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The Minns Labor Government has today revealed six outstanding designs that have been selected as the winners of the NSW Pattern Book Design Competition, helping deliver more well-built homes, faster.

This competition was established to speed up the delivery of homes after the NSW Government inherited a housing supply crisis that has led to Sydney losing twice as many young people as it is gaining, putting us at risk of becoming a city with no grandchildren.

These designs will also deliver homes faster by providing anyone who uses the endorsed pattern book designs with an accelerated approval pathway – meaning builders can get on site faster, and people can move into new homes sooner.

Winning designs, comprising three terraces and three mid-rise apartments, will help shape the future face of housing across New South Wales.

The winning designs were picked because of their accessibility, adaptability to changing lifestyle needs, affordability and environmental sustainability. They respond to the unique Australian climate, including a focus on indoor and outdoor living and how to incorporate shade and ventilation.

These designs will also be brought to life and built on a selection of five NSW Government-owned sites from Homes NSW, Landcom and Sydney Olympic Park Authority, so that the public can walk through and experience them first-hand.

The NSW Pattern Book Design Competition was overseen by a five-person jury of international design professionals, chaired by NSW Government Architect Abbie Galvin and endorsed by the Australian Institute of Architects.

Now the public is invited to find its favourite, with the most popular design to be announced early next year. The community will be able to vote on the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure website, with voting to open this month.

All five professional winners will now work with Government Architect NSW to refine their designs and ensure they meet required standards for inclusion in the NSW Housing Pattern Book.

The Pattern Book is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build a better NSW with more homes and services, so young people, families and workers have somewhere to live.

The NSW Government will launch the NSW Housing Pattern Book of housing designs in mid-2025, and anyone who uses one of the designs will have access to the fast-tracked planning pathway.

In the professional category, the terrace winners are:

·       Housing is a Verb – a collaborative team including Other Architects, NMBW Architecture Studio and TARN – NSW and Victoria.

·       Officer Woods Architects – Western Australia

In the student category:

·       In Common Studio – Madeleine Gallagher, Poppy Brown, Kangyun Kim, Paris Perry, John Suh and Catherine Taylor from The University of Sydney, NSW

In the professional category, the mid-rise winners are:

·       Andrew Burges Architects – NSW

·       Neeson Murcutt Neille, Finding Infinity and Monash Urban Lab – NSW and Victoria

·       Spacecraft Architects – New Zealand

For more information on the Pattern Book Design Competition and to choose your favourite design please visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/government-architect-nsw/housing-design/nsw-housing-pattern-book/pattern-book-design-competition/shortlisted-finalists-and-jury.

Premier of NSW Chris Minns said:

“The Design Competition called for world class, high-quality designs and the winners have certainly delivered.

“These beautifully designed mid-rise apartments and terraces are the future of housing in NSW.

“The designs are innovative, adaptable and functional. More importantly, incorporating these designs into the NSW Housing Pattern Book will help us deliver more homes faster.

“I look forward to seeing these designs and more come to fruition as part of a finalised NSW Housing Pattern Book next year.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“The Pattern Book Design Competition attracted the best of the best architects and students from Australia and around the world.

“These homes will have access to a fast-track pathway, which means the delivery of more, well built homes, faster.

“We have less housing diversity today than we did 100 years ago, the Pattern Book along with our fast-track DA process will go a long way reintroduce that diversity back into our streets.

“Bold and innovative ideas for terrace houses and mid-rise apartments are critical for increasing the supply of housing in NSW and will help fill the gap between detached homes and high-rise apartment buildings.”

Government Architect NSW Abbie Galvin said:

“The quality of entries was extremely high both at the Expressions of Interest stage and among the shortlisted candidates.

“This made the task of selecting the winning designs very challenging.

“The architects behind the six entries stood out from a tough field of architects from Australia and around the world with their thoughtful, innovative and well-integrated designs.

“The homes in their designs will enhance living standards, be an asset to our neighbourhoods and can be readily adopted across NSW.

“Now that the jury has made its choice, it is over to the public to choose its favourite.”

The Wollongong community will soon have access to enhanced emergency health care, with construction of Fairy Meadow’s new ambulance station now complete.

Keys to the new ambulance station have been handed over to NSW Ambulance paramedics and the new Ambulance station will become operational in the coming weeks.

The modern, purpose-built Ambulance station, which is co-located at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus, features internal parking bays including an internal wash bay, administration and office areas, staff rest facilities, gym, logistics and storage areas, and on-site parking.

An additional 25 paramedics have been recruited for the new Ambulance station and are already on the road, temporarily operating from other nearby stations.

The new Ambulance station is being delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $232 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program. The RAIR program is delivering 54 new or upgraded ambulance stations and is the single largest infrastructure investment in regional NSW Ambulance’s almost 130-year history.

The NSW Government is recruiting 2,500 additional NSW Ambulance staff as part of the Strategic Workforce and Infrastructure Team (SWIFT) program, including 500 paramedics to rural and regional areas, to boost emergency and mobile healthcare for our metropolitan and regional communities.

The $1.76 billion SWIFT program is also delivering 30 additional ambulance stations to help save lives and provide critical emergency care across NSW.

