Category: NSW News

The community of the Hunter region will benefit from a significant investment of more than $24 million in infrastructure following a number of key announcements by the NSW Government today.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott joined the Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter Taylor Martin MLC to open the new $17 million purpose-built Cessnock Police Station at an official ceremony today.
The new police station, the result of a 2018 commitment by the Government, includes state-of-the-art connectivity to the neighbouring court complex for prisoner transfer, crime prevention and investigative spaces, traffic and highway command resources and new custody facilities such as a van and charge docks.
The official opening of the Cessnock Police Station coincides with a number of key police infrastructure announcements this week, including:

• a $6.5 million investment to Newcastle Police Station to include a refurbished ground floor and air conditioning upgrades; and
• a further $700,000 upgrade of Maitland Police Station, including increased security coverage and new custody space.

Minister Elliott, who travelled to Maitland, Newcastle and Cessnock for the announcements, said the substantial investment into regional infrastructure provides the NSW Police Force with the resources needed to keep the community of the Hunter safe.
“This Government continues to deliver on its election commitment to invest in a police station infrastructure program to support the vital work of our police women and men across this state,” he said.
“The facility also provides the extra space and resources needed to support the growing number of police allocated to the region. Importantly, the construction of the new Cessnock Police Station added more than 380 jobs to the local economy,” Mr Elliott said.
Deputy Commissioner Corporate Services, Karen Webb, said the multipurpose station is designed to support smaller regional stations to deliver enhanced front-line policing services.
“I hope this town can be proud to call this new policing facility its own – it will protect all, both the community and the officers that serve it,” Deputy Commissioner Webb said.
“This is a major investment into the crime-fighting capabilities in the Hunter Valley. It gives the police in this command the support they need to drive down crime and keep the community safe,” she said.

The new Sydney Football Stadium (SFS) has passed a major milestone, with the installation of the first seats bringing the stadium to life.
Minister for Sport Natalie Ward said the new stadium has been designed for fans to have the best game day experience possible.
“The highly-anticipated new SFS is really starting to come to life before our eyes and it’s so exciting to start to see what fans will experience when they fill the stands,” Mrs Ward said.
“Sports lovers are in for a real treat, with all 42,500 seats designed to be as close as possible to the field of play with amazing views.
“Around 900 seats have just been installed, completing three bays in the middle tier of the southern stand, with all seats expected to be in by the middle of next year.”
The seat design has been created by award-winning Indigenous artist Tony Albert, with the theme “Two Worlds Colliding – Water and Land” telling a story about place and country, while providing a nod to the contest of two competing teams.
“This state-of the-art stadium will be a world-class drawcard for visitors far and wide, providing a boost to the economy and building on Sydney’s strong entertainment and sporting culture,” Mrs Ward said.
The new SFS will include an open concourse with views of the field from a range of food and beverage outlets, and more amenities to minimise wait times.
“The recently-announced adjacent village precinct will also deliver new open spaces, plus a children’s play area and new cafe and restaurant,” Mrs Ward said.
”Around 1,100 workers are on site every day, with another 600 jobs to be created when the stadium is open.
“To further boost the local economy, about $300 million worth of contracts have been awarded to NSW-based suppliers and contractors, including steel manufacturing for the roof elements and a turf farm in western Sydney for the pitch.”

