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States and territories have today been put on notice that NSW will advocate hard for substantial change in the system of distributing GST funds collected by the Commonwealth.

At a meeting of the nation’s treasurers, NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey proposed reforms to overhaul how the GST is distributed across the states and territories.

He also said the GST distribution should in future be determined by the Commonwealth Grants Commission (CGC) on a per capita basis with the Commonwealth stepping in to support horizontal fiscal equalisation for the smaller states.

This would eliminate the wild fluctuations which prevent states from being able to plan for future GST contributions to their budgets.

NSW’s share of the GST pool was slashed from 92.4 per cent per capita to 86.7 per cent per capita in one hit this week, just three months out from the state budget.

That amounts to a $1.65 billion impact in a single decision at the Commonwealth level.

Mr Mookhey laid out a series on proposals for how the CGC’s approach could be improved, including:

• Providing its updates to cover four-year budget forward estimates, rather than the single-year approach currently employed, so the full implications of CGC decisions is transparent.
• Issuing a draft determination aligned with the states’ and territories’ half year review cycles so that states can properly prepare their budgets.
• Sharing data on service delivery costs provided by states and territories which are used for the determinations, to improve transparency and accountability.

NSW will advance these propositions with the Federal Treasurer directly.

NSW maintains there are tough conversations ahead regarding other Commonwealth funding obligations.

That includes making sure NSW doesn’t miss out on money for schools and hospitals, that it gets the funding it deserves in the middle of a housing crisis and that missing infrastructure money is clawed back.

Mr Mookhey acknowledged the constructive approach of Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers in bringing forward the GST discussion.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“A system this absurd cannot last. It is not set in stone and it is time for it to change.

“This will be to the benefit of all the states and territories, including the smaller ones.

“We all have a responsibility to ensure every State in the Federation can thrive.

“I thank Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers for facilitating these discussions constructively. There are plenty of hard conversations ahead.”

Kate Boyd PSM, has been appointed as Secretary of The Cabinet Office.

The appointment process was led by the Secretary of the Premier’s Department, Simon Draper, in consultation with the NSW Premier, Chris Minns.

Ms Boyd has been acting in the role since late last year, and prior to that appointment had held the role of Deputy Secretary, General Counsel, in both The Cabinet office and the former Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Ms Boyd has profound experience of central department responsibilities, having worked at the Department of Premier and Cabinet since 2007 and then The Cabinet Office. In that time, she has provided advice on constitutional and electoral law, parliamentary matters, integrity and accountability, privacy and access to government information.

Ms Boyd is a highly regarded NSW public servant and was awarded a Public Service Medal for her outstanding work during the 2019-2020 bushfire season and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Established on July 1, 2023, The Cabinet Office is a central NSW Government department that enables robust Cabinet decision-making by ensuring policies and proposals submitted for consideration are of the highest quality and in line with government priorities.

The Cabinet Office:

• Leads and coordinates strategy and policy across government, including driving action​on the Government’s key priorities.
• Provides expert independent policy, legal and governance advice to the Premier and Cabinet, including on National Cabinet matters.
• Upholds Cabinet conventions and provides stewardship of the NSW Cabinet system to support good decision-making.

Premier Chris Minns said:

“The establishment of The Cabinet Office has ensured high-quality Cabinet decision-making processes are front and centre.

“I am very pleased to continue working with Kate Boyd as Secretary, as she leads a team of experts to provide policy and legal advice on some of the biggest challenges facing our State.”

The Parramatta Light Rail project has reached a major milestone in the heart of Western Sydney overnight, when the first tram rolled through Parramatta CBD as testing ramps up ahead of services beginning later this year.

The 45-metre-long light rail vehicle travelled slowly under police escort on its inaugural 6.6-kilometre journey from the stabling facility in Camellia, through Parramatta Square, along Church St, through the hospital precinct, to its final stop at Westmead.

