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Liberal candidate for Bega, Russell Fitzpatrick, is encouraging communities across Batemans Bay and surrounding areas to help guide the design of a new $20 million health facility.
 
The Perrottet Government is putting $20 million into the Batemans Bay health facility, which was announced earlier this year and will deliver community healthcare services, including GPs, allied health services, child and family services, community mental health and immediate care.
 
Mr Fitzpatrick said that local communities had an opportunity to play an important role in the planning of the health facility that will transform local health services.
 
“With a project manager and architect now appointed to spearhead the design, this is the perfect time to have a say and help guide important decisions,” said Mr Fitzpatrick. “I am incredibly proud to be running as a candidate for the Perrottet team that is making this kind of investment in local health, and is open to being guided by our community on the best way to implement that investment.”
 
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the NSW Government is investing $20 million to provide a modern, new health facility that will meet the south coast communities’ healthcare needs close to home, well into the future.
 
“The appointment of the project manager and architect is a major milestone in the delivery of this health facility, as planning will now move to the next level, and we’re inviting the community to get involved and have their say,” Mr Hazzard said.  
 
“Building any new healthcare facility involves in-depth planning, and this experienced project team has been selected to design a first class facility that will fulfil the requirements of staff, patients and the broader community.”
 
The appointments followed a competitive tender process and include: 
• bd infrastructure as the project manager 
• Conrad Gargett as the architect. 
 
Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said that with the project team now on board, master planning is expected to be completed in mid-2023, and will involve consultation with key stakeholders including clinicians, staff, patients, carers and the local community to inform planning and design. 
 
“Feedback and input from staff, the local community, carers and patients will be an important part of the planning process, to ensure the new healthcare facility reflects the needs and values of the Batemans Bay community,” Mrs Taylor said.   
 
Community members are invited to meet the project team and find out more about the healthcare facility and how to get involved.  
 
The meet and greet session will be held in the Batemans Bay SEARMS Meeting Room, 2 Museum Place on Tuesday 13 December from 1.00pm to 3.00pm. No RSVP is required, and everyone is welcome.   
 
To find out more about the project or how to become involved, visit www.hinfra.health.nsw.gov.au/batemansbayhealthone or contact the project team on 1300 391 949 or at HI-BatemansBayhealth@health.nsw.gov.au.   
 
The new Batemans Bay community health facility is part of the NSW Government’s record $11.9 billion investment in health infrastructure over four years to 2025-26, with nearly a third of the capital allocation in this financial year going towards regional and rural health facilities. 
 
Also part of the Perrottet Government’s record health infrastructure spend is the new $260 million Level 4 Eurobodalla Regional Hospital which is on track to open to patients in 2025.
  
Since 2011, the NSW Government has delivered more than 180 health capital projects across NSW, with more than 130 projects currently underway – of those, more than 90 are in rural and regional areas.

Sydney has cemented its position as the nation’s home of football, securing the Men’s and Women’s A-Leagues Grand Finals from 2023 – 2025.
 
The NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW has partnered with Australian Professional Leagues (APL) to bring its showpiece events to the Harbour City, including a new grand final week festival of football to create an unprecedented event destination experience for football fans.
 
Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the addition of the A-Leagues Grand Final to Sydney’s annual sporting events calendar is a huge coup for NSW.
 
“With the FIFA Women’s World Cup coming and on the back of the Socceroos historic World Cup in Qatar, football in Australia is going from strength to strength,” Mr Henskens said.
 
“NSW is home to the most clubs in the both A-Leagues competitions, with the greatest supporter base, most passionate fans, the highest level of football participation and the best football venues.”
 
“This new week-long event will provide football and sports fans with an experience unique to all other codes and cement the A-Leagues Grand Finals amongst the very best fixtures on our national sporting calendar.”
 
Minister for Tourism Ben Franklin said securing the event would deliver significant economic benefits for NSW.
 
“As the nation’s home of football I am delighted to be partnering with the APL to bring the Men’s and Women’s A-Leagues Grand Finals to Sydney,” Mr Franklin said.
 
