The NSW Opposition is proposing the NSW Government roll out QR codes into the Sydney Taxi Fleet as a solution to ensure customers can pay a fair fare.
The proposal would see unique QR Codes placed into taxis to enable customers to choose to pay via the meter or via the QR Code.
The QR Code would be linked to the driver, the vehicle, and the customer to balance the security of payment for drivers with a passenger’s priority of paying the correct fare and having a safe journey.
The proposal would balance security to passengers who choose to utilise it and ensure both drivers and passengers are accountable for a safe journey at a fair price.
The proposal follows ongoing concerns over the past twelve months regarding dodgy driver behaviour affecting the positive reputation of the NSW Taxi industry.
The Opposition would support the required regulatory or legislative change to implement the QR Code solution.
Shadow Minister for Transport and Roads Natalie Ward commented “Government can’t be in every cab, every time but a QR code can be.”
“You can order a beer with a QR code, why shouldn’t you be able to pay a fair fare in a taxi.”
“This proposal delivers confidence and security to potential victims of dodgy driver behaviour including tourists, seniors and women using taxis at night.”
“I know the majority of taxi drivers do the right thing, so this is a simple step to ensure confidence in the wider system.”
“This isn’t about a carrot or the stick approach, this about a real solution that is easy to implement and puts customers at the centre of Government policy.”
NSW Taxi Council Chief Executive Officer Nick Abrahim commented “This is an innovative solution towards giving passengers financial certainty when using taxis and improve the passenger experience.”
Gender pay gap drops to historic low
New data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) shows the national gender pay gap is the lowest on record – today falling to 11.5 per cent from 12 per cent in November 2023, and 14.1 per cent in May 2022. Under the Albanese Government, women’s average weekly earnings have increased $173.80 a week since May 2022.
Labor came to government in 2022 with a commitment to drive action to close the gender pay gap. Since then, we have seen the gender pay gap drop to all-time lows over four consecutive reporting cycles.
Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese:
“We came to Government with a commitment to help close the gender pay gap and that’s exactly what we’re seeing.
“That’s not a coincidence, it’s because the Government has taken action like banning pay secrecy clauses, modernising the bargaining system, enforcing transparent gender pay gap reporting and delivering pay rises for aged care and child care workers.”
Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher:
“Closing the gender pay gap means that women are taking home more money at the end of each week.
“Whether it be by boosting the pay of early childhood educators and aged care workers by 15 per cent, backing a pay rise for minimum wage workers or banning pay secrecy clauses – Labor is doing work right across the economy to lift women’s pay.
“This progress isn’t just good for women – it’s also good for men, good for children, good for the economy and good for the community.
“Closing the gender pay gap is a key ambition of Working for Women: A Strategy for Gender Equality, because we know that it is both a driver and a result of inequality. We know there is still work to do and we will keep going.
“As well as lowest gender pay gap on record, we now also have reached a record high for women’s workforce participation at 63.2 per cent”
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Murray Watt:
“We’ve secured record pay rises for hundreds of thousands of women on award wages, fixed the bargaining system to get wages moving in feminised industries, and changed workplace laws to put gender equity at the heart of the Fair Work Commission’s decision-making.
“We said we’d get wages moving again and that’s exactly what’s happening.
“This is despite the Opposition opposing almost every single one of these measures and promising to repeal a range of Labor’s laws that are delivering better pay for Australian workers.
“At the same time the gap has narrowed, an extra 510,000 women are now in jobs since the Albanese Government came to office, with 60 per cent of these jobs full-time.”
The ABS average weekly earnings data can be found online: Average Weekly Earnings, Australia
Information on the gender pay gap can be on the WGEA website: The ABS data gender pay gap
2024 Netball Judy Dunbar Media Awards: Nominations Open
Netball NSW is now accepting nominations for the 2024 Netball NSW Judy Dunbar Media Awards.
The Judy Dunbar Media Awards recognise individuals and/or outlets that have demonstrated an outstanding media contribution to the sport of netball between the period; 1 September 2023 – 30 August 2024.
