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The Minns Labor Government is helping ease cost of living pressures for patients and their families in regional, rural, and remote areas, with a $71.7 million boost in the 2026-27 NSW Budget for the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS).

IPTAAS provides financial assistance towards travel and accommodation costs for patients who are required to travel more than 100 kilometres one way, or a total of 200 kilometres a week, for specialised health treatment that is not available locally.

Improving access to care for people living in rural, regional and remote NSW remains a priority for the Minns Government. Last year, IPTAAS helped 49,198 patients, an increase of 7,500 compared to the previous year.

IPTAAS has expanded significantly in recent years, with increased investment to support more patients and improvements in processing times and service delivery resulting in faster turnaround for applications.

The online claiming system has also been streamlined, making it easier for patients to submit claims and receive reimbursements directly into their bank account.

Reducing the financial burden for country patients to travel for their healthcare is just part of a comprehensive range of measures the Minns Government is embracing to improve access to care in our regional, rural and remote communities, including:

• Delivering more health worker accommodation in the bush;
• Doubling rural health worker incentives for the most critical and hard to fill positions to improve recruitment and retention;
• Boosting doctors in our regional GP surgeries as well as hospitals through the single employer model; and
• Deploying an extra 500 regional paramedics.

Minister for Health and Regional Health Ryan Park:

“IPTAAS ensures people in regional, rural and remote NSW can access the specialist care they need, no matter where they live.

“With cost of living pressures continuing to put pressure on households, this relief is more important than ever. It provides practical financial assistance that makes a real difference for patients and their families.

“We are committed to supporting patients living in regional communities and making sure distance is not a barrier to care, while also helping to ease cost of living pressures for patients and their families.”

The Minns Labor Government is continuing its commitment to creating safer workplaces with the inaugural Construction Safety Roundtable held in Parramatta.

The roundtable brings together construction industry leaders to discuss ways to improve safety and reduce the number of workplace injuries across the sector which employs 400,000 people in NSW.

Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis and SafeWork Commissioner Janet Schorer were joined by leaders from construction firms, key industry associations, unions and community organisations.

The roundtable discussed the sector’s safety performance, key risks and opportunities for collaborative improvement.

While recent SafeWork NSW compliance activities have shown most construction businesses are doing the right thing, there are still too many employers putting workers at risk by not having adequate systems to manage work health and safety.

With 13 deaths in the construction industry in NSW alone since July 2025, construction is on the most dangerous industries to work in.

Falls from height remains the top cause of traumatic fatalities in the State’s building and construction industry, as well as a significant cause of injuries in the sector.

Over the past year SafeWork has recorded:

• 5 x more Requests for Service in the construction industry than in any other industry (6,698 in 2024/2025) (4,872 this financial year – to March 2026)
• 3 x more incidents than any other industry (2,087 in 2024/2025) (1,609 so far this financial year – to March 2026)
• Between 1 July 2024 and 31 December 2025, there were 401 serious injuries from falls from heights in NSW

The Minns Labor Government is committed to creating safer workplaces.

In 2025 the NSW Government established SafeWork as a stand-alone regulator to increase accountability and transparency.

The NSW Government has also increased penalties for non-compliance and in one of the toughest measures in NSW history, the Minns Government introduced industrial manslaughter laws with 20-year jail terms.

There is also an increasing focus on psychosocial hazards in construction workplaces, with the number of mental health claims on the rise.

With request for services for psychosocial issues increasing, the Minns Labor Government has invested $127.7M into SafeWork which has included the largest expansion of its inspectorate. An additional 52 inspectors, including 20 specialised psychosocial inspectors and five psychosocial investigators have been appointed.

Workers who have concerns about workplace health and safety can anonymously contact SafeWork on 13 10 50 or through the Speak Up Save Lives platform at https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/advice-and-resources/speak-up-app.

For more information on how to manage the risks of working at heights, mobile plant safety and how to how to manage psychosocial risks in construction, visit the SafeWork NSW website at https://www.safework.nsw.gov.au/your-industry/construction.

Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:

“Since July last year, there have been 13 lives lost in the construction industry alone in NSW – one life lost at work is one too many.

“This inaugural Round Table is an opportunity for the Government and Safework to hear from leaders in the industry, workers, unions and the families of construction workers who have tragically lost their lives about what we can to do to improve safety in construction.