Parramatta locals and visitors can look forward to seeing more tram trials through the city, during the day and night, with more than 2000 hours of testing to be completed before it’s given the green light to take passengers.

When the light rail is in service, more than 16,000 people are expected to use the Church Street stop each day to connect to more than 60 local eateries, shops and businesses.

Last night’s test also marks the first time a 63-tonne tram travelled over the new Bidgee Bidgee Bridge in Rosehill, which allows vehicles to cross James Ruse Drive without disrupting traffic. The bridge, named after the famed leader of the Burramattagal clan of the Dharug People, is the largest of 6 new bridges built for the project.

The community is reminded to be alert for trams when walking, riding or driving near the light rail, and to follow signs and traffic directions. A comprehensive safety campaign continues to be rolled out in line with the testing program.

Parramatta Light Rail Stage 1 connects Westmead to Carlingford via the Parramatta CBD and Camellia.

The Parramatta Square light rail stop will connect to the future Metro West station, due to open in 2032, and Parramatta Light Rail Stage 2, which has now been granted NSW planning approval.

The NSW Government’s investment into public transport infrastructure will ensure our growing city is more connected than ever before, while supporting much-needed housing.

For more information visit the Parramatta Light Rail website. For information on how to stay safe around the Parramatta Light Rail during testing, visit the Testing and Commissioning Safety page.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“I am delighted to mark this milestone with a tram travelling through Parramatta CBD for the first time in over 80 years – giving us a glimpse of what the future of public transport will look like in Western Sydney.

“This is another exciting milestone in our commitment to making sure Parramatta Light Rail is on track to service tens of thousands of passengers by mid-2024.

“The light rail will breathe new life into Western Sydney, boosting local businesses, connecting key precincts and servicing an estimated 28,000 passengers each day in our west.

“The people of Western Sydney deserve reliable public transport, and that is what we are delivering.”

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said:

“People living in Western Sydney deserve reliable, world-class public transport links and that’s what we’re delivering this year.

“This project has supported 5500 jobs – and I want to thank everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this milestone possible.

“In the coming months, these trams will be a brand new public transport service connecting some of our fastest growing communities. 

“We’re also pushing forward with next stage of Parramatta Light Rail, because communities like Wentworth Point and Melrose Park deserve the public transport services that they were promised.”

Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said:

“It is fantastic to see how the light rail will support local businesses in our CBD, which have had a challenging few years due to COVID and construction impacts.

“I encourage everyone over the coming months to visit Parramatta, drop into a local business on the light rail route and see the light rail vehicles as they move through the city and surrounding suburbs.”

Transport for NSW Infrastructure and Place Deputy Secretary Camilla Drover said:

“The Parramatta Light Rail project is well and truly advancing, after testing on the Carlingford section of the line got underway in December last year.

“Safety remains a key priority for the project, and I encourage everyone to stay safe around the light rail as testing continues.

“This is the first time vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists have had to interact with light rail in Parramatta, so we ask all road users to remain vigilant. Please take extra care to be safe when walking, riding or driving near the light rail and pay attention to the signs and traffic directions.”

Legislation introduced today will require insurers to provide specified data to the NSW Government to help reform the way emergency services are funded.

The amendment to the Emergency Services Levy Act 2017 will give Treasurer Daniel Mookhey authority to access anonymised data including the premiums paid on insurance policies and the Emergency Services Levy (ESL) component of those premiums.

Subject to privacy protections, this data will allow the Government to conduct detailed modelling and design of a new system to replace the current ESL.

NSW is the only mainland state to fund its emergency services by taxing insurance and has the highest average insurance premiums in any state apart from cyclone-prone Queensland.  

The ESL has caused premiums in NSW to be around 18 per cent higher for residential properties and around 34 per cent higher for commercial properties.

It’s also contributed to NSW having the lowest rate of home and contents insurance in Australia. 35 per cent of NSW households are going without contents insurance and 5 per cent of homeowners do not have building insurance.

