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The NSW Productivity Commission has found keeping beneficial COVID-19 regulatory reforms would see a $3.1 billion boost to the NSW economy over the next decade.
 
Economic benefits come from increased employment flexibility, business flexibility and increased use of digital platforms.
 
Specific measures include:

• $1.9 billion from long service flexibility allowing an employer and a worker to agree to take long service leave in smaller blocks
• $450 million from electronic meetings and voting for strata schemes, community land associations and incorporated associations
• $250 million from a range of planning measures, including 24-hour retail supply chain operations, and allowing home businesses to run 24 hours a day and to employ two to five staff
• $197 million from changes to the sale of takeaway alcohol and home delivery alcohol by licensed venues
• $195 million from digital execution and certification of conveyancing documents and remote witnessing of signatures

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said the Lessons from COVID-19 Regulatory Relaxations paper released today outlines the ongoing benefits of these reforms for the economy and will help inform future regulations.
 
“The Productivity Commission paper has confirmed that most of the temporary regulations that supported communities and businesses during the pandemic delivered valuable and immediate support and will boost the State’s productivity by $3.1 billion over the next decade,” Mr Kean said.
“Measures such as supporting businesses with more flexible retail operating hours and improving how people access long service leave have provided much needed support during the darkest days of the pandemic.
 
“I look forward to hearing from regulators, the community and business representatives about future reform opportunities.”
 
NSW Productivity Commissioner Peter Achterstraat AM said the analysis highlighted the value of trialling and testing new approaches when responding to an evolving crisis.
 
“The reforms increased flexibility such as digital execution and certification of conveyancing documents, business flexibility that allowed restaurants to prepare food for delivery, and employment flexibility that offered employees greater choice in accessing benefits,” Mr Achterstraat said.
 
“Our research found that the reforms driven by the pandemic provided significant direct benefits to the community and an ongoing boost to the economy. As we transition to living with COVID-19, our paper highlights the need for governments to continue to experiment with regulatory changes that promote new ways of working and living.”
 
The Lessons from COVID-19 Regulatory Relaxations paper can be read here: https://www.productivity.nsw.gov.au/lessons-from-covid19-regulatory-relaxations

More than 40 multilingual students are set to bolster the NSW Government’s interpreting ranks after successfully completing its Interpreting Scholarship program.  

Facilitated by the University of NSW, 42 students have graduated from the NSW Government Interpreting Scholarship program and will now be able to put their new qualifications into practice through Multicultural NSW, where they will also be given additional mentoring and professional development. 

Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the new graduates will be welcome additions among the state’s interpreting professionals.  

“Multicultural NSW is Australia’s leading provider of interpreting services, and each of these graduates has a chance to join its ranks and fill shortages in key languages,” Mr Coure said.  

Among the key languages the new interpreters will be covering include Filipino, Greek, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Macedonian, Nepali, Portuguese, Serbian, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese. 

Mr Coure said with a growing number of people in NSW speaking a language other than English, interpreters are more important than ever. 

“The latest census data shows us that more NSW residents are speaking a language other than English at home. Those numbers will continue to grow as more of the world’s citizens choose to find a brighter future in our great state,” Mr Coure said. 

“This scholarship program is about tapping into the availability of these languages in NSW, where we can create job opportunities for people to use their language skills and in turn help their communities.” 

Turkish-Australian student Sena Uzun said she felt the course had prepared her well for community interpreting after completing a bachelor’s degree in translating and interpreting in her former homeland of Turkey. 

“I think what Australia is doing in terms of providing support, and services to multicultural and linguistically diverse communities is very important,” Ms Uzun said. 

Thai-born Lydia Armour said she felt she was better equipped to support her Wollongong Thai community after the course. 

“The level of support from Multicultural NSW and the depth of knowledge from lecturers, tutors and the Thai tutor was amazing,” Ms Armour said. 

“I’m very invested in my Thai community and this is an important way that I can ensure everyone has fairer and more equitable access to services and information.” 

