Category: NSW News

NSW Labor is demanding the Premier sack the Treasurer, Dominic Perrottet, who today admitted the many failures of his workers compensation agency iCare.
In an extraordinary 25 minute interview on ABC Radio Sydney, Mr Perrottet was repeatedly asked if he would resign after the agency’s ‘complete, systemic failure’.
The Treasurer said he would not stand down, but said “the buck stops with me.”
NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay said the Premier must make her Treasurer accountable and remove him immediately: “After five weeks of denials and obfuscation, this morning the Treasurer finally admitted to his catastrophic failures of iCare.  It’s the first time he’s admitted that he got it wrong and is to blame for the failures of his agency – the largest in NSW.
“Mr Perrottet said that ‘in public life you make mistakes. You’ve got to accept them, apologise and move on.’ That’s not good enough.  Dominic Perrottet has let down hundreds of thousands of businesses and more than 3 million workers.
“Our system of Government requires ministerial accountability.  The Treasurer said the buck stops with him.  He’s right. He should be sacked.  If this was a private business he wouldn’t remain in the role.
“Dominic Perrottet’s colleagues don’t trust him and neither does the community.  If the Treasurer can’t be trusted to restore integrity at iCare, how can he be trusted to manage the economic recovery?”
The Shadow Minister for Finance and Small Business Daniel Mookhey said Dominic Perrottet should be sacked for his incompetent management of iCare.
“Nothing is going to change at iCare if the Treasurer is left in charge.  If the Premier is serious about restoring confidence, it starts by removing the Treasurer and removing the Board of this organisation that has tanked the NSW workers compensation scheme.
Under Dominic Perrottet’s stewardship:
• iCare underpaid 52,000 workers up to $80 million
• iCare overpaid dodgy doctors hundreds of millions of dollars in duplicate and fraudulent payments
• iCare paid for two secret political advisors in Dominic Perotett’s personal office
• iCare in February tried to eject 17,500 workers from the workers compensation system to offset the scheme’s mounting losses
• iCare sought to hike employer premiums by 4% and introduce a ‘gap fee’ for injured workers needing to see a doctor
• iCare is under investigation for paying $22 million to insurance brokers in breach of the law
• iCare’s CEO resigned after it emerged that iCare awarded his wife a lucrative contract
• iCare’s CEO and another top executive took an undisclosed sponsored trip to Las Vegas paid for by a multi-million contractor to the agency
• iCare’s top executives took a 36 foreign trips in four years – 10 times more than SIRA, their regulator
• iCare faced an ICAC referral for handing an $11 million marketing contract to a company secretly owned by a top executive at the agency
• Treasury in September 2019 secretly cancelled an external investigation into probity and governance at iCare after the former CEO complained
• The State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) made referrals about iCare to the Independent Commission Against Corruption for further investigation
• A damning independent review found that in 46 percent of claims handled, iCare failed to follow the relevant law
• iCare organised with the Treasury a secret $4 billion bailout of the workers compensation fund for police, nurses, prison guards and teachers to stop it from collapsing
• The Treasurer was warned in May that iCare was set to lose another $850 million before COVID-19 hit the scheme even harder
• iCare racked up underwriting losses totalling $4.54 billion in the past three years
• iCare’s $3.9 billion surplus effectively disappeared, before COVID-19 affected investment returns
Despite this record Mr Perrotett told Parliament that iCare did a ‘superb’ job.
Ms McKay and Mr Mookhey said the Premier can no longer ignore the Treasurer’s massive failings and must remove him.

Labor’s Deputy Leader, Yasmin Catley MP, slammed the Premier for her comments yesterday that New South Wales and Australian manufacturing workers can’t build quality ferries, trains, buses and light rail and issued a demand for the Premier to apologise for her unforgivable public attack on local workers and businesses.
“Gladys Berejiklian is addicted to offshoring big government projects and screwing local workers and businesses out of a chance to show us what they can do,” Ms Catley said.
Under pressure for the woeful track record of botched transport projects being procured from overseas by her Government, the Premier said at a press conference on Wednesday, “Australia and New South Wales are not good at building trains, that’s why we have to purchase them”.
“This just shows how utterly ignorant and out of touch Gladys Berejiklian is when it comes to jobs and manufacturing in our state. She and her colleagues have spent the last nine years offshoring jobs and sending taxpayers’ money overseas and now she has the gall to blame our workers,” Ms Catley said.
The NSW Liberals have spent $2.7Bn on South Korean trains that don’t fit the tracks and tunnels, $1.5Bn on Indonesian ferries that don’t fit under bridges, as well as trams from Spain and France, and buses from Malaysia.
“In the middle of an economic crisis, Gladys Berejiklian’s comments are a kick in the guts to local workers. Instead of running down our local industries at press conferences, Gladys Berejiklian should be giving them the opportunity to build our new ferries and trains,” Ms Catley said.

