Category: NSW News

NSW residents who want to buy their first home, rent or require access to affordable and social housing will benefit from the new National Housing Accord that will deliver thousands of new homes across the state.
 
The National Housing Accord, announced in last night’s Commonwealth Budget, will unlock quality, affordable housing supply and aims to deliver an additional 20,000 affordable housing dwellings over the five years from 2024-25 across Australia.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said NSW welcomed the landmark agreement of the Commonwealth, States and Territories, the Australian Local Government Association, institutional investors including superannuation funds, and residential development, building and construction industry representatives.
 
“The NSW Government in the June Budget committed $2.8 billion in housing investment to support first home buyers, deliver more affordable and social housing and free up more land for new houses,” Mr Kean said.
 
“The easiest way to get first home buyers into their first homes is through the NSW Government’s first home buyer choice initiative, which last week was backed by former prime minister Paul Keating, but continues to be opposed by NSW Labor.
 
“NSW will continue to explore further opportunities to free up landholdings for affordable housing under the Accord which builds on our existing commitments and will deliver even more housing from 2024-25 onwards.”
 
NSW Minister for Planning and Homes Anthony Roberts said the Accord will help address Australia’s housing supply challenges and enable the delivery of more social and affordable housing.
 
“It recognises the importance of states and territories to expedite zoning, planning and land releases for social and affordable housing,” Mr Roberts said.
 
“I welcome the construction sector peak bodies’ commitment under the Accord to support high energy efficiency rating construction and the training of more apprentices under an extended Australian Skills Guarantee.”
 

More public school teachers are being encouraged to move to the bush thanks to a significant NSW Government investment to improve the supply and quality of teacher housing. 
  
An additional $23.5 million housing investment has been provided on top of the $174 million key worker housing investment already announced as part of the 2022-23 Budget. 
  
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said providing housing is one of the most tangible ways we can attract and retain workers in the regions. 
 
“We know housing is one of the biggest factors in attracting workers and driving further growth in the regions,” Mr Toole said. 
 
“It is vital that teachers who work in the regions, especially in our more remote and rural schools, have access to comfortable, modern housing close to their workplace.” 
 
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said $8.4 million of the additional investment will be spent on new housing in towns including Bellata, Broken Hill, Coolah, Gilgandra and Ivanhoe. 
  
“While we have generous financial incentives for teachers to go to a country school, many teachers considering a regional move have told us that housing is just as important a factor in their decision-making, if not more so,” Ms Mitchell said. 
  
“Ensuring teachers have quality housing options available to them will attract and retain quality teachers to some of our more remote schools.” 
 
Construction work onnew housing has already started in the State’s north this term. 
 
Teacher housing improvements will include $12.3 million of funding for renovations to approximately 50 Teachers Housing Authority managed properties in areas including Stuart Town, Mumbil, Ellerston, Girilambone and Adaminaby.  
  
Around 100 teacher houses will have new heating and cooling installed, worth almost $2 million, and $800,000 is being invested in increasing housing supply by taking out head leases, with the properties to be occupied by country teachers. 
 
Investment in teacher housing is part of the Government’s delivery against the recommendations of the 2021 Regional and Remote Incentives Review.

NSW businesses trialling innovative, field-ready bushfire technologies can now apply for the second round of the NSW Government’s Bushfire Technology Pilots Program.
 
Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens said the $2.6 million program would provide grants of up to $250,000, to help innovators turbocharge their research into practical solutions that will improve bushfire detection, preparation and response.
 
“We are investing in these technologies to ensure our State continues to be a world leader in bushfire technology,” Mr Henskens said.
 
“As well as giving homegrown innovators the opportunity to test their cutting-edge technology, the program provides them with critical links to frontline services, so they can fast track the adoption of new approaches.
 
“This program demonstrates the NSW Government’s commitment to R&D, turning local research into new industries, which will create jobs, grow the economy and help secure a brighter future for NSW.”
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the program builds on the success of the first round of funding, with five innovative ideas now being piloted.
 
“The first round of grants included providing power to remote sites, real-time monitoring of fire conditions and data-sharing,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“By their very nature bushfires are difficult to control and very dangerous, which is why we need to invest in new technology to innovate our State’s firefighting response to better protect communities from future natural disasters.
 
