New designs unveiled for Batemans Bay Community Health facility

The community is being invited to have their say on the latest designs for the new Batemans Bay Community Health facility.

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park said the Government is investing $20 million to deliver the new community health service to support communities across the Batemans Bay area.

The new facility will be located on the existing Batemans Bay Hospital site next to the newly established Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.

Batemans Bay Community Health Service will provide improved access to a range of services, including:

  • allied health services
  • child, youth and family services
  • women’s health and sexual health services
  • community nursing, wound management and palliative care
  • Aboriginal health
  • community mental health and drug and alcohol services.

The facility’s design has been informed by extensive feedback and consultation with health professionals, staff, patients, Aboriginal community representatives and the wider Batemans Bay community.

The artist impressions provide a more detailed look at the new facility, which includes a new building housing a range of health services, as well as carpark, landscaping, pathways and external seating areas.

The community is invited to view the designs and find out more about Batemans Bay Community Health at drop-in sessions with the project team:

  • Monday, 17 June, 12pm to 2pm – Village Centre, Batemans Bay
  • Tuesday, 18 June, 12pm to 2pm – Corner of Beach Road and Edward Road, Batehaven

Construction for the new facility will start following planning approvals and the appointment of a building contractor.

The Batemans Bay Hospital will continue to provide health care services for the community while the Batemans Bay Community Health and the new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital are being built.

To find out more visit the Health Infrastructure website or contact the project team on 1300 391 949 or at HI-BatemansBayhealth@health.nsw.gov.au

Regional Health Minister Ryan Park said:

“The NSW Government is committed to investing in health infrastructure to support better health outcomes for communities across the south coast.

“Batemans Bay Community Health is being planned and designed to work together with the new $260 million Eurobodalla Regional Hospital, as part of the Eurobodalla Health Service, to provide the community with greater access to care, closer to home.

“The new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital will deliver an enhanced level of health services compared to the current services delivered at the Moruya and Batemans Bay hospitals. New services such as paediatrics, intensive care unit, and an MRI will be included, strengthening health care services for the community.”

Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland said:

“The new Eurobodalla Regional Hospital and the Batemans Bay Community Health Centre will be well equipped to support the health needs of the entire Eurobodalla Shire from south of Narooma to north of Batemans Bay, providing the community with access to a broader and higher level of specialist care.

“Feedback from the community has been valuable in shaping Batemans Bay Community Health Service including creating connections to surrounding nature and green spaces, incorporating design elements identified by local Aboriginal community members, and improving accessibility for families, elderly people and people with specialist needs and abilities.”

Changes to further support public sector capacity, reduce over-reliance on consultants, and bring costs under control

The NSW Government has today announced the introduction of structural changes to reduce over-reliance on consultants and bring costs under control.

A new unit to be set up within the Premier’s Department to help reduce the use of consultants by redirecting agencies to in-house specialist resources where they are available and building in-house capabilities for services with the highest demand.

A new group will be responsible for identifying skills shortages and workforce gaps and undertaking long-term planning to deliver essential services across the state. This will be an expansion of the Premier’s Department’s existing role in leading industrial relations policy for the public sector.

The Premier’s Department will also be responsible for collecting and reporting data on the public sector workforce, including the People Matters survey.

This function is being transferred from the Public Service Commission to ensure it is better integrated into whole-of-government policy making.

The government will this week introduce legislation to amend the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 to sharpen the focus of the Public Service Commissioner on ethics and integrity, while transferring workforce planning and data collection functions into the Premier’s Department.

The Public Service Commissioner will continue to fulfil her important independent statutory functions to safeguard integrity in public sector recruitment and employment matters.

The Premier’s Department, jointly with The Cabinet Office, will also be tasked with leading the development of a new Core NSW Public Service Work Policy to set clear expectations of the types of work that agencies must be able to perform in-house.

The changes will continue the NSW Government’s ongoing efforts to rebuild essential services and unwind an increasing reliance on external consultants including:

  • implementing tight controls and issued clear instructions to agencies around the use of external consultants
  • introducing additional probity measures
  • legislating ‘betrayal of trust’ fines for disclosing information gained during confidential tax discussions with the government
  • redirecting more than half-a-billion dollars by reducing consultants and labour hire.

The machinery-of-government changes will place a greater focus at the heart of government on ensuring the public sector has the necessary capability and expertise in-house to deliver against the government’s key priorities.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“Today we announce commonsense changes that will ensure the public sector is delivering for NSW.

“I want to thank Commissioner Kathrina Lo and everyone at the Public Service Commission for your work to date.

“This announcement is all about leveraging your expertise to better help us solve some of the most pressing challenges that we face as a state.

“We are focused on ensuring that we rebuild in-house capability and only use external consultants when it’s actually needed.

“This overreliance on consultants has directly contributed to the budget mess we inherited.

“We were elected with a clear mandate to rebuild our essential services and repair the budget.”

Special Minister of State John Graham said:

“The Liberals’ obsession with private consultants damaged our state’s capacity to deliver essential services.

