Category: NSW News

More than 65 organisations have received funding from the NSW Government to facilitate projects and initiatives to drive greater unity and harmony in diverse communities. 

Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said each of the 69 groups had received a share of $1.4 million in funding through the NSW Government’s Stronger Together Projects grants program. 

“Due to an overwhelming amount of interest and more organisations wanting to run programs in their communities, we increased the original funding allocation of $400,000 to $1.4 million,” Mr Coure said.

“This benefits more organisations and, of course, the communities they run the programs in.

“The increase in funding was only made possible thanks to the NSW Government’s strong economic management.” 

Since 2021, more than $2 million has been allocated through the Projects Grants program, which has been shared by 100 organisations to run initiatives in their local communities. 

“The NSW Government recognises the important role organisations play in their respective communities,” Mr Coure said. 

“These organisations understand their communities better than anyone, and that is why we empower them to deliver this work by investing in their projects.”

The grants support 12-month projects and range in value from $20,000 to $40,000. Each of the successful organisations will use the funding to facilitate their programs and initiatives in 2023. 

For more information about the Stronger Together Projects grants program, visit multicultural.nsw.gov.au/grants. 

The NSW Government has committed almost $200 million in new funding to implement a number of the recommendations from the independent Flood Inquiry. 
 
The funding will ensure emergency services are better equipped to respond to future disaster events and support impacted communities during recovery. 
 
It builds upon work that is already underway to implement recommendations of the Inquiry, including passing legislation to establish the NSW Reconstruction Authority and appointing a Deputy Commissioner of Emergency Management in the NSW Police Force.
 
Key elements of the package are additional dedicated flood rescue vehicles, including 60 Inflatable Rescue Boats and 16 high clearance vehicles, the ability to train an additional 2,350 personnel in flood rescue, support for volunteer initiatives, and increased funding to ensure seamless coordination of evacuation centres and emergency accommodation. 
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the key focus of this funding was the State’s emergency response and recovery functions.
 
“Events of this year alone show that the conditions we are facing and the magnitude of the natural disasters need this level of support to ensure our frontline agencies are well-placed to continue delivering for the community,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
The $199.4 million new funding includes:

• $159.5 million to enhance NSW’s flood rescue capability for our emergency services agencies and volunteer organisations (recommendation 4), including the NSW State Emergency Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, NSW Rural Fire Service, Marine Rescue NSW, Surf Life Saving NSW and the Volunteer Rescue Association; 
• $16.8 million to support the Department of Communities and Justice in its delivery of key disaster welfare functions, including evacuation centres (recommendation 5);
• $11.9 million to better support volunteerism, including training community members who may become ‘spontaneous’ volunteers in a disaster (recommendation 6);
• $6.5 million to enhance Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley flood evacuation modelling (recommendation 26);
• $2.2 million to commence the establishment of the NSW Reconstruction Authority following passage of legislation (recommendation 15);
• $1.9 million to support support NSW specific climate and weather research (recommendation 2);
• $1.8 million to Service NSW to enhance customer support for disaster affected individuals and businesses by streamlining grants delivery (recommendation 10); 

 
“Our combat agencies will benefit from more resources to respond to disasters, and our service agencies will be better equipped to support the people of NSW through the recovery process,” Mr Perrottet said.

Deputy Premier, Minister for Regional NSW and Minister for Police Paul Toole said the NSW Government’s response balanced the need for rapid changes with long-term planning.
 
“The current flood risk across parts of the Central West, as well as the ongoing recovery of communities hit by floods earlier this year including the Northern Rivers, clearly shows us, that no matter where you live in the State, now is the time for action  to better prepare, respond and recover the next time a disaster strikes,” Mr Toole said. 
 
“Already as part of our response to the Inquiry, we have announced Deputy Commissioner Peter Thurtell APM’s appointment as the new Deputy Commissioner, Emergency Management to oversee and coordinate emergency services’ response to future natural disasters right across the State.”
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the funding will allow first responders to better protect communities from a range of weather events.
 
“The NSW Government is committed to addressing the recommendations in the independent Flood Inquiry which will equip us to better respond to and recover from all types of natural disasters,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“Many communities across inland NSW continue to be confronted with major flooding and we remain focused on supporting all of the impacted families, farmers and business owners during this difficult time, but we are also working hard to improve the capability of our combat agencies to better fight the floods of the future.”
 
The NSW Government continues to progress implementation of all the recommendations from the Inquiry and will make further announcements in 2023.

Liberal candidate for Bega, Russell Fitzpatrick, is encouraging communities across Batemans Bay and surrounding areas to help guide the design of a new $20 million health facility.
 