As fewer people take out insurance policies, the emergency services levy burden increases for those who do have cover.

The Government announced the formation of a Stakeholder Reference Group last week, which will provide expert advice and perspectives to government as it moves ahead with this reform.

A public consultation paper will be released in the coming weeks.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“It’s imperative that the Government has access to the latest data held by insurers.  This will help to redesign the way emergency services are funded in NSW in the most effective way.

“This is information that will help government to model a new system that can sustainably fund NSW emergency services.

“With the cost of natural disasters only expected to rise with climate change, we’re acting now to find a better way to fund our emergency services and ease the burden falling disproportionately on households and businesses that choose to get insured.”

The Inaugural NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Strategic Plan, Working together to address domestic, family and sexual violence, has been released today, providing a roadmap for the Office of the Women’s Safety Commissioner’s activities between 2024 and 2027.

Last year the NSW Government became the first state or territory in Australia to have a stand-alone Women’s Safety Commissioner, Dr. Hannah Tonkin.

Lead by Dr. Tonkin the Strategic Plan sets out actions aimed at achieving 6 overarching and interconnected priorities to address domestic, family and sexual violence, by the Women’s Safety Commissioner and the NSW Government.

Priority 1 of the plan, ‘Put people with lived experience at the centre’, recognises the inclusion of people with lived experiences is crucial in planning, designing and implementing policy and programs to address domestic, family and sexual violence.

To support this the Office of the Women’s Safety Commissioner will create a lived experience advisory body for NSW, supported by a broader network of people with diverse lived experiences across the state. This will be a significant step forward and complement existing groups.

The Strategic plan also outlines 5 other priorities, including:

• enhancing oversight, monitoring and accountability for delivery of the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Plan 2022-27 and NSW Sexual Violence Plan 2022-27
• promote safe, accessible and integrated responses to domestic, family and sexual violence
• champion a greater focus on primary prevention
• strengthen domestic, family and sexual violence workforces and informal support networks.
• support women’s economic safety and security.

Over the coming years these priorities will guide the Office of the Women’s Safety Commissioner.

The progress in relation to these priorities will be published in an annual report card by the Office of the Women’s Safety Commissioner.

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:

“People with lived experience of domestic, family and sexual violence have a unique point of view that is invaluable to the NSW Government and we are committed to listening to them.

“The NSW Government welcomes the launch of this strategy as part of our commitment to implement a range of strategies to reduce and eventually eliminate domestic, family and sexual violence.

“This strategy is key to transforming our actions around domestic, family and sexual violence to a whole-of-government and whole-of-community issue. Not only are we putting victim-survivors at the centre, we are also focusing on primary prevention to address the drivers of violence.”

NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner Dr Hannah Tonkin said:

“Eliminating domestic and family violence is a complex challenge that will require both systems reform and cultural change over the long term. The creation of a lived experience advisory body, supported by a broader network of people with diverse lived experience, is a significant step that would complement existing groups in NSW.

“We will consult with experts, including in other jurisdictions, to ensure that the establishment and operation of the new body follows best practice.

“We recognise that no single group of people can ever represent such a diverse range of experiences, so we will continue to work closely with community organisations and researchers to ensure a wide range of voices are heard and listened to.”

Dubbo residents and visitors now have a safer and more accessible train station after the completion of a significant upgrade.

The NSW Government’s accessibility upgrade to Dubbo Station includes better lighting and security and improvements to the ticket counter and waiting room.

The work also included regrading and line marking of the 32-space car park, the installation of new tactile indicators along the station platform to improve safety and accessibility for people with vision impairment, the replacement of external lighting and installation of new heritage light poles.

Upgrades have also been made to existing paths around the station precinct with new surfaces and tactile indicators. Other key benefits include a new kiss and ride zone and improved amenities.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“The historic Dubbo Station has been operating since around 1881 and is a landmark in the community.