Judy Dunbar was an avid and long-serving Member of Netball NSW having served on the Board of Directors as well as various committees. Until her passing in July 2002, she was also the Media Officer for the Baulkham Hills Shire Netball Association and was responsible for building the image and increasing the exposure of netball in her local area.
To recognise her dedication to the sport over the years, Netball NSW named its media awards in her honour.
The Awards are presented annually at the Netball NSW State Dinner later this year.
Nominations can be made in the following categories;
Best Overall Media Coverage
Community Media Excellence
Eligible nominations from accredited media outlets will be accepted whereby the content (print, radio, online, broadcast, photo) refers to individuals or teams representing or participating in the following competitions and/or activities:
Netball NSW competitions, programs or events.
Netball NSW affiliated Association (local) netball competitions.
NSW State Teams
NSW Swifts
GIANTS Netball
Suncorp Super Netball & Australian Diamonds
National Championships
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT AN ENTRY
Closing date for nominations is 5pm AEST, Friday 30 August 2024.
Man charged over serious crash – Hunter Valley
A man has been charged following a serious crash in the state’s hunter region last week.
About 9.30pm on Thursday (8 August 2024) police were called to a hospital on Metford Road, Metford, after a teenage girl presented with serious injuries, believed to be sustained in a crash.
Officers attached to Hunter Valley Police District attended the hospital and were told the 17-year-old girl was struck in a fail-to-stop crash on Camp Road, Greta earlier that evening.
The 17-year-old was transferred to John Hunter Hospital with serious lower body injuries.
Police commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Following inquiries, about 2pm yesterday (Wednesday 14 August 2024) police arrested a 20-year-old man at Greta and took him to Singleton Police Station.
He was charged with seven offences, including:
Dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm (manner dangerous)
Negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm
Fail to stop and assist after vehicle impact causing grievous bodily harm
Operate vehicle do driving wheels undergo sustained loss of traction
Never licensed person drive vehicle on road
Use unregistered registrable Class A motor vehicle on road
Use uninsured motor vehicle on road
Police will allege in court the 20-year-old man was performing burnouts in a Ford Falcon when he lost control of the vehicle and struck the 17-year-old girl.
The 20-year-old man was refused bail to appear before Singleton Local Court today (Thursday 15 August 2024).
FUNDING BOOST TO IMPROVE FLOOD RESILIENCE IN DUNGOG
Motorists and community members travelling to, from and around the Dungog Shire will soon benefit from safer journeys with close to $9 million committed to support improved flood-resilient infrastructure.
Dungog Shire Council will receive funding as part of the Regional Roads and Transport Recovery Package which is jointly funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
As part of the funding, a new 76-metre concrete bridge will be built across the Paterson River at Gresford.
Work will also be carried out on 21 river crossings targeting rural, predominantly low-level causeways and small bridges across the region.
The package also funds pavement strengthening on Hooke and Lord Streets which will improve resilience and reduce ongoing maintenance costs for council.
Senator Jenny McAllister, Minister for Emergency Management:
“The Albanese Government is working with the NSW Government and regional councils to ensure communities have resilient infrastructure they can rely on every day.
“Not only will this funding enable Dungog Shire Council to boost their efforts in fixing the current damage, but it will also improve the resilience of the community during future flooding events.
“This project will deliver more reliable infrastructure and assets that keep regional communities in NSW connected, especially during times of severe weather.”
Paul Scully, Minister for Planning and Public Spaces:
“We’re changing the way we traditionally address disasters, by focusing on prevention, mitigation, adaptation and resilience by making planning decisions that improve community resilience over the long term.
“Today’s announcement is proof of this new focus with the funding package to strengthen local infrastructure for the Dungog community.”
Jihad Dib, Minister for Emergency Services:
“The Dungog Shire has experienced flooding as a result of severe weather in the past, which is why these upgrades are so important to the community.
“These projects are important for building resilience in the region, helping communities bounce back quicker after heavy rainfall.”
