The Minns Labor Government is openly divided over its plan to bulldoze Carnarvon Golf Course and turn it into a new cemetery.
On one side, the local Labor MP for Auburn, Lynda Voltz, has told Parliament this evening Sydney has no cemetery crisis, pointing to more than 163,000 burial plots at Macarthur Memorial Park and Nepean Memorial Gardens, enough to last until 2058.
On the other, the Minister for Crown Lands, Steve Kamper, claims the issue is one of urgency, demanding action in just a matter of years
Both can’t be right. Either Lynda Voltz doesn’t believe her Premier and his Minister, or the Premier’s own frontbench is misleading the public.
This is not just a policy split; it is a caucus at war. The government’s left hand doesn’t know what its right hand is doing. Labor MPs are contradicting each other in Parliament, in the media, and in their own electorates.
Families deserve transparency. Instead, they are watching Labor fight itself while their green space is under threat.
NSW Leader of the Opposition, Mark Speakman said Steve Kamper says this is urgent and running out in a matter of years.
“Lynda Voltz says Sydney has cemetery land until 2058. Who in the Labor caucus is telling the truth?”, Mr Speakman said.
Shadow Minister for Crown Lands, Steph Cooke said one Labor MP says there’s no crisis for over 30 years.
“A Labor Minister says it’s urgent. That’s not consultation, that’s division at the heart of the Labor caucus.” Ms Cooke said.
Great Koala National park announcement lacking in detail and legislation
NSW Liberal Shadow Minister for the Environment, James Griffin MP, has slammed the Minns Labor Government for announcing the Great Koala National Park (GKNP) without any concrete details or legislation to back it up.
“After two and a half years of delay and inaction, all this Labor Government can produce is a media statement. No legislation, no details, no explanation of funding, and no certainty,” Mr Griffin said.
“To make such a significant announcement whilst providing almost no detail is deeply disappointing. It is more than reasonable and fair to ask, why announce something but have no legislation to back it up?.”
Concerningly, the Minns Labor Government has revealed that the final creation of the proposed park is dependent on the successful registration of a carbon project under the Improved Native Forest Management (INFM) Method, which is currently under review by the Federal Government.
Yesterday, NSW Premier Chris Minns conceded that while he expects the Federal Government to ‘come through’, this is ultimately a decision outside of his control, stating that the NSW Government will have to look at ways of creating the Great Koala National Park based on the Federal Government’s decision.
“There is a total absence of legislation and funding details and a government apparently hedging its bets, and the hopes of conservation groups, on approval from the Federal Government,” Mr Griffin said.
“That means the very shape of the legislation, and even whether it proceeds at all, will be determined not in NSW, but in Canberra.”
If the Federal Government refuses to provide carbon credits, serious questions arise about how the legislation and plans for the GKNP will change, including whether the proposed boundaries will be altered. Until the Minns Labor Government provides the necessary details and introduces clear legislation to back up this announcement, the NSW Liberals will continue to hold Premier Chris Minns to account.
The Former Coalition Government had a proud and strong record on Koala conservation, which included establishing the updated NSW Koala Strategy, which delivered $190 million over five years to support the overarching goal of doubling NSW’s koala numbers by 2050. As part of this, the former NSW Coalition committed:
- $107.1 million to fund the protection, restoration and improved management of 47,000 hectares of koala habitat, to meet key conservation targets of 22,000 ha of koala habitat protected and 25,000 ha of koala habitat restored by 2026.
- $19.6 million to fund partnerships across NSW
- $23.2 million to remove threats, improve health and rehabilitation, and establish a translocation program
- $43.4 million to fill knowledge gaps and better understand NSW koala populations
Under this Labor Government, those key targets are not being met, with the 2023-24 NSW Koala Strategy Annual Report released in August last month revealing that only 8,353 hectares of koala habitat had been restored.
If protecting koalas were genuinely a priority, Chris Minns would have legislated the park immediately and backed the NSW Koala Strategy with real funding. Instead, we’re left with a hollow announcement, no legislation, and a plan that depends on Canberra’s say-so,” Mr Griffin said.
Minns Labor Government on track to remove construction speed limits outside of construction hours
The Minns Labor Government has introduced legislation which will pave the way to deliver on its election commitment to remove worksite speed limits outside construction speed hours where it is safe to do so.
Currently, construction speed limits remain in effect outside of construction hours. While some road and lane closures do warrant ongoing speed reductions for the purposes of safety it is not uncommon for drivers to have to slow down on an unobstructed road for work that is not taking place.
