Category: NSW News

More than 50 tender opportunities for architects, engineers, project managers and builders are available as the NSW Government begins the next stage of its historic school building program.
The 44 new and upgraded school projects represent a $3.3 billion investment in NSW public schools and will create more than 16,000 jobs – helping businesses and people across the state begin to recover from the recent COVID-19 outbreak.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the NSW Government is focused on the economic recovery of the state and also giving kids the best start in life.
“NSW is learning to live with COVID, and today’s announcement provides further certainty to businesses and school communities,” Mr Perrottet said.
“COVID restrictions put a pause on a number of school construction projects, but these are back, and now we are calling on businesses to tender for the next stage of the school building program.
“For our kids to be the best and brightest they need the bricks and mortar to support them and we’re delivering that in spades.”
Minister Mitchell said the $3.3 billion investment would create thousands of jobs helping turbocharge the State’s pandemic recovery while delivering better schools for students.
“This building blitz will help drive our economic recovery by supporting jobs in communities throughout NSW providing a much-needed boost to businesses, families giving our economic rebound a valuable springboard,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Our record investment in school infrastructure will see thousands of tradies with tools in hand building new and improved schools giving our kids the best chance to achieve their academic potential.
“This package of works continues the government’s investment in school building with 50 new and upgraded schools delivered in 2020 and a further 18 already delivered in 2021.”
The 44 new and upgraded school projects are in addition to the 85 schools currently being delivered.
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 is the largest investment in public education infrastructure in the history of NSW.

Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 students across Greater Sydney return to the classroom today, with more than 148,000 students leading the first stage of the 800,000 public school students returning over the next week.
To help students catch up on any learning loss experienced due to COVID-19 lockdowns and learning from home, the NSW Government has announced the extension of the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program into next year.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said following the positive reception and uptake of the 2021 program, the NSW Government was committing an additional $383 million to continue to support students next year.
“We know our students are resilient but there’s no doubt that 2021 has been a tough year, with many students learning from home for twice as long as last year,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Early insights from the ongoing evaluation of the program show that students are bouncing back thanks to the intensive tutoring delivered through the program, and we are committed to helping them do so again next year.”
Treasurer Matt Kean said the tutoring program, which has been delivered by educators in partnership with classroom teachers, had exceeded its employment goal.
“This program has employed more than 7,500 educators to date in government schools alone, providing employment opportunities right across the State,” Mr Kean said.
“Building on this success, the extension of the program will not only provide extra support for students to ensure their learning remains on track but also additional employment opportunities for our fantastic teachers and educators.”
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program was first introduced in Term 1 this year to help students, who had fallen behind after last year’s disruptions, improve their core knowledge and skills.
“This program is based on research which demonstrates that small-group tuition is highly effective at getting students back on track,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Principals and teachers I have spoken with over the last few months have been unanimous in their support for the program in meeting their individual school and student needs.”
“Our additional investment for 2022 will continue the focus on literacy and numeracy and enable us to strengthen the provision of online tuition, ensuring greater accessibility to meet student need.”
The Department of Education will work with schools and key stakeholder groups during Term 4 to refine the program to ensure the greatest benefit is delivered for students who need it most.
More information will be provided by the Department to schools during Term 4.

The NSW Government is investing $21 million to expand the Aboriginal mental health and suicide prevention workforce as part of $131 million mental health recovery package.
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the lockdown has exacerbated underlying mental health conditions and added to people’s distress levels, especially among groups known to be at greater risk of suicide.
“As we return to doing the things we love with the people we love, we want to make sure that no-one is left behind,” Mrs Taylor said.
“We know that mental health issues and thoughts of suicide can emerge in the weeks, months and years after a trauma, so our focus over the next two years is connecting people with the most appropriate services and support as early as possible.”
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Don Harwin said the four-year investment will allow for the recruitment of 18 FTE Aboriginal Care Navigators and 18 FTE Aboriginal Peer Workers across NSW.
“Culture plays a crucial role in our resilience and mental wellbeing, especially for First Australians who have a powerful connection to our beautiful land and their ancestors,” Mr Harwin said.
“If culture is understood, respected and valued throughout the mental health journey, it can speed up the recovery and keep people safe from acting on thoughts of suicide.”
The funding will allow every Local Health District and Specialty Network to employ Aboriginal Care Navigators and Aboriginal Peer Workers.
Aboriginal Mental Health Care Navigators will be responsible for supporting Aboriginal people and their families to connect with the most appropriate service within and outside the local health district. They would also provide ongoing support and contact with these individuals and families.
Aboriginal Mental Health Peer Workers will be embedded within public mental health services and responsible for providing culturally sensitive support, particularly in emergency settings. They would also link them to other supports, such as suicide prevention services, drug and alcohol services, and Aboriginal community services.
The $131 million package builds on the $2.6 billion 2021-2022 NSW mental health budget – the largest mental health investment in the state’s history

