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In the latest push to bring Sydney’s night-time economy back to life, the Minns Labor Government is supporting Manly and Cronulla to establish Special Entertainment Precincts.

The re-prioritisation of entertainment in these iconic suburbs aims to usher in a new era reminiscent of the days when beachside pubs and surf clubs hosted bands like INXS, Midnight Oil and The Angels.

Building on Manly and Cronulla’s reputation for surf and natural beauty, this will boost entertainment and culture before and after dark, providing more vibrancy for locals and a bigger drawcard for visitors.

Manly and Cronulla will join a pipeline of NSW suburbs and towns that are establishing entertainment precincts to boost nightlife and trade.

The state’s first ever Special Entertainment Precinct was made permanent on Enmore Road in December 2023 which has led to boosted foot traffic, business revenue, night-time visitation and 84% support in a local community survey. 

Since then, local councils in Burwood, Fairfield, Hornsby, the Inner West, City of Sydney and Byron Bay have announced they are establishing Special Entertainment Precinct trials. 14 other councils have also formally expressed interest in establishing of entertainment precincts. 

The NSW Government’s Special Entertainment Precinct initiative allows councils to extend trading hours and tailor sound rules within a designated area so individual operators can take up those conditions without the costly process of amending their individual development consents.

Once established, Special Entertainment Precincts allow councils to future proof their entertainment precincts by notifying residents and prospective home buyers that they will be living in a defined area where later trading hours and higher levels of sound are supported by council.

Northern Beaches Council will receive funding under the NSW Government’s SEP Kickstart Grant program ($173,760) to establish a trial in Manly’s Corso to future-proof its unique local identity, culture, visitor infrastructure, status as an established night-time precinct and events like Winterfest.

Cronulla’s town centre will also become a SEP trial area with Sutherland Shire Council awarded a SEP Kickstart Grant ($200,000) which will support the council’s long-term vision for a thriving, vibrant and safe night-time economy to extend popular daytime visitation into night-time activity and deliver a better mix of entertainment options like recent Cronulla Jazz and Blues Festival.

Rolling out Special Entertainment Precincts across NSW is one of many tools the Minns Labor Government is using to rebuild a vibrant and safe night-time economy after a decade of lockouts and overregulation by the former Liberal Government.

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Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy John Graham said:

“In the 80s and 90s our beachside suburbs were a huge part of the iconic pub rock scene. It’s time to bring some of that back, but in a way that meets today’s culture.

“Beautiful beaches and great nightlife don’t have to be mutually exclusive.

“I congratulate the Manly and Cronulla councils for taking this important step to boosting their night-time economies. Getting the trading hours and noise settings right for local businesses will help these iconic beach suburbs thrive once the sun goes down.

“Since we came to office we’ve been working hard to bring Sydney back to life after the former Liberal government decimated our night-time economy with lockouts and overregulation. We’re now taking that revival to the beach.”

24-Hour Economy Commissioner Michael Rodrigues said:

“We often compare Sydney to London or New York when it comes to nightlife. Neither of those cities have beaches nor the temperate environment we enjoy. It’s great to see Manly and Cronulla, two of our premier city beach destinations, embracing the opportunity afforded to them through the Special Entertainment Precinct model.

“Consultation is key, and this funding will help councils work with local businesses, creatives, residents, police and other local leaders to get the settings right.

“By establishing SEP trials and working alongside businesses and the wider community, these councils will ensure their nightlife offerings continue to evolve in line with community needs.”

Northern Beaches Council Mayor Sue Heins said:

“We’re so pleased to receive this kickstart grant for a Special Entertainment Precinct in Manly. Everyone knows how good Manly beach is, but it is more than just that.  This trial will help show how Manly could flourish as a premier destination for entertainment, dining, and culture, while ensuring the right balance between business success and community amenity.

“This grant will fund our acoustic testing for event and non-event zones. Events like last week’s hugely successful Rise Manly Winter Festival, where venues offered 10 days of diverse experiences for all ages from sunrise to sundown, are a prime example of some of the testing we plan to undertake.

