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People across NSW are being urged to tune into their mental health and reach out to the many available services if they need support, this World Mental Health Day.
 
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor is encouraging people to pause and take a moment today to consider how they are feeling.
 
“We may often neglect our mental health to prioritise other areas of our busy lives, so this World Mental Health Day I’m encouraging everyone to take some time to check in with yourself,” Mrs Taylor said.
 
“By taking just a few moments out of the day to focus on yourself, your environment and how you are feeling, you’re already taking small but beneficial steps to support your mental health and wellbeing.”
 
NSW Chief Psychiatrist, Dr Murray Wright, said World Mental Health Day is also a good opportunity to refocus on the things we can do that are good for our mental health.
 
“Working on your mental health gets easier and better with practice, so it is really important to have an awareness of what you can do to feel better,” Dr Wright said.
 
“This could be doing some exercise, taking time for reflection, getting good rest and maintaining social connections with family, friends and colleagues.
 
“We know that once you begin to open up to a trusted person, small chats can lead to really important conversations. Most importantly, if you need help, make sure you reach out for it, whether through your family, friends or mental health services.”
 
More information about Mental Health services and support is available here.
 
The NSW Government announced a record $2.9 billion investment into mental health services as part of the 2022-23 NSW Budget.
 
For anyone who is struggling, you can call the below helplines for support and advice: Lifeline 13 11 14 | Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 | Beyond Blue 1300 224636.
 
To be connected with specialist mental health services, call the NSW Mental Health Line 1800 011 511.

Farmers and landholders across the State are being urged to plan ahead and report any flood damage to their properties, with severe weather conditions predicted to surge over the next week.
 
Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW Dugald Saunders said it is critical that landholders are prepared for the wet conditions and encouraged them to report damage using the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) disaster damage survey.
 
“The wet weather period we are experiencing continues to be a real challenge at a critical time for our $21 billion primary industries sector in NSW,” Minister Saunders said.
 
“That’s why it is important for landholders across the State to report any flood damage to their properties, including land, infrastructure and animals.
 
“The survey feedback helps the NSW Government and communities understand the scale and regional distribution of the impact of a disaster on agriculture and better target resources and assistance.”
 
With the forecast for further rainfall and increased flooding over the coming days, livestock producers are reminded that the NSW Government Agriculture and Animal Services Functional Area (AASFA) hotline, 1800 814 647, provides immediate assistance for affected farmers, landowners and communities in isolated areas.
 
“The AASFA hotline provides urgent support in the form of emergency fodder drops, aerial surveillance of your property and veterinary assistance for flood-affected animals and livestock,” Mr Saunders said.
 
“Since the heavy rain began last week, we have already assisted three farmers in Western NSW with emergency fodder drops because their livestock was stranded. We expect this number to increase in the coming days.
 
“I urge landholders needing help with animals to call the hotline so we send immediate help without any risk to their own safety.”
 
NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin emphasised how important it was to report natural disaster damage so government assistance could be delivered where it was needed.
 
“Whether it’s flooding at Warren or hail damage at Mangrove Mountain, we need to report the situation to emergency services and NSW DPI to help get support moving as quickly as possible,” Mr Martin said.
 
“Emergency services, local land services and DPI have been very responsive to the needs of farmers and rural communities during the wild weather this year, it’s just unfortunate they’ve had so much practice.
 
“Ultimately we want to see people get through these situations safely and repair and rebuild as quickly as possible, so we can keep growing healthy food for people.”
 
To keep up to date with the latest flood information, visit www.nsw.gov.au/floods and to submit an online natural disaster damage survey, click here.
 
If you’re a beekeeper and have hives in an area described by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) as under a current flood warning, you can move the affected hives to higher ground under the Varroa Mite Emergency Group Permit. For more information, visit the Varroa mite FAQ page.

Making home ownership more achievable is one step closer with an online calculator now available to help eligible NSW first home buyers choose between a small annual property payment or paying a bigger upfront stamp duty.
 
Under First Home Buyer Choice, eligible first home buyers will have the choice of a smaller annual property payment or a traditional upfront payment for properties with a purchase price of up to $1.5 million.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said choice was central to this game-changing reform and will help put keys in the hands of more new home owners sooner by shaving years off the time it takes them to save for a deposit.
 