The Perrottet Government is putting $20 million into the Batemans Bay health facility, which was announced earlier this year and will deliver community healthcare services, including GPs, allied health services, child and family services, community mental health and immediate care.
 
Mr Fitzpatrick said that local communities had an opportunity to play an important role in the planning of the health facility that will transform local health services.
 
“With a project manager and architect now appointed to spearhead the design, this is the perfect time to have a say and help guide important decisions,” said Mr Fitzpatrick. “I am incredibly proud to be running as a candidate for the Perrottet team that is making this kind of investment in local health, and is open to being guided by our community on the best way to implement that investment.”
 
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the NSW Government is investing $20 million to provide a modern, new health facility that will meet the south coast communities’ healthcare needs close to home, well into the future.
 
“The appointment of the project manager and architect is a major milestone in the delivery of this health facility, as planning will now move to the next level, and we’re inviting the community to get involved and have their say,” Mr Hazzard said.  
 
“Building any new healthcare facility involves in-depth planning, and this experienced project team has been selected to design a first class facility that will fulfil the requirements of staff, patients and the broader community.”
 
The appointments followed a competitive tender process and include: 
• bd infrastructure as the project manager 
• Conrad Gargett as the architect. 
 
Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said that with the project team now on board, master planning is expected to be completed in mid-2023, and will involve consultation with key stakeholders including clinicians, staff, patients, carers and the local community to inform planning and design. 
 
“Feedback and input from staff, the local community, carers and patients will be an important part of the planning process, to ensure the new healthcare facility reflects the needs and values of the Batemans Bay community,” Mrs Taylor said.   
 
Community members are invited to meet the project team and find out more about the healthcare facility and how to get involved.  
 
The meet and greet session will be held in the Batemans Bay SEARMS Meeting Room, 2 Museum Place on Tuesday 13 December from 1.00pm to 3.00pm. No RSVP is required, and everyone is welcome.   
 
To find out more about the project or how to become involved, visit www.hinfra.health.nsw.gov.au/batemansbayhealthone or contact the project team on 1300 391 949 or at HI-BatemansBayhealth@health.nsw.gov.au.   
 
The new Batemans Bay community health facility is part of the NSW Government’s record $11.9 billion investment in health infrastructure over four years to 2025-26, with nearly a third of the capital allocation in this financial year going towards regional and rural health facilities. 
 
Also part of the Perrottet Government’s record health infrastructure spend is the new $260 million Level 4 Eurobodalla Regional Hospital which is on track to open to patients in 2025.
  
Since 2011, the NSW Government has delivered more than 180 health capital projects across NSW, with more than 130 projects currently underway – of those, more than 90 are in rural and regional areas.

Sydney has cemented its position as the nation’s home of football, securing the Men’s and Women’s A-Leagues Grand Finals from 2023 – 2025.
 
The NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW has partnered with Australian Professional Leagues (APL) to bring its showpiece events to the Harbour City, including a new grand final week festival of football to create an unprecedented event destination experience for football fans.
 
Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the addition of the A-Leagues Grand Final to Sydney’s annual sporting events calendar is a huge coup for NSW.
 
“With the FIFA Women’s World Cup coming and on the back of the Socceroos historic World Cup in Qatar, football in Australia is going from strength to strength,” Mr Henskens said.
 
“NSW is home to the most clubs in the both A-Leagues competitions, with the greatest supporter base, most passionate fans, the highest level of football participation and the best football venues.”
 
“This new week-long event will provide football and sports fans with an experience unique to all other codes and cement the A-Leagues Grand Finals amongst the very best fixtures on our national sporting calendar.”
 
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said securing the event would deliver significant economic benefits for NSW.
 
“As the nation’s home of football I am delighted to be partnering with the APL to bring the Men’s and Women’s A-Leagues Grand Finals to Sydney,” Mr Franklin said.
 
“Sydney is renowned for hosting world-class sporting events and we are going to create a new tradition for football fans, making the A-Leagues Grand Finals a week-long extravaganza that showcases football and the best of the Harbour City.
 
“Tens of thousands of football fans are expected to flock to Sydney for the A-Leagues Grand Finals and are forecast to inject $26 million of visitor expenditure into NSW.”
 
“This is another incredible addition to the already impressive calendar of world-class major events we are building for Sydney, which is a key pillar of our goal to make NSW the major events capital and premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific.”
 
Danny Townsend, CEO of the APL, said: “The FIFA World Cup 2023 showed that we are a country of football fans and whet the region’s appetite for the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year. But fans don’t want to wait for four years in-between competitions to see our best sporting talent perform. 
 
