Category: Australian News

Staff from the Environment Protection Authority will walk off the job in Parramatta today in protest at the Minns Labor Government’s plan to axe hundreds of roles.
 
The lunchtime protest sends a clear message. The people who test the water we drink, monitor air quality, and respond to asbestos and contamination are being thrown aside. These are the workers who protect NSW households every day, and now they are being treated as expendable.
 
Under Chris Minns the EPA faces $20 million in cuts and 370 roles delimited.
 
Labor said before the election that jobs were safe. The truth is the opposite. So many of our public sector people who believed Labor’s promises have been duped.
 
The anger felt at today’s protest reflects what is happening right across the public sector.
 
The government workforce feels betrayed and ignored. Morale has plummeted. Staff are burnt out and tired of being told everything is fine while their jobs disappear.
 
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said this is a government that talks about integrity but hides behind spin while gutting from our agency designed to protect the environment.
 
“When workers who protect our environment are walking off the job, you know Labor has lost control. Chris Minns has turned his back on the people who keep NSW safe,” Mr Speakman said.
 
Shadow Minister for Energy, Climate Change and Environment said EPA culture was being destroyed, and staff were already looking for work elsewhere.
 
“EPA staff have contacted me sharing their concerns that these cuts will ‘strip the organisation of experience and knowledge’. In the EPA staff members own words “you actually invested in us, Labor are cutting…” said Mr Griffin.
 
When the EPA is gutted, toxic sites go unchecked, pollution risks rise, and public safety is compromised. Labor’s cuts aren’t just reckless, they’re dangerous.
 
This protest is a warning. The public sector is breaking under Labor’s cuts, and the government is pretending not to notice.

Four Australian‑developed quantum technology clocks have been successfully trialled in the United States, as part of the Albanese Government’s $2.7 million investment towards these AUKUS Pillar Two capabilities.

Held over a six-week period in Washington D.C., the trials saw Adelaide‑based QuantX Labs and the University of Adelaide each contribute two quantum clocks, which were tested by AUKUS partners under various environmental conditions to evaluate their performance and potential for defence applications, including communication and navigation systems.

Quantum clocks are used to assure the synchronisation of communications networks, detect GPS spoofing and jamming, and provide reliable position, navigation and timing in contested environments.

Integrating this technology into AUKUS partners’ militaries will enhance the Australian Defence Force’s ability to operate in environments where GPS navigation is unreliable or unavailable.

These world‑leading clocks have been developed in Adelaide through $2.7 million in Australian Government contracts, in conjunction with the Defence Science and Technology Group, and sovereign industry and academic partners. This is part of the Albanese Government’s increased investment in advanced capabilities, including up to $3.8 billion over the next decade in the Advanced Strategic Capabilities Accelerator.

The outcomes of the quantum clock trial will be shared among AUKUS partners to inform analysis of how quantum clocks may be used in future defence operations.

Quantum technology will play a vital role in the future of the Australian Defence Force, as identified in the 2024 National Defence Strategy and the Defence Innovation, Science and Technology Strategy.

Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“Australian industry has long been at the forefront of quantum technology.

“This collaboration harnesses expertise and experience from AUKUS partners and leverages emerging technologies to deliver the capabilities our militaries need.

“Through AUKUS Pillar II, we are achieving capability development faster than any one of our nations could achieve alone.”

The Albanese Government is pleased to announce a strategic contract that paves the way for Australian battery technology to be used in the AUKUS submarine design, supporting local innovation and hundreds of jobs.

South Australian-based PMB Defence is partnering with BAE Systems in the United Kingdom to enable the potential integration of its advanced nickel zinc battery system into the design of the future conventionally-armed, nuclear-powered submarines. PMB will also supply battery technology for other Royal Navy submarines.

The contracts between PMB and BAE, valued in excess of $34 million, have already seen PMB add 20 staff to its workforce in South Australia with the company anticipating adding more jobs as it scales up to meet production requirements. These new jobs add to the 450 positions already created at BAE and ASC as a result of the AUKUS program. 

This is another significant milestone in the AUKUS partnership and underscores the importance of collaboration across our respective industrial bases in delivering future submarine capability. It follows extensive collaboration between the Australian Submarine Agency, PMB Defence, and UK Ministry of Defence stakeholders, and has accelerated entry of Australian products into UK and US submarine supply chains.

PMB is a world-leading manufacturer of submarine battery systems, producing the main storage batteries for the Collins-class submarines, which have been in operation with the Royal Australian Navy since 1996. If successful through the design phase, it is expected these batteries would be built at PMB’s facility in South Australia – supporting a sovereign, local workforce.

