Category: NSW News

Netball NSW has made the difficult decision to postpone the 2021 HART Junior State Titles which were due to take place this weekend in Sydney.
The Junior State Titles are a flagship event within the Netball NSW pathway. The three-day tournament, which was due to take place from Saturday to Monday 26-28 June showcases the strength of grassroots netball with young players from all over the state coming together.
Penrith District Netball Association was set to host players in Divisions 1 and 2 in the 14U, 13U and 12U age groups, with Baulkham Hills Shire Netball Association due to host Divisions 3 and 4 in the same age brackets.
With the population of Greater Sydney being been advised by the NSW Government not to travel beyond the city limits, Netball NSW decided it could not, in all good conscience, encourage the regional netball community to do the opposite.
Planning is currently underway to work out when the Junior State Titles can be held later in the year.
Netball NSW CEO Tain Drinkwater said she understood the frustration today’s decision would cause, but noted it was made with the community in mind.
“The decision to postpone the HART Junior State Titles was an immensely difficult one to make, however when you see what is happening in Sydney at the moment it is the right call,” she said.
“First and foremost our thoughts are with the game’s youngest participants who have been working so hard in the lead-up to the event, I know this will be difficult news to hear.
“But please remember it is only a postponement at this stage so there is a silver lining. Our competitions team is already working diligently on how we can make an alternative work later in the year.
“We cannot guarantee that the competition will have the exact same format as the one currently planned, or that the new dates will work for every participant, but we are confident the Junior State Titles will take place in the coming months. We hope to have provisional details of the rescheduled event in the coming days.
“Netball NSW works to serve the netball community and the health and wellbeing of every player, coach, official, volunteer, staff member and supporter is our No.1 priority.”
Netball NSW President Louise Sullivan echoed Drinkwater’s sentiments:
“On behalf of the Board of Netball NSW we share the disappointment that many of our game’s community are feeling today but health must always come first,” Sullivan said.
“We have been fortunate to play netball in relative normality so far in 2021 but we always knew the threat of COVID-19 could strike at any time.
“Thankfully our team at Netball NSW is already working on an alternative and we appreciate the patience of our netball family throughout the state as we negotiate the current situation.”
Netball NSW would like to thank HART Sport, naming rights partner of the Junior State Titles, for their support of the event.

A Victorian couple has been issued Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) for allegedly breaching a Public Health Order while travelling through the state’s west.
Earlier this month, the NSW Police Force was notified that a man and woman, who had tested positive to COVID-19, had travelled by road from Melbourne, Victoria, to Queensland through NSW.
Investigations revealed the pair had taken a route using the Newell Highway, and visited various businesses deemed ‘essential services’, including retail stores, food outlets, and service stations.
The pair also attended a cinema on Macquarie Street, Dubbo, on Wednesday 2 June 2021, which is deemed non-essential activity under the Public Health Act.
Officers from Orana Mid-Western Police District have since advised the 48-year-old man and 44-year-old woman they will each be issued a $1000 PIN for fail to comply with noticed direction in relation to section 7/8/9 – COVID-19.
The Queensland Police Service are expected to serve the PINs on behalf of the NSW Police Force today (Friday 25 June 2021).
Anyone with information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of COVID-19-related ministerial directions is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au.
Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

