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The first three Blue Plaques for Sydney have been installed today, celebrating some of the Emerald City’s most extraordinary historic figures.
 
Minister for Heritage James Griffin said the May Gibbs, Brett Whiteley and Sir Edward Hallstrom Plaques were installed in Neutral Bay, Lavender Bay and Mosman.
 
“Every Australian remembers tales of gumnut babies and ‘big bad Banksia men’ from childhood, and May Gibbs shaped generations of children’s responses to nature,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“The May Gibbs Blue Plaque, which has been installed at Nutcote in Neutral Bay, celebrates her grand legacy as Australia’s first full-time, professionally trained children’s book author and illustrator, whose work continues to delight readers to this day.
 
“The Sir Edward Hallstrom Blue Plaque, installed at the entrance of Taronga Zoo, recognises  a self-made entrepreneur and philanthropist who cared deeply about conservation and remains one of the Zoo’s most generous private benefactors.
 
“The NSW Government’s $5 million Blue Plaques program is a fantastic way of getting communities excited about and involved in their local heritage around the State.”
 
Member for North Shore Felicity Wilson said the Brett Whiteley Blue Plaque, now installed at his home in Lavender Bay, is a must-see for visitors to Wendy Whiteley’s Secret Garden.
 
“Archibald-winning Brett Whiteley created some of his most famous works at his home and studio in Lavender Bay, inspired by views of Sydney Harbour,” Ms Wilson said.
 
“These Blue Plaques celebrate and recognise the important contributions that Sir Edward Hallstrom, May Gibbs, and Brett Whiteley have made not only to our local community, but across NSW and Australia.
 
“We are incredibly fortunate to have such rich local heritage, and these Blue Plaques will ensure we are safeguarding our cultural heritage for future generations.”
 
These are the third, fourth and fifth Blue Plaques ever to be installed in NSW. The first was the Caroline Chisholm Plaque in East Maitland. The second was the Nancy Bird Walton Plaque in Kew, Port Macquarie.
 
So far, 21 Blue Plaque recipients have been named, and the NSW public will be invited to nominate more noteworthy people, stories and events when a second round of nominations opens.
 
The remainder of the Blue Plaques will be installed in yet to be announced locations in the coming weeks. To learn more, visit blueplaques.nsw.gov.au

The NSW Government is backing councils with funding and resources to move a backlog of planning proposals and development applications (DAs), and deliver more local housing.
 
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet said the $11.5 million Unblocking Homes Program will provide targeted support, to help fast-track the delivery of tens of thousands of homes currently stuck in the system.
 
“We’re building on our $2.8 billion 2022 Housing Package announced in this year’s Budget, with targeted help for councils to drive more local housing delivery,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“It’s timely support which will provide more opportunity and certainty for first home buyers, under-resourced councils and for the construction industry.”
 
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the support includes a new Regional Housing Flying Squad which would help regional councils clear development applications faster and speed up the delivery of new homes.
 
“We know there’s a shortage of qualified planners in some parts of the State. This is about overcoming that with a flying squad of experts who can help councils review development applications faster and move projects into construction,” Mr Toole said.
 
“We trialled this approach earlier in the year so we know it works. We’re now expanding it to ensure we are making an impact in the communities that need it most.”
 
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said the Regional Housing Flying Squad is on track to assess more than 2,400 new homes, saving hundreds of hours of council planners’ time.
 
“Councils have done it tough in recent years with skills shortages, bushfires, COVID-19 and floods all contributing to a local planning backlog, and an increase in average assessment times for local DAs from 69 to 85 days between July 2021 and July 2022,” Mr Roberts said.
 
“We’re here to help with support for complex applications and assessments, freeing up council time and speeding up approvals to get more shovels in the ground sooner.”
 
Minister for Local Government Wendy Tuckerman said, as at 15 September 2022, there were 107 housing rezoning proposals currently under assessment with potential for 87,583 rezoning lots.
 
“There were also nearly 10,000 residential development applications under assessment with the potential to deliver some 82,842 homes,” Ms Tuckerman said.
 
“The Unblocking Homes program will see the NSW Government partner with councils to resolve issues in complex assessments. This will help tackle the backlog and fast-track approvals to deliver more housing more quickly for our growing and diverse population – including social and affordable housing for people in need, Aboriginal communities and seniors.”
 
The $11.5 million Unblocking Homes Program includes 7 new and ongoing initiatives:

• Regional Housing Flying Squad (expansion following successful pilot);
• Planning proposal support and expert assessment for prioritised housing projects (new project);
• Planning Delivery Unit Regional Case Management and Planning Concierge;
• Regionally Significant DA capacity building and faster assessments;
• Local Housing Strategy Implementation;
• Regional Housing Strategic Planning Fund; and
• Faster Local Assessment Grant.