NSW Labor will bring a Bill to Parliament to overhaul the State’s purchasing and procurement powers to support NSW jobs, industry and supply chains, help workers develop skills and grow the NSW economy out of the COVID-19 recession.
The Labor Leader Jodi McKay said: “I grew up in a rural community and had to leave to get a job. 30 years later that’s still happening. The Government must intervene, because only when rural and regional NSW is strong can the entire state thrive.”
As part of Labor’s NSW Made campaign, The NSW Jobs First Bill will bring NSW in line with other states, including Victoria and South Australia and provide a much-needed boost to economies across regional NSW.
Ms McKay said: “Government money should be spent in NSW to help kick-start the economy. This plan will bolster employment and support NSW businesses during the biggest economic downturn since the Great Depression.”
“The Premier talks about economic recovery, but she doesn’t have a plan to create jobs. The NSW Government spends more than $30 billion on goods and services each year.  Every single cent of that should be helping create jobs in NSW. Every single cent should create and support industry across NSW – especially in regional NSW.”
Part of NSW Labor’s Bill is the establishment of a NSW Jobs First Advocate to advocate for businesses and industry in Government purchasing decisions, and hold suppliers to account for the NSW jobs and supply chain commitments they make.
“Just this week we discovered Indonesian-made ferries destined for Sydney Harbour are riddled with asbestos and are too tall to fit under bridges. The Government should be building these ferries in NSW.  Local manufacturing supports local jobs, which is critical to the recovery of our state. If the Premier is serious about economic recovery she will support this Bill.”
As part of this Bill, suppliers looking to win government contracts would have to submit an Industry Development Plan to outline how they’ll support NSW jobs and industries.
A proportion of jobs on major State Government projects would also go to apprentices and trainees, Indigenous Australians, disadvantaged and vulnerable groups and the long-term unemployed.
“If you spend taxpayer money responsibly, you can create jobs across the State. You can support businesses. And you can make sure there are opportunities for everyone in the workforce.”
While at Cooma where the historic Snowy 2.0 will be built, Ms McKay said the NSW Premier should be using her position at National Cabinet to make sure NSW steel and NSW jobs are at the centre of this nation-building project.
“It makes sense to buy a NSW-made product instead of using foreign steel, particularly during a recession. Every local steel industry worker employed supports another six workers in related industries.”
Since 2011, successive NSW Liberal governments have sent local jobs offshore, awarding contracts worth billions of dollars to overseas manufacturers.
These include:

• Imported steel for the International Convention Centre and Sydney Metro
• Ferries from Indonesia and China
• Buses from Germany and Malaysia
• Trains from South Korea and China
• Metros from India
• Light rail vehicles from France and Spain

“People would be shocked to know major NSW Government projects, along with most of the wind turbines and solar panels that generate energy here are mostly made from imported steel.”
“Buying local supports jobs and supports industry in NSW,” Ms McKay said. “Nowhere is this more important than across regional NSW. Labor’s plan will back NSW businesses, overhaul procurement practices, boost manufacturing capacity and strengthen the economy.
“The money Government spends is your taxpayer money. It should be spent to create jobs in NSW, not overseas.