“I look forward to seeing what innovations come through next to complement the incredible work of our emergency service organisations.”
 
More information about the program, and how to apply, is available online.

The State’s emergency response has received a major boost with the launch of two new NSW Maritime vessels and a state-of-the-art maritime command centre in Sydney Harbour. 

Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said the vessels worth $2 million and the $700,000 State Marine Incident Coordination Centre (SMICC) in Rozelle would help NSW Maritime crews swing into action across the State. 

“Unprecedented rain and flooding this year have led to a major increase in debris on NSW waterways, resulting in an extremely busy 12 months for the Maritime Environmental Services team,” Mr Elliott said. 

“These new NSW built boats will boost the clean-up effort, while our new coordination centre will be a central hub for our response to natural disasters and maritime events; whether it’s managing New Year’s Eve or the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, or supporting our partner agencies such as the joint rescue of the stricken cargo vessel MV Portland Bay in July.”

“The SMICC also has the latest in live TV capabilities with direct access to newsrooms not only across Australia but also worldwide, allowing our people to relay real-time information during an emergency.”

NSW Maritime Executive Director Mark Hutchings said the new maritime vessels would replace older barges – and the latter could be relocated regionally to assist with potential flood response efforts. 

“The new vessels, which have an offshore capability, have been fitted out with the latest in marine technology, including navigation equipment and increased deck space for safe loading of hazards and waste,” Mr Hutchings said.  

“It’s a far cry from the 1930s when cleaners used to row around Sydney Harbour in open timber boats. These days the team removes everything from drones, shopping trolleys and Christmas trees to TVs, washing machines and fridges.” 

“In the year to June 30, our crews collected over 2,200 cubic metres of litter and debris from Sydney’s waterways, enough waste to fill more than 9,000 large household bins. The team also recovered 4,600 navigation hazards, improving safety for recreational and commercial vessels.”   

The launch of the maritime vessels and SMICC coincides with the release of the NSW Government’s Maritime Safety Plan 2022-2026, which sets out the goal of eliminating fatalities and serious injuries on navigable waterways by 2056. 

More information on the Maritime Safety Plan is available here.

Applications are now open for Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) services across NSW who are looking to improve their facilities and education offerings to support NSW children.  

The NSW Government is investing $21 million through the revamped Quality and Participation Grants to support eligible early childhood education services improve learning environments, increase community outreach and meet costs associated with implementing recent reforms. 

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the NSW Government is committed to giving every child the best start in life by providing them with quality early childhood education. 

“These grants provide services with up to $15,000 to purchase equipment, undertake outdoor renovations and improve learning resources and materials,” Ms Mitchell said.  

“The Quality and Participation Grants help services increase access and participation for vulnerable children, and improve learning environments to lift the experiences of all children.  

“We know how beneficial a quality early childhood education is, and we are supporting  services to provide the best environments for our preschoolers to grow and learn in. ” 

Applications for the Quality and Participation Grants are open now and close on 14 November 2022. 

More information, including further eligibility criteria, can be found at: https://education.nsw.gov.au/early-childhood-education/operating-an-early-childhood-education-service/grants-and-funded-programs/quality-and-participation-grants-program

The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government will invest $50 million to help regional and rural councils fix the increasing number of potholes brought on by this year’s extreme wet weather.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said under the new Fixing Local Roads Pothole Repair Round, councils can apply for funding to help them address their highest priority pothole repairs.

“NSW has had more than its fair share of natural disasters and extreme weather and it’s promising to see that more than 135,000 potholes have been repaired on State roads in regional NSW since February,” Mr Farraway said.

“However, plenty more potholes still require attention, particularly on council-managed roads, which is why our Government is putting more money on the table for councils to repair potholes on the roads regional communities use every day.

“This funding is available to help every regional council across the state to carry out emergency repairs and would fix roughly more than 420,000 potholes on their roads.

“This additional support will help ease the pressure local councils are facing and boost the resources they can draw upon to repair their most damaged roads to improve safety and reduce wear and tear on vehicles.”

