Category: NSW News

The NSW Upper House has taken the serious step of referring the sitting Premier of NSW, Gladys Berejiklian, to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
The motion was carried 22 votes to 15.
The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Adam Searle said the Premier has questions to answer about her integrity and conduct as a public official.
“Labor takes this referral of the Premier to ICAC from the NSW Upper House – our Parliament’s house of review – with the utmost seriousness,” Mr Searle said.
“The office of the Premier is the highest office in NSW and the Premier must be beyond reproach.
“It’s time to shine a light on the questionable conduct that’s been taking place in the corridors of power under the Berejiklian Government.”
The NSW Upper House has referred the following to ICAC for investigation:

• The repeated failure of the Premier to report any aspect of former Liberal Wagga Wagga MP, Mr Daryl Maguire’s conduct known to her during her “close personal relationship” with him on or at any time after 13 July 2018 (when Mr Maguire gave evidence before the ICAC in relation to Operation Dasha) up until 12 October 2020, the day on which the Premier gave evidence in public to the ICAC in Operation Keppel in breach of her legal duty under section 11 of the ICAC Act
• Whether the Premier’s “close personal relationship” with Mr Maguire was in fact “an intimate personal relationship” for the purposes of applying the NSW Ministerial Code of Conduct thereby giving rise to serious conflicts of interest prohibited by the NSW Ministerial Code of Conduct
• Whether the Premier’s “close personal relationship” with Mr Maguire otherwise gave rise to serious conflicts of interest prohibited by the NSW Ministerial Code of Conduct
• The Premier’s denial that she knew Mr Iwan Sunito, Crown Group Chairman and Group CEO, a major property developer, despite photographic and other evidence to the contrary
• The transfer of the Greater Sydney Commission from the responsibility of the Minister for Planning to the responsibility of the Premier
• The role of the Premier in the approval of the Stronger Communities Fund Tied Grants
• The role of the Premier in the decision to destroy the physical working advice notes which she had written on containing the recommendation and reasons for $141.8 million of the grants
• The role of the Premier in the decision to attempt to destroy by deleting the Word version of the working advice notes

The motion included additional amendments, including issues to do with Mr Maguire’s disclosures while a parliamentary secretary, matters arising from the Premier’s attendance at a fundraiser in Taree in 2018 and the allocation of money from the Premier’s Discretionary Fund to the Wagga Wagga electorate while Darryl Maguire was an MP, in circumstances where she did not disclose her relationship with Mr Maguire.
Mr Searle said: “There are too many unanswered questions that only the ICAC can answer. The Premier has tried to hide. But the people of NSW deserve better. It’s time for the truth to come out.”
The motion to refer the Premier to the ICAC will  now be considered in the Legislative Assembly.

Families and businesses across regional NSW will benefit from additional vital community upgrades and job creating projects with the 2020-21 NSW Budget injecting a further $300 million over two years into the transformational Regional Growth Fund.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro said this boost to the Regional Growth Fund will include another round of the $100 million Stronger Country Communities Fund which will continue works to reinvigorate rural communities and deliver grassroots project upgrades to every Local Government Area in regional NSW.
Additionally, a new $75 million Resources for Regions round will provide vital infrastructure and support programs for mining towns and communities.
“This is the Regional Growth Fund ‘2.0’, with a further $300 million injected into this popular program which has delivered over 2,100 projects across regional NSW to date, and today I can announce there’s more to come,” Mr Barilaro said.
“The Stronger Country Communities Fund and Resources for Regions Fund are two of the Regional Growth Fund’s flagship programs and the new funding announced in the 2020-21 Budget is great news for rural families, businesses and industry.”
The recharged Regional Growth Fund will also deliver new programs that target economic activation and tourism projects and complement the recently announced $100 million Regional Job Creation Fund to provide businesses in regional NSW with the confidence they need to invest, expand their operations, get new customers through the door and create new jobs.
Mr Barilaro said the now $2 billion Regional Growth Fund was first introduced in 2017 to give people in every corner of regional NSW a fairer share of government investment. Over $1.7 billion has already been committed to more than 2,100 projects, big and small, right across regional NSW.
“The Regional Growth Fund has delivered industrial precincts and intermodals to roads, power, water and the internet, upgraded regional airports, floodlights for footy fields and playgrounds for kids.
“These projects are providing the major infrastructure upgrades that industry needs to thrive, the support that businesses need to expand, the attractions that tourists love to visit and the community improvements that make a big difference to everyday life.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said this additional investment is about helping support our regions through the economic recovery following the impacts of drought, bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s been a tough few years for many regional towns across NSW, so the now $2 billion Regional Growth Fund, together with the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund, will provide once-in-a-generation infrastructure that generates opportunities, investment and jobs and makes regional NSW a great place to live, work and thrive.”
The remaining $125 million in funding will be allocated through other regional programs, such as tourism and economic activation initiatives, for the benefit of regional NSW.
For further information, go to www.nsw.gov.au/regionalgrowthfund.

