Category: NSW News

Goulburn now has a new ambulance station under the NSW Government’s record $122 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration program.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard, along with Member for Goulburn Wendy Tuckerman, officially opened the purpose-built facility.
“The NSW Government’s significant investment in new and upgraded ambulance stations for regional and rural areas is the single largest in the 120-year history of NSW Ambulance,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This new ambulance station is the latest of 36 new or rebuilt NSW Ambulance facilities across the state, 24 of which are in the rural and regional locations.”
Mr Hazzard said the new station will greatly improve emergency services for the southern region, providing local paramedics with a state-of-the-art facility and equipment.
“This project is an important step in the delivery of high-quality mobile emergency care to the people of Goulburn and surrounding areas,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The $122 million investment in regional and rural ambulance facilities is on top of a record $184 million for 11 new metropolitan Superstations, nine of which are already open, and one traditional station at Mona Vale, as well as a number of upgraded stations across greater Sydney.”
Ms Tuckerman said the new station would meet the emergency care needs of Goulburn and surrounds for years to come.
“The community can be assured that NSW Ambulance has the equipment to provide the best out-of-hospital clinical care to all patients across the region.”
The new purpose-built station on Bourke Street features:

• Internal parking for up to eight emergency ambulance vehicles;
• Administration and office areas;
• Staff amenities;
• Multipurpose meeting/training room;
• Logistics and storage areas; and
• Staff parking.

Ambulance stations operational under the RAIR program include Goulburn, Wagga Wagga, Coolamon, Ardlethan, Harden, Molong, Griffith, Kiama, Berry, Bay & Basin, Toukley, Wauchope, Hamlyn Terrace, Bathurst, Pottsville, Yass, Rutherford, Bungendore, Birmingham Gardens,  Cowra and Grenfell.
The 2019-20 Budget for the NSW Ambulance Service was more than $1 billion, including $27.1 million to employ 221 paramedics and control centre staff as part of a record 750 workforce boost.

Two people have been charged and eight infringements have been issued since the last COVID-19 update.
About 6.15pm yesterday (Sunday 27 September 2020), a 45-year-old woman attended Maitland Police Station, where she allegedly became aggressive while intoxicated before coughing on an officer. She was arrested and charged with not comply noticed direction re spitting/coughing – COVID-19, behave in offensive manner in/near public place, assault officer in execution of duty, and two counts of intimidate police officer in execution of duty without actual bodily harm. She was granted strict conditional bail and is due to appear in Maitland Local Court on Wednesday 18 November 2020.
– About 11am on 5 September 2020, police attended an unauthorised protest in Byron Bay. It’s alleged a 45-year-old man failed to move-on as directed by police. He was arrested and taken to Tweed Heads Police Station where he was charged with fail to comply requirement public health order – COVID-19.
– About 10pm yesterday (Sunday 27 September 2020), police attended a home on Bromide Street at Broken Hill after numerous noise complaints were received. Officers from Barrier Police District attended and issued the occupants a noise abatement direction. Police returned to the home later that evening after continuing to receive noise complaints. Officers seized the speakers before issuing two occupants a $1000 PIN for failing to comply requirement public health order – COVID-19.
– About 7.30am yesterday (Sunday 27 September 2020), police were called to Tyagarah Beach about complaints were received about a party that was taking place. Officers from Tweed/Byron attended and located more than 20 people at the party. Police were told approximately 500 people had attended the party earlier in the evening. Three people were issued $1000 PINs for failing to comply requirement public health order – COVID-19.
– About 12.20am on Saturday (26 September 2020), police stopped a car on the Sturt Highway at Hay. Police spoke with the occupants, who were from Victoria, and determined they didn’t have a valid permit to enter NSW. The three occupants were issued an $1000 PIN for not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 COVID-19.
Anyone with information about this incident 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 crime via NSW Police social media pages.

