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The NSW Government has awarded more than $300 million or 98% of project contracts to date to local suppliers as construction of the new Sydney Fish Market continues to ramp up.

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Among the local suppliers are Rozelle’s SMC Marine, Traino/Hanson Australia in Blackwattle Bay, and Active Steel from St Marys.

These companies are each playing a pivotal role in building the innovative new Sydney Fish Market.

There has been major progress on the project, with a massive concrete pour underway at the site’s cofferdam, laying the foundation for the watertight basement level – a unique feature of the building’s design.

This ambitious undertaking requires about 34,000 cubic metres of concrete, equivalent to nearly 14 Olympic swimming pools.

A highly specialised and sustainable concrete mix is being used, prioritising the reduction of CO2 emissions and ensuring long-term durability.

Hundreds of marine piles installed by SMC Marine and the concrete base will provide the foundations for the iconic new fish market, which is on track for construction to be completed by the end of next year.

https://nswdigitalchannels.zendesk.com/agent/tickets/21911Active Steel is supplying steel reinforcement for the concrete slabs using a 70% recycled steel product sourced in Australia. Due to the basement being surrounded by seawater, the concrete slabs require a high amount of reinforcement steel compared to above water sites.

The new Sydney Fish Market is key to the transformation of Blackwattle Bay, delivering a waterfront promenade, more than 6000sqm of public space, and improving pedestrian and cycling links.

In a major boost for the economy, building the new Sydney Fish Market creates more than 700 jobs during construction and supports 700 jobs once complete. 

For more information visit Infrastructure NSWlaunch.

NSW Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:

“The NSW Government is proud to be involved in a project that combines cutting-edge design with a commitment to the environment and the local economy. We recognise the vital role that local businesses play in driving economic growth, and we are proud to announce to date more than $300 million has been awarded to local suppliers for the new Sydney Fish Market.

“By investing in local suppliers, we are enabling our business owners to thrive, innovate, and contribute to the growth of NSW. This investment will have a lasting impact on the local economy, as well as the wider community.

“The new Sydney Fish Market will provide a platform for local businesses to thrive, attracting international visitors and supporting the growth of our tourism and food sectors.”

David Ghannoum, Regional Managing Director – NSW and ACT of Multiplex, said:

“Multiplex recognises the value of working with local suppliers and supporting the local economy.

“We are committed to fostering strong partnerships with businesses in our community, as it not only bolsters the local economy, but it also promotes collaboration and sustainability.

“Multiplex’s investment in the local economy is creating employment opportunities, fosters resilience, and contributes to the overall growth and prosperity of the wider community.”

Premier Chris Minns celebrated 100 days in office by foreshadowing that ‘a range of infrastructure projects will be put on ice’.

Minns told the ABC “we’ve already identified a range of infrastructure projects that we don’t believe are a priority right now.”

Acting Leader of the Opposition Natalie Ward said the Premier must come clean and be honest with the people of NSW.

“It’s a simple question that the Premier should answer – what projects are you cutting?” Ms Ward asked. 

“For 100 days we’ve seen broken promises and wrong priorities, and now we’re seeing cuts to infrastructure. This is a Government that doesn’t have a plan to keep our state moving.”

“When the Premier talks about priorities we know that he can’t be trusted to do what’s best for our State, prioritising unions ahead of families. Cutting vital infrastructure projects is in Labor’s DNA, they just can’t help themselves, and the result is more congestion, fewer jobs and less productivity.”

“Labor can’t be trusted to build the infrastructure our state needs, having already said it would cancel the Great Western Highway Tunnel and the Westmead to the Aerotropolis, and Bankstown to Glenfield Metro Lines.”

“The Premier needs to demonstrate leadership and tell us what projects are being cut today, not in three months time.” 

Labor’s plan to cut vital infrastructure projects is in stark contrast to the record of the previous Coalition Government that delivered bold infrastructure projects like WestConnex, NorthConnex, Sydney Metro, scores of new schools, hospitals, arts and cultural projects – investments in communities totalling billions of dollars.

