Category: NSW News

Baulkham Hills students are learning in new and improved school facilities after the Minns Labor Government delivered a $42 million upgrade at Matthew Pearce Public School, near doubling the school’s capacity and making way for the removal of long-term demountables.

The major school upgrade, which began in late 2023, has delivered 24 new classrooms and three support classrooms, increasing the school’s permanent capacity to more than 1,200 students.

The school has also been equipped with a new hall, student bathrooms, and new outside of school hours care (OOSH) facilities.

All 23 demountables have been removed from the school site, making way for the delivery of a new sports field and running track scheduled to be completed later this year.

The Liberals promised an upgrade for Matthew Pearce Public School time and time again, but failed to deliver it.

The Minns Labor Government’s is focused on addressing a chronic lack of school infrastructure delivery in the North West area after 12 years of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals.

The former Government approved new housing developments in the area while failing to deliver the schools that local families needed.

Our work includes delivering seven new schools and major school upgrades, including the recently completed major upgrade at Castle Hill Public School, and delivering the new Box Hill Public School, the new Box Hill High School and the new Gables primary school, along with major upgrades to Rouse Hill High School and Excelsior Public School.

Across all the new and upgraded schools started or delivered by the Minns Labor Government, almost 600 new permanent classrooms across will be built across Sydney’s North-West.

This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s long-term plan to rebuild public education across NSW, with a record $8.9 billion investment to build and upgrade schools in the 2024-25 Budget, including a record $3.6 billion for schools in Western Sydney.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“We are committed to breaking the backlog of critical school infrastructure needed in North-West Sydney and providing communities with the world-class schools they need.

“Delivering this school upgrade is part of our long-term plan to rebuild the state’s public education system and provide the vital school infrastructure that’s lacking across The Hills District.

“Matthew Pearce Public School is a fantastic local school for our North-West Sydney families and this upgrade, along with the upgrade at Castle Hill Public School, means more students now have access to a world-class public education close to home.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“After years of Liberal neglect, the Minns Labor Government is delivering world-class school facilities for families and students in Baulkham Hills, just over a year after we kicked off works.

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to addressing the backlog of school infrastructure works in The Hills that grew over 12 years of neglect under the former NSW Liberal Government, so we can get more demountables off school playgrounds and return valuable play space to students.

“We are committed to delivering high-quality schools across NSW, so every family knows that their child will have access to world-class public education in their local area.”

Matthew Pearce Public School Principal Gae Bromwich said:

“Our entire school community is overjoyed to reach this milestone and have our new flexible and modern classrooms and facilities delivered before the start of Term 2.

“This upgrade has provided the modern learning environment our growing school needs and will help prepare our students for future success.

“Our staff and students alike are making the most of these brand-new facilities that will shape our community’s learning for generations to come.”  

More than 210 new social and affordable homes will soon be available across New South Wales thanks to investments made by the Minns Labor Government under Federal Labor’s $2 billion Social Housing Accelerator Fund (SHAF).

Using a co-contribution model with community housing providers, the NSW Government is fast-tracking the delivery of 211 new homes in areas where they are needed most, including 184 social homes and 27 affordable housing dwellings.

Homes NSW has recently signed partnerships with eight community housing providers to build 52 more social homes for people in need across Greater Sydney and regional areas.

The successful housing providers include:

• Common Equity NSW Ltd – who will deliver 7 new social homes in Darlinghurst
• CORE Community Service Ltd – who will deliver 4 new social homes in Mt Pritchard
• Housing Plus – who will deliver 4 new social homes in Bathurst
• Macleay Options Ltd – who will deliver 6 new social homes in Kempsey
• Pacific Link Housing Ltd – who will deliver 4 new social homes in Cessnock
• St George Community Housing Ltd – who will deliver 10 new social homes in Sydney
• St Vincent de Paul Housing – who will deliver 7 new social homes in Griffith
• YWCA Australia – who will deliver 10 new social homes in Lavington

In 2023, the Federal Government allocated $610.1 million of its $2 billion SHAF to NSW, allowing the Minns Labor Government to provide hundreds of new and refurbished social homes for people in need during a housing crisis.

Homes NSW is investing this funding through a range of projects including returning homes to use and building new homes in partnership with Aboriginal and community housing providers.

Almost 50 of the new SHAF homes are now complete and are already housing over 70 residents in Albury, Gunnedah and the Central Coast.