“Sydney is renowned for hosting world-class sporting events and we are going to create a new tradition for football fans, making the A-Leagues Grand Finals a week-long extravaganza that showcases football and the best of the Harbour City.
 
“Tens of thousands of football fans are expected to flock to Sydney for the A-Leagues Grand Finals and are forecast to inject $26 million of visitor expenditure into NSW.”
 
“This is another incredible addition to the already impressive calendar of world-class major events we are building for Sydney, which is a key pillar of our goal to make NSW the major events capital and premier visitor economy of the Asia Pacific.”
 
Danny Townsend, CEO of the APL, said: “The FIFA World Cup 2023 showed that we are a country of football fans and whet the region’s appetite for the FIFA Women’s World Cup next year. But fans don’t want to wait for four years in-between competitions to see our best sporting talent perform. 
 
“Football fans now get the best of both worlds – they can now look forward to a showpiece Grand Final event in a set location, as well as watching A-Leagues and national team stars week-in-week-out at their local A-Leagues team.  
 
“This is a unique opportunity to build a tradition for football fans. When you think about a cup final in England, you think about the trip to Wembley, and we want fans in Australia to look forward to the A-Leagues finals in the same way.
 
“We have already broken the previous record for attendance this season in the Liberty A-League Women and have a clear objective to make history again with Grand Final attendance in the year that we host the FIFA Women’s World Cup.”
 
Venues for the 2023 Men’s and Women’s A-Leagues Grand Finals will be announced in the coming months.
 

Commuters across Greater Sydney and the Ilawarra will benefit from almost 400 new bus services following the NSW Liberals and Nationals Government’s investment to provide communities with more travel choices.
 
Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott visited the Chatswood Bus Interchange today with the Member for Willoughby, Tim James, to announce the new weekday 113 bus service from Chatswood to Royal North Shore Hospital.
 
“These services will benefit commuters right across the Greater Sydney region from Chatswood, St Leonards and Ryde to Quakers Hill, Nirimba Fields and West Dapto – with some areas receiving a weekend timetable for the first time,” Mr Elliott said.
 
“As the population grows across Greater Sydney it is important we listen to local communities to improve and refine the bus network to deliver a system that offers a seamless travelling experience between all modes.
 
“As a result of feedback from commuters, the NSW Government will introduce new weekend and additional weekday services, a new bus route for people wanting to travel to the Royal North Shore Hospital as well as a new school service.”
 
Mr James said residents in his electorate deserved a public transport system that made it easy for commuters to be able to travel to and from health appointments, businesses, work and school.
 
“I am delighted that this government has listened to the local community and has introduced a brand new bus route, 113, which will see 70 additional weekly services for the area,” Mr James said.
 
“As from today (Monday 12 December), commuters will now be able to travel between Chatswood and Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards.
 
Primary and high school students in western Sydney started term 4 with a brand new service in Nirimba Fields, commuters in West Dapto had new services introduced in mid Novermber while other services in Ryde will start next month.
 
The 378 new services include:
 

• 198 extra weekly services in West Dapto which will provide an hourly service connecting Kembla Grange Estate to Dapto via Wongawilli;
• 110 additional weekend services in the Ryde area on four bus routes (513, 523, 524 and 544), starting in January 2023 – this will be the first time some of these areas have had a weekend service;
• 70 additional weekly services on a new route (113) in Sydney’s north, starting today, which will enable commuters to travel between Chatswood and Royal North Shore Hospital in St Leonards.
• A new school service for Hambledon Primary School and Quakers Hill High School students living in Nirimba Fields. The new dedicated school service has been operating since the beginning of term 4 this year.

 
Since 2011, the NSW Government has introduced close to 47,000 extra bus services in Greater Sydney and outer metropolitan areas.  

Students across NSW are getting in on action to reduce waste and cut down reliance on single-use plastics as part of a new program educating students on sustainability.