“We need the number of fatalities and the number of seriously injured workers in the construction industry come down because everyone who goes to work deserves to come home safely to their families.”

SafeWork NSW Commissioner Janet Schorer said:

“The construction sector is one of the most high-risk industries in NSW.”

“This roundtable is an opportunity to raise awareness of the common failings and harms SafeWork NSW has identified which are contributing to workers being placed at risk.

“I look forward to harnessing the collective knowledge and influence of attendees to contribute to the development of strategies and approaches which will drive industry-led safety improvements.”

Eligible households will now be able to access zero-interest loans of up to $15,000 to install energy-saving and cost-cutting upgrades such as rooftop solar, household batteries, insulation, reverse-cycle air conditioning, switchboard upgrades, ceiling fans and draught-proofing.

From today, the Minns Labor Government’s $557 million Home Energy Saver program is available to help NSW families lower their power bills by making energy-saving upgrades more affordable.

Many NSW households are already saving money through rooftop solar, home batteries and efficient appliances – with just over half of all houses in the state equipped with solar and 13,000 new batteries being installed each month.

While energy-efficient upgrades reduce costs in the long run, the upfront costs have locked many people out, and this program will make upgrades significantly more affordable.

In addition to loans, the program will provide discounts of up to $4,000 to eligible families looking to upgrade with energy-saving measures.

The Home Energy Saver program includes:

Zero-interest loans available from today to households with a combined taxable income of up to $210,000. This will allow eligible households to pay off up to $15,000 in upgrades over ten years rather than upfront. This is expected to benefit more than 32,000 households. This is a $480 million commitment.

Targeted discounts of up to $4,000 will be available later in 2026 to households with a combined annual income of up to $80,000, or eligible concession card holders. This is a $77 million commitment.

For example, if your household earns $200,000 and you want to purchase a solar and home battery system for $10,000, you can apply for a loan and pay it off over ten years.

Eligible households wanting to apply for a discount and a zero-interest loan on a single upgrade are advised to apply for the discount first, then seek a loan to cover the remaining amount.

Discounts will also be available to renters, to make upgrades with their landlord’s permission.

Households will enjoy benefits such as lowering their monthly power bills and making their homes more comfortable year-round, cooler through summer hat and warmer through winter.

For information and to apply, visit www.energy.nsw.gov.au/home-energy-saver.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“We know energy bills are putting pressure on families right now, and while this won’t solve every cost-of-living challenge people are facing, it’s practical help that can make a real difference.

“For many households, the upfront cost of these upgrades has simply been too high. We’re stepping in to help where we can, so more families can access technology that lowers their bills and makes their homes more comfortable.

“We’re doing what we can to help families now, while making sure NSW has a more reliable and secure energy system for the future.”

Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Penny Sharpe said:

“For too many households, energy-saving upgrades have felt like something other people can afford. This is about changing that and giving more families a fair opportunity to access the kinds of improvements that make their homes more comfortable, more efficient and better to live in.

“Every household that upgrades to more efficient technology is playing a part in NSW’s energy future. Making these technologies more accessible helps more households enjoy a cooler home in summer, a warmer home in winter, and smaller power bills every month.”

Smart Energy Council CEO, David McElrea said:

“This program is a massive win for households looking to take control of their energy bills.

“Helping lower-income earners and renters to overcome the cost barrier to modernising their homes with smart solar, batteries, efficient cooling and heating is the fastest way to permanently drive down household expenses while building a more resilient grid.”

Patients, visitors and staff accessing Tweed Valley Hospital now have more car parking options, following the recent completion of more than 125 new car parking spaces on the hospital campus. New signage, line marking, and enhanced parking management systems have also been delivered as part of the project.

The new parking spaces are located to the south of the multi-level car park and along the ring road on the northern boundary of the hospital campus.

The $723.3 million Tweed Valley Hospital opened to patients in May 2024 and has transformed the delivery of healthcare in the region.

Since opening, the new hospital has expanded its health services, including interventional cardiology and radiotherapy. Outpatient services have also more than doubled in capacity, allowing residents to access services locally without needing to travel outside the region.

The additional parking was delivered by the Northern NSW Local Health District, in partnership with Health Infrastructure.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“Tweed Valley Hospital is a very busy health facility, with hundreds of staff delivering high-quality healthcare every day to the communities of the growing Tweed-Byron region.

“These works have boosted parking capacity on site, improving access to the hospital and vital health services for the local community.

