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Masks will no longer be mandatory on public transport from Wednesday 21 September.
 
The NSW Government will remove the requirement for people to wear masks on public transport, including taxis and rideshare services, in transport waiting areas and the indoor areas of cruise terminals.
 
“This is a common sense approach that brings the rules into line for people travelling on buses or trains with those for planes and airport terminals,” Premier Perrottet said.
 
NSW Health continues to recommend that people wear masks where they cannot physically distance from others, and in settings where there are vulnerable people and those who are at high risk of severe illness.
 
Minister Brad Hazzard said masks still play a significant role in reducing the risk of transmission.
 
“Continuing to wear a mask in crowded areas will be particularly important for people who have underlying health conditions or who are vulnerable to COVID-19 infection for other reasons. Wearing a mask in these settings will not only protect those around you, but will also reduce your risk of infection,” Mr Hazzard said.
 
“We can all continue to help protect each other, but particularly those most vulnerable to COVID-19 infection, by staying at home when feeling unwell, taking a COVID-19 test straight away and self-isolating.”
 
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said he welcomed the decision to bring the mask mandate for commuters in line with arrangements in other states, domestic travel, venues and events. 
 
“Everyone has demonstrated throughout this pandemic that they will do what is required to protect themselves and each other from COVID-19 and I have no doubt they will continue to do so,” Mr Elliott said.
 
“Commuters will be pleased to hear this news as they will now able to make a personal decision and have a choice about when they wear a mask – particularly in outdoor public transport areas.”
 
Mask wearing will remain mandatory at public hospitals, private health facilities and residential aged care facilities.
Taking the following steps will help combat against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases:

• Staying home if unwell, taking a COVID-19 test straight away and self-isolating;
• Getting together outdoors or in large, well-ventilated spaces with open doors and windows;
• Practising good hygiene by washing or sanitising often;
• Taking a rapid antigen test for COVID-19 before visiting vulnerable loved ones or going to large gatherings and events and
• Staying up to date with vaccinations – for both flu and COVID-19.

NSW Health will also continue to work with SafeWork NSW and business groups to support workplaces to safely manage COVID-19.

Projects to boost the employability of international students, promote wellbeing and support the recovery of the NSW international education sector are set to share in $400,000 as part of the NSW Government’s Partner Projects grant program.
 
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Alister Henskens said six projects will receive funding through the program, which engages industry with the international education sector to enhance the student experience in NSW.
 
“Prior to the pandemic, international education was NSW’s largest services export, generating more than $14 billion in revenue and supporting over 95,000 jobs,” Mr Henskens said.
 
“International students play a vital role in enhancing our global connections, enriching communities and providing an invaluable talent pipeline for NSW businesses, connecting them with the world.
 
“This program aims to build on NSW’s standing as an attractive study destination for international students and encourage more people to come to NSW and learn at our world leading education providers.
 
“NSW attracts more than 37 per cent of Australia’s international student population, and this program will support existing international students already in NSW and help with wider efforts to promote our State as a destination to prospective students.”
 
CEO of The FRANK Team Natasha Munasinghe said the support will enable the company to add to and improve on the range of student experiences on offer in NSW, and to support efforts to attract the best candidates from around the globe.
 
“This funding will help us to expand our multidisciplinary knowledge and mentorship program across the state, providing students with life-changing connections,” Ms Munasinghe said.
 
Since launching in 2014, Study NSW’s Partner Projects has invested $2.8 million across 67 partner projects and attracted industry co-funding of $8.8 million. More information is available online.
 