Organisations keen to kick-start programs promoting youth engagement can now apply for up to $50,000 as part of the NSW Government’s Youth Opportunities Grants.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said a share of $1.5 million is available for not-for-profits, community groups and councils.
“The last 12 months have been tough for communities across our state, and these grants are an opportunity to support programs that engage young people during this critical time,” Mr Ward said.
“We want to hear about projects that encourage young people to learn new skills, meet new people and create stronger, more cohesive communities.”
The program provides one-off, time-limited grants between $10,000 and $50,000 for projects that remove barriers preventing youth from taking up new opportunities. Since the program began in 2012, Youth Opportunities has provided almost $12 million in funding to 247 projects across the state.
Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women Bronnie Taylor said more than half of last year’s grant recipients involved programs in regional and rural NSW.
“This is a fantastic way of getting projects off the ground which empower young people and encourage them to participate in their community,” Mrs Taylor said.
“Last year’s recipients included programs promoting positive mental health, job-readiness and leadership skills for Aboriginal young people.”
Not-for-profit Hear For You received funding last year for a project supporting young people who are deaf or hard of hearing to improve their communication skills.
Hear For You CEO David Brady said participants are using their new skills to raise awareness about hearing health and deafness in their local schools and communities.
“They have been working together to create content, design materials, practice their public speaking skills and deliver presentations to their peers, educational institutions and community groups,” Mr Brady said.
For more information, or to apply, visit www.youth.nsw.gov.au/youth-opportunities/.

75 years ago, the NSW Division of the Liberal Party was formed by ordinary men and women from across the state, gathering at a hall in the middle of Sydney, to fight for the principles of individual freedoms, free enterprise and equality of opportunity.
The Liberal Party brought together the United Australia, Liberal Democratic, Commonwealth and Democratic Parties, to form the most successful political force in post-war Australia.
Since winning its first by-election in Ryde in 1945, the NSW Liberal Party has been responsible for the introduction of important reforms that we take for granted today, such as the introduction of consumer laws, legal aid and compensation for victims of violent crime, critical road safety measures, the Senior’s Card and the abolition of compulsory retirement, pensioner medical and free medicines service, the Disability Services Act to guarantee the rights of all disabled people as well as the establishment of the Environment Protection Authority and the Australian Council for the Arts.
Through it all, Liberal Governments have advocated responsible economic policies and successfully fought to remove restrictions on small businesses and develop policies to help them compete, as well as protect homeowners, and ensure orderly migration.
NSW Division State President, the Hon Philip Ruddock AO, said “while our office-bearers and parliamentary representatives have changed, the underlying values of the Liberal Party are rock solid.”
“Our mission is simple – to safeguard people’s rights and freedoms, protect them from unwarranted government intrusion, and maximise opportunities for individuals to better themselves through initiative and enterprise.
“Economic and social progress has always relied on the Liberal Party, and our passion for the principles of sound government has kept us strong and secure.
“Just as our state is the engine of the Australian economy, the NSW Division is the engine of the Liberal Party. After all, more than half of Australia’s Liberal Prime Ministers, including the last four, have been Members of the NSW Division.”
The Division’s 75th anniversary will be marked with the launch of a website dedicated to the history of the NSW Liberal Party, as well as social media content – nsw.liberal.org.au/75-Years.

In a further step to protect the state’s koala population, the NSW Government has listed Mount Gilead Estate with its sweeping landscape and historic homestead in Sydney’s south-west, as an item of state heritage significance to be protected in perpetuity.
Situated in the Camden and Campbelltown region, the 150-hectare property showcases both the State’s colonial history, reflecting changes in agricultural pursuits and approaches to major estate planning, while containing significant archaeological evidence of the prior Aboriginal occupation and custodianship of the land.
Minister responsible for Heritage Don Harwin said “Mount Gilead Estate is an outstanding early 19^th-century colonial estate with a spectacular sweeping landscape. Its heritage buildings have inspired celebrated artists and photographers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, and we’re excited to list this site on the State Heritage Register.”
“Features of the estate include the original dwellings of its residents and workers, such as the historic homestead, stables, outhouses and sandstone granaries, which have not changed substantially since the early 19th century,” Mr Harwin said.
“The estate’s artificial lake and sandstone mill tower (c.1836) are rare and early examples of their type in NSW and Australia,” Mr Harwin said.
The long spur of land running parallel to Appin Road as well showcases cultural plantings along its central ridgeline.
Minister for the Environment Matt Kean said Mount Gilead Estate is part of an area that is home to some of the State’s healthiest koala populations and this State Heritage Listing provides further protections for rural landscapes.
“Just as the way we treat our koalas is a reflection on how we respect the environment, the way we treat our heritage buildings reflects how we respect the past,” Mr Kean said.
“It is vital we pull out all stops to not only protect habitat but also the structures that help us define who we are as Australians.”
Mount Gilead Estate is associated with three individuals of importance in the development of NSW: Reuben Uther, Thomas Rose and Edward Woodhouse, each of whom made a lasting contribution to the colony’s agricultural development.
Listing will ensure that the estate’s significance will be protected for future generations, with any major changes now requiring the approval of the Heritage Council of NSW.