Minister for Environment James Griffin said more than 1,000 students across 21 schools are conducting audits on their school bins as part of the NSW Government’s sustainability partnership with the Environmental Zoo and Education Centre (EZEC). 

“As NSW adjusts to the single-use plastic bans, schools are the perfect environment to drive important long-term behaviour change around reducing plastics and waste,” Mr Griffin said.

“We’re committed to reducing waste and cutting our reliance on problematic single-use plastics in NSW and, through this new program, we’re asking young people to help us on this mission.

“This next generation of leaders are inspiring their friends, family and school communities to take simple actions to help reduce waste and keep NSW free from plastic.”

As part of the voluntary program, under the supervision of an expert, students create a data set at the start of the term on the type of waste their school is producing before learning how to reduce waste over two terms. 
A final waste audit is conducted at the end of the program for the students to understand the impact of their actions on the volume of waste produced by the school. 

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said we are teaching students how to better look after the environment and be more sustainable.

“We know that many of our students are passionate about environmental issues and the lessons they learn at school go beyond the school grounds to create positive change for the entire community,” Ms Mitchell said. 
“It’s why the NSW Government has invested in our $10 million Sustainable Schools NSW Program. It supports our public schools to implement curriculum linked action to reduce waste and help raise awareness of the importance of looking after our environment.”

As part of the program students are identifying ways their school can reduce waste going to landfill and increase their schools resource recovery – a lesson in the power of the circular economy. 

Holsworthy High School Year 9 student Nicholas Scott recently took part in a waste audit and said it has motivated him to think about how he can have a positive impact on the environment. 

“It’s interesting to see what ends up in the bin at school, there are items in there that wouldn’t be if we all thought more carefully,” Nicholas said.

“It’s made me think about what I’m putting in the bin, both at home and school, and how I could do more to reduce waste.”

EZEC Georges River teacher Grant Oyston said a waste audit is a unique way for students and entire school communities to grow their awareness around waste. 

“We’re encouraging everyone involved to take what they learn outside the school gates and take action in their own lives,” Mr Oyston said.

“We ask students to talk to their parents about what’s in their lunchbox to avoid it ending up in the bin and encourage parents to use alternatives to soft plastics when preparing school lunches.”

The Environment Protection Authority is investing $900,000 to support 17 Sustainability Partners like EZEC to lead projects that help reduce reliance on single-use plastics across NSW. 

For more information on these partnerships, visit https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/working-together/partnerships-with-the-epa

Construction workers, manufacturers and factory operators across a range of industries in NSW can now renew their High Risk Work Licence online, saving them time and money and allowing them to get back to work faster.
 
Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said the more than 5,300 customers who renew a High Risk Work Licence every month could do so electronically via their MyServiceNSW Account on the Service NSW website.
 
“Customers can now log in using their MyServiceNSW Account to renew their licence online. As a result of the new online renewal process, customers will be able to re-use their existing licence photo and not require a new photo every time,” Mr Dominello said.
 
“This initiative will save customers 90 minutes per renewal application by removing the need for in-person lodgement at Australia Post. This could be worth almost 100,000 hours to the economy and save customers a collective $370,000 each month.
 
“By digitising renewals for High Risk Work Licence we are saving workers time and reducing unnecessary and duplicative processes through digital investment.”
 
High Risk Work Licence holders will receive email or SMS notifications advising them they can now renew through this new digital process. 
 
In person renewals are still available as a non-digital option and customers can contact SafeWork NSW on 13 10 50 to obtain a form.
 
A High Risk Work Licence is required to be renewed every five years by SafeWork NSW to operate some machinery, work with scaffolding and undertake rigging. 
 
Customers can also add the Digital High Risk Work Licence to their Service NSW app 
which is available for all current licence holders with a MyServiceNSW account. 
More than 49,000 customers have activated Digital High Risk Work Licences since going live in June 2022.

The NSW Government’s Licensing Program has already provided digital trade licences for more than 40 licence categories with the aim of improving customer service, providing convenience and making compliance with legislation easier.
 
For more information, please visit https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/renew-high-risk-work-licence