Native plants and animals in Western Sydney are set to thrive with more than $1 million invested as an early action of the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney, and Minister for Trade and Industry Stuart Ayres said the funding would be provided to Deerubbin, Tharawal and Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Councils (LALCs) to support cultural conservation efforts.
“There is more than 60,000 years of continuous Aboriginal connection to the land of Western Sydney, so it’s vital we draw on this deep knowledge to protect the area’s unique native plants and animals,” Mr Ayres said.
“Our conservation plan and partnership with the Local Aboriginal Land Councils will ensure the ancient woodlands of the Cumberland Plain thrive for many generations to come.”
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the city’s west is home to a large and diverse Aboriginal community rich in history and culture and this grant would enable cultural conservation to build a legacy for the future.
“This funding will support these communities to care for Country in a way that recognises their strong connection, knowledge and custodianship to the land,” Mr Stokes said.
“There is an abundance of native animals and plants in Western Sydney, which is why the conservation plan and our partnership with the Local Aboriginal Land Councils are so important.”
The $1 million grant program – funded by the NSW Government – is being delivered in partnership with the NSW Aboriginal Land Council (NSWALC) as an early action of the Cumberland Plain Conversation Plan.
NSWALC Councillor for the Sydney/Newcastle Region Abie Wright said the grant funding would support the LALCs to deliver early cultural and conservation outcomes on their lands.
“LALC lands in Western Sydney often have land-use legacies that require expensive assessment and investment to prepare for future sustainable conservation management,” Cr Wright said.
“I’m heartened by the Government’s investment to support the LALCs with their conservation endeavours and amplify capacity and leadership in local cultural management projects.”
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is currently developing a 10-year strategy in partnership with Western Sydney’s Aboriginal community under the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan.
For more information visit: www.planning.nsw.gov.au/CPCPgrant

The NSW Police Force now operates the newest fleet of police helicopters in the Southern Hemisphere following the Government’s investment in three new Bell 429 helicopters.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott joined NSW Police Commissioner Michael Fuller APM and the Member for East Hills Wendy Lindsay today to unveil the three new light helicopters at a commissioning ceremony at the Police Aviation Command in Bankstown.
The three additional light helicopters bring the current Aviation Command fleet to eight aircraft, with two Bell 412 helicopters and three Cessna Caravan fixed-wing aircraft, and were funded by the NSW Government $50 million Future Light Helicopter Program.
PolAir helicopters have undertaken 645 search-and-rescue operations locating 157 missing people, and rescuing a further 30 members of the community so far this year.
Mr Perrottet said the new light helicopter fleet represents a record investment in the State’s aviation law-enforcement capabilities.
“The NSW Government is committed to ensuring the NSW Police Force has the world-leading resources and equipment to keep our communities safe across the entire state,” he said.
“We know that these aviation resources are a vital component to our policing responses, and I am confident that PolAir 1, 3 and 4 will play a critical role in our future operations.”
Mr Elliott said the NSW Police Force Aviation Command is one of the most experienced and capable law-enforcement aviation agencies in the world.
“We’ve all seen the important work of the Police Aviation Command in recent weeks after a PolAir crew found three-year-old ‘AJ’ who’d been missing from his family farm in Putty for 72 hours,” Mr Elliott said.
“Only five days earlier, we saw a PolAir crew rescue a 15-year-old girl after she was thrown into the water of the Nepean River and washed into an inaccessible part where debris from recent floods had formed an island of logs trapped in a bottleneck of fast-flowing water.
“Land crews had been unable to reach her and the teen had been in the cold waters of the Nepean River for up to two hours when the helicopter crew sighted her, clinging to a semi-submerged log.
“The Polair crew member was winched down to the river and swam to the girl, securing her into the harness before they were both winched back to the safety of the helicopter.”
Commissioner Fuller said each helicopter had been purpose-built to policing specifications.
“The Bell 429 helicopters have been specifically designed and fitted with the best technology available to carry out search and rescue operations, conduct aerial patrols and surveillance operations,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“Each one has been customised with the most sophisticated equipment, including a FLIR camera system, advanced mapping systems, tactical radio and rescue hoist winch.
Other important features of the Bell 429 helicopters include a high-powered controllable search light ‘Trakka beam’, video downlinking for real time situational awareness and a public address system.