“Home ownership is the investment that starts paying dividends from the moment you walk through your front door for the first time and we don’t want people to have to wait an extra couple of years to reap those benefits,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“Choice is at the heart of these game-changing reforms that will put keys in the hands of new home owners much sooner and allow young people to capitalise on the financial security that home ownership delivers.”
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the First Home Buyer Choice calculator will help first home buyers decide for themselves which pathway to home ownership best suits their financial circumstances and personal aspirations.
 
“Treasury analysis indicates half of all owner-occupiers sell their home within 10.5 years, with first home buyers likely to sell even sooner. That means for the majority of first home buyers that don’t already receive stamp duty assistance, First Home Buyer Choice will not only allow them to break into the property market earlier, but pay less overall,” Mr Kean said.
 
“First Home Buyer Choice will help young families take their goals of home-ownership into their own hands and fast-track their journey to the great Australian dream.”
 
Finance Minister Damien Tudehope said the calculator was an important tool that would make it easy for first home buyers to make the decision that was right for them.
 
“When you own your own home, you own a stake in our nation, and the First Home Buyer Choice will help more young people across NSW do exactly that,” Mr Tudehope said.
 
“The calculator is easy to use and will find the land value of eligible properties under $1.5 million to calculate the options.”
 
Legislation for the First Home Buyer Choice, which was announced in the 2022-23 NSW Budget as part of the Government’s integrated $2.8 billion housing package, will soon be introduced into Parliament.
 
For more information on the First Home Buyer Choice, go to https://www.nsw.gov.au/initiative/first-home-buyer-choice
 
To view the calculator, go to
https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/calculate-your-property-tax

Thousands of students across NSW are settling into new classrooms and learning facilities for the first time today as more school upgrades have been completed for the start of Term 4.  

Six schools are the latest to benefit from the NSW Government’s multi-billion school building program, with Glenmore Park High School students celebrating the official opening of its new performing arts and learning centre with Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell and Member for Mulgoa Tanya Davies.

Ms Mitchell said it was great to see Glenmore Park High School and other schools benefiting from the NSW Government historic investment in school infrastructure. 

“We have seen the delivery of 23 new and upgraded schools since the start of this year, with more than $1 billion invested in these project. More than any other government in Australia,” Ms Mitchell said.   

“It is great to be at Glenmore Park High School to officially open their new facility, which I know students and the wider community are excited to use. 

“We have delivered six upgraded schools for Term 4, despite the challenges of weather and COVID, and I am committed to making sure every student no matter where they live in NSW has access to a high-quality school.”  

Mrs Davies said the Glenmore Park High School community is thrilled to open the new multi-million-dollar facility.  

“This investment in delivering a new performing arts centre which can cater up to 400 people and is absolutely amazing,” Mrs Davis said.  

“ I am proud to be delivering on my election commitment, this is an incredible artistic and creative learning space for students of Western Sydney and I look forward to coming to a production in the new centre, but also see the current and future students enjoy access to this world class facility.”  

School projects delivered for Day 1, Term 4 2022 include:  

1. Glenmore Park High School – upgrade 
2. Milperra Public School – upgrade 
3. Monaro High School – upgrade 
4. Samuel Gilbert Public School – upgrade 
5. Stanwell Park Public School – upgrade 
6. Wentworthville Public School – upgrade 

The NSW Government is investing $8.6 billion in school infrastructure over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 160 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW. This builds on the more than $9.1 billion invested in projects delivered since 2017, a program of $17.7 billion in public education infrastructure.

Work has commenced on the dazzling new Pier Pavilion that will adorn the foreshore at Waterman’s Cove and become a renowned harbourside landmark. 
 
Minister for Infrastructure Rob Stokes said the start of construction was a major milestone for the project, which will attract people from far and wide to Barangaroo.
 
“Sydney Harbour is synonymous with architectural beauty and the Pier Pavilion combines Australian elegance with classical influences to create a truly unique landmark at Barangaroo,” Mr Stokes said.
 
“It will be open year-round for people to gather and relax on Sydney’s harbourside and will be used for a broad range of programmed events to strengthen Barangaroo’s position as a world-class destination for all.
 
“The Pavilion will become a must-see feature along the 14-kilometre continuous foreshore walk from Woolloomooloo to Glebe, adding to the collection of incredible public spaces around our harbour.”
 
The structure will include a green rooftop garden with indigenous plant species and 94 columns built using oyster concrete – which is made of ground oyster shells.
 
