Category: NSW News

Netball NSW is delighted to announce the 12 athletes who have been selected for the 2022 NSW 19U Team which will contest the National Netball Championships in Hobart in April.

The team includes five Suncorp Super Netball Training Partners with Sophie Fawns and Audrey Little from the NSW Swifts selected and GIANTS Charli Fidler, Erin O’Brien and Mille Roach making the cut too. 

“To be given a Training Partner contract indicates a readiness to step into Super Netball and to have five State Team athletes in that position is a testament to the strength of the QBE Swifts and GIANTS Netball Academies, Netball NSW Performance programs and the Origin Energy Premier League competition,” Margaret Hamley, General Manager of Performance & Pathways at Netball NSW, said.

As well as the Training Partners the team also includes a number of athletes from the QBE Swifts and GIANTS Netball Academies. 

Jamie Podmore Taylor, Ella Johnson (GIANTS Academy) and Kiara Bloor and Charlotte Smith (QBE Swifts Academy) have all had previous NSW State Team campaign experience yet, due to the COVID-enforced cancellations of the 2020 and 2021 Nationals, are yet to experience a National Netball Championship.

Samantha Bondietti (QBE Swifts Academy) has progressed through the ACT pathway and is welcomed to NSW as she embarks on a new chapter at university.

For Lucy Matthews (GIANTS Academy) and Erin Bloor, 2022 will be their first State Team campaign. Both athletes are exceptional role models who have demonstrated tenacity and resilience to strive to  achieve their goals.

“Netball NSW is proud of the 12 athletes selected in the 2022 19U State Team and wishes them the best of luck for the campaign ahead,” Hamley added.

Around 300,000 households across the State have taken advantage of the NSW Government’s new voucher program Parents NSW, offering $250 in vouchers as a thank you for their efforts to support learning from home in 2021.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said since its launch on 7 February, there have been more than 1.5 million vouchers issued to NSW families, totaling more than $75 million dollars in parents’ pockets.

“The State-wide uptake in just seven days is staggering,” Mr Perrottet said.

“More than 118,424 households applied for vouchers in the first 24 hours, the most successful start to a voucher program we have had to date.

“But as well as helping cut the cost of living for families, businesses are also getting a much-needed boost. In one week, parents have redeemed 12,500 vouchers spending around $970,000 in Stay NSW and Discover NSW registered businesses Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said the numbers pointed to the importance of targeted support delivered through the Service NSW app.

“This is Australian-first digital technology putting money straight into the pockets of parents,” Mr Dominello said.

“From those hundreds of thousands of customers who have already applied, the transaction has received 97 per cent thumbs up.

“If anyone is having any trouble with their application please contact Service NSW on 13 77 88 who can help with understanding the eligibility criteria and applying.”

The Parents NSW program provides each eligible household with at least one school-enrolled child where home learning took place in 2021 with five $50 vouchers which can be redeemed at Discover NSW and Stay NSW registered businesses.

It’s not too late for tourism, recreation and accommodation businesses to register. Parents NSW vouchers are valid until 9 October, 2022. For more information and details on how to apply, visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/parents-nsw-vouchers

The NSW Government is supporting the creation of local manufacturing jobs in Western Sydney with a $70 million investment to transition the state’s bus fleet to zero emissions technology.
 
Western Sydney based company Custom Denning has been awarded a contract to design, manufacture and assembly 79 new electric buses.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott toured the St Mary’s factory this morning to inspect the production line and meet workers.
 
“This is a true Western Sydney success story and our Government is proud to have played a part in this business producing the first locally-built electric bus,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“Custom Denning employs 160 workers at their St Mary’s factory and this investment will now provide more jobs to ensure our buses are built to the highest standard.
 
“Our Government is getting closer to securing a cleaner, healthier future for the people of NSW and at the same time this electric bus transition will generate hundreds of local manufacturing jobs, which is an amazing outcome for our state.” 
 
Minister for Transport and Veterans David Elliott said the $70 million investment takes the number of bus orders placed with Custom Denning past 100, which will help drive a post pandemic jobs recovery and a boost for local manufacturing.
 
“The NSW Government’s commitment to transition the entire 8,000-plus bus fleet is supercharging jobs and manufacturing in Western Sydney,” Mr Elliott said.
 
“Bus customers are already experiencing the benefits of electric buses from Penrith to Bondi, and we will continue to back local manufacturing.
 
“I’m committed to exploring opportunities to secure more local manufacturing, component supply and workforce skills development to boost our economy.”
 
