16 News

As the new year begins almost $300 million is sitting in the state’s unclaimed money pool – and the Minns Labor Government wants to see it returned to its rightful owners. Unclaimed money is money that you are legally entitled to, but where a business hasn’t been able to find you.

Money typically becomes unclaimed when people forget to update their name or contact details with businesses, have lost paperwork, or when estates are unaware of funds belonging to deceased relatives.

The North Coast has as many as 41,208 registered items worth $12,432,295 just waiting to be claimed by families and households. The unclaimed money register, managed by Revenue NSW, includes funds from overpayments, uncashed cheques, dividends, refunds, and other amounts owed to individuals.

In total, more than 800,000 items of unclaimed money – ranging from a few dollars to millions of dollars – is sitting with Revenue NSW and registered to an NSW address.

To find out if you have any unclaimed money, you can search the Revenue NSW website at www.revenue.nsw.gov.au/unclaimed-money. If you have any money owing, you fill in a form and provide your ID and your connection to the money. Claims are typically verified and processed by Revenue NSW within a month.

Last year, the Minns Labor Government upgraded systems to simplify and speed up the unclaimed money process. This includes additional integration with Service NSW to help identify you during the claims process.

The Government also reduced the timeframe for businesses who are holding money from six years to two, ensuring that money is reported to Revenue NSW, and returned to its owners sooner.

These reforms help put more money back into the hands of North Coast families.

Minister for Finance, Courtney Houssos

“Across the state, almost $300 million is sitting unclaimed, and we want to make sure as much of that as possible finds its way back to families.

“Last financial year, Revenue NSW returned more than $21 million to its rightful owners. With these new reforms, we’re making it faster and easier for people to get what they’re owed.

“While Revenue NSW regularly contacts potential owners, incomplete data means people are sometimes missed. That’s why we’re encouraging everyone to take a few minutes to check online – you might be surprised with what you find.”

Minister for the North Coast, Janelle Saffin

“There is over $12 million sitting in a vault that belongs right here in the North Coast community.

“We want that money out of government accounts and back into your pockets where it can actually make a difference.

“I encourage everyone on the North Coast to jump on to the Revenue NSW website today to check if they have anything to claim.”

Flood-affected residents and local builders in the Central West are being urged to take action as the $40 million Resilient Homes Program enters its final application phase.

With a deadline of 31 March 2026, the NSW Reconstruction Authority is hosting a series of local Expos to connect homeowners and construction professionals with funding and work opportunities.

Eligible homeowners in Cabonne, Forbes, Lachlan, Parkes, and Euabalong can access grants of up to $100,000 for home raising or relocation, and up to $50,000 for retrofitting with flood-resilient materials. To support the local economy and ensure project delivery, the NSW Reconstruction Authority is also hosting dedicated Construction Information Sessions for builders, engineers, and tradespeople to learn about upcoming work opportunities funded by these grants.

The Resilient Homes Expos provide a “one-stop shop” for residents to meet one-on-one with NSW Reconstruction Authority staff, local council representatives, SafeWork NSW, Building Commission NSW, industry experts, and local builders and businesses.

• Parkes: 28 Jan, 4pm–7pm | Parkes Services Club
• Forbes: 25 Feb, 4pm–7pm | Club Forbes
• Eugowra: 25 March, 4pm–7pm | Eugowra Multipurpose Centre
• Register at: nsw.gov.au/rhpevents

The NSW Reconstruction Authority is seeking local trades—including builders, certifiers, and designers—to deliver grant-funded works. Informal sessions (no registration required) will be held at:

• Parkes: 27 Jan, 4pm–5.30pm | Railway Hotel & Hart Bar
• Forbes: 28 Jan, 7am–8.30am | Sylo Cafe
• Orange: 29 Jan, 5pm–6.30pm | The Greenhouse of Orange

Minister for Recovery, Janelle Saffin said:

“These Expos are about giving people practical tools to rebuild safer as well as local builders an opportunity to bring these projects to life.”

“We want every eligible household to access this $40 million pool of funding before the March deadline to ensure their homes are protected for the future.”

Member for Orange, Phil Donato said:

“In the wake of the 2022 Central West floods, the Resilient Homes Program has played a key role in helping communities rebuild stronger and better prepared for the future.”

