16 News

This year’s Vivid Festival has injected $119 million into the NSW economy, with a record 2.58 million people attending the festival from NSW, interstate and around the world to view the largest lights festival in the Southern Hemisphere.
 
Vivid Sydney 2022 saw the largest opening weekend ever with 440,000 tourists coming to Sydney, while 2.1 million attendees had a sit-down or takeaway meal, providing a significant boost to local businesses.
 
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said the record-breaking attendance for Vivid Sydney 2022 was extraordinary and showed that Sydney had roared back to life after the pandemic.
 
“We have seen unprecedented attendance for Vivid Sydney 2022, which is wonderful to see and a clear sign Sydney is back bigger and better than ever,” Mr Franklin said.
 
“The stats speak for themselves and reflect the significant contribution the festival makes to the city’s economy with local hotels, bars, restaurants, tourism operators and small businesses all reaping the benefits.
 
“Almost 30 per cent of attendees came from outside Sydney, with a significant portion of visitors then travelling into regional NSW, generating $12.2 million to regional economies.
 
“World-class events like Vivid Sydney are all about helping to boost the NSW economy, create jobs and showcase why Sydney is the best place to live.”
 
Vivid Sydney 2022 won 14 medals at the 2022 International Festival & Events Association Pinnacle Awards. The Pinnacle Awards recognise excellence in festival and event promotions and operations globally.
 
Vivid Sydney 2023 is set to offer even more for attendees with the addition of Vivid Food. Vivid Food will promote creativity, innovation and stimulate visitation to CBD restaurants and venues.
 

Thousands of teachers, nurses, police officers, single parents and older singles will have the opportunity to own their own home sooner after legislation for the NSW Government’s $780.4 million shared equity scheme passed Parliament today.
 
Under the scheme, due to begin early next year, the NSW Government will contribute an equity share up to 40 per cent for a new home or up to 30 per cent for an existing home purchased by eligible buyers.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said key workers, single parents and older singles struggling to enter the housing market will soon receive help to make their home ownership dreams a reality.
 
“They will benefit from the security of their own home sooner, with a lower deposit, smaller loan and less in repayments,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“The shared equity scheme will allow up to 6,000 eligible key workers and low-income households to own their own homes with a minimum 2 per cent deposit, but without the burden of lenders mortgage insurance and no interest on the Government’s equity share in a property.”
 
Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said participants in the scheme would remain eligible for first home owner grants and any stamp duty exemptions or concessions.
 
“Saving a deposit is a huge barrier to home ownership. Lower upfront costs will allow more lower-income households to buy their own homes,” Mr Roberts said.
 
“Buyers will be able to borrow less for their home and pay lower monthly mortgage repayments, reducing the level of risk they’re taking on, especially with the likelihood of future interest rate increases.”
 
Under the scheme:

• Up to 3,000 spots will be available each year in 2022-23 and 2023-24
• Key worker first home buyers who are nurses, teachers or police officers – as well as singles over 50 and single parents with a child or children up to 18 – can apply
• Participants must have a maximum gross income of $90,000 for singles and $120,000 for couples
• Participants must have a minimum deposit of 2 per cent of the purchase price
• The Government will make a maximum equity contribution of 40 per cent for a new home and 30 per cent for an established home
• The maximum value of the property that can be purchased under the scheme is $950,000 in Sydney and regional centres including the Central Coast, Illawarra, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and the North Coast of NSW, and $600,000 in other parts of NSW.

 
The shared equity scheme is part of the NSW Government’s $2.8 billion Housing Package. The package aligns with the Housing 2041 vision, which drives the supply of affordable, diverse, and resilient housing options for our communities.
 
For more information visit: https://nsw.gov.au/shared-equity-scheme

A range of projects aimed at reducing the risk posed by future disasters will share in almost $13 million from the Australian and New South Wales governments.
 
The joint funding is being provided to educational institutions, Government agencies and not-for-profit organisations through the State Risk Reduction stream of the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF) to deliver projects that better protect communities against future natural disasters, including research programs, useable tools like apps and awareness campaigns.
 
Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said the funding is being allocated to projects that have a State-wide impact.
 
“Investing in ways that reduce the severity and impact of natural disasters is a high priority. We stand ready to work with all levels of government, community members and organisations to achieve this,” Minister Watt said.
 
“Over the past three years New South Wales has copped disaster after disaster which have left communities reeling. Recovery is ongoing and we continue to support those efforts, but it is equally important to make sure we are investing in risk reduction projects for future disasters.”
 
New South Wales Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the State Risk Reduction stream of the DRRF targets projects which will better protect communities.
 
“The $13 million will go towards helping communities be better prepared for when future disasters inevitably strike,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“The projects receiving funding cover a range of hazards including floods, fires, heatwaves and storms, with initiatives ranging from capability building and community engagement to new data systems and technology.”
 
The DRRF offers $52 million in total to build resilience and help reduce, mitigate and manage the risks of future disasters.
 
Some of the successful funding recipients include the Bushfire Building Council of Australia for the creation of a building assessor app and training program to improve the disaster resilience and energy efficiency of homes, and the Department of Planning and Environment to undertake flood hazard projects under plausible climate change scenarios.
 
For a list of recipients of the first round of funding, visit: www.nsw.gov.au/resilience-nsw/disaster-risk-reduction-fund.
 

Today’s interim report of the Inquiry into Teacher Shortages in New South Wales reveals the serious and real world impacts of the teacher shortages facing schools.  
 
The overwhelming evidence to the inquiry concluded the teacher shortage had caused declining education outcomes; merged classes; minimal supervision and out-of-field teaching.
 
