Category: NSW News

At least 1000 community organisations and small businesses will benefit from funding to install CCTV cameras to make our streets even safer, under a program to be delivered by the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said $5 million will be committed over four years to rollout CCTV cameras in Western and South-Western Sydney before being assessed for expansion to other areas of NSW.

“Community safety is the NSW Government’s top priority and this investment will keep residents and small businesses safe from crime and anti-social behavior,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“More CCTV cameras will increase community confidence and send a strong message to would-be criminals that if you do the wrong thing, you will be caught and punished.”
Police Minister Troy Grant said CCTV camera footage can be a vital source of information for NSW Police when gathering intelligence and investigating criminal activity, and acts as a deterrent to criminals, reducing the likelihood of crime.
“This is a great initiative that will improve public safety and community confidence by cracking down on criminal and anti-social behavior,” Mr Grant said.
“It’s about putting criminals on the back foot – if they know they’re being watched, it makes them think twice about doing the wrong thing.”
Mr Grant said the program will continue the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government’s strong record of investment in local community safety initiatives, including the Government’s commitment to deliver 1500 new police to put more cops on the beat.
“This program means funds can go directly to small businesses and community groups impacted by crime, empowering communities to make our streets even safer,” Mr Grant said.
Eligible community groups and small businesses will be able to apply for up to $5000 in funding, and will have their applications assessed by officials from the NSW Police Force and the NSW Department of Justice, from April 2019.
Community groups and small businesses in the following ten local government areas will be the first groups and businesses eligible to participate in the program:

• Blacktown;
• Camden;
• Campbelltown;
• Canterbury-Bankstown;
• Cumberland;
• Fairfield;
• Liverpool;
• Parramatta;
• Penrith; and
• Wollondilly.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has today announced a new national park for NSW – providing another significant boost for the State’s koala population – along with a major new package that will improve access to existing national parks.
The State’s newest national park will cover around 3680 hectares in the north of Goulburn electorate, bordering Wollondilly. The new park is centered around Tugalong Station – about 25 kilometres northwest of Bowral.

“The NSW Liberals & Nationals have been careful custodians of the State’s national parks and I am thrilled to be able to unveil a new one today,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“This new national park will ensure that a vital koala wilderness area south of Sydney is preserved. Like all national parks, it will be open to the public so they can explore the wilderness country.”
Ms Berejiklian also announced a $150 million investment to improve access to national parks across NSW – funding made possible due to the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals.
“This includes major upgrade works in places like Sydney’s Royal National Park and in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, making it easier for people to enjoy our wonderful natural beauty,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Environment Minister Gabrielle Upton said the new national park contains some of the Southern Highlands’ best koala habitat.
“Koalas are an iconic species and we are acting to ensure their survival,” Ms Upton said.
“The new national park will not only add to the State’s conservation lands, it is yet another example of how the NSW Government is moving to protect and preserve the koala population.”
The Government’s $150 million investment to improve access to existing national parks includes upgraded walking tracks, better visitor infrastructure and facilities and new digital tools such as virtual tours and livestreaming cameras.
This will include:
• More access – significant upgrade to the 13.6 kilometre Grand Cliff Top Walk from Wentworth Falls to Katoomba in the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area ($10 million). Also, upgrading access to iconic lookout points to a mobility impaired access standard ($9.9 million);
• Improved park visitor infrastructure and facilities – expansion of picnic areas, BBQs, water provision, facilities ($38.7 million) and increased support for families and people with restricted mobility ($45 million). This will include upgraded picnic facilities and the walking tracks at Audley Weir, in the Royal National Park.
• Safe access – Investment in making our extensive network of walking tracks and trails safer and more accessible ($36.4 million); expansion of the ‘Think before you Trek’ safety program for bushwalkers and work with other agencies to deliver other priority safety programs like  rock fishing and enhanced mobile connectivity in the parks ($1 million).
“NSW boasts some of the most majestic and picturesque coastal lookouts, outback walking tracks, camping grounds and beaches in the world and we want more visitors to experience the natural beauty and wonder of our national parks,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Ms Upton added: “As well as international and interstate tourists, we want to make it easier for families to get out there and discover the natural beauty our State.”

For the first time, NSW will have a Minister for Public Spaces who will identify and protect publicly owned land for use as parks or public spaces, under a Liberals & Nationals Government.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Government will also provide $150 million for new and improved parklands across urban areas – an investment made possible due to the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.
The NSW Liberals & Nationals will also provide additional protections for Crown Land held for recreational use.