The last eight SHAF projects are commencing this year. For more information visit: https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/housing/social-housing-accelerator-fund-shaf.html

NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson said:

“Everyone deserves to live with the safety and security of a roof over their head. We know the housing crisis is hitting communities hard, and that access to affordable housing is a key part of the issue.

“That’s why we are getting on with the job of delivering new social and affordable homes right across the state, working closely with community housing providers and the federal government to make sure we are pulling every lever available.

“With almost 50 homes already delivered and 211 more social and affordable homes in the pipeline, this funding is making a real difference for the people and families of NSW who need it most.”

The Minns Labor Government has today released an Exposure Draft for a Bill as part of its ongoing consultation to protect the workers compensation system into the future.

NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has referred the Exposure Draft to a parliamentary inquiry to further examine and seek feedback on reform options.

Rounds of formal consultation began in March and an Exposure Draft’s release marks the next step in that process.

The NSW Government is committed to modernising the workers compensation system to ensure it is sustainable for future generations to rely on.

Reform proposals recognise that workplace health and safety and workers compensation laws are failing to both prevent psychological injuries and to treat those with psychological injuries quickly.

Under the current system, only 50 per cent of workers with a psychological injury are returning to work within a year. The rate is 95 per cent for workers with a physical injury.

And the system currently spends seven times more on keeping an injured worker away from the workplace than it spends on getting them healthy and back on the job.

NSW must have workplace health and safety laws, and a workers compensation system, that put prevention ahead of compensation as a response to psychological safety.

The status quo is failing workers and failing employers, who face premiums soaring by a forecast 36 per cent over the next three years if nothing is done.

The Government will not be adopting a final position on workers compensation reform until the community has had a chance to have its say. This Exposure Draft is intended to provide a starting point for the next phase of conversations and to highlight the scale of the challenges the scheme is facing.

The Standing Committee on Law and Justice in the Legislative Council will hold the inquiry.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said:

“We must ensure that NSW has a workers compensation system for future generations to rely upon.

“The status quo is failing workers and it’s failing businesses.

“I encourage people to read the Exposure Draft for themselves and examine proposals to protect this system.”

Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to strengthening a culture of prevention, early intervention, and effective return to work through a series of reforms.

“These include major reforms to SafeWork NSW, such as expanding the psychosocial inspectorate, and industrial relations reforms that establish a ‘stop bullying’ jurisdiction.

“Additionally, we have amended the iCare Act to include a principal objective focused on promoting early and appropriate treatment and care for injury and illness. This aims to optimise recovery, support return to work and daily activities, and ensure a sustainable compensation system.”

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

“The current system was primarily designed to support people who suffered a physical injury at work; it doesn’t do enough to help people experiencing psychological injury to recover and return to work.

“We welcome feedback on these proposals aimed at modernising the system and supporting people with serious injury.”

An innovative prototype room of the new and enhanced inpatient rooms to be delivered as part of the $110.2 million Cowra Hospital Redevelopment has been unveiled, which is giving staff a hands-on opportunity to test out its features.

Featuring an ensuite bathroom, the planned colour scheme, and equipment staff will use when the redevelopment is complete, the prototype room lets staff experience the design, technology and functionality of the new hospital spaces, as construction for the project continues.

The redevelopment once complete, will include a mix of single and double inpatient rooms, including multiple single rooms with access to a balcony. All inpatient rooms will have ensuite bathrooms, as well as a lounge area for families and carers.

The $110.2 million Cowra Hospital Redevelopment has been shaped by feedback from staff and the community throughout planning and design phase which has led to improved access, more onsite parking, new landscaped areas, and larger windows.

Health services are continuing to operate during construction, with the new hospital on track for completion at the end of 2025.

When complete, the new hospital building will provide a modern and purpose-built health facility for the region and will include:

• ​an emergency department
• a general medical and surgery inpatient ward
• a peri-operative service
• a maternity unit with a dedicated nursery
• ambulatory care
• a dental clinic
• renal dialysis
• oncology
• Community Health and Mental Health, Drug and Alcohol services
• the hospital’s first CT scanner.

Construction on the Cowra Hospital is well under way with work for the façade, internal fit out, and landscaping progressing.

For more information on the project, visit:

https://www.cowrahospitalredevelopment.health.nsw.gov.au

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

“Our rural and regional communities, including the community of Cowra, deserve purpose-built and modern facilities to meet their present and future health needs.