“We are committed to working closely with the community, local businesses, NSW Police and other key stakeholders to tailor noise management and trading hours, giving businesses certainty and residents confidence in the viability of this initiative.”

Sutherland Shire Council Mayor Jack Boyd said:

“We have some tremendous bars, eateries and entertainment venues in Cronulla, and through the establishment of a Special Entertainment Precinct we will support our quality local operators to provide more entertainment options for local residents,” Mayor Boyd said.

“Through extensive community consultation we know there is a real desire for people looking to spend their entertainment dollars locally and enjoy a night out, see some great live music, or enjoy a drink with friends after heading out for a meal while staying in the Sutherland Shire.

“This initiative will help Council to back our amazing local business community in delivering more diverse and vibrant night-time entertainment options right here in Cronulla and help harness the desire of local residents to shop, dine, drink and enjoy themselves locally.”

Hundreds of families across Far West NSW are a step closer to accessing fee-free, high-quality early learning, with contracts awarded for four brand-new public early learning services in the region. 

Each public early learning service will be co-located with an existing public primary school, making drop-off and pick up easier for busy families and helping children transition into kindergarten with confidence.

The new services include preschools at Menindee Central School, Parkes East Public School and Morgan Street Public School, and an Early Years Transition Centre at Bourke Public School.

The Department of Education continues to work closely with the local community as each project progresses.

Shape Australia Pty Ltd will deliver the projects, with construction expected to begin later this year and doors opening by early 2027. Once open, the four sites will cater for up to 320 local children a week.

They will join the recently opened Gulyangarri Public Preschool in Liverpool – the first new public preschool built in NSW in almost 20 years. 

This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s record investment to rapidly expand the provision of public preschool in NSW, funded by our record investment in the 2024-25 Budget.

As the biggest expansion of public preschools in the state’s history, the NSW Government’s rollout of 100 more public preschools will provide access to high quality early learning for up to 9,000 children across NSW by 2027. Of the 100 new public preschools, 51 are metropolitan Sydney and 49 are in regional NSW, prioritised in areas of highest need based on a rigorous selection process. 

This historic investment is a major turnaround from the former Liberal National Government, who didn’t build a single public preschool in 12 years.  

Acting Minister for Education and Early Learning Courtney Houssos said:  

“Access to preschool can be difficult for young families, particularly in regional areas, which is why we are delivering new public preschools across towns in the state’s far west in areas where they are needed most. 

“The Minns Labor Government, with the advocacy of Deputy Premier Prue Car, is committed to improving access to free, quality public preschool for our youngest learners because we know how crucial early learning is for a child’s development.  

“The former Liberal National government failed to deliver for young families in the regions and didn’t build a single new public preschool while in office. 

“The Minns Labor Government made this historic commitment to deliver the biggest expansion in public preschools in NSW’s history because we strongly believe all children should have access to high-quality early education, no matter their postcode.”

Minister for Western New South Wales Tara Moriarty said:

“Early learning is a vital first step in a child’s education and these new fee-free preschools will help our regional communities thrive. 

“With 49 new public preschools across regional NSW, this historic investment is a major turning point for regional families after years of neglect by the former Liberal National Government who failed to invest in public preschools.

“Families in our regions deserve access to high-quality early learning and I am proud to see the Minns Labor Government continuing to make significant investment in regional communities.”

Bourke Public School Executive Principal Margaret Gordon-Poole said:

“The start of construction for the new Early Years Transition Centre is an exciting step forward for the entire Bourke community.

“Having the Early Years Transition Centre on site will improve transition to school for our Kindergarten children, improve learning outcomes and offer convenience for parents.”

Menindee Central School Executive Principal Fiona Kelly said:

“This is a wonderful opportunity for our families across the whole Menindee community. 

“Our new service will provide greater access and support for our young children as they transition to Kindergarten.

“We are very excited to welcome our newest learners and support the beginning of their learning journey.”