The Transport Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 presented to Parliament today requires all road authorities including Councils and their contractors undertaking road works to install, maintain and remove road work speed limit signs in compliance with a Standard to be published by Transport for NSW in the Gazette.
Appeal to locate teenager missing from Thornton
Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a girl missing from the state’s north.
Lilian Hyde, aged 13, was last seen at a home on Morecambe Circuit, Thornton, about 10pm on Tuesday 9 September 2025.
Officers attached to Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command were notified and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.
Police and family hold concerns for Alyssa’s welfare due to her age.
Alyssa is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 165cm tall, of thin build, with long brown hair and brown eyes.
She is believed to frequent the Port Macquarie and Gold Coast areas.
Six Titles, One Epic Day: DOOLEYS Metro League to Light Up Netball Central
The stage is set for a massive day at Netball Central on Sunday 14 September, as 12 teams go head-to-head across six grand finals in the 10th year of the DOOLEYS Metro League.
Making it to the big dance is no small feat. After 18 weeks of match play and three weeks of finals, the deciding contenders are ready to fight for championship glory. Among the standouts, Eastwood Ryde will contest three divisions, Liverpool City returns to the big stage for the first time since 2022 while two regional teams – Hunter and Illawarra District – have also earned their spots, proving the competition’s reach across the state.
In the headline clash, reigning champions and ladder leaders Eastwood Ryde take on Manly Warringah in the Division One Grand Final.
Eastwood Ryde has been the benchmark all year, finishing on top of the ladder with 16 wins and just one loss. They powered past Hills District 51-45 in the Qualifying Final to book a direct path to the decider.
“We are under immense pressure. The underdogs always want to beat the champions. We need to step up, defend the title and deliver as everyone is expecting,” co-coach of Eastwood Ryde Pipiena Lomu said.
“For us, it is playing with maturity and being game smart. It is in the defensive, doing the little things, like the defensive hands, holding the ball on turnovers and completing our centre passes. At the end of the day it comes down to who shows up and wants to win the game.”
Manly Warringah, who finished third on the ladder, have taken the long road to the final. After edging Northern Suburbs 51-50 in the Elimination Final, they overcame Hills District 59-51 in the Preliminary Final to secure their shot at the title.
“We lost both our matches to Eastwood Ryde but not by many,” Manly coach Janene van Gogh said.
“We are probably peaking at the right time. We lost to Hills by 20 in the round but beat them by nine in the Preliminary Final. There have been improvements across the court. A spectator said last week that it looks like everyone knows their job and are functioning at a high level.”
Van Gogh knows her side will need to be at their best to upset the reigning champions.
“They (Eastwood Ryde) are experienced and have been around for a long time. They won the tournament last year. It will be a grind. I told the girls they will just have to play the best they can and the match will take care of itself. We have to be consistent across the whole court.”
The excitement doesn’t stop at Division One. A full day of contests will showcase the depth of talent across the league:
- Division 2: Sutherland Shire v Liverpool City
- Division 3: Eastwood Ryde v Blacktown City
- Division 4: Randwick v Ku-Ring-Gai
- Division 5: Hunter Netball v Eastwood Ryde
- Development Series: Illawarra District v Randwick
With regional pride, first-time finalists, and powerhouse clubs all in the mix, the 2025 Grand Finals promise non-stop action and high-quality netball.
The DOOLEYS Metro League is one of New South Wales’ best netball competitions, featuring 68 teams across six divisions and played on Wangal Country at Sydney Olympic Park. It has long been a crucial stepping stone in the Netball NSW pathway, with many athletes progressing to Premier League, and ultimately Suncorp Super Netball with the NSW Swifts and GIANTS Netball.
DOOLEYS Catholic Club in Lidcombe has been the proud naming rights partner of this competition for the past 18 years – 10 years as Metro League and eight years previously as State League. Their ongoing support reflects a strong commitment to community, participation and excellence, helping the competition provide a platform for metro-based athletes, coaches, umpires, and administrators to shine.
With one team chasing back-to-back titles and others making history, the 2025 DOOLEYS Metro League Grand Finals will be a celebration of the competition’s depth, talent, and community spirit.
The action gets underway from 11am on Sunday 14 September at Netball Central. Tickets are $13.20 per person and available here. All matches will be streamed live at netballnsw.tv.
Appeal to locate girl missing from Charlestown
Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a girl reported missing from the Hunter region.
Nicole Beckett, aged 17, was last seen at Central Railway Station, Haymarket, on Saturday 6 September 2025.
When she could not be contacted or located, officers attached to Lake Macquarie Police District were notified today (Wednesday 10 September 2025) and commenced inquiries into her whereabouts.
