Category: NSW News

The NSW Government is offering grants of up to $10 million for key infrastructure needed to progress new mining and processing projects to accelerate the critical minerals sector.

Stream Two of the NSW Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Activation Fund provides between $2 million and $10 million for key enabling infrastructure, such as heavy haulage modifications, road upgrades, water or power upgrades, and processing facilities, to help explorers and mining companies set up and operate in NSW.

Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for resources Paul Toole said the unprecedented investment would help secure an ongoing pipeline of critical minerals and high-tech metals into the future, positioning the State as a major global supplier.

“Critical minerals represent the future of mining in NSW and we are committed to supporting investment right across the board – from helping explorers make new discoveries and increasing processing capacity right through to the commercialisation of emerging technologies and applications,” Mr Toole said.

“The NSW Government announced in June it had allocated $130 million to activate the critical minerals and high-tech metals sector, setting NSW apart from all other jurisdictions.

“Applications for Stream One of the fund opened earlier this month, offering grants of up to $500,000 for important studies and research and development needed to kick-start early-stage projects. The grants we’re launching today support advanced projects by unlocking blockages through investment in strategic infrastructure.

“Enabling industry investment in critical minerals exploration and mining ensures our State is prepared for the increased worldwide demand, strengthens the future prosperity of NSW and provides a vital economic boost for regional economies.”

Critical minerals and high-tech metals include rare earths, cobalt, copper, antimony, and scandium, which are crucial to a range of current and future technologies, including defence, the manufacture of electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, and more.

The Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Activation Fund follows the NSW Government’s Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy launched late last year.

For more information about the fund go to: www.regional.nsw.gov.au/activation-fund

The NSW Government has announced a groundbreaking new approach to reward teaching excellence and attract more people to the profession, drawing on best practice around the world.  
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said evidence published today in an issues paper on the Rewarding Excellence in Teaching program sets out a compelling case for change. 
 
“We want a modern education system that recognises and rewards excellence in our classrooms, strengthens the practice of all teachers, and makes the profession more attractive as a career,” Mr Perrottet said.  
 
“This program is not about NAPLAN results, performance pay or rewarding tenure. It is about identifying and recognising teachers who go above and beyond in their teaching practice, and want to support and inspire other teachers to do the same.” 
 
The issues paper identifies that:
 

• NSW classroom teachers have limited options to progress in their careers without taking on formal leadership roles outside of the classroom.
• Effective teachers are more likely to stay in the classroom if they have can gain career progression from the chalkboard, including significant salary increases
• Keeping highly effective teachers in the classroom is the single biggest factor in improving student outcomes.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the new approach will bring seismic long-term change to our education system. 

“We are not only looking at where initiatives like this have worked overseas, we’re also looking at past attempts closer to home to make sure that our Rewarding Excellence in Teaching program is world-class, stands the test of time, and makes the biggest impact where it’s needed – in the classroom,” Ms Mitchell said. 

“There are many options on the table regarding design and implementation of this ambitious reform – that’s why we’ll continue to hear from experts, teachers, principals, school leaders and all those involved in our school communities across the state.”

The paper looks at international models of rewarding excellence like Singapore and Washington D.C. as well as programs closer to home, such as those in Victoria and Western Australia, finding that many programs featured defined standards, specific roles, and higher salaries. 

Professor John Hattie, a world-leading expert on education outcomes and student learning who is providing independent expert advice on the reform, said initial consultation has been positive.  

“Conversations with stakeholders so far have been robust and constructive. I look forward to continuing these important discussions to ensure we keep the best teachers in NSW classrooms,” Professor Hattie said.   

The central aims of the program are to:  

• Create a more attractive career path for classroom teachers, while raising the status of the profession.     
• Leverage the skills of highly effective teachers to strengthen teaching practice across the public education system, for the benefit of all students.  

 
Once consultation is complete, a policy paper will be finalised before the program begins implementation in 2023. 
 
The issues paper is available at https://bit.ly/3r9UTQW. 

An $80 million commitment to support jobs connected to training in the social housing sector has now changed the lives of more than 300 people, with the first group of cadets graduating to become full-time housing support workers.
 
The new graduates will today be presented with their Certificate IV in Housing, after completing a cadetship run by the Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA NSW) in partnership with the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC).
 
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said LAHC had partnered with industry bodies to assist in getting more people into work through the NSW Government’s $80 million Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Cadetship program.
 