The future SSN-AUKUS submarines are being developed trilaterally, based on the UK’s next generation design that incorporates technology from all three nations, including cutting-edge US submarine technology, such as propulsion plant systems and components, a common vertical launch system and conventional weapons. AUKUS partners will also develop a joint combat system, as an expansion of the existing US-Australian combat system. 

Minister for Defence Industry, Pat Conroy:

“The Albanese Government will always back Australian innovation and this strategic contract reinforces the fact that Aussies are world leaders when it comes to defence technology.

“Australian industry is our greatest strategic asset. The contract for the AUKUS design, which comes on the back of work PMB has secured for other Royal Navy submarines, will create dozens of new well-paid high-skilled jobs for locals, on top the hundreds at BAE and ASC that AUKUS has already delivered. 

“AUKUS is expected to create around 20,000 direct jobs over the next 30 years, and the Albanese Government is committed to making it easier for Australian industry to tap into a multi-billion-dollar, multi-decade opportunity.”

The Senate has voted to establish two further Senate inquiries into Labor’s aged care reforms, amid concerns that the new Act which came into force on Saturday will fail older Australians. (See background on the new Act here)

The previous Senate inquiry into  Aged Care Service Delivery , which explored the transition period leading up to the new Act on 1 November, revealed that the aged care waitlist was more than double what had previously been reported (with over 200,000 Australians waiting for care). That previous inquiry was instrumental in forcing the early release of 20,000 home care packages needlessly withheld by the government.

Now that the Act is in force, two new inquiries have been established today:

The first inquiry will investigate the government’s planned transition of the Community Home Support Program (CHSP), which currently serves more than 800,000 older Australians with at-home supports through “block funding” to providers like Meals on Wheels. 

The second inquiry will investigate the ability for older Australians to access care under the Support at Home program, including the impacts of new pricing mechanisms and co-payments.

The government intends to transition CHSP into Support at Home and has only funded the program up until 30 June 2027. The government has failed to answer previous questions about the impacts of closing CHSP on demand for Support at Home packages, leading to concerns that existing services will be forced to close their doors and waitlists for aged care will only blow out further.

As with the previous inquiry, both the newly established inquiries will be chaired by Greens Spokesperson for Older People, Senator Penny Allman-Payne.

Full terms of reference for the inquiries are below.

Lines attributable to Greens Spokesperson for Older People, Senator Penny Allman-Payne:

“Older people across the country – hundreds of thousands of whom are on fixed incomes – are copping increased costs for their care at home so that privatised aged care providers can make bigger profits. That’s a broken system.”

“Labor’s Minister for Aged Care, Sam Rae, has tried to hide the truth of these aged care changes, but now the reality is setting in and older Australians are waking up to new care arrangements they cannot afford.”

“Older Australians are still dying waiting a year or more for care, and rather than boost needed supports like the Community Home Support Program, they’re planning to close them.”

“Our parents and grandparents need leaders who will fight for them and their right to care, but instead Labor and the Liberals are shaking pensioners down for cash while propping up the profits of privatised aged care.”

“The Greens will ensure older Australians and their advocates are heard, and fight to fix this system so that everyone can access the care they need at the time that they need it.”

Community Home Support Program Inquiry

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by 15 April 2026: the transition of the Community Home Support Programme to the Support at Home Program, with particular reference to:

1. the timeline for the transition of the Community Home Support Programme to the Support at Home Program after 1 July 2027;
2. the expected impact of this transition, including on:
   1. waiting periods for assessment and receipt of care;
   2. the lifetime cap of $15,000 on home modifications;
   3. the End-of-Life Pathway time limits; and
   4. thin markets with a small number of aged care service providers. 
3. aged care provider readiness for the transition, including their workforce; and
4. any other related matters.

Co-payments inquiry

That the following matter be referred to the Community Affairs References Committee for inquiry and report by the Tuesday of the last sitting week of November 2026: the Support at Home Program, with reference to:

1. the ability for older Australians to access services to live safely and with dignity at home;
2. the impact of the co-payment contributions for independent services and everyday living services on the financial security and wellbeing of older Australians;
3. trends and impact of pricing mechanisms on consumers;
4. the adequacy of the financial hardship assistance for older Australians facing financial difficulty; 
5. the impact on the residential aged care system, and hospitals;
6. the impact on older Australians transitioning from the Home Care Packages Program;
7. thin markets including those affected by geographic remoteness and population size;
8. the impact on First Nations communities, and culturally and linguistically diverse communities; and
9. any other related matters.

