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Netball NSW would like to congratulate and welcome the members of the First Nations community who have been appointed to the organisation’s Aboriginal Advisory Group.

The purpose of the Group will be to facilitate a meaningful partnership between Aboriginal people and NNSW, and to ensure that First Nations voices and needs are heard and respected within the State’s netball community.

The Group is also responsible for providing strategic advice to NNSW management by drawing on their lived experience and knowledge of current and emerging realities.

This advice will assist in the development of operational policies, including the implementation of the next stage of the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), Aboriginal employment and volunteering strategies, and training and development for the organisation as a whole.

The Group was developed in conjunction with NNSW’s RAP Working Group which previously played a critical role in the delivery of the organisation’s first Reflect RAP, the award-winning C.A.R.E Program, Premier League First Nations Round and the Koori Gala Days. In particular, NNSW would like to thank Ali Tucker-Munro, Donna Coady and Georgina Bruinsma for their cultural insights and their assistance in the development of this Advisory Group.

The seven-strong Group will be co-chaired by Lauren Chester and Steven Slee.

Chester is a passionate netballer and proud Dharawal woman with connections to the La Perouse Aboriginal community who possesses over 12 years of diverse sports management experience across the UK and Australia.

Slee, a proud Anaiwan Aboriginal man from the New England region, brings 18 years of experience in senior management, including Chief Executive roles in Aboriginal organisations, cultural advisory, policy development and national training management.

NNSW CEO Tracey Scott said the formation of the Advisory Group was a huge step forward for the game.

“While we have launched some wonderful programs in recent years, it is vital that we have a more hands-on approach when it comes to listening to and liaising with local Aboriginal communities to identify and understand issues affecting their involvement in our game.

“We know that netball is one of the most popular sports among our First Nations peoples and it is our responsibility to provide a safe and welcoming environment.

“One of the key roles of this Group is to review and provide advice and guidance in the development of culturally appropriate strategies and initiatives to enhance positive outcomes in collaboration with the Aboriginal community and to increase participation across all facets of the pathway.

“It doesn’t matter if a First Nations player or coach aims to be a NSW Swift or GIANT, or just wants to participate in Saturday netball with their mates, a universal understanding is required to ensure inclusion is at the forefront of who we are.

“As an organisation we are excited to work collaboratively with the Group to develop strategies to address these aforementioned needs, issues and interests.”   

Co-Chair Chester said:

“It’s always a privilege to represent my culture and advocate for our people. The formation of the Aboriginal Advisory Group demonstrates NNSW’s willingness to engage community, create a culturally safe environment for its participants, and signifies an important milestone in their reconciliation journey.

“The depth and breadth of talent amongst the Group is truly impressive; I’m looking forward to building connections, learning from our collective experiences, and making a meaningful contribution to the sport that’s given me so much over the years.”

Fellow co-Chair Steven Slee said:

“To see Netball NSW take the initiative to strive to become a leader of reconciliation and inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the sport of netball has been both moving and encouraging.

“Seeing first-hand the passion from Netball NSW from key personnel at the very top to not only want to ensure inclusion, but to ensure that First Nations people and communities are engaged, consulted and supported is reassuring.

“The Aboriginal Advisory Group is a massive step in the right direction which has seen immediate impact into the operations of Netball NSW’s inclusive practices as well as some new and exciting initiatives and programs that aim to encourage participation and support First Nations people in the sport moving forward.  

“I look forward to seeing the positive changes coming soon to netball in NSW that will provide greater pathways to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across all aspects of the game.”
 
Netball NSW Aboriginal Advisory Group

• Thelmerie Rudd
  
  Thelmerie a respected Darug Elder and Director at Boorooberongal Aboriginal Elders Corporation who contributes extensively to community and governance roles. As a member of the Paramatta Parklands Trustee board and various consultation groups, she applies her Traditional Custodian perspective to infrastructure projects under the NSW Connecting to Country framework.
  
  Thelmarie’s longstanding passion for netball spans coaching, umpiring, and fostering pathways for youth. She advocates for culturally respectful partnerships and pathways within Netball NSW, emphasizing community engagement strategies to encourage Aboriginal participation at all levels of the sport.

