Category: NSW News

Communities in South Western Sydney will be better protected following the delivery of a new $2.5 million aerial firefighting truck to Revesby Fire Station.
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the Compressed Aerial Pumper (CAP) features an air foam system, a 2,000 litre water tank, a 24.5 metre extendable ladder with an outreach of 11 metres, and has the capability to haul 330 kilogram loads.
 
“While the skyline across South Western Sydney continues to grow with new residential and business developments, it’s important firefighters are equipped with state-of-the-art appliances to support and protect people and property in a range of emergency situations,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“The delivery of this aerial pumper delivers on the NSW Government’s $37 million commitment to increase and upgrade the FRNSW aerial fleet.”
 
Member for East Hills Wendy Lindsay today handed over the truck’s keys to firefighters at Revesby Fire Station.
 
“Whether it’s large-scale fires in shopping centres, industrial complexes and multi-storey residential buildings or other operations like rescues and evacuations, this pumper will give our Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) personnel the equipment they need to better protect the community,” Ms Lindsay said.
 
“This is the first of 11 aerials pumpers being rolled out across the State and I’m so proud it’s based at Revesby.”
 
Each CAP is also fitted with thermal imaging cameras to detect heat signals which can be transmitted in ‘real-time’ to the FRNSW Command Centre.
 
FRNSW Area Commander, Chief Superintendent Darryl Dunbar, said the new asset provides firefighters with the best tools to do their work and protect the irreplaceable.
 
“We are always on the lookout for new equipment and technologies to help our crews adapt to the changing needs of the communities they serve,” Chief Superintendent Dunbar said.
 
“The addition of the CAPs to the FRNSW fleet allows firefighters to quickly reach the seats of multi-storey blazes and extinguish them more efficiently and effectively.”

The most ambitious rewilding project in Australia is achieving incredible results, with 10 locally extinct species now thriving after being reintroduced to three feral-free areas in NSW national parks.
 
Minister for Environment James Griffin said within three years of animals being reintroduced to their native habitats, NSW is already turning back the tide on extinctions.
 
“We set out a bold plan backed by science to create areas where we could eradicate feral predators and reintroduce locally extinct animals like the bilby and numbat, which have been extinct in the wild in NSW for more than 100 years,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“Feral cats and foxes are a huge threat to our native species and are a key driver of high extinction rates, with cats alone responsible for killing 1.5 billion native animals nationally every year.
 
“This is a world-leading program of rewilding, with a goal of returning the bush to how it was before feral animals were introduced 200 years ago.
 
“It’s incredible to see that in such a short period of time, we’re on track to remove at least 10 animals from the NSW extinct list – the first time this will have happened anywhere in the world.”
 
To help threatened species thrive into the future, the NSW Government is establishing seven feral-free rewilding sites in NSW.
 
Once they’re complete, 65,000 hectares of national parks will be free from feral predators, providing a significant conservation benefit for more than 50 species.
 
The three established sites so far are the Pilliga State Conservation Area, Mallee Cliffs National Park and Sturt National Park.
 
In partnership with NPWS,  Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) delivers the Mallee Cliffs and Pilliga rewilding programs, and University of NSW Wild Deserts delivers the Sturt National Park site program.
 
Regular monitoring has found that across the three feral predator-free sites, all species reintroduced into their native habitat are thriving and breeding successfully.
 
AWC Chief Executive Officer Tim Allard said the feral free areas in NSW are helping reverse the trend of biodiversity decline and extinctions of our most vulnerable species.
 
“Effective partnership between Government and conservation organisations is helping deliver the resources and expertise required to provide conservation at scale and this is critical to restoring our country’s unique biodiversity,” Mr Allard said.
 
UNSW Wild Deserts lead Professor Richard Kingsford said it is great to see the whole ecosystem recovering and showing that removal of feral pests can make a real difference.
 
“This is where we are really starting to see the results of not only the season but the benefits of good management and our collaborations, delivering conservation at scale,” Professor Kingsford said.
 
“It really does make a difference to actively manage these landscapes and remove feral animals.”  
 