“Access to green and open space is crucial for communities to thrive,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We have already worked hard to put local character at the heart of everything we do.
“Today’s announcement takes this to the next level with a dedicated champion for public spaces to be placed at the heart of Government.”
“Quality open space is so important to local communities, as a place to relax, kick a football or have a picnic or a barbecue,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The Minister for Public Spaces would have responsibility for enhancing and expanding the State’s parks and gardens and open spaces, ensuring that there is sufficient open space across NSW, and that public spaces are made welcoming and attractive.
The new Minister for Public Spaces will also have the first right to identify and protect existing Government-owned land that should be preserved as parkland or public space.
One example of land identified for protection is the Sydney Water pumping station at West Ryde. Under the Liberals & Nationals, land not required for Sydney Water operations will be preserved for community use, such as parks, commuter car parking, and community facilities.
Member for Ryde Victor Dominello, said: “This is great news for families across NSW.
“Open space strengthens communities, and promotes healthy living and participation in cultural and creative activities.”   “The Government has demonstrated right here in Ryde that you can cater for increased growth and deliver necessary community open space. As part of the Meadowbank Education Precinct, the Meadowbank Public School site will become open space, and Marsden High School will be transformed into a dedicated community sports facility.”   The $150 million in funding will create a network of connected parks and open space, and improve the quality of existing parks.
As part of this package, $50 million will be used to turn existing Government-owned land into new and upgraded parks at Penrith, Ermington, Appin, Leppington, Frenchs Forest, Carramar, Beaumont Hills and Hurstville.
A further $100 million is available to secure new parks to be developed across Sydney. This funding will be used to purchase open space in strategic locations, to improve community access to green space.
Legislation will be further strengthened to ensure Crown Land reserved for recreational purposes cannot be sold, leased or change purpose without approval by the Minister that any change is in the public interest. This is on top of changes introduced last year that have delivered the community more power than ever before over the use of Crown land held for public recreation.
Today’s announcement takes the funding of the NSW Government’s existing Open Spaces and Greener Sydney package to $340 million, which already delivered more new and upgraded playgrounds, local sporting facility upgrades and more access to school grounds for community use.

Hundreds of community preschools across NSW are opening their doors to the first year of subsidised three year olds this week, thanks to an historic investment from the NSW Government to ensure every child has access to two years of early childhood education in preparation for primary school.
NSW is the first state in Australia to subsidise all three-year-olds in community preschools, under an investment of almost $200 million, which is only possible due to the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian visited Doonside Kindergarten today to welcome the new starters, and said she looked forward to seeing the impact this will have on both children and families.

“Not only does this investment mean better educational opportunities for children right across the State, it also means that on average, families will save $825 on preschool fees this year alone,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“I am proud that as a Government – because of our strong economic management – we can do more to ease cost of living pressures for parents and improve educational outcomes for our children.”
Minister for Early Childhood Education Sarah Mitchell said access to two years of preschool education provides benefits to both children and the community.
“We know that two years of quality early childhood education leads to better performance throughout primary and high school, as well as better university and TAFE attendance, and better outcomes post-tertiary education,” Ms Mitchell said.
Since the Start Strong program was introduced in 2016, which subsidised funding for one year of preschool to begin with, attendance figures have overwhelmingly improved and daily fees have dropped.
“Participation rates have increased by more than 40 per cent for children enrolled for 600 hours, and average daily fees decreased by 25 per cent,” Ms Berejiklian said.
For more information on Start Strong, visit the Department of Education website.

More than a million NSW primary school children will be armed with the knowledge to lead healthy and happy lives, under a record funding boost to Life Education NSW.
The record $2 million funding delivered by the NSW Liberals & Nationals guarantees the not-for-profit organisation, which turns 40 this year, will continue to educate the next generation of young students with practical lessons delivered by the nation’s hardest working giraffe, Healthy Harold.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Healthy Harold and the Life Education experience has become a rite of passage in many primary schools and this funding would allow them to modernise their program by providing students access to cutting-edge augmented reality and 3D systems.

“Life Education is as important now as it has ever been. With boundless entertainment options in the digital age it is essential that important life lessons for children are delivered in an engaging and captivating way,” Ms Berejiklian said.

The new funding will assist with teaching young primary school students about issues including sun safety, road safety, and healthy eating.
For older students in Year 6, it will help them begin to tackle the complex issues they will face in high school, such as cyber safety and the dangers of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.
“It is so important that there is a platform like Life Education that reaches students on their level and helps educate them about the choices they will face,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Education Minister Rob Stokes said Life Education was a priceless asset to teachers delivering important lessons on sometimes sensitive issues.
“Life Education consults with local schools to ensure they cover the topics that may impact that particular school community. The fact that this service is run in conjunction with schools means the lessons have a greater chance of really reaching students,” he said.
Life Education NSW CEO Kellie Sloane said the funding would mean any school across the State that wants a visit will receive one, particularly benefitting regional areas.
“In NSW, sign-ups for our program are at a decade high,” Ms Sloane said.
“As demand from schools for our help increases, this funding is critical to help us reach more children, no matter how remote.”
The funding, over four years, is in addition to nearly $19 million committed by the NSW Liberals & Nationals to Life Education since 2011.