The NSW Government is establishing a new nation-leading identity support unit to minimise the risks associated with identity theft and make it easier for customers to access help in the event their personal information or government proof of identity credentials are stolen or fraudulently obtained.
Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said IDSupport NSW will support customers and NSW Government agencies to prevent identity misuse and in the event of a data breach provide a single point of call support service for citizens.
“This is an escalating problem around the world and NSW will lead the way when it comes to the solution,” Mr Dominello said.
“IDSupport NSW will for the first time provide a single point-of-contact for customers who have had their identity compromised, while ensuring we have a coordinated end-to-end privacy incident response service in NSW Government.
“The unit will remove the burden from customers who need to replace identification documents, improving their experience at what we know can be a difficult time.”
IDSupport NSW will work with government agencies to mitigate the risk of stolen or fraudulently obtained personal information and identity credentials being used for identity crimes and replace compromised identity documents where appropriate.
IDSupport will also provide the customer with options for additional support and counselling services.
The unit will work closely with Cyber Security NSW and other Government agencies to perform proactive mitigation activities and deliver education and awareness campaigns about personal cyber security and identity resilience.
“Identity crime is becoming increasingly sophisticated which is why improving identity resilience has been a key action in the NSW Identity Strategy,” Mr Dominello said.
IDSupport NSW will work across all NSW Government departments and in collaboration with Australian and New Zealand identity and cyber support service, IDCARE, to provide seamless replacement of compromised Government proof of identity documents and expert advice to address issues with broader identity misuse.
“Customers will be able to contact one phone number and receive the right guidance, information and support, saving time and frustration during what can be a stressful time,” Mr Dominello said.
IDSupport NSW will complement a framework the Department of Customer Service is currently developing to support state government agencies to identify and mitigate potential privacy issues which may arise from data breaches.
The framework was a key recommendation of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Cyber Security released earlier this year. The Department of Customer Service is currently recruiting for experts to join IDSupport NSW and focus on the future development of the project, which is due to be launched early next year.
NSW Privacy Commissioner, Samantha Gavel, welcomed the responsiveness of NSW Government in addressing the recommendations of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Cyber Security.
“Cyber security risks have been elevated in recent years through the development of rapidly evolving technology and techniques by malicious actors and cyber breaches represent an increasing threat to citizens’ personal and identity information,” Ms Gavel said.
“It is important to mitigate and prevent identity theft and provide appropriate support to NSW citizens whose identity information has been compromised. The Privacy Commissioner welcomes these initiatives to assist and support citizens.”
IDCARE CEO Dr David Lacey said he was looking forward to working closely with the NSW Government.
“The aim of the partnership with IDSupport NSW is to develop best practice approaches to address identity compromise arising from data breaches. This will complement IDCARE’s tried and tested approach to helping customers within Australia and New Zealand address issues with broader identity misuse,” Dr Lacey said.
In 2020, the NSW Government committed a record $240 million to bolster its internal cyber capacity, established a regional Cyber Security Hub in Bathurst, led the work for the first industry standards taskforce and introduced SME targets for ICT expenditure across Government.
This year an additional $75 million has been allocated to small agencies for cyber security uplift as part of the Digital Restart Fund.

The NSW Government is massively expanding the NSW national park estate with the purchase of two properties, Avenel/Mt Westwood station near Broken Hill and Koonaburra station near Ivanhoe, which will add a combined 166,924 hectares.
Environment Minister, Matt Kean said these two purchases take the total additions to the national park estate to 520,000 hectares since August 2019.
“In just over two years we have added over half a million hectares to our park estate, smashing target after target and securing precious habitat and biodiversity for future generations,” Mr Kean said.
“This latest expansion will conserve significant areas of critically important habitat types in western NSW that are not currently protected in the park estate.”
Both properties are significant in size, with the 121,390 hectare Avenel/Mt Westwood Station the second largest purchase by NPWS in the state’s history.
Avenel/Mt Westwood Station, a remote and ecologically diverse landscape on the South Australian border, features spectacular dune fields of the Strzelecki desert transitioning to the rocky plateau of the Barrier Range, with a network of river red gum and coolabah fringed rivers, creeks and watercourses. The property also supports habitat for an estimated 30 threatened plant and animal species including the Australian bustard and the dusky hopping mouse.
Koonaburra station, will add a further 45,534 hectares includingan extensive area of sandplain and dune field country featuring a vast network of water depressions (“melon holes”) providing important water sources for many species. It also supports habitat for at least 20 threatened animal species including the Major Mitchell cockatoo, Mallee fowl and the fat-tailed dunnart.
NPWS is currently delivering the biggest investment in visitor infrastructure in national park history and this program will be extended to both Avenel and Koonaburra, ensuring both properties become “must see destinations” for the millions who visit our national parks every year.

