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Public transport commuters across Sydney’s booming north-west are set to benefit from the newly completed Schofields Station commuter car park.
 
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said the project had delivered 700 additional parking spaces for commuters as well as 15 new dedicated accessible parking spaces and six motorcycle bays.
 
“Car parks such as this one at Schofields not only helps make catching public transport even easier and more convenient for commuters but helps reduce congestion on the roads.
 
“The 305 spaces delivered today is excellent news for the growing number of residents in Schofields and surrounding suburbs, following completion of 395 new spaces last month.
 
“A total of 398 people worked 61,030 hours on the project, pouring 1100 square metres of concrete and laying 1574 tonnes of asphalt to deliver a modern, accessible car parking station. There was also 700 square metres of recycled mulch used and 99 earthmoving machines were put to work.
 
“Schofield commuters now have safe and reliable parking 24 hours a day to access public transport. This car park features CCTV coverage, lighting, fencing and wayfinding signage to help customers navigate the car park safely and additional facilities for motorcyclists and those who require accessible spaces,” Mr Elliott said.
 
The project was delivered as part of the NSW Government’s Commuter Car Park Program which provides more convenient access to public transport at key interchanges. The NSW Government has delivered more than 13,000 commuter car spaces across Sydney since 2011, with around 5000 additional spaces under development.
 
Member for Riverstone Kevin Conolly said the new commuter car park had been provided to cater for the growing population of the district.
 
“I’m pleased that we have been able to deliver 700 extra spaces for commuters at Schofields station,” Mr Conolly said.
 
“This will make life easier for those who travel by train to and from work every day.”
 
Transport Park&Ride boom gates are also planned for installation to free up more spaces for those who travel on public transport. The Opal card operated boom gates will provide parking for up to 18 hours when customers tap onto a connecting public transport journey.

The NSW Government is investing over $500,000 for security upgrades at more than 80 women’s refuges across NSW to protect women and children leaving domestic violence.
 
Attorney General Mark Speakman said he was pleased to allocate funding for the security upgrades from the NSW Government’s Crime Prevention Fund. 
 
Mr Speakman said upgrading security at refuges is crucial to ensuring women and children feel safe when they seek shelter in a refuge.
 
“Women accessing refuge services can be in the most desperate of circumstances, often fleeing the horror of domestic and family violence,” Mr Speakman said
 
“We need to have a high level of security in place to protect residents from possible threats from abusers and also ensure that these women and children feel safe.
 
“The security upgrades will include replacing external fluorescent emergency lighting with energy-efficient vandal-proof lights and the installation of additional external illumination in poorly lit areas, including front and back yards, pathways, garages and other outdoor structures.”
 
Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said the upgrades provide another layer of security for women and children as they recover from trauma.
 
“Women should not have to fear what is lurking in the shadows, especially when they have made the difficult and complex decision to leave their homes to escape violence,” Mrs Ward said.
 
“Complete outdoor lighting especially at refuges has been proven to be a strong crime deterrent.
 
“Wherever you live in our state, you should be safe and you should feel safe.”

One of the largest harbour restoration projects of its kind in the world is set to commence in the iconic Sydney Harbour to reforest and restore marine habitats for penguins, seals, seahorses and turtles.
 
Minister for Environment James Griffin said a $9.1 million NSW Government initiative will help restore Sydney Harbour to bring back lost biodiversity, improve water quality and increase carbon storage.
 
“Celebrated Australian writer Clive James reminisced about our magnificent Sydney Harbour, likening it to ‘crushed diamond’, and we want to restore that same brilliance to the habitats that lie beneath the surface,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“Sydney Harbour is a modern, working harbour at the beating heart of our city, but the effects of urbanisation and industrial activity have resulted in the loss of marine habitats and the species that call them home.
 
“While Sydney’s water quality has significantly improved in recent decades, so much so that we all delight at sightings of whales and seals in the Harbour, there’s no better time to supercharge our restoration efforts.
 
“By installing hundreds of Living Seawall panels and replanting seagrasses and kelp forests in at least nine locations, we’ll be restoring critical habitat for marine life like the endangered White’s Seahorse, Little Penguins, Green Turtles and seals.
 
“The ocean is critical for marine and human life, providing every second breath we take. This harbour conservation and restoration project is one of biggest of its kind and demonstrates our commitment to improving our environment for generations to come.”
 