 
For more information visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/unblocking-homes-program

The boating community on the mid-north coast will soon benefit from the completion of a major milestone in a $13 million project to transform maritime facilities at Coffs Harbour.

Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said the installation of a new travel lift would deliver a range of benefits for commercial and private vessels as well as the community.

“The installation of the travel lift enables 75-tonne vessels such as commercial fishing boats, cruisers and catamarans, to be lifted out of the water and maintained in an environmentally-controlled area which will minimise the risk of contaminants entering the waterway,” Mr Elliott said. 

“The $13 million Coffs Harbour Marine Precinct Project will deliver improved safety and accessibility for all boating enthusiasts and commercial vessels while reducing environmental impacts.

“The NSW Government’s commitment to invest in updating maritime infrastructure makes access to waterways easier and safer for all vessels and watercraft users. Modern, safe boating facilities encourages tourists which in turns delivers an economic stimulus to local communities.”

Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh said he was pleased to announce the travel lift had been through final testing and commissioning and would be in operation this week.

“This new equipment will reduce the need for the use of heavy equipment as it can move larger vessels which makes servicing commercial and private boats safer and more efficient,” Mr Singh said.

“Two key projects, construction of a new boat maintenance facility, which now includes the travel lift, and the expansion of the government agency marina have already been delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $205 million Maritime Infrastructure Stimulus Program to improve and modernise maritime facilities.”

“Other key projects to be delivered in this program of works will include a new Maritime Operation Centre and the installation of an unleaded vessel refuelling facility for public and government agency use.”

The latest national data on apprentices and trainees shows the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s record investment in skills continues drive nation-leading results, with more than 115,000 apprentices and trainees in training across the State.
 
Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the National Centre for Vocational Education and Research (NCVER) report shows NSW recorded a 9.3 per cent increase in the number of apprentices and trainees in training, compared with the previous 12 month period.
 
“NSW is leading the nation when it comes to skills and training, with more people in training than any other state, ensuring that we continue to build a strong pipeline of skilled, job-ready workers to help grow our economy,” Mr Henskens said.
 
“One of today’s highlights is an almost 19 per cent increase in female apprentices and trainees in training across NSW, which is testament to programs like Built for Women, which are encouraging more women into traditional trades.
 
“Across the board, commencements and completions of apprenticeships and traineeships are also up, further strengthening the skilled workforce and helping keep unemployment at historic lows.
 
“The data also reveals that over the last two years, despite the challenges we’ve faced, NSW has recorded a 42 per cent increase in apprenticeship and traineeship commencements. For females alone, commencements are up 59 per cent.
 
“The NSW Government’s record $3.1 billion investment in skills and training in the Budget will further turbocharge the take-up of vocational education and training, securing a brighter future for people in NSW.”
 
The NSW Government is removing barriers to vocational education and training for young people through unprecedented investments in fee-free training as well as programs like the Educational Pathways Program and Careers NSW.
 
Reforms to the HSC and ATAR will also increase the take-up of vocational education and training, by significantly expanding the education and employment pathways available to young people.

Paramedics, police officers, teachers and other public sector workers across the state will be supported to spend more precious time with their young babies, with major changes to NSW public service parental leave entitlements now in effect.

Every mother and father in the NSW public sector is now entitled to 14 weeks’ paid parental leave as part of groundbreaking changes to remove the distinction between a ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ carer in the NSW Government’s paid parental leave scheme.

Parents can now also use their leave up to two years after the birth, adoption, surrogacy or permanent out-of-home care placement of their child.

An additional two weeks’ ‘bonus leave’ is now also available where parents more equally share childcare responsibilities between partners, allowing public sector employees to take up to 16 weeks’ paid parental leave.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said NSW was leading the way on parental leave in Australia because giving parents more choice about how they juggle care and careers helps strengthen families and women’s career and economic opportunities.

“Giving parents the support and real options to share care in the early years of their child’s life, lets families choose what works for them and delivers equal opportunity for NSW Government employees,” Mr Perrottet said. 

“Giving fathers the option to spend more time with their young ones and mothers the option to return to work when it suits them will build strong foundations for families and benefit the whole community.”

As part of the 2022-23 Budget, the NSW Government committed $16.5 billion over 10 years to level the playing field for women, with $4.9 billion committed over the four years to 2025-26, the biggest investment in the State’s history to support women and families. 