The new funding builds on the $500 million invested by the NSW Government through the Fixing Local Roads program to help regional councils repair, maintain and seal local roads across the state.

Funding under the Fixing Local Roads Pothole Repair Round is available to 95 regional councils and authorities to help repair potholes on regional and local roads. Work must be completed by 1 January 2024.

Applications for funding are open for two weeks from today with funding announced in November so councils can begin work as soon as possible.

NSW landowners who host electricity transmission lines are set to benefit from a new Strategic Benefit Payments Scheme designed by the NSW Government to support the rollout of a modern electricity grid.
 
Under the scheme, private landowners in NSW will receive $200,000 per kilometre of new transmission infrastructure hosted on their land, paid out in annual instalments over 20 years, indexed to CPI.
 
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the scheme will be the first of its kind in Australia and recognises the NSW Government’s commitment to building a modern electricity grid that maximises benefits for communities and households.
 
“Building new transmission infrastructure is critical to connecting renewable energy sources to the grid and most of this new infrastructure will be built in regional NSW,” Mr Toole said.
 
“Supporting landowners and regional communities who host this infrastructure will help us build the network we need in time to ensure energy security, supply and affordability for families across NSW.”
 
Minister for Energy Matt Kean said maximising the economic benefits of this new infrastructure and supporting regional communities is central to the NSW Government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap and the successful delivery of the Renewable Energy Zones.
 
“NSW has the most ambitious renewable energy policy in the nation, which is needed to replace the State’s ageing coal fired power stations and build a clean energy future for NSW,” Mr Toole said.
 
“The scheme is part of our commitment to share the benefits of a reliable, clean and affordable energy grid with the landowners who will have a vital role in supporting the delivery of critical transmission infrastructure that will make this possible,” Mr Kean said.
 
“This is a huge win for landowners across NSW that will almost double the average payment they currently receive – and importantly – the rate of the payments will be calculated in the same way regardless of where you live to ensure all landowners are treated equitably under the scheme.”
 
The scheme will apply for new major transmission projects critical to the energy transformation and future security of the energy grid, including the Central-West Orana Transmission Project, Project EnergyConnect, HumeLink, the New England Transmission Project and the Hunter Transmission Project.
                             
Payments under the scheme are separate, and in addition to, the one-off upfront compensation paid to landowners for the acquisition of transmission easements in accordance with the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991.
 
Further information on the Strategic Benefit Payments Scheme is available at  https://www.energyco.nsw.gov.au/community/strategic-benefit-payments-scheme.

NSW is the first jurisdiction in Australia to introduce a new insurance product that offers 10 years’ protection for buyers of residential apartments.

Minister for Fair Trading Victor Dominello said the NSW Department of Customer Service has accepted the application of Resilience Insurance to offer decennial liability insurance as a form of security under the Strata Building Bond and Inspections Scheme.

“This is a big win for apartment owners and body corporates,” Mr Dominello said.

“Decennial liability insurance provides those living in residential apartment buildings with comprehensive consumer protection for building defects caused by substandard design and building work.

“It also provides an insurance safety net for consumers that is currently lacking in residential apartment buildings.
“Decennial liability gives power to the purchasers and body corporates, who will no longer need to prove liability and will only have to demonstrate the damage for assessment.

“For the first time in Australia, this will ensure building owners have access to a timely and straightforward remedy to remediate those defects.”

Under a decennial liability insurance scheme, developers or builders would take out a policy to cover any potential costs by an owner to fix serious defects of critical building elements for up to 10 years.

A decennial liability insurance policy would cover critical parts of a building’s common property, including the building’s structure, fire safety systems and waterproofing.

This insurance is intended to provide an insurance of first resort – allowing building owners to make a claim as soon as a defect is identified.

While this form of insurance is available in many markets around the world, it has not been offered in Australia.
NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler OAM said, “the introduction of decennial liability insurance is the latest reform to the building and construction industry which will improve the design and construction of apartment buildings in NSW.

“These reforms have come about due to the united commitment of government and industry to transform the NSW construction sector.

“NSW is now in the position of being a national leader in offering an insurance product of this type for Class 2 buildings because of the three years of conscious effort and commitment by Government and industry to the journey we have been on under Construct NSW.