One of Australia’s fastest growing communities will soon see the construction of the new Green Square Public School following the State Significant Development Application (SSDA) lodgement.
The new primary school will provide fit-for-purpose learning spaces and core facilities to meet demand in the community. The project will include additional facilities designed for community use and shared spaces for both school and community use.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said this was exciting news for the community and she looked forward to construction starting.
“This school is an exciting project for the growing community and will be a centrepiece for the local area,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The school will bring world class educational facilities home to Green Square and build a precinct that the community and families will love.
“The NSW Government has continued to deliver for communities right across the State and families in Green Square will soon benefit from the record $15 billion investment in school building projects since 2017.”
An SSDA has been submitted to the City of Sydney for assessment, as delegated by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE).
The project is expected to begin site establishment and early works at Joynton Avenue later this year.
City of Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, said that the school will sit at the heart of the growing Green Square community and set a new benchmark for urban development.
“This revolutionary school design will provide much-needed community facilities that will be activated day and night for the whole community to use. It is an important addition to the area’s educational, social and cultural life,” the Lord Mayor said.
“By 2030, over 60,000 people will call Green Square home. The school will serve as a lynchpin that connects our award-winning library and civic plaza, 40 new parks and the Gunyama Park Aquatic and Recreation Centre, which opened earlier this year. By planning for the community’s needs alongside residential development, we are transforming Sydney’s oldest industrial heartland into a lively, connected and well-serviced community.”
The NSW Government is  investing $7.9 billion over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 215 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW. This investment is part of the $15 billion school building program, the largest investment in public education infrastructure in the history of NSW.

Following its announcement of Australia’s largest hydrogen strategy, the NSW Government has released a new report outlining a roadmap to build a thriving Power-to-X (P2X) industry which could see the state become a global renewable energy superpower.
P2X technologies use cheap, excess renewable energy to split abundant molecules such as water, carbon dioxide and air to make green products like hydrogen, ammonia, methane and methanol for use as fuel, chemicals and feedstocks in NSW and for export to overseas markets as green energy commodities.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney and Minister for Trade and Industry Stuart Ayres said the NSW P2X Industry Pre-Feasibility Study, led by UNSW Sydney, had unearthed the state’s potential to become a global leader in P2X.
“This is further confirmation that NSW intends to lead the country in green hydrogen production. Our state has an opportunity to capitalise on the global pivot to low-carbon fuels to commoditise our renewable resources and export to overseas markets, creating both clean energy and jobs for NSW,” Mr Ayres said.
“It’s critical that our future industry and investment planning aligns with NSW’s 2050 net-zero emissions target. NSW is revolutionising its industry and workforce by embracing new technologies to meet this commitment.
“A thriving P2X industry could also unlock opportunities to boost regional and NSW economics, with the report identifying opportunities to establish P2X industries in several regional centres including the Illawarra, Hunter and Parkes.
“By leveraging existing and planned infrastructure such as ports, inland rail and logistics hubs, our regional centres will become the powerhouse of P2X production to supply the local and global market.”
Treasurer and Minister for Energy and Environment Matt Kean said the study reaffirms NSW’s ambition to set the state up as a global hydrogen leader.
“P2X will not only help NSW in getting to net zero in 2050 and halving its emissions by 2030, it will create new opportunities for our heavy industry and make our state a global renewable powerhouse.” Mr Kean said.
NSW Chief Scientist & Engineer Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte said P2X will unlock the next wave of clean technology development opportunities for NSW.
“With many states in Australia and countries around the world now joining the hydrogen race, NSW is thinking beyond the hydrogen economy and aims to take the first-mover advantage to build our capabilities and industries in P2X,” Professor Durrant-Whyte said.
The NSW P2X Industry Pre-Feasibility Study roadmap proposes:

1. A P2X Innovation Network to enhance collaboration between industry, researchers and government in technology advancement and industry development
2. Establishing a P2X R&D Commercialisation Hub to provide research infrastructure, expertise, and resources to support commercialisation-driven R&D
3. Deploying early stage P2X projects to pave the way for technology adoption at commercial scale
4. Identifying export opportunities for P2X products
5. Targeted investment in homegrown disruptive technologies
6. Building vertically integrated P2X value chains and local manufacturing capability
7. Developing P2X eco-industrial precincts to lay the foundation for NSW’s P2X economy.