The report also found that casualisation of the teaching workforce as well as burdensome administration workload had led to burn out and attrition of the teaching workforce.
 

“In recent years, results against standardised tests including NAPLAN have stagnated and parents and teachers report the negative effects that merged classes, minimal supervision and out-of-field teaching have on students.” [p.12]
 
“The lack of available casual staff has meant that out-of-field teaching, merged classes and minimal supervision are an increasing phenomenon within NSW schools.” [p.9]
 
“The current lack of workforce planning coupled with a failure to recognise the underlying causes of the shortages will only intensify the crisis being felt across NSW schools.” [p.12]

 
These issues were reflected in a survey of 11,299 teachers issued as part of the inquiry, which found that:
 

• 92% reported teacher shortages causing merged and cancelled classes;
• 65% reported teacher shortages causing out-of-field teaching; and
• 39% reported teacher shortages leading to unsupervised classes.

The NSW Government’s own figures reveal there has been a 30% reduction in people studying teaching in NSW.

NSW Labor has already begun announcing solutions to help solve the Perrottet Government’s teacher shortages, including:

• creating 10,000 more permanent teaching roles in NSW by shifting temporary positions into permanent roles in a bid to stem teacher attrition rates; and
• conducting a line-by-line audit of all administrative tasks’ teachers are required to do, to deliver a reduction of 5 hours of administrative work per week.

 
The inquiry, which began in June 2022 has held four hearings, receiving evidence from teachers, parents and experts, and will resume in early 2023.
 
Chris Minns, NSW Labor Leader, said:

This report only confirms the very real world impacts that teachers, students and parents have known for too long.
 
“Merged and cancelled classes, declining education outcomes, and students left on their own.
 
“The rampant casualisation of the teaching workforce and the escalating administration workloads under the Liberals and Nationals is seeing our teachers burnt out and leaving in droves.” 

Prue Car, NSW Deputy Labor Leader and Shadow Minister for Education, said:
 
“Under the Perrottet Government, chronic teacher shortages are leaving students with cancelled or merged classes each and every day.
 
“This inquiry is shining a light on the Perrottet Government’s failure to ensure every child has a qualified teacher in front of them in the classroom.
 
“Student outcomes have continued to go backwards over 12 years of Liberal National Government in NSW, and it’s crystal clear that change is needed.”

A Minns Labor Government will commit $225 million over the next three years to expand and upgrade Canterbury Hospital.

This desperately needed expansion will see an increase in the hospital’s bed capacity, as well as additional services.

Canterbury Hospital has served the community for almost a century, with the hospital’s last major redevelopment taking place 25 years ago.

The hospital services not just patients from the Canterbury area, but St George, Bayside, Inner West and Inner South residents too.

Labor has long campaigned for the redevelopment of Canterbury Hospital, urgently needed as part of a wider structural fix to our healthcare system.

Two years ago 60 senior doctors wrote an open letter decrying services at Canterbury which they described as “inadequate”, “poorly resourced”, and “shocking”.

Just last month Labor lodged a petition of over 10,000 signatures with the NSW Parliament, calling for this urgently needed redevelopment to proceed.

More beds

The expansion will see at least an additional 120 beds, including more general medical and surgical beds; inpatient mental health beds; ambulatory beds; emergency department treatment spaces; intensive care unit beds; and maternity beds.

The commitment from NSW Labor will also deliver additional operating theatres and birthing rooms.

More services  

Local residents can also expect more services available at the hospital – both an expansion of existing services as well as the introduction of new services.

With 25 years since it’s last upgrade, Canterbury Hospital currently has no renal dialysis, and cuts have been made to palliative care. Existing maternity beds are shared four bed wards that is no longer considered sound clinical practice.

Expectant mothers are reluctant to discuss pregnancy related issues because their ante natal visits are held in an open, crammed room with no privacy.

The funding from NSW Labor will expand the existing maternity services with a whole new maternity department.

Outpatients services will include the full suite of cardiovascular services, diabetes management, endocrinology, respiratory and cardiology.

Labor’s commitment will also deliver renal dialysis services for the first time, at Canterbury Hospital.

And NSW Labor will also introduce a new 20-bed Community Mental Health facility.

Labor’s initial commitment of $225 million will come from the unallocated $3 billion WestInvest Government agencies fund – not the $2 billion allocated to Local Governments and community groups – which under Labor will also have its remit expanded to include urgently needed healthcare projects.

Chris Minns, NSW Labor Leader, said:

NSW Labor will have a challenge on its hands to turn around 12 years of neglect by the Liberals of our state’s health system.

“This is a hospital that desperately needs an upgrade. In the middle of winter patients were being treated in tents.

“I’m determined to begin to meet the challenge with a comprehensive policy response, that’s not only about boosting staff numbers, but delivering the health infrastructure to go with it.

“I want to also thank and acknowledge the hard working staff at Canterbury Hospital. They have done an extraordinary job in very difficult circumstances particularly over COVID.”

Ryan Park, NSW Shadow Minister for Health, said:

“Today’s announcement represents another component to Labor’s policy response to the Liberals’ health crisis.

“NSW Labor commitment will not only expand the capacity of Canterbury Hospital, but will increase the suite of services available to local residents.”

Sophie Cotsis, NSW Labor Member for Canterbury, said:

“Like so many people in my local community I was born at Canterbury Hospital. We have been fighting for years to get extra funding, but it has never come.

“Anyone who has been to Canterbury Hospital knows it is long overdue for this upgrade and expansion. It’s been 25 years since the last time it’s been redeveloped.

“I am so proud that a Minns Labor Government will deliver on this.”