The NSW Government will hire an additional 4600 teachers to join the ranks of the public school system – delivering the highest number of teachers in the State’s history, Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Education Minister Rob Stokes announced today.

“We are investing record amounts into NSW schools and teachers, and this $2 billion investment has only been made possible due to the strong economic position created by the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“It is so important to invest in our children to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to succeed in the jobs of the future.”
This commitment will bring the total number of full-time positions funded by the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government to nearly 11,000 new teachers since we came to Government.
By comparison, Labor hired just over 1000 new teachers in their last five years in office. They closed more than 90 schools, with a secret plan to close 100 more and axe 7500 teachers.
This record-breaking teacher recruitment drive over four years will help staff the 170-plus new and upgraded schools being delivered as part of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government’s record $6 billion investment in school infrastructure.
Mr Stokes said he was thrilled to be growing NSW’s world-class teacher workforce.
“We have some of the best teachers in the world who have the incredibly rewarding career of shaping the lives of the next generation,” Mr Stokes said.
“It is my priority to ensure NSW continues to have the best schools and best teachers in the country.”
Last year, the NSW Government committed an additional $6.4 billion for public schools to 2027 as part of the Gonski deal with the Commonwealth, bringing the State’s total investment to $148 billion for government and non-government schools.
NSW was also the only State to provide extra money to public schools to complement the Commonwealth’s $1.2 billion Choice and Affordability Fund.

CommSec’s State of the States report has highlighted the rock solid fundamentals of the NSW economy which is continuing to power Australia’s growth and job creation.
The overall economic performance of NSW across all indicators saw the state ranked first, with our near-record unemployment level of 4.3 per cent a key highlight.
NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the report highlighted the state’s strong economic performance across all key economic indicators.
“We are a first class state with a very strong economy,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Some states are strong in a handful of areas, we rate highly right across the board.
“Our solid surpluses and record low net debt have allowed us to embark on an unprecedented $89.7 billion infrastructure investment.
“Our record investment is not just building better schools, roads, hospitals and public transport, it is helping power the economy and create hundreds of thousands of jobs.”
The CommSec report states: “NSW is consistently strong across the eight economic indicators.”
“Spending in NSW was 17.5 per cent above decade-average levels, once again supported by home building, infrastructure building and firm employment.
“In NSW the trend unemployment rate of 4.3 per cent hasn’t been bettered in monthly records going back to 1978.”
NSW placed equal first in the latest edition of the quarterly report, which ranks each state and territory’s economy by using decade averages across a range of key economic indicators including: retail spending, equipment investing, construction work and unemployment.
“Our fantastic growth would be in jeopardy under Labor,” Mr Perrottet said.
“They want to cancel a swathe of projects such as the F6 and South West Metro and this would kill growth and destroy jobs.
“Cancelling things is Labor’s default position. Doing nothing is their failed former Finance Minister’s happy place. Only the Liberals & Nationals have a plan for NSW and will continue to get the job done for NSW.”

Major construction work has started to deliver the biggest upgrade to Central Station in decades, including new Sydney Metro platforms deep underground and the landmark Central Walk.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the $955 million investment in the iconic station will improve public transport services and is only possible because of the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.
“This work underway at Central Station will form a key part of Australia’s first turn-up-and-go Metro network which will move an extra 100,000 customers an hour across the CBD,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Once complete in 2024 Metro trains will be pulling up at Central Station at least every four minutes in the peak. Ultimately the Metro will allow us to boost the number of rail services travelling through the CBD from 120 an hour to 200.
“By fixing the Bankstown Line bottleneck, the new Metro also allows us to add extra trains for Illawarra Line and South Coast customers, Western Line customers, Airport and South Line customers, and Inner West and Leppington Line customers.”
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said over the holiday period major construction work took place at both Central and Martin Place stations.
“We are seeing state-of-the-art construction techniques being used to keep customers moving around two of Sydney’s busiest railway stations,” Mr Constance said.
“At Central a military style-operation took place to build a temporary railway station platform in just three weeks.
“The temporary platform means Sydney Metro can be built 27 metres underground without disrupting normal train operations above.”
Crews were also busy in the heart of the city at the Martin Place Metro site.
A block of Martin Place was excavated 10 metres below street level and a two-level pre-fabricated steel pedestrian bridge was lifted into place, reassembled and re-opened to pedestrians.
Work was completed in time to reopen for the New Year and didn’t affect pre-existing sub surface infrastructure including old brick tunnels, pedestrian underpasses and utilities.
At the same time train testing is continuing on the Sydney Metro Northwest rail line from Rouse Hill to Chatswood which is due to open in the coming months. Metro rail services between Bankstown and Chatswood will open in 2024.