MEDIA: Miki Nicholson | 0477 089 657
 
The following organisations will lead industry consortia and co-invest to deliver six Study NSW Partner Projects in 2022/23:
 

• English Australia (will lead two projects) – the leading English language industry association will conduct research into emerging international markets to help diversify the markets international students come from. The association will also lead a project to support NSW education providers to expand their reach using edtech solutions.
• Global Study Partners – the international student recruitment company will develop a careers toolkit to grow international student numbers in regional NSW.
• Insider Studios – the media and production house will produce an online multimedia-based pre-arrival resource to help transition international students to life in NSW.
• The FRANK Team – training provider FRANK will lead a project to enhance entrepreneurial thinking and communication skills for international students.
• University of Technology Sydney – will lead a project to facilitate the volunteer placement of international students across Sydney and regional NSW in community and charity organisations.

A Minns Labor Government will begin the long task of repair and structural reform of the delivery of health care services across New South Wales, beginning with a boost to rural and regional paramedics.
 

The first phase is a $150 million commitment to fund an additional 500 paramedics in Labor’s first term, to ease the burden of chronic paramedic shortages and the unprecedented strain on our rural and regional health system.  
 

This new workforce will be spread across areas with the most need – to be determined following significant consultation with health care professionals.
 

Labor in government will also be working to progressively upskill new and existing paramedics to intensive care and extended care paramedics – meaning they can deliver more life-saving and compassionate care 24 hours a day, and ease pressure on our hospitals.
 

For the last decade under the NSW Liberals and Nationals, health care in the regions has been in a state of crisis.
 

A landmark parliamentary inquiry, which Labor fought to establish, shone a light on a decade of mismanagement, leading to significant gaps in service delivery and a dire shortage of clinicians and healthcare professionals across our regions.

The lack of access to highly skilled paramedics and slower ambulance response times was an issue that was raised consistently in the inquiry. It found that rural and regional NSW was underserved by paramedics of all levels, and in particular there were entrenched policy barriers that prevented Intensive Care and Extended Care Paramedics working in rural and regional NSW.
 

Ambulance response times have been trending down in NSW for a decade. The latest data from the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) for the April to June 2022 quarter found that patients waited longer even for an ambulance, than any time since reporting started.
 

For the highest priority life threatening callouts, only 57.6 per cent meet the clinical benchmark – down from 72.6 per cent 12 years ago.
 

Sadly, the issue is worse outside our cities. In the most recent quarter, 58.9 per cent of callouts reached the 10-minute benchmark in metro areas, but only 54.7 per cent in rural areas.
 

Right now, NSW has the second-worst ambulance response times in Australia.  We also have the second-fewest number of paramedics per person, well below the national average, and substantially behind states like Victoria and Queensland. 
 

As a result, our paramedic-attended heart attack survival rates are the second worst in the country, at only 43.6 per cent (compared to over 58 per cent in Victoria and Queensland).
 

NSW Labor will also seek bipartisan support for an in-principle agreement to the outcomes of the NSW Government’s taskforce that has been established to look at professional recognition for paramedics across the state.
 

Professional recognition for paramedics will formally acknowledge the change in education, training and skills required of paramedics over the years.
 

Professional paramedics will offer significantly enhanced scope of emergency health care across NSW, and help to ease pressure on emergency departments.
 

This follows an announcement recognising paramedic practitioners in Victoria, and is modelled on the United Kingdom, where paramedics attend more complex callouts, can give more medications, and use more advanced equipment than they currently do.
 

NSW Labor looks forward to the findings of the taskforce, and will look to implement the findings in government.
 

This commitment is the first of many required steps to repair the New South Wales health system – in crisis after a decade of mismanagement and underinvestment.
 

NSW Labor Leader Chris Minns said:

The New South Wales system cannot cope with another four years of Band-Aid solutions.”
 

“We need long term, structural repair and this announcement from Labor today is only the beginning.”
 

“I want to thank the hardworking paramedics, especially those in the regions who go to work every day and do the very best they can in difficult circumstances.
 

“I’m interested in finding long term solutions to the health crisis in New South Wales. It’s not an easy task but I am determined to do it.

 NSW Shadow Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“Our ambulance services, but particularly those in rural and regional areas are in desperate need of an injection of resources to fix the mess, and the shortages crippling our health network.
 