A $2.8 million project to relocate the ET Australia Secondary College in Gosford is the latest to be approved under the NSW Government’s Planning System Acceleration Program.
The existing school, which provides training and schooling to Year 7 to 10 secondary college students, will be relocated nearby within the Imperial Shopping Centre, while a new Year 11 and 12 campus is built at 125 Donnison Street.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the new development will increase capacity from 170 to 280 students across two campuses, create opportunities for 40 new jobs and inject $2.8 million into the local economy.
“We’re using every lever at our disposal to keep the NSW economy ticking throughout the pandemic, and I’m very happy to see another shovel-ready project being given the green light,” Mr Stokes said.
“A bigger ET Australia Secondary College will cater for more students, provide more jobs and help breathe new life into the Gosford CBD.”
“The relocation of the existing school could also allow for the development of Gosford’s proposed regional library, which is earmarked for that location.”
Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast and Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said it was a fantastic example of unused commercial premises being transformed for new and improved purposes.
“The development is now ready to get underway and will create 26 much-needed construction jobs and an additional 14 operational jobs once completed – on top of the existing 35 jobs that will be retained,” Mr Crouch said.
“The expansion of the school, which has been operating for eight years, will provide an alternate learning pathway for more students who need it.”
The ET Australia Secondary College is the latest to be approved as part of the NSW Government’s Planning System Acceleration Program which is keeping people in jobs and the economy moving during COVID-19.
To date the program has seen 91 projects determined, creating opportunities for more than 50,000 new jobs, and generated more than $25 billion of economic investment for the NSW economy.

The NSW Government has committed $15 million to upskill primary producers across plant-based sectors of the agricultural industry.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said AgSkilled 2.0 expanded on the success of the original program in driving the productivity, profitability and competitiveness of NSW agriculture through training and upskilling.
“AgSkilled 2.0 will continue to 30 June 2023 and has expanded the opportunity for training to a much greater range of plant-growing primary producers,” Mr Lee said.
“This expanded AgSkilled program will offer training across the key agricultural industry sectors of production horticulture, viticulture and rice growing in addition to the cotton and grains production covered in the original program.”
The original program delivered training to 5,227 people, over 849 courses across 189 locations to support cotton and grains farmers in regional NSW.
Mr Lee said the key to the program’s ongoing success was the engagement with industry to ensure training in agriculture is designed to be relevant, current and responsive to industry needs.
“This training increases the productivity and safety of existing workers in the sector and can offer career pathways for people to work in the agriculture sector,” Mr Lee said.
Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall said the expansion of the AgSkilled program would provide a boost for workers who wanted to upskill or are new to the agricultural workforce.
“These expanded opportunities are targeted directly at emerging needs and skill gaps that have been identified by industry, which means the State’s agricultural businesses can get a leg up when hiring skilled labour,” Mr Marshall said.
“Never before has it been so critical that we develop locally-based workers for the agricultural sector, so this will give them crucial training on the header, cultivating soil and plant health in the paddock, using new technology and more.
“Our farming businesses are the best in the world, and with programs like AgSkilled 2.0 they will have the workforce to match.”
The training is complemented by a range of other Training Services NSW initiatives to support regional NSW. For more information, visit www.training.nsw.gov.au

Emergency services personnel will have access to a new world-class training facility with the launch of Fire and Rescue’s Practical Learning Environment in Western Sydney.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new $19 million training facility is designed to challenge the skills of first responders to ensure they are best prepared to help the community in the event of an emergency.
“The safety of the people of NSW is our number one priority and this new training facility will help prepare our emergency services for all scenarios,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Access to state-of-the-art props and resources is essential to improving the hands-on training of all first responders.”
The Practical Learning Environment consists of an urban search and rescue scene with an underground train tunnel, a service station prop, a five-storey tower that consists of a variety of fire and rescue scenarios as well as a live fire facility.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said the new training environment would not only assist emergency services personnel but the people of NSW as well.
“Our emergency services personnel put their lives on the line every day to keep our community safe,” Mr Elliott said.
“All emergency services agencies will have shared access to the Practical Learning Environment, and by leading this adaptive training space we are building the best fire and rescue agency to protect the residents of NSW.”
Fire and Rescue NSW Commissioner Paul Baxter said each prop was specifically designed to enhance capabilities from fire and rescue to natural disaster and humanitarian relief.
“Our academy is a world-class resource that will ensure our first responders have access to life-saving practical training,” Commissioner Baxter said.
“Within each prop there are real life scenarios from hazardous materials spills, to road crash rescues and factory fires which will test the skills and knowledge of our firefighters.”
The next phase of the project will see the construction of a residential home, a streetscape and a train station scenario with a railway track and platform for rescue demonstrations.

