16 News

Teachers, nurses, police, single parents and older singles will be helped to realise their dream of home ownership under a $780.4 million investment in a shared equity scheme to be trialled by the NSW Government.
 
Premier Dominic Perrottet said under the scheme, the NSW Government would contribute an equity share up to 40 per cent for a new property or up to 30 per cent for an existing property purchased by eligible buyers.
 
“One of the Government’s priorities is to make home ownership a reality for more people across our State and allow people to live closer to where they want to work, live and raise a family,” Mr Perrottet said.
 
“This Budget continues our focus on significant and important reform to create a brighter future for NSW families.
 
“We are continuing to invest in our people to transform our State as we embark on delivering what matters to make daily life better for people across our State.”
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said many older singles struggled to find secure housing, with the number of women aged over 55 among the fastest growing cohort of homeless people in the nation.
 
“Housing security is the bedrock of financial security,” Mr Kean said.
 
“A safe and secure home is fundamental to allow people to earn an income, care for their loved ones and pursue their own interests and aspirations.”
 
Minister for Homes Anthony Roberts said this scheme would not only help participants overcome the deposit barrier to home ownership, but reduce the size of their mortgage and its repayments.
 
“This scheme forms part of a broader housing package of $2.8 billion,” Mr Roberts said.
 
“It marks another step in the Government’s plan to ensure that every person in NSW has a place to call home.”
 
Under the NSW Government’s shared equity trial:

• Up to 3,000 spots will be available each year for two financial years;
• Key worker first home buyers who are nurses, teachers or police – as well as older singles over 50 and single parents with a child or children under 18 years old can apply;
• Participants must have a maximum gross income of $90,000 for singles and $120,000 for couples;
• Participants must have a minimum deposit of 2 per cent of the purchase price;
• The Government will take a maximