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Active Transport links around Sydney Airport ready for take-off ahead of Sydney Gateway opening

A new three-kilometre shared path built as part of the Sydney Gateway project will open on Friday 16 August.

The new paths complete a network of walking and cycling links around the airport, providing critical and direct connections for the 30,000 workers in the airport precinct, and commuters walking, running and riding through to nearby suburbs.

The first kilometre of new paths on the north side of Alexandra Canal opened in early 2023, replacing a shared path alongside Airport Drive that cantilevered out over the Alexandra Canal.

The new section opening at the end of the week extends the shared pathway along Qantas Drive, completing to the Domestic terminal and the eastern edge of the airport precinct.

New shelters, complete with seating lights, bubblers and a bike pump light sit alongside the Alexandra Canal and the new paths, providing a front row seat for plane spotters.

The active transport links are part of a major inter-regional route for people walking and riding which will link the CBD in the north to Sans Souci’s Captain Cook Bridge in the south, once the future M6-Stage 1 is completed.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen:

“These new links will give people a safe way to walk and cycle around the airport precinct.

“While I doubt we’ll see a cavalcade of travellers lugging their suitcases on foot or on bikes to the airport anytime soon, these new paths will provide a valuable active transport option for the thousands of people who work at the airport every day.

“These beautiful new paths also include plenty of new places for people to pause and watch the planes fly in and out. It’s a great new link and a true plane-spotter’s boulevard.”

Murray and Riverina landholders tackle feral pig problem

More than 8,700 feral pigs have been culled in the Murray and Riverina regions since the $13 million 2023/24 Feral Pig Program began in October 2023.

The NSW Government is continuing to build on the success of the program, with an additional $13.1 million committed to tackling feral pig and pest numbers across the state over the next 12 months.

Since the start of the program, the Murray region has controlled almost 2,500 feral pigs, which has a focus on upskilling local landholders to use automated trapping technology.

Using cameras and motion sensors, the automated trap technology is a time-efficient and easy method for farmers to control feral pigs, allowing them to remotely activate traps using their phones from anywhere at any time.

From Wagga Wagga, to Griffith, Riverina landholders have also played a large role in the program, controlling more than 6,000 feral pigs across the region.

The program has resulted in a knockdown of pig numbers across the Murray and the Riverina and Local Land Services will continue to support and encourage farmers to participate in coordinated control programs with their neighbours to keep tackling feral pigs.

Since October 2023, across the Murray and Riverina regions:

  • 2,464 pigs culled in the Murray region
  • 6,280 pigs culled across Riverina
  • 723 properties involved
  • 8 information and training sessions held
  • 881 one-on-one consultations, and
  • 1,834kg of free bait issued to landholders.

A key part of the program has been providing farmers and landholders with the tools, education and support to get on top of the problem.

More than 112,888 feral pigs have been culled across the state since October 2023, with almost 8 per cent of these having been culled in the Riverina and Murray regions.

Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said:

“The NSW Government is committed to continuing the success of this program to ensure feral pig numbers continue to come down here in the Murray and Riverina.

“I want to thank farmers across the Riverina and Murray, who have worked with LLS biosecurity officers to reduce the impacts of these pest animals.

“It’s been a huge, shared effort, but we still have work to do. That’s why we’ve committed a further $13.1 million to build on the successes so far.

“I encourage landholders to continue to participate in these control programs. Landholder participation is essential to maximising the effectiveness of a program. 

Colin McCrabb, Wanganella farmer, 45km north of Deniliquin, said:

“Since having the opportunity to participate in the Feral Pig Program and learn the best methods to monitor and trap feral pigs, I now have the skills to protect my property from these pest animals.

“In the drought feral pigs were taking lambs and ewes, and there’s destruction of pasture and irrigation, but the biggest fear is biosecurity, with the transmission of disease including brucellosis.

“The last time I grew rice, as it matured, the pigs set nests up in the middle of the crop, just destroying it.

“Through the program, Local Land Services assisted us with technology, advice and information about trapping, baiting and providing 1080. They also let us know when other people were baiting so we could co-ordinate with neighbours who were also trapping.

“Every feral pig that is not here is a good feral pig. We should all do what we can. I couldn’t believe how many were there.”

Active Transport links around Sydney Airport ready for take-off ahead of Sydney Gateway opening

A new three-kilometre shared path built as part of the Sydney Gateway project will open on Friday 16 August.

The new paths complete a network of walking and cycling links around the airport, providing critical and direct connections for the 30,000 workers in the airport precinct, and commuters walking, running and riding through to nearby suburbs.

The first kilometre of new paths on the north side of Alexandra Canal opened in early 2023, replacing a shared path alongside Airport Drive that cantilevered out over the Alexandra Canal.

The new section opening at the end of the week extends the shared pathway along Qantas Drive, completing to the Domestic terminal and the eastern edge of the airport precinct.

New shelters, complete with seating lights, bubblers and a bike pump light sit alongside the Alexandra Canal and the new paths, providing a front row seat for plane spotters.

The active transport links are part of a major inter-regional route for people walking and riding which will link the CBD in the north to Sans Souci’s Captain Cook Bridge in the south, once the future M6-Stage 1 is completed.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen:

“These new links will give people a safe way to walk and cycle around the airport precinct.

“While I doubt we’ll see a cavalcade of travellers lugging their suitcases on foot or on bikes to the airport anytime soon, these new paths will provide a valuable active transport option for the thousands of people who work at the airport every day.

“These beautiful new paths also include plenty of new places for people to pause and watch the planes fly in and out. It’s a great new link and a true plane-spotter’s boulevard.”

Promising signs but more to do in NSW as national NAPLAN report released

The 2024 NAPLAN National Report has been released today, with the NSW Government noting there are some positive signs, but more work to be done to raise education outcomes across New South Wales. 

Almost 400,000 primary and high school students, across more than 3,000 public, independent and Catholic schools sat their NAPLAN tests in March of this year.

Results for New South Wales have remained stable, with some promising results, including:

  • 81% of Year 3 students in NSW recorded Strong or Exceeding results in writing.
  • 70% of Year 5 and 7 students in NSW achieved Strong or Exceeding in numeracy.
  • 57% of year 9 students in NSW achieved Strong or Exceeding in grammar and punctuation.

While nationally, NSW has ranked first or equal first in most test subjects and year levels, the need for continued work is highlighted by the fact that NSW is ranked third for Year 3 and Year 5 in reading.

The Minns Labor Government is continuing work to rebuild the public education system and improve education outcomes across the state.

The most important tool in achieving this is ensuring there is a teacher at the front of every classroom in New South Wales. The Government’s work to address the chronic teacher shortage created by the former Government has seen a 20 percent drop in the number of public school teacher vacancies this year.

This work has included:

  • Scrapping the former Liberal National Government’s public sector wage cap and delivering NSW public school teachers the biggest pay rise in a generation.
  • Improving job security by exceeding the government’s commitment to transition 16,000 teachers and support staff on temporary contracts into permanent roles.
  • Improving the classroom environment by banning mobile phones and restoring authority to teachers and principals to manage student behaviour.

The NSW Government and Department of Education will analyse the NAPLAN results from both 2023 and 2024 to determine system-wide targets for improvement in literacy and numeracy which will be released later this year, for implementation in 2025.

The full 2024 NAPLAN national results are published on ACARA’s website.

NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“Congratulations to the students across New South Wales who sat their NAPLAN exams this year.

“These results show that NSW students overall are doing well, but there are gaps that need our attention.

“The Minns Labor Government has already begun rebuilding public education but we recognise that there is still much more to do.

“While there are some positive signs in these results, we cannot afford to take our eye off the ball.

“The impact of the chronic teacher shortage created by the former Liberal National Government cannot be undone overnight, but we will continue to build on the early successes we have had in boosting the number of teachers in our classrooms, which will ultimately drive better learning outcomes.”

Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon has joined calls for urgent action to address mobile phone and internet reception issues in Stockton.

Ms Claydon recently wrote to the community asking them to share their experiences and the response has been overwhelming.

The community’s fight for better services has now been taken to the floor of the Parliament with Ms Claydon delivering the following speech this week.

“Almost 5,000 people live in Stockton, which is just a few minutes by ferry from the city of Newcastle. It’s a tight-knit, strong and resilient community. But ongoing problems with mobile phone reception and poor wi-fi and internet connectivity are really taking their toll.

“Newcastle is Australia’s sixth-largest city, which makes these poor telecommunications experiences for Stockton residents especially shocking. In 2024, mobile phone reception, wi-fi and reliability of connectivity are essential services, yet too many people in Stockton have been let down.