“In 2020, we made a massive commitment through stimulus funding to support jobs connected to training in the housing sector by collaborating with industry bodies like CHIA, who have since created a $10 million Cadetship program” Mr Roberts said.
 
“Since then, we’ve seen the lives of more than 300 people changed – including the graduates of this program. Many of these graduates have had rough starts to their lives and around 75 per cent were unemployed before entering the program.”
 
Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Tanya Davies said the program, which focuses on providing opportunities for young people, those returning to the workforce, and those in need of housing assistance, provides a rewarding career pathway for graduates.
 
“Through this cadetship, graduates now have the opportunity to help deliver support services to tenants and the community in the social housing and homelessness sector,” Mrs Davies said.
 
“The power of their own lived experiences will be immeasurable in supporting families experiencing vulnerability.
 
“We celebrate them taking their first step in their career as fully qualified housing support workers.”
 
CHIA NSW Chief Executive Officer Mark Degotardi said he was proud of the students, who had embraced their opportunity to produce outstanding results.
 
“We can’t wait to see them explore their potential and develop their careers with community housing providers – an industry which values their newly developed skills,” Mr Degotardi said.
 
“We congratulate the NSW Government on this fantastic initiative.”
 
To read more about the NSW Government’s $80 million Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Cadetship program, visit: https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/land-and-housing-corporation/plans-and-policies/new-training-opportunities-connected-to-jobs

Private landholders are being supported to restore 200 hectares of koala habitat in the Northern Rivers through a new initiative that is planting 250,000 tree seedlings, backed by the NSW Koala Strategy.
 
Minister for Environment James Griffin said the landmark program is restoring koala habitat on private land, increasing biodiversity and providing an additional revenue stream for landholders through carbon farming.
 
“We know that more than 50 per cent of koala habitat is on private land in NSW, which is why private landholders are a big part of the solution when it comes to conserving and protecting koalas,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“Through the Koala Friendly Carbon Farming Project, we’re helping landholders plant hundreds of thousands of koala food and shelter trees to restore koala habitat and create corridors for them to move safely through areas.
 
“Landholders will be able to diversify their income through carbon farming, while creating new habitat for koalas and other native species on their properties.
 
“This is part of our NSW Koala Strategy, which delivers the biggest commitment by any government to a single species in Australia, and it will help us reach our target of doubling the number of koalas in NSW by 2050.”
 
The NSW Government is working in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, and Climate Friendly to deliver the project.
 
The project is working to kick-start carbon farming in koala habitats by developing carbon farming projects that deliver Australian Carbon Credit Units.
 
WWF-Australia Landscape Restoration Project Manager Tanya Pritchard said the project is addressing some of the major threats facing koalas.
 
“We can’t turn around the decline of east coast koalas without bold actions to tackle habitat loss and fragmentation,” Ms Pritchard said.
 
“This project provides incentives for landowners to be part of the solution and will help us to restore and connect large areas of koala habitat.”
 
Climate Friendly Co-CEO Skye Glenday said the initiative demonstrates how rural land managers can sustainably manage their environment while benefiting native species.
 
“Our partnership with landowners, WWF-Australia and the NSW Government will replenish important feeding and safe living areas for koalas and potentially attract other wildlife such as greater gliders, while building biodiversity and flood impact mitigation,” Ms Glenday said.
 
“The new trees will also provide benefits in capturing carbon to help Australia meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets.”
 
The NSW Koala Strategy is backed by more than $190 million and delivers a range of targeted conservation actions to secure more habitat, support community conservation, address threats to koala safety and health, and utilise science and research to build our knowledge.
 
Landholders can apply for a property assessment to determine if there are koalas close by and if their land is suitable.
 
For more information, visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/koala.

Summer sport registrations are officially open and families are being encouraged to take advantage of the State’s enormously successful Active Kids Voucher program, so children can get back to playing sport without breaking the family budget.
 
Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said there is an exciting summer ahead and families are being reminded to use these excellent NSW Government cost-saving measures.
 
“Getting kids out of the house to be active is vitally important for health and wellbeing. Signing your child up for sports allows for them to make new friends, learn important skills and stay healthy,” Mr Henskens said.
 
“Whether it’s, tennis, dance, cricket or nippers there are over 11,000 Active Kids providers across the State, so now is the perfect time to download your voucher and register your child in their favourite sport or active recreation activity.”
 
School-enrolled children in NSW can access two $100 Active Kids vouchers each year towards the cost of sport and active recreation fees.
 