“Football fans now get the best of both worlds – they can now look forward to a showpiece Grand Final event in a set location, as well as watching A-Leagues and national team stars week-in-week-out at their local A-Leagues team.  
 
“This is a unique opportunity to build a tradition for football fans. When you think about a cup final in England, you think about the trip to Wembley, and we want fans in Australia to look forward to the A-Leagues finals in the same way.
 
“We have already broken the previous record for attendance this season in the Liberty A-League Women and have a clear objective to make history again with Grand Final attendance in the year that we host the FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
 
Venues for the 2023 Men’s and Women’s A-Leagues Grand Finals will be announced in the coming months.
 

Commuters across Greater Sydney and the Ilawarra will benefit from almost 400 new bus services following the NSW Liberals and Nationals Government’s investment to provide communities with more travel choices.
 
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott visited the Chatswood Bus Interchange today with the Member for Willoughby, Tim James, to announce the new weekday 113 bus service from Chatswood to Royal North Shore Hospital.
 
“These services will benefit commuters right across the Greater Sydney region from Chatswood, St Leonards and Ryde to Quakers Hill, Nirimba Fields and West Dapto – with some areas receiving a weekend timetable for the first time,” Mr Elliott said.
 
“As the population grows across Greater Sydney it is important we listen to local communities to improve and refine the bus network to deliver a system that offers a seamless travelling experience between all modes.
 
“As a result of feedback from commuters, the NSW Government will introduce new weekend and additional weekday services, a new bus route for people wanting to travel to the Royal North Shore Hospital as well as a new school service.”
 
Mr James said residents in his electorate deserved a public transport system that made it easy for commuters to be able to travel to and from health appointments, businesses, work and school.
 
“I am delighted that this government has listened to the local community and has introduced a brand new bus route, 113, which will see 70 additional weekly services for the area,” Mr James said.
 
“As from today (Monday 12 December), commuters will now be able to travel between Chatswood and Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards.
 
Primary and high school students in western Sydney started term 4 with a brand new service in Nirimba Fields, commuters in West Dapto had new services introduced in mid Novermber while other services in Ryde will start next month.
 
The 378 new services include:
 

• 198 extra weekly services in West Dapto which will provide an hourly service connecting Kembla Grange Estate to Dapto via Wongawilli;
• 110 additional weekend services in the Ryde area on four bus routes (513, 523, 524 and 544), starting in January 2023 – this will be the first time some of these areas have had a weekend service;
• 70 additional weekly services on a new route (113) in Sydney’s north, starting today, which will enable commuters to travel between Chatswood and Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards.
• A new school service for Hambledon Primary School and Quakers Hill High School students living in Nirimba Fields. The new dedicated school service has been operating since the beginning of term 4 this year.

 
Since 2011, the NSW Government has introduced close to 47,000 extra bus services in Greater Sydney and outer metropolitan areas.  

Students across NSW are getting in on action to reduce waste and cut down reliance on single-use plastics as part of a new program educating students on sustainability.

Minister for Environment James Griffin said more than 1,000 students across 21 schools are conducting audits on their school bins as part of the NSW Government’s sustainability partnership with the Environmental Zoo and Education Centre (EZEC). 

“As NSW adjusts to the single-use plastic bans, schools are the perfect environment to drive important long-term behaviour change around reducing plastics and waste,” Mr Griffin said.

“We’re committed to reducing waste and cutting our reliance on problematic single-use plastics in NSW and, through this new program, we’re asking young people to help us on this mission.

“This next generation of leaders are inspiring their friends, family and school communities to take simple actions to help reduce waste and keep NSW free from plastic.”

As part of the voluntary program, under the supervision of an expert, students create a data set at the start of the term on the type of waste their school is producing before learning how to reduce waste over two terms. 
A final waste audit is conducted at the end of the program for the students to understand the impact of their actions on the volume of waste produced by the school. 

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said we are teaching students how to better look after the environment and be more sustainable.

“We know that many of our students are passionate about environmental issues and the lessons they learn at school go beyond the school grounds to create positive change for the entire community,” Ms Mitchell said. 
“It’s why the NSW Government has invested in our $10 million Sustainable Schools NSW Program. It supports our public schools to implement curriculum linked action to reduce waste and help raise awareness of the importance of looking after our environment.”

As part of the program students are identifying ways their school can reduce waste going to landfill and increase their schools resource recovery – a lesson in the power of the circular economy. 