“I recently met with Telstra and Optus to raise Stockton community residents’ concerns directly with them. I’m pleased that Telstra has agreed to investigate its telecommunications network in the suburb, and I’ve asked the same of Optus because we need to identify these problems and get them fixed. I’ve also written, with the support of Stockton Community Group, an expression of interest under the Peri-Urban Mobile Program for a grant aimed at improving coverage. Hopefully, that will be of help too.

“More recently, I’ve written to all residents of Stockton to ask them to share their lived experiences of the telecommunications services in the suburb. Residents have been inundating me with their experiences. They speak about fears of constant dropouts and not having reliable tools for study for their children. These are unacceptable in 2024, and we’re doing everything we can to fix them.”

ACT GREENS WILL BUILD FOOD HUB, BOOST LOCAL FOOD, CHALLENGE THE SUPERMARKET DUOPOLY

Today, the ACT Greens have announced an election initiative to scale-up our city’s capacity to grow and produce food, giving Canberrans more access to healthy local food while bringing real competition to the supermarket duopoly.

“Growing the food that ends up on our dinner tables locally rather than importing it from across the country is good for farmers, good for the environment and good for giving Canberrans greater choice to buy and support local businesses,” said Deputy Leader of the ACT Greens, Rebecca Vassarotti.

“The corporatisation of food production in Australia has created a food system that is vulnerable to climate change, unfair to farmers, and which sells food to Canberrans at exorbitant prices while big supermarkets rake in record profits.

“The ACT Greens plan will establish a new food hub in Fyshwick to ensure local farmers have the right equipment to pool, process and distribute the food they grow so that Canberrans can buy it straight from their local shops and markets, not from the supermarket giants.

“This food hub will empower Canberrans to boycott imports from the big supermarkets and buy more local food, giving them confidence in where their food has come from, who has grown it and why their food costs what it does.

“Under the ACT Greens plan, we will combine this new food hub with access to up to $1 million in interest free loans to support projects that help food producers get their food out to local shops so that they can more easily sell to Canberrans. 

“For example, farmers might like to get together and purchase an electric van for food deliveries to local shops and restaurants, or as part of a box scheme direct to the front doors of Canberrans.

“These sorts of programs are the foundation to helping local farms and local farmers thrive. Our suite of initiatives will be good for farmers, good for the environment and good for the bank accounts of Canberrans.

Some of the key initiatives the ACT Greens have announced today include:

  • Invest $3.5 million to establish a food hub which will allow local farmers to set up a base of operations for food production and distribution
  • Protect prime agricultural land and so farmers have fair, long-term leases 
  • Provide $1 million in interest free loans to empower local farmers to invest in collaborative local food logistics and enterprise-building projects 
  • Revitalise and refurbish the Canberra City Farm in Fyshwick 
  • Establish a farm training centre which will run training and jobs programs for people at risk
  • Provide $2 million over four years to fund five full-time equivalent primary school garden coordinators, to support school kitchen gardens
  • Invest $600,000 over 4 years to create new large community gardens for the suburbs, using the Community Garden Grants program for smaller projects

The full list of our initiatives for local food is available on the ACT Greens website.

ACT Greens Member for Brindabella, Laura Nuttall, said the ACT Greens will give farmers confidence in the future of their business, guaranteeing fair and long-term leases and establishing a new future farming training program. 

“For too long, farmers have been left in the lurch about how long they will be able to continue to run their business in the ACT. If we’re going to scale-up the role of farmers in growing affordable food for Canberrans, we need to give them certainty,” said Ms Nuttall. 

“The ACT Greens will make sure farmers can have confidence in the future of their business by recognising prime agricultural land as part of changes to zoning rules, and providing long-term leases to create a pipeline of affordable and sustainable food for many years to come.

“Securing the future of our farming workforce will be a key part of our plan to scale-up affordable local food production in Canberra. That’s why we will create a new education and training program to support people to become local growers.

“We will proactively open up this training scheme to Canberrans experiencing barriers to work, such as people who have experienced homelessness or have had contact with the criminal justice system, to provide them with stable employment and a pathway to learn about and succeed at being a local grower. 

“This is modelled on successful long-term programs overseas that have demonstrated that local food is a pathway for people to rebuild their lives” said Ms Nuttall. 