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said NSW families have embraced the Active Kids program, and is one of more than 70 Government savings to help ease cost of living and boost household budgets.
 
“We are improving the application and redemption process for parents and providers, with a digital version of the voucher on the Service NSW app now available,” Mr Dominello said.
 
“Active Kids has been an overwhelming success, with almost 100 per cent of parents giving it the thumbs up.”
 
Cricket NSW CEO Lee Germon said the program offered greater opportunities for kids to play sport.
 
“Our Cricket NSW purpose is to inspire everyone to play and love cricket and the Active Kids Voucher program makes it easier for families to do that,” Mr Germon said.
 
“Anything we can do to provide greater access to the game is a positive, particularly in that 5-12 year old age group that we are focused on, so our thanks go to the NSW Government for this program.”
 
More information about Active Kids is available online.

NSW drivers are being urged to use the FuelCheck app to find a cheaper servo and save up to $10 a tank as the fuel excise discount ends on Wednesday.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the app can save drivers up to $800 a year and is just one of the measures contributing to the almost $7 billion delivered in cost of living savings to NSW residents since July 2017.
 
“Prices can vary greatly between petrol stations so if you’re filling up a 50L tank and there’s a 20 cent difference between service stations, you’d save $10 by filling up at the cheaper one,” Mr Kean said.
 
“Driving a couple of hundred metres down the road to a cheaper servo can really pay off and boost your budget.
 
“New data from the past six months shows independents consistently offer drivers the cheapest fuel.”
 
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said Sydney’s cheapest petrol is often found in the western and southwestern suburbs.
 
“FuelCheck has been an overwhelming success, with more than 2.2 million drivers downloading the free app, and 93 per cent giving it the thumbs up,” Mr Dominello said.
 
“With high petrol prices right now, drivers can find the cheapest fuel anywhere in NSW in real-time in the palm of their hand.
 
“Do yourself a favour these school holidays and get the app. You could save up to $800 a year by using it regularly.”

The state’s top university graduates will be the target of a bespoke program designed to attract high achievers into teaching careers in high demand areas across NSW.  

Premier Dominic Perrottet said Teach for Australia, which has a successful track record in other states, has created a unique model for our public schools.  

“The modern workforce has changed but pathways into the teaching profession have become more siloed, with students spending most of their time at university and unable to earn an income until they complete their placements,” Mr Perrottet said. 

“We want to attract the best candidates to our classrooms and this model actively seeks out the best graduates and helps them make the jump into teaching.” 

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said a particular focus of the program is mid-career professionals, who, once they have completed intensive Masters units, will be supported to work in a school while they complete their study. 

“Not only do tailored mid-career programs ease the burden of months of unpaid leave, they also provide future teachers with instrumental experience in the classroom – which teachers constantly tell us is where their most valuable learning takes place,” Ms Mitchell said. 

“This is not about cutting corners; it’s about rethinking the way we do teacher training to ensure future teachers have the hands-on experience they need to build their confidence and improve their practice.” 

Under the NSW Teach for Australia pathway, participants complete their Master of Teaching degree at Australian Catholic University while they are employed in a school. They receive holistic coaching, mentoring and classroom observations to provide teaching students with a continuous cycle of feedback and improvement.    

As part of the program, Principals will also have greater say in how the model is implemented in their school to ensure it meets the needs of a diverse range of school contexts.  

Under the partnership, a pilot cohort will be recruited next year commencing in NSW public schools in 2024. 

Rural Fire Brigades in the Blue Mountains are benefitting from the delivery of three new appliances, worth a combined $1.1 million, ahead of the official Bush Fire Danger Period beginning on 1 October.
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke joined Rural Fire Service (RFS) staff and volunteers at Katoomba today to hand over the keys to Category 1 tankers for the Blaxland, Hazelbrook and Lawson Brigades.
 
“Each of these appliances, worth $385,000, will assist our volunteers in providing an even greater level of fire protection to the local community,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“The Blaxland, Hazelbrook and Lawson Brigades are very active and do a wonderful job protecting people and property in one of our State’s most bush fire prone areas, as well as responding to building fires, vehicle accidents, and storm and flood responses.
 
“I am confident the new state-of-the-art appliances will prove to be invaluable assets, ensuring volunteers have access to modern firefighting technology when responding to fires and other incidents.”
 
RFS Acting District Manager, Inspector Rob Vinzenz, said the efforts of volunteers do not go unnoticed and the new Category 1 tankers will support their work.
 
