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The NSW Government is offering grants of up to $10 million for key infrastructure needed to progress new mining and processing projects to accelerate the critical minerals sector.

Stream Two of the NSW Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Activation Fund provides between $2 million and $10 million for key enabling infrastructure, such as heavy haulage modifications, road upgrades, water or power upgrades, and processing facilities, to help explorers and mining companies set up and operate in NSW.

Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for resources Paul Toole said the unprecedented investment would help secure an ongoing pipeline of critical minerals and high-tech metals into the future, positioning the State as a major global supplier.

“Critical minerals represent the future of mining in NSW and we are committed to supporting investment right across the board – from helping explorers make new discoveries and increasing processing capacity right through to the commercialisation of emerging technologies and applications,” Mr Toole said.

“The NSW Government announced in June it had allocated $130 million to activate the critical minerals and high-tech metals sector, setting NSW apart from all other jurisdictions.

“Applications for Stream One of the fund opened earlier this month, offering grants of up to $500,000 for important studies and research and development needed to kick-start early-stage projects. The grants we’re launching today support advanced projects by unlocking blockages through investment in strategic infrastructure.

“Enabling industry investment in critical minerals exploration and mining ensures our State is prepared for the increased worldwide demand, strengthens the future prosperity of NSW and provides a vital economic boost for regional economies.”

Critical minerals and high-tech metals include rare earths, cobalt, copper, antimony, and scandium, which are crucial to a range of current and future technologies, including defence, the manufacture of electric vehicles, solar panels, wind turbines, and more.

The Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Activation Fund follows the NSW Government’s Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy launched late last year.

For more information about the fund go to: www.regional.nsw.gov.au/activation-fund

The NSW Government has announced a groundbreaking new approach to reward teaching excellence and attract more people to the profession, drawing on best practice around the world.  
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said evidence published today in an issues paper on the Rewarding Excellence in Teaching program sets out a compelling case for change. 
 
“We want a modern education system that recognises and rewards excellence in our classrooms, strengthens the practice of all teachers, and makes the profession more attractive as a career,” Mr Perrottet said.  
 
“This program is not about NAPLAN results, performance pay or rewarding tenure. It is about identifying and recognising teachers who go above and beyond in their teaching practice, and want to support and inspire other teachers to do the same.” 
 
The issues paper identifies that:
 

• NSW classroom teachers have limited options to progress in their careers without taking on formal leadership roles outside of the classroom.
• Effective teachers are more likely to stay in the classroom if they have can gain career progression from the chalkboard, including significant salary increases
• Keeping highly effective teachers in the classroom is the single biggest factor in improving student outcomes.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the new approach will bring seismic long-term change to our education system. 

“We are not only looking at where initiatives like this have worked overseas, we’re also looking at past attempts closer to home to make sure that our Rewarding Excellence in Teaching program is world-class, stands the test of time, and makes the biggest impact where it’s needed – in the classroom,” Ms Mitchell said. 

“There are many options on the table regarding design and implementation of this ambitious reform – that’s why we’ll continue to hear from experts, teachers, principals, school leaders and all those involved in our school communities across the state.”

The paper looks at international models of rewarding excellence like Singapore and Washington D.C. as well as programs closer to home, such as those in Victoria and Western Australia, finding that many programs featured defined standards, specific roles, and higher salaries. 

Professor John Hattie, a world-leading expert on education outcomes and student learning who is providing independent expert advice on the reform, said initial consultation has been positive.  

“Conversations with stakeholders so far have been robust and constructive. I look forward to continuing these important discussions to ensure we keep the best teachers in NSW classrooms,” Professor Hattie said.   

The central aims of the program are to:  

• Create a more attractive career path for classroom teachers, while raising the status of the profession.     
• Leverage the skills of highly effective teachers to strengthen teaching practice across the public education system, for the benefit of all students.  

 
Once consultation is complete, a policy paper will be finalised before the program begins implementation in 2023. 
 
The issues paper is available at https://bit.ly/3r9UTQW. 

An $80 million commitment to support jobs connected to training in the social housing sector has now changed the lives of more than 300 people, with the first group of cadets graduating to become full-time housing support workers.
 