Professionals are being encouraged to make a mid-career jump to teaching through a new pathway under development by the NSW Government.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet and Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell announced a $400,000 investment to develop a brand new model focused on attracting the best and brightest from other professions into the teaching profession.
Mr Perrottet said the model would be jointly developed by the NSW Government and Teach for Australia, drawing on their experience in attracting mid-career and high achieving professionals into teaching.
“We know that traditionally it has been difficult for people to make a career switch to teaching due to the cost associated with leaving employment whilst undertaking a Masters of Teaching,” Mr Perrottet said.
“This partnership will look at enabling successful mid-career professionals to make the switch to teaching by lessening the adverse financial impact of taking time out of the workforce to gain a teaching qualification.”
Subject areas and schools with teacher shortages will be targeted – particularly science, maths and TAS (Technology and Applied Sciences), and rural and remote schools.
Minister for Education and Early Childhood Learning Sarah Mitchell said the bespoke model would be developed from scratch in collaboration with key education stakeholders.
“We know that more teachers are required in priority subject areas as well as our rural and regional schools, and this partnership will enable us to attract more high quality people into the profession,” Ms Mitchell said.
“This new pathway will be aimed at mid-career professionals, not new graduates, and is being rolled out alongside our reforms to ensure the highest standards for teachers in NSW.”
This model is one of a range of initiatives the NSW Government is implementing to bolster the teaching workforce, including targeted scholarships in priority subject areas and the Casual Supplementation Program.

The state’s army of volunteer wildlife rehabilitators, and the vets who assist them, will be better supported to meet the demands of native animal rescue with today’s release of the NSW Volunteer Wildlife Rehabilitation Sector Strategy.
The three year plan to support and improve wildlife rehabilitation in New South Wales has in part been developed to incorporate the findings of the NSW Bushfire Inquiry.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said wildlife rehabilitators rescue about 100,000 animals every year and even more in times of crisis.
“Our army of volunteer wildlife rehabilitators worked tirelessly in last summer’s catastrophic bushfires, rescuing countless wildlife, including our precious koalas,” Mr Kean said.
“Without their commitment, dedication and responsiveness our sick and injured native animals would not have survived.”
The NSW Government has already committed $6.52 million to implement the strategy statewide.
Key elements include:

• consistent standards of operation for the sector
• improved support for local groups and volunteers
• better training for veterinarians to assist native wildlife
• a system of accreditation to replace the current licensing of volunteer wildlife rehabilitation groups.

Additionally, codes of practice for animal care will be enhanced along with training standards for rehabilitators and changes to the policy framework to give people more choice about which group they can join.
“Often working in challenging and confronting circumstances, these volunteers can bear significant personal cost and stress,” Mr Kean said.
“We want volunteers to feel prepared, understood and respected while also equipping them with the necessary skills and resources to perform their crucial role.”
NSW Volunteer Wildlife Rehabilitation Sector Strategy 2020-2023 available HERE

A new Metro rail line, dam and motorway are among 10 major infrastructure projects which will be accelerated to keep people in jobs and the economy moving.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the projects were part of the new Priority Assessment Program that followed the successful Planning System Acceleration Program, established in April in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our emergency response to the impacts of COVID-19 was swift, decisive and effective in supporting the economy and health of our people,” Mr Stokes said.
“We used the impetus of the pandemic to shape a more efficient planning system, accelerating decisions on 101 projects in 24 weeks and creating opportunities for more than 50,000 jobs – almost double our original target.
“We also facilitated $25 billion in investment and the creation of more than four million square metres of open space and environmental conservation land.”
A similar fast-tracked assessment program of shovel-ready projects set up in Victoria has only generated $7.5 billion worth of investment since March.
Mr Stokes said the new program will prioritise longer-term, public and private projects earlier in the planning system and included a Metro station in Western Sydney, a new dam at Dungowan near Tamworth, and a new M12 Motorway to connect the M7 with Western Sydney Airport.
“These projects will need to be strategically important to the State or a region and provide considerable investment and public benefit. They have a timeline of up to 18 months, as opposed to the six-month ‘shovel-ready’ projects that were fast-tracked in the initial response to the pandemic,” Mr Stokes said .
“The projects will be accelerated through the planning system, targeting construction commencement in late 2021 or early 2022.
“We must keep up the momentum and move beyond short-term stimulus with projects that will deliver growth and jobs in the medium term and this second acceleration phase does just that.”
The first 10  projects to be considered by the program are State Significant Infrastructure projects and include:

• A new transmission connection between the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro and generation project to the existing high voltage transmission network;
• An airport Metro line to service Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis;
• An M12 Motorway dual-carriageway to connect the M7 Motorway with the Western Sydney Airport and The Northern Road;
• Four Inland Rail construction projects – Illabo to Stockinbingal, Narrabri to North Star (Phase 2), North Star to Border, Narromine to Narrabri;
• A new dam at Dungowan and better delivery pipeline linking to the Callala Water Treatment Plant in the Peel Valley;
• Two EnergyConnect projects (NSW – Western and Eastern Sections) – new 330 kV transmission lines connecting the NSW and South Australia transmission networks.

The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has begun assessing these projects.
To find out more about the program, visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Priority-Assessment-Program

Communities across New South Wales have made recycling a regular part of their routine, with more than 4.5 billion bottles and cans returned for recycling through the NSW Government’s Return and Earn Scheme.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said it was particularly exciting to reach this massive milestone during National Recycling Week.
“In the first six months of this year, three out of every four eligible bottles and cans supplied in the State were returned through the scheme for recycling,” Mr Kean said.
“These drink containers are now destined for use as a sustainable alternative, instead of littering our streets and contributing to landfill.”
Return and Earn has contributed to an average 40 per cent annual reduction in drink container litter in New South Wales, with more than 420,000 tonnes of materials recycled since it launched in December 2017.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment James Griffin said National Recycling Week is the prime time to celebrate the State’s suite of recycling initiatives.
“Waste Less Recycle More is Australia’s largest waste and recycling initiative, with more than 3.6 million tonnes of waste diverted from landfill in NSW since it was introduced in 2012,” Mr Griffin said.
“To date, we have invested more than $800 million in grants for councils, community groups, industry and charities to roll-out more than 2,685 programs and projects that support businesses and communities to improve recycling across the State.
“These results really demonstrate the role each and every one of us can play in protecting our environment and practicing recycling.”
For more information visit www.returnandearn.org.au

Patients across the Mid North Coast will soon have faster access to emergency care at Port Macquarie Base Hospital, via a new $10 million helipad on its rooftop.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams today announced $10 million will be included in the 2020-21 NSW Budget to commence construction of a new helipad on the roof of the hospital’s emergency department to improve aeromedical services for local patients.
Mr Hazzard said the $10 million boost was another example of the NSW Government delivering on its promise to provide improved local health services in rural and regional areas, including the Mid North Coast.
“The new helipad will provide patients with the most direct route to the hospital’s emergency department and operating theatres when they need it most,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The $104 million expansion of Port Macquarie Base Hospital included foundations for a future rooftop helipad directly above the emergency department and this is now becoming a reality for the community.”
The state-of-the-art helipad is expected to receive between 50 and 60 retrievals a year.
Mrs Williams said the existing helipad had undergone improvements over the years to meet changing aircraft requirements, but the new helipad will be a vast improvement that will serve the community well, right into the future.
“This new helipad will give the people across the Mid North Coast region direct access to expert medical care,” Mrs Williams said.
“As an extra bonus, the site of the existing helipad will be transformed into additional hospital car parking for staff, patients and their families.”
During their visit to Port Macquarie Base Hospital today, Mr Hazzard and Mrs Williams met with local health staff and thanked them for their efforts during a challenging year.
Port Macquarie Base Hospital is a major referral hospital for the Hastings Macleay Clinical Network which provides specialist services to people in the Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kempsey local government areas.

The Lake Cathie community will have a new purpose-built ambulance station thanks to a NSW Government boost of $100 million to ambulance infrastructure in rural NSW.
Minister for Health Brad Hazzard said the initial $122 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program had proved such a success the NSW Government will invest an additional $100 million in Stage 2.
“This funding boost will help NSW Ambulance deliver the most contemporary, efficient new ambulance stations to support our paramedics as they continue to deliver high quality emergency medical care to rural and regional communities,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The new ambulance station for Lake Cathie will be tailored to best meet the needs of the region, and will provide local paramedics with the optimal base to work from as they continue their vital job of helping community members in their hour of need.”
NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan said the extra boost to regional services was a welcome announcement for staff and local communities.
“It means our committed paramedics will be better equipped and positioned to do what they do best, help the people of NSW with top quality care when they need it most,” Dr Morgan said.
Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams said the new ambulance station will be a welcome addition to the community of Lake Cathie.
“The NSW Government’s commitment to ambulance infrastructure will support the key growth areas of Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills,” Mrs Williams said.
The initial RAIR program received $122 million, the single largest investment in regional NSW Ambulance’s 125-year history, with 24 communities across the state benefitting from an upgraded, rebuilt or entirely new ambulance station.
“This program has already proved an enormous success and NSW Ambulance will continue its promise to deliver the most up to date equipment and facilities to keep our communities and ambulance staff as safe as possible,” Mr Hazzard said.
The 2019-20 Budget for NSW Ambulance was more than $1 billion which included $27.1 million to employ an additional 221 paramedics and control centre staff to improve response times, reduce paramedic fatigue and support safety.