The Greens have secured a Senate inquiry into the capital gains tax (CGT) discount, exposing one of the most regressive tax breaks in Australia’s system which is inflating house prices by incentivising speculative investment in property.

A separate Senate inquiry by the Greens will examine intergenerational housing inequality in Australia, including tax settings, rental and homelessness policies, and public housing investment. It will investigate solutions for tackling intergenerational housing inequality to address the widening gap between current and future generations.

The housing inquiry will commence at the conclusion of the CGT inquiry in mid March. 

Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim:

“The CGT discount is the most unfair and unequal tax break in the entire Commonwealth tax code which is supercharging house prices and locking first homebuyers out.

“PBO analysis commissioned by the Greens show that 50% of the benefits of the CGT discount go to the richest 1% of income earners. This unfair tax break is fuelling the housing crisis by turbocharging speculative investment while locking renters and young people out of home ownership.

“This inquiry will shine a light on how the CGT discount has supercharged inequality, funnelled money away from productive investment, and turned homes into financial assets instead of places of shelter and community.

“The Albanese Government said reforming the original Stage 3 tax cuts was impossible, until they weren’t.

“The CGT discount is orders of magnitude more unfair than the original Stage 3 tax cuts, and it’s long past time for it to be reformed.

“The Greens will use this inquiry to make the case for fairness: that someone who goes to work every day to earn a living should not be subsidising tax breaks for property speculators.” 

Greens spokesperson for housing and homelessness Senator Barbara Pocock:

“We don’t have a functioning housing system in Australia; we have a generational lottery, where young people are staring down the barrel of lifelong renting, precarious leases, and a housing market rigged against them. Housing should not be an intergenerational tug-of-war.

“In Australia, we’re seeing declining rates of home ownership among young people, increasing rental security and affordability, and rising rates of homelessness. With house prices forecast to increase by 9 percent next year on top of more than 6% this year, which will only fuel the housing crisis.

“An inquiry into our housing crisis is a matter of urgency. This inquiry will investigate the causes of Australia’s intergenerational housing inequality, including the $181m tax breaks for wealthy investors – the capital gains tax discount and negative gearing – that are locking out first home buyers and forcing rents to skyrocket.

“Australia’s housing crisis cannot be solved unless we tackle intergenerational inequality. We need solutions to get young people, first home buyers and renters access to affordable and secure housing.”

The Albanese Labor Government joined with the Coalition today to vote against an inquiry into AUKUS.

Labor’s vote for secrecy follows both the UK and the US undertaking reviews into the AUKUS agreement, and ignores the chronic supply and logistical issues with the nuclear submarine programs in each AUKUS country.

The Inquiry proposed by the Greens would have allowed a Senate committee to take for public submissions on all aspects of the AUKUS deal, including environmental impacts, defence impacts, costs, and independence.

Senator David Shoebridge, Greens spokesperson on Defence and Foreign Affairs, said:

“AUKUS is a $375 billion nuclear-powered raid on Australia’s public wealth.”

“The fact that the Albanese Government have voted for secrecy in this multi-decade, multi-hundred-billion-dollar gamble shows contempt for transparency and the very real concerns of the Australian public.

“The Albanese Government has already begun handing over the first $10 billion to the US and UK as part of AUKUS, without any binding agreement to either get submarines or a refund when it all unravels.

“The US is producing barely half the number of submarines needed to make AUKUS viable, and the UK’s nuclear program is in meltdown.

“Ignoring these critical supply failures in our AUKUS partners is not a credible defence strategy. But instead of a hard-headed review the Albanese Government’s response is to close its eyes and wait for the next photo op.

“Polling from the Australia Institute shows that Australians want a more independent foreign policy, not to align ourselves closely with US President Trump.

“Only 8% of people strongly agree with Defence Minister Richard Marles when he talks of our “shared values” with the United States.

“AUKUS is a limitless drain on our public funds that makes Australia less safe and even more dependent on Washington.

”Today’s vote shows how out of touch the Canberra national security bubble is from ordinary Australians who don’t like Donald Trump, don’t want war with China and want their Parliament to fund Medicare and public schools before nuclear submarines.”

Read the full inquiry terms of reference here.

Greens spokesperson for arts and communications, Senator Sarah Hanson-Young:

“The Greens have long campaigned for local content quotas on streaming platforms to support Australian stories on our screen. Big tech companies like Netflix and Amazon who make massive profits from Australians should be required to have Australian content and give something back to the Australian economy.

“A country that invests in its community and democracy, invests in its own cultural assets and story tellers.