“We’re looking to clean up the market and bring an end to expensive litigations against developers who have deep pockets or subsequently vanish into thin air.”

To support the broader rollout of this critical consumer protection for NSW apartment building owners, a regulatory impact statement is being prepared for consultation on the proposal to mandate decennial liability insurance for residential apartment building developments, following a transitional period that will support NSW’s creation of a mature and affordable decennial liability insurance market.

Other reforms have included the introduction of the Design and Building Practitioners Act to ensure competent designs and builders are undertaking compliant work and the Residential Apartment Building (Compliance and Enforcement Powers) Act to give the building regulator comprehensive powers to respond to defective building work.

Consumers in NSW also have the benefit of the industry-led Independent Construction Industry Rating Tool (iCIRT), a five-star system to rate the trustworthiness of builders, certifiers and developers.

The NSW Government has announced the $360 million Net Zero Industry and Innovation Investment Plan to support and partner with manufacturing and mining sectors to reduce emissions and boost resilience.
 
Minister for Energy Matt Kean said the investment will help the highest emitting industries accelerate their shift to net zero, while continuing to grow jobs and the economy.  It will also play a critical role supporting the establishment of new low carbon industries.
 
“Almost 30 per cent of carbon emissions in NSW are created by the top 55 industrial facilities, so partnering with them is critical to achieving our emissions reduction targets,” Mr Kean said.
 
“This funding will support NSW’s highest emitting and hardest to abate manufacturing and mining facilities to significantly decarbonise and make the industries more resilient as the world shifts to net zero.
 
“The Net Zero Industry and Innovation Investment Plan aims for a significant reduction of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030 – equal to taking 10 million cars off the road for a year.
 
“By accelerating decarbonisation and the development of clean technology, we will expand the economy, support jobs, and significantly reduce emissions, helping NSW businesses prosper in a low carbon world.”
 
This funding is a cornerstone of the NSW Net Zero Plan to reduce emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050.
 
The investment plan outlines the funding priorities for the next two years under two focus areas – high emitting industries and new low carbon industry foundations.
 
Read the investment plan here: https://www.energy.nsw.gov.au/Net-Zero-Industry-and-Innovation-Investment-Plan

Preschools across the state are preparing to be part of the NSW Government’s landmark $1.3 billion Affordable Preschool Program providing cost of living relief from the beginning of 2023.  
 
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell today confirmed new Start Strong funding guidelines, which outline how early childhood services across the state will support families in giving their children the best start to life through affordable preschool.
 
“With cost-of-living pressures being felt across Australia, the Liberals and Nationals in Government are reducing stress for families across NSW by providing immediate fee relief,” Ms Mitchell said.
 
“Through the NSW Government’s Start Strong program we will improve the affordability of early childhood education, improve quality, boost outcomes for children, and see enrolments and attendance increase in the years before school.”
 
From January 2023, all NSW families will be eligible for:
 

• up to $4,220 per year in fee relief for 3, 4 and 5-year-olds attending a community or mobile preschool,
• up to $2,110 per year in fee relief for 4 and 5-year-olds attending preschool in a long day care setting on top of their Child Care Subsidy payment, and
• the equivalent of 5 days a fortnight of affordable preschool fee relief for all children in Department of Education preschools. 

“For the first time, the NSW Government is extending fee-relief to NSW families whose children attend preschool in a long day care setting, because at the end of the day what’s important is our littlest learners having access to great quality preschool programs,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Research shows that children who participate in quality play-based education programs before they start school have improved lifelong educational, social and economic outcomes.

“This is why we are extending fee relief to support more families and enable more children to participate in a quality early childhood education.” 

The NSW Government is investing more than $15.9 billion in early childhood commitments announced as part of the 2022-23 budget to deliver a brighter future for every child in NSW. Through the introduction of a universal pre-Kindergarten year, the Brighter Beginnings initiatives, a workforce package for early childhood educators and the Affordable Preschools subsidies, the NSW Liberal & National Government is ensuring NSW is the best state to live, work and raise a family.
 
You can find out more about the Early Years Commitment at education.nsw.gov.au/early-years-commitment.