The Government will accelerate upgrade funding for five train stations under the Transport Access Program (TAP), taking the NSW Government’s total investment to more than $2.2 billion since 2011.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance today announced an additional $112 million as part of the 2020-21 NSW Budget for the upgrades and a further $80 million to progress future upgrades. This adds to the existing $885 million that was committed over four years in last year’s Budget.
“The projects funded include upgrades at Doonside, Turrella, Killara, Junee and Cootamundra which will create around 400 jobs. On top of that, Moss Vale and Tuggerah stations will also see planning commence,” Mr Constance said.
“The NSW Government is making public transport accessible for every single commuter in this state.
“Through TAP we’ve now delivered or begun work on more than 470 improvements to train stations, ferry wharves, car parks, interchanges and bike sheds.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said every dollar spent on upgrading the transport network would deliver better outcomes for commuters while also creating jobs.
“Investing in job-creating infrastructure projects like station upgrades will be a key focus in this year’s Budget,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We are continuing to invest record amounts in our public transport system because we know it makes a real difference in people’s everyday lives while crucially boosting jobs when we need it most.”
More than 70 stations have been upgraded through the Transport Access program since it began in 2011. Almost 90 per cent of customer journeys now begin from accessible locations.
“The funding not only means more commuters will benefit from lifts, ramps, footbridges and increased safety, but hundreds of people will be employed across engineering, construction and administration roles to bring the planned upgrades to life,” Mr Constance said.
“We won’t stop until every single station across NSW, both in metropolitan and regional areas, is accessible for everyone.”
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the NSW Government is committed to delivering safe, modern and accessible transport infrastructure across the state.
“We need to ensure everyone, including commuters in our regions, has the option to use public transport.
“These upgrades will make public transport available to some of our more vulnerable community members and can make the world of difference to their quality of life.”

The NSW Police Academy in Goulburn will benefit from a $60 million upgrade, as part of the 2020-21 NSW Budget, providing state-of-the-art training facilities for the NSW Police Force.
The capital works will increase service capacity, enhance training capabilities and deliver a long-term infrastructure and development strategy for the Academy.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said this funding boost is in addition to the NSW Government’s $583 million investment to introduce 1,500 extra police over four years to enhance community safety across NSW.
“The NSW Police Academy is currently the sole provider of police training and education to probationary constables of the NSW Police Force,” Mr Perrottet said.
“This investment is about giving our police recruits the best possible training, supported by modern and well-equipped facilities. These upgrades will also support jobs as we get the economy back on track post-Covid.”
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the increased number of new police officer positions has seen more recruits pass through the Police Academy.
“The announcement of 1,500 new police over four years was unprecedented. So far this year we have seen more than 800 recruits attest through the Academy.” Mr Elliott said.
“Upgrading the existing facilities at the Academy is critical to meet the needs of an enhanced and growing Police Force. As the nature of policing changes, so too must the training we provide our officers.
“The NSW Government will continue to back our men and women in blue. This capital investment will deliver a long-term infrastructure and development strategy for the Police Academy and improve the already world-class training all our State’s officers receive.”
Police Commissioner Mick Fuller APM welcomed today’s announcement saying the investment will enhance the NSW Police Force’s capability into the future.
“This year has highlighted that police play a critical role in supporting and making NSW a safer community – no matter what the nature of the crisis or operational need,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“All recruits are required to undertake training at the Goulburn Academy, and it is vital that we provide state-of-the-art training facilities to get the best trained officers out on the street.”
“The upgraded facility will help us better equip our officers with the skills they need to face modern day challenges of policing.”
Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman said it will be a significant investment in the area.
“This will not only be a boost for our police force statewide, but will also be a boost for our local economy and provide jobs for the region,” Ms Tuckerman said.
“The Police Academy is an important part of our community and I look forward to seeing it receive the state-of-the-art upgrades it requires.”
The upgrade project at Goulburn Police Academy is expected to be finalised by 2023.