To read the full study, visit: https://www.chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au/rdnsw/future-industries-reports/p2x

The NSW Government’s new learn to swim voucher program will be expanded from preschool-aged children to include kindergarten kids who missed out on lessons due to COVID restrictions.
Under the ‘First Lap’ program, eligible children can access a $100 voucher for swimming lessons with an approved provider, with businesses able to register for it from next month.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the program, which starts on December 1, would be extended to cover children in kindergarten this year, or who are starting kindergarten in 2022.
“Because of COVID restrictions, our kindy kids have missed a crucial window of being able to develop the skills they need to stay safe in the water,” Mr Perrottet said.
“It’s really important they don’t miss out, so we’re making sure they can also access the First Lap voucher program now that our pools are back open for lessons.”
Minister for Sport Natalie Ward said the NSW Government will invest $54 million over two years in the program, which will also ease cost of living pressures for families.
“Summer in Australia is all about swimming, at your local pool, beach or river. We know families have been doing it tough during the COVID lockdown and the First Lap program will also ensure family budgets aren’t stretched so our kids have these crucial skills,” Mrs Ward said.
Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said the program was one of more than 70 NSW Government savings helping to ease cost-of-living pressures for households, including the Active Kids and Creative Kids programs.
“This is in addition to a host of other savings including energy rebates, free car registration and lower green slip costs,” Mr Dominello said.
Active Kids vouchers can be used by school-enrolled children, including those in kindergarten,  for sport and recreation activities such as swimming lessons. Families can apply for the First Lap vouchers from 1 December, through Service NSW.

The final stage of the return to school begins today with more than 500,000 students from Years 2 to 11 welcomed back to classrooms across Greater Sydney and remaining regional areas of NSW.
To help students return to normal life and support their studies, restrictions on school sport will be lifted and HSC special consideration extended for students most impacted by the learning from home period.
From Monday, November 1, school sport can resume on site, schools can utilise external sport facilities in line with community sport guidelines, and schools can engage in inter-school sport outside of school hours.
Other restrictions will similarly be reviewed over the next few weeks, with a focus on continuing to ensure the health and safety of children and families as we progressively re-open NSW.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said he was thrilled students were finally all back in the classroom and returning to normal life and praised students, teachers and parents for their patience.
“The majority of students returning today have not been in the classroom since the end of Term 2 and it is fantastic they are back where the best learning happens,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Now that we’ve achieved our goal of returning students to the classroom as quickly and safely as possible, our focus is on helping students settle back in and catch up on their education.”
“It’s important life gets back to normal as quickly as possible for students, and school sport resuming is a big step towards this goal.”
Schools are also now able to make applications on behalf of HSC students who have experienced severe disruption during the learning from home period through the NSW Education Standards Authority’s (NESA) new COVID-19 Special Consideration Program for HSC written exams.
The program is open to students whose learning was significantly compromised for six weeks or more due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said with students back, the job of helping them recover and excel in their education begins.
“Of the 512,000 students returning today, more than 180,000 are from former LGA’s of concern, and a number of these students are sitting their HSC this year ,” Ms Mitchell said.
NESA’s COVID-19 Special Consideration Program for HSC written exams is designed for those hardest hit by the pandemic, enabling NESA to take into consideration these unique circumstances while still maintaining a fair and equitable HSC.
Strict safety measures remain in place at all NSW public schools. A recent survey of more than 88,000 parents from 799 schools returning today found 82 per cent of parents were supportive of a return to the classroom and happy with the safety measures in place.
More information on the COVID-19 Special Consideration Program can be found here: educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/covid-advice