“This upgrade has enhanced the facility to make it more comfortable for current commuters and to help plan for future growth while protecting and retaining the facility’s heritage status.

“We also made upgrades to the five bus and coach bays, regraded parts of the platform and installed new drainage.

“Modifications have also been completed to the café and ticketing counters, which have been lowered to make them accessible for customers in wheelchairs, as well as to the waiting room where we have improved lighting and provided wheelchair spaces alongside the seating.”

Dubbo Duty MLC Stephen Lawrence said:

“I’ve been watching the development proceed over the last seven months and have been extremely impressed with the improvements.

“Dubbo Station is a major bus and coach interchange given that it is the end of the line for the passenger train, and the improvements will enhance the transport experience.

“This Government sees improvements to public transport as a vital part of people’s quality of life in region, rural and remote NSW.”

The Safe Accessible Transport program aims to make public transport safe, inclusive, and easy to use for all passengers, especially people with disability, older people, people with prams or luggage and others who may be experiencing mobility problems.

The 2023-2024 NSW Budget allocated a total of $800.7m over four years to implement the new program, which combines the funds of both the existing Transport Access Program (TAP) and Commuter Car Park Program (CCP) and includes an additional $300m commitment.

The program will upgrade stations and wharves to achieve Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport (DSAPT) compliance, improving amenity, access and safety and acknowledging the important role these locations have to the communities they serve.

Metro services through the Sydney CBD are in sight, following a major testing milestone ahead of services starting on the Sydney Metro City & Southwest line later this year.

All 45 metro trains in the current fleet have now completed at least one return journey between Tallawong and Sydenham at operational speed.

Preparations are now underway for the next major phase of testing – trial running, which is expected to begin in the coming months.

Trial running is the last stage of testing before the launch of the new metro line, where network operator Metro Trains Sydney will run a series of timetable running and operational tests.

Each train stopped at every station during the 51-kilometre journey to confirm train and platform screen doors performed as designed. Passenger help points and information displays on the trains were also put through their paces.

The performance of each train is being monitored closely to ensure passengers can look forward to the new turn-up-and-go metro timetable of a train every four minutes during peak periods.

Extensive integration testing is continuing between the Metro North West Line and the new City section to ensure the trains, signalling and station systems are working together and functioning seamlessly along the length of the line.

Since the rigorous testing and commissioning program started in April 2023, more than 8,700 hours of a total of 11,000 hours of required testing has been completed.

When world-class metro services extend beyond Chatswood and into the city this year, passengers will benefit from direct, fast and reliable public transport services with record travel times in the peak, including from:

• Martin Place to Crows Nest in 7 minutes
• Sydenham to Macquarie University in about 30 minutes
• Central to Chatswood in 15 minutes
• North Sydney’s Victoria Cross in North Sydney under the harbour to Barangaroo in 3 minutes

The extension of Metro services from Sydenham to Bankstown will be the next stage of Sydney Metro’s transformation.

The T3 Bankstown Line will be closed for the 12-month conversion in order to deliver turn-up-and-go metro services every four minutes by late 2025. A comprehensive temporary transport plan, including alternative bus and rail services, will be released in the coming months.

The closure of the T3 Bankstown Line will not occur until the new City section of the line is providing a reliable service for commuters from Sydenham into the CBD.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:

“World-class metro services into the heart of Sydney’s CBD are within reach as testing ramps up.

“Commuters from Tallawong in the North West to Sydenham in the inner west can look forward to easy and reliable turn-up-and-go metro services every four minutes in the peak.

“From the middle of this year, our city will be served by six brand new metro stations, giving commuters more travel options than ever before.

“As we hit a critical stage of integrating the existing Metro North West line with the extension under the CBD, I want to thank the community for their patience. There’s no doubt weekend testing is inconvenient and challenging, but the long term benefits of this line will be a real game changer.”