Jenny Aitchison, Minister for Regional Transport and Roads:
“The Minns and Albanese governments, along with local councils, are prioritising efforts to improve and clear the natural disaster damage repair backlog for communities across the whole of regional NSW.
“We are proud to be delivering these vital investments in the Dungog Shire.
“In particular, Gresford residents will benefit from the new bridge across the Paterson River, providing a flood-resilient link that will service our community well in all types of weather for many years to come.”
Emily Suvaal, NSW Labor’s spokesperson for the Upper Hunter:
“This important work will improve the daily lives of motorists, residents and visitors to the Upper Hunter.
“These upgrades will improve safety significantly while also ensuring a stronger and more reliable road network that keep communities better connected when natural disasters hit.”
Dungog Shire Council Mayor John Connors:
“This is a wonderful outcome for the people of the Dungog Shire and, in particular, the people of Gresford who have had to contend with access issues for years.
“The improved river crossings and causeways across the shire will ensure access for residents and emergency vehicles after heavy rainfall events is returned more rapidly, and a new bridge over the Paterson River at Gresford will allow for all-weather access for the community and better economic opportunities for rural producers to utilise larger vehicles, with reliance on the natural river crossing a thing of the past.
“We have been advocating for this funding for almost two years on behalf of the community, who deserve roads and infrastructure that can withstand the sometimes-challenging environment.
“We’re very grateful to the Australian and NSW Governments for providing this funding so we can deliver these vital projects.”
Another broken promise as Labor abandons LGBTIQA+ workers
On Friday, the Prime Minister announced at a press conference that he was going to abandon religious discrimination reform after the Opposition vetoed their legislation.
This broken promise from Labor has received universal scorn from across the political aisle. Religious leaders, LGBTIQA+ community and Labor’s own voters expected Labor to deliver their election promise — not capitulate to Peter Dutton’s whims.
The Australian Law Reform Commission’s report last year was a roadmap to reform everyone could agree to and Labor has had a clear pathway through the Senate, with the support of the Greens and crossbench, to deliver those recommendations in full.
But to Labor, the only opinion that matters is Peter Dutton’s.
Stephen Bates, Australian Greens LGBTIQA+ spokesperson
Yet another broken election promise from a Prime Minister too cowardly to do his job. Labor won the last election with a promise to protect LGBTIQA+ workers and people of faith from discrimination and he’s failed at both.
Enough broken promises. If this government cares at all about LGBTIQA+ workers, they would move right now to remove section 38 of the Sex Discrimination Act like the Law Reform Commission said to.
This Labor government has had the numbers to get this done for months and The Greens have offered time and again to work collaboratively to make this change.
The LGBTIQA+ community wants protections. Communities of faith want protections. The vast majority of the country wants this positive and progressive change.
When it comes to keeping progressive promises, it seems this Labor government is incapable of doing so without the sign off of the LNP.
Sex discrimination reform on Friday. Makarrata Commission on Monday. How many election promises does Albanese plan on breaking this week?
Labor needs to realise that they are the government and have been for over two years. They have the power to implement progressive change with The Greens but it’s painfully clear that Labor has no intention of doing that.
When the LNP are in government, they waste no time in implementing a radical conservative agenda. Now that Labor is in power, we are told their hands are tied and that they’d love to do nice things but can’t because Dutton won’t let them. No-one’s buying it.
Greens push for moratorium on public housing evictions after Labor secretly signed demolition contracts
The Victorian Greens are calling for a moratorium on evictions for public housing residents following revelations that the Victorian Labor Government has secretly signed the demolition contracts to steamroll ahead with tearing down public housing towers in North Melbourne and Flemington.
The Victorians Greens are bringing a motion before the Parliament today that stands up for residents who face being forced from their homes in North Melbourne and Flemington now that Labor has signed the demolition contracts.
It comes as leaked documents recently revealed that Labor is pulling funding from multiple public and community housing, offering up land set aside from public and community housing to private developers and have signed this $100 million demolition contract with John Holland.
During question time on Tuesday, the Greens grilled Labor on whether the signing of the demolition contracts would be used to pursue legal action against residents, to which the government refused to give a straight answer.