“As the program moves into its final phase, many households are now beginning to see the benefits, with resilience upgrades being delivered to affected properties.”

“Homeowners who were impacted by the floods and have not yet applied for assistance are strongly encouraged to take action. Applications for the Resilient Homes Program remain open until 31 March 2026, and this is the final opportunity to access available support from this program.”

NSW Reconstruction Authority Director Central West Orana and Far West, Ken Harrison said:

“These Expos allow us to meet people face to face, answer questions and provide tailored advice based on individual circumstances.

“With the application close approaching, now is the time for homeowners who haven’t yet engaged with the program to get in touch and take the next step.”

Fast Facts:

• Deadline: Final applications must be in by 31 March 2026.
• Progress: Over 340 applications received and 200+ assessments completed to date.
• Funding: Grants cover retrofitting, raising, or relocating, plus up to $20,000 for upfront design costs.
• Contact: Call 1800 844 085 or visit nsw.gov.au/resilienthomesprogram.

More working families in NSW will benefit from convenient and accessible early childhood education and care, as the Flexible Initiatives Trial delivers its third round of funding.

The Minns Labor Government will invest more than $3 million in 28 early learning centres across the state, including 20 in regional NSW and six in Western Sydney, which will benefit up to 840 children and their families.

This round of funding will allow the services receiving grants to trial new or or adapted initiatives to best serve the needs of their communities, including:

• Supporting seven family day care providers in regional and remote communities to establish new educator roles.
• Creating 18 new educator roles within community preschools to support extended hours of care.
• Providing extended hours of care for up to 120 children with outside of school hours services at four public schools, as well as establishing seven new holiday care programs.

The Flexible Initiatives Trial benefits working families by providing more convenient and accessible early childhood education and care.

In previous funding rounds this included providing families with more flexible care arrangements, including flexible pick-up and drop-off times, as well as increasing the availability of places for children where and when they are needed most.

The trial also helps establish new family day care options in regional and remote parts of NSW.

The Flexible Initiatives Trial began in 2023 and is the first grants program to be delivered under the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund.

During the first two rounds of funding, more than $8 million was awarded to 53 early learning centres across the state.

The program is part of the Minns Government’s long-term commitment to support children and young families, including an historic $769 million investment t o build 100 new public preschools in NSW, the largest investment in public preschools in the state’s history.

The Minns Government has also committed $60 million to build and upgrade preschools at non-government schools in areas where they are needed most.

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:

“Our Flexible Initiatives Trial is all about giving working families all across NSW better access to affordable and quality early learning services which meet their needs.

“The Minns Labor Government, with the leadership of Deputy Premier Prue Car, wants every family to have access to high quality early learning, regardless of where they live or what they earn.

“Our government is supporting services to offer the care families and communities need, where and when they need it.”

People have just over a week to secure their dream home design for just $1 with the NSW Pattern Book introductory offer for an architect design of a low-rise home set to end on 31 January.

Since launching in July last year, there have been more than 21,000 pattern designs purchased from the world-leading Pattern Book, with several projects already approved for construction.

There’s no surprise the patterns have flown off the shelf when you consider the other things you can buy for one dollar. Other products you can purchase for a dollar or less include a 100g bag of popcorn, one chupa chup lollipop, a can of lentils and a pack of three stainless steel scourers.

After 31 January, the eight low rise designs for terraces, town houses and manor homes will cost $1,000 which is still a fraction of the over $20,000 cost of typical custom architectural fees for a similar home.

People that purchase a low-rise pattern book design also save both time and money by gaining access to a fast-track Complying Development pathway which means applications can be approved in as little as 10 days.

The world-leading NSW Housing Pattern Book also added nine mid-rise designs by leading architects from across Australia and New Zealand for 3 to 6-storey apartment buildings in November last year.

The mid-rise designs are available for $1,500 for small lot and corner lot designs and $2500 for large lot designs until 31 May.

Designs from the NSW Pattern Book have now been purchased in 24 countries across the globe.

Each design is adaptable for different family sizes and living needs. They combine style and practicality delivering modern layouts and energy-smart features – making them faster to build and better to live in.

