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Tunnel Boring Machines make gains as Metro heads West

While passengers are making the most of their fast and efficient new metro service beneath the city, around-the-clock construction is powering ahead to deliver the 24-kilometre new Sydney Metro West railway to Westmead.

The mega project has recently achieved a slew of tunnelling milestones, including overseeing the arrival of two mega tunnel boring machines (TBMs) at Sydney Olympic Park to complete the first two tunnel entries for the future station.

TBM Betty, named after Olympic champion Betty Cuthbert, was first to arrive at Sydney Olympic Park in June and was followed by TBM Dorothy, named after human rights activist Dorothy Buckland-Fuller, on 29 July.

The TBMs have spent 10 months completing the 4.6-kilometre tunnels from Clyde, where the future Sydney Metro West stabling and maintenance facility will be located, to reach Sydney Olympic Park.

TBMs Betty and Dorothy have excavated approximately 857,500 tonnes of material, equivalent to nearly 156 Olympic-sized swimming pools, to complete the first leg in the journey and have installed more than 32,600 concrete precast segments along the way to line the new tunnel walls. 

Having reached the finish line at the future Olympic Park station, 170 metre long TBM Betty has been disassembled, lifted out of the station box and transported on trucks back to Clyde, where she will be relaunched in the opposite direction towards Westmead.

TBM Dorothy’s disassembly at Olympic Park is ongoing, but is expected to join Betty on their journey to Westmead a month later. Both TBMs are expected to arrive at Westmead in mid-2025.

The focus at Sydney Olympic Park will now shift to the opposite end of the 200-metre-long, 37-metre-wide, and 27-metre-deep station box, where TBMs Beatrice and Daphne are due to break through later this year.

TBMs Beatrice and Daphne are building a 11-kilometre section of the line between The Bays and Sydney Olympic Park and have recently relaunched from North Strathfield. The TBMs have two more kilometres of tunnel to build before completing the final leg in the journey to Sydney Olympic Park.

The project’s newest addition, TBM Jessie is tunnelling from The Bays towards the Sydney CBD at a slow and steady pace, inching its way underground alongside the Anzac Bridge. The huge machine has excavated 230-metres of tunnel since its launch in May. The final TBM for the project is expected to begin the second of two new harbour tunnels later this year.

Sydney Metro West will double rail capacity between Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD. Fast and reliable metro services will make it easier to travel around western Sydney, link new communities to rail services and support employment growth and housing supply.   

This is all part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to build better communities for NSW. To ensure we’re creating and building on well-connected, well-serviced neighbourhoods.

For more information about Sydney Metro West, visit sydneymetro.info/west/project-overview

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

“We have welcomed the world’s fastest athletes and biggest rockstars to Sydney Olympic Park, and now it is time Metro West’s superstar TBMs to headline here in Sydney’s west.

“Sydney’s brand new rail line will give sports and entertainment fans unrivalled access to this part of town and significantly enhance transport options during major events.”

“Sydney loves its new Metro, and teams are working around the clock to bring Metro west.

“Metro West’s TBMs are digging dual tunnels as part of our Government’s $19 billion investment in extending Metro across Sydney and continuing the state’s infrastructure pipeline.”

Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said:

“It’s been great to welcome TBMs Betty and Dorothy to Sydney Olympic Park, and Daphne and Beatrice have been hard at work so they can join us here too.

“By 2032, Sydney Olympic Park won’t just be linked to the rest of Sydney by rail, but also by this new Metro and Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2.

“This will give the people who work, live or play in Sydney Olympic Park many ways to travel in and out.”

Paying superannuation on Paid Parental Leave

The Albanese Labor Government is continuing to deliver on its commitment to provide greater support to Australian families by introducing legislation today which will pay superannuation on Government-funded Paid Parental Leave.

The introduction of the Paid Parental Leave Amendment (Adding Superannuation for a More Secure Retirement) Bill 2024 in the House of Representatives builds upon recent reforms which have made Paid Parental Leave more flexible, accessible, gender equitable, and which increase the length of the scheme.