Parkes East Public School Principal Michael Ostler said:

“We’re excited to be establishing a preschool at Parkes East Public School.

“This is an opportunity to welcome young learners into the heart of our school community, where we lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning within the strong and supportive environment of public education.”

Morgan Street Public School Principal Scott Sanford said:

“Our community is looking forward to having a public preschool on the same site as Morgan Street Public School.

“We are excited to welcome our youngest learners when the new preschool opens, as we understand the positive impact that quality early childhood education has on their learning.”

Additional support has been announced for Primary Producers in New South Wales affected by the East Coast Severe Weather event from 18 May 2025.

This funding is provided under Category D of the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) and is jointly funded by the Australian and NSW Governments. 

The package will be available through grants administered by the NSW Rural Assistance Authority that enable eligible primary producers to access up to $75,000 in assistance.

Eligible primary producers can apply for grants of up to $75,000 to assist with:

• Clean-up and debris removal
• Repairing damaged infrastructure and equipment
• Restocking and replanting
• Replacing lost or damaged assets
• Restoring operations to pre-disaster levels

These grants are designed to support rapid recovery and help producers return to business as quickly as possible. 

Support is available to primary producers in declared disaster areas under AGRN 1212, covering regions impacted by the East Coast flooding in May. Affected Local Government Areas (LGAs) are listed on the NSW Disaster Assistance website.

Primary producers may also be eligible for other DRFA measures, including:

·         Emergency hardship payments for individuals and households

·         Disaster Recovery Allowance and lump sum payments via Services Australia

·         Disaster loans for farmers through the NSW Rural Assistance Authority

The East Coast severe weather event caused widespread damage across NSW, including the loss of livestock, destruction of fencing and crops and significant infrastructure damage.

This funding aims to provide immediate and practical support to help producers recover and rebuild.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Kristy McBain:

“Our primary producers are the backbone of regional Australia, and we’re making sure they have the support they need to bounce back stronger from this disaster.

“This additional funding means farmers can focus on rebuilding and getting back to work without the weight of financial uncertainty holding them back.

“Recovery is never one size fits all, and this support will give farmers the flexibility to address the unique challenges they’re facing on the ground.

“We know the damage has been severe and the recovery will take time but we’re standing shoulder to shoulder with affected communities every step of the way.”

Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Julie Collins:

“These grants will help with clean up and recovery costs for New South Wales farmers and I know it is critical support.

“Grants like this can make all the difference helping farmers get back on their feet, faster.

“We know the terrible impact this disaster has had on farmers which is why this additional support is so important.”

NSW Premier Chris Minns:

“This is important support to help farmers get back on their feet.

“We knew more support would be needed, and we are pleased the Commonwealth Government has agreed to our request.

“This will help farmers clean up, rebuild, and keep producing for our state.”

NSW Minister for Regional NSW Tara Moriarty:

“We have seen the destructive impact of the floods and talked with dairy, oyster and other farmers who have being doing it tough. This decision, with the Commonwealth, again shows our commitment to helping farmers get their businesses back to producing great produce.”

“I urge primary producers to contact the Rural Assistance Authority as soon as they can and get an application in for this additional assistance.”

NSW Minister for Recovery Janelle Saffin:

“I’ve seen how hard the floods have been on our farmers on the mid north coast and in the Hunter. I know that the wait while we put our application together has been a tough one, but we have been successful.

“It’s great news that our application for category D funding has been successful. This means local producers who’ve lost feed livestock and vital infrastructure continue to get the help they need to recover and rebuild.”

The growing communities in Sydney’s north west will benefit from a boost to frontline emergency care, with the NSW Government today announcing the site of a new ambulance station to be built at Macquarie Park.

The new Macquarie Park Ambulance Station will be purpose-built on a government-owned site at the corner of Khartoum Road and Tasman Place next to the M2 motorway, as part of a $615.5 million Ambulance Infrastructure Program to deliver 30 additional ambulance stations across NSW.