“Interpreting is a very difficult and demanding profession that requires high-level training of competent bilinguals, UNSW is pleased to work in collaboration with Multicultural NSW to extend its course offerings to include more languages as needed in the community,” Professor Sandra Hale said. 

“Training opportunities for many community languages have been limited in Australia. UNSW is very excited to work with Multicultural NSW to fill this critical gap.” 

Multicultural NSW and the University of New South Wales worked together to develop the 20-week micro credential to help fill language shortages. 

Each of the 42 scholarship graduates will now be able to sit a Certified Provisional Interpreter test allowing them to work as interpreters for Multicultural NSW. 

Through the 2022-23 NSW Budget, $8 million per year for two years has been committed to boosting the NSW Government’s languages services, including an expansion of its Interpreter Scholarship Program. 

Marine Rescue NSW specialists have put their skills to the test in a major maritime capability operation on Pittwater this weekend, preparing for real-life on-water emergencies.
 
Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the two-day Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX) tests the training and coordination of multiple emergency services organisations.
 
“More than 115 search and rescue specialists, including 70 Marine Rescue NSW volunteers from eight units across Greater Sydney and the Central Coast, are taking part in this important operation,” Ms Cooke said.
 
“Training opportunities like this are vital to help our crews stay sharp and ready to save lives when more people take to the water in the warmer months.”
 
Member for Pittwater Rob Stokes said despite the wet weather, Marine Rescue NSW volunteers have responded to 3,896 calls for urgent help this year.
 
“Tragically over the past year 14 boaters and paddlers have lost their lives, and I urge everyone heading out on the water to do their bit by always wearing a lifejacket and Logging On with their local Marine Rescue base,” Mr Stokes said.
 
Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Alex Barrell said the exercise was the largest of three held across the State this winter to test the readiness of search and rescue crews.
 
“This weekend’s event is a major component of our ongoing professional training program for our highly skilled boat crew and radio operators, in the State’s busiest boating region,” Deputy Commissioner Barrell said.
 
“Our volunteers are trained to the highest standards for their roles and the on-water experience they gain from this exercise helps keep them rescue-ready around the clock.”
 
The scenario for the SAREX involved a search for multiple victims of a missing recreational fishing boat off the coast.
 
Marine Rescue NSW members from the Botany Port Hacking, Broken Bay, Central Coast, Cottage Point, Hawkesbury, Middle Harbour, Port Jackson and Sydney units were joined by personnel from the NSW Police Force Marine Area Command, Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter and Surf Life Saving NSW.

Trade between Southeast Asia and NSW is set to increase with the official opening of the NSW Government Office Singapore.
 
Minister for Enterprise, Investment and Trade Stuart Ayres formally opened the office today and said the opening reflects the state’s commitment to increasing opportunities for NSW businesses to find new markets, growing NSW exports to the region and attracting new investment into the state.
 
“ASEAN collectively represents NSW’s second largest two-way trading partner and the fourth largest investor into Australia making it a significant economic partner for our state,” Mr Ayres said.
 
“We have a strong and vibrant relationship with Singapore and having a presence on the ground will play a vital role in delivering on our commitment to ensuring Asia’s biggest companies establish a presence in NSW.
 
“The NSW Government is expanding the states international network to boost two-way engagement, increase trade and encourage and attract investment.” 
 
The office is led by Andrew Parker the Senior Trade and Investment Commissioner to ASEAN who is working with the team to build the profile of NSW’s capabilities to government and commercial partners in the region.
 
“Singapore is a hugely successful economy and holds significant potential for our state’s growing businesses. Work is already well underway to support NSW exports to expand into the region, get students and visitors back and to attract innovative companies from the region to invest in NSW,” Mr Parker said.
 
The NSW Government Office is located at Raffles Place in the Republic Plaza of Singapore.
 
The NSW Trade Statement can be downloaded at investment.nsw.gov.au.