“It’s like going to work with one hand tied behind your back.
 

“This Government has had 12 years – and they’ve failed to address chronic issues in our health system. This has meant chronic shortages and an overstretched and overwhelmed ambulance network across the state.”
 

“A Minns Labor Government will begin the task of repairing that”.

Primary producers affected by the February-March flooding event in New South Wales this year can now access additional funding of up to $100,000 thanks to a jointly funded program developed by the Commonwealth and NSW governments.

The $100 million Critical Producer Grant Program will provide primary producers hardest hit by floods with support to restore production systems and rebuild essential infrastructure to a standard that will better withstand future disasters.

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Senator the Hon Murray Watt said the Australian and New South Wales Governments remain committed to the recovery of flood-affected primary producers.

“We recognise that the farmers and individual families who put food and fibre on our plates have been significantly impacted by these immense flood events,” Minister Watt said.

“These grants will help play an important role in supporting those in the sector who are trying to rebuild and continue producing after overwhelming losses.

“We will continue to work with and listen to all levels of government to provide support where and when it’s needed over the time it takes to recover.”

NSW Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said the grants will help primary producers in the key agriculture, horticulture, forestry and aquaculture industries get their businesses back on track.

“This package is part of more than $3.5 billion committed by both governments to help communities and industries recover from the devastation of repeated flooding events over the past year,” Mr Saunders said.

“The grants will provide the direct and much-needed assistance many primary producers need to recover, so they can get on with producing the vital products that Australia and the rest of the world relies on.

“Our state’s agriculture, horticulture, forestry and aquaculture industries have played an essential role in building a strong and thriving economy, and we are committed to keeping our farmers and key regional industries in business.”

Funding is available to primary producers for:

• Dairy – up to $100,000;
• Extensive livestock, broadacre cropping, turf production and perennial tree crops – up to $75,000;
• Apiary, poultry and pork – up to $50,000;
• Aquaculture, commercial fishers and other horticulture such as berries, vegetables, vine crops, cut flowers and nurseries – up to $30,000, and
• Private native forests and timber plantations – up to $10,000.

The Department of Regional NSW has comprehensively reviewed the impacts from the floods and consulted with industry to ensure this funding meets the unique recovery needs of each of the impacted sectors.

Applications for the Critical Producer Grant program are now open. For more information and to apply, visit: nsw.gov.au/criticalproducergrant  

The Critical Producer Grant Program is designed to complement existing flood-recovery measures for individuals and businesses in disaster-declared regions, many of which are co-funded by the Australian and NSW governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. 

Communities from across the State are encouraged to recognise and support their local veterans through the $100,000 Anzac Community Grants Program.
 
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott today announced an increase to funding available to local community groups to apply for a grant, worth up to $3,000.
 
“The NSW Government has increased funding available to honour former and current serving personnel. I encourage anyone who is interested in the service and sacrifice of veterans in New South Wales to apply for an Anzac Community Grant,” Mr Elliott said.
 
“We’re looking for projects that honour and support our veterans and those who currently serve, and that broaden our understanding of their military efforts and peacekeeping contributions. This is an opportunity to get projects off the ground, at a local community level across the entire State.”
 
Applications are open to individuals and not-for-profit organisations, including local government authorities, ex-service and non-government organisations and educational institutions.
 
Grants cover four categories: local community historical research and education; preservation or display of war memorabilia; public commemorative events; and support to members of the NSW veteran community.
 
Minister Elliott said the program, which delivered more than 50 projects across the State last year, helps address key concerns for veterans including wellbeing, education and recognition already highlighted in the NSW Government’s submission to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.
 
“We are committed to supporting the more than 1,200 veterans that transition into NSW communities from the Defence Force every year, and to honour their service,” Mr Elliott added.
 
Details on how to apply for the Anzac Community Grants Program can be found here. The grant round closes at 5pm on 11 November 2022.