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More than 40 stakeholders from mining companies, unions, energy producers, industry groups, manufacturers and universities today joined the Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos at a roundtable conversation.

The event was an opportunity for local stakeholders to discuss the region’s core priorities as the NSW Government continues to establish Future Jobs and Investment Authorities in coal-producing regions in NSW.

The stakeholders provided their insights on how their sectors should be supported into the future as the region becomes less reliant on the coal industry.

It was a valuable opportunity for local stakeholders to discuss the region’s core priorities, including future employment and economic opportunities.

The Illawarra roundtable follows successful events in the Hunter and Central West in 2023. It is an important step as the NSW Government establishes authorities in the Central West, Hunter, Illawarra, and North West. 

The NSW Labor Government has committed $5.2 million over 4 years to establish these local authorities. They will work with the Commonwealth Government’s Net Zero Authority to support workers, industries and NSW coal mining communities.

A further roundtable will be held in the North West next month as the government finalises the Future Jobs and Investment Authorities model.

Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos said:

“This roundtable is a great opportunity to consult with workers, the community and industry about how to tailor the local authorities for the Illawarra.

“The NSW Labor Government is committed to making sure that coal-producing regions, like the Illawarra, are supported to find new opportunities. 

“We’re working closely with local stakeholders to identify ways we can help workers and their families prepare for a strong and prosperous future. 

“We only have one chance to get the framework right to support workers and communities. The feedback from these conversations will provide important input as we create it.

“Our future productivity will rely on the workforce planning and economic diversification we do now.  The best way we can support coal producing regions like the Illawarra into the future is to get the right supports in place. 

“The NSW Labor Government is committed to ensuring we get this right, and that only comes from listening to the workers, the industry, and communities.

“The coal sector as we know it in NSW is changing. As part of this consultation I have heard a wide range of views from local stakeholders as to how we can best support new economic opportunities and new industries in the Illawarra region.”

Minster for the Illawarra & South Coast Ryan Park said:

“Beyond its natural beauty, the Illawarra is a hub of economic activity and jobs from a diverse range of industries.

“The NSW Government is determined to ensure our region and its families continue to prosper, remain agile and seize on the opportunities of the future.”

The NSW Government has today acted to fix the long-running crisis in NSW cemeteries and crematoria sector with improved consumer protections for customers and communities while providing long-term certainty for the sector.

Under the former government, the cemeteries and crematoria sector were severely mismanaged, allowing indecision and infighting to trump the needs of people at their most vulnerable when they have just lost a loved one.

Instead, they let a problem evolve into a crisis that left multiple religious groups set to run out of burial space within 3 years, crown cemetery operators accumulating more than $300 million in debt, and rogue operators left largely unregulated in the sector to prey on vulnerable individuals.

The former government failed to implement key recommendations from the Statutory Review of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 11th Hour Report, including to ensure the sustainability of Crown operators, which was handed down in 2020.

The NSW Government is addressing this crisis by acting on the recommendations of the IPART review and the Statutory Review’s 11th Hour Report. The priority areas identified in the strategic statement include:

• strong consumer protection for customers and communities
• supporting sustainable burial practices and identifying more cemetery land, and
• providing certainty for managing Crown cemeteries by finalising a two-operator model.

Changes being implemented in response to the reports are focused on strengthening the industry regulator Cemeteries & Crematoria NSW (CCNSW), allowing it to proactively address bad operators, improve consumer protections and manage risks for the government and community.

To support this the government will implement a recommendation from IPART and the Statutory Review of the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act to expand the former Government’s Interment Industry Levy from Crown cemeteries to all active industry operators, driving equity and levelling the field in the sector. Revenue from the levy will be no higher than that required to provide the regulator with the resources it needs required to protect consumers at a particularly vulnerable time.

This change will come into effect on 1 July 2024. Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW will begin consulting with industry shortly through in-person workshops and webinars commencing 9 April 2024.

To give further confidence, the government will also:

• Develop a contemporary approach for the perpetual maintenance of cemeteries so enough funding is set aside by cemeteries to keep them adequately maintained into the future.
• Investigate legislative changes that can further modernise and streamline the Cemeteries and Crematoria Act 2013 to better support consumers and industry.