• Nezmia Hay
  
  A proud Mutthi Mutthi woman with 31 years of netball experience, deeply engaged in Penrith’s sporting community. As a Senior Project Officer, Nezima applies her strategic planning and stakeholder engagement skills to benefit Aboriginal communities in social housing.
  
  A registered kinship carer, Nezmia advocates passionately for Aboriginal children and recently contributed to Penrith Council’s Statement of Recognition workshops. She emphasizes the need for local associations to engage inclusively with Aboriginal communities, to create culturally safe spaces and ensuring pathway opportunities for young netball players.
   
• Lauren Chester (Co-Chair) 
  
  A passionate netballer and proud Dharawal woman with connections to the La Perouse Aboriginal community, Lauren brings over 12 years of diverse sports management experience across the UK and Australia.
  
  Committed to Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, she focuses on using sport for reconciliation, evident in her roles at Cronulla Sharks and previous work with FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. Lauren’s leadership extends to community involvement and her pursuit of personal growth through programs like the Emerging Indigenous Executive Leaders Program. She aims to leverage her expertise to drive impactful change.
   
• Rachal Allan
  
  Rachal is Gamilaraay yinaar from Quirindi & Tamworth in north-west NSW. She has lived and worked on Dharawal Country for the last decade, with a background in Aboriginal health and using sport as a vehicle to drive health, social, and economic outcomes for First Nations people. In 2023, she received the Charles Perkins Memorial Prize for Academic Excellence, graduating from the University of Sydney with a Graduate Diploma in Indigenous Health Promotion.
  
  She is the current co-chair of the Office of Sports RAP Implementation Team and is passionate about driving genuine, respectful, and meaningful engagement with First Nations people and cultures within sports and the wider community.
   
• Steven Slee (Co-Chair) 
  
  A proud Anaiwan Aboriginal man from the New England region, Steven brings extensive leadership and sports experience with over 18 years in senior management, including Chief Executive roles in Aboriginal organisations, cultural advisory, policy development and national training management.
  
  Currently serving as Cultural Coordinator for Callaghan District Netball Association, Steven enhances Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander participation by fostering inclusivity and support. His passion lies in connecting sports such as Rugby League & Netball NSW with communities to create pathways and opportunities, ensuring cultural appropriateness and empowering Aboriginal people in sports.
   
• Megan Hartog-Smith 
  
  Megan is a Gomeroi/Wiradjuri woman coming through the ranks at Narrabri Netball Association and now a proud Ku-ring-gai netball mum. Megan brings a comprehensive background in netball in player, administrator, coach, umpire, and parent roles.
  
  Professionally, she has over 20 years in the public sector, focusing on education, children and families. Megan excels in community engagement, project leadership, and strategic planning, advocating for inclusive pathways and partnerships in netball. She seeks to empower First Nations athletes through mentorship and consultation-driven improvements in the sport.
   
• Caroline Dallinger 
  
  A proud Gamilaroi/Yuwaalaraay woman, with an extensive sporting background and decades of experience designing, developing, and delivering programs for First Nations communities. With a strong advocacy for education and equity, Caroline aims to support all members of Netball NSW and the advisory group.
  
  Caroline advocates for regional athletes, urging for improved access and opportunities closer to home. She emphasizes transparency, communication, and inclusive participation in building meaningful partnerships. Dedicated to bridging gaps in First Nations pathways, Caroline seeks to amplify voices from smaller regional and remote communities, ensuring support, guidance, and understanding prevail.

I’ve lost count of how many emergency departments across the state I’ve visited, from Broken Hill in the Far West to Tweed in the North, Moruya in the south and to Liverpool or Westmead in Sydney. While these hospitals differ in many ways, the fact is they’re all under pressure.

Last quarter alone there were 810,291 ED attendances up 5.2% on the same quarter last year, which is an additional 40,235 attendances in just one quarter within 12 months. If you combined the populations of the Penrith, Newcastle, Wollongong and Fairfield Local Government Areas you would still just fall short of the number of ED attendances in NSW hospitals over 3 months.

It’s why last month our Budget delivered almost a half a billion dollars towards an ED Relief Package. Today I announce the first stages of implementing this critical investment.

Firstly, to support people with alternatives to EDs. The fact of the matter is sometimes people turn up to hospital when it’s not an emergency. We’ve seen what happens when alternatives are available. Our virtualKIDS service has cared for more than 3,600 children in just 4 months. We’ll next roll-out virtualADULTS to help to manage urgent care that can be safely assessed and treated by virtual care in the patient’s home.