The NSW Government is investing in sporting clubs and multicultural communities to provide support for people whose mental health has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The $130 million investment over four years will fund initiatives to offer mental health resources to local sporting groups, training opportunities for community members and a multilingual mental health line.
“The pandemic’s impact on people’s mental health throughout our state has been significant,” Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said.
“It’s important we establish valuable touchpoints for mental health support out in the community.”
Mrs Taylor joined with Minister for Sport and Multiculturalism Natalie Ward to announce a $3 million commitment over one year to the Mental Health Sporting Fund, providing tailored mental health programs to local sporting groups.
The first funding round of this type was announced in early 2020, with 24 local sporting bodies receiving grants.
“We have now more than doubled the contribution from the last funding round, so many more sporting groups can take part in this important initiative,” Mrs Taylor said.
Mrs Ward said sporting clubs are vital to our community and a great way to deliver critical mental health resources.
“Like nothing else, sport brings local communities together,” Mrs Ward said.
“Our local sporting groups give us a unique opportunity to have important mental health messages delivered directly to the community in a way that is informal and accessible.”
The Mental Health Recovery Package also includes an investment of $3.2 million over four years to establish a multilingual Mental Health Line, the first of its kind in NSW.
The line will open in November and will be available in more than 30 languages, staffed by senior clinicians.
“When it comes to mental health, accessibility is a key issue associated with people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds attempting to access support,” Mrs Taylor said.
“This brand new line, a first in NSW, will remove those cultural and linguistic barriers.”
These initiatives form part of the record $130 million investment over four years for COVID-19 mental health support, building on the $2.6 billion announced for mental health in the 2021-2022 Budget – the largest mental health investment in the State’s history.

Child protection caseworkers will receive more frequent and easily accessible mental health services as part of the NSW Government’s $130 million mental health recovery package.
Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women Bronnie Taylor said child protection caseworkers have been working around the clock to keep kids safe during the pandemic, often under challenging circumstances.
“Child protection caseworkers are exposed to some of the most difficult and tragic situations imaginable and this funding will enable them to access specialist support when they need it,” Mrs Taylor said.
“We recognise that as we navigate the State’s economic recovery from the pandemic, we must also prioritise mental wellbeing, and child protection caseworkers are a cohort that our Government is committed to supporting.”
The NSW Government expanded its Employee Assistance Program to all funded NGOs working in the social services sector throughout the recent lockdown.
The $3 million expansion of caseworker wellbeing checks will build on that support, providing thousands of child protection staff across the State with more frequent and easily accessible services.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Alister Henskens said the expansion of caseworker wellbeing checks is in line with objectives of the recently established Child Wellbeing Taskforce.
“We’re working hard to prevent vulnerable children slipping through the cracks, and our frontline child protection caseworkers are critical to that,” Mr Henskens said.
“Our Child Wellbeing Taskforce is looking at ways we can improve services and support for vulnerable kids, but also exploring ways to better equip the frontline with the support they need to deliver quality and important services.”
Work is underway to roll out the expanded services by next month.

Thousands more women and children escaping domestic abuse will be supported with housing and specialist services following a landmark investment by the NSW Government.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the Government would invest an additional $484.3 million – the single biggest investment in tackling domestic and family violence (DFV) in the State’s history.
“Everyone has the right to live a life free from violence and abuse, a right that is far too often callously eroded by those who perpetrate domestic violence,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Today’s commitment will help to reduce the often devastating impacts of domestic abuse by providing timely access to safe, affordable and appropriate supports and housing assistance so that women and children who bravely escape violence can begin to recover and thrive.”
The funding package includes:

• $426.6 million over four years to expand Core and Cluster to deliver and operate around 75 extra women’s refuges that support women and children escaping DFV. Under the Core and Cluster model, self-contained accommodation is located next to a ‘core’, which provides access to services including counselling, legal assistance, education, and employment support. The sites contain meeting rooms, audio-visual equipment for court appearances, communal kitchens, and playgrounds.
• $52.5 million over four years towards the Community Housing Innovation Fund (CHIF) partnership with the community housing sector, to provide approximately 200 sustainable, social and affordable housing dwellings for women experiencing DFV.
• $5.2 million over four years, for a trial in two districts to provide dedicated supports for accompanied children and young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with a focus on children and young people impacted by DFV.