“The Liberals engaged one consultant every hour – including when it could have been done in-house for half the price.

“We are changing this approach to bring costs under control and re-build capacity in the public sector.”

Minister for Domestic Manufacturing and Government Procurement Courtney Houssos said:

“The Liberals wasted taxpayers’ money, including engaging consultants more than 10,000 times.

“This waste and mismanagement characterised the Liberals’ and Nationals’ approach to finances.

“We have begun the important work of repairing the budget, including cleaning up the waste we inherited with extravagant spending on consultants.

“This will be a budget that continues to responsibly reduce the debt left to us by the former Liberal-National government, while continuing to rebuild our essential public services.”

Staff in Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Schools Office to stop work today

Staff in the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) are stopping work for one hour from 3.30pm today, after talks with their employer, the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle (the Diocese), failed to reach agreement on salaries.

CSO staff support the delivery of teaching and learning in Catholic systemic schools across the Diocese. They include administrative and support staff but most are education officers (who are qualified teachers) and school-based psychologists and counsellors.

Staff employed under the CSO Staff Enterprise Agreement have long received the same pay increases as teachers and support staff in Catholic systemic schools, including a decade of just 2.5% due to a direct correlation with the public sector wages cap.

But now the Diocese has refused to pass on the 8% increase paid to school teachers in October 2023 after a hard-fought campaign. The Diocese has offered just 3%.

“The employer’s failure to match pay rises in Catholic schools is a disappointing departure from the long-accepted practice of employees in the CSO receiving the same increases as teachers working in schools,” said IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Assistant Secretary Amanda Hioe.

Salaries for school-based psychologists and counsellors have fallen far behind the salaries of psychologists working in NSW government schools, meaning the Diocese will struggle to retain this critical resource.

In the Protected Action Ballot released by the independent balloting agent on 24 May, an unequivocal 99 per cent of IEU members in the CSO voted in favour of taking stop work action.

“The strong results show IEU members are united in calling for the same increases as their colleagues in schools – they are taking this action today to achieve a just outcome for their salaries and conditions,” Hioe said.

“Employers heard the voice of teachers last year. Now it’s time for them to hear the voice of the CSO staff too.”

Civilian employee charged with drink driving – Lake Macquarie

A NSW Police civilian employee has been charged with high-range drink driving after being stopped for a random breath test in Lake Macquarie today.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were conducting patrols at Eleebana, when they stopped a Subaru Outback on Burton Road about 1am (Wednesday 5 June 2024).

The driver was subjected to a roadside breath test, returning a positive result.

The 33-year-old man, who is attached to a specialist command, was arrested and taken to Belmont Police Station where he underwent a breath analysis which returned an alleged reading of 0.151.

He was charged with high-range PCA and is due to appear at Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 26 June 2024.

Teens charged after police pursuit – Lake Macquarie PD 

Two teens have been charged after they allegedly broke into a home and led police on a pursuit.

Officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District attempted to stop a car about 1.50am today (Wednesday 5 June 2024), as it was being driven through New Lambton.

The driver allegedly failed to stop and police commenced a pursuit.

A short time later, the car was stopped on Campbell Street, Wallsend, with three teens arrested a short time later.

Another 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old boy were taken to Waratah Police Station where they were each charged with,

  • Aggravated break and enter commit serious indictable offence
  • Destroy or damage property
  • Enter inclosed land not prescribed premises without lawful excuse
  • Aggravated break and enter with intent – knowing person there
  • Be carried in conveyance taken without consent of owner
  • Hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty, and
  • Breach of bail

They were refused bail to appear at Broadmeadow Children’s Court today.

Police will allege in court the car was stolen a short time before the pursuit during a break and enter of a home on Steven Place, Newcastle East.

A third teen, a 15-year-old boy, was taken to John Hunter Hospital.

Inquiries are continuing.

Tiananmen Square – 35th Anniversary

In Tiananmen Square, 35 years ago, the world witnessed the use of brutal force against student protesters in Beijing. We remember the tragic events and loss of life on 4 June 1989, along with the international community.

As we have consistently said, Australia remains concerned about ongoing restrictions on freedom of association, expression and political participation in China.

We call on China to cease suppression of freedoms of expression, assembly, media and civil society and to release those detained for peacefully expressing their political views.

Visit to Solomon Islands

Tomorrow I will travel to Honiara to meet members of the newly elected Solomon Islands Government.

I look forward to engaging with Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele, Foreign Minister Peter Shanel Agovaka, and other Cabinet ministers to listen to their priorities and discuss our shared vision for the bilateral relationship.

The Australian Government is pleased to have supported the delivery of safe and secure elections in Solomon Islands and remains committed to supporting Solomon Islands’ economic, development and security priorities.

I will visit Mbokona Community High School to see how Australian investment is strengthening education outcomes in Solomon Islands, and meet with Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme workers to hear about the economic opportunities PALM is bringing to Solomon Islands.  

Australia is a steadfast partner for the Solomon Islands, and is building on our strong economic partnership, focused on infrastructure, jobs and growth.