The NSW Government is delivering a record investment in trade and industry to support NSW businesses through the economic recovery and to expand the state’s international export opportunities.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Industry and Trade John Barilaro said the 2021-22 NSW Budget of $261.4 million over four years will double the footprint of NSW’s international network and support our businesses here and overseas.
“With the upcoming appointments of an Agent General in London and five NSW Senior Trade and Investment Commissioners in Tokyo, New York, Mumbai, Singapore and China, NSW exporters have never been so well represented,” Mr Barilaro said.
“We have already opened offices in new markets, including in Vietnam and Singapore, with a plan to expand to 21 global offices including Indonesia and the EU in the coming months.
“We kicked off our Going Global export program last year and are investing a further $6.4 million over four years to keep it rolling to help more businesses from across the state engage in new international markets.
“This supports our exporters with access to further markets and is fostering post-pandemic resilience, crucial to long term economic recovery.”
This year the Going Global export program has supported more than 150 businesses with free export coaching, tailored workshops, business matching and introductions to new international customers, helping local companies make the step up to the global stage.
“This assistance is being delivered through our team of export specialists here in NSW and on-the-ground across nine countries through our dedicated international network,” Mr Barilaro said.
“It has meant that NSW companies have been able to participate in trade shows overseas and have one-on-one business meetings with new international buyers and distributers, despite COVID-19 restrictions.
“Our focus is to position NSW at the very centre of the global stage to support industry growth and create export opportunities for regional, small and medium sized businesses.”
Mr Barilaro said that international students and the revitalisation of the international education sector will be a key part of the state’s post-pandemic economy.
“We are investing $19.1 million over four years to support our largest services export sector to ensure that NSW remains a premier destination for international students, improving student experiences and linking our international students to our agriculture industry, internship and sports programs,” Mr Barilaro said.
Highlights from the 2021-22 Trade and Industry Budget to be delivered over the next four years, include:

• $128.9 million to expand NSW’s international network
• $45 million overall to support NSW exporters through trade programs, including:
  • $19.1 million to support international students
  • $6.4 million for the Going Global Export Program
  • $4.8 million to support skilled migration
• $87.5 million for targeted industry development programs, including:
  • advanced manufacturing in target industries such as space and medical technologies and the food and beverage sectors
  • advanced technologies and their applications across industries such as the cyber, fintech, regtech and agtech sectors
  • the defence industry

Thousands of new jobs and significant infrastructure builds in regional NSW will be delivered through the 2021-22 NSW Budget, supporting the recovery and future prosperity of regional communities following drought, bushfires, floods, the COVID-19 pandemic and more recently the mice plague.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said more than $2.8 billion has been secured in this year’s budget for the Department of Regional NSW to help regional communities continue to grow, move through recovery and build on the benefits of regional living.
“Since 2017 the NSW Government has committed more than $2 billion to 2,100 regional infrastructure projects, and today I can announce 800 more projects will be added to that tally, putting more cash into local economies, creating new jobs and helping businesses thrive,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Almost $64 million announced last week for the NSW Government’s Future Ready Regions package will help regional communities prepare for future droughts by investing in the latest technologies, data and tools to boost business productivity, while helping communities to plan ahead.
“This package includes $48 million for the Farms of the Future program, which will boost on-farm connectivity so producers can adopt agtech and compete with the best. We will also survey western NSW for new water sources to reduce pressure on other supplies during drought.
“We are also investing $50 million to fund a new Mobile Coverage Project, to improve infrastructure and boost emerging technologies.”
Mr Barilaro said a raft of programs and Budget measures will directly and indirectly support or create new regional jobs now and into the future, such as the $100 million committed to the Regional Job Creation Fund, which aims to generate at least 5,000 new jobs alone.
“The Stronger Country Communities Fund Round Four will roll out a total of $100 million for new projects across all 93 regional Local Government Areas (LGAs), with half of the funding dedicated to improving female sporting participation, including facilities and amenities,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Round Eight of the Resources for Regions program will close for applications on 12 July 2021 and will allocate $75 million across 24 eligible LGAs for projects that support the ongoing prosperity of mining communities in regional NSW by providing vital infrastructure, economic opportunities, and positive social outcomes.
“A $30 million Regional Tourism Activation Fund will deliver high impact tourism and events infrastructure that helps to boost local economies and put towns on the map while the $20 million Regional Events Acceleration Fund is bringing visitor dollars to regional towns.
“$462 million has also been invested into the Special Activation Precinct and Regional Job Precinct programs, to create jobs and build an investment roadmap across the state.”
Highlighted programs supported by the 2021-22 Budget for regional NSW include:

• $878 million for Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund priorities including:
  • $48 million for an expanded Farms of the Future program to help farmers adopt on-farm technology to boost productivity and resource management;
  • $50 million for the Mobile Coverage Project, part of the Regional Digital Connectivity program;
  • $462 million into Special Activation Precincts, including the implementation of Parkes and Wagga Wagga, development of the Narrabri precinct and continued planning for Moree, Williamtown and the Snowy Mountains precincts;
• $150 million Mouse Control Package to help farmers, small businesses and households fight the mice plague currently impacting parts of regional NSW;
• $100 million Regional Job Creation Fund to generate at least 5,000 new jobs;
• $100 million for Round Four of the Stronger Country Communities Fund to build new projects across all 93 regional Local Government Areas;
• $75 million for Round Eight of the Resources for Regions program to support the ongoing prosperity of mining communities across 24 Local Government Areas;
• $64 million for the Future Ready Regions strategy to improve drought data so farmers can plan ahead, survey new water sources to reduce pressure on other supplies and deliver business skills training;
• $30 million Regional Tourism Activation Fund to deliver high impact tourism and events infrastructure;
• $20 million Regional Events Acceleration Fund to bring major events and visitor dollars to regional towns.

Keeping people safe, boosting the economic recovery and creating a prosperous future through innovation, continued investment and reform is at the heart of today’s 2021-22 NSW State Budget.
After the sharpest fall in nearly 80 years the NSW economy is rebounding rapidly with 300,000 jobs added since the height of the pandemic in mid-2020.
The Budget forecasts above trend economic growth of 3¼ per cent for 2021-22 and unemployment, currently at 5 per cent, falling to 4½ per cent by 2024-25.
Improved economic conditions have contributed to the State’s strengthened operating position, with a return to surplus of $0.5 billion now forecast in 2024-25.
Job creation remains a key focus with a record $108.5 billion infrastructure investment helping supercharge the recovery.
Hundreds of thousands of hard-working public sector workers will receive a significant wage increase of up to 2.5 per cent, which is forecast to cost approximately $2.7 billion over four years.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the 2021-22 Budget included important cost savings measures for families, including $43.9 million for a new $100 Learn to Swim voucher for children aged between three and six, and $150 million for the Free Preschool program to continue until the end of 2022.
“This is a Budget which supports and protects our families and communities through record investments in health, education and transport,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The biggest infrastructure pipeline in Australia now tops $108.5 billion and continues to be the backbone of our recovery, with NSW now adding more jobs than were lost during the height of the pandemic.
“The Government’s comprehensive response to the pandemic was only possible because of the state’s economic and fiscal strength going into the crisis built up over the past decade.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the 2021-22 Budget would continue to ensure NSW was COVID-safe and at the same time lock-in the recovery and drive economic reform.
“The NSW Government is maintaining its commitment to support job creation and economic recovery, with billions in stimulus and support measures continuing into 2021-22” Mr Perrottet said.
“The Budget also includes more than $6 billion in rebates, concessions and cost of living measures which benefit households across NSW.
“Our support has been targeted to keep people safe and businesses in business, and that continues with programs such as $40 million to combat domestic violence and the $50 million CBD Friday voucher scheme.
“We are also investing millions into tourism, infrastructure and events right across NSW.”
Mr Perrottet said the NSW Government had released the 2021 Intergenerational Report and the NSW Productivity Commissioner’s Productivity White Paper immediately prior to the Budget as they helped chart direction for the state over the longer-term.
“This Budget takes NSW from recovery towards reform, with a focus on your family and your future,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The NSW Government’s nation-leading Electric Vehicle Strategy will see almost half a billion dollars invested in tax cuts and incentives for this future-focussed industry.
“Reforms we have already undertaken such as the establishment of the NSW Generations Fund in late 2018 will also support future generations – the NGF has achieved particularly strong returns over the past 12 months and has grown to $14.7 billion, providing more capacity to reduce debt in the future.
“This Budget continues to support our broad reform agenda for the planning and education systems as well as investing in our world leading digital technologies and providing tax relief.
“The challenge for NSW is to continue to strive to improve, this is a Budget which invests in our people, it aims to keep NSW safe, accelerate our recovery and helps transform our state as we embark on another decade of delivery.”

