to 2025-26, driven by investments in new and existing transport infrastructure and health facilities.

“Over the past 12 years the Government has delivered ground-breaking infrastructure projects that have transformed the lives of the NSW people, including 58 new and 155 upgraded schools and more than 180 new or upgraded health facilities,” Mr Kean said.

The Government is also continuing to invest in productivity enhancing reforms that will help grow the economy.

“Our $16.5 billion investment, over the next decade, to improve women’s economic opportunities and child development, is set to help unleash the aspirations of women across NSW, with the female workforce participation rate near record highs,” Mr Kean said.

“Our housing reforms are already clearing the barriers to home ownership, with 761 first home buyers opting into the First Home Buyer Choice in the fortnight after it launched on 16 January 2023.”

Read the Half Yearly Review here: https://www.budget.nsw.gov.au/2022-23/half-yearly-review

Improving women’s economic opportunities, providing affordable housing and seizing the investment opportunities of clean energy are key policy objectives being delivered by the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the transformational 2022-23 NSW Budget is improving the lives of people and strengthening the NSW economy for the long term, with key reforms already becoming a reality.

“Since our June Budget, the Liberal and Nationals Government has created more opportunities for women to grow their own prosperity and power the economy, made it easier for people to get the keys to their first home, and we’ve accelerated our plan to reduce emissions and become a net zero superpower,” Mr Kean said.

Women’s Economic Opportunities – $16.5 billion over 10 years to level the playing field for women, with $4.9 billion committed over the four years to 2025-26.

• NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund Act 2022 – driving up to $5 billion of investment in high-quality childcare over 10 years and removing barriers for women to participate in the workforce.
• IVF assistance – women in NSW undergoing IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies can access a cash rebate of up to $2,000.
• Pre-school fee relief – up to $4,000 a year in fee relief for families with children attending preschool.
• Paid-parental leave – every mother and father in the NSW public sector is now entitled to 14 weeks of paid parental leave over two years.

Housing – $2.8 billion to improve housing affordability and help more people own their own home.

• First Home Buyer Choice – reduces the upfront cost of buying a first home by giving buyers the choice of an annual property fee instead of stamp duty for purchases up to $1.5 billion. In the fortnight since it began on 16 January 2023, first home buyers decided against paying $34.6 million in stamp duty, with 761 buyers indicating they will opt for an annual property fee instead.
• Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper – the NSW Government will contribute a proportion of the purchase price of a property for single parents and single people over 50 years of age on lower incomes, as well as eligible first home buyer key workers. Since commencing on 23 January 2023, 117 applications have been completed or are in progress and Bendigo Bank has received more than 5,600 enquiries.

The clean economy – NSW is on track to reduce its emissions by 70 per cent below 2005 levels by 2035.

• $1.2 billion Transmission Acceleration Facility will fast-track critical infrastructure that will secure cheaper, cleaner and more reliable electricity.
• Electric vehicle fast charger installation programs and fleet incentives have commenced under the $633 million Electric Vehicle Strategy.
• $360 million Net Zero Industry and Innovation Investment Plan announced to support and partner with manufacturing and industry sectors to reduce emissions and boost resilience.

Coastal communities will benefit from more than $5 million to upgrade, restore and improve local surf clubs as part of the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s Surf Club Facility Program.

Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said 26 surf clubs would receive funding through the program to create more modern, accessible facilities and to ensure lifesavers have what they need to keep the community safe on our beaches.

“Surf clubs are at the heart of coastal communities and the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is investing in them to ensure they remain an integral part of towns across the State,” Mr Henskens said.

“This program will deliver a range of game-changing projects for surf clubs that will result in improved facilities, increased participation in sport and recreation activities and general uplifts in usage to ensure overall community benefit.”

The program provides grants of between $50,000 and $650,000 to develop facilities that will boost participation, increase usage and improve safety.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the surf club upgrades build on the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s investment in equipment and training to support volunteer lifesavers.

“Our 75,000 volunteer lifesavers patrol 129 every weekend and public holiday between October and April, so it’s vital that they have modern and fit-for-purpose facilities,” Ms Cooke said.

“Their work is quite literally life saving and I’m very grateful for the thousands of rescues they’ve undertaken this summer to protect locals and visitors to our coastline.”

Surf Life Saving NSW President George Shales OAM said ensuring surf clubs across NSW were maintained and upgraded is vitally important.

“Our volunteers deserve safe, accessible and secure facilities in order to train new lifesavers and support the community,” Mr Shales said.

“Many Surf Life Saving Clubs have been on the frontline in the last year, responding to incidents and emergencies including the recent flood disaster, and they need to be able to safely store and access vital rescue equipment at short notice.”

The full list of recipients and further details on the program are available online.