With thousands of families expected to move into the area in the coming years, Macquarie Park was identified by NSW Ambulance as a high priority location for a new Ambulance Station.

The site on Khartoum Road and Tasman Place was selected following a comprehensive service planning process by Health Infrastructure and NSW Ambulance using best practice modelling software to map Triple Zero (000) calls. This location of the new ambulance station will optimise response performance to better meet the emergency and mobile medical care needs of the local community.

Early planning is underway for the new Macquarie Park Ambulance Station, a builder is expected to be awarded in mid-2026, with construction to start soon after.

The NSW Ambulance Infrastructure Program will deliver 30 additional ambulance stations and supporting infrastructure across Sydney, the Central Coast, the Hunter, Newcastle and Wollongong over the coming years, boosting frontline emergency ambulance care.

Health Infrastructure is working with NSW Ambulance and other Government stakeholders to identify potential sites for new ambulance stations. Sites for new ambulance stations are now confirmed for North Sydney, South Windsor, Oran Park, Berowra, Prestons, Moss Vale, Bargo, Lisarow, Glendenning, Caves Beach, Carlingford and now Macquarie Park. 

The NSW Government is recruiting 2,500 additional NSW Ambulance staff including 500 paramedics to rural and regional areas, to boost emergency and mobile healthcare for our metropolitan and regional communities.

The NSW Government is also investing $526.8 million for the Ryde Hospital Redevelopment to enable Ryde to have a hospital of the future, meeting the long-term health needs of the local community in north-west Sydney. 

Also under construction in north-west Sydney, is the $96 million RNA Research and Pilot Manufacturing facility co-located at Macquarie University’s Wallumattagal campus. The first of its kind in Australia, it will deliver new capabilities to develop world leading vaccines and medical therapies for humans and animals based on cutting edge RNA technology.

The Minns Labor Government is also turbocharging the delivery of new housing in Sydney by supporting transport-oriented development at train and metros stations including an accelerated precinct at Macquarie Park.

Premier Chris Minns:

“Our essential services need to grow with the communities they serve, and with major transport and housing projects planned for Macquarie Park it’s a high priority location for out-of-hospital emergency medical care.

“I am pleased the community here is a step closer to getting a new ambulance station, with the site now selected in Macquarie Park.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“The new Macquarie Park Ambulance Station will support local paramedics to provide the best emergency and mobile medical care well into the future.

“The confirmation of the site on Khartoum Road marks a significant milestone in delivering a vital health service for Macquarie Park and surrounding suburbs.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan:

“Local paramedics will have a purpose-built ambulance station to help them deliver the best possible emergency and mobile medical care to the local community when and where it is needed.

“The new ambulance station will function in support of other stations located across the greater Ryde, Gladesville and North Shore areas.”

The NSW Opposition has acknowledged today’s long overdue announcement of $75,000 Category D funding for primary producers across the Mid North Coast and Hunter region.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said while the news will bring some relief, we have also been calling for $50,000 Category D funding to be made available for businesses throughout the impacted LGAs and additional mental health supports.
 
“In contrast, the Queensland LNP Government has today announced an additional support package for those affected by the recent Western Queensland floods that includes Community Health and Wellbeing grants, Tourism

Industry grants and funding for small businesses to get back on their feet. None of this has been made available to our Mid North Coast and Hunter communities,” Mr Speakman said.  
 
NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said it’s hard to believe the Minns and Albanese Labor Governments couldn’t find any additional support for businesses of all shapes and sizes that are often the backbone of their community. 
 
“Last month the Premier visited Pulteney Street arcade in Taree, looked business owners in the eye and said this was worse than Lismore,” Mr Saunders said.  
 
“The decision not to provide any extra help is a real kick in the guts, and will spell the end for many family-run regional businesses.”
 
Last week more than 5,000 community members rallied in Taree and Kempsey calling for increased Category D funding for primary producers and small businesses.
 
Mr Speakman said our Coalition team will keep fighting until businesses receive the support they need and deserve.