If you or a loved one are feeling unwell, worried about symptoms or need health advice you can call healthdirect anytime on 1800 022 222 to get the help you need. A registered nurse will assess your condition and connect you with the care you need, whether an appointment at a local urgent care service or virtual care. It means healthcare, anywhere, in the time it takes to make a phone call.

Secondly, we need to enhance our capacity in EDs. Short Stay Units get people in and out of EDs swiftly and safely when they don’t require a hospital admission.  We’re investing a further $70 million in expanding these units. The first additional unit is now operational at Maitland Hospital.

Thirdly, we seek to get patients safely out of hospital and into the comfort of their own homes quicker. We’ve invested $53.9 million towards a new Discharge Concierge Service. These roles will ensure the often complex and time-consuming discharge process is better coordinated.

The ED relief package will mean 290,00 trips to the ED and 76,800 hours waiting in the ED are avoided each year.

For health workers, who have been through so much in recent years, means more time with their patients, more colleagues to share this immense workload and better tools to do their job.

For patients, it will mean more options to get care beyond the ED, a shorter wait when they do need an ED – more time at home, less time in hospital.

For our state, it means the right level of care, support, and access.

Lismore Base Hospital will become one of the first regional hospitals in NSW to commence rollout of the new Safe Staffing Levels.

Lismore Base Hospital is the latest site in NSW to commence roll out of the new Safe Staffing Levels in its emergency department, with recruitment underway for approximately 29 FTE additional nurses to meet Safe Staffing Level requirements. Port Macquarie Base Hospital is also currently undertaking recruitment as part of the Safe Staffing Levels roll out.

The staffing boost at Lismore and Port Macquarie Base Hospitals facilitates staffing levels based on a one-to-one nursing care ratio for generally occupied Emergency Department (ED) resuscitation beds on all shifts, and one nurse to three generally occupied ED treatment spaces and ED short-stay unit beds on all shifts.

This follows discussions with the Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce – established to oversee the rollout of the Government’s commitment of the equivalent of 2,480 full-time employees over four years towards staffing levels. It includes key leaders from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association (NSWNMA), NSW Health, and local health districts.

Implementation of safe staffing level areas is scheduled to occur in phases over the next three years.

Phase one of safe staffing levels is initially commencing in Level 5 and Level 6 EDs, which treat the most critically ill patients, and will then be progressively implemented across other hospitals and departments.

The Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce will review the initial rollout at these facilities to help inform the rollout at future sites.

Implementing safe staffing levels is just one of a range of measures that the NSW Government is embracing to build a more supported health workforce, including:

• abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in over a decade for nurses and other health workers;
• beginning to roll out 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities; and
• introducing the health worker study subsidies scheme.

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park:

“The rollout of Safe Staffing Levels aims to improve the experience of our patients and staff and boost retention, capacity and capability in our hospitals.

“The Safe Staffing Levels initiative involves the introduction of minimum staffing levels on every shift, which will result in more nurses employed in hospitals right across the state.

“The rollout began earlier this year at Liverpool Hospital and Royal North Shore Hospitals, with Port Macquarie Base Hospital and Lismore Base Hospital now coming on board.

“Importantly, this reform will deliver improved nursing numbers to provide care for patients while supporting our frontline healthcare staff.

“I look forward to working with representatives from the NSW Nurses and Midwives’ Association and NSW Health as part the Safe Staffing Levels Taskforce as they review this rollout and use these experiences to help inform safe staffing levels implementation at future sites.”

Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin:

“This initiative aims to support the attraction and retention of health staff to Lismore and the Northern NSW Local Health District to help ensure local patients have better access to safe, high-quality care.

“This will make a big difference to nurses in the emergency department at Lismore Base Hospital, and be a major benefit for everyone in the community who requires emergency care at the hospital.”

The Western Harbour Tunnel has passed an important milestone with work on the main roadway now progressing under the Warringah Freeway and just over one kilometre of tunnelling completed.

Working on what is known as Western Harbour Tunnel Stage 2, road header machines have cut through sandstone from Cammeray and are now breaking through 1000 tonnes of rock a day – the equivalent weight of two Airbus A380s – on the north and southbound mainline tunnels.