CCNSW is also currently rolling out a statewide licensing scheme for cemeteries and crematoria – the first ever for NSW – that sets new performance standards and consumer protections.

This new scheme will benefit consumers by providing more transparency around pricing and contracts, setting standards for maintenance and customer service and ensuring compliance with religious, cultural and spiritual requirements.

These standards will be further strengthened through clear rules and support to ensure cemeteries and crematoria remain financially sustainable and are operated and maintained in a consistent, transparent, and accountable way.

Operators will be required to have clear language and standard terms and conditions for contracts, which will also minimise the likelihood of rogue operators gouging vulnerable people.

The strategic statement has been published on the Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW website.

Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“We need a strong cop on the beat, for too long cemeteries were neglected by previous governments leading to a critical lack of supply for burial space in Sydney, with bad operators left unregulated and customers left vulnerable.

“We want all people in NSW to have access to sustainable and affordable burial and cremation services that are respectful of culture and faith, and which are provided in a compassionate, consistent, transparent, and accountable way.

“Losing a loved one can be the most difficult time in a person’s life. We need to lift the bar with stronger regulation and better planning to ensure cemetery and crematoria operators and the public have transparency around pricing, service quality and future certainty.

“The sector has joined us on this transformation, and we thank them for their contribution, and we will continue to engage in genuine consultation on this journey as we shape the future of internment services to better serve the people of NSW.”  

The $11.6 million upgrade of the Corowa Saleyards, one of NSW’s largest sheep markets, has today been offically opened by NSW Minister Tara Moriarty.

The NSW Government is prioritising the resilience of our agricultural industry, and this upgrade will ensure the saleyard continues to play a critical role in supporting the industry and local communities across the Riverina.

About 600,000 head of sheep pass through the saleyards annually, generating average sales of more than $81 million.

The upgrade has been jointly funded by the NSW Government ($10.1 million) and the Federation Council ($1.5 million). It will provide a safer, more efficient, and more attractive facility for livestock buyers, sellers and the general public.

The government’s upgrade project to the 60 year old saleyards include:

• multi-purpose learning centre and administrative building for localising skill pathways
  new roof, which will better protect stock, staff and visitors from extreme weather conditions
• water catchment system and upgraded lighting system
• truck wash to provide improved biosecurity protections.

The upgrades will draw additional traders and visitors into Corowa and surrounding centres, spending money in local stores and providing downstream benefits for businesses and suppliers.

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“Corowa Saleyards is already one of the biggest saleyards in NSW, and the government’s funded expansion will ensure it goes from strength-to-strength.

“It’s important to have major hubs like this facility in our regions because they futureproof our agricultural sector, support local economies and create opportunities for training and work.

“The flow-on impacts from the upgrades benefit sheep and lamb producers, as well as the transport and logistics and the education and training sectors.”

Federation Council Mayor Patrick Bourke said:

“The Corowa Saleyards redevelopment project has been a significant project for council to deliver and has resulted in our overall masterplan for the site coming to fruition.”

“This project has a strong focus on animal welfare, environmental responsibility, growth, and safety, and upon delivery will allow further future opportunities for the Corowa Saleyards to be unlocked in a holistic and strategic manner.

“This delivery of the new Corowa Saleyards precinct will not only improve the Saleyards facility moving forward but will go a long way in supporting the resilience of our local economy and wider agricultural trading market.”

Three outstanding women have been revealed today as the finalists for the 2024 NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, showcasing the breadth of talent and innovation of rural and regional women.

Rebecca Keeley, Rae Knopik and Ruby Riethmuller have been recognised for their impressive contributions to rural and regional communities.

The winner of the NSW/ACT AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, to be announced on 2 May, will receive a $15,000 Westpac grant to support a project, business or program that will benefit rural industries, businesses and/or communities. The winner will also go on to compete for the national award in September.

Find out more information on the award

NSW Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“Congratulations to Rebecca, Rae and Ruby for their outstanding contribution to their regional and rural communities. I’m pleased the NSW Government continues to support growing the talent of impressive women who are inspiring our regional communities.

