Category: NSW News

Bush fire-battling capability across NSW is set for a major boost with 18 new Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) state-of-the-art tankers rolling out across the State ahead of peak danger season.
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the trucks are funded through the NSW Government’s response to the independent Bushfire Inquiry.
 
“Replacing Fire and Rescue’s existing 22-year-old fleet of bush fire tankers is a priority for the NSW Government, which is why we committed a further $9 million in this year’s Budget to take the total number of new appliances to 34,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“The trucks have been locally assembled by Isuzu and are currently being fitted out with equipment before being deployed to some of the State’s most at-risk locations.
 
“They will enable our firefighters to access bush fires in difficult terrain as well as be used for building fires, rescues and other emergency incidents.”
 
Each $530,000 multi-purpose four-wheel-drive truck features a water spray system to protect the crew, a compressed air foam system and a 3,500-litre water tank.
 
FRNSW Acting Commissioner Megan Stiffler said the new appliances will help firefighters where they are needed most.
 
“We welcome these new trucks as they will provide our firefighters with the best possible equipment and technology to protect life and property,” Acting Commissioner Stiffler said.
 
“The fleet of modern, advanced and environmentally-friendly appliances will also ensure our firefighters are safe while undertaking their vital role in the community.”
 
A total of $80 million has been provided to FRNSW in response to the Bushfire Inquiry’s 76 recommendations.

The NSW Government is doubling family and domestic violence leave provisions for all NSW public sector workers with staff able to access 20 days of paid leave per calendar year from 1 January 2023.

The same paid leave provisions will also be provided to casual employees, while access to existing carers leave will be also extended to all employees providing support to a family or household member who is a victim-survivor of domestic violence.

The enhanced arrangements will apply across the NSW public sector and were developed after discussion with unions, Government employers and family and domestic violence policy experts.

Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said the increase of family and domestic violence leave was a key priority of the Perrottet Government.

“As the largest employer in NSW, it is our Government’s responsibility to provide workers with the support and security to take time away from work to take the necessary steps to find safety for themselves and their family,” Mrs Ward said.

“That is why we have made this commitment to double the amount of paid family and domestic violence leave available to all public sector employees from 10 to 20 days, to give our workers greater support at a time when they need it most.

“Everyone has the right to be safe both at home and in the workplace, which is why we have made addressing the issue of women’s safety and the prevention of domestic and family violence a priority with record funding to increase support across the sector.”

Minister for Employee Relations Damien Tudehope said the new leave provisions build on other family and safety oriented measures the NSW Government had already put in place for all public sector workers.

“NSW was the first Australian jurisdiction to include specific provisions for family and domestic violence leave in enterprise agreements and awards for its public sector employees and once again we will be leading the way with comprehensive leave provisions to support victim-survivors seeking safety and care,” Mr Tudehope said.

“This new leave provison is the latest in a raft of improvements our government has put in place to improve work environments for NSW public sector workers and sets the standard for other jurisdictions and the private sector to follow.

“Already our Government has enacted nation-leading measures to ensure families, women and children are front of mind in the public sector, including new parental leave policies, and leave in the event of a miscarriage.

Leave is available to NSW Government employees who give birth to a pre-term child (prior to 37 weeks). The parent with the caring responsibility is entitled to paid special pre-term parental leave from the date of birth of the child (or children from a multiple birth) up to the end of 36 weeks.

In the 2022-23 NSW Budget, the NSW Government announced new paid parental leave arrangements for public sector workers in which there will be no distinction between ‘primary’ or ‘secondary’ carer, with both parents entitled to 14 weeks of paid parental leave and an additional 2 weeks leave where leave is more equally shared between parents. 

As part of the Budget, the NSW Government also announced five days of paid fertility treatment leave for public sector workers.

The improved family and domestic violence leave entitlement builds on the NSW Government’s record $687 million investment in 2021/22 for a range of for Women’s Safety initiatives, as well as a further $100 million in the 2022/23 Budget.

The NSW Domestic Violence Line is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 1800 656 463 to explain services and support available. The 1800RESPECT online chat service is available as an alternative to calling.
Information about other services and support is available on the Department of Communities and Justice website.

More plastic will be recycled and turned into new products in NSW thanks to $9 million funding to support businesses transform their operations and access the latest plastic recycling technology.
 
Minister for the Environment James Griffin said the new Circular Plastics Program, part of the Circular Materials Fund, is all about boosting the circular economy for plastics in NSW.
 