A man has been charged after allegedly attempting to travel across the NSW/Victoria border in a taxi yesterday.
About 4.30pm (Saturday 26 September 2020), police stopped a Victorian taxi at a checkpoint on the Hume Highway, Albury.
The passenger, a 26-year-old man, was asked to produce a permit; however, it was not valid.
When he was spoken to further, police will allege the man stated he wanted to go shopping in Albury.
He was arrested and taken to Albury Police Station, where he was charged with not comply with noticed direction re section 7/8/9 -COVID-19 and breach of bail.
He was refused bail to appear at Wagga Wagga Bail Court today (Sunday 27 September 2020).
Anyone who has information regarding individuals or businesses in contravention of a COVID-19-related ministerial direction is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report crime via NSW Police social media pages.

Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee today launched an Expression of Interest process for industry and universities to partner with TAFE NSW in the design and delivery of its Digital Technology Centre of Excellence at Meadowbank.
The NSW Government is investing $154 million to transform TAFE NSW Meadowbank into the first digital technology-focused campus – and university and industry partnerships will play a key role in aligning the Centre of Excellence to current and future skills needs.
Mr Lee said the TAFE NSW Centres of Excellence are game-changers for education and training in NSW.
“We are very excited to work with partners in this new way. I encourage organisations and universities to think about the skills their workforce of the future will need to compete on a global scale,” he said.
“As the signature training hub for future technologies and digitalisation at TAFE NSW, the new Centre of Excellence will help to address the rapidly growing and evolving digital economy and break down sectoral divides between vocational education, higher education and industry.
“This latest announcement at Meadowbank shows TAFE NSW is leading the way when it comes to partnering with industry to meet the skills needs of the economy and ensure the people of NSW are job-ready.”
Centres of Excellence will establish an innovative training environment that can support collaborative learning models, including the co-design and co-delivery of skills training with TAFE, industry and universities, and provide practical, relevant training for students in modern, purpose-built facilities and simulated workplace environments.
The Digital Technology Centre of Excellence will design and deliver training in future technologies and digitalisation including artificial intelligence, big data, gaming, cloud computing, cyber security, and programming. The Expression of Interest process commenced today and will continue to 26 October.

Entertainment facilities including theatres, cinemas and concert halls across NSW will be able to increase their capacity to 50 per cent and corporate events at function centres will be able to welcome up to 300 attendees from next week.
The Premier’s Major Events Taskforce has agreed theatre, cinema and concert goers can return to entertainment venues in greater numbers and that corporate events at function centres can increase attendance, provided venues have COVID-Safe plans and adhere to public health requirements.
Minister for the Arts Don Harwin said this is a major step forward to recovery for the performing arts sector, with entertainment facilities now able to sell tickets for seated events at 50 per cent of capacity, to a maximum of 1,000 tickets.
“For workers across the full spectrum of the performing arts – from box office staff to ushers, from technicians and roadies to the artists – this change means more jobs,” Mr Harwin said.
“For audiences, it means we can soon enjoy the experiences we have all missed so much during the pandemic.
“It’s a win for jobs, it’s a win for our theatres and it’s a win for communities across NSW.”
The changes mean a boost to box office revenues for the hundreds of theatres, cinemas and concert halls across the state. For some it means reopening their doors.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said getting more people into entertainment venues and function centres was key to re-starting the NSW visitor economy.
“Function centres will now be able to host up to whichever is the lesser of 300 people or one person per four square metres for a corporate event. It’s vitally important for the business community to get back on its feet by being able to collaborate and share ideas in person once again”. The limit of 300 people is an increase from the current limit of 150 for corporate events,” Mr Ayres said.
“This will help people get back to work and back to doing more of the things they love to do in NSW as our COVID-19 recovery plan continues to take shape.”
The NSW Government has supported the arts and cultural sector throughout the pandemic with support packages such as the $6.34 million support for arts, screen and cultural organisations as well as the $50 million Rescue and Restart package.

