Month: December 2024

Australian Border Force will assist the NSW Government to end a loophole in which a small minority of overseas licence holders have been fraudulently nominating other drivers for offences in a bid to stay on the road, avoid paying fines and remain a step ahead of the demerit point system.

The French Consulate in Sydney has also agreed to assist a new, stricter verification process for applying for a NSW licence after evidence of fake documentation being used by visiting French nationals.

Anyone applying for an NSW licence with a French licence and documents is now having their paperwork checked by the Transport for NSW Licence Integrity & Security team.

Evidence of abuses of the demerit point system by mainly French nationals, who have racked up 1000-plus demerit points in some extreme cases, led to the establishment of the

Demerit Point Taskforce, made up of representatives of Transport for NSW, NSW Police and Revenue NSW.

The Taskforce has identified widespread nominations of other drivers on international licences as a weakness in the system that must be tightened.

In some cases, people who visited Australia but have already left, or even foreigners who have never set foot in the country, are being nominated to take points by a small cohort who are defying road rules.

An individual in one extreme case racked up more than 1500 demerit points, and two others more than 500 demerits, before the system caught up with them.

The Taskforce has asked and received the assistance of Border Force to more quickly establish whether a nominated driver could have even been behind the wheel of a car or riding a motorbike based on their passport record.

In cases where they were not even in Australia, the system will be able to more quickly put the fine and demerit points back to the driver who falsely nominated someone else.

Between May 2022 and January 2024, 125,000 penalties carrying 256,000 demerit points were issued to drivers identified by Revenue NSW as ‘international drivers’.

A review of those found that some drivers nominated to take the penalty were unknown to Australian authorities and may have had their details procured from the dark web. As many as 40,000 fitted this category.

Offences were also nominated to people who hold international licences but were at the same time Australian citizens or permanent residents – some of whom hold a separate

Australian licence unaffected by taking points on their foreign licence.

The Demerit Point Integrity Taskforce has suspended the licences of more than 50 repeat offenders, including French nationals linked to an address in Rosebery used by 30 licence holders, who together accumulated more than 2000 demerit points.

The Taskforce is finalising wider recommendations.

From 1 March 2025, long-term temporary visa holders who arrived in NSW before 1 July 2023 will be required to obtain NSW driver licence.

This new requirement ensures that overseas visitors who wish to drive in NSW meet the state’s road safety standards.

Minister for Roads John Graham said:

“There are more than six million law-abiding licence holders in NSW and on their behalf, we are showing zero tolerance for this tiny minority who have sought to exploit the system that allows the honest nomination of another driver.

“Above all else it is a threat to road safety to allow people to remain on the road who are notching up demerit points like confetti, avoiding paying fines, and in many cases leaving the country just as the system begins to catch up with them.

“I thank Australian Border Force and the French Consulate for their assistance in tightening the net around this small clique of dedicated lawbreakers.

“This is the first step in a wider crackdown by the Demerit Point Integrity Taskforce and we will have more changes to announce ahead.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“In regional areas, driving isn’t just a convenience—it’s a necessity. Reckless driving puts lives at risk, and we cannot afford to let that happen. That’s why it’s crucial to have a demerit points system that works for everyone, whether you live in the city or in a country town.

“To ensure this, we’re committed to implementing stronger checks and cracking down on fraudulent behaviour. No one should be able to exploit loopholes and avoid the consequences of dangerous driving.

“Road safety is a top priority for the Minns Labor Government, and we will leave no stone unturned to reduce road trauma and make our roads safer for everyone.”

The Minns Labor Government is delivering for families in Sydney’s rapidly growing North-West as construction begins on the new Tallawong Public School.

The new Tallawong Public School will feature 24 modern classrooms with additional multipurpose rooms, three support learning classrooms, a multipurpose hall and covered outdoor learning area (COLA), a modern library, canteen, a new sports court and designated play areas, space for parking, and landscaped grounds.

With construction underway, Tallawong Public School’s permanent facilities will open in 2026, catering for up to 600 students. The school is currently operating in purpose-built temporary facilities at Riverstone Public School, after opening in Term 1, 2024.

Sydney’s growing North-West is also set to gain two new public schools, with a new primary school fast-tracked and delivered ahead of schedule by the Minns Labor Government.

Accelerated construction progress means the permanent Melonba Public School will open six months ahead of schedule, on Day 1, Term 1, 2025. The new public school had previously been due to open in temporary facilities, with the transition to permanent facilities to take place in Term 3.

Melonba Public School will cater for up to 1,000 students with 44 classrooms, three specialist support classrooms, a new library, canteen, administration facilities, and a multipurpose hall. There will also be covered outdoor learning areas (COLA) and outdoor play areas, including sports courts and outdoor learning areas.

Also opening on Day 1, Term 1, 2025 is the new Melonba High School, where students will be moving to permanent facilities, after the school opened in temporary buildings in Term 1, 2024.

Melonba High School will cater for up to 2,000 students, with 97 classrooms, including specialist classrooms for science, wood and metal workshops, performing arts, textile, hospitality and kitchen spaces, multi-media and visual arts classrooms and three specialist support classrooms.