To find out more about Labor’s broken promises and wrong priorities you can visit www.laborsbrokenpromises.com.au

The NSW Government is supporting this year’s NAIDOC Week celebrations by providing $310,000 to support Aboriginal participation in celebratory events across NSW.

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NAIDOC Week will stretch from 2 – 9 July and the theme will be ‘For Our Elders’.

The funding provided under the Aboriginal Affairs NSW NAIDOC Grants Program attracted 206 submissions across the state, up by 77 from last year.

Some of the grants issued include funding towards the popular Souths Cares NAIDOC Festival in Maroubra, flag-raising ceremonies, a Community Day at the Armidale and Region Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place and a traditional food day hosted by Jubullum Local Aboriginal Land Council.

One grant recipient, Murrin Bridge Preschool Association in Western NSW, is using its funding to plant trees for each of its Elders to signify how important they are to their community.

This year’s theme ‘For Our Elders’ reminds us all to value First Nations Elders and the incredible role they play, and will continue to play to hold the cultural knowledge and lead community.

Elders have played a huge role across generations of thousands of years of Indigenous culture, as knowledge holders, trail blazers, teachers and nurturers.

This NAIDOC Week we pay homage to this important role and those who came before who paved the way for the present and future.

David Harris, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty said: 

‘I’m thrilled that we are able to play a part in ensuring NAIDOC Week is a success for the community, given the hard work that goes into preparing for and hosting such events.

“I look forward to attending as many of these events as I can and meeting with community members from all over the state.’

“NAIDOC Week celebrates the proud history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and is embraced by Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities around the country.

“It is an opportunity for all of us to come together to celebrate the resilience, rich heritage and ongoing contributions of the oldest continuous cultures on earth.”

Leanne Smith, Murrin Bridge Preschool Association President said:

“Building resilience and giving ownership back to our community is of great importance. Our Elders will be remembered by the trees planted and the plaques placed near them to symbolise the three mobs and Murrin Bridge.

In our first 100 days the Minns Labor Government has hit the ground running to address the serious challenges facing NSW.

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We were elected with a clear mandate to scrap the wages cap and sit down for a genuine negotiation with our frontline workers including nurses, paramedics, teachers, firefighters and police. 

We were elected to rebuild health and education in NSW and reinvest in our essential workforce – to put people back at the heart of government.

And from the moment our team was sworn in we have been working hard to make this happen.

We’ve made good progress – with a lot more to do.

We’ve smashed the wages cap and delivered the biggest pay rise to public sector workers in NSW in over a decade.

This is the first step to resolving the state’s essential worker recruitment and retention crisis after 12 years of Liberal-National wage suppression. 

We’ve already transferred thousands of temporary teachers and support staff in our schools to permanent contracts.

We’ve begun the transition to safe staffing levels in our hospitals.

We’re making renting fairer while delivering more affordable housing.

We’ve made serious progress in reforming planning in NSW to deliver more supply and quality homes.

The NSW Government has also enshrined the protection of publicly-owned assets including Sydney Water and Hunter Water in the constitution and taken significant steps to reduce the impact of energy price increases.

We’ve had a productive first session of parliament, with 13 bills passed.

But we’ve made clear the biggest challenge we face is the budget.

Since forming government in March, we have been upfront with the people of NSW about the economic challenges we have inherited from the former government.

They handed over to us the largest debt in our state’s history, with the state on track for a record $187.5 billion in debt.

Incoming briefs have also uncovered a $7 billion black hole of unfunded programs.

In 100 days the Minns Labor Government has hit the ground running, but there is still much more to do – every member of this government is committed to building a better future for NSW.