More families can attend community sports, music ensembles and school camps can proceed, and a modest increase dancing at weddings is allowed under new COVID-19 safety rules.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the latest easing of restrictions around school and community life is due to lower case numbers.
“While we are by no means out of the woods, low case numbers give health authorities the confidence to allow mums and dads back onto the sideline,” Mr Hazzard said.
“NSW Health has also given the green light for up to 20 people in the official Wedding Party to take to the dance floor, where previously only the happy couple were permitted.”
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the updated health advice comes as NSW schools prepare for a two-week break before returning for the final term of 2020.
“Everyone is committed to providing a safe environment for children, students and staff and these changes will ensure COVID-safe celebrations can happen,” she said.
“Schools have done an incredible job, and it’s exciting to see things returning closer to normal. However, we need to stay vigilant.”
Changes to Term 4 school guidelines include:

• Community Languages Schools Program will recommence face to face learning;
• Interschool activities can recommence on September 26 where there is a COVID-19 Safety Plan in place;
• Playing wind instruments, singing and chanting is permitted with strict restrictions;
• Year 6 formals and graduations are permitted;
• High school formals are permitted from 12 November to limit any HSC disruption; and
• Kindergarten orientation, Year 7 transition, excursions and camps can resume with strict guidelines.

Musical ensembles can also resume, as long as players keep a 1.5 metre distance from one another, or three metres for players of non-reeded woodwind instruments.
Acting Minister for Sport Geoff Lee said the changes to community sport will be a welcome relief for parents.
“From this weekend, more than one parent may now attend community sporting activities if physical distancing of at least 1.5 metres can be maintained between people that are not from the same household,” Mr Lee said.
“We know the last few months has been hard on families who want to see their kids score a try or kick a goal on the weekend.
“I would like to thank all the parents and volunteers in community sport for their commitment to following the guidelines to help keep our community safe.”
Accommodation facilities and overnight event organisers should develop and implement a COVID-19 Safety Plan. All carpooling should continue to be avoided.
There is no restriction on school holiday travel within NSW for people who live within the State however, anyone who is unwell should defer travel plans and get tested.
Updated school guidelines are available here and the full health advice is here.

Supermarkets and pharmacies can continue to trade and receive deliveries 24 hours a day as rules introduced by the NSW Government have been extended until next year.
The Government responded to the COVID-19 pandemic in March by amending the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 to allow around-the-clock trading and delivery hours as well as the extension of café and restaurant take away capabilities.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the orders will be extended for another six months until March 25, 2021.
“Our quick response to the immediate challenges of the pandemic ensured everyone had access to essential household goods, businesses remained viable and the economy kept ticking,” Mr Stokes said.
“Six months down the track it’s obvious we still need this flexibility. The pandemic has taught us that we can be nimble and reduce red tape where necessary.
“We have to live with the virus for a little while yet, so we’ve extended these orders and will review them before the new expiry date in March next year.”
Mr Stokes added that extended operating hours for the construction industry, introduced to ensure COVID Safe working conditions, will also continue.
“The construction industry is a key driver for jobs growth during the recession so we needed to find ways to support it while keeping workers safe from the virus,” he said.
Since March, the NSW Government has issued eight Ministerial orders under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to:
– Extend retail trading, delivery and waste removal hours;
– Allow home businesses to operate 24 hours a day;
– Provide more flexible conditions for takeaway food and beverage facilities, food trucks and ‘dark kitchens’;
– Allow construction sites to operate the same hours on weekends and public holidays as they would on weekdays;
– Permit temporary pop up cycleways within the City of Sydney; and
– Allow temporary vehicle sanitisation stations to be built to provide professional cleaning for taxis, Ubers and community transport vehicles.
Further information on the Planning Ministerial orders can be found here: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/COVID19-response