New Ambulance stations are also planned at Warilla and Unanderra to bolster the network of stations across the Illawarra as part of the NSW Government’s $615.5 million NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program.

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“Once operational the new Fairy Meadow Ambulance station on Innovation Way will significantly enhance access to mobile emergency health care for the growing community across the Illawarra.

“The new Ambulance station will also provide paramedics with a high-quality base with the latest facilities and equipment to meet the current and future emergency care needs of the local community.

“The NSW Government is committed to investing in rural and regional health infrastructure to support better health outcomes for local communities.”

Member for Wollongong Paul Scully:

“I’m pleased Fairy Meadow’s first ambulance station is nearly complete and look forward to the day when paramedics move into this state-of-the-art facility and add to the local ambulance network.

“As Wollongong grows, it is important that we invest in health infrastructure to meet the needs of the local community.”

The Minns Labor Government has cemented its place as the government of taskforces, round tables and inquiries, with Premier Chris Minns once again choosing to dodge real action by announcing yet another taskforce, as exclusively revealed by the NSW Opposition on radio yesterday. No work, no outcomes—just endless committees and hollow promises.

This is at least the 51st time Chris Minns has promised “action” through a taskforce, round table or inquiry, yet all we’ve seen is a government that has become an expert in the blame game. 

It’s been almost 20 months since Chris Minns came to office, but the tally of real results sits at zero. What has Labor achieved in all this time?

Even the latest “secret” housing taskforce, reportedly set up in September under the former Infrastructure NSW CEO Janine Lonergan, hasn’t delivered anything beyond rhetoric. 

With housing approvals down 14.8% in September, if this taskforce had actually m

Minns Labor Government ends unfair ticketless parking fine system

The changes bring to an end the ticketless system introduced by the previous Liberal-National Government in 2020. Under the ticketless system, instead of having the infringement notice left on the vehicle, the fine was sent by post, sometimes not being received until weeks after the incident. 

Soon after the introduction of the previous government’s ticketless system, the NRMA and other stakeholders raised issues with the scheme, identifying that it removed transparency and make it more difficult for motorists to contest their fine.

In 2023/24, local councils issued 822,310 ticketless parking fines, a 49% increase over the 551,441 issued in 2022/23.

The Fines Amendment (Parking Fines) Bill 2024 restores fairness and transparency to the parking fine system by:

• Requiring councils to attach an on-the-spot notification to the vehicle.
• Requiring councils to take photos of offences and make them available for Revenue NSW to provide to drivers.
• Providing limited exceptions where an on-the-spot notification is not required, for example where it may be unsafe or hazardous for a ranger to do so.
• Invalidating ‘repeat’ ticketless parking fines, where drivers can be fined multiple times for the same offence before they even become aware of the first infringement.
• Introducing data reporting rules to evaluate if further reforms are necessary.

A working group, which has representatives from stakeholders including Local Government NSW, has been established by Revenue NSW to inform the drafting of regulations and assist with implementation.

Even before the bill passed, a number of councils began proactively providing on-the-spot notifications to drivers.

Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos:

“The community feedback on this issue has been clear, and dates all the way back to when ticketless parking was first introduced in 2020.

“No one likes getting a parking fine. Finding out about it two weeks later stings even more.

“Bringing back on-the-spot notification for parking fines is a common-sense reform and restores fairness and integrity to the parking fine system.

“I want to thank the councils which have already started issuing on-the-spot notifications again. There is nothing stopping other councils from joining them. It is clearly in the interest of drivers and the community.”

NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury:

“Since some councils began introducing the ticketless parking system four years ago it was clear the system was broken and needed to be fixed – for this reason the NRMA commends the NSW Government on today’s announcement.

Ticketless parking leaves motorists in the dark and robs them of the chance to contest their fine if they believe they have a legitimate case, the NRMA has been against this approach from day one.”

The Minns Labor Government congratulates the 2025 Australians of the Year for NSW, who have been announced at a ceremony at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art tonight.

The Government congratulates Kath Koschel, the 2025 NSW Australian of the Year, and NSW’s three other recipients, Dr Karl Kruszelnicki AM, Maddison O’Gradey-Lee and Martha Jabour OAM.

The 18 nominees have made remarkable and diverse contributions to our state.

These inspirational members of our NSW community have overcome unimaginable challenges, demonstrated resilience, and have made a positive difference to our state and nation.

The NSW recipients will join those from other states and territories for the national awards ceremony in Canberra on Saturday, 25 January 2025.

For more information on the Australian of the Year Awards, visit: https://australianoftheyear.org.au/

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“To all NSW finalists and recipients: thank you for your extraordinary contribution to our state and nation.

“While the ultimate reward for these exceptional Australians isn’t any formal honour or award, this recognition is completely deserved.

“These remarkable people have changed NSW and the nation for the better.

“To our NSW Australian of the Year, Kath Koschel: NSW will be cheering you every step of the way between now and the national awards.

“Kath’s resilience is inspiring, while her campaign for kindness is a message of positivity we need in our world.

“These are people that help others, overcome challenges, aim for excellence, and represent the very best of what it means to be Australian.”