Local sports clubs and associations across the state are set to receive a $4.65 million funding boost to assist with ongoing participation in sport and active recreation in NSW.
Acting Minister for Sport Geoff Lee said the Local Sport Grant Program is crucial in supporting the NSW Government’s commitment to enhance the quality of life of the people of NSW.
“We know that sport is the lifeblood in some local communities and their volunteers work hard to provide opportunities for their residents to get active and experience some normality during this pandemic,” said Mr Lee.
“By improving access and the quality of sport and recreational facilities and programs we can improve the health, social and economic wellbeing of the community.
“At a time when the sector is navigating through the impacts of COVID-19, the Local Sport Grant Program provides a significant boost to grassroots sport activities with grants ranging from $500 to $15,000 for successful projects.”
Applicants can access funding for a range of projects including sport access initiatives and facility upgrades, with up to $50,000 available for projects in every electorate across NSW.
“I encourage clubs and associations across NSW to review the guidelines and submit their applications in the coming weeks,” said Mr Lee.
Applications open today and close at 5:00pm Wednesday, 7 October 2020.
More info at:  https://www.sport.nsw.gov.au/sectordevelopment/grants/localsport

New and prospective homeowners will have unprecedented protections against purchasing defective residential apartment buildings from tomorrow, when the NSW Government’s landmark Residential Apartment Buildings Act 2020 comes into effect.
Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said the new laws work to prevent buildings with serious defects going on the market, and give clear recourse in the event of a defect.
“The days of shonky certifiers and dodgy developers ripping off unknowing apartment buyers are numbered. They are officially on notice – we can now stop you pushing defective buildings onto consumers,” Mr Anderson said.
“From tomorrow, the Office of the NSW Building Commissioner will have the power to stop defective apartment blocks from being built and sold. Developers who have done the wrong thing can also face huge fines.”
The changes include a compulsory six-month notification that a developer will be applying for an occupation certificate; powers to withhold an occupation certificate where the building is not up to scratch; the ability to order rectification of any serious defect and recover costs associated with that rectification; and on-the-spot inspections of buildings up to six years old, and in extreme circumstances up to 10 years old.
“These new powers provide a massive increase in the level of assurance and protection for consumers. They are a critical step in the NSW Government’s commitment to restoring consumer confidence in the building sector,” Mr Anderson said.
NSW Building Commissioner David Chandler OAM said they send a clear signal to the construction sector that sub-standard projects will not be tolerated.
“Our sights are set on the small percentage of industry players who aren’t doing the right thing. Whether you are a builder cutting corners, or a certifier passing work that isn’t good enough – expect action from our new team of inspectors,” Mr Chandler said.
“We acknowledge, however, that sometimes things may not always go to plan, and I want to assure industry that we will work constructively during the audit process with parties who are trying to do the right thing to help resolve issues efficiently.”

Drivers are being urged to take care on our roads, after the number of people dying while not wearing a seatbelt or speeding doubled compared to the same time last year.
Between March and July, 65 people died in speed related crashes on NSW roads, up from 27% of all fatalities during the same period last year to 54%, and 17 people died while not wearing an available seatbelt, up from 9% of vehicle occupant fatalities to 22%.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said we know people are staying home more due to COVID-19 but we need to make sure we do not become complacent on our roads as a result.
“Too many people are dying on roads close to home during this health crisis. Nearly 70% of those who died when they weren’t wearing a seatbelt crashed on a road in their local area,” Mr Constance said.
“These aren’t just figures, they are people. People who are missed by their families, their friends, their colleagues and their communities simply because someone decided to speed or didn’t think it was important to put on a seatbelt.”
“It’s a privilege and not a right to drive. So when you get behind the wheel, make the right choice – slow down and buckle up – it could save your life or someone else’s.”
Transport for NSW Deputy Secretary for Safety, Environment and Regulation Tara McCarthy said that men in particular were featuring prominently in the statistics.
“Of the 65 people who’ve died in speed related crashes, 48 were men, and of the 17 driver and passenger fatalities not wearing an available seatbelt 13 were male.”
“When you get behind the wheel remember you can make choices that have an impact on yourself and other road users.”
While speeding and seatbelt related deaths were up, fatigue related fatalities were down from 15% to 8%, and alcohol related crash deaths remained steady at 13%.