The NSW Government’s $9.1 million Seabirds to Seascapes project includes three elements:

• Restoring Sydney Harbour’s marine ecosystems by installing Living Seawalls, and replanting seagrass meadows and kelp forests
• Supporting the future of Little Penguins in NSW by conducting the first ever statewide Little Penguin census to better understand their population size and how they’re responding to threats such as climate change
• Helping Fur Seals thrive as a species by conducting a Seal Survey to identify their preferred habitat, breeding grounds, diet and key threats.

 
Seaweeds such as Crayweed provide critical habitat and food for marine life. They also act as underwater forests, capturing carbon and creating oxygen.
 
However, Crayweed completely disappeared from the Sydney metropolitan region from Palm Beach to Cronulla in the 1980s due to pollution, and has never returned.
 
Seabirds to Seascapes is being led by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment, in partnership with experts from the Sydney Institute of Marine Science (SIMS), Taronga Conservation Society Australia and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
 
SIMS Chair Peter Cochrane said his ambition is that this project can be applied elsewhere.
 
“Urbanisation has converted more than 50 per cent of Sydney Harbour’s natural shoreline into built structures and introduced many environmental stressors that have degraded aquatic habitats,” Mr Cochrane said.
 
“Despite that, we’re fortunate that the foundations for habitat repair still exist and we have the world-class science to guide this project.”
 
More than 85 per cent of people in NSW live within 50 kilometres of the coast, and coastal tourism employs more than 142,000 or about 24 per cent of employees working in the coastal zone, so protecting the blue economy has never been more important.
 
The NSW Environmental Trust is granting $6.6 million to the project, with partners contributing a further $2.5 million in kind.
 
The Seabirds to Seascapes project builds upon existing management of threatened and protected marine species through the $184 million Marine Estate Management Strategy and the $175 million Saving Our Species program.
 
Find out more at environment.nsw.gov.au/seabirds-to-seascapes

NSW residents who want to get skilled for a first job, a new job or a better job will have more opportunities to access fee-free training, with the NSW Government extending funding through to the end of the 2022-23 financial year.

The joint NSW – Federal Government funded JobTrainer program, providing fee-free training in response to the impact of COVID-19, is due to end in December, but the NSW Government will step in to ensure more people can access training so they can get jobs in priority industries.

Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens announced the funding extension to mark the commencement of National Skills Week, which will remove barriers to training and help people get the skills they need for the jobs they want.

“We want people to get skilled, find in-demand jobs, grow the economy and deliver a brighter future for their families,” Mr Henskens said.

“When it comes to investing in skills and training, NSW has led the nation. Despite the Commonwealth’s funding for fee-free training ceasing at the end of this year, the NSW Government will extend funding for fee-free courses through to July 2023.

“The funding will target the in-demand industries such as community services, including aged care and disability support, hospitality, agriculture and digital technology.

“On top of our unprecedented investment in fee-free training, the NSW Government is also delivering revolutionary new programs and projects, such as our Institutes of Applied Technology and the New Education Training Model.”

Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter welcomed the investment which will help train more workers for jobs in critical industries.

“The number one issue facing businesses right now is access to skilled workers. Every person that gets skilled up and into a job under this program is a success story for local communities and businesses across NSW,” Mr Hunter said.

For more information on eligibility and locations of the fee-free training courses across NSW including online, visit https://education.nsw.gov.au/skills-nsw. 

An ambitious and visionary plan to build over rail lines at Central will deliver a spectacular new public square and parkland, office space for the startups of the future, more diverse and affordable housing options as well as new city connections.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said the NSW Government’s vision for Central Station will utilise unused space over the current rail corridor to deliver a vibrant destination and provide much needed space for the expansion of the CBD.
 
“We have a once in a generation opportunity to reimagine this iconic part of our CBD and transform it into a world-class precinct of shops, restaurants, office spaces, parkland and additional housing,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“This proposal will be another major investment into the future of the Sydney CBD. Our vision will convert Central precinct into a must-visit part of our city for locals as well as for domestic and international tourists.
 
“It will be a major job generating project and will inject further local and global business investment into the Sydney CBD.
 
“The NSW Government’s ambitious plan for Central also focuses on further boosting housing supply, including prioritising much-needed affordable housing.”
 
Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes said the Central Precinct Renewal will extend the southern CBD and use our transport assets to shape almost 24 hectares of empty space into something magnificent. 
 
“The masterplan celebrates the heritage of the precinct while also offering a grand new public square, three new parks, new community, social services hubs as well as
at least 30 percent of affordable and diverse housing to better meet the needs of all sections of the community,” Mr Stokes said.
 
“This proposal will heal parts of our city that have been torn apart since the railway divided Surry Hills from Ultimo back in 1874. The proposal includes multiple new over-rail connections including Devonshire Street bridge, to enhance pedestrian and bicycle access through Central Precinct and to surrounding neighbourhoods.”
 
Key features of the indicative masterplan include:

• Around 850 new dwellings, including 15 per cent affordable housing and an additional target of 15 per cent diverse housing types such as build to rent and student dwellings.
• Around 15 new buildings ranging in size and scale from 4 to 34 storeys for a range of uses including tech and office space, hotel and residential, bars, restaurants and cafes, education, community and cultural uses.

 
More than 60,000 sq m, or just over six football fields of public domain including parks, squares, plazas including Central Square, Central Green and Mortuary Station Garden.
 
A rezoning package to enable the transformation of the Central precinct is now on public exhibition.
 
The community will have the opportunity to provide feedback on the proposal from August 22 to September 19. 
 
You can read more about the project here: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/central-precinct-renewal-program

A $65 million investment to bolster the NSW Government’s biosecurity measures will fast-track the development of  vaccines against Foot and Mouth (FMD) and Lumpy Skin Disease and help position NSW as leaders in the fight against exotic animal diseases.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the goal was to develop mRNA synthetic vaccines for both FMD and Lumpy Skin, a game changer for NSW farmers.

“Current FMD vaccines are made using the virus itself, meaning even vaccinated animals have to be destroyed for Australia to regain our FMD-free status following an outbreak,” Mr Toole said. 

“The development of a synthetic mRNA vaccine could be the key for Australia to apply for FMD-free status without having to destroy vaccinated animals, allowing us to preserve our trade status.

“Australia currently enjoys FMD-free status, giving us continued access to premium international markets for our world-class produce.

“The world is also yet to develop a killed or synthetic vaccine for Lumpy Skin, so having these two mRNA vaccines in our arsenal should these diseases reach our shores would give us a clear edge on the world stage.

“Our message is simple: We are doing everything we can to keep NSW free of FMD and Lumpy Skin Disease, but we are also preparing for the worst by investing $229 million this year alone – the biggest investment by a single jurisdiction on exotic pest and disease control.”

The new funding package includes $3.5 million to drive forward plans for a national mandatory sheep and goat electronic identification system.

The NSW Government is also committing $55.8 million for practical, on-ground biosecurity risk mitigation and response preparedness activities, including:

• $26.3 million to expand a trained response workforce of at least 2,000 experts;
• $17.8 million for on-ground animal control activities such as funding to control potential infected premises, increasing culling of feral pigs and deer, and incentivising farmers to beef up their biosecurity plans;
• $9.7 million to enhance disease surveillance through new intelligent track and trace technology; and,
• $2 million to roll out targeted extension and awareness campaigns to educate livestock owners, handlers, and the community on clinical signs and reporting requirements, as well as how to reduce risks. 

Minister for Agriculture Dugald Saunders said the preparedness package addresses the devastating impacts an incursion of FMD – or any other exotic animal disease – would have on NSW and Australia. 

“This funding will immediately boost our ability to make an early detection of an exotic pest or disease in NSW, deploy cutting edge technology to survey and diagnose diseases and train a response ready workforce to manage a significant outbreak,” Mr Saunders said.  

“We need to be prepared to fight and eradicate any exotic pest and disease that arrives on our shores, and this investment means we will have the right army and technology ready to do just that.   

“Our farmers deserve to have the confidence to know that if we have an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease, we will be quick to respond, well prepared and ready to return to export markets faster. 

“We have been meeting with farmers, livestock agents and agricultural experts right across NSW who have said measures like these would play an instrumental role in building confidence amongst the sector that the government is equipped and ready for the fight.  

“Today, through this announcement, we reinforce our commitment that we will do whatever it takes to keep our world-class agricultural sector safe.”  

For more information on today’s announcement and a breakdown of the funding, visit https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/beef-cattle/health-and-disease/viral-diseases/fmd