16 News

The NSW Government will introduce new legislation to parliament that prohibits vilification on the grounds of religious belief, affiliation or activity.

The NSW Labor Government committed to amending the NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 to prohibit religious vilification within its first 100 days in office. This bill follows through on that commitment.

The bill amends the Anti-Discrimination Act to make it unlawful to, by a public act, incite hatred towards, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule of, a person or group of persons, because of their religious belief, affiliation or activity.

A public act includes any form of communication to the public, verbal and non-verbal.

The amendments in the bill are modelled on the existing provisions that make vilification unlawful on the grounds of race, sexuality, transgender status and HIV/AIDS status.

This new law will also protect people who do not hold religious beliefs or affiliations or who do not engage in religious activity, in recognition that these are also beliefs about religious matters that should be protected.

The government consulted closely on the proposed amendments with a broad range of stakeholder groups, including religious faith and religious advocacy organisations and community advocacy organisations, legal stakeholders and NSW Government agencies.

NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“No one should have to encounter public hate due to their religious beliefs, and it is high time the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 was changed to reflect this.

“For the most part, we are a tolerant society, and we welcome people to NSW from all over the world. However, we need to have laws that protect people of faith from public actions that incite hatred, serious contempt for, or severe ridicule for religious beliefs.

“We committed, as an election promise, to introduce legislation making religious vilification unlawful within our first 100 days in office. We are here to make good on our promises and get things done by making this change to the Anti-Discrimination Act.”

NSW Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said:

“The unfortunate reality is that certain forms of religious vilification are on the rise. No matter your personal beliefs, this is unacceptable.

“Members of the Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Sikh faiths have all raised concerns about the growing levels of intolerance towards members of their communities.

“This much needed legislation will provide our faith communities with similar protections provided to members of diverse and multicultural communities.”

Communities with high levels of housing growth will soon have access to funding of $1 billion over the forward estimates, and up to $700 million per year beyond that, to invest in and speed up the delivery of vital infrastructure to support homes and jobs.

New housing growth in NSW will now come with more closely connected infrastructure for community needs as the Minns Government’s Environmental Planning and Assessment (Housing and Productivity) Contributions Bill passed the NSW Legislative Council last night.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said the reforms aim to address housing supply shortages by dealing with a key bottleneck – infrastructure.

“The former Government left us with the biggest housing crisis this state has ever seen, so we’re taking action to get new home builds moving and supporting infrastructure funding.

“These reforms lock in infrastructure contributions of up to $700 million each year into the future helping to create great places around new housing.

“Our infrastructure contribution reforms set up a stronger system with a fair and consistent charge applied across Greater Sydney, Lower Hunter, Central Coast and the Illawarra-Shoalhaven, to help pay for the infrastructure needed to support growing communities.

“It includes $1 billion over 10 years for grants to local councils for regionally significant facilities like sporting complexes and open spaces.”

The Bill passed both Houses today, despite being opposed by the Liberal and National Parties despite them taking a similar plan to the last election.

“After 12 years of inaction on housing and effectively creating our current housing crisis, the Liberals and Nationals cynically voted against these reforms to better connect homes, jobs and infrastructure,” said Minister Scully.

“They voted against it despite taking a very similar plan to the election only a matter of months ago.”

The new infrastructure contributions scheme replaces the ad-hoc Special Infrastructure Contribution system with a new broad-based charge, called the Housing and Productivity Contribution. The new scheme will not affect the local infrastructure contributions currently paid to councils.

It is intended that the new system will come into effect from 1 October 2023.

More information can be found on the Department of Planning and Environment’s website.launch

Twelve tech startups have been given a unique opportunity to set their companies up for future success after being selected for an accelerator program run by leading global investment business Techstars.

The 3-month program at Sydney’s Tech Central district starting in July provides startup founders with seed funding, training and access to a network of mentors to build their entrepreneurial skills.

The selected startups work across a range of sectors including AI, climate tech, fintech and healthtech.

Minister for Industry and Trade, Anoulack Chanthivong, confirmed the successful startups today and said it was an incredible opportunity for the companies involved. 

“Taking part in an accelerator program like this can be a game-change. It will provide startup founders with the tools and knowledge they need to grow their business, Mr Chanthivong said.

“This is also an opportunity that gives founders access to an investor community that secure the investment needed to take them to exciting new heights,” Mr Chanthivong said. 

“As the largest pre-seed investor in the world, we’re delighted to have Techstars onboard at our growing innovation hub at Tech Central, where they’ll continue to support the next generation of cutting-edge companies.”

Techstars Managing Director, Kirstin Hunter, said they received strong interest in the Sydney accelerator program with almost 500 applications received.

“We’re pleased to have such a diverse group of unstoppable founders on board for our accelerator. These 12 companies stood out to us for their passion and their innovative approach to solving some of society’s biggest problems,” Ms Hunter said.

“At Techstars, we believe anyone anywhere can be a world changing entrepreneur, and from our new base at Tech Central in Sydney, we’re looking forward to using our global network to accelerate the next wave of innovators that can make a lasting impact across the community.”

Nikki Tugano, founder of SeenCulture, said of being selected:

“What excites me most is the global opportunities that come with being in Techstars’ world-class accelerator program. I’m personally also super grateful to be working with Kirstin Hunter and Program Manager Lauren Fong because they’re so purpose led and really care about diversity, equity and inclusion. For SeenCulture, we want to achieve product market fit ASAP, so that’s going to be a huge focus for us in this program.”

The first Techstars Accelerator Program in Sydney will commence on July 10.

Get more information on Techstarslaunch.