The Victorian Greens spokesperson for Public and Affordable Housing, Samantha Ratnam said that Labor have clearly signed these contracts to have legal grounds to force evictions, which will displace hundreds of residents and tear their communities apart.
She added that while Labor continues to pull funding from social and community housing and is handing over swathes of public land to developers, it’s impossible not to think that they will do the same with the towers.
the Victorian Greens spokesperson for Public and Affordable Housing, Samantha Ratnam:
“We’re in a housing crisis and instead of building public housing, Victorian Labor is conducting a fire sale of public housing land and demolishing the public homes we have.
“Labor has clearly signed these contracts in order to pursue legal action against residents and force evictions displacing hundreds of people who are currently living in the North Melbourne and Flemington towers.
“We’re having thousands of conversations directly with residents who have no certainty about their future.
“Labor has sold off hectares of public housing and land to private developers – now they’ve signed these contracts, how can Victorians have any confidence they won’t do the same to all 44 public housing towers?
“We won’t stop holding Labor’s feet to the fire on this. We’re in the middle of a housing crisis where we should be building more public housing on public land, not tearing down our existing housing and selling off public land to private developers for massive profits.”
Gambling ad ban test for Labor in Senate as Greens slam “shifty” excuses
The Greens say Labor’s excuse for caving-in to the gambling lobby is shifty and they will test the Government with a Senate vote to ban gambling advertising in line with the Peta Murphy Inquiry recommendations.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young is spokesperson for Communications and Manager of Greens Business in the Senate:
“Don’t buy Bill Shorten’s lie. Labor have caved in to the gambling lobby and they are scraping around for an excuse. The gambling lobby have had their claws in both the Labor and Liberal Party for far too long.
“We can support public interest journalism in this country without sucking the life and happiness out of Australian families, forcing gambling addicts to pay the price. The Prime Minister of this country Anthony Albanese needs to stand up to the gambling lobby.
“Experts have told us we need to ban gambling advertising, like tobacco ads, and Labor will be tested on this question in the Senate when Greens amendments for a full gambling ad ban in line with the Peta Murphy recommendations are voted on.
“We should be banning gambling advertising, taxing the big tech corporations and funding public interest journalism. Gambling addiction is not the solution for public interest journalism.
“It is incredible that only two months ago the Albanese government threw free to air broadcasters under the bus by locking sport behind the paywalls of the global streamers with their anti-siphoning laws. Now, suddenly are using Free TV as an excuse to cave-in to the gambling lobby. Labor caved to the pressure of the big tech companies like Kayo and Amazon, now they are caving to the gambling lobby.
“This is not about championing Free TV or quality journalism, this is about Labor caving to vested interests instead of standing up for the public interest.”
Greens slam NSW Labor’s broken promise to create an independent office for animal welfare
Today the NSW Labor Government has confirmed their plans for an independent office of animal welfare — except that it will not be independent, not an office and not for animal welfare.
The NSW Upper House has today debated the NSW Greens Independent Office of Animal Welfare Bill introduced by Greens MLC Abigail Boyd.
As part of their platform ahead of the 2023 State Election, NSW Labor committed to introducing a new animal welfare framework in NSW, including establishing an independent office of animal welfare. However, in voting down the bill, the Agriculture Minister made clear Labor’s intentions to introduce their own bill that creates a body that has no operational costs, sees the inherently-conflicted Minister for Agriculture of the day retain primary responsibility for the welfare of animals, and which is required to consult as much with industry as it does with animal welfare stakeholders.
Abigail Boyd, Greens NSW Animal Welfare spokesperson:
“It is truly shameful to hear the Agriculture Minister confirm what we have long suspected — that Labor has no intention of keeping their election commitment to introduce an independent office of animal welfare, and is instead slow-walking towards creating wholly inadequate regulation that will overlook the interests of animals in our state.
“Unless it is truly independent, robustly resourced and responsible for prioritising the interests of animals, Labor cannot possibly call their long-promised reform an independent office of animal welfare.