Once built, the 79 buses will operate services in Sydney’s inner west. Transport for NSW, in collaboration with its contracted bus operators, have ordered 101 electric buses from Custom Denning.

The NSW Government has announced nearly $5 million in grant funding to support Aboriginal families and communities staying safe and connected to critical services during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Ben Franklin said directly investing in Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) is making a real difference to communities, many of them in remote and regional locations.

“We know that COVID has had a significant impact on our Aboriginal communities across the state,” Mr Franklin said.

“Providing funding to Aboriginal communities and ACCOs is vital to ensuring everyone across the State has access to essential services to keep them physically and socially well, while also remaining connected to the places and people most important to them.”

Mr Franklin said today the COVID-19 Aboriginal Community Response Grants Program is being extended for another three months until April 29, 2022.

Funding of between $1,000 and $10,000 will be available to ACCOs across NSW to support social, emotional and physical wellbeing, as well as responding to immediate needs in Aboriginal communities.

To date this program has funded 176 projects totaling $1.5 million to provide local responses to Aboriginal people impacted by COVID-19, particularly vulnerable community members including Elders, young people, and those with underlying chronic health conditions.

In a second program, the $3.4 million COVID-19 Aboriginal Community Partnership Support Program is supporting 19 Aboriginal organisations.

Selected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations in NSW were invited to apply for grants of between $50,000 and $250,000 in recognition of their significant role in supporting their member organisations across the state and to continue delivering community outreach services across NSW.

Mr Franklin said grant recipients were members of the NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations (CAPO), NSW Stolen Generation organisations and local decision-making alliances (LDM).

BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation was funded $246,170 to provide support and connections to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQ+ people across NSW.

First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) received $250,000 funding to provide advocacy and accessible multi-media communications to Aboriginal people with a disability as well as their families.

La Perouse Aboriginal Community Alliance received $228,600 to establish a COVID Working Group to identity areas of need across their community as well as providing increased support for mental health.

“COVID-19 continues to impact Aboriginal people and the response of Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) during the past two years has been significant. These grants will build on this by enabling local community organisations to continue and grow their important work,” Mr Franklin said.

The NSW Govermnent’s tour of a Western Sydney bus manufacturer does not make up for its complete neglect of local manufacturing jobs for the past decade.

The Premier and Transport Minister today toured Custom Denning to announce a contract to assemble 79 new electric buses – less than one per cent of the State’s bus fleet.

However, the announcement pales in comparison to the billions of dollars in jobs and investment that have been sent offshore over the past decade.

A recent Unions NSW and The McKell Institute report Build it Here found the Government forewent 4,192 direct and indirect jobs and more than $484 million in payroll and income tax collections through its decision to offshore NSW Government’s transport contracts.

These include:

The new intercity rail fleet made in South Korea,

The light rail made in France and Spain,

New Sydney Ferries made in China and Indonesia; and,

38 B-Line buses built in Germany and assembled in Malaysia.

Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey said photo ops were a poor substitute for a decade of of sending jobs offshore.

“The Premier thinks one photo opportunity will make up for a decade of neglecting local manufacturing jobs and industry. It won’t.

“Today Mr Perrottet has announced he intends to build assemble 79 buses here in Sydney, one per cent of the fleet. If he was fair dinkum he would commit to build all of the State’s 8000 buses in NSW as and when the current fleet need replacing.

“That would give workers and businesses confidence to plan and invest.

“When governments spend money in their local economy it has a powerful multiplier effect. Those workers spend in their local communities and pay tax to state and federal governments.

“Local manufacturers better understand local conditions and are more accountable. They are less likely to construct trams that don’t fit on the tracks or ferries that can’t fit under a bridge.

“It’s nice to see Mr Perrottet cotton on to the concerns we have been raising, but so far we are seeing more spin than substance.

McKell Institute executive director Michael Buckland said full accounting for the economic benefits of local production was critical.

“Governments must consider the wider economic benefits of local construction when they sign significant procurement contracts,” Mr Buckland said.

“A fuller perspective of the jobs, economic activity and tax revenue generated through local purchasing would see many more projects built in Australia.

The Build It Here report recommended :

The cost increases observed in overseas procurements should be investigated to determine whether inefficiencies resulting from offshore contract sourcing are consistent, and how they may be mitigated via local production.

The NSW Government should establish an international sourcing comparator based on the public sector comparator to promote transparency in significant procurement decisions. The international sourcing comparator should be published alongside contract award notices.

Government agencies should publish wider economic benefits as part of a holistic cost-benefit analysis when making decisions about major procurement contracts that exceed $1 billion.