A record government investment in child and adolescent mental health will ensure thousands of children and teenagers across NSW have access to specialised care.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor today announced funding for 25 Safeguards Child and Adolescent Mental Health Response Teams included in the 2021-2022 NSW State Budget.
Mr Perrottet said the funding package would enhance specialist child and adolescent mental health services in every Local Health District over the next four years.
“We’re committed to improving the health and safety of our young people and this new model of care will be launched with an initial $18 million investment, with a total of $109.5 million allocated over the next four years,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The new multidisciplinary teams will be established across the state, providing rapid and flexible community care responses to children and adolescents in acute mental health distress.”
Mrs Taylor said the ‘Safeguards’ teams will provide community based support to help children, teens and their families coordinate all aspects of their care.
“This is a game changer in addressing mental health for children and teenagers.
It’s all about bringing the right care at the right time and in the right place to children, adolescents and their loved ones,” said Mrs Taylor.
“These clinicians will work with patients and their families for 6-8 weeks providing wraparound support at home and school as well as facilitating access to follow-up care as required.”
“These teams will then transition the patients into longer term mental health community based supports.”
Skilled child and adolescent mental health clinicians will also help families in coordinating other aspects of their children’s mental health needs by linking them with appropriate services as needed such as GPs, private psychiatrists, headspace centres, education and vocational supports, NDIS providers, youth organisations or other needs such as housing providers.

To mark Refugee Week, the NSW Government has announced $8.5 million over three years to continue important support programs for refugee, new and emerging communities as part of the 2021-2022 NSW Budget.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the multi-year funding will ensure the continuation of key projects for newly arrived communities.
“Funding in this space will ensure we can continue to support our refugees, newly arrived migrants and emerging communities with programs to help them settle and thrive,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Programs such as these are central to the successful integration of newcomers. In particular, they are crucial in helping to reduce social isolation for families who don’t have established networks or access to support.”
The funding will enable the continuation of programs to help newcomers find educational and employment opportunities, navigate and access support services and create community connections.
Minister for Multiculturalism Natalie Ward said the NSW Government works incredibly hard, through cross-sector collaboration with our broader community, to ensure newcomers feel welcome and supported.
“We are committed to bringing existing and emerging communities together, and seeing people from all backgrounds thrive,” Mrs Ward said.
“Refugee Week is also a chance to extend our gratitude to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers for their valuable contributions to our communities.”
The NSW Government is also committed to progressing opportunities for regional resettlement through an existing $3 million investment to deliver the NSW Growing Regions of Welcome (NSW GROW) Pilot Program, which has launched today.
NSW GROW aims to attract and retain newcomers, and to assist with relocation to regional NSW.
“This funding will improve NSW’s capacity to promote social cohesion and encourage successful settlement across the state,” Mrs Ward said.
The NSW Coordinator General for Settlement, Professor Peter Shergold AC, said this significant investment will continue to achieve positive outcomes for NSW.
“NSW GROW will address critical workforce needs in regional areas that would usually be filled through overseas migration,” Professor Shergold said.
“This Program will support coordinated efforts across sectors to create secondary migration linkages between western Sydney and regional NSW and drive sustainable social and economic outcomes for participating regional communities and newcomers alike.”
The Australian Red Cross and Regional Development Australia will support delivery of NSW GROW in western Sydney, and the Murray and Riverina regions.
For more information about Multicultural NSW, visit: www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au

People with a type of debilitating heart valve disease will have greater access to specialist treatment, wherever they live in NSW, thanks to a $21.6 million funding boost from the NSW Government.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the funding in the upcoming 2021-22 NSW Budget will help patients with aortic stenosis, particularly the elderly, who may have no or extremely limited treatment options.
“This funding will allow complex patients who can’t undergo open heart surgery, to have a less invasive, life-saving procedure,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Importantly, this will also improve quality of life. In an ageing population, this is a critical issue and we need to ensure our health system is able to help support that.”
Aortic stenosis is a condition where the aortic valve cannot fully open and close, restricting blood flow. It is generally caused by a build-up of calcium on the heart valve leaflets, and is the most common type of heart valve disease in elderly Australians.
During a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) procedure, an artificial aortic valve is implanted into the patient’s heart via a thin tube inserted into an artery, and maneuvered with a wire up to the heart.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said TAVI is one of the great success stories in interventional cardiology and this funding offers opportunities to expand this treatment option to our most complex patients.
“Importantly the investment will help NSW Health define and strengthen referral pathways for our regional and rural patients into the seven hospitals offering the highly-specialised High-risk TAVI service,” Mr Hazzard said.
“In addition to extending and improving the quality of life of those affected, our aim is also to build specialist capacity within our health system to deliver TAVI to this high-risk cohort of patients.”
The High-risk TAVI Supra-LHD Service will be available at John Hunter Hospital, Royal North Shore, Royal Prince Alfred, St Vincent’s, Westmead, Liverpool and at a yet to be determined hospital within South East Sydney Local Health District.
The investment in expanding the revolutionary key-hole heart surgery follows the NSW Government’s $150 million investment in cardiovascular disease in the 2018 Budget