NSW Police respond to more than 140,000 DFV incidents annually and, tragically, on average, one woman is killed every nine days in Australia by a current or former partner.
Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said DFV is the leading cause of homelessness for women and children, illustrating the high demand for these critical services.
“In 2019-20, almost 40 per cent of the people who accessed specialist homelessness services in NSW, across our cities, regional and rural communities, had experienced domestic abuse,” Mrs Taylor said.
“One of the most important things we can do in government is to ensure that when a victim-survivor makes the courageous decision to leave a violent home – a time when she actually faces the greatest risk – that there’s a secure, supportive environment waiting to help her.”
Treasurer Matt Kean said today’s investment demonstrates the Government’s commitment to support everyone across our diverse communities, especially the most vulnerable.
“This historic investment will support women and children impacted by domestic violence for generations to come by almost doubling the number of women’s refuges across the state – it will not only change lives, it will save lives – and there’s no greater legacy than that,” Mr Kean said.
Attorney General and Minister for Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Mark Speakman said children are often referred to as the ‘silent victims’ of DFV, a term that in reality has acted as a loud, rallying call for the Government’s investment in more housing and more specialist supports for young people.
“In 2019-20, specialist homelessness services supported more than 8,200 children in families experiencing domestic violence. Our trial will help us support 3,200 additional children and young people with trauma informed care and educational supports,” Mr Speakman said.
Chair of Domestic Violence NSW Annabelle Daniel welcomed the Government’s major investment, and acknowledged all the frontline workers and victim-survivors who have been advocating for greater availability of these crucial services.
“We are pleased to see this new funding announcement recognising the urgent need for refuge supports in rural, regional and remote areas and across NSW. Specialist domestic and family violence services are a lifeline for women and children fleeing abuse, and do the work of many agencies combined. We know the numbers of people in need being turned away are continuously increasing due to lack of space. When we raise awareness about domestic and family violence, women raise their hands for help,” Ms Daniel said.
A mother of two young children, Theresa*, was supported by ‘The Orchard’ Core and Cluster accommodation in Orange after she was subjected to severe physical abuse, including strangulation, perpetrated by her partner that forced them to flee the family home.
Theresa* said she was able to stay close to her support network while continuing her children’s schooling and her employment, and was later able to obtain a private rental and help through Victims Services for furniture and appliances for her new home.
“This support gave me the courage and trust that there was a way out of my situation with a plan that would keep me and my children safe. I have officially escaped domestic violence for good, and can now see the warning signs to be able to stop it instead of putting up with it. I have achieved independence and I am now able to do things without being shut down with intimidation and abuse like I was before,” Theresa* said.
For confidential advice, support and referrals, contact: 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732), The NSW Domestic Violence Line (1800 65 64 63), NSW Rape Crisis (1800 424 017) or Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491). In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
*Name changed to protect her identity.