Initial inquiries indicate she may have been in the Hamilton, Newcastle area sometime today (Wednesday 10 September 2025).
Police and family have concerns for her welfare due to her age.
Nicole is described as being of Caucasian appearance, about 175cm tall with slim build and dyed red hair.
She was last seen wearing a red and black jumper and shorts.
She is known to frequent the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie areas.
She may be using the public transport network to travel.
Anyone with information into her whereabouts is urged to contact Toronto Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Woman charged as critical incident investigation continues – Hunter Valley
A woman has been charged following a fatal pursuit in the state’s Hunter over the weekend, as critical incident investigation continues.
Officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command attempted to stop a Honda travelling on the New England Highway at Aberdeen, about 11.55pm, Saturday 6 September 2025, due to the speed at which the vehicle was being driven.
When the driver allegedly failed to stop when directed, a pursuit was initiated which continued north along the highway until it crashed about 100m north of Makybe Diva Street at Scone.
The driver – a 14-year-old boy – and a 17-year-old boy occupying the front-seat were trapped.
Once released, they were treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics, however the 17-year-old boy died at the scene.
The driver and three back-seat passengers – two boys aged 14 and 17 and a 25-year-old woman – were taken to hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Initial inquiries indicate the vehicle was reportedly stolen from a business in Walford Street, Wallsend, sometime after 5pm on Saturday 6 September 2025.
Specialist officers from the Crash Investigation Unit attended and examined the scene.
A critical incident investigation team from Tuggerah Lakes Police District commenced an investigation surrounding the incident under Strike Force Willgoyne.
Following inquiries, the 14-year-old driver was charged with police pursuit – not stop – drive dangerously, take and drive conveyance without consent of owner, drive recklessly/furiously or speed/manner dangerous, negligent driving (occasioning death), dangerous driving occasioning death-drive manner dangerous and aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death – escaping pursuit.
He appeared before a children’s court today (Tuesday 9 September 2025). He was granted bail to appear before a children’s court on Monday 20 October 2025.
The 17-year-old passenger was charged with be carried in conveyance taken w/o consent of owner.
He was granted conditional bail to appear before a children’s court on Wednesday 24 September 2025.
The 14-year-old passenger will be dealt with under the Young Offenders Act.
Following further inquiries, today (Tuesday 9 September 2025) a passenger – a 25-year-old woman – was charged with being carried in conveyance taken without consent of the owner.
She was refused bail to appear before Bail Division Court 2 on Wednesday 10 September 2025.
A critical incident team is continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The incident is also subject to an independent review.
Hotline Centre powers up at Anglesea Barracks
The Albanese Government is continuing to invest in updates for Australia’s Defence estate with the unveiling of the McGee Building at Anglesea Barracks in Hobart, which will accommodate Defence’s customer service hotline.
The new $20.8 million building offers contemporary facilities with flexible office spaces for approximately 50 Defence personnel.
The design of the McGee Building integrates modern working accommodation without detracting from the significant cultural heritage of Anglesea Barracks.
The facility commemorates Sergeant Lewis McGee (1888-1917), a proud Tasmanian who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on Broodseinde Ridge in the First World War, during the Ypres offensive in Belgium.
Armed with only a revolver, Sergeant McGee single-handedly captured an enemy machine gun position, and led a bombing party to capture a second enemy machine gun post. Sergeant McGee was killed a week later at Passchendaele.
The McGee Building has been delivered as part of the Anglesea Barracks Mid-Term Refresh Project.
Assistant Minister for Defence, Peter Khalil:
“We’re continuing to invest in Australia’s Defence estate and infrastructure so sites like Anglesea Barracks meet the operational and capability requirements we need now and in the future.
“The completion of the McGee Building delivers a solid foundation for the modernisation of Defence’s essential customer service network in Tasmania.
“It’s also great to see the exceptional bravery demonstrated by Sergeant McGee honoured through the naming of this facility. His memory will serve as a reminder of his courage and sacrifice in service to our nation.”
Senator for Tasmania, Richard Dowling:
“The Australian Defence Force shares a long and rich history with the Hobart community, and today’s opening ceremony is recognition of that history.
“This $20.8m investment into new facilities at Hobart’s Anglesea Barracks has boosted the local construction industry and related small businesses, and will generate additional ongoing employment at the Barracks.
“This is the completion of the first phase of Defence site upgrades in Tasmania, with further refurbishment and construction to occur in Launceston.”
Better supporting Defence and Veteran wellbeing 12 months on
Today marks one year since the release of the Final Report of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, which made 122 recommendations to reform the culture, systems and processes across the Defence and veteran eco-system to prevent suicide and improve the mental health and wellbeing of serving personnel and veterans.