Subject to the passage of legislation, eligible parents with babies born or adopted on or after 1 July 2025 will receive an additional payment, based on the Superannuation Guarantee (12 per cent of their Paid Parental Leave payment), as a contribution to their nominated superannuation fund.

Paying superannuation on Paid Parental Leave will improve the economic security in retirement of around 180,000 Australian families each year.

The Paid Parental Leave scheme provides financial support to eligible working parents to take time off work after a birth or adoption.

This legislation builds on recent reforms, including the expansion of the Paid Parental Leave scheme to 26 weeks by 2026. Since 1 July 2024, parents can receive 22 weeks of Paid Parental Leave, up from 20 weeks, resulting in more support as parents take time out of work to care for their newborn.

Pending the passage of legislation, a lump sum superannuation payment would be paid following the end of each financial year, including an interest component, where a recipient received Paid Parental Leave. The contribution will be automatically deposited into the superannuation accounts of eligible parents.

More information on the Paid Parental Leave scheme can be found on the Department of Social Services website.

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese

“This is a modern policy for modern families which delivers choice, offers security and rewards aspiration.

“My Government is boosting Paid Parental Leave by extending it to a full six months. This strengthens that further, by adding superannuation on it as well.

“It’s another important step towards gender equality – which is good for families, good for business and good for our economy.”

Treasurer, Jim Chalmers

“Paying super on Paid Parental Leave is part of our efforts to ensure women earn more, keep more of what they earn, and retire with more.

“This reform is good for families and for the economy, and we are really proud to be legislating it.”

Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher

“We know that women continue to face difficult decisions and financial penalties when choosing to raise a family. These long-overdue changes will help ease those penalties and lessen the impact on women’s retirement savings.

“Paying super on Paid Parental Leave will complement the other work our Government is doing, including expanding the Paid Parental Leave scheme to six months and making childcare cheaper and more accessible.”

Minister for Social Services, Amanda Rishworth

“The introduction of superannuation with Paid Parental Leave signals that caring for babies is valued and helps to normalise parental leave as a workplace entitlement.

“Investing $1.1 billion over the forward estimates to pay superannuation on Paid Parental Leave is a key step in prioritising gender equality as most recipients are women who will have lower superannuation balances. The measure will directly reduce the impact of parental leave on retirement incomes.

“By investing in these reforms, we are ensuring families can get the most of Paid Parental Leave and exercise more choice and flexibility, especially now that we are adding superannuation for a more secure retirement.”

Two years of CanTEST drug checking service

The CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service, which provides chemical analysis of drugs and pills, has now been running for two years in the ACT.

Minister for Population Health Emma Davidson said CanTEST, which was Australia’s first fixed-site health and drug checking service, was providing the community with important information about drugs to inform their choices and helps to reduce drug-related harm.

“Drug testing saves lives. Over its two years of operation, CanTEST has tested over 2,900 samples and provided over 4,000 health and alcohol and other drug interventions,” Minister Davidson said.

“The ACT Government is committed to treating substance use as a health issue, not a criminal issue. People take drugs. Removing the stigma to have honest conversations about your health can save your life.

“CanTEST is helping to reduce drug-related harm in the ACT. We have seen over 300 substances discarded because of the testing provided by this service, which is one in ten of the samples presented for testing.

“Programs like this lead drug harm reduction and support our community to make healthier choices. Half of the drugs tested were found to contain a substance that the person didn’t expect to see, and they were less likely to take the drug.”

MDMA, ketamine and cocaine are most commonly tested at CanTEST, followed by methamphetamine and heroin. There has also been a range of other substances presented for testing across this period, including:

  • psychedelic drugs
  • counterfeit and falsified medications sold on the black market
  • substances mimicking other drugs.

“The testing allows CanTEST to alert the community about substances that have appeared at the service, including some that were particularly high risk,” Minister Davidson said.

“The evaluation of the first six months of this service by the Australian National University found that many people changed their behaviour, either through discarding or not using a substance or changing their behaviours to further reduce potential harm.

“It also showed that for over two-thirds of clients, this service was their first interaction with a health professional to discuss their drug use.”