Boaters on NSW waterways will be even safer under the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government thanks to an extra $37.6 million pledged for Marine Rescue NSW over the next four years.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Emergency Services Troy Grant said this major funding boost would help save lives on the water by delivering new purpose-built rescue vessels, upgraded operational centres and improvements to the marine radio network.
The funding will more than double Marine Rescue NSW’s annual budget and make a major difference to the support it can provide to boaters across the state.
“Community safety is our top priority and this major investment will deliver an extra layer of security and reassurance for anglers, divers and everybody who gets out on our amazing waterways,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Whether it is our schools, hospitals or emergency services, we are delivering record investments to make a real difference for communities across NSW, and today’s announcement continues our commitment to world-class frontline services.
“This funding is only possible thanks to the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.”
Mr Grant said, “The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will establish a new rescue unit on Lord Howe Island, as well as new or upgraded bases and boat buildings at Tweed Heads, Ballina, Narooma, Lake Macquarie, Middle Harbour, Newcastle and the Central Coast.”
Mr Grant said the extra funding would also deliver 38 brand new vessels to 28 rescue units, providing volunteers with better boats much sooner.
The vessels will go to the Alpine Lakes, Batemans Bay, Botany Port Hacking (Botany Bay and Port Hacking), Broken Bay, Central Coast, Cronulla, Crowdy Harrington, Eden, Evans Head, Hawkesbury, Jervis Bay, Kioloa, Lemon Tree Passage, Lord Howe Island, Merimbula, Moama, Nambucca, Narooma, Newcastle, Point Danger, Port Jackson, Port Kembla, Port Macquarie, Port Stephens, Sussex Inlet, Tuross, Woolgoolga and Tuggerah Lakes (The Entrance and Toukley).
“This new investment will also allow Marine Rescue NSW to upgrade the marine radio network, which Marine Rescue NSW maintains and operates,” Mr Grant said.
“This includes eliminating black spots along the south coast and on the Hawkesbury, making it much safer for boaters and the dedicated volunteers dispatched to support them in times of trouble.”
This new investment of $37.6 million over the next four years will boost the annual Marine Rescue NSW budget to more than $17 million.
Marine Rescue NSW Commissioner Stacey Tannos welcomed the announcement and said it will improve safety for boaters right across the State, and better equip the volunteers sent to support them in emergencies.
“For the first time we’ll be able to invest in a major capital works program to provide our units with efficient, safe and modern operating facilities,” Commissioner Tannos said.
Marine Rescue NSW operates a network of 44 rescue units along the NSW coastline, and at two priority inland waterways on the Alpine Lakes and Murray River.
In 2017-18, crews performed 2,802 rescue missions, including 840 missions in response to life-threatening emergencies, saving more than 6,800 lives.

Families have given the NSW Government’s new $100 Creative Kids vouchers a strong endorsement, with more than 70,000 vouchers downloaded since the program went live three weeks ago, with Western Sydney well represented. More than 830 providers have also registered with Service NSW.
Parents can use one voucher for every school-age child per year to help meet the cost of structured creative and cultural activities, such as music lessons, languages, coding, drama and theatre, photography and graphic design.
Minister for Finance, Services and Property Victor Dominello joined Member for Coogee Bruce Notley-Smith today at Randwick to release the figures.
The figures speak for themselves – parents simply love the new voucher and have given it the thumbs up, Mr Dominello said.
“The voucher is helping to unlock the creative abilities of young people, with parents in Kellyville, Castle Hill, Liverpool and Camden among those who have claimed the most vouchers so far. Among registered providers, performing arts and visual arts groups are the most represented.
“This program has been made possible due to our strong economic management – we’ve slashed the debt, balanced the books and put the State back in pole position.”
Mr Notley-Smith said: “Creative Kids complements the hugely popular Active Kids voucher, and that Creative and Active Kids vouchers combined will save a family with two children $400 a year.”
“The new school year starts next week and this voucher will help parents plan for creative and cultural activities, which can really add to a household budget.
“It is critical that providers register with Service NSW, so that parents can claim their vouchers with them.”
The following suburbs are among those that have downloaded the most vouchers:

Postcode	Suburb	Vouchers Downloaded
2155	Kellyville	960
2153	Baulkham Hills	673
2145	Westmead	541
2250	Erina	455
2170	Liverpool	448
2154	Castle Hill	447
2259	Tuggerah	440
2077	Hornsby	422
2570	Camden	422
2560	Appin	400

Creative Kids is one of a raft of NSW Government initiatives helping to ease cost of living pressure for households. Others include cheaper Green Slips and refunds, free car registration for regular toll users and the FuelCheck app. Further information on how to register as a provider and the program is at www.service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/creative-kids