Currently underneath the Warringah Freeway, there are five road headers at work, including one that has commenced tunnelling from Ridge Street North Sydney to complete the future Falcon Street off ramp.

The 6.5 kilometre Western Harbour Tunnel is due to open to traffic in 2028 and importantly, will remain in public ownership.

As the first new road crossing of the harbour in over 30 years, Western Harbour Tunnel will deliver time-saving benefits to motorists, with 20 minutes shaved off a journey between North Sydney and Sydney Olympic Park or Leichhardt.

Tunnels currently being excavated under the Warringah Freeway will progress to Waverton where specialist tunnel boring machines will then tunnel under the harbour to Birchgrove and plug into the Rozelle Interchange.

The connection will be a key moment for the Sydney road network as the Western Harbour Tunnel will take pressure off the Anzac Bridge and Sydney Harbour Bridge, assisting traffic flow in the inner-west following the opening of the Rozelle Interchange.

The project’s twin, three-lane tunnels are expected to reduce traffic on the Western Distributor by 35 per cent, the Harbour Tunnel by 20 per cent and the Harbour Bridge by 17 per cent.

Work on the southern side of the harbour is now 80% complete and is due to be wrapped up in 2025.
Following the release of the final report of the Independent Toll Review on Tuesday, the NSW Government is focused on creating a fairer, simpler and transparent tolling network. 

The facts – Western Harbour Tunnel Stage 2:

• More than 3,300 workers inducted 
• Five road headers are advancing 20-25 metres a week through Sydney sandstone
• Over 186,000 tonnes of material so far excavated from Cammeray construction site 
• 1.1 linear kilometres of tunnel excavated
• 11,000 linear metres of rock bolts installed
• 244 concrete piles have been installed for the future Falcon Street off ramp – the equivalent of 1500 linear metres.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“This is an important and exciting project for Sydney and we are seeing important progress today.”

“I want to thank the 3300 workers so far inducted on the project, with 7000 jobs expected to be created before its opening in 2028. 

“Anyone who has crossed the harbour by road knows the system is constrained so the Western Harbour Tunnel will provide much-needed relief, slashing travel times by 20 minutes on a simple journey from North Sydney to Leichardt or Sydney Olympic Park.”

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“It has been more than three decades since a new road crossing of the harbour opened and this project will bring vital extra capacity and take pressure off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Harbour Tunnel, Western Distributor and Anzac Bridge – roads used by more than 2.5 million motorists every year.

“The Western Harbour Tunnel will remain in public hands and is part of our plans to remake a fairer toll road network for Sydney.

“Once completed, the Western Harbour Tunnel will provide more scope to improve traffic conditions through the inner-west, particularly on Victoria Road.”

The Minns Labor Government has today released its response to the statutory reviews of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and the native vegetation provisions of the Local Land Services Act 2013. The response signals a shift in the way the state fulfills its responsibilities to protect the environment and manage native vegetation across the State, now and into the future.

The plan will deliver on three key election commitments in this term of government: to reform the biodiversity offsets scheme, to end excess land clearing and strengthen environmental protections.

It also outlines the legislative, policy and program directions the NSW Government will take to respond to the statutory reviews and deliver on its commitments.

The response:

• recognises a change in approach is needed to set nature on a path to recovery;
• acknowledges the intrinsic relationship between biodiversity and Aboriginal culture and recognises the social, economic and environmental benefits that flow from caring for Country as well as the broader interests’ Aboriginal people have in biodiversity and land management issues;
• sets out short, medium and long-term priority actions to improve biodiversity protections and land management practices;
• sets the direction to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and support environmental repair and regeneration;
• introduce a NSW Nature Strategy to guide actions to protect, restore and enhance ecosystems and landscapes;
• recognises the strong connection farmers and landholders have with their land and the key role they play in managing and enhancing native vegetation and natural assets;
• outlines NSW Government support for landholders to access emerging natural capital markets, incentivising them to undertake sustainable farming practices while protecting and restoring their environmental assets;

Amendments to the Biodiversity Conservation Act will also require the biodiversity offsets scheme to transition to overall ‘net positive’ outcomes, and upfront consideration of biodiversity will be strengthened in planning and development processes. To support ongoing improvements to native vegetation management on private land, the NSW Government will strengthen prescriptions in the Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code and implement a new monitoring, evaluation and reporting framework.