The CanTEST Health and Drug Checking Service is run by Directions Health Services in partnership with Pill Testing Australia and the Canberra Alliance for Harm Minimisation and Advocacy.

In June this year, the ACT Government committed to funding the service until June 2027.

CanTEST’s two year report can be found on their website.

You can find more information about the service on the ACT Government’s drug checking web page.

Inquest finds death of First Nations man ‘preventable’ as Doctor is referred for investigation

The findings from the Inquiry into the death of First Nations man Ricky “Dougie” Hampson Junior were released this week. Hampson died in 2021 after presenting to Dubbo Base Hospital with “10 out of 10” pain. The Inquiry heard that after spending 19 hours at the hospital he was misdiagnosed before being sent home without any further investigation, where he shortly passed.

The findings, delivered by Deputy State Coroner Erin Kennedy now show that Dougie’s death was entirely “preventable” and the inquest made several recommendations, including that the doctor who treated Hampson should be referred to the NSW Healthcare Watchdog.

Greens MP and spokesperson for First Nations Justice Sue Higginson said, “A small but significant piece of justice has finally been won for Dougie and his family this week. These findings can never bring Dougie back, but they can drive reform to rid the racism within the health care system, which underscored his death, save the lives of other First Nations people and give peace of mind to his family.”

“Dougie went to hospital in agony and instead of being treated as he presented, he was treated with the cognitive bias, racism and negligence that First Nations people so often face in the state’s systems,”

“The brutal cruelty of the state’s systems continued when Dougie’s family had to engage in tireless advocacy, over 3 years, including visits to Parliament, pleas through the media, legal representation and a 13 and a half thousand signature petition calling for the inquest that has now made these findings. They should never have had to fight so hard, or so long for this justice, but they did and we must all thank them for doing so,”

“The state’s systems continue to fail First Nations people. We wonder why the gap is not closing. Urgent reforms must be introduced and not just at Dubbo Hospital or the Western NSW LHD. Culturally appropriate care must be front and centre going forward. A colour blind approach is one that fails First Nations people just as it failed Dougie,” Ms Higginson said.

Parliamentary enforcement body will help Set the Standard

The Greens welcome the belated introduction today of legislation to establish an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission was introduced.
 
Recommendation 22 of the 2021 Set the Standards report was that the Houses of Parliament should establish, within 12 months, an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission (IPSC) to enforce codes of conduct. The IPSC was initially expected in October 2023, but that timeframe has since been updated to October 2024.

Senator Larissa Waters, Greens Leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women

“It’s two years late, but the Greens welcome the legislation to establish of an Independent Parliamentary Standards Commission. 

“Now the bill has been introduced, the Greens want to see this commission be established quickly, without further delay.

“Women and staff have been unsafe in parliament for far too long. Parliamentarians have been getting away with blue murder, as there has been no way of holding them to account for bad behaviour.

“Finally with this new body, parliamentarians will face consequences for bad behaviour.

“The Greens pushed for stronger sanctions, including higher fines for MPs and more consequences for Ministers when there is an adverse finding. It shouldn’t be up to the Prime Minister to determine what happens to Ministers who misbehave.

“Parliament should be setting the standard for other workplaces around the country, but instead it’s been a national shame. 
 
“This progress would not have happened without all the brave staff who have spoken out including Brittany Higgins, Dhanya Mani, Chelsey Potter, Rachelle Miller, Tessa Sullivan and Josie Coles.
 
“Both houses of parliament have endorsed Codes of Conduct for behaviour, but without an independent body to investigate breaches, those Codes have been unenforceable to date. 
 
“We hope that having the Codes of conduct enforceable through the IPSC will discourage misconduct, and keep staff and everyone in parliamentary workplaces safe.”

Australia’s International Development Policy – Delivering for our region and Australia

The Albanese Government’s International Development Policy is paying dividends, better addressing poverty, economic growth, healthcare, infrastructure investment, climate change and gender equality. All of this is critical to supporting a peaceful, stable, and prosperous future for Australia and our region.