We are already starting to see patterns turn into homes with eight pattern book homes approved to start construction in Gymea, Cronulla, Corrimal, Engadine, Chipping Norton, Carlton and Baulkham Hills.

The NSW Pattern Book combines good design and a 10-day approval pathway to speed up the delivery of homes in NSW so young people, families and downsizers have somewhere to live in the communities they choose.

Choose the design for your new home here. 

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“There’s no better value for money than getting an architect designed home, with a 10-day complying development pathway for one dollar.

“If you’re looking at building your own home the low-rise Pattern Book designs will make the process easier, faster and more affordable.

“These pattern designs give families and builders access to high-quality, architect-designed homes which are easy to build, sustainable and adaptable for different family sizes and housing needs.”

NSW Government Architect Abbie Galvin said:

“The NSW Housing Pattern Book offers practical, sustainable designs that integrate seamlessly into diverse neighbourhoods.

“These designs don’t just create homes – they help shape vibrant, walkable streets and foster a sense of place.”

NSW Ambulance is urging people to monitor conditions with the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecasting severe heatwave conditions for Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, Hunter, Northern Tablelands, Central Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, North West Slopes and Plains, Central West Slopes and Plains, South West Slopes, Riverina, Lower Western and Upper Western weather districts from Friday 23 January 2026.  
 
NSW Ambulance Acting Chief Superintendent Bryce Picot,  Associate Director Emergency Management said people need to plan ahead and monitor conditions with temperatures forecast in the low to mid 40s across inland parts of NSW.   
 
“With heatwave conditions expected to intensify this weekend and early next week it’s vital everyone makes cooling down and hydration a priority, as the  real danger isn’t just one hot day, it’s the relentless heat over consecutive days,” Acting Chief Superintendent Bryce Picot said.  
 
Locations likely to be impacted include Armidale, Broken Hill, Bourke, Cobar, Condobolin, Hay, Ivanhoe, Dubbo, Deniliquin, Moree, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.  
 
NSW Ambulance has issued Advice warnings for this severe heatwave. Stay up to date in case the situation changes.  
 
·        Stay hydrated  – make sure you drink plenty of water and carry a water bottle with you.  
·        Keep cool  – seek air-conditioned buildings, draw your blinds, use a fan, take cool showers and dress in light and loose clothing made of natural fabrics.    
·        Avoid the heat  – schedule activities in the coolest part of the day and avoid exercising in the heat.  
·        Check in on vulnerable people  – hot weather can affect everyone, but some people are at greater risk of heat-related health problems. This includes people aged 65 years and older, babies and young children, and people with some medical conditions.    
·        Never leave children or pets in a vehicle  – leaving children or pets unattended in a car can be fatal. The temperature inside a parked car can double in minutes.  
 
Signs of heat-related illness can include headache, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and cramps. People with these symptoms should move out of the sun and seek shade or use a fan or air conditioning, take a cool shower or bath if possible and take sips of water.    
   
People who do not respond to these steps or who show symptoms suggesting a more severe illness, including a sudden rise in body temperature, who are no longer sweating, showing aggressive or strange behaviour or who are fitting, should seek urgent medical attention or call Triple Zero (000).    
 
For further information, updates and advice go to the  NSW Ambulance website: https://www.ambulance.nsw.gov.au/in-the-community/warnings  or follow NSW Ambulance on  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NSWAmbulance/ ,  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nswambulance/?hl=en ,  LinkedIn: https://au.linkedin.com/company/nsw-ambulance  and  X: https://x.com/NSWAmbulance .  
 
For the latest weather forecasts and heatwave warnings go to the  Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) website: https://www.bom.gov.au/ .  

Police are appealing for assistance to locate a man wanted on outstanding warrant in the state’s west.
Julian Ingram also known as Pierpoint, aged 37, is wanted on an outstanding warrant for murder.

Police have released an image of Julian as inquiries continue to locate him.
Julian is described as being Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 165cm-170cm tall, of a medium build with short dark hair and brown eyes.

He was last seen driving a Ford Ranger utility with NSW registration DM-07-GZ described as having council signage, a metal tray back, high visibility markings on the side and an emergency light bar on the roof.

Anyone who sees Julian is urged not to approach and contact Triple Zero (000) immediately.