Holsworthy High School Year 9 student Nicholas Scott recently took part in a waste audit and said it has motivated him to think about how he can have a positive impact on the environment. 

“It’s interesting to see what ends up in the bin at school, there are items in there that wouldn’t be if we all thought more carefully,” Nicholas said.

“It’s made me think about what I’m putting in the bin, both at home and school, and how I could do more to reduce waste.”

EZEC Georges River teacher Grant Oyston said a waste audit is a unique way for students and entire school communities to grow their awareness around waste. 

“We’re encouraging everyone involved to take what they learn outside the school gates and take action in their own lives,” Mr Oyston said.

“We ask students to talk to their parents about what’s in their lunchbox to avoid it ending up in the bin and encourage parents to use alternatives to soft plastics when preparing school lunches.”

The Environment Protection Authority is investing $900,000 to support 17 Sustainability Partners like EZEC to lead projects that help reduce reliance on single-use plastics across NSW. 

For more information on these partnerships, visit https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/partnerships-with-the-epa

Construction workers, manufacturers and factory operators across a range of industries in NSW can now renew their High Risk Work Licence online, saving them time and money and allowing them to get back to work faster.
 
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said the more than 5,300 customers who renew a High Risk Work Licence every month could do so electronically via their MyServiceNSW Account on the Service NSW website.
 
“Customers can now log in using their MyServiceNSW Account to renew their licence online. As a result of the new online renewal process, customers will be able to re-use their existing licence photo and not require a new photo every time,” Mr Dominello said.
 
“This initiative will save customers 90 minutes per renewal application by removing the need for in-person lodgement at Australia Post. This could be worth almost 100,000 hours to the economy and save customers a collective $370,000 each month.
 
“By digitising renewals for High Risk Work Licence we are saving workers time and reducing unnecessary and duplicative processes through digital investment.”
 
High Risk Work Licence holders will receive email or SMS notifications advising them they can now renew through this new digital process. 
 
In person renewals are still available as a non-digital option and customers can contact SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50 to obtain a form.
 
A High Risk Work Licence is required to be renewed every five years by SafeWork NSW to operate some machinery, work with scaffolding and undertake rigging. 
 
Customers can also add the Digital High Risk Work Licence to their Service NSW app 
which is available for all current licence holders with a MyServiceNSW account. 
More than 49,000 customers have activated Digital High Risk Work Licences since going live in June 2022.

The NSW Government’s Licensing Program has already provided digital trade licences for more than 40 licence categories with the aim of improving customer service, providing convenience and making compliance with legislation easier.
 
For more information, please visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/renew-high-risk-work-licence

A vast property spanning nearly 34,000 hectares has officially become a new national park, protecting a vital refuge for rare and threatened species in perpetuity.
 
Minister for Environment James Griffin said the creation of Brindingabba National Park, 175 kilometres north-west of Bourke, is part of the 602,500 hectares of land since 2019 that has been secured for conservation as part of the NSW national parks estate.
 
“The addition of Brindingabba National Park is significant because its rich biodiversity will now be protected in perpetuity, and the people of NSW will be able to experience it for themselves for generations to come,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“The new Brindingabba National Park protects an important part of Lake Wombah and more than 7,000 hectares of Yantabulla Swamp, which are nationally important wetlands.
 
“The 33,903 hectare park supports 30 different ecosystems, protecting habitat for at least 12 endangered and 31 vulnerable species, including a small carnivorous marsupial called the kultarr, pied honeyeaters, hooded robins, pink cockatoos and fat-tailed dunnart.
 
“It also protects an endangered plant called Lancewood (Acacia petraea), which is only found in two other areas in NSW, and hasn’t been previously protected in our national parks estate.
 
“This new national park is a fantastic example of how partnerships can boost our efforts to conserve biodiversity, and we’re working towards more opportunities like this.”
 
The purchase of Brindingabba Station involved a ground-breaking partnership with The Nature Conservancy Australia (TNC), with the NSW Government supported in the acquisition with a valuable contribution from TNC, which brokered contributions from charitable foundations The Wyss Foundation and artist Haley Mellin’s Art into Acres initiative. 
 
TNC’s Director of Conservation and Science Dr James Fitzsimons said the acquisition of Brindingabba is an important milestone for the conservation of the State’s unique biodiversity.
 
“Brindingabba National Park protects unique landscapes that are nationally significant,” Dr Fitzsimons said.
 
“With neighbouring privately protected areas, it creates a conservation corridor of more than 65,000 hectares.”
 
The park adjoins the 31,200 hectare Naree and Yantabulla Stations, which are private reserves that the NSW Government protected in perpetuity through its Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) in June.
 