Building homes and supporting jobs in the construction, retail and hospitality sectors are at the centre of the latest tranche of regulatory relief helping NSW business get to the other side of the Omicron outbreak.
 
Changes to planning rules will allow for an extension of emergency construction hours, as well as making it easier for businesses to get much needed supplies and extending temporary measures that let pubs and restaurants continue to use carparks and bowling greens.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the measures were aimed at supporting some of the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic and designed to keep the economic wheels turning during the Omicron wave of the pandemic.
 
“We know that some retailers have struggled to get supplies and that impacts what people see on the shelves,” Mr Kean said.
 
“We are changing the rules to make it easier for businesses to get those critical supplies – 24 hours a day in business and industrial areas.
 
“We’ve already changed the rules to let diners onto the footpaths and public spaces and now we’re extending measures to let pubs and restaurants use privately owned car parks and open space until 30 June.”
 
These new rule changes helping NSW businesses include:

• The extension of emergency construction hours (up until 31 March 2022) allowing construction sites to operate on weekends without the need for prior planning approval;
• Changes to planning rules allowing 24-hour deliveries in industrial and business zones
• The extension of measures allowing pubs and restaurants use privately owned open space and car parks for hospitality (up until 30 June 2022)

 
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said it’s vitally important we support the construction industry and the 340,000 jobs it supports.
 
“Construction continues to play a crucial role in our state by contributing around $47 billion each year to the economy, and supporting communities by, keeping people in jobs delivering new homes and community facilities,” he said.
 
“These changes will help us keep shovels in the ground to deliver new homes, jobs and great public spaces and keep the economy moving.”
 
No construction work will be allowed on public holidays and only quiet works can take place on Sundays. The extension of construction hours will be in place until 31 March 2022.
 
For more information visit www.planning.nsw.gov.au

The NSW space industry ecosystem has been further strengthened with the official opening of the National Space Industry Hub in Eveleigh, Sydney.
 
The hub, which was officially launched last night, is part of Sydney’s Tech Central Precinct and offers office space, resources, mentoring and connections for emerging space ventures.
 
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Stuart Ayres said among the first residents of the hub are the Space Industry Association of Australia, the government-backed NSW Space Research Network and the NSW Node of the SmartSat Cooperative Research Centre (CRC).
 
“These organisations bring together industry, universities and researchers to ensure we continue to have the strongest space capability in Australia,” Mr Ayres said.
 
As part of the launch of the hub the NSW Government and Cicada Innovations launched the Fast Start intense coaching program, which aims to help companies commercialise innovative ideas.
 
Participants in the first cohort include Extraterrestrial Power, which aims to support space missions by producing advanced silicon solar cells and Amentum Aerospace, which specialises in predictive scientific modelling software to enhance operational planning for space missions.
 
Both companies will receive a six-month tailored program of mentoring and coaching, access to state-of-the-art rapid prototyping facilities and a dedicated workspace at the hub.
 
Cicada Innovations CEO Sally-Ann Williams said that the hub was ready and waiting to support the participants, through a range of virtual and COVID-safe in-person activity.
 
“NSW is a fantastic place to build a Space venture. We’re surrounded by experience, talent, capital and the community to support space entrepreneurs on their journey,” Ms Williams said.
Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology, and Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said ensuring NSW has a talent pipeline of highly skilled workers was critical to ensuring NSW remains competitive in the space race.
 
“NSW already has an incredible depth of talent in the space industry however we need to continue to grow this pipeline to ensure the industry thrives,” Mr Henskens said.
 
Also launched as part of the hub’s opening was the Foundations Program, a free online learning resource for researchers, engineers and aspiring entrepreneurs looking for foundational knowledge on how to commercialise space technology.
 
The National Space Industry Hub is being delivered as part of the NSW Space Industry Development Strategy, launched in 2020. For more information, visit: https://www.business.nsw.gov.au/industry-sectors/industry-opportunities/space

The NSW Government has granted more than $350,000 to eight organisations undertaking initiatives to boost mental health in the workplace.

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said the recipients of the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) Recovery Boost grants would use the funding to help people recover at work and reduce the stigma around mental health.

“The Recovery Boost grants will allow these organisations to implement bespoke initiatives that will help prevent mental illness or aid recovery,” Mr Dominello said.

“Workplaces need tailored, practical support that respond to the unique mental health challenges they face.

“Prioritising the mental health and wellbeing of staff is more important than ever and these workplaces will benefit from additional resources that will enable them to provide greater support.”

Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said that the mental health workplace initiatives would benefit essential workers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and those living in regional and rural NSW.