Greens to move for ban on gambling advertising, forcing Senate vote this week

The Greens will force a Senate vote this week for a ban on gambling advertising. The Greens will move in the Senate for a ban on gambling advertising in an amendment to the Communications Legislation Amendment (Regional Broadcasting Bill). The ban would apply to broadcast and online platforms.

Senator Hanson-Young is spokesperson for Communications and Manager of Greens Business in the Senate:

“Labor should honour the legacy of Peta Murphy, not the profits of parasites in the gambling lobby.

“Australia banned tobacco ads in this country because they did acute harm. Gambling companies profit from addiction and misery, targeting our kids and wrecking families. They must be banned too.

“It’s time for Parliament to listen to the experts, respect public opinion and back a full ban on gambling ads.

“The gambling lobby may have deep pockets, but the public want strong action. Our amendment will be a test for Labor and the Coalition this week.”

Consultation on $40 million Central West housing program wraps up

More than 300 residents from across the Central West region have participated in community engagement sessions that wrapped up in Eugowra, Molong and Cudal last week as part of the proposed Central West Resilient Homes Program.

The community engagement sessions, facilitated by the NSW Reconstruction Authority, were held across the Parkes, Forbes, Lachlan and Cabonne Shires over three weeks, giving residents the opportunity to view flood risk information, hear about proposed measures to make their homes more flood resilient and talk directly with flood experts about how new flood maps were developed.

The proposed Central West Resilient Homes Program is part of the $100 million Central West Recovery and Resilience Package that is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

Residents were encouraged to share their feedback on the proposed approach for the Program, with many supporting measures that will help them minimise future flood damage to their property.

Support services, including Legal Aid, Red Cross, Lifeline and Catholic Care, were also on hand to help residents some of the more complex challenges many still face.

The Central West’s Resilient Homes Program aims to build stronger, safer communities with measures that help households most at risk from future floods by increasing the resilience of their home or removing residents from harm’s way.

Proposed measures include grants for a range of resilience measures, such as raising and retrofitting, home rebuilds and home relocations and a voluntary scheme to buy back properties in the highest flood risk zones.

Feedback from the community information sessions will be used to finalise the guidelines for the Program.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Senator Jenny McAllister said:

“The feedback from residents of the Central West is critical to ensuring we develop a program that moves families out of areas at high risk of increasingly frequent and intense severe weather events or enables residents to make their homes stronger.

“Community engagement is at the heart of our flood recovery efforts in the Central West, so I want to thank all those who went along and shared their stories.

“The Albanese and Minns Government will continue to listen to residents and work hand-in-hand with the community to achieve positive outcomes through the Resilient Homes Program, helping build community resilience while supporting people on their recovery journey.”

NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“The NSW Government is committed to delivering a program that meets the needs of the community, that’s why it’s important that we’ve heard from the community about the measures that are being proposed.

“Their feedback will help us deliver a program that is tailored to the needs of the Central West.

“I’ve said this before – this program is not about simple fixes – it’s about making a concerted effort to help communities in the Central West become more resilient and an acknowledgement that the NSW Government is standing with them for the long-term.”

NSW Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“We’ve always said that community is at the centre of flood recovery in the Central West.

“The feedback we’ve received over the last three weeks has been invaluable and it will help confirm a program that will ultimately help people get back on with their lives faster after a flood. I know the Reconstruction Authority has been reaching out to residents who are still living with flood impacts to make sure they shape community support and help us to deliver a program that’s tailored to the needs of the Central West.

“I’d like to thank residents for participating in these sessions and for sharing their stories and experience which can be harrowing to relive.”

Member for Orange Phil Donato said:

“Nothing will ever undo the damage caused by the 2022 floods, but we can make sure that we’re better prepared for future disasters.

“Community information sessions are one way we can empower residents to have a say about a program that will have a profound effect on their future.

‘I’m not surprised to hear that where they can, people have a strong desire to stay in their homes using measures that will help them make their properties more resilient to floods.

“Make no mistake, this is a challenging process and the toll on our communities has been severe, but we’ve made sure that we’re listening to our people every step of the way.”

Construction begins on the half a billion dollar Ryde Hospital major redevelopment

Construction on the $526.8 million major redevelopment of Ryde Hospital will officially get underway today.

Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Health Ryan Park will today join local health workers for a traditional sod turn event to mark the start of major works.