Here is just some of what the NSW Labor Government has already achieved:

• delivered the biggest pay increase for NSW public sector workers in more than a decade
• frozen politician and public sector senior executive pay increases
• transitioned 7000 teachers and school support staff from temporary to permanent contracts
• cut admin work for teachers and increased numbers of school admin staff in schools
• began the transition to safe staffing levels in NSW hospitals
• established at Paediatric Heart Transplant service at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead
• shut down unused COVID PCR testing drive through centres
• prioritised English and Maths in updated curriculum rollout
• maintained Lismore flood relief support
• expanded stamp duty exemptions and concessions to more first home buyers
• reformed rental laws by introducing a rental commissioner and creating a portable bonds scheme
• introduced new planning rules to deliver further housing supply and more affordable housing
• abolished hidden speed cameras in NSW
• began a comprehensive toll review led by Professor Allan Fels
• introduced a demerit point return scheme to reward safe drivers, sooner
• secured UFC Match for Sydney
• started the process of increasing the concert cap at the SCG Precinct
• banned VIP Lounge signage from pubs and clubs
• introduced a bill to ban clubs and pubs with pokies from donating to NSW political parties
• legislated to double penalties for knife crimes
• successfully switched Walgett’s water supply to river water
• engaged an interim Biosecurity Commissioner.

Australia’s first purpose-built biocontainment centre at Sydney’s Westmead Health Precinct has been unveiled.

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NSW Health Minister Ryan Park said the NSW Biocontainment Centre is highly specialised and was built to treat and safely isolate patients with rare highly infectious diseases, known as high consequence infectious diseases.

High consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) are a range of acute infectious diseases with high case-fatality rates or special significance such as Ebola or Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS).

While other prevalent infectious diseases such as COVID-19 and influenza are important, they are not included in the range of diseases managed at this unit.

Minister Park said the purpose-built biocontainment centre at the Westmead Health Precinct clearly demonstrates how important it is for NSW to be capable of keeping people safe and providing the best care possible.

“The centre is equipped with 6 specialised quarantine class and negative pressure beds and helps us effectively respond to future pandemics and provide high level care to both adult and paediatric patients,” Mr Park said.

“The community can be assured that, with this facility, NSW is ready to act and keep the community safe.

“I am really pleased to see clinicians from both Westmead Hospital and the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network embracing this model of care, which is the first of its kind in Australia.”

The state-of-the-art facility includes a critical lift to transport contagious patients directly from the Westmead Hospital helipad or an ambulance straight to the biocontainment centre.

It will also use 3 steam steriliser autoclaves to process contaminated waste and has its own sewage treatment plant to treat contaminated patient waste.

The floor of the centre has also been purpose-designed in different colours to identify which areas are clean or contaminated for additional safety.

Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said the Westmead Health Precinct is home to some of the state’s most talented clinicians.

“We have some of the best and brightest working here in the Westmead Health Precinct,” Ms Davis said.

“It makes sense this facility is based here, where our highly trained clinicians stand ready to manage any cases of these highly contagious diseases.”

Specialist medical, nursing, pharmacy, laboratory and allied health staff trained to manage patients through strict infection prevention and control practices are available to the unit when required.

Western Sydney Local Health District’s Acting Chief Executive Rebecca Nogajski said the centre plays many roles, operating as the statewide referral and outreach facility for patients with suspected or confirmed HCID, as well as the education and training hub for preparedness and safe practice in managing these diseases.

“This centre is self-contained, able to provide high-level emergency care, as well as access to specialist therapies such as phage therapy,” Dr Nogajski said.

“The centre stocks rarely used antibiotics, antivirals, antitoxins, vaccines and other key therapeutics.

“It also offers expert infectious diseases advice, including referral to relevant diagnostic testing and locations of testing, links with NSW Health Pathology and management able to be utilised as a 24/7 service in the early phases of the response.”

Chief Executive of Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network Cathryn Cox PSM said the centre’s specialist staff are highly trained in managing patients.

“We look forward to collaborating with all our colleagues across the Precinct, and NSW, to deliver a coordinated, specialised response through this centre of expertise, with a focus on containment and high-quality care of patients and their families,” Ms Cox said.

The centre is a shared facility of Westmead Hospital, part of Western Sydney Local Health District and Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network supporting the whole state in this specialised service.

The Westmead Health Precinct is one of the largest health, education, research and innovation precincts in Australia and is a key provider of jobs for the greater Parramatta and Western Sydney region.

More than $3 billion has been committed by government and our precinct partners to upgrade and expand the precinct’s health services, education, research and innovation facilities over the coming years.