Two people have been charged and 14 issued with Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs) in seven separate incidents across NSW over the weekend.
Officers from Police Transport Command were patrolling in Surry Hills when they stopped a vehicle on Elizabeth Street about 8.40pm on Friday (28 August 2020).
Police spoke with the driver and sole occupant, a 47-year-old man, who indicated he had a learner’s permit, and after checks revealed the man had an outstanding warrant and his licence was disqualified, he was arrested.
Officers also established that the man had been at the home of a woman with whom he had an AVO, and it was her car he was driving.
Further inquiries also revealed the man had been given a direction to self-isolate after being identified as a close contact with a known case of COVID-19.
The man was taken to Surry Hills Police Station and charged with contravene prohibition/restriction in AVO, drive motor vehicle during disqualification period, not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 – COVID-19.
He has been formally refused bail and is due to re-appear at Central Local Court on Wednesday (2 September 2020).
In a separate incident, security at BankWest Stadium, Parramatta, requested police to assist with the removal of a man during the A-League Grand Final last night (Sunday 30 August 2020).
The 24-year-old man allegedly became argumentative and once outside the stadium, officers from North West Metropolitan Region issued him with a move-on direction.
Police will allege in court that the man started to walk away but turned around and spat at one of the officers.
He was arrested and taken to Parramatta Police Station, where he was charged with common assault, not comply noticed direction re spitting/coughing – COVID-19, and assault police officer in execution of duty.
The Bronte man was banned from the stadium and is due to appear at Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday 14 October 2020.
About 10.25pm on Saturday 22 August 2020, officers attached to Orana Mid-Western Police District attended a licensed premises in Mudgee, to conduct a COVID-19 compliance check. Police will allege that a number of patrons were not maintaining social distancing. Following further inquiries, the venue was issued with a $5000 fine on Friday (28 August 2020), for failing to comply with requirements of a Public Health Order – COVID-19.
On Wednesday (26 August 2020), officers from Auburn Police Area Command received information a 26-year-old man had breached a direction to self-isolate. Police spoke with the man at his Lidcombe home, who provided documentation that he was not required to self-isolate after Tuesday 25 August 2020, but it was established that he had attended a hotel on Sussex Street, Sydney, on Monday (24 August 2020), to work a shift as a security guard on the hotel quarantine operation, but was sent home by his supervisor. Following further inquiries, police issued the man with a $1000 PIN on Friday. He has since been stood down from working on the hotel quarantine operation.
About 12.40pm on Friday, police attended Fisher Avenue at Camperdown in relation to an unauthorised protest, which was in breach of the Public Health Order. Officers from Inner West Police Area Command, along with neighbouring commands and specialist units, attended to monitor the group. Approximately 150 people had gathered for the protest, in breach of COVID-19 restrictions. The group was issued a move-on direction; however, 10 people failed to comply and were subsequently issued $1000 PINs for ‘fail to comply with noticed direction in relation to section 7/8/9-COVID-19.
Officers from Lake Illawarra Police District attended a restaurant at Shellharbour on Friday and issued the 29-year-old male licensee with a $1000 PIN after receiving prior warnings for not having effectively implemented a COVID-19 Safety Plan.
About 10.45pm on Friday (28 August 2020), officers from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command were patrolling at Gol Gol, when they stopped a Holden ute with an unsecured load on the Sturt Highway. After speaking with the occupants – a 26-year-old man from Mildura, Victoria, and 27-year-old Euston man – it was established that both men were in breach of their permits to enter/re-enter NSW for work. The younger man was escorted back into Victoria, while the older man was directed to self-isolate at his home. About two hours later (12.45am on Saturday 29 August 2020), police attached to Operation Border Closure stopped the 26-year-old man at a checkpoint on the Sturt Highway, Buronga, as he again attempted to cross the border into NSW. He was issued a $1000 PIN and immediately returned to Victoria.
Police continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health and safety of the community.
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.