It will also feature a new library, canteen, administration facilities, multipurpose hall, outdoor activity areas and on-site parking for staff.

Delivery of these three new public schools will provide new school places for up to 3,600 students in Sydney’s growing North-West, which is the number one area for student enrolment growth in the state, according to recent Enrolment Growth Audit. The overall population in the area also tripled between 2016 and 2021.

Providing new schools for Sydney’s growing North-West is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild public education, with the 2024-25 Budget delivering record education funding including $3.6 billion for new and upgraded schools in Western Sydney.

Minister for Education and Early Learning, Minister for Western Sydney Prue Car said:

“Delivering these schools is part of our long-term plan to repair the state’s public education system and provide world class learning facilities for our growing families.

“The Minns Labor Government is building the much-needed new primary school for the Tallawong community, where the population has grown significantly in recent years.

“It is also fantastic news that Melonba Public School and Melonba High School will open in permanent facilities from Day 1, Term 1, next year.

“For too long, families in Sydney’s North-West had their educational needs ignored by the Liberals and Nationals. We are now working harder than ever to rebuild world-class public education in Western Sydney.”

Member for Riverstone Warren Kirby said:

“The communities here in Sydney’s north-west are growing at a rapid rate. As the area continues to expand, it is essential that school infrastructure is delivered at the same rate.

“The new permanent Tallawong Public School and new permanent primary and high schools in Melonba will help meet the demand for the area and I am beyond proud to be part of a government that is delivering for these growing families.

“I know I speak for our North-West families when I say we cannot wait to see the new Tallawong primary school take shape and to see students learning from the two new permanent facilities at Melonba in only a few weeks’ time.”

Tallawong Public School Principal Julie Grennard said:

“I am thrilled to see this milestone achieved and to know that our Tallawong Public School students and staff will soon benefit from these wonderful new permanent facilities.

“To be a part of building this school from the ground up has been a great privilege and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the Tallawong school community to bring this new school to life.

“The coming months will be an exciting time as we see progress made on our new permanent school and I can’t wait to see it take shape.”

Melonba Public School Principal Larissa Maraga said:

“Our Melonba Public School community is so impressed that we’ll be opening on Day 1 2025 from our permanent site.

“To have these new state-of-the-art facilities ready earlier than expected for our students to start the year in is simply incredible and I’m so grateful to everyone involved for their dedication and commitment which helped make this a reality.

“I can’t wait to welcome our students and families to the permanent site on Day 1 next year and I am really looking forward to providing opportunities for every student to learn, grow and belong at Melonba Public School.”

Melonba High School Principal Leon Weatherstone said:

“I am delighted that our growing community will soon be settling in to our new, permanent school buildings.

“This is an exciting time for our school, and our teachers, students and families have been amazed watching our new school take shape.

“The new, permanent Melonba High School offers the best in contemporary learning, and is setting this community up for the best in academic success.”

After nearly two years in power, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos have no excuses left. The Auditor-General’s report has exposed alarming breaches of governance, and the government must table all overdue reports by close of business today.
 
The failures include:
 

• The Treasurer has failed to table the audited 2023-24 Total State Sector Accounts (TSSA) in Parliament, as required under the Government Sector Finance Act 2018.
• Responsible Ministers have failed to table annual reports for 16 agencies, leaving Parliament and the public in the dark about agency performance.
• Errors in accounting for assets led to financial statement adjustments totalling $1.4 billion.

 
During the most recent Budget Estimates hearing, Treasurer Mookhey was asked directly: “In what month will the 2023–24 annual reports for each department/agency in your portfolio be published?” Instead of providing a straightforward answer, the Treasurer deflected: “The annual report of a reporting GSF agency is to be prepared, submitted and tabled in accordance with requirements under the Government Sector Finance Act 2018 and Treasurer’s Direction 23-11.”
 
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said this evasive response shows the Treasurer knew his legal obligations but has now chosen to ignore them. NSW is worse off under the Minns Labor Government, which consistently fails to meet even the most basic standards of transparency.
 
“These reports must be tabled by close of business today—no more delays, no more excuses,” Mr Speakman said.
 
Shadow Minister for Finance Eleni Petinos said the Treasurer’s deflection during Budget Estimates hearings and the Minns Labor Government’s repeated failures to meet their obligations demonstrate a government that is not serious about transparency.
 
“These overdue reports are not just a bureaucratic failure—they represent an inexcusable avoidance scrutiny. The people of NSW deserve better,” Ms Petinos said.
 
While reported misstatements in financial reports have decreased, their gross value remains alarmingly high at $3.9 billion for 2023-24.
 
The Minns Labor Government has had almost two years to get its house in order, yet it continues to fail at every turn. Its inability to deliver key reports and ensure financial transparency shows contempt for the people of NSW. The Treasurer and the Minister must stop hiding and start governing. 
 
The time for excuses is over. The people of NSW deserve transparency, accountability, and results—not a government that hides behind bureaucracy and deflection. Enough is enough.