“We will look carefully at the detail of the bill and reserve our position until we know it is strong enough to ensure a strong future for our screen industry, including children’s content.

“Australians deserve to see themselves and their communities reflected on their screens. Telling our own stories helps us makes sense of who we are here at home and around the world.

“Generations of Australians grew up on a diet of Australian shows like Playschool, Round the Twist, and Bluey. The next generation of Aussie kids deserve better than American junk.”

The Minns Labor Government is getting on with the job of delivering better roads for the bush, today announcing $9 million to seal the final stretch of Rangari Road in the Narrabri Shire.

The funding, from the NSW Government’s Rural and Regional Roads Fund, will allow Narrabri Shire Council to seal the last 9.6 kilometres of the road, the missing link that connects the Tamworth, Gunnedah and Narrabri local government areas.

Once complete, Rangari Road will be fully sealed for the first time, improving safety, reducing maintenance, and providing a smoother, more reliable route for locals, farmers, freight operators and emergency services.

The upgrade will cut dust, improve traction and reduce potholes, making travel safer and easier year-round, particularly in wet weather when unsealed roads can become impassable.

The $9 million investment brings total government funding for Rangari Road improvements to more than $30 million, completing a vital regional transport corridor and supporting economic growth across Western NSW.

Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison said:

“We’re getting on with the job of delivering better roads for regional communities.

“This funding will seal the final stretch of Rangari Road, making a real difference for locals, freight and emergency services who rely on it every day.

“The Minns Labor Government is backing the bush by building safer, stronger connections right across NSW.”

Independent Member for Barwon, Roy Butler said:

“This has been a long time coming for our community.

“Rangari Road is a key route for farmers, workers and families and sealing this last section means safer travel, less maintenance and better reliability for everyone.

“I’m pleased to have worked with Minister Aitchison to secure this investment and I will be encouraging Council to get moving, to ensure safer roads for Barwon.

One of the largest school building delivery programs in the history of South West Sydney’s growth region is taking off with major work now underway to deliver new and upgraded schools and preschools across the Camden and Leppington electorates.

Ahead of a community cabinet meeting, Premier Chris Minns, Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos, and the Member for Camden Sally Quinnell met with Gregory Hills Public School students who will attend the new Gledswood Hills High School once it opens.

The new permanent Gledswood Hills High School will feature 51 classrooms, specialist workshops for science, technology and the arts, a multipurpose hall, library, canteen, administration facilities, a covered outdoor learning area, sports courts and playing fields and will open on Day 1 Term 1 2027, catering for up to 1,000 students.

To ensure local students could continue their education close to home during construction, the Minns Government opened a temporary Gledswood Hills High School on the Gregory Hills Public School site this year for Year 7 students. Year 8 students will join them in 2026 while work continues on the new permanent site.

With construction on the new permanent high school having commenced in September, ground works are now underway, and slab pours for several buildings are expected in the coming weeks.

For 12 years, Gledswood Hills and Gregory Hills were neglected by the former Liberal National Government with local parents having to fight for the new schools they desperately needed.

The permanent Gledswood Hills High School is one of 12 education projects underway in Camden and neighbouring Leppington. Projects being delivered include:

• Austral Public School upgrade – Construction is underway on Stage 1 of the project, delivering a new building with 20 classrooms and three support classrooms.
• Dalmeny Public School upgrade – Work will soon begin on a new 16-classroom building.
• Eagle Vale High School upgrade – Early works are complete, including new sports facilities. Construction tendering is underway to build a new multipurpose hall.
• Emerald Hills new primary school and public preschool – Planning and design work is progressing for a 550-student school and 60-student preschool.
• Greenway Park Public School upgrade and new preschool – Construction begins this month on eight new classrooms and a 60-student preschool.
• New high school for Leppington and Denham Court – Major construction is underway on a new 1,000-student high school.
• Leppington Public School upgrade and new preschool – Construction is underway on Stage 1 of the project, delivering a new building with 20 classrooms and three support classrooms. Work on the 60-student preschool will begin soon.

The Minns Labor Government is also building an additional three new public preschools in the region offering 280 places per week for the area’s youngest learners. The public preschools will be co-located at Eschol Park Public School, Kearns Public School and Robert Townson Public School.

These school projects will deliver 190 new classrooms, providing capacity for almost 4,300 additional students in the area. More than 60 demountable buildings will be removed as part of this work, freeing up valuable play space for students.

The number of students in Gledswood Hills and Gregory Hills alone grew by almost 150 per cent between 2018 and 2023, while Leppington was identified as being in the top 10 fastest growth areas for enrolments in the state, with the number of students tripling in the same period.