To read more about the NSW Government’s seven rewilding sites, visit: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/funding-and-support/nsw-environmental-trust/major-projects/turning-back-the-tide-of-extinction
 

An Australian-first Culture Standard will be piloted at NSW construction sites to improve facilities, working conditions and boost the number of women in construction.
 
New ways of working will be tested at the new Wentworth Point High School and Mulgoa Road upgrade stage 1 construction sites to address cultural issues that can lead to poor mental health, high rates of family breakdown and a lack of diversity in the industry.
 
NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said piloting the Culture Standard is an additional measure to the $20.2 million funding allocation in this years’ budget, to attract more women into the construction industry.
 
“With a record-breaking $112.7 billion infrastructure pipeline, it’s critical that we are doing everything we can to make our worksites work for everyone,” Mr Kean said.
 
“The NSW Government is committed to trialing new ways of doing things to boost productivity and secure brighter futures for the 369,500 construction workers across NSW.”
 
Minister for Infrastructure Rob Stokes said the pilot was focused on improving wellbeing and work-life balance, boosting construction efficiency and productivity all without impacting project timeframes. 
 
“Construction sites will be happier, healthier and more productive places to work when there is better work-life balance and diversity, and more access to wellbeing and mental health support,” Mr Stokes said.
 
“The industry has one of the worst gender pay gaps in the country at around 30 per cent so we’re going to trial the publication of that data so we can work towards women being fairly paid for their equal contribution.”
 
Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said this is the first of many initiatives aimed at boosting the number of women in construction to 15 per cent by 2030.
 
“The sad reality is that women on construction sites can be subject to sexist slurs, offensive graffiti and second-rate amenities that don’t accommodate their needs, including a lack of sanitary bins or private spaces,” Mrs Ward said.
 
“The Culture Standard sets out a basic roadmap to making sites more inclusive because when sites work better for women, they work better for everyone.
 
“We also know another key barrier is construction work is typically a six day, 50 plus hour a week job, which is why this program will seek to improve flexible working conditions for women who are juggling family commitments.”
 
The program is led by the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce – a collaboration between the NSW and Victorian governments, the Australian Constructors Association and industry leaders. The pilots will include measures such as:

• No offensive material on site
• Ensuring appropriate amenities are provided, including toilets for women, sanitary bins and safe changerooms
• Identifying and disclosing of gender pay gaps across roles, as well as implementing plans to reduce gender pay gaps
• Providing mental health first aiders on site
• Setting clear targets for the appointment of women
• A Monday to Friday working program, or when this is not viable ensure all workers are working a 5 in 7 program to give workers adequate rest and recovery time.

 
Outcomes of the pilot will bolster research and the contemporary evidence base of how to best generate cultural change on site and across the construction sector.
 
The NSW Government involvement in the program is being led by Infrastructure NSW and will support its ongoing collaboration with industry, construction firms, sub-contractors, and trade unions to make the construction sector a more inclusive workplace for everyone.
 
You can read the draft Culture Standard and the proposed elements here.

A new state-of-the-art Medium Storm Vehicle will be deployed on the Northern Beaches to bolster the NSW State Emergency Service’s (SES) response to the upcoming storm season.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery joined Member for Manly James Griffin and SES Deputy Commissioner Daniel Austin at the Manly SES Unit today to officially hand over the keys to the $245,000 purpose-built truck.

“This fully equipped vehicle has been delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $116 million investment in SES fleet replacement, giving our volunteers the vehicles they need to serve their communities to the best of their ability,” Ms Cooke said.

“The truck includes a ladder loader and ladder, power tools, front and rear anchor points and stowage for an Ark Angel rescue craft. It will help volunteers better respond to a range of incidents, including storm damage operations and flood rescues.”

Mr Griffin said the Medium Storm Vehicle is a welcome boost for the Manly SES Unit which has responded to more than 500 incidents in the past year.

“It’s been an incredibly busy period for our volunteers around Manly with the unprecedented rainfall Sydney has experienced this year,” Mr Griffin said.

“This new asset has arrived at the perfect time, allowing our 136 volunteers from the Manly SES Unit to better protect the community, with the official storm season fast approaching on 1 October.”

Deputy Commissioner Austin said the new vehicle will equip volunteers to carry out critical life-saving tasks.