August marks 12 months since Australia launched the landmark Policy, which aims to make our development program more effective, responsive, transparent and accountable. Since the Policy was launched, there have been substantial improvements in the outcomes of Australia’s work, including:

  • 23.8 million vulnerable people accessed emergency assistance.
  • 31.5 million new therapeutics, vaccines and medical equipment delivered.
  • Over 10 million people immunized.
  • Nearly 250,000 more children enrolled in school.

One of the key commitments of the Policy was to design a new Civil Society Partnerships Fund, that will support civil society organisations and address the challenges of shrinking civic space in many parts of the world.

Today we are pleased to announce Australia will invest $35 million over four years in projects which will improve access to civic space, to allow people to meet, express themselves, share information and contribute to decisions that affect their lives.

Supporting local leadership, listening to partners about what their priorities are, and working together to address these issues, is central to the Policy. Australia is crafting Development Partnership Plans, which have been published for Papua New Guinea and Indonesia and we will release more soon.

As part of enhanced accountability measures, we have strengthened performance and evaluation systems, published the inaugural Performance of Australian Development Cooperation report, and will launch a new transparency portal by the end of 2024.

The rebuild of Australia’s international development program is helping to strengthen our long-term relationships and deliver in the interests of Australians and the region around us.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“The Albanese Labor Government’s International Development Policy has sharpened our focus, and increased accountability to ensure our investments are delivering maximum benefit.

“As we mark 12 months since the policy roll out, I am pleased to see that it is making such a positive difference, particularly to women and girls, and in terms of building climate resilience.

“We are working hard to restore Australia’s place as a partner of choice.”

Minister for International Development and the Pacific, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“The Australian Government has worked tirelessly to rebuild Australia’s development program since coming to office – our ‘whole-of-nation’ effort involves working with partners across government, industry, academia and civil society to deliver our shared goals.

“It’s been one year since we released our International Development Policy and we’ve made strong progress against its key commitments.

“We have revitalised how we do development, backed by sustainable increases to the ODA budget – investing in our capability and expertise while refocusing the way we work to align with the needs and interests of our regional and global partners.”

Latest climate change data helps NSW withstand the heat

The NSW Government has released updated Climate Change projections to help governments, agencies, businesses, landholders and communities plan and adapt to the future climate.

Statewide and regional NARCliM projections are available online: https://www.climatechange.environment.nsw.gov.au/news/new-climate-projections-for-nsw

They illustrate the need for further action to reduce emissions and for informed planning to improve the resilience of households, communities and businesses to the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather patterns.

The third version of the NSW and Australian Regional Climate Modelling (NARCliM) forecasts climate outcomes for NSW, based on global emissions scenarios. Earlier versions were released in 2014 (NARCliM 1.0) and 2021 (NARCliM 1.5).

Available at fine (4km) scale for south-east Australia and coarser (20km) scale over Australasia, the updated set of climate projections are among the most detailed available in the country.

NARCliM 2.0 projects that by the year 2100, NSW can expect:

  • increased average temperatures in all parts of NSW, with the greatest rises inland,
  • more hot days of 35°C and above for all regions across the state,
  • fewer cold nights below 2°C, particularly along the Great Dividing Range, and
  • more extreme weather events including severe fire weather days for all of NSW by 2050.

The updated data models two greenhouse gas emissions scenarios and what the climate in NSW is projected to look like under each. It is the first time NARCliM has provided low emissions scenario projections that show the benefits to NSW of achieving the Paris targets.

By 2090, under a low emissions scenario, temperatures are projected to increase by a further 1.3°C and there would be up to an additional 15 days above 35°C each year.

Under a high emissions scenario, temperatures are projected to rise by a further 4°C and there would be up to 45 days above 35°C.

This shows why further action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is crucial to reducing the impacts of climate change that are damaging to health, the environment and the economy.

The NARCliM projections provide robust and trusted information about our future climate which will be used to inform risk assessments, planning and research into the threats facing NSW and how we can improve climate resilience.

The data reinforces the Minns Labor Government’s decision to make action on climate change a whole of government priority, enshrine emissions reduction targets in law, and legislate an adaptation objective for NSW to be more resilient to a changing climate.