“This program is a game changer for our State because it means we’ll be reducing the amount of plastic going to landfill, and turning it into a valuable resource instead,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“At the moment, NSW produces about 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste every year, and about 10 per cent is recycled. That figure should be much higher and I want to see plastic being repurposed and reused as many times as possible, rather than ending up in landfill or the environment.
 
“Through this $9 million program, we’re giving eligible businesses the support they need to recycle and reuse more plastic when making new products.
 
“This is business and government working together to create a cleaner future, and generate new market demand and value for recycled plastic.” 
 
The Circular Plastics Program is part of the NSW Government’s target to triple the plastics recycling rate by 2030 and will be delivered by the NSW Environment Protection Authority.
 
The matched funding will support small and medium businesses that may otherwise be challenged by initial capital costs involved in creating circularity in their business.
 
The program is part of the NSW Government’s $356 million Waste and Sustainable Materials Strategy 2041, and the NSW Plastics Action Plan.
 
More information is available here https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/grants/infrastructure-fund/circular-plastics-program. Expressions of interest close 17 November 2022.

The red and yellow is back on NSW beaches with more than 20,000 surf life saving volunteers ready to welcome beachgoers as the official patrol season begins.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet joined Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke, Surf Life Saving NSW (SLSNSW) President George Shales and volunteer lifesavers at Bondi Beach today to raise the red and yellow flags for the first time this season.
 
“The raising of the flags is a significant occasion for the people of NSW because it means we can get back out after a cold winter and safely enjoy all the beautiful coastline our great State has to offer,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“Please listen to the advice of our Surf Life Saving experts, don’t take unnecessary risks and always swim between the red and yellow flags to make sure you and your family enjoy the water safely.”
 
Ms Cooke said $1 million worth of SLSNSW jet skis and support operations vehicles will be rolled out across the State to better support the work of volunteers.
 
“The addition of 11 jet skis and 11 fully kitted out support vehicles will further enhance the ability of our lifesavers to respond to emergencies in the water and help people when they get into trouble,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“Our lifesavers from the 129 clubs up and down the NSW coastline are looking forward to being on patrol every weekend and public holiday between now and Anzac Day in April.”
 
Mr Shales said despite a third consecutive La Nina being declared, large crowds are expected at beaches throughout spring and summer.
 
“We had a very wet year last season but beachgoers need to remain vigilant after a record 55 lives were lost in the 12 months to June 2022,” Mr Shales said.
 
“We’re ready to help if you get into trouble but we need to work together to keep our beaches and coastal waterways safe for all to enjoy.”
 
Patrolled beach locations, patrol times and live weather updates are available on the BeachSafe app or website.

Powerhouse Ultimo is set to become an immersive education and professional hub for creatives thanks to a $10 million investment by Foundation University Partner the University of Technology Sydney.
 
Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin said the partnership will complement the NSW Government’s investment into the renewal of Powerhouse Ultimo, and establish Ultimo as a leading creative industries precinct.
 
“The partnership provides an incredible boost to the NSW creative industries sector in the heart of a thriving precinct anchored by the landmark Powerhouse Ultimo renewal,” Mr Franklin said.
 
“It will support NSW creatives across all stages of their career and dramatically expand the profile of Australian design and fashion on the national and global stage.”
 
Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the partnership speaks to the University’s reputation for practice-oriented education.
 
“This investment by UTS will generate incredible vocational opportunities for NSW local and regional students and emerging practitioners to develop lasting industry connections and skills that will serve them at the cutting edge of the global creative industries,” Mr Henskens said.
 
UTS Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Andrew Parfitt said the partnership will deliver world class immersive creative industry experiences for UTS students as well as students right across NSW.
 
“The potential to share facilities and generate collaborations between students, researchers, museum staff and creative industries residents will elevate the creative industry output of NSW,” Professor Parfitt said.
 
Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah said the partnership offers a platform to activate the revitalised Ultimo precinct, through the delivery of major events, festivals and industry programs.
 
“The collaboration will elevate Powerhouse Ultimo’s renewed focus on fashion and design by connecting the museum with researchers and industry professionals at the forefront of design innovation. Together, Powerhouse and UTS will create a world-class Creative Industries Precinct in the heart of the CBD. We thank UTS for their visionary investment into the future of Powerhouse Ultimo,” Ms Havilah said.

A woman has been charged with domestic violence offences after a man was allegedly stabbed with scissors at a unit in the state’s south yesterday.

Police have been told a 50-year-old man and 32-year-old woman – who are known to each other – were arguing in unit on George Street, Deniliquin, about 12.30pm yesterday (Thursday 22 September 2022), when the woman allegedly stabbed the man in the face with a pair of scissors.