Treasurer Matt Kean said the updated public sector parental leave scheme is one of the first of its kind in the country, and encouraged other governments and the private sector to follow suit.

“The NSW Government is the largest employer in Australia and we are leading the way by ensuring families of all shapes and sizes will benefit from these pioneering changes,” Mr Kean said.

“Caring for children is one of the most important jobs in our society and it’s only right that we value it appropriately.”

Public sector workers undergoing fertility treatment now also have access to up to five days’ fertility leave per year.

Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said the NSW Government is committed to ensuring NSW is the best place in the country for women to live, work and raise a family.

“Strong parental leave entitlements play a major role in supporting women’s economic opportunity and career progression,” Ms Taylor said.

“Paid parental leave created with gender equality at its core will contribute to increased participation in the workforce, improved economic opportunities and greater financial wellbeing for women.”

The updated parental leave scheme came into effect on 1 October 2022.

A Minns Labor Government is vowing to modernise New South Wales laws and respond to the rise of the ‘gig economy’ and precarious work by introducing worker’s compensation entitlements and a portable entitlement scheme for gig and other key New South Wales workers.
 
The proposals form the next planks of Labor’s long-term plan to rebuild the New South Wales economy after the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
They follow the tragic deaths of four food-delivery riders who were killed on New South Wales roads in late 2020. All of their families fell prey to an out-of-date workers compensation system that denied them any type of statutory compensation because no gig platform chose to hire the riders as employees.  
 
Similar schemes have already been establish in Queensland and Victoria. They’ve also recognised the need for greater workers compensation protection for gig workers.
 
The policies also respond to the rise of insecure and precarious work in the disability, community and home care sectors in New South Wales. 
 
The Commonwealth government recently found that one-in-four disability workers quit to look for a new job every year – more than the three times the turnover of the rest of the health care and social assistance sectors. Most care workers on online platforms are also denied the leave an ordinary worker is entitled to accrue.   
 
 
 NSW Labor’s plan will see a Minns Government:
 

1. Introduce a scheme that provides workers compensation benefits to gig platform workers akin to those currently provided to employees injured in New South Wales workplaces; and
2. Create a portable entitlement scheme for gig, disability, home care and other precarious workers such as those in the community services sector that would allow all workers in these industries to accrue annual leave, long-service leave and other entitlements regardless of whether or not they are classified as employees; and 
3. Extend Chapter 6 of the Industrial Relations Act 1996 to include gig workers in the transport industry like rideshare and food delivery workers as well as those engaged to deliver bread, milk and cream so they too have access to minimum rates and conditions; and 
4. Establish discrete and enforceable codes of conduct for WHS work performed by on-demand platforms in the rideshare, food delivery, parcel delivery and disability and home care sectors of the gig economy; and
5. Review the grouping provisions of the Payroll Tax Act 2007 to ensure that on-demand platforms are not obtaining an advantage over other businesses who do not trade in the gig economy. 

 
Labor will tap the expertise of Unions, gig platforms, the state’s major business groups, as well as academics and other independent experts to roll out its plan. They will assist with preparing any necessary legislation, as well as the industry education packages associated with the reforms. For the disability and community service sector, Labor will use the knowledge of disability community representatives and the sector’s peak employer bodies.
 
These initiatives build on the Select Inquiry into the Future of Work NSW Labor set up in the Legislative Council in 2019. The Perrottet government responded by saying they would introduce a workers compensation scheme for gig workers. But their promise vanished after it unleashed a wave of Cabinet leaks and infighting. 
 
Labor Leader Chris Minns said:

The rise of the gig economy has revolutionised the way people can access work. But that shouldn’t mean workers should be left more vulnerable.

“Every single worker in New South Wales has the right to feel safe and supported at work. 

Shadow Treasurer and Shadow Minister for the Gig Economy Daniel Mookhey said
 
“Work has changed, but our laws have not. 
 
“If we have another decade of drift, more New South Wales workers will come home injured. They will go without the support they need to go back to work.” 
 
“We need to act. We need to modernise our laws so they suit how people are working today.”
 
Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Workplace Safety, Sophie Cotsis said:
 
“After 12 years of this Liberal and National Government we have seen an erosion of basic rights and entitlements of a growing segment of the working population, particularly women in these key care sectors.
 
“For many have felt abandoned by this Government which has created employment insecurity and hardship and feel deprived of basic entitlements which affects their ability to get a loan, secure rental accommodation and support their families.  
 
“NSW Labor’s policy provides security, dignity and acknowledges the significant contribution of these workers to our society.”