NARCliM climate projections are led by the NSW Government with the support of the ACT, South Australian, Victorian, and Western Australian governments, National Computational Infrastructure, Murdoch University and the University of NSW.

The update is a commitment of the NSW Government under the NSW Climate Change Adaptation Strategy.

Minister for Climate Change and the Environment Penny Sharpe:

“The data shows two clear options – we can do nothing which will lock in more extreme weather events in the future, or we can reduce emissions now to play our part in limiting the damage.

“We can’t plan for the future without the best data. That’s what NARCliM provides. Government agencies, businesses, farmers and local decision makers can now access updated climate projections to make informed decisions about the steps they should take to prepare for the changing climate.

“This data will help protect critical infrastructure including hospitals, transport networks, dams and energy systems from climate change impacts such as extreme heat, fires and floods.

“The Minns Labor Government is taking strong action on climate change to reduce emissions, make our communities and environment more resilient to extreme weather events, and ensure our economy is strong, robust and built on local, secure jobs.”

Grant to deliver homework hub and cultural connections for Central Coast mob

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris has announced a $225,000 grant to support an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation to deliver services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in the south of the Central Coast.

Today Minister Harris and Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch visited the recipient, Garawa Aboriginal Corporation at a morning tea hosted by NG Central School in Kariong, to celebrate the NSW Government funding to help address Closing the Gap outcomes.

The grant will support a number of programs, including a weekly homework hub for primary school-aged children, genealogy workshops, a youth life skills program, Elders ‘Know your rights’ workshops, and an on-Country camp for teenagers.

Garawa Aboriginal Corporation was established in 2023 in response to demand for additional support for Aboriginal people living in areas around Empire Bay, Ettalong, Woy Woy and Umina.

Garawa designed the project to address Closing the Gap targets for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the region including education, health, economic and digital inclusion outcomes.

A weekly homework hub for Aboriginal primary school children will be established at Umina Public School to provide a culturally safe place for after-school learning.

A weekly cultural life skills program for high school-age students, will also be established in partnership with Community SOS, a Central Coast-based support and outreach organisation.

The high school student program will conclude with a three-day camp on Darkinjung Country where participants will be immersed in their culture.

Garawa will also invite representatives from agencies such as Legal Aid, Centrelink and Aged Care to support the needs of Elders.

For more information about upcoming NSW Government grant opportunities, visit www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding.

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty and the Central Coast David Harris said:

“The NSW Government is pleased to be delivering this grant for Garawa Aboriginal Corporation in response to the needs identified by the community, particularly in supporting young people and elders.”

“We know that when Closing the Gap solutions are designed, led, and implemented by Aboriginal people and communities, in partnership with the government, we get better outcomes.

“I look forward to seeing how Garawa flourishes over the coming years as a result of its commitment to support community.”

Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said:

“It is wonderful to see this grant funding delivered to Garawa Aboriginal Corporation, ensuring that Aboriginal people living across the Peninsula and Empire Bay region are able to access support in the areas the region needs most.

“It is clear that in order to address the Closing the Gap outcomes, services such as those provided by Garawa are critical, delivered through a deep partnership between government and Aboriginal people and communities.

“I have no doubt that Garawa will continue to deliver fantastic outcomes for community here on the southern end of the Central Coast and I look forward to continuing this fantastic partnership with Garawa on the Coast.”

Garawa Aboriginal Corporation Executive Officer Wandid Young said:

“The grant application was developed in consultation with our community about gaps in existing services.

“The program will empower young people by teaching them life skills in a culturally safe way.

“Many young people not growing up on their Country may find that they are disconnected from culture. Those who have a strong identity are comfortable with their connection to Country.

“Transport continues to be an issue for Aboriginal people in our region. We will use the grant to purchase an eight-seater vehicle to transport community to events.

“It’s an exciting time and Garawa Aboriginal Corporation is looking forward to working with community to support their needs.”

Australia’s first ride share space mission blasts off

Five NSW start-ups at the cutting edge of space technology are celebrating following the successful launch of the NSW Government-backed Waratah Seed – Australia’s first ride-share space mission.