“The feedback from the staff tours of the prototype room has already been extremely positive.

“The hospital has been designed in close collaboration with the community to create a welcoming and supportive environment for patients, visitors, and staff.”

NSW Government Spokesperson for Cootamundra, Stephen Lawrence MLC:

“It’s great to see local staff and clinicians having the opportunity to test out and provide feedback on the enhanced inpatient rooms planned for the redevelopment.

“The Cowra Hospital redevelopment will feature enhanced facilities that will significantly improve care and better support staff, patients and the community.

“The Cowra Hospital Redevelopment team is continuing to work with the community and hospital staff wherever possible to deliver a health facility tailored to the needs of the community it serves.”

We congratulate Pope Leo XIV on his election and give him our best wishes as a leader in our turbulent world.

We welcome His Holiness’ messages of peace, bridge building, and compassion.

Australia will be inviting Pope Leo to Sydney in 2028 for the International Eucharistic Congress, and New South Wales would be honoured to host Pope Leo XIV.

The Minns Labor Government and Inner West Council are today announcing a key milestone in the delivery of the GreenWay with the project reaching 80% of construction complete.

The GreenWay is a 6 kilometre shared bicycle and pedestrian path that will connect two of Sydney’s most popular walks, stretching from the Cooks River in Earlwood through the Inner West to the Bay Run on Parramatta River at Iron Cove.

Running North-South across the Inner West, the GreenWay will also intersect with the new Sydney Metro Southwest that is transforming the 130-year-old former T3 Bankstown line into a modern, turn-up-and-go metro service.

These two projects together will revolutionise transport in the Inner West, connecting communities that previously were not directly connected by either walking, cycling or public transport.

Once complete, the GreenWay will attract local and visitors alike, featuring bike paths and foreshore walks, public art, cultural and historical sites, cafes, bushcare sites and a range of parks, playgrounds and sporting facilities that sit alongside the path.

The project has also supported the delivery of more green space including a new fully fenced off-leash dog park in Lewisham West and a new wetland area, supporting local habitat conservation.

As the Minns Labor Government continues to work to deliver more new homes and apartments for young people, including in the Inner West, the GreenWay will also provide more critical recreational greenspace.

Running alongside a 100-year-old rail corridor, the GreenWay project has required building underpasses and tunnels beneath major roads to create continual pathways. The Hercules Parklands and the New Canterbury Road underpass are the final sections of this path to be completed.

The delivery of the GreenWay is as a result of years of committed advocacy from local community groups, Labor councillors on Inner West Council and the Member for Summer Hill, Jo Haylen.

The GreenWay project is supported by over $41 million from the NSW Government with a $11 million contribution from Inner West Council and a further $6 million Commonwealth Government.

The GreenWay is expected to open to the public later in 2025.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“The GreenWay won’t just link two of Sydney’s most popular walks, it’ll become one in its own right, complete with a shared walking and cycling path, public art, playgrounds and cafes for everyone to enjoy.

“We are working hard to build much needed housing for young people and essential workers in the Inner West and the GreenWay combined with the new Metro Southwest will ensure they have access to world class public transport and great recreational green space.”

Member for Summer Hill, Jo Haylen said:

“I have been a strong and vocal advocate for the GreenWay project since my election as the Member for Summer Hill.

“The GreenWay’s shared pathway has a strong connection to the community and the environment. This iconic new path provides a great space for enjoying the outdoors and travelling across our community.”

Mayor of Inner West Council, Darcy Byrne said:

“The people of the Inner West have fought for years to bring the Greenway vision to life. Now that we’re nearing completion locals are hugely excited to see how it will transform our community.”

More women and children escaping domestic and family violence all across New South Wales will now be able to access support to end an abusive relationship and stay safely in their own homes, with the expansion of the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) program.

As part of last year’s domestic violence Emergency Package, the Minns Labor Government has invested $25.9 million over four years to expand the program across all 128 LGAs.