Situated in the Mulga Lands bioregion, this park increases the protection of one of Australia’s most poorly protected bioregions, with less than five per cent reserved.
 
Brindingabba features a diversity of ecosystems, from gidgee country and stony mulga rises, through to Mitchell Grass grasslands, Blackbox and Coolibah lined creek systems and lignum swamps.
 
Wetlands are some of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet, and this NSW Government acquisition will forever protect vital wetlands in the Cuttaburra Basin, part of the Paroo and the Warrego floodplains.
 
Located in the traditional Paroo River country of the Budjiti and Barkandji People on the NSW-Queensland border, the property has extensive Aboriginal cultural heritage, with evidence of artefacts and other items of significance across the property.
 
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) looks forward to working with the local Aboriginal community to protect these important cultural sites.
 
The park will boost the outback economy, providing an important new visitor destination as part of a strategy to help diversify regional economies.
 
NSW national parks contribute almost $18 billion in economic output for the state, delivering significant economic benefits for the regions.
 
NPWS has commenced management on the property and plans to build facilities to support opportunities to camp and explore the area.
 
It is expected the new park will open to the public before the end of 2023. Visit https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/

People across New South Wales have flocked to the Art Gallery of NSW’s new building and celebrations.
 
This week has seen more than 86,000 visits to the gallery and more than 25,000 people celebrate art and music last night for the one-night-only Art for All concert in The Domain.
 
The free concert – headlined by Grammy-nominated pop star Ellie Goulding – celebrated Sydney’s newest landmark and was the culmination of an opening program of art, music, performance and talks to mark the opening of the Art Gallery’s expansion. Playing alongside Goulding was Australian singer Meg Mac and electronic duo Electric Fields.
 
Minister for the Arts and Tourism Ben Franklin said he was thrilled to see so many people from across New South Wales embrace the most significant cultural development since the Sydney Opera House.
 
“The popularity of the expanded Art Gallery and the free opening celebrations have exceeded expectations,” Mr Franklin said.
 
“As cost of living pressures rise across the country, the NSW Government is committed to ensuring everyone can access cultural institutions and enjoy experiences through our free entry program.
 
“The Art Gallery’s expansion and celebration events have been a major visitor drawcard for Sydney, with an estimated 33,000 people visiting the Harbour City to celebrate the Gallery’s opening, injecting more than $20 million into the NSW economy.
 
“The opening of the Art Gallery’s new building is the beginning of an unrivalled calendar of world-class cultural events lined up for Sydney over summer, including Carmen on Cockatoo Island, Noel Sydney, the Australian premiere of Madagascar the Musical, ELEVATE Sydney, Sydney Festival and Sydney WorldPride, reinforcing Sydney’s position as the cultural capital of Australia.”
 
The calendar of major events for 2022/23 alone is forecast to inject more than $500 million of visitor expenditure into the NSW economy supporting the recovery of local hotels, bars, restaurants, tourism operators and small businesses.
 
Designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects SANAA, the Art Gallery’s new building doubles the space for art and provides even more incredible creative and cultural experiences for everyone to enjoy, attracting the world’s best touring exhibitions.
 
The final event in the opening program will take place tonight at 8.30pm with a drone show created by Indigenous artist Reko Rennie.

Another 122 community and not-for-profit groups will be able to host cultural celebrations in their local communities next year thanks to more funding awarded by the NSW Government. 
 
Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the groups had received a share of more than $1 million through the Stronger Together Festival and Events Grants program to host the events and festivals.
 
“Local streets right across our state are set to become so much brighter next year, thanks to each of the 122 local events we are funding,” Mr Coure said. 
 
“These events are important for so many reasons; they celebrate our unique diversity, they bring people together and they break down barriers, which fosters greater understanding and respect between people.”
 
Each of the community groups received grants between $5,000 and $15,000 to host cultural events and festivals between 1 February and 30 June 2023. 
 
Mr Coure said the grants program had been boosted from $500,000 to $1 million thanks to the 2022-23 NSW Budget.
 
“This year, through the Stronger Together Festivals Grants program, the NSW Liberals and Nationals have funded 283 community organisations with $2,098,329 to host events and festivals in their local areas,” Mr Coure said. 
 
“Each of these events is a reflection of the rich diversity of our communities right across the state. 
 
“This is one of the great things about our diversity here in NSW—you don’t need to travel overseas to experience the colour and vibrancy of other cultures, you can do it right here at home.” 
 
For more information about the Stronger Together Festival and Events Grants program, visit www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au