This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s record $3.9 billion investment to deliver new and upgraded schools in Western Sydney as the government gets more teachers in front of classrooms by reducing teacher vacancies by 61 per cent, halving the number of merged and cancelled classes in NSW.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“South West Sydney is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia, and it is essential that we build the infrastructure to keep up with that growth.

“I remember meeting parents in this community when I was Opposition Leader and I want to congratulate these families, teachers and community members who advocated tirelessly to ensure local kids will have a quality, permanent high school.”

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:

“Our government has listened to the parents and families of Camden and Leppington, whose pleas for new schools and upgrades were disregarded by the Liberals and Nationals.

“Under the leadership of Deputy Premier and Education Minister Prue Car we are building these new and upgraded schools where they are needed most and delivering on Labor’s commitments to local parents.”

Member for Camden Sally Quinnell said:

“I’m pleased that construction on the permanent Gledswood Hills High School is in full swing and our community is excited for the opportunities the new school will bring for our students.

“The new facilities, which I was proud to campaign for alongside local parents, will provide students with a supportive and innovative learning environment for years to come.”

Gledswood Hills High School Principal Belinda Giudice said:

“Our community is thrilled to see the new permanent Gledswood Hills High School taking shape.

“From specialist classrooms to the outdoor environments where students can learn and grow, our school will provide students with every chance to thrive academically and socially.”

Gregory Hills Public School Principal Alison Rourke said:

“We are thrilled to be the temporary home of Gledswood Hills High School as the foundations on the permanent campus take shape.

“Students are still benefitting from our own recent upgrade, which provided new facilities to enhance their learning and opportunities for growth and success now and into the future.”

The Minns Labor Government has today marked the start of construction on the $200 million Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment, a major milestone in delivering enhanced health services for Bathurst and surrounding communities.

The $200 million redevelopment will provide patients, staff and carers with access to modern health facilities and expanded healthcare services to meet the future health needs of the communities in the Central West of NSW.

The redevelopment will include:

• An expanded Emergency Department
• Expanded Maternity services, including Special Care Nursery
• A new modern non-acute mental health inpatient unit (Panorama Clinic)
• Improved inpatient, outpatient and community health services
• Operating theatres
• Expanded cardiology services
• A new paediatrics zone
• New main entry and cafe

More than 70 additional car parking spaces are planned to be delivered onsite and in surrounding streets, including 46 additional parking spaces at key locations on the hospital campus providing a boost to the existing 306 car spaces for staff, patients and visitors. This will support improved access to the new hospital main entry on Mitre Street and the existing hospital entry on Howick Street. 

The hospital design has been informed by extensive feedback and consultation with health professionals, staff, patients and Aboriginal community representatives.

During construction of the Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment, a strong focus will be placed on engaging local tradespeople, suppliers, and subcontractors. This will help maximise the economic benefits of the project within the region and ensure the local community has a stake in the hospital’s future.

Local trades and suppliers are being invited to attend information sessions facilitated by main works contractor, Icon SI (Aust) Pty Ltd, which will provide details on pre-qualification requirements, how to register interest in subcontracting opportunities and upcoming work packages. Supporting the local economy, Icon is partnering with Lipman, which has a local Bathurst office, to deliver the hospital redevelopment.

The information sessions will be held:

• Wednesday 19 November 2025, 3.30pm-5.30pm, Lipman office, 4 Lombard Drive, Robin Hill
• Thursday 20 November 2025, 3.00pm-5.00pm, Redevelopment Project Office, Bathurst Hospital campus, corner of Mitre and Durham Streets

Construction is expected to be completed in 2028.

Businesses and tradespeople can also visit the project website or contact the project team to register their interest via email HI-Bathurst@health.nsw.gov.au

For the latest news and information about the project visit: www.nsw.gov.au/bathurst-hospital-redevelopment

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park:

“The start of construction means we are one step closer delivering a high-quality health facility that will serve the Bathurst and surrounding communities for generations to come.

“The $200 million investment will ensure the local community has better access to world class health care closer to home.”

Labor Spokesperson for Bathurst, Stephen Lawrence:

“The $200 million Bathurst Hospital Redevelopment will transform the delivery of healthcare for the community of Bathurst, improve patient outcomes, and support the valuable work of our dedicated health care staff in a state-of-the-art health facility, and I look forward to seeing this exciting project come to fruition.

“It’s fantastic to see local trades and businesses being given the chance to play a key role in the hospital’s redevelopment, which will create hundreds of jobs throughout construction and beyond, supporting the local economy and workforce.”