The Waratah Seed-1 satellite launched at 4.56am Australian time on Saturday 17 August carrying payloads from NSW startups Euroka Power, Spiral Blue, Extraterrestrial Power, Contactile, and Dandelions to test and prove the functionality of their products in space.

The technology developed by the NSW based teams includes robotics that help repair satellites, silicon solar panel cells, technology that improves the transmission of earth imagery and natural fibres that allow spacecraft to continue to communicate during re-entry to Earth’s atmosphere.

The Waratah Seed-1 satellite was developed by CUAVA, part of the University of Sydney’s space training centre, and was launched on a SpaceX rocket from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The NSW payloads started sending back telemetry on day one and will now spend several months in space gathering vital information to transmit back to Earth to help develop further leaps in space technology.

The launch of Waratah Seed comes as the NSW Government and NSW Space Research Network (SRN) announce the successful recipients of $720,000 worth of grants.

The SRN’s $600,000 Pilot Research Program supports cross-disciplinary university collaboration on space technologies that address a space capability or industry challenge.

The five projects funded include the development of a solar cell that generates power in the dark, testing the agricultural potential of plant growth in space and studying new applications for signals obtained from constellations of Low Earth Orbit satellites.

The $120,000 Student Program Fund supports space-related university student projects that provide a pathway and experiences to produce the next generation of space researchers.

In total, the fund will support 196 students in 14 groups across eight universities.

Further information on the NSW Government funded Pilot Research Program and Student Program Fund can be viewed at the SRN website.

For more information on how the NSW Government supports the space industry visit Investment NSW.

Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“Every day NSW based spacetech companies are bringing us closer to the Star Trek era and this launch puts these start-ups at the forefront of this revolution.

“It’s an exciting time for the industry as the Waratah Seed-1 satellite blasts off.

“It’s taken an incredible amount of collaboration between government agencies, universities and space businesses to get to this point, and I want to acknowledge those involved for their pioneering spirit which is taking the space industry in NSW to new and exciting heights.

“Space comes with many risks and technical challenges, so getting to the point of launch is a significant achievement. The startups involved and their research partners can be incredibly proud of the progress they’ve made for the industry.
 

“The NSW Government is also proud to support the next generation with the Pilot Research Program and Student Program Fund – an important part of the NSW Space Research Network’s mission to build and support collaboration to grow our space capabilities.”

Key Board appointments

The NSW Treasurer and Minister for Finance can announce a series of direct appointments to the boards of Sydney Water, Landcom, and Port Authority of NSW.

The appointments will help drive reform across the publicly owned corporations, and deliver on the Government’s priorities.

Sydney Water

Niall Blair has been appointed as a Director at Sydney Water. The shareholders intend to appoint Mr Blair as Chair when the current Chair’s term expires.

His appointment continues a long career of service to the people of NSW, including as Minister for Primary Industries, Trade, and Industry and Regional Water.

Mr Blair is charged with helping Sydney Water manage the demand for new infrastructure to support housing, while meeting the need to keep water bills low during a cost-of-living crisis.

Landcom

Ashley Mason has been appointed as Chair of Landcom, bringing extensive operations experience across a range of Tier 1 construction companies and in government.

Mr Mason will be joined on the Landcom Board by the Hon Craig Knowles AM, a former Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, Health, Infrastructure, and Natural Resources.

Mr Mason and Mr Knowles will support the $800 million expansion of Landcom and its focus on developing key worker housing and build-to-rent projects.

Port Authority of NSW

The Shareholder Ministers intend to appoint Kris Neill, former Chair of Women’s Community Shelters, former Macquarie Group Executive Director and former Chief of Staff to Premier Bob Carr, to the Port Authority of NSW Board. Ms Neill was also interim chief of staff to Minister Houssos.

Ms Neill’s extensive governance expertise will help the Port Authority maximise opportunities presented by the Freight Reform Policy Program and the delivery of NSW infrastructure projects.

The NSW Government thanks the outgoing directors for their services. A selection process is underway for other vacancies across the corporations.