The national design competition for the Pier Pavilion was won by Sydney-based architects Jessica Spresser and Peter Besley. The design – celebrating land, sea and sky – was chosen for its usability and inclusivity, timeless appeal, and relationship to its surroundings.
 
The Pier Pavilion is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to ensure more than half of Barangaroo is high quality and accessible public space. Early work involves preparing the site and substructure works to reinforce the existing pier, which is due for completion in early 2023. Major construction will begin in 2023.
 
For more information, visit https://www.barangaroo.com/building-barangaroo/barangaroo-south/pier-pavilion

The newest feral-free rewilding area in NSW is one step closer to welcoming locally extinct animals into the safe-haven, with fence construction due to begin soon.
 
Minister for Environment James Griffin recently visited the 2,084 hectare ‘Nungatta’ site in South East Forest National Park near Bombala, which is the newest of seven feral free areas around the State.
 
“Construction on 24 kilometres of specially-designed predator-free fencing will begin in December. Once complete, we’ll start working to eradicate every feral predator from within it, before releasing locally extinct and threatened species that were once abundant back into Nungatta,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“Our recent surveys have had great results, confirming the site has loads of truffles to feed bettongs and potoroos, which haven’t been detected here for decades.
 
“From next year, we’re planning to reintroduce native mammals that were once abundant in this habitat, such as the long-footed potoroo, eastern bettong, smoky mouse, and eastern quoll.
 
“The NSW Government is establishing a network of seven feral predator-free areas across the state, making us a world leader in rewilding. Once all seven sites are complete, 65,000 hectares of national parks will be feral free and provide a significant conservation benefit for more than 50 species.”
 
Once established, the Nungatta site will benefit more than 20 threatened species.
 
Recent surveys have confirmed some threatened species like the vulnerable White-footed Dunnart are hanging on, despite the presence of foxes and cats. Feral cats alone kill more than 1.5 billion native animals nationally every year.
 
The ambitious conservation project will see Nungatta’s forests go back in time, and is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to wildlife restoration.
 
Within just three years of the NSW Government establishing three rewilding sites in national parks around the State, 10 locally extinct species are now thriving after being reintroduced to the feral-free areas.

A new technique is being trialled by ecologists on the NSW’s far south coast to find the elusive long-footed potoroo, and it stinks.
 
Minister for Environment James Griffin said scientists are searching for evidence of the critically endangered species by searching through the poo of their predators, which include cats, foxes, dingoes and quolls.
 
“While it’s a crap job, this new technique is also an innovative way to find out whether the long-footed potoroo is still present in the South East Forests,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“While we know this species inhabited forests in the State’s south-east in the early 1990’s, the long-footed potoroo has not been detected since then in NSW and we’ve never done a long-term survey to confirm whether they still exist.
 
“Finding long-footed potoroo DNA in predator scats would confirm the species still exists in NSW and be a huge step forward for our conservation efforts.
 
“With the species on the brink of extinction and traditional survey methods failing to find the animal, there has never been a better time to think outside the box and trial this detection method.”
 
The long-footed potoroo is one of several likely locally extinct species that will be reintroduced to the NSW Government’s Nungatta feral-free rewilding site in South East Forest National Park, near Bombala.
 
Not to be confused with the long-nosed potoroo, which is still found in some areas of the NSW south-east, the long-footed potoroo was last recorded through hair samples in the early 1990s.
 
Over the next year, scientists from the NSW Government’s Saving our Species program will collect 1,000 predator scat samples from South East Forest National Park.
 
They will use environmental DNA technology (eDNA) to analyse scats and confirm if the long-footed potoroo still exists in their known habitat.
 
This work is part of the NSW Government’s Saving our Species program, which is backed by a $175 million commitment over 10 years.
 
Department of Planning and Environment Senior Threatened Species Officer Dr Joss Bentley has so far collected 100 scats from the South East Forest National Park.
 
“I can’t say picking up poo is the most glamourous thing I have done in my career, but it’s an important new technique that may help us find species that are difficult to survey,” Dr Bentley said.
 
“We hope to eventually collect 1,000 scat samples and have partnered with EnviroDNA in Melbourne.  We expect the results within 12 months with the best-case scenario identifying evidence of this elusive species.
 
“Either way the results will still give us an excellent understanding of the animals currently living in these forests and complement our existing understanding of species distribution, which will help inform the south coast’s first rewilding project.”
 
For more information, visit
https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=10661