The man was treated at Deniliquin Hospital and has since been released.

Officers attached to Murray River Police District initiated inquiries and, about 30 minutes later, arrested a woman at the George Street unit.

She was taken to Deniliquin Police Station where she was charged with reckless wounding (domestic violence).

The Deniliquin woman was granted bail to appear in Albury Local Court on Tuesday 11 October 2022.

A Minns Labor Government is continuing with its long term plan to redesign and repair the structure of the New South Wales health system by introducing minimum and enforceable safe staffing levels to public hospitals, starting with emergency departments.

The proposal will see an additional 1,200 nurses and midwives recruited into the system (above the government’s additional recruits outlined in 2022-23 NSW State Budget) within the first four years of a Labor Government, at a cost of $175 million.

Minimum and enforceable Safe Staffing Levels will start in Emergency Departments and be subsequently rolled out into other areas including ICUs, maternity wards, and Multi-Purpose Services in a staged approach and in consultation with healthcare professionals.

Under the proposal, hospitals will maintain safe nursing or midwifery staffing levels on a shift-by-shift basis, based on an area of care or speciality type; as well as treatment spaces or beds.

Nurses and midwives have long been calling for workforce reform, even before the emergence of COVID-19. However, the pandemic presented a breaking point for nurses, paramedics, hospital cleaners, allied health professionals, security guards and other health care heroes.  

Hospitals that have been overwhelmed, under-resourced and severely neglected by the NSW Liberals and Nationals – particularly in Western Sydney, and regional and rural NSW – will benefit significantly from these landmark reforms.

After 12 years under the NSW Liberal and National Government, Western Sydney and regional and rural NSW have seen a deterioration of access to health services, including increased emergency department wait times, and delays in life-changing surgery.

Across the state, 42.9 per cent of the most critical emergency department patients did not have their treatment start on time – the highest on record since Bureau of Health Information reporting began in 2010.

In Western Sydney, this figure was a staggering two thirds (66.3 per cent) of urgent Western Sydney emergency department presentations not starting start on time.

Meanwhile, across the state, 76,117 patients left emergency departments without completing treatment – or one in 10. This is the highest number on record and a 68 per cent jump in just three years.

Research by tertiary qualified healthcare professionals, has shown safe staffing levels deliver better care, and are more cost effective. 

The changes will be implemented by converting the existing Nursing Hours Per Patient Day staffing requirement into minimum and enforceable Safe Staffing Levels within the Public Health System Nurses’ and Midwives’ (State) Award.

Chris Minns, NSW Labor Leader:

Our health system was in crisis before the pandemic, but after getting us through multiple waves of COVID-19, we owe it to our health workers to fix this.

“After more than a decade of the NSW Liberals and Nationals in government, our health system needs structural repair.

“Experienced nurses and midwives are either dropping their working hours or worse, leaving the system altogether because they’re not supported enough in the workplace and see the workloads as untenable.

“These changes will see more health staff retained, working in areas that need them the most, and it means better outcomes for patients and the level of care they will receive in New South Wales.”

Ryan Park, NSW Shadow Minister for Health:

“Our health system doesn’t have a recruitment problem, it has a retention problem, because our hospitals are overstretched and under-resourced.  

“After 12 years of neglect of our health system, the people of New South Wales rightly don’t trust the Liberals and Nationals to turn things around at the 11th hour.

“The first phase is a $150 million commitment to fund an additional 500 paramedics in Labor’s first term, to ease the burden of chronic paramedic shortages and the unprecedented strain on our rural and regional health system.” 

Daniel Mookhey, NSW Shadow Treasurer:

“NSW Labor has spent the better part of 7 months sitting down respectfully at the table, negotiating in good faith with the workforce.

“It shows what’s possible when you’re prepared to listen to our health care heroes instead of insulting them.

“This model is affordable within the fiscal environment, after 12 years of waste, debt and deficit under the NSW Liberals and Nationals.”

On behalf of NSW Labor we extend our condolences and thoughts to the family and friends on the passing of prominent Wiradjuri woman, Aunt Neita Scott.

Aunt Neita was committed to improving the lives of her people through her long commitment to Land Rights, her extensive work in Aboriginal housing and in her home community of Narromine.

Neita Scott became the NSWALC Councillor for the Central Region in 1988 to 1995 and served as Secretary of the Council from 1989 to 1995. Aunt Neita was Treasurer of the Narromine Local Aboriginal Land Council for more than two decades and Chairperson of Narromine LALC for many years. Neita advocated for Land Rights on the world stage, representing NSWALC at the United Nations in Geneva on several occasions and was awarded NSWALC’s inaugural “40 Years Strong” Chairperson’s Award in 2017.