“This additional free parking will ensure a better experience for patients, their families and carers and of course our wonderful staff, when they attend the hospital campus.

Labor Spokesperson for Tweed Emily Suvaal:

“The additional parking at Tweed Valley Hospital is already making a difference    for our community, with those who visit the hospital campus every day finding it easier to park.

“Improved access to the hospital means less stress for our staff and reduced anxiety for our patients and their visitors.

“I’d like to thank all the project team who delivered this project, as well as our staff and volunteers at Tweed Valley Hospital, and the local community for their feedback.”

Landholders across the Northern Rivers are working to repair creeks and riverbanks damaged by the 2022 floods, replanting native vegetation along 40km of riverbanks, fencing off waterways, and improving how water moves as part of a pilot program. 

As part of the Caring for Catchments program, 35 projects across four catchments are underway on private land to stabilise waterways and support long-term catchment health.

So far, about 62 hectares have been revegetated, 40km of riverbank restored, and more than 84,000 native trees and sedges planted, to reduce erosion and improve the condition of creeks and river systems.

Nearly 7,000 people have participated in the initiative – through training, education and project delivery – helping build local capability to continue this work.

The program is funded by the Albanese Government through the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program, administered by the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) and delivered by the North Coast Regional Landcare Network in partnership with landholders and communities.

The work focuses on practical, on-ground measures, restoring riparian corridors and improving how water is stored and moves through the landscape.

At Coffee Camp near Nimbin, work on a cattle property over the past year shows how these approaches operate at a property scale, with revegetation, fencing and water management already improving creek condition and water quality at the confluence of Bishops and Goolmangar creeks.

The projects include planting around 11,000 native trees, managing invasive weeds, installing cattle exclusion fencing and providing off-stream watering, alongside ongoing maintenance to stabilise creek banks and reduce erosion pressure.

The work is being delivered by third-generation cattle farmer Jeff Imeson, with his son-in-law Kieran Rangger managing the projects and overseeing how the works are integrated into the broader property.

Flood recovery is also continuing at the property, with two buyback homes being relocated so family members can remain in the area, showing how environmental repair and community recovery can happen alongside each other.

Lessons from Caring for Catchments will feed into the RA-led Northern Rivers Disaster Adaptation Plan.

Community information sessions on the plan are currently being held across the region until 26 June.

For more information on the Disaster Adaption Plan drop-in information sessions go to: https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/northern-rivers-dap.  

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain:

“While we recognise there is still a significant amount of work to do, initiatives like the Caring for Catchments program and the progress local landholders have made to address damage and minimise the impact of future floods is making a difference.
“The Albanese Government remains committed to supporting recovery and resilience in the Northern Rivers, with $150 million invested through the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program.

“These measures are not a standalone solution to flooding, but they play an important role in how the catchment functions, helping to slow water, reduce erosion and support recovery, particularly during smaller and more frequent flood events.”

NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin:

“I know how vital this on-ground work is to our landholders as they repair and strengthen our catchments and advocated for this program in the aftermath of the 2022 floods that ripped through our rivers, riverbanks and landscapes.

“Nature-based solutions grounded in science, such as these works are a critical part of the puzzle – they are small scale management works that help water flow and reduce erosion – but we know they are only one piece of a much larger flood-resilience strategy.

“That’s why we are taking a comprehensive, multi-hazard approach to flood risk. The consultation for the Northern Rivers Disaster Adaptation Plan is open right now, and I encourage everyone to have their say and help us build a safer, more resilient future for our region.”

Senator for NSW, Jenny McAllister:

“It’s essential we restore riverbanks to ensure people in the Northern Rivers are protected from future flooding events.

“This is a great project that has already repaired more than 35 kilometres of riverbank and counting. I look forward to seeing this practical work continue.”

North Coast Regional Landcare Network Project Officer Fiona Berry:

“We’re incredibly proud to be delivering the Caring for Catchments project and the positive impact it’s having across the Northern Rivers: healthy catchments, restored riparian zones and engaged landholders are part of a complete flood resilience system.

“Caring for Catchments is a great example of what can be achieved when landholders, Landcare groups, community members and government work together toward a shared goal.

“The results speak for themselves – 40 kilometres of riverbank restored,62 hectares revegetated, more than 84,000 native trees and sedges planted and nearly 7,000 people trained and educated. Effective Nature-Based Solutions like Caring for Catchments require landholder trust, Aboriginal knowledge, community participation, technical expertise and long-term funding which North Coast Landcare is in a unique position to deliver.” 