“It is a significant boost for the area, offering greater response capability for land and in-water flood rescues, storm events and complex storm damage operations,” Deputy Commissioner Austin said.

NSW has recorded the strongest quarterly economic growth amongst all states with State Final Demand (SFD) rising by 1.9 per cent in the June quarter, according to the ABS National Accounts released today.   
 
On an annual basis, the quarterly national accounts showed NSW SFD, a measure of economic activity, rose 4.1 per cent over the year to June 2022.
 
This is much higher than the increase in Australia’s gross domestic product of 0.9 per cent in the June quarter and 3.6 per cent over the year to June 2022.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the figures demonstrated the State’s economy was continuing to rebound strongly despite economic challenges including supply chain issues, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war and China’s zero COVID policy.
 
“NSW recorded the strongest economic growth of all states in the June quarter showing the NSW economy is going from strength to strength following last year’s pandemic-related impacts,” Mr Kean said.
 
“Our government’s continued investment in NSW is propelling Australia’s strong economic performance.
 
“Today’s report showed household consumption rose 2.5 per cent in the June quarter, which drove the State’s increase in State Final Demand.
 
“Spending on hospitality, transport and recreation and culture have all increased as households spend more freely post-COVID restrictions.”
 
Business investment also grew by a strong 4.1 per cent in the quarter, with firms investing in machinery and equipment as demand increased.

More than 70 trainees are set to enter the construction sector following the NSW Government Traineeship program, as application open for the next round.
 
The two-year traineeship program is a collaboration between NSW Government infrastructure agencies and industry partners, offering Year 12 school leavers a rounded experience in the infrastructure sector.
 
Trainees run through three rotations of eight months each with government agencies, contractors and consultant organisations. The trainees are now entering their third and final work rotation with a majority of them pursuing a future career in the infrastructure sector.
 
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said that 78 trainees from the 2021 intake are set to graduate in early 2023 and will leave with a diverse knowledge in areas of Business, Project Management, Practice and Procurement and Contracting.
 
“The program has been a great success so far and attracted trainees from all backgrounds from across the state,” Ms Mitchell said.
 
“The program expands the benefits of the NSW Government’s ongoing investment in infrastructure, opening up fantastic careers in the sector for our young people.
 
“The success of the program led to the opportunity being extended to school leavers again in 2021 and I am excited to say that we will offer new amazing opportunities for 2022 school leavers with applications now open for the program starting in February next year.”
 
Sapphira Chu from Campsie was part of the inaugural cohort of the NSW Infrastructure Traineeship program. Sapphira is studying a double degree at UNSW, and recently secured employment in the industry.
 
“I’m now in my last third of the program and working with construction company UrbanCore.
 
“I started out with School Infrastructure NSW and my favourite thing was collaborating with a range of consultants and see how a variety of perspectives, whether that be the analytical outlook from an engineer or the contemporary vision of an architect, joined together to work towards an end result – a new school for the community.”
 
Hayley Lennon from Grafton began her traineeship on a Transport for NSW project in early 2021, followed by eight months with a global business specialising in the delivery of public services. Hayley is now finishing the trainee program with Lipman.
 
“I signed up for the traineeship because I wanted to move into project management and now I would definitely encourage others to apply.
 
“This traineeship sets workers up for success while they are being educated on the skills of the job and learning how to apply them at work. I have learnt how to adapt to many different work environments and how to be a time efficient worker.”
 
Applications are now open for the 2023 Infrastructure Traineeship and 2022 high school leavers are encouraged to apply.
 
For more information, please visit: www.apprenticeshipcareers.com.au/infrastructure-traineeships.

The NSW Government is investing $6 million in a new synthetic biology and biomanufacturing development program, designed to improve access to manufacturing and production facilities and equipment across the State.

Synthetic biology and biomanufacturing involves the design and manufacture of new and existing living systems to make products with applications in areas including biofuels, food production, manufacturing, environmental protection and healthcare.

Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Alister Henskens said the NSW Government is calling for applications from universities, research organisations, industry and consortiums for infrastructure and programs to support the scale-up and commercialisation of synthetic biology and biomanufacturing products.