The redeveloped Ryde Hospital will include new and expanded facilities, including the emergency department, intensive care unit and operating theatres.

This will meet the future health needs of this growing community, with more than 180,000 people expected to call the Ryde area home by 2041.

The Minns Labor Government invested a further $47.8 million into the Ryde Hospital upgrade in the 2024-25 NSW Budget.

This redeveloped Ryde Hospital will feature:

  • A new and expanded emergency department
  • A new and expanded medical imaging department
  • A new expanded and enhanced intensive care unit
  • New expanded and enhanced operating theatres and procedure rooms
  • More adult overnight inpatient beds
  • A new purpose-built ambulatory care centre
  • A new paediatric short stay unit
  • Expanded and enhanced surgical/endoscopy day only spaces
  • Clinical and non-clinical support services including pharmacy, pathology, food, linen and supply services
  • Contemporary education, training and research to strengthen tertiary partnerships

The Minns Labor Government invested $3.4 billion to upgrade hospitals and health facilities across the state as part of the 2024-25 NSW Budget ensuring patients continue to receive high-quality care in their local community.

These investments form part of the Government’s comprehensive plan to deliver the long-term repair of healthcare across NSW.

After 12 years of neglect and a lack of investment in our health system, the Minns Labor Government is rebuilding this essential service we all rely on.

Construction works are being carried out by AW Edwards following the award of the building contract earlier this year. Construction activities will be managed to ensure the continued operation of the existing hospital while works are underway.

Works will include the demolition of old buildings, construction of new hospital buildings and refurbishment of existing hospital spaces.

The new hospital building is scheduled for completion in 2027, with the new main entry, demolition of former buildings and landscaping to take place in 2028.

To learn more about the Ryde Hospital Redevelopment visit: https://www.rydehospitalredevelopment.health.nsw.gov.au/

Premier Chris Minns:

“Today marks a milestone as we build a world-class hospital for the Ryde community.

“This project will boost capacity at the hospital and give people in the Ryde area the best possible care.

“This project will deliver a brand-new emergency department, intensive care unit and operating theatres.

“We are expanding this essential service to meet the needs of the Ryde community for years to come.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“This more than half a billion-dollar investment will deliver the healthcare that the growing community of Ryde needs now, and into the future.”

“The hospital redevelopment will transform the health facilities for Ryde and surrounding suburbs, ensuring people can get the care they need close to home and providing staff with a modern place to work.”

Nominations open for 2025 NSW Women of the Year

The search for the most inspiring and extraordinary women and girls in NSW has begun, with the opening of nominations for the NSW Women of the Year Awards 2025.

The search for the most inspiring and extraordinary women and girls in NSW has begun, with the opening of nominations for the NSW Women of the Year Awards 2025.

The annual awards program recognises and celebrates women and girls who inspire us with their actions, whether they are ground-breaking thinkers, everyday heroes, social reformers or innovative role models.

The 5 award categories include:

  • Premier’s NSW Woman of Excellence
  • NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year
  • NSW Community Her
  • NSW Regional Woman of the Year
  • NSW Young Woman of the Year

Nominations have also opened for the Ones to Watch category, recognising 10 rising stars between the ages of 7 and 15. These exemplary girls will be highlighted for their courage, strength, determination and kindness to help and support those around them.

Successful 2024 Award recipients showcased the achievement of diverse and talented women and girls across NSW. They included Premier’s NSW Woman of Excellence Walkley Award winning journalist, advocate and public speaker Jess Hill, Aboriginal Woman of the Year Dr Casey Sullivan and Regional Woman of the Year Theresa Mitchell. 

For more information about all the 2024 recipients.

The recipients of the awards will be announced at the NSW Women of the Year Awards ceremony on Thursday 6 March 2025 as part of NSW Women’s Week 2025 which will run from Sunday 2 March to Saturday 8 March.

Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:

“New South Wales has some of the state’s most exemplary women and girls, dedicating their hard work, skills and passion to advancing our community, industry and society.

“I am thrilled to launch nominations for 2025 NSW Women of the Year Awards today. This successful program is one of the most prestigious awards to recognise women and girls whose determination, bravery, skill and passion should be commended. It recognises and honours them with the appreciation they genuinely deserve.

“I encourage everyone to nominate a woman or girl in your life who is excelling in their fields and achieving incredible goals.”

Nominate now.