I look forward to holding productive talks with the new Solomon Islands Government about how we can work together to promote stability, prosperity and security in our shared region.

Australia calls on parties to agree ceasefire

It is six months since Australia voted with 152 countries for a ceasefire at the United Nations.

The human suffering in Gaza is unacceptable. This war must end.

Australia repeats our support for President Biden’s ceasefire proposal and we are pleased to see growing international support, including from G7 leaders.

Australia is working with countries that support peace to press all parties to agree to the terms immediately.

Civilians must be protected, the catastrophic humanitarian situation must be addressed, and the hostages must be released.

Any delay will only see further lives lost.

NETS OUT OF QUEENSLAND NOW

The Greens are again calling on the Queensland government for an urgent review of the state’s system of shark nets and drum lines, after a humpback whale was entangled in nets off Kings Beach on the Sunshine Coast this morning.

Senator Larissa Waters, Greens leader in the Senate

“Nets and drumlines are indiscriminate killers of protected wildlife, and the evidence shows non-lethal measures are more effective at protecting swimmers.

“This morning a humpback whale was entangled in Queensland shark nets, the first of many likely to run afoul of these cruel devices with whale migration season now underway along Australia’s East Coast.

“While the whale has been released, there’s no guarantee it will survive, as the stress of getting tangled can use enormous energy that the whale needs to make its migration journey.

“The Queensland Government’s Great Barrier Reef shark control program is more than 50 years old and has killed more than 85,000 marine animals including sharks, turtles and dolphins.

“Queensland’s shark control program is completely out of date and isn’t in line with community expectations for protecting swimmers without harming marine life.

“There are plenty of non-lethal options that should be considered, including shark shield personal deterrent devices, shark spotter programs, eco-shark barriers and increased public education, and will do much more for people’s safety, marine life and tourism.”

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Peter Whish-Wilson

“Shark nets are not effective at removing the risk of shark bites to humans.

Solutions exist that modernise beach safety standards and don’t harm wildlife, yet every year these outdated walls of death cause unacceptable pain and suffering to marine animals. 

“The Queensland government says entrapments are ‘very rare’ but analysis by Humane Society International found 11 humpback whales were caught in Queensland nets last year alone, which is hardly a rare occurrence. Meanwhile dugongs, turtles and dolphins were among 722 animals that were either killed or found dead after being drowned in nets or hooked on the lethal drumlines. 

“The Federal government has an important role to play in protecting endangered marine life killed by lethal shark nets and drumlines deployed by the states. 

“The upcoming review of Australia’s EPBC laws is an opportunity for the Labor government to remove existing exemptions to state controlled lethal shark net programs that risk federally protected species.”

Minister unaware of risk to Australia’s national security

For the first time since 2012 Australia will have half of the Collins Class submarine fleet out of the water and out of action under the incompetent mismanagement of the Albanese Labor Government.

Senator Simon Birmingham in Senate estimates this morning revealed that ASC Pty Ltd (ASC) will have two Collins Class submarines out of action at Osborne shipyard in Adelaide for the rest of the year while another is still in mid-cycle docking at Henderson, WA.

Making matters worse, sole shareholder minister of ASC Senator Katy Gallagher when asked said she had no knowledge of the delays to the Collins Class full cycle docking program stating, “No, it hasn’t. But it would not normally be, I wouldn’t have thought, it would come through defence.”

Senator for South Australia and Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Birmingham said it was disturbing that the Albanese Government had allowed this major disruption to the Collin Class fleet that would have significant ramifications for Australia’s national security.

“The last time this many submarines were out of action was under the last federal Labor government, which is a trend that should alarm Australians about Labor’s competence to manage Australia’s defence capabilities.

“Astonishingly the Labor’s minister responsible for ASC didn’t even know of these major gaps in our defence capability and said that she wouldn’t have expected to be told.

“The Albanese Government are showing an appalling lack of urgency and disinterest in the availability of our critical defence assets.

“New problems in Collins and delays in availability should be sending alarm bells through the Albanese Government but instead they’re just shrugging their shoulders at news that half of Australia’s submarine fleet will be out of the water until at least Christmas.

“The government must get on top of these delays so as not to endanger the Collins Life of Type Extension (LOTE) program and ensure continuity of submarine capability prior to AUKUS deliveries of nuclear-powered submarines.

“Simply hoping for the best is no way for ministers to manage Australia’s submarine program which should instead demand the strongest leadership for Australia’s national security.”

Shadow Minister for Defence, Defence Industry and Defence Personnel said this is another catastrophic failure under a weak Albanese Government.

“The Albanese Government keeps repeating how we are living in the most dangerous times since the Second World War, yet their actions don’t match their words,” Mr Hastie said.

“What we have here is complete and utter failure under Katy Gallagher, who’s supposed to be driving the best performance of the submarine sustainment under her watch.

“These revelations are a disastrous setback for Australia’s submarine capability, and keeping on track for AUKUS.

“If Labor can’t be trusted to maintain the submarines we do have, how can they be trusted to keep Australia on track for AUKUS and Submarine Rotational Force-West in 2027?”