In a watershed moment for the sport in this state, Netball NSW is delighted to announce the launch of a new range of apparel designed to provide a more inclusive and welcoming environment for people of all ages, gender identity and cultural backgrounds.
The uniforms, launched in conjunction with apparel partner Valour Sport’s ONE TEAM initiative, are the culmination of a body of work undertaken by the organisation after Netball Australia’s State of the Game Review.
The Review, which was chaired by Australian Diamonds and Swifts legend Liz Ellis AM, highlighted that a lack of flexibility regarding uniforms was proving to be a barrier to many in the community taking up, or continuing their involvement in, netball.
Netball NSW’s long-term hope is that all Clubs and Associations will adopt a mix-and-match approach to netball uniforms to ensure grassroots participants feel comfortable when taking the court for their local teams.
Alongside the traditional netball dress, the new apparel incorporates a range of singlets, t-shirts, long-sleeve tops, shorts and compression wear to provide the netball community with a range of on-court options.
Netball NSW CEO Tain Drinkwater said a flexible approach to uniforms was vital to ensure the game’s continued growth and broadening its appeal.
“Netball NSW believes that all participants should, as far as possible, be supported in wearing a uniform that allows them to participate in netball in the manner in which they feel most comfortable, Drinkwater said.
“Contrary to popular belief, the rules of netball do not indicate that a registered playing uniform must be a dress. The rules indicate that it must be the registered playing uniform. This uniform is defined by Clubs and approved by Associations. This means our grassroots community has the chance to ensure uniforms are inclusive for everyone.
“The key aim of this is to make sure we advance our position as a sport for people not just of all cultural backgrounds and gender identities, but all shapes and sizes too. It is clear that rigidity when it comes to Clubs only allowing dresses is holding back our participation numbers.
“We are encouraging all affiliated Clubs and Associations to embrace adaptability and flexibility around uniforms in order to encourage continued participation and enjoyment in our sport. From today, they have the tools to do just that, backed by new Inclusive Uniform Guidelines prepared by Netball NSW.
“In many ways this is a watershed moment. Netball has been the leader in so many areas, but not when it comes to widening its appeal beyond traditional bases. It is time to change that.”
Matthew Knight, Managing Director of Valour Sport, said his team was delighted to take part in the ground-breaking initiative for netball in NSW.
“This is a wonderful example of how commercial partners can work together to provide better outcomes for both sport and individuals,” Knight said.
“On the back of the State of the Game Review we believe Valour Sport can be the ‘creative thinker’ mentioned in the report by delivering a uniform concept that allows Associations, Clubs and participants to choose garments which cater for comfort, cost and both cultural and personal sensitivities.
“To know that we are having an impact in encouraging participation in sport is truly rewarding.”

The Perrottet Government’s economic roadmap has mental health as a top priority with a record $130 million to provide immediate access to help for anyone whose mental health has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The funding boost will provide more appointments for psychology and psychiatry services, address the sharp rise in eating disorders and self-harm presentations, free up more mental health beds and launch the biggest suicide prevention training program ever undertaken.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the lockdown combined with working from home and home schooling has seen a record number of people reach out to crisis lines.
“This funding means that parents, children and the most vulnerable in our community can get the help they need now,” Mr Perrottet said.
“As we navigate the economic recovery from this pandemic we must also support people’s mental wellbeing along the way.”
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said the new funding will provide public access to private psychiatrists, psychologists and mental health beds as well as training 275,000 people in the community to become mental health first aiders.
“We want NSW to be a whole state of mental health champions, which is why we’re launching a statewide community training blitz to make sure help is always close at hand, from the schoolyard to the sports club and beyond.” Mrs Taylor said.
“This is all about fast-tracking access to boosted services to support people doing it tough right now as well as preventing the emergence of mental health issues in the future.
“Our focus over the next two years will be on supporting our young people and families, building system capacity to meet demand and supporting our communities to lead the recovery,” Mrs Taylor said.
Treasurer Matt Kean said the funding builds on the $2.6 billion 2021-2022 NSW Mental Health Budget – the largest mental health investment in the state’s history.
“We’re leading the nation with our COVID-19 mental health support for our communities, making sure the help is there for particularly vulnerable groups, from new parents to older adults, children and young people,” Mr Kean said.
“Mental health issues often present after the crisis, so as we emerge from lockdown and life returns to normal, this funding will mean parents and children will have free access to help, where they need it and when they need it.”
Key highlights of the mental health recovery package include:

• $35 million over two years to boost the surge capacity of the mental health clinical workforce. In partnership with Primary Health Networks, NSW Health will be able to access privately practising psychologists and psychiatrists and other mental health professionals for NSW residents. It’s estimated this will create an extra 60,000 psychiatry consultations and 85,000 consults with other mental health professionals, including psychologists.
• $20 million over 18 months to provide up to 55,000 additional services to young people through their local headspace centre. This funding will boost GP and clinical psychiatrist sessions at headspace centres across NSW. It will also enable masters and doctorate psychology students (clinical and general registration) and social work and occupational therapy students (pre-registration/masters) to undertake placements at headspace centres. Overseen by clinical educators, students will conduct comprehensive mental health assessments and deliver clinical sessions for young people.
• $14 million over two years to train 275,000 people across NSW in suicide prevention training. The training will target high school teachers and support staff; parents; youth influencers (e.g. sports coaches, club managers); community groups, and peer leaders.