“The successful programs range from tailored assistance for rural sole traders, yarning circles for First Peoples, support for deaf and hard of hearing workers, and targeted intervention for police officers with stress disorders,” Ms Taylor said.

“Each organisation has demonstrated that their mental health initiative can promote seeking assistance early, supporting recovery and reducing stigma.

“The results of each initiative will go towards building the evidence base for what works to support mental health recovery at work.”

SIRA is working across the sector to improve mental health outcomes across the State. These grants mark the third round of the SIRA Recovery Boost program, which provides up to $50,000 to organisations with innovative ideas to help mental health recovery. The list of grant recipients is here: https://www.nsw.gov.au/mental-health-at-work/stories/mental-health-at-work-blogs/recovery-boost-2021-winners

More than 2,800 graduate nurses and midwives will start work across 130 NSW public hospitals and health facilities this year in a major boost for the NSW Health system.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet, Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor commended the graduates, many of whom are officially commencing work this week, having already worked on the COVID-19 workforce response.
 
“We owe a great deal of thanks to these graduates. Many of them have already been working as students in NSW’s vaccination and testing clinics. They have done an exceptional job,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“We are continuing to make the record investments in the biggest health system in the country, which means no matter where you live in our State you will have access to the care you need when you need it most.
 
“These extra nurses and midwives will help bolster the ranks of our front line health workers who have done an incredible job helping to protect people and keep them safe throughout the pandemic. We can’t thank them enough for their selfless dedication.”
 
Mr Hazzard said there are now more nurses and midwives in NSW public hospitals than at any other time in history.
 
“These graduates join us at an incredibly challenging time. We thank them, and all of our nurses, for their contributions to support the health system and the people of NSW,” Mr Hazzard said.
 
Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said more than 40 per cent of the graduates will be working in rural and regional areas of NSW.
 
“Around 1,200 of these fantastic new graduate nurses and midwives will soon be working on the frontline in our regional emergency departments, maternity wards and community teams, making a huge difference in the bush,” Mrs Taylor said.
 
“As someone who got my start in a regional hospital, I know the skills and experience they gain will set them up for success into their future nursing career.”
Throughout their first year, graduates are provided with opportunities in a variety of clinical settings to ensure they gain a range of experience and consolidate skills and knowledge developed whilst at university.
 
Between 2012 and 2021, the nursing and midwifery workforce in NSW increased by 9,599 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, or 23 per cent, to 51,794 (FTE).
 
The NSW Government is also investing in a further 5000 nurses and midwives from 2019-2022 under a record $2.8 billion boost to frontline staff.

The NSW Government is calling on people to roll up their sleeve and get their third vaccination in a month-long booster blitz at clinics across the state including a pop-up hub at the NRL All Stars blockbuster this Saturday.

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the clinic at CommBank Stadium is part of a statewide booster drive over the next four weekends to further protect the community against COVID-19.

“We know boosters provide the best protection against serious illness and hospitalisation and it’s our great vaccination rates that have enabled us to start getting our lives back on track,” Mr Perrottet said.

“I encourage everyone to go take that extra step for themselves and their loved ones.”

Minister for Health Brad Hazzard those eligible should take their cue from the All Stars and front up for a jab before the game.

“NSW has one of highest vaccination rates in the world thanks to the community’s willingness to roll up their sleeves at our many NSW Health mass vaccination clinics and pop-up clinics, as well as at GPs and pharmacies. These additional walk-in pop-up clinics will make it even easier to get your first, second or third dose,” Mr Hazzard said.

“There’s no need to show your Medicare card or book in advance, just drop into one of the many pop-up clinics, or on game day.”

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Ben Franklin encouraged everyone in attendance to use the opportunity to get their free booster while enjoying the world class sporting event.

“The evidence is clear. Vaccines are our best line of defence against COVID-19. They can help protect you, your loved ones and the community from serious illness,” Mr Franklin said.

“In NSW, we know that vaccination rates among Aboriginal people are lower than the rest of the population, so I’m encouraging everyone in attendance this Saturday to roll up your sleeve and get boosted so we can keep each other safe and get back to enjoying more of the things we love.”

Vaccination clinics across the state will be accepting walk-ins every weekend for the next four weeks. Details of all the NSW Health clinics participating in the walk-in weekend campaign over the coming month, with locations and opening times, are available through nsw.gov.au/weekend-walk-in
The pop-up vaccination clinic at the NRL All Stars game will be located inside the stadium and will be operating from 4:00pm to 8:00pm.

You are eligible for the booster shot if you’re aged 16 years or over, and it’s been at least three months since your second COVID-19 vaccination.