The NSW Government has announced a major investment in sports facilities across NSW awarding more than $52 million in grants under the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund.
Eighty-nine sporting bodies and councils across NSW have shared in the investment to boost sporting infrastructure across the state.
Minister for Sport Natalie Ward said the projects would keep communities healthy and active while creating a sports infrastructure construction boom.
“The NSW Government recognises investing in new and existing sports infrastructure is vital to improving the health and wellbeing of NSW residents,” Mrs Ward said.
“Over the next two years, we will continue to stimulate local economies, boost employment and importantly, facilitate healthy lifestyles by investing in sports infrastructure.
“These projects will continue the construction boom across the State as part of the NSW Government’s multi-billion-dollar infrastructure pipeline.”
The Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund provides grants from $100,000 – $1 million to Councils, local sporting bodies, NSW State Sporting Organisations, State Sporting Organisations for People with Disability, National Sporting Organisations and private enterprises.
Highlights of Round One include funding for the construction of community snow sport facilities at the National Snowsports Training Centre (NSTC), upgrades to Temora Swimming Pool, Moree Artisan Aquatic Centre and netball facilities at Fred Finch Park, Berkeley, plus the redevelopment of amenities at Darling Street Oval, Hamilton South.
Mrs Ward said projects aimed to improve existing accessibility, inclusion and participation opportunities for females and people with disability were a priority of the Fund.
“Providing sports facilities to meet the needs and expectations of the community is a focus of the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund,” Mrs Ward said.
For further information on the Greater Cities and Regional Sport Facility Fund, visit: https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/clubs/grants

Hospital workers, paramedics and police who helped fight the pandemic are among the public sector workers who will receive a significant wage increase of up to 2.5 per cent in response to NSW’s economic rebound from COVID-19.
The financial ‘thank you’ will come into effect for all public sector workers due to be renewed from 1 July 2021.
This change in the Government’s wages policy is forecast to cost approximately $2.7 billion over the four-year forward estimates.
This increase is significantly above current private sector wage growth, with most recent figures trending at 1.7 per cent for the sector that employs the vast majority of workers in NSW.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the Government’s decision to boost pay came on the back of renewed confidence in the NSW economy following a year in which the country experienced its first recession in a generation severest post-war recession.
“The pandemic has meant making sacrifices and difficult decisions. This included wage restraint during the worst of the crisis,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We put all of our financial strength into protecting people, providing economic stimulus and boosting job-creating programs. The economy is back growing and we are now able to give a wage increase to government workers and their families.
“I would like to thank all of our public servants for the work they have done in protecting the people of NSW over the past 18 months.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said while the NSW economy had rebounded, the impact of COVID-19 was still being felt.
“We have committed more than $29 billion in support and stimulus measures to support the economy during the pandemic,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Last year’s reduction in pay rises was a tough decision, but everyone remembers the very confronting scenes from last year of people lined up outside Centrelink, by making that decision we were able to protect and boost jobs when needed to.”
The NSW Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) awarded most public servants a wage increase of 0.3 per cent in October last year in the midst of the pandemic.
After spiking to just over 7 per cent, the NSW unemployment rate now sits at 5.0 per cent with the Australian unemployment rate at 5.1 per cent.
Mr Perrottet said NSW has regained more than the 270,000 jobs that had been lost during the pandemic and the recovery in the economy is well underway.
“We know there is still a lot more to do and we will continue to support people and businesses with a strong focus on productivity growth and reform,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We weathered the storm and after a pandemic induced pause we can return to a fiscally responsible policy.”
The NSW Government’s policy of up to 2.5 per cent remuneration increases was introduced in 2011.