“The NSW Government’s 20-Year R&D Roadmap identified Synthetic Biology and Biomanufacturing as an area of comparative advantage for NSW,” Mr Henskens said.

“This program will attract applications with enormous potential to grow our economy, create jobs, turbocharge industries and secure a brighter future for NSW.”

NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte said the program will support shared synthetic biology and biomanufacturing research infrastructure, facilities and programs to enable research translation and small-scale manufacturing involving collaboration between university and industry groups.

“There is opportunity for NSW, with its leading researchers and technologies, to become a major global player in this dynamic space,” Professor Durrant-Whyte said.

“By 2025, the global economic impact of synthetic biology in the biofuels, chemicals, agriculture and healthcare sectors is expected to reach up to US$1.6 trillion.”

The Emerging Industry Infrastructure Fund (EIIF) will support the new program and applications close Thursday 20 October 2022. More information on the fund and eligibility can be found at www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/synthetic-biology-and-biomanufacturing.

A disused aged care facility in East Gosford has been transformed into a 14-room transitional housing facility for displaced older women under an innovative partnership between the NSW government, Pacific Link Housing and Women’s Community Shelters.

Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said the vacant site had been given a new lease of life while providing much needed housing for vulnerable older women.

“Rather than remaining vacant and unused, this site has been transformed into a new facility that will provide wrap-around support for women aged 55-years and older who are escaping domestic and family violence or who are at risk of homelessness,” Mrs Ward said.

Minister for Families and Communities Natasha Maclaren-Jones said this facility will provide transitional accommodation for women for up to 36 months while more permanent housing was being secured for the occupants.

“This initiative is a great example of how unused private buildings can be put to good use to benefit vulnerable people at risk of homelessness and provide DFV escapees with a safe place to heal as they begin to rebuild their lives,” Mrs Maclaren-Jones said.

The NSW Government provided $300,000 to develop the facility as part of the Domestic and Family Violence National Partnership Agreement 2021-23.

Spearheaded by the Sydney based Women’s Community Shelters (WCS), the partnership agreement allows for the premises to be used as a women’s shelter for up to three years.

WCS COO Simone Parsons said there is a high number of older women experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness in NSW.

“Affordable and stable housing is important to help women re-establish their lives post violence, especially for older women,” Ms Parsons said.
“Through this partnership additional housing is being supplied. WCS will also provide residents with case management support and coordinate community engagement and wellbeing activities as well on-site support services.”

Pacific Link CEO Ian Lynch said his organisation was proud to partner with like-minded organisations who were willing to take an innovative approach to support women escaping domestic and family violence.

“Now that refurbishment work is complete, the first group of new tenants are readying to move in,” he said. “Each tenant will receive their own refurbished studio apartment and the site has also been fitted out with communal lounges, kitchens, laundry facilities and gardens.”

For confidential advice, support and referrals, contact: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), The NSW Domestic Violence Line (1800 65 64 63) or Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491).

Applications are now open for the first round of a new fund set to turbocharge the critical minerals and high-tech metals sector and position regional NSW as a major global supplier.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Activation Fund would help diversify and accelerate mining projects in regional NSW.

Mr Toole said the State is rich in critical minerals and high-tech metals, such as rare earths, cobalt, copper, antimony, and scandium, which are crucial to a range of emerging technologies including the defence space, the manufacture of electric vehicles, solar panels, and wind turbines.

“The NSW Government is investing more than $130 million towards the growth and future of the mining sector and I’m pleased to announce applications are now open for the first stream of this Fund,” Mr Toole said.

“It will help deliver a diverse, vibrant, investment-ready industry, ensuring NSW is ready to meet the rapidly expanding global market and giving a vital economic boost to our regional economies.

“To give projects the best possible start, grants of up to $500,000 will support key studies, research and development, such as feasibility studies, mine re-use  processing studies, metallurgical testing and infrastructure, water, and environmental studies.”

Grants will be awarded through a competitive process and successful applicants will be required to provide a funding co-contribution.

For further information on the Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Activation Fund, including program guidelines and eligibility criteria, go to regional.nsw.gov.au/activation-fund.