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The NSW Government is continuing work to future proof NSW Agriculture production and support growers across all sectors with the establishment of the Hemp Industry Taskforce.

The taskforce will include 12 representatives from growers and industry associations and will consider options to support the continual growth of the NSW industrial hemp industry, supporting jobs in rural and regional NSW.

With the global hemp market expected to quadruple by 2027 to $18.6b, facilitating the expansion of the NSW industrial hemp sector is timely and critical.

Globally, it is estimated that hemp is used in more than 25,000 products spanning nine sub-markets, including agriculture, building materials and textiles.

At monthly meetings, supported by the NSW Department of Primary Industries, the taskforce will identify the short, medium and long term objectives of the NSW industrial hemp industry, including:

• The role industrial hemp could play in the transition to a net zero, circular economy in NSW.
• The supply and value chains required to support increased crop production, or other barriers to production and development in NSW.
• Identifying legislative barriers to and opportunities for expanding industrial hemp production in NSW.
• Consider opportunities to harmonise industrial hemp regulation nationally.

The taskforce will only consider the cultivation and supply of low-THC hemp grown under the NSW Industrial Hemp Act 2008.

This taskforce will not consider the production of hemp for use as a therapeutic good (e.g. medicines) as this is restricted and requires a licence from the Office of Drug Control (Cwlth) and approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (Cwlth).

The development of this taskforce follows a NSW Hemp Industry Roundtable, hosted by Member of the NSW Legislative Council Jeremy Buckingham and attended by the Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty in 2023.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“My attendance last year at the Hemp Industry Roundtable provided an important opportunity to hear from the hemp industry stakeholders and understand there are important gains for our state if we can foster the sector’s expansion. 

“Currently, the Hemp Industry Act 2008 facilitates the cultivation and supply of low THC hemp fibre and seed production in NSW under controlled conditions, without compromising the effectiveness of existing drug enforcement strategies of the NSW Police.

“The Act authorises and regulates the cultivation and supply of low-THC hemp for commercial production and other legitimate uses.

“Guided by the taskforce outcomes, the Government can consider what work is required to reduce red tape and provide the regulatory environment to support the industrial hemp industry grow and deliver jobs to regional NSW.”

Jeremy Buckingham MLC said:

“The establishment of this taskforce is a game-changer for an industry that promises massive potential for jobs and farming in NSW.

“This is a plant which is up to 25 times more effective at capturing carbon than forestry, and which offers almost unlimited potential in a wide range of areas including clothing, construction, foodstuffs, paper, medication and more.

“I applaud the NSW Government for getting behind this industry and look forward to providing exciting new potential for manufacturing, a powerful transition for logging communities, and new opportunities for a climate and soil friendly crop for farmers.”

Background:

• Due to the nature of hemp as an emerging industry, the production area of hemp fluctuates year-on-year because of seasonal and market conditions. NSW has been home to up to 1800ha, depending on the year.
• The Hemp Industry Act 2008 was enacted on 1 July 2008 to kickstart growth of low-THC hemp production in NSW. Low-THC hemp is produced for use in a wide range of industrial, cosmetic, and technical products such as building materials and textiles.
• The NSW industrial hemp sector is highly regulated, with 99% compliance in 2022/23.

A community bus named Wilba will remain on the streets of Bourke after the NSW Labor Government confirmed funding to extend a trial of the popular public transport service.

Wilba, the Empower bus, has carried out more than 2000 trips in its first 12 months of operation and enabled hundreds of local residents to access safe and reliable transport at an affordable price in a town with no other public transport options.

The pre-booked 12-seater bus service offers residents the opportunity to more easily get around Bourke and attend appointments, access health care, maintain employment and purchase essential products or services.

Wilba also provides a vital link to other major regional and metropolitan service centres by giving residents easier access to Bourke Airport and NSW TrainLink coaches.

Demand for Wilba has exceeded expectations since a trial of service started in February 2023, with residents from all age groups embracing the service.

The positive community demand and response to Wilba has led the NSW Government to expand the trial service for another two years, with funding now secured until February 2026.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“Bourke residents love the Wilba service; it’s been a real success.

“Wilba has had a huge impact on this town and the stories I’ve heard about the significant difference the service has made demonstrate exactly what public transport should be all about.

“Services like Wilba are critical in isolated communities challenged by a lack of transport options and I am so glad that despite the budget challenges this government inherited, we have been able to keep this service going for residents in the Far West.”

Bourke Shire Council General Manager Leonie Brown said:

“Wilba has provided fantastic opportunities for our community which had been without public and community transport for a long time.

“Wilba has been a wonderful help for many people who hadn’t been able to leave their homes due to a lack of transport and they really appreciate the independence it gives them.

“People who were previously housebound or left to rely on the goodwill of others can now get out and about to the pharmacy, shops, medical and health appointments, and to social and recreational events.”

Bourke resident and Wilba user Carissa Edwards said:

“I use it every day to go to do shopping, sometimes go to the doctor, sometimes the hospital and even to go and see family.

“We have no taxis in Bourke and it can be very hard because my family doesn’t have a car so Wilba gets us from A to B.

“Before Wilba started we had to ring people or ask people to take us to do shopping or give us a lift somewhere so Wilba has made the biggest difference to my life and my family’s lives.

“I’ve heard elderly people on the bus say they used to get people come and do their shopping so they hadn’t left their homes for years before Wilba began.

“One thing I would like to see, though, is some shading at the bus stop where they pick us up. It can be very hot waiting there with all our groceries, especially in 40-degree heat.”

The NSW Government has reached a major milestone on an election commitment, allocating funding for 83 full-time equivalent local and regional Landcare coordinators and support staff through its $59 million NSW Landcare Enabling Program 2023-2027.

Following a competitive grant and assessment process, 16 Landcare groups based across NSW were successful in receiving funding for coordinators and support staff.

The aim of the regional and local Landcare coordinators is to deliver and support on-ground projects specific to the needs of the local natural environmental and agricultural systems.

In addition to the delivery of on-ground projects, the local and regional coordinators will deliver on a number of other priorities, including:

• Strengthening the capacity of Landcarers which will result in effective, efficient support to landcarer volunteers, farmers and the community ensuring effective collaboration and partnerships between Landcare groups, Local Land Services, other government agencies
• Landcare NSW leveraging funding opportunities to maximise socio-economic and environmental outcomes.
• As part of the funding, each local and regional coordinator can also access up to $5000 to undertake professional development over the course of the 4-year program.

Get more information about the current funding opportunity and the NSW Landcare Enabling Program.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

It gives me great pleasure to announce the successful applicants from this major funding opportunity.

There was strong interest in the funding opportunity and the NSW Landcare Enabling Program more broadly, so it’s great to have such engagement from our Landcare community.

I am also very pleased that the Landcare community have worked together on region wide applications in many cases. This will support better outcomes for the Landcare community.

By providing this funding, our coordinators will have more time to focus on improved facilitation and delivery of on-ground projects that care for our environment and boost agricultural productivity.

For the first time, support staff roles were also included and we know that was important to provide additional support with administrative tasks, allowing coordinators to focus on the delivery of on-ground projects.

Full list of grant recipients:

• Central West Lachlan Landcare Inc.
• North West Regional Landcarers Inc.            
• South East Landcare Inc.                                     
• Greater Sydney Landcare Network Incorporated.  
• West Hume Landcare Inc.                    
• Holbrook Landcare Group Ltd.           
• Western Landcare NSW Inc.               
• Western Murray Land Improvement Group.               
• New England Landcare Network, Inc.                           
• Corowa District Landcare Inc.                            
• Mid Coast 2 Tops Landcare Connection Inc.              
• Hunter Region Landcare Network Inc.          
• Ricegrowers’ Association Of Australia Inc.                
• North Coast Regional Landcare Network (NSW).
• Watershed Landcare Group Incorporated.                 
• Murrumbidgee Landcare Association Incorporated.

The failure to plan and deliver school infrastructure in the state’s fastest-growing communities has been laid bare in an audit of enrolment growth in NSW that will inform better school infrastructure planning into the future.

Delivery of the Enrolment Growth Audit, released today by the NSW Department of Education, is a key election commitment of the NSW Government and part of its Growth Areas Schools Plan to ensure families in fast-growing areas have timely access to high quality public schools.

The audit found that the top 10 student growth areas between 2018 and 2023, all located in Sydney’s North-West and South-West corridors, collectively accounted for close to 40 per cent of all student enrolment growth in NSW.

These areas have been identified as priority growth precincts by successive NSW Governments since the mid-2000s; however, planning has failed to accurately predict the growth and deliver the schools needed.

These growth corridors not only exceeded the population projections made in 2016, but have done so at lightning pace: the growth of student populations in these areas has skyrocketed by more than 240 per cent in the past five years.

In the areas of Schofields (east), Marsden Park-Shanes Park, Denham Court-Bardia, Gledswood Hills-Gregory Hills, and Jordan Springs-Llandilo, enrolments in 2023 more than doubled the 2016 projection for 2023 and have already surpassed the 2016 enrolment projections for 2041.

Edmondson Park, Denham Court, Marsden Park and Ryde/Denistone were identified as examples of areas where a failure to factor in the speed of development left families without the local public schools they need.

The audit also identified the regional communities of Gillieston and Lennox Head as areas with booming populations where planning for school infrastructure had not kept up with development.

As part of the NSW Government’s plan to address the school infrastructure backlog and rebuild essential services, the 2023-24 Budget is delivering a record $3.5 billion for new and upgraded schools in Western Sydney and another $1.4 billion for regional schools.