“The men and women of the RFS remain on-hand 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and we should be extremely proud and grateful for their contribution,” Inspector Vinzenz said.
 
Since the 2019-20 Black Summer bush fires, the NSW Government has funded more than 400 fire trucks for RFS Brigades across the State.

From Woolgoolga to Murrumbateman, and everywhere in between, cricket fans in regional NSW will kick off the countdown to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup with the help of a ‘biggest hit’ virtual reality experience.
 
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the T20 World Cup Regional Roadshow will make 11 stops over the next month and include a range of interactive activities and displays, plus a number of prizes will be up for grabs.
 
“The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup is the pinnacle of the sport’s most exciting format and the Regional Roadshow gives cricket fans across the State the chance to experience the buzz of the tournament first-hand,” Mr Toole said.
 
“This is about giving cricket fans in the bush a taste of the action. With Sydney hosting six World Cup matches including a semi-final, the Regional Roadshow brings the action to  fans   who mightn’t otherwise be able to travel to matches and gives students a chance to get involved during the school holidays.”
 
Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the Regional Roadshow will start by taking the T20 World Cup silverware to northern NSW, and is an example of the benefits of the NSW Government’s 10 World Cups in 10 Years initiative.
 
“Regional NSW is the heartland of cricket in our State, and the Regional Roadshow has hit the sweet spot by providing entertainment and inspiration for bush cricket fans across NSW ahead of the T20 World Cup in Australia,” Mr Henskens said.
 
“Despite having a smaller population than Sydney, regional NSW accounts for around half of the state’s registered players, more than 250 adolescent cricketers in the Cricket NSW pathway system, and produces over 50 per cent of NSW’s contracted professional cricketers.”
 
With less than a month to go until the first game of the tournament, the Regional Roadshow was launched to cricket fans at Curryfest in Woolgoolga today.
 
Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said with 16 national teams competing, the T20 World Cup would bring communities and cultures together through sport.
 
“Sport has the power to unite communities, and the T20 World Cup will bring fans from many cultural backgrounds together in a celebration of sport,” Mr Singh said.
 
“What better place to launch the Regional Roadshow and celebrate the amazing communities that make up the tournament than here at Curryfest.”
 
More information on the T20 World Cup can be found online.

Around 700 homes are expected to go under the hammer on Super Saturday today as first home buyers will soon be able to choose between paying upfront stamp duty or a smaller annual property fee.
 
First Home Buyer Choice, which was announced in the 2022-23 NSW Budget as part of the Government’s integrated $2.8 billion housing package, is scheduled to start in January.
 
On the busiest auction day of the year, NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said eliminating the upfront cost of stamp duty can help first home buyers shave years off the time it takes to save a deposit.
 
“This is all about giving first home buyers the power to choose an alternative to upfront stamp duty,” Mr Kean said.
 
“We want to remove one of the barriers to entering the property market and help first home buyers realise the great Australian dream of home ownership sooner.”
Under the First Home Buyer Choice, eligible first home buyers will have the choice of a traditional upfront payment or a smaller annual property fee for properties with a purchase price of up to $1.5 million.
 
Around 84 per cent of residential property transactions across NSW are below the $1.5 million threshold. 
 
First home buyers who opt into the property tax will pay an annual fee of $400 plus 0.3 per cent of the land value of the property for the time they occupy the property as their principal place of residence. The property will not be locked into the scheme if it is sold.
 
Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said the stamp duty reform for first home buyers is part of a broader $2.8 billion housing package announced in the NSW Budget.
 
“The NSW Government is also looking at different ways we can boost housing supply,” Mr Roberts said.
 
“We will leave no stone unturned when it comes to initiatives that will help more people in NSW enter the market and own their own home.” 
 
First Home Buyer grants, duty exemptions and concessions will continue alongside the stamp duty option.
 
In the year to 31 July, 2022, the NSW Government assisted first home buyers with $566,730,403 in grants, duty exemptions and concessions.
 
The top 20 suburbs according to benefits received:
 

1. Schofields
2. Liverpool
3. Wentworthville
4. North Kellyville
5. Box Hill
6. Parramatta
7. Austral
8. Mount Druitt
9. Campbelltown
10. Homebush
11. Wollongong
12. Blacktown
13. Penrith
14. Googong
15. Kogarah
16. Lidcombe
17. Gobbagombalin
18. Bankstown
19. Gosford
20. Kingswood