This includes 12 new providers:

• Linking Communities Network Limited – Cootamundra-Gundagai, Hilltops, Snowy Valleys, Temora and Hilltops LGAs.
• Plus Community – Balranald and Wentworth LGAs.
• Ryde Family Services TA The Northern Centre – Hornsby, Ryde and Hunters Hill LGAs.
• Mary’s House Services – Northern Beaches, Lane Cove, Ku-Ring-Gai, Mosman, North Sydney, and Willoughby LGAs.
• Justice Support Centre – Canada Bay and Strathfield LGAs.
• Lithgow Community Projects Incorporated – Blue Mountains and Lithgow LGAs.
• St Vincent de Paul Society NSW – Wingecarribee and Wollondilly LGAs.
• Home-Start National – Goulburn-Mulwaree, Upper Lachlan and Yass Valley LGAs.
• Monaro Family Support Service – Snowy Monaro LGA.
• Orange Local Aboriginal Land Council – Oberon LGA.
• Narrabri and District Community Aid (NDCAS) – Narrabri LGA.
• Gunida Gunyah Aboriginal Corporation – Gunnedah LGA.

One final service provider for Bourke LGA is still being finalised.

Last financial year, SHLV supported 6,500 victim-survivors of domestic and family violence, including 1,293 children who have experienced abuse.

A 2022 evaluation found the program to “effectively contribute to the long‑term safety and housing stability of women and families” and achieved enhanced wellbeing for women and children affected by domestic and family violence.

Under the program, local police make sure the perpetrator is removed from the home, while victim-survivors receive safety planning, security upgrades at properties where required, financial planning assistance and help navigating complex legal processes.

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to build a safer New South Wales by addressing domestic and family violence from all angles, from boosting crisis response, strengthening bail laws, and focusing on earlier intervention and primary prevention.

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

“Too often victim-survivors of domestic and family violence are forced to leave their homes in order to escape abuse.

“Staying Home Leaving Violence helps the victim-survivor to stay safely in their own home, or a home of their choice and to keep important connections in their own community. This program aims to support women to live in safety and to maintain housing stability.

“Keeping women and children connected to their families, support network, schools, workplaces, and neighbourhoods is so important for their recovery. People should not be forced to abandon those connections to escape a violent situation.”

Support:

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN on 13 92 76.

People in Wagga Wagga and surrounding communities can now access healthcare more quickly and avoid unnecessary trips to the emergency department, thanks to a new local urgent care service.

The Wagga Wagga GP-based Urgent Care Serviceoperates as a cooperative model, offering approximately 100 GP-based appointments per week across seven different practices in the Wagga Wagga region. Each practice is staffed by General Practitioners and nurses who are equipped to treat a range of urgent but non-life-threatening illnesses and injuries. This service is delivered in partnership with the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network.

To access the Wagga Wagga GP-based Urgent Care Service, patients must call Healthdirect on 1800 022 222. A registered nurse will assess the patient’s condition and guide them to the care they need, which may include booking an appointment on the patient’s behalf.

The Wagga Wagga GP-based Urgent Care Service is available year-round, operating Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM. It complements the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital Rapid Access Clinic which is a service operating from the hospital offering a range of services including diagnostics, allied health, Hospital in the Home, an Infusion Clinic, minor procedures and specialist team review.

Healthcare provided at Wagga Wagga Urgent Care Service will be bulk billed.

The Minns Labor Government is committed to enhancing access to care and reducing wait times through the half a billion dollar emergency department relief package announced in the FY2024/25 NSW Budget. This package includes support for urgent care services, offering alternative pathways to care outside of hospitals.

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

“The Minns Labor Government is expanding Urgent Care Services so communities such as Wagga Wagga can receive fast effective care close to home, while also easing pressure on our emergency departments.

“This service will enable members of the community to receive care quickly for conditions which can be safely and appropriately treated outside our hospitals, including minor wounds which need stitches, and suspected broken bones.”

Member for Wagga Wagga, Dr Joe McGirr:

“This is a very welcome enhancement to local health services that will improve access to care and reduce wait times for local patients.

“By providing patients with non-life-threatening conditions with quality, bulk-billed care, it will ease pressure on the emergency department at Wagga Base Hospital and deliver a valuable healthcare alternative to people from Wagga and surrounding communities.”

Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network CEO Stewart Gordon

“The Wagga Wagga GP-based Urgent Care Service is designed to deliver better access to timely healthcare when it’s most needed. 

“By making same-day GP appointments available at no cost, we’re helping residents get the right care quickly, and providing real solutions for our local communities.”

Attorney General Michael Daley has appointed former NSW Supreme Court Justice, the Honourable John Sackar AM KC, to review criminal law hate speech protections for vulnerable communities.