The new graduates will today be presented with their Certificate IV in Housing, after completing a cadetship run by the Community Housing Industry Association NSW (CHIA NSW) in partnership with the NSW Land and Housing Corporation (LAHC).
 
Minister for Planning and Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said LAHC had partnered with industry bodies to assist in getting more people into work through the NSW Government’s $80 million Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Cadetship program.
 
“In 2020, we made a massive commitment through stimulus funding to support jobs connected to training in the housing sector by collaborating with industry bodies like CHIA, who have since created a $10 million Cadetship program” Mr Roberts said.
 
“Since then, we’ve seen the lives of more than 300 people changed – including the graduates of this program. Many of these graduates have had rough starts to their lives and around 75 per cent were unemployed before entering the program.”
 
Parliamentary Secretary for Planning Tanya Davies said the program, which focuses on providing opportunities for young people, those returning to the workforce, and those in need of housing assistance, provides a rewarding career pathway for graduates.
 
“Through this cadetship, graduates now have the opportunity to help deliver support services to tenants and the community in the social housing and homelessness sector,” Mrs Davies said.
 
“The power of their own lived experiences will be immeasurable in supporting families experiencing vulnerability.
 
“We celebrate them taking their first step in their career as fully qualified housing support workers.”
 
CHIA NSW Chief Executive Officer Mark Degotardi said he was proud of the students, who had embraced their opportunity to produce outstanding results.
 
“We can’t wait to see them explore their potential and develop their careers with community housing providers – an industry which values their newly developed skills,” Mr Degotardi said.
 
“We congratulate the NSW Government on this fantastic initiative.”
 
To read more about the NSW Government’s $80 million Apprenticeship, Traineeship and Cadetship program, visit: https://www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/land-and-housing-corporation/plans-and-policies/new-training-opportunities-connected-to-jobs

Private landholders are being supported to restore 200 hectares of koala habitat in the Northern Rivers through a new initiative that is planting 250,000 tree seedlings, backed by the NSW Koala Strategy.
 
Minister for Environment James Griffin said the landmark program is restoring koala habitat on private land, increasing biodiversity and providing an additional revenue stream for landholders through carbon farming.
 
“We know that more than 50 per cent of koala habitat is on private land in NSW, which is why private landholders are a big part of the solution when it comes to conserving and protecting koalas,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“Through the Koala Friendly Carbon Farming Project, we’re helping landholders plant hundreds of thousands of koala food and shelter trees to restore koala habitat and create corridors for them to move safely through areas.
 
“Landholders will be able to diversify their income through carbon farming, while creating new habitat for koalas and other native species on their properties.
 
“This is part of our NSW Koala Strategy, which delivers the biggest commitment by any government to a single species in Australia, and it will help us reach our target of doubling the number of koalas in NSW by 2050.”
 
The NSW Government is working in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature Australia, and Climate Friendly to deliver the project.
 
The project is working to kick-start carbon farming in koala habitats by developing carbon farming projects that deliver Australian Carbon Credit Units.
 
WWF-Australia Landscape Restoration Project Manager Tanya Pritchard said the project is addressing some of the major threats facing koalas.
 
“We can’t turn around the decline of east coast koalas without bold actions to tackle habitat loss and fragmentation,” Ms Pritchard said.
 
“This project provides incentives for landowners to be part of the solution and will help us to restore and connect large areas of koala habitat.”
 
Climate Friendly Co-CEO Skye Glenday said the initiative demonstrates how rural land managers can sustainably manage their environment while benefiting native species.
 
“Our partnership with landowners, WWF-Australia and the NSW Government will replenish important feeding and safe living areas for koalas and potentially attract other wildlife such as greater gliders, while building biodiversity and flood impact mitigation,” Ms Glenday said.
 
“The new trees will also provide benefits in capturing carbon to help Australia meet its greenhouse gas emissions targets.”
 
The NSW Koala Strategy is backed by more than $190 million and delivers a range of targeted conservation actions to secure more habitat, support community conservation, address threats to koala safety and health, and utilise science and research to build our knowledge.
 
Landholders can apply for a property assessment to determine if there are koalas close by and if their land is suitable.
 
For more information, visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au/koala.