The community of Canterbury is one step closer to much needed hospital upgrades with the first artist’s impressions of the Canterbury Hospital Redevelopment unveiled, as the Minns Labor Government commits an additional $50 million in funding to fast-track the delivery of enhanced maternity services at the hospital.

The Canterbury Hospital Redevelopment’s main works planning application is now on public exhibition, with the project to deliver new and expanded health services and facilities, along with upgrades and enhancements to the existing hospital campus, representing the largest upgrade at the hospital in more than 26 years.

A $50 million investment in the 2026-27 NSW Budget will bring forward the next stage of the redevelopment to deliver upgraded maternity and special care nursery facilities for families in Canterbury and surrounding areas.

The funding boost, which brings the total investment in the redevelopment to $400 million, will support the fit-out and relocation of an existing inpatient unit into the new nine-storey building, enabling the enhancement of maternity and special care nursery facilities.

The investment will give women and their babies in the Canterbury-Bankstown area access to enhanced maternity and neonatal services closer to home, and further complements the expansion and refurbishment of existing antenatal facilities, which are being delivered as part of early works for the project.

The redevelopment will include a new three-storey eastern expansion and refurbishment to the existing hospital that will house an expanded emergency department, operating theatres and a new Central Sterile Services Department (CSSD).

The modern, purpose-built facility will integrate seamlessly with the existing hospital, with outdoor spaces and landscaping to create a welcoming and supportive environment for patients, visitors and staff.

The community is encouraged to attend community information sessions where they can ask questions, provide feedback and learn more about the hospital redevelopment:

Information sessions are scheduled on:

• Tuesday, 30 June 2026 11:00am – 2:00pm – Main entrance foyer at Canterbury Hospital
• Thursday, 2 July 2026 5:00pm – 7:00pm – Roselands Shopping Centre (with in-language support)
• Friday, 3 July 2026 11.00am – 2.00pm – Lakemba Mosque (with in-language support)
• Saturday, 4 July 2026 10:00am – 12:00pm – Clemton Park Shopping Village (with in-language support)

Online session:

• Tuesday, 7 July 2026 6:00pm – 7:00pm Online via Microsoft Teams (RSVP required – forms.office.com/r/LBb5sgBL6V)

The scope for the Canterbury Hospital Redevelopment is expected to include:

• a new expanded and enhanced adult Intensive Care Unit
• new purpose-built adult inpatient accommodation
• expanded and enhanced emergency department
• additional surgical theatres
• enhanced maternity and neonatal services and facilities
• additional ambulatory and outpatient care capacity
• new and enhanced facilities to support clinical education, workforce training, and research
• new Diagnostic Services Unit to support diagnosis and medical condition management
• enhancements to hospital support services, including pathology and pharmacy,
• improved accessibility to the campus, including internal access, outdoor spaces, landscaping and wayfinding, and two dedicated levels of parking in the multi-storey building.

Main works construction timeframes will be confirmed following planning approval and the appointment of a contractor.

The planning application and technical documents are available to view online and feedback can be provided online until 11:59pm on 17 July 2026: www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/canterbury-hospital-redevelopment/MWREF

A separate planning application process will take place for the enhanced maternity services to be delivered. Planning for the maternity and neonatal facilities will commence in the coming weeks with staff and stakeholder consultation playing a key role in shaping the design.

Early Works for the project are progressing with construction to commence on site shortly.

For more information on the Canterbury Hospital Redevelopment visit www.nsw.gov.au/canterbury-hospital-redevelopment

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“The Minns Government is building the hospitals the Coalition failed to deliver.

“We are delivering the largest upgrade to the hospital for more than 26 years, ensuring local families have access to modern, high-quality care close to home.

“We promised to upgrade maternity services at Canterbury Hospital and we are delivering. This investment as part of the Budget will bring forward the delivery of these enhanced services, so families can benefit from them sooner.”

the Member for Canterbury Sophie Cotsis:

“This investment delivers on our commitment to provide enhanced maternity and neonatal facilities to support families in the local area, and ensure women can continue to access safe, high-quality care close to home.

“The valuable feedback from hundreds of community members and health staff will ensure that we get the hospital that Canterbury deserves.