The 12 companies selected for the Techstars Accelerator Program are:

• DogBase – An online platform for working dog handlers to track and measure performance.
• Femtek – The first menstrual health focused smart ring built exclusively for women to improve body literacy during sleep.
• Gecko – A booking system customised for event rental businesses.
• GoTradie – A purpose-built messaging app that simplifies the way tradies and worksites connect, communicate and collaborate.
• LARKI – A web portal providing 3D laser scan surveys to assist early-stage architecture projects.
• Mantaray Climate – A procurement platform that provides companies with data and tools to make more climate-friendly supply chain decisions.
• Outread – An AI-powered platform that provides short summaries of research articles from top journals.
• Pico – A platform that makes learning coding simpler for high school students.
• SeenCulture – A software solution that helps business leaders stabilise and optimise their existing workforce.
• some.place – An immersive commerce platform for retail brands to connect with their customers.
• Latent Knowledge – A platform that helps institutions accelerate research performance.
• Violet – A not-for-profit organisation that provides tools and support for people caring for others in the last stages of life.

The NSW Government will introduce new laws to improve workers compensation governance by appointing an employer and employee nominee to the icare Board.

The Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said it was critical that injured workers and premium-paying businesses were given a seat at the board table to support ongoing reform.

Two suitably qualified employer and employee directors will be nominated by employer and employee bodies and will also replace two non-executive directors, leaving the size and cost of the icare Board unchanged with 9 directors.

Employers and Unions NSW will have a formal say in the process, with both groups nominating a non-executive director.

Legislation to amend the State Insurance and Care Governance Act 2015 for the board changes will be introduced to NSW Parliament on Wednesday 28 June.

icare provides workers compensation for about 330,000 business and 3.4 million workers in NSW, managing about 60,000 new claims each year.

Under the former government’s oversight a $140 million IT contract was awarded in a 7-day tender and an $18 million contract was awarded without tender to the Liberal Party’s printer and a major donor.

In 2018, icare launched a model where new claims were largely managed by a single claims service provider – a move which injured workers and businesses have agreed was a disaster. icare is now moving away from this model.

Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:

“Return-to-work rates and the dissatisfaction felt by many injured workers highlight the need for a diversity of views and more robust decision-making on the icare Board.”

“It will take years to fix a decade of neglect of the workers compensation system, but this bill marks the beginning of our wider reform plans in this space.”

“Appointing employer and employee nominees to the icare Board will ensure these important perspectives are heard in the icare boardroom.”

“I made it clear that the new government had different expectations and the board plays a critical role in working together to ensure fiscally sustainable schemes, better claims management, timely medical diagnosis and treatment to support recovery and improved return to work outcomes.”

“icare knows that this improvement and reform journey is ongoing. There will be more steps to come.”

Related information

• Independent review of icare and SICG Acteast
• iCare (Insurance and Care NSW)launcheast

The Opposition has offered to work with the Premier to strengthen the Independent Commission Against Corruption’s (ICAC) operations and ensure its future investigations and reports are completed in a timely manner.

Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said ICAC plays a vital role in protecting NSW against corruption.

“Everyone acknowledges the need for a strong, robust and transparent anti-corruption body,” Mr Speakman said. “We want to support the important work of ICAC and ensure that it functions as well as it could be.”

Shadow Attorney General Alister Henskens said that the work of ICAC relies on the ongoing public confidence in the organisation.

“Delays in reporting, such as taking more than 1,000 days for the Operation Keppel report, undermine public confidence and risk diminishing the standing and role of ICAC,” said Mr Henskens.

“A non-partisan review of ICAC will help to improve its operations and ensure that public confidence in the organisation is maintained.”

A decision made by the High Court on May 10 has brought to light the urgent need for the NSW Parliament to amend our criminal law to make women safe in their homes after a relationship breakdown.

In BA v The King, a former tenant was found not guilty of the crime of breaking and entering. The former tenant had kicked down the door of his old apartment when his ex-girlfriend refused to let him in, he shook her, yelled at her, and seized her mobile phone – but because his name was still on the lease, the Court found that he had a legal right to enter and so did not commit the crime of break and enter into the premises.

In response to the urgent need for reform, the NSW Liberals and Nationals have brought a Private Members Bill to reform the Crimes Act and other relevant legislation so that all renters, and particularly women, are protected in the event of relationship breakdown.

“The Parliament must act urgently to protect tenants following breakups,” Shadow Attorney-General Alister Henskens said today. “All tenants need protection, especially women at risk of domestic violence.”

“Relationships break down, and partners cease co-habiting. But after a breakup, and one partner has moved out, the remaining tenant has a right to quietly enjoy what is now their exclusively occupied residence,” continued Mr Henskens.

“This bill will give greater protection especially for women because when relationships breakdown, women are more at risk of domestic violence,” Shadow Minister for Women and Shadow Minister for Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Leslie Williams said. 

In this matter, it was clear that the relationship had ceased. The man in question had removed most of his possessions and had stopped paying rent for the home they had shared together. His former partner remained living in their old apartment.

“This decision, however, means that this woman – and any others in her position – has no legal right to keep her ex-partner out of their house if his name is still on the lease”. Mr Henskens said.

Other jurisdictions deem “breaking and entering” as an element of housebreaking and burglary offences have been replaced with trespass or unlawful or unauthorised entry in response to these complexities.

“This decision reveals that antiquated language in the NSW criminal law has failed to protect women after a relationship breakdown,” Mrs Williams said. 

“We call on the government to amend s112 of the Crimes Act immediately so that former partners can feel safe in their own homes,” Mr Henskens said.