This includes 15 new schools and 17 upgrades in the state’s top 10 student growth areas identified in the Enrolment Growth Audit. All top 10 student growth areas have funded capital works projects in the 2023-24 Budget.

For future planning, the audit identified an improved population projection methodology to more accurately monitor growth and demographic changes, improving enrolment and population projections.

It also lists actions for School Infrastructure NSW to adopt to ensure effective and timely responses to enrolment growth.

These include developing localised school population projections using an enhanced range of data sources, developing a strategic property provision pipeline in priority growth areas, and active monitoring of the top 10 growth areas.th areas 2018-2023:

• Schofields – East
• Marsden Park – Shanes Park
• Oran Park
• Denham Court – Bardia
• North Kellyville
• Box Hill – Nelson
• Gledswood Hills – Gregory Hills
• Jordan Springs – Llandilo
• Leppington – Catherine Field
• Epping (East) – North Epping

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“The NSW Labor Government is committed to building new and upgraded facilities to ensure every student has access to high quality learning environments at their local public school.

“We have delivered on our commitment to conduct this Enrolment Growth Audit as a matter of priority, to fix the school planning failures of the former Liberal National government.

“We delivered a record budget for new and upgraded schools in Western Sydney to fix the former Liberal National Government’s school infrastructure backlog. 

“Communities in growing suburbs like Schofields, Gregory Hills, Leppington and Sydney Olympic Park have been fighting for years for much-needed new schools, and elected Labor to deliver the schools the former Liberal National government did not build.

“Our targeted investment in growing communities, supported by this audit, will ensure working families get access to a world class public education on their doorstep into the future.”

Residents living in the northern Illawarra region who require care for minor injuries or illness will have access to Bulli Urgent Care Centre (UCC) seven days a week, with the service extending opening hours to include Sundays from this weekend.

Health Minister Ryan Park said the extended coverage will ensure the community can receive care quickly for conditions which can be safely and appropriately treated outside the emergency department.

“I am delighted to announce we’re delivering on our election commitment by expanding access to the Bulli UCC to seven days, which will continue to help ease pressure on busy emergency departments, and of course, reduce wait times for those with less urgent conditions,” Mr Park said.

“This model of care remains a real success story. The number of presentations being managed now has more than doubled to an average of 36 people a day, compared with around 15 to 20 in June 2022.

“We know many people who visit our emergency departments could receive timelier and better tailored care in a community setting.

“Services providing urgent care like this one bridge that gap, providing a better option for patients who receive care faster and closer to home.”

Member for Heathcote Maryanne Stuart said having the centre open on Saturdays and Sundays will make a real difference to the community.

“This is an important enhancement to health services for our community – it gives people a genuine alternative outside of a busy ED, when they have difficulty getting a GP appointment, or when their GP is closed, such as on a weekend,” Ms Stuart said.

“Bulli UCC is an important part of the local healthcare network, especially for people living in the Illawarra’s northern suburbs. The Bulli UCC has seen a significant increase in presentations since it re-opened after COVID, and again when we extended operations to six days a week in June last year.

“The Bulli UCC is well-supported to treat a range of illnesses and injuries which are deemed urgent, but not life-threatening, such as wounds, minor burns, infections, sprains, minor breaks, gastroenteritis, rashes and conjunctivitis.”

With the extension of the Bulli UCC on 11 February, it will be open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 8am to 4:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. Patients who attend on the weekend will be able to access the usual weekday services, including radiology.

The Bulli UCC is staffed by a combination of nursing and medical teams, supported by GP Visiting Medical Officers and Nurse Practitioners. 

People are reminded that if they are experiencing an emergency such as a life-threatening illness or injury, they should go straight to Wollongong Hospital ED which provides a higher level of care, or phone Triple Zero (000).

NSW Health has partnered with Primary Health Networks to deliver additional Urgent Care Services right across the state, in an effort to ease pressure on busy hospital EDs and ensure the people of NSW receive the most appropriate care.

The NSW Government has committed $124 million over two years to deliver 25 Urgent Care Services in NSW by mid-2025.

Bulli Hospital has also made it easier for locals to visit loved ones in hospital by expanding its free shuttle service.

From Monday 12 February, the Bulli Hospital Shuttle Bus will be available to visitors and carers as well as staff. The hours of operation will be extended and include an on-demand option from locations within the Bulli area.  

Parking is available at Bulli Showground, where the shuttle service will run every 15 minutes. The bus will drop off at the front entrance doors of Bulli Hospital, and return. The service will be in operation Monday to Friday 6.45am to 4.45pm. 

“We know parking around the hospital can be a challenge, and while longer-term options are being investigated, it’s terrific to see the free shuttle service expanded to provide a great alternative to driving and parking at the hospital,” Mr Park said.