“I encourage everyone to attend one of the upcoming information sessions or go online to see the plans for the redevelopment and have their say.”

Member for Summer Hill Jo Haylen:

“I know how much people in our community rely on Canterbury Hospital, and this upgrade will make a real difference. It will give local families access to better care, closer to home.

“Bringing forward these maternity upgrades means women and their babies will benefit sooner, with state-of-the-art facilities and the level of care our community expects and deserves.

“As our community continues to grow, it is essential that our local hospitals keep pace. I encourage everyone to have their say and help shape this redevelopment”

Member for Strathfield Jason Yat-sen Li:

This is a proud day for our community. After more than two decades, Canterbury Hospital will get the upgrade it deserves — better maternity care for new families, improved emergency and critical care capacity, and a hospital that meets local needs.”

The Minns Labor Government will introduce a new package of laws designed to target the modern operating model of organised crime and give NSW Police and the NSW Crime Commission stronger tools to disrupt criminal networks and bring these offenders to justice.

Organised crime has changed, criminal groups are increasingly outsourcing violence, using encrypted technology, recruiting children and relying on layers of associates to distance themselves from the crimes they commission.

This is not the way traditional organised crime operates, and it requires innovative policing and modern laws to match these new threats.

The legislation will:

• Strengthen police powers to issue Digital Evidence Access Orders (DEAO): The new laws will remove the requirement for an accompanying search or crime scene warrant where suspected of organised crime, allowing police to apply for a DEAO where a device has been lawfully seized during an arrest, roadside stop or other lawful detention. This will enable investigators to compel a person to provide access information such as PINs or passwords, with failure to comply or providing false information constituting an offence, ensuring timely access to critical digital evidence in fast-moving organised crime investigations where delays can risk loss, encryption or remote wiping of data.
• Double penalties for refusing to answer questions or providing false or misleading information to the Crime Commission, including during investigations, with the maximum penalty increased to up to 10 years imprisonment.

These laws are the latest in a suite of reforms and funding aimed at giving NSW Police and the NSW Crime Commission the powers they need to disrupt and dismantle organised crimes networks.

They recognise that organised crime today rarely involves a single offender. Instead, criminal networks increasingly rely on third parties and technology to try and evade the law.

The Minns Labor Government recently passed legislation targeting organised crime networks including:

• Increased penalties for public shootings, firebombings, the use of ‘kill cars’ to facilitate gang crime and recruitment of children by organised criminals
• Strengthening our bail laws to keep organised criminals off our streets
• Making it easier to seize illegal assets and go after criminals’ unexplained wealth.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“Enough is enough. Too many organised criminals think they can hide behind technology and avoid responsibility for the damage they cause.

“Organised crime today doesn’t operate the way it did a decade ago. These networks are using encrypted technology, middlemen and vulnerable young people to distance themselves from the violence they commission.

“Our message is simple: if you’re helping organised crime, we’re coming after you too.”

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

“Organised crime is changing and the tactics these thugs are using are more sophisticated.

“These criminals are trying to stay one step ahead by using encrypted phones, middlemen and recruiting children as their foot soldiers so they can hide from police and avoid responsibility.

“We will not stand for it.

“We must be agile and that is why we are firing back with stronger laws, stronger powers and stronger tools to access and compel information and get the people driving this crime and put them behind bars.”

The Minns Labor Government will strengthen the capability of the NSW Police Force and NSW Crime Commission to fight crime and keep the community safe with a $126.2 million investment in the 2026-27 NSW Budget.

The NSW Police Force and NSW Crime Commission are on the frontline of a fast-moving and evolving threat environment, and this investment will give them the digital infrastructure and tools they need to outpace criminals.

Modern criminal activity, particularly in organised and gang crime, is heavily enabled by digital platforms. Organised crime figures are essentially using ‘click to order’ criminal services on encrypted mobile devices and the dark web to carry out serious crimes and illegal activity.

Ten years ago, a mobile phone seized by police typically held 16 to 64 GB of data. Today an equivalent device holds 1 to 2 TB of data – representing up to 60 times increase in data that police must analyse, investigate and then store for 99 years.

Modern technology for a modern police force

As part of the 2026-27 NSW Budget, the Minns Labor Government will invest $108.8 million to fund major technology upgrades for the NSW Police Force including cutting-edge technology and digital evidence management systems, equipping police with nation-leading digital ICT infrastructure and capability to police smarter and stay ahead of threats.