The NSW Government is committed to working with the community to design and deliver the wide range of initiatives outlined in the response to ensure natural resources are managed in the social, economic and environmental interests of the state.

The full response is available at www.nsw.gov.au/nsw-plan-for-nature

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“We cannot ignore the truth: biodiversity in NSW is in crisis. Our goal must be to leave nature better off than we have found it.

“The independent review of the Biodiversity Conservation Act showed we need to take a number of reform measures not just to protect the biodiversity we have now, but to build on this baseline and do better. Our response to this review is that we are ready to take on that challenge.

“It’s clear we need new approaches, and that additional effort must be directed into proactive landscape-scale biodiversity protection, restoration, and management. We must go beyond the aim of halting loss to one of achieving overall ecosystem gains.

“The response sets out our immediate priorities and directions, but this is the start of concerted action, reform, investment.”

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“The NSW Government is committed to improving the management of native vegetation on private rural land and supporting landholders to improve environmental outcomes and access emerging natural capital markets.

“While the statutory LLS review found the objectives of the native vegetation provisions are valid, it also showed us there are actions we can take to improve native vegetation management on private land.

“To support further improvements to native vegetation management on private land, there will be an independent review by the Natural Resources Commission commencing in 2025, to provide Government with advice and options to further protect and restore biodiversity in regional landscapes and enhance value and support for landholders.

“Importantly, we will be working with farmers to deliver the actions outlined in this response to ensure we better protect native vegetation and promote sustainable agricultural production.”

Farmers or landholders who have questions about native vegetation management can contact their closest LLS office: www.lls.nsw.gov.au/i-want-to/contact-my-local-office.

The Minns Labor Government has awarded $2 million to three outstanding motor neurone disease (MND) reseachers, to support people in NSW affected by the disease and to better understand its causes.

Motor neurone disease is a rare, progressive neurological disorder that causes rapid degeneration of muscle activity and can impair walking, talking, breathing and general functioning. There is no cure for the disease.

MND affects approximately eight in every 100,000 Australians, and 90 per cent of cases occur sporadically, without any apparent reason or family link.

The MND Grants will fund research to help improve the wellbeing and health outcomes for people living with the disease, and drive advancements in diagnostic tools to improve rates of early detection and referral.

The merit-based funding will also support researchers to improve gaps in understanding about why incidences of MND is more prevalent in parts of NSW, by exploring environmental and occupational factors.

The MND Researcher Grants recipients are:

• Professor Dominic Rowe AM, Macquarie University. Awarded $997,808 to undertake systematic identification of sporadic MND patients in NSW to try and better predict random occurrences of the disease and improve delivery of care and therapy.
• Dr Rachel Tan, University of Sydney. Awarded $485,515 to identify blood measures of brain changes to improve diagnosis, prognosis and accelerate targeted intervention.
• Professor Steve Vucic, Sydney Local health District. Awarded $500,000 to develop a new multimodal diagnostic approach for Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – a MND of the nervous system.

For more information on the Motor Neurone Disease Research Grants, visit: https://www.medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/motor-neurone-disease/

Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

“This research is an important step to ensure we improve treatment and outcomes for people in NSW with a motor neurone disease diagnosis.

“It is a privilege to support these three remarkable researchers and invest funds to improve treatment outcomes for a disease that currently has no cure.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“I want to congratulate the recipients of the Motor Neurone Disease Research Grants, who work incredibly hard to improve our understanding of this debilitating condition, so the health system can continue to provide care and support to the people in NSW suffering with the disease.

“This grant program delivers on our 2023 election commitment to invest funding to support research into motor neurone disease in NSW, including in the state’s Riverina.”

Member for Murray Helen Dalton said:

“The people in my electorate have been deeply concerned about this crisis for more than a decade. With this continued funding for research hopefully we are another step closer to treatment and a cure.

“Rates of motor neuron disease are up to seven times higher around Lake Wyangan, located near Griffith, than in other areas of Australia and this allocation of funds is great news for communities in the Riverina.

“I’m pleased the Minns government has listened to our community and delivered on their election commitment to continue this vital research, because ultimately it’s our lives that are at stake here.”