After 100 days in office the Labor Government is continuing to shift blame for its broken promises and wrong priorities.

The Labor Government’s first 100 days have been characterised by dozens of reviews and taskforces, the slashing of vital cost of living programs, and lies about a Budget black hole.

Deputy Liberal Leader Natalie Ward said Chris Minns must take responsibility for the fact NSW households and families are paying more.

“After 100 days, the Labor Government still can’t explain how they’re addressing the cost of living pressures faced by families, households and businesses,” Mrs Ward said.

“Instead Labor is backflipping, showing blatant disregard for the promises they made before the election, and repealing the former Liberal and Nationals Government’s nation-leading reforms like the First Home Buyer Choice scheme.

“The Coalition will continue to hold the Government to account and ensure that the people of NSW are put first.”

“That’s why today we’ve launched a new website, allowing the people of NSW to find out more about Labor’s broken promises, wrong priorities, cancelled projects and deals with Union bosses.

Broken promises in Labor’s first 100 days:

• Cutting the Active Kids, Creative Kids and First Lap vouchers.
• Backflipping on a ban of secret rent bidding.
• No Budget impact to deliver public servant pay rises.
• No privatisation of government-owned land.
• No disruptions to train services.
• Ending industrial action and Union strikes.
• Enshrining our State’s water assets in the Constitution, but leaving out critical infrastructure like Warragamba Dam.
• Implementing a cashless gaming trial by July 1.
• Preventing mining and exploration off the NSW coastline.
• Building ferries in NSW, only to award the contract to Tasmania.

To find out more about Labor’s broken promises and wrong priorities you can visit www.laborsbrokenpromises.com.au

NAIDOC Week commencing today is an opportunity for us to learn and celebrate the oldest continuing culture on the planet.

It is also a time to celebrate and acknowledge the culture, excellence and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country.

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the 2023 NAIDOC Week theme For Our Elders encourages people to celebrate and pay homage to the Elders in communities.

“We can learn from our Elders who are the cultural knowledge holders and who are key to guiding us on the path to reconciliation and a better future for all,” Mr Speakman said.

“Their stories reflect the past struggles of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through many generations, but we also learn from them that there is much to celebrate about their culture.”

Shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Leslie Williams said the future path we take and the decisions we make must focus on truth telling and reflect the knowledge and experience of Elders.

“There’s a 65,000 year legacy from which we can learn and guide us on a future with better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Mrs Williams said.

“The NSW Liberals and Nationals have demonstrated a commitment to listening to our First Nations people and respecting their knowledge and insights through OCHRE, the community-focused plan for Aboriginal Affairs NSW.”

Central to OCHRE is working with and supporting Aboriginal communities by building strong partnerships that have at their heart respect for Aboriginal culture, leadership and decision making.

We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging and this NAIDOC Week celebrate For Our Elders.

Shadow Minister for Energy and Climate Change James Griffin has called on the NSW Labor Government to reconsider energy bill relief for households as energy price rises increase pressures on household budgets.

“From today energy prices in New South Wales will increase by around 20%, adding pressure to household budgets already feeling the squeeze under Federal Labor’s cost of living crisis,” Mr Griffin said.

“Half of all NSW households will receive no energy bill relief for seven years under this Labor Government, who dumped the Liberal and Nationals Government’s $250 rebate.”

“A re-elected Coalition government would have provided every household in NSW with $250 off their energy bills from today by simply looking for a better deal that. Instead, under this Labor Government around 1.5 million households get nothing.”

“Labor have chosen union bosses over hard-working families, having to cut essential cost of living pressures to fund their $2.5 billion public sector wage increase. They should reconsider their priorities and provide energy bill relief for all NSW families and households.”

“We’re yet to see any detail from Chris Minns and his Government on their proposed government-owned energy bureaucracy, which by his own admission won’t deliver households any savings for up to seven years.”

“Labor’s broken promises and wrong priorities mean families right across NSW are paying more.”

“Only the Liberals and Nationals can be trusted to put families ahead of unions and deliver meaningful cost of living relief,” Mr Griffin concluded.