This includes core policing technology and systems that allow the public to report crimes and police to gather evidence, including: BluLink – a secure police platform allowing the public to share location and live video with police; and Evidence.com – a digital evidence management system for police investigators that covers serious and organised crime.

Funding will upgrade critical platforms assisting with forensics, exhibits, intel and data analytics and will also upgrade police vehicle terminals and mobile police devices, so that NSW Police have the most reliable, modern tools and access to the best systems – anytime, anywhere.

Boosting the NSW Crime Commission’s ability to disrupt criminal networks

The NSW Crime Commission will get a $17.4 million boost to disrupt organised crime networks and confiscate illegal and unexplained wealth.

This funding will allow the NSW Crime Commission to significantly scale up its coercive hearing capability – which compel suspected criminals to answer questions or risk jail. This will allow for a higher number of hearings to help breakdown and disrupt criminal syndicates.

It will also boost the Commission’s unique capability to seize the proceeds of organised crime, disrupt links between kingpins and hired offenders, and dismantle this evolving operating model by hiring additional analysts and forensic experts to follow the money.

The Minns Labor Government recently passed a suite of legislative reforms, giving police the power to crack down on organised crime, with new offences and tougher penalties for public place shootings, ‘kill cars’, firebombings and the recruitment of children for criminal activity.

The next step in the prevention and disruption of organised and gang crime requires a significant investment in next generation digital capability and intelligence, which is exactly what the Minns Labor Government is doing.

Rebuilding the NSW Police Force for the future

When we came to Government, we inherited a police force losing officers faster than it could recruit them and facing increasing pressure from more complex and sophisticated forms of crime.

Since then, we have been working to rebuild the force – strengthening laws, backing major police operations, improving pay and conditions and investing in the people, technology and capability police need to do their job.

Today’s investment is the next step in that work and further builds on the Minns Labor Government’s efforts to strengthen policing capabilities and keep communities safe, including:

• Delivering a once-in-a-generation pay rise for police officers
• Paying recruits to train at the Goulburn Police Academy, resulting in a 70% increase in applications to join the NSWPF
• Establishing the ‘Be a Cop In Your Hometown’ program
• Establishing the Professional Mobility Program to attract experienced officers from interstate and New Zealand
• Establishing the Cadet Traineeship Program to create a new early pathway into policing
• Establishing the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Command to support officers across their careers

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“People are understandably concerned about the level of violence we’ve seen. These criminals don’t care who gets hurt and that’s why we will continue giving NSW Police every tool they need to hunt them down, break up their networks and protect innocent people.

“The reality is organised crime today looks very different to what it did ten years ago. Criminals are using encrypted devices, digital platforms and sophisticated technology to hide their activities, and police need the capability to keep up.

“We’ve strengthened the laws, we’ve backed police operations and now we’re investing in the next generation of technology and intelligence tools needed to disrupt criminal syndicates and help keep communities safer.”

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

“Technology is changing and Government needs to stay agile to keep up – that’s why we’re investing in the modern tools and capability the NSW Police Force needs to keep us safe.

“This investment ensures police technology remains gold standard and supports officers to prevent, disrupt and respond to crime.

“We’re backing the Crime Commission with $17 million to disrupt and seize the flow of ill-gotten funds and ultimately, break the operating model of organised crime.

“Only the Minns Labor Government backs our police with the resources, capability and strong laws they need to keep the community safe.”

NSW Police Force Commissioner Mal Lanyon said:

“Targeting organised crime remains one of my highest priorities and police will relentlessly pursue those who threaten community safety.

“The level of violence and blatant disregard for the safety of the public that we are seeing, is completely unacceptable—and it will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

“Task Force Falcon alone, has carried out more than 500 arrests and laid over 1,500 charges, since its formation.

“Let me be absolutely clear: this effort is ongoing, and we will continue, every single day, to target, disrupt and bring to justice those responsible for this criminal behaviour.”

NSW Crime Commissioner Stephen Dametto said:

“This funding will directly uplift the Commission’s ability to combat serious and organised crime, by increasing our capacity to conduct coercive hearings to break criminal silence.

“At its core, organised crime exists to make money. The additional funding will boost the Commission’s unique confiscations function and enhance the Commission’s ability to strip criminal wealth out of organised crime.

“This uplift will lead to the Commission conducting more hearings and restraining more proceeds of crime to keep NSW safe.”