The Albanese Government has made significant progress in response, with nine recommendations fully implemented and 110 other recommendations underway.
This is the result of intensive and collaborative work across Government, building on the work undertaken on recommendations from the Royal Commission’s Interim Report.
The Government’s focus has been on reforms that address the immediate health and safety of current and former serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel and their families.
This includes establishing a new legislated oversight body, the Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission, which the Royal Commission called its most important recommendation. It will commence operations later this month.
Consultation and co-design work on a new agency for veteran wellbeing has been undertaken, and work is underway to establish it next year.
Work has already started on the terms of reference for the recommended inquiry into military sexual misconduct, with research to inform the inquiry also about to start.
This whole-of-Government effort on implementing the Royal Commission’s recommendations will continue at pace.
The anniversary coincides with the release of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) report on suicide rates among ADF personnel and veterans; a sobering reminder of the importance of implementing the recommendations of the Royal Commission as soon as possible.
While one death is too many, it’s encouraging to see the suicide rate for ex-serving personnel has been declining in recent years.
Sadly, suicide remains the leading cause of death for younger and ex-serving members who separate from the ADF involuntarily, with higher rates of suicide than those who separate voluntarily.
This emphasises the importance of implementing Royal Commission recommendations to better support members in their transition as quickly as possible.
The findings of the 2025 AIHW report, together with the recommendations of the Royal Commission will help Defence and DVA better target our support.
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and Defence Personnel, the Hon Matt Keogh MP:
“The Royal Commission provided a once-in-a-generation opportunity for cultural change and reform. We heard harrowing experiences throughout the three-year inquiry.
“The Albanese Government is implementing meaningful and lasting reform in response to the findings, to be overseen by the statutory Defence and Veterans’ Service Commission.
“Our focus has been, and will continue to be, on improving both the experience of our people and the supports in place for them and their families during and after service.”
Discussion of these issues may be distressing for some people. All serving and former ADF personnel and their families should know that if they need support, they can contact Open Arms for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 1800 011 046 or visit www.openarms.gov.au, or Lifeline on 13 11 14 or by visiting www.lifeline.org.au. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports are available on its website at www.aihw.gov.au
The full speech delivered to Parliament on 4 September 2025 is available online at: www.minister.defence.gov.au/speeches/2025-09-04/royal-commission-into-defence-veteran-suicide
PwC’s integrity won’t be restored by banning one bad apple
Australia’s Tax Practitioners Board (TPB) has banned a former PwC boss over their links to the consultancy firm’s tax leaks scandal.
In August, the Government made public its decision to give PwC the green light to restart its bidding for federal contracts, following two inquiries into the tax leaks scandal which brought the entire consulting sector under a cloud.
The Australian Greens welcome the TPB’s decision but say banning one bad apple won’t fix PwC’s culture. The Greens are urging Labor to support the Greens’ bill to ban dodgy contractors like PwC from accessing the public purse.
Greens spokesperson for finance Senator Barbara Pocock:
“This is yet another example of a senior leader not taking responsibility. The problem with PwC is that it’s not just one bad apple, it’s an organisational culture, a successive group of leaders, who have all contributed to this problem and they must all be held to account.
“Until now, we’ve only had assurances from PwC, after they conducted their own internal review. Having an organisational culture speaking for itself, absolving itself – where is the transparency in that? Where is the accountability?
“The Greens welcome the TPB’s decision but removing one bad apple doesn’t change the organisational culture that enabled the tax scandal. The organisational culture remains, the lack of integrity remains – which is why we urgently need greater transparency and stronger procurement protections from corrupt contractors.
“The Australian Greens introduced a bill last week that would allow the Commonwealth to debar dodgy contractors, like PwC, from entering into government contracts and it would deter unethical conduct.
“The PwC tax scandal was one of the most shocking breaches of public trust in recent memory. The firm is currently under investigation by the AFP, the Tax Practitioners Board and has been referred to the NACC. They have proven themselves to be untrustworthy, conducting their own internal investigations and continuously refusing to cooperate with government inquiries.
“PwC were never fully banned from getting government work. They still had contracts with government agencies worth at least $11 million throughout the ‘mutual agreement’ period, which lasted just 16 months. This has exposed Australia’s lack of a government-wide exclusion framework as a huge issue.
“When the Government let PwC back into the fold, it betrayed the Australian people who rightly held the expectation that PwC would be held to account for colluding with foreign multinationals to defraud our tax system. This decision was gutless and it has undermined public confidence in government procurement.”