Mr Sackar will examine whether existing protections are sufficient and recommend any possible improvements, following the passage of the Crimes Amendment (Inciting Racial Hatred) Act 2025 criminalising the intentional incitement of racial hatred.

The review will consider how protections for vulnerable communities interact with existing rights and freedoms, such as the implied freedom of political communication and freedom of religion.

It will also look at any other criminal law reforms that could enhance social cohesion.

Mr Sackar served as Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW between 2011 and 2024 and was Commissioner for the Special Commission of Inquiry into LGBTIQ Hate Crimes.

He is due to report back to the Attorney General by 5 November 2025.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“Hate speech is unacceptable and has no place in NSW.  

“The NSW Government has put in place a number of measures to strengthen social cohesion and has made it a criminal offence to incite hatred on grounds of race.

“This review by Mr Sackar will consider hate speech protections for vulnerable communities.

“It will look at how they interact with existing rights and freedoms and whether there are avenues for improvement.

“This is important to give vulnerable communities confidence in the effective operation of our laws.” 

Attorney General Michael Daley has appointed State Parole Authority Chair and former Supreme Court Justice, the Honourable Geoffrey Bellew SC, and former NSW Police Deputy Commissioner, Mr Jeffrey Loy, to review the operation of doli incapax in NSW.

Doli incapax is a legal presumption that children between the ages of 10 and 14 do not sufficiently understand the difference between right and wrong to be held criminally responsible.

Doli incapax operates as a common law presumption in NSW and can be rebutted if the prosecution proves beyond reasonable doubt a child understood that what they did was seriously wrong.

The NSW Government has been considering the operation of doli incapax for some time and launched the review this month.

It comes as the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) released a new report finding a significant decline in the number of young people aged 10 to 13 years found guilty of a criminal offence following a 2016 High Court decision.

The 2016 decision in RP v The Queen clarified a number of matters in relation to doli incapax, including that the prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt that the child understood their actions were ‘seriously wrong’.

Convictions fell dramatically from 2016, coinciding with the High Court decision.

The BOCSAR study found the proportion of 10–13-year-olds with a proven outcome in the NSW Children’s Court – either guilty or not-guilty – fell dramatically from 76 per cent in 2015-16 to 16 per cent in 2022-23. The prosecution withdrew charges in more than half of all cases in 2022-23.

Similar trends were observed in Victoria and South Australia following the High Court decision. Like NSW, these states rely on a common law understanding of doli incapax, instead of having it codified in legislation.  States that have codified doli incapax in legislation, such as Queensland and Western Australia, did not show a similar decline.

BOCSAR said the result raised questions about how best to support these young people to reduce future criminal involvement. Often, the young person is simply released from custody without support, back into the care of dysfunctional families and, too often, they engage in behaviour that endangers themselves and members of the community.

The review being undertaken by the Honourable Geoffrey Bellew SC and Mr Jeffrey Loy is considering how the presumption of doli incapax is applied in criminal proceedings, the impact of its operation on options for intervention, what improvements could be made and a framework for legislation.

They will also consider how doli incapax interacts with the Young Offenders Act 1997 and the Mental Health and Cognitive Impairment Forensic Provisions Act 2020, and other relevant matters including community safety and the interests of children.

Stakeholders including victims’ groups, local and regional communities, Aboriginal-led organisations and legal and government stakeholders will be consulted as part of the review.

They are due to report back to the Attorney General in the second half of 2025.

The Honourable Geoffrey Bellew SC’s legal career spans more than 40 years and he served as a Justice of the Supreme Court of NSW between 2012 and 2023.

Mr Loy spent 40 years with the NSW Police Force, including as Deputy Commissioner from 2017 until 2021, receiving the Australian Police Medal (APM) and National Emergency Medal.

He was appointed a member of the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority in 2022.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“The common law presumption of doli incapax dates back hundreds of years. It operates across all Australian jurisdictions and its existence in the common law has been affirmed by the High Court.

“Recently, concerns have been raised about the operation of doli incapax. I commissioned this review to ensure close consideration of any improvements that can be made and possible legislative reforms.

“The Honourable Geoffrey Bellew SC and Mr Jeffrey Loy are a highly respected experts in criminal law and law enforcement, particularly in the youth space. They are well-placed to examine how doli incapax is being applied in NSW and I look forward to considering their recommendations.”