“Labor is too afraid to do anything that is not in the interest of Big Ag, and as a result we will undoubtedly see animals across our state continue to suffer in the name of profit.
“Establishing an Independent Office of Animal Welfare that aligns with scientific evidence and community expectations has been core Greens business for over a decade.
“Our Greens bill was developed in close consultation with the animal welfare sector and the community, and would have done exactly what is needed to overhaul our outdated animal welfare framework.
“Labor’s failure to support our Greens bill today is yet another broken election promise, and is an insult to all those in the community who have campaigned tirelessly for an independent office of animal welfare for years.”
Swing into New Annual’s packed program of free events
A nine-metre-tall swing that reimages the popular playground equipment on a grand scale will be a highlight of the free and family-friendly events on offer at this year’s award-winning New Annual festival.
Set up opposite the Civic Theatre, SWING will allow participants to become part of a giant public art installation as they soar high above Wheeler Place during the closing weekend of City of Newcastle’s flagship cultural event, which runs from 27 September to 6 October.
Worlds Collide will be one of the headline acts at the Global Gathering event in Museum Park.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the free, wheelchair-accessible activity demonstrates how New Annual provides something for the whole community as it celebrates the city’s commitment to arts and culture.
“New Annual has become a catalyst for Newcastle’s cultural events sector to take centre stage alongside leading national events, cementing Newcastle as a creative city where exciting, ambitious and accessible contemporary art and culture grows and thrives,” Cr Nelmes said.
“One of the key aims of the program is to provide a mix of free and low-cost, family-friendly events, which will ensure every member of our community can enjoy the New Annual experience.
“The 2024 festival is also dedicated to amplifying multicultural voices and creativity from our culturally and linguistically diverse communities, fostering a sense of belonging and community involvement.
“From the childhood nostalgia of the swing in Wheeler Place to the cultural melting pot of our Global Gathering event in Museum Park, New Annual will deliver a fun, interactive program not to be missed.”
Almost 5000 people flocked to last year’s Global Gathering event, which will once again deliver a vibrant celebration of diverse traditions, food, art forms, and cultural expressions in Museum Park on 5 October supported by a Multicultural NSW Festival and Event grant.
The free community event will feature cooking demonstrations, interactive kids workshops and a wide range of musical and dance performances including a colourful lion dance by Jin Woo Koon, belly dancing and African drum and dance displays, as well as a fire show and DJ sets.
The night will be capped off by world music favourites Ghana Road Show, which fuses thrilling circus acts with traditional African dance and rhythmic drum beats set to the freshly curated tunes of DJ Lady Chika, while Worlds Collide delivers an intersection of seven cultures who fuse hip hop rhymes, melodic hooks, languages and genres into a fun, authentic and powerful experience.
Culture is also at the heart of the expansive program being delivered in conjunction with MEGAN COPE: Ngumpi Kinyingarra Oyster House at Honeysuckle Marina, which is proudly presented by Newcastle Art Gallery and supported by the University of Newcastle, Create NSW and Thermidor.
The temporary, custom-built space will be activated with a series of free talks, hands-on workshops and performances including a professional oyster shucking competition and a daily Scrub Club that celebrates local oysters and the ongoing research practice of internationally acclaimed Quandamooka artist Megan Cope.
Gomeroi hip-hop artist and Triple J favourite Kobie Dee will bring the Marina to life after dark as he headlines the first of two Friday Night Sounds events on 27 September supported by proud Aboriginal man Maanyung, while local DJ Jun Wan’s genre-bending sets will keep the Friday night party going on 4 October.
New Annual will run from 27 September to 6 October, offering a vibrant mix of immersive dance, music, circus, visual art and theatre. It will kick off with a free family-friendly First Night street party in the precinct around City Hall, which has been supported by a grant from Transport for NSW.
The success of City of Newcastle’s flagship event was recognised at the recent Local Government Week Awards, where New Annual won the prestigious Leo Kelly OAM Arts and Culture Award.
Visit www.newannual.com for more details about the full program.