• $21 million over four years to employ 18 FTE Aboriginal Care Navigators and 18 FTE Aboriginal Peer Workers across NSW. These roles will link Aboriginal Australians to a range of culturally-appropriate mental health and suicide prevention services.
• $16.5 million over four years to address the increase in eating disorder presentations. This funding will increase frontline workforce capacity to recognise and respond to eating disorder presentations. It will also fund the Butterfly Foundation to admit NSW residents into its national eating disorders centre at Wandi Nerida in Queensland.
• $6 million over two years to build the capacity of caseworkers and casework managers to provide timely support to child protection practitioners at high risk of trauma.
• $5 million over two years to fund a grants program for local community wellbeing events.
• $3 million over one year to assist NSW sporting bodies to deliver mental health and wellbeing initiatives.
• $3 million over one year to provide access to private beds for 12-24-year-olds experiencing complex trauma and eating disorders. This will be trialled in South Western Sydney Local Health District.
• $2.6 million over two years to expand Gidget Foundation’s services and provide an extra 280 psychological sessions every month.
• $3.2 million over four years to establish a Multicultural Mental Health Line – a NSW first.

The Sydney Opera House will be the backdrop for a special tribute to frontline workers and those who have been vaccinated as NSW passes the 80 per cent double vaccination milestone.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said images would be projected onto the sails of the famous landmark, to celebrate the efforts of so many throughout the pandemic, enabling NSW to lead the country in the vaccination stakes and reopen ahead of schedule.
“When the sun goes down on Monday evening the Sydney Opera House sails will come alive with reminders of the people who have kept us safe, either through their work or by simply rolling up their sleeve and getting the jab,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We want to thank everyone for doing their bit to look out for each other in this pandemic because it’s this combined effort that has enabled us to hit our vaccination targets and start to get our lives back on track.”
Minister for Digital and Customer Service Victor Dominello said the spectacle was a reminder of the freedoms that come with vaccination.
“Those who are fully vaccinated can now visit a hairdresser, watch their favourite sports, head out to dinner and catch live shows provided they follow health guidelines,” Mr Dominello said.
“The people of NSW have absolutely hit it out of the park when it comes to getting vaccinated and alongside our tremendous frontline workers we want to thank each and every one of them for contributing to this magnificent Team NSW moment.”
The sails will light up from 7pm Monday evening until midnight.
The light display builds upon the NSW Government’s “Let’s Do This” campaign which was launched in August to encourage people to get vaccinated. To book a vaccination, visit nsw.gov.au or call the COVID-19 vaccine helpline on 1800 020 080.

Hundreds of maintenance teams across NSW are finalising repairs and alterations to windows and ventilation systems ahead of the return to classrooms.
The NSW Government is investing $100 million in an air quality assurance program for schools as part of the economic recovery program.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the work was an extension of the NSW Government’s commitment to keeping the community safe throughout the pandemic
“As the community has adapted to living with COVID, so have our schools, and our approach to keeping them safe using a multi-layered approach that includes vaccines, on-site restrictions, mask-wearing, cleaning and ventilation,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The funding will enable us to support ongoing improvements to air quality in public schools, making schools some of the best ventilated spaces in the community.”
The program has several components, including installing automatic fresh air ventilation systems in smaller learning spaces to allow schools to utilise the areas fully.
Funding will also be directed towards replacing windows, ceiling and exhaust fans, and additional servicing of ventilation systems.
In addition, air purifiers have been sourced and will be provided to schools when individual school circumstances require the department to respond to poor outdoor air quality.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said parents should have confidence in sending their children back to school.
“Thanks to the individual ventilation audit reports, Principals know exactly how to use their spaces in a COVID-safe way – and any issues identified by the audit are being fixed in real-time,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The advice from experts is that maximising natural ventilation is the most effective method of minimising the spread of COVID-19 and our classroom ventilation strategy supports our implementation of this advice.
“What this program does is leverage the insights from our comprehensive audit and expert advice to future-proof our learning spaces not just for COVID-19, but for bushfires and other air quality issues.”