She was a Board Member at the Aboriginal Housing Office, a member of the Aboriginal Housing Development Committee, as well as a Member of the Premier’s Council for Women, the Rural Women’s Advisory Council and Narromine Health Council.

Aunt Neita was a giant of the Lands Rights Movement and we acknowledge her huge contribution.

Offenders who refuse to provide information or assistance to locate their victim’s remains cannot be granted parole, under new “no body no parole” laws.
 
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the government’s proposed Bill would mean offenders must co-operate with investigators and disclose the location of remains for any chance of release on parole.
 
“We will make it impossible for offenders who willfully and deliberately refuse to disclose information about their victim’s remains, to be granted parole,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“Being unable to locate a loved one’s body is extremely distressing and traumatic for the families and friends of victims and it denies a victim the dignity of being laid to rest appropriately.
 
“These laws are to stop inmates convicted of murder or homicide offences from getting parole unless they co-operate with police to end the torment of families and return to them the remains of their loved ones.”
 
The proposed reform will mean the State Parole Authority (SPA) must not grant parole unless it concludes the offender has cooperated satisfactorily in identifying the victim’s location.
 
Under the reforms, the SPA must rely on written advice from the Commissioner of NSW Police Force and other relevant information to determine whether the offender has co-operated satisfactorily to identify a victim’s location.
 
Corrections Minister Geoff Lee said the reforms are modelled on laws in other jurisdictions and would apply to all current and future inmates in NSW to capture convicted offenders who have not yet been considered for parole.
 
“Any offender in prison coming up for parole should really think hard about maintaining their refusal to cooperate with police if they want to retain their prospects of getting parole,” Dr Lee said.

Parents across NSW will soon have more accessible and affordable quality childcare with legislation for the up to $5 billion Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund to be introduced to Parliament this week.
 
The Fund brings the NSW Government a step closer to delivering on its $15.9 billion commitment announced in the 2022-23 NSW Budget to transform the lives of families across the State.
 
Legislating the Fund guarantees NSW families can enjoy the benefits of this important initiative for decades to come, and gives long-term certainty to the childcare sector.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the NSW Government’s early childhood education reforms are estimated to boost affordable childcare supply by up to 47,000 places when combined with changes to the Commonwealth Childcare Subsidy.
 
“This landmark investment will give our children the best start in life, support the parents who need it most and help women return to paid work when they want,” Mr Kean said.
 
“The NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund Bill 2022 will help give more people in our State the opportunity to choose both a career and a family by easing cost of living pressures.
“These nation-leading reforms are also estimated to close the gender workforce participation gap by up to 14 per cent and increase household incomes by up to $4,400 on average within a decade.”
 
Mr Kean said the Fund, delivered alongside the Commonwealth’s childcare reforms, is expected to allow up to 95,000 women to enter the workforce or take on more hours.
 
Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the Fund adds to other measures announced in the Budget to improve women’s economic opportunity, boost their workplace participation and tackle the gender pay gap.
 
“This Fund will help break the childcare drought by targeting areas with limited access and trialling new service models to meet the needs of modern families,” Mrs Taylor said.
 
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the Fund will provide opportunities for the early childhood sector to grow, be innovative to the needs of families and support children with the highest quality education and care.
 
“Enshrining this in law will guarantee investment in the sector and improve quality in both infrastructure and the workforce. We’ll continue to work with providers on the Fund’s rollout to best support the formative years of children’s lives,” Ms Mitchell said.
 
Over the next decade the NSW Government is spending $15.9 billion on childcare and early education, including:
 

• Up to $5 billion over 10 years to establish the Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund.
• $5.8 billion over 10 years to introduce a high-quality universal pre-Kindergarten year for all children in NSW in the year before school by 2030.
• $1.4 billion over four years to provide affordable preschool.
• $64.1 million to increase participation of 3 year olds in preschool in long day care settings.
• $281.6 million over four years to increase the number, quality and retention of early childhood educators and teachers – the package includes early childhood teacher higher education scholarships of up to $25,000, Vocational Education and Training scholarships of up to $2,000 and employer supplements for staff retention.
• $111.2 million over four years for developmental checks in preschools in both metro and rural areas as part of the Brighter Beginnings initiative.
• $24.7 million over four years to build system stewardship capability and offer more tailored support and guidance to early childhood education and care service providers.
• $37.9 million over three years to improve access to before and after-school care services.