“The diverse projects, businesses and programs these amazing women have founded is testament to their unique backgrounds, experiences and expertise. It is important awards like this acknowledge and celebrate women who are leading the long-term success of our regional communities.”

NSW Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“Congratulations to the finalists who are excellent examples of strong, resourceful and resilient regional women.

“The NSW Government is investing in the people of rural and regional NSW. We are proud to support the award and celebrate the hard work and dedication of the three finalists.

“The finalists all share a passion for advocating for a better quality of life for the people living in our regions, whether it is providing wellbeing education and support for adolescent girls and gender-diverse young people, integrating sustainable practices in the fashion industry within rural communities or using innovative technology to improve healthcare across rural and remote Australia.”

ACT Minister for Women Yvette Berry said:

“Congratulations to all finalists – your work is making a difference but will also inspire future generations to step up with their own ideas to improve the life for those living in rural and regional Australia.

“Women are so often the unsung heroes in regional communities, working quietly to improve the lives of others with no expectation of acknowledgement.

“These Awards are a fantastic way to recognise the great contributions of women in our rural and regional communities.”

Managing Director of AgriFutures John Harvey said:

“The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award provides our state and territory winners a platform to build on their leadership skills to drive change in rural and regional Australia.

“This award acknowledges the future-shaping work these women are carrying out in their communities, and importantly, provides them with the support and leadership skills to keep building towards a stronger regional Australia.”

Finalist Rebecca Keeley said:

“I’m incredibly grateful to be considered among such profoundly impressive, trailblazing women from rural and remote parts of NSW/ACT.

“It is a blessing to be recognised with other women demonstrating tenacity and change in their respective fields like we hope to do in the allied health space, and I cannot wait to learn and grow with the other finalists.”

Finalist Rae Knopik said:

“Recognising rural women, in both their achievements and in their lived experiences, serves as a reminder of the power of collective action in creating lasting environmental and social change.

“Celebrating rural women for their work is vital because people in rural areas stand at the frontlines of experiencing and tackling the dual challenges of environmental injustice and economic inequality.”

Finalist Ruby Riethmuller said:

“Being recognised made me feel even more committed to continuing to improve the access young people living in rural areas have to effective, engaging and largely-preventative mental health support.

“I would love to think that any girl who calls the country home can look up to the women involved in this award as role models, and feel a stronger sense of hope, belief, inspiration and promise for themselves.”

NSW’s overdue planned surgery waitlist has been slashed by 85% since the NSW Government’s Surgical Care Governance Taskforce was first established in March 2023.

The outstanding commitment of our highly-skilled health staff, combined with the determined work of the Taskforce, has been instrumental in reducing the number of people exceeding the clinically recommended timeframe for planned surgery.

The taskforce, established in the early days of the NSW Labor Government, has seen over 12,000 less people waiting for an overdue procedure.

The most recent Bureau of Health Information Healthcare Quarterly reported 83.6% of all planned surgeries were performed on time in NSW public hospitals during the October to December quarter in 2023.

NSW public hospitals performed 59,422 planned surgeries during this time, with 99.5% of the urgent planned surgeries performed on time.

One of the ways the taskforce was able to achieve these results was by expanding the category of procedures eligible for same day surgery. These include hernia repair, gallbladder removal, tonsil removal, deviated septum surgery and sinus surgery.

The surgical care taskforce is one of a range of measures the NSW Government is using to take pressure off our hospitals. Among these measures is rolling out 25 urgent care services across NSW, empowering pharmacists to prescribe certain medications, increasing the use of virtual care, and making it easier for doctors in regional health districts to work in both GP and hospital settings.

We are also delivering major boosts to the workforce across NSW by rolling out safe staffing levels and making 1112 temporary nurses permanent.

Premier Chris Minns:

“One of the very first things I did as Premier was set up the Surgical Care Taskforce, so I am glad to see waitlist times moving in the right direction.

“Our healthcare system has been under incredible pressure in recent years, but we are committed to ensuring our public health services deliver the best possible health services for the community.

“There’s still more work to be done but I want to acknowledge the efforts of the taskforce – and the countless number of health professionals all over NSW – in ensuring people are getting the care they need as quickly as possible.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“Establishing the taskforce was one of the first things after we did after coming into government and we’ve seen a remarkable turnaround.”

“There are close to 12,000 less people awaiting an overdue planned procedure, an achievement to be proud of and a testament to the taskforce’s commitment and effort to ensure the health system bounces back from the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“None of this progress would be possible without the dedicated efforts of our clinicians and healthcare workers, who have worked so hard to perform so many procedures, as well implementing a wide range of innovative strategies, in order to see the wait list return to pre-pandemic levels.”

Chair of the Surgical Care Governance Taskforce and Program Director of Surgery at South Western Sydney Local Health District, Professor Neil Merrett

“We’ve seen planned surgical activity go from strength to strength as facilities across the healthcare system put in place a range of innovative strategies to build resilience and improve performance across surgical services.”

“This has been achieved by safely expanding capacity for same-day procedures which reduces the demand for overnight beds in busy public hospitals, additional surgery sessions, and partnering with private facilities to increase surgery capacity.

“We’ve also seen how state-wide strategies such as the Surgery Demand and Capacity Dashboard can provide greater visibility of planned surgery demand and identify operating theatre capacity issues.”

Member for Campbelltown Greg Warren:

“I’m really proud Campbelltown Hospital has had a major reduction in overdue surgeries, it’s a real testament to the workforce here and I am proud no one in our community is waiting longer than they need to for healthcare.”

Families in regional NSW can now access specialist cardiac care closer to home, thanks to a new outreach clinic providing echocardiograms for regional children with heart conditions.

The outreach clinic is an initiative of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network (SCHN) and is being hosted at South East Regional Hospital (SERH), Bega.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said the clinic will play a crucial role in connecting high quality healthcare to children in the region.

“Children with congenital heart disease, rheumatic disease, or acquired cardiac disease often require regular heart screening via an echocardiogram, which must be performed by a specialist paediatric cardiologist,” Mr Park said.

“The specialised services provided by SERH’s outreach clinic will support the health and wellbeing of children from the beginning, therefore allowing us to attend to the long-term health of the community.”

Member for Bega, Dr Michael Holland said that the outreach clinic will utilise specialists from SCHN visiting SERH with the equipment to perform echocardiograms.

“The clinic provides an excellent opportunity for us to enhance health accessibility in the area by collaborating with our regional colleagues, connecting specialised services and upskilling their teams in paediatric care,”  said Dr Holland.

SERH Paediatrician, Dr Caroline Stewart, said the 3-day clinic, which launched this month, will run four times a year and is expected to help more than 20 families per clinic avoid a trip to Sydney.

“We see children from birth to 16 years old with complex conditions from as far south as Mallacoota, north to Bateman’s Bay and west to Jindabyne, so to save even 1 trip per year makes a huge difference to regional families and the child’s quality of life.”

Dr Philip Roberts, Head of the Heart Centre for Children at SCHN, said keeping kids closer to home is the ultimate goal.

“We know the strain placed on a family when they are required to travel hundreds of kilometres from home for medical treatment, so our hope with this outreach clinic is that we can help avoid that inconvenience for some of our families, by bringing our care directly to them,” Dr Roberts said.

Southern NSW Local Health District Clinical Lead Paediatrics, Dr Susie Piper, said being able to offer the service locally is an incredible achievement.

“We have 23 families who would otherwise have to travel to Sydney or Canberra. For the families, knowing the clinic is going to be here every three months, and being able to come to a local clinic is great,” Dr Piper said.

“Our 5 paediatricians and nursing staff will also benefit from this specialist screening on site and there are teaching opportunities as well with our medical students from the Australian National University.”

For four-year-old Isaac Shearer and his family, having the test at Bega will save them the long, overnight trip from Bateman’s Bay to The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney.

Isaac has a genetic condition called Marfan Syndrome and has regular appointments in Sydney for his condition. Mum Sarah Brierley is happy this new clinic will now save them at least one trip per year, when Isaac was younger and had more regular tests it would have saved them multiple trips.

The outreach clinic forms part of the Cardiac Care for Kids Outreach Program, a pilot program run by SCHN in collaboration with federal Department of Health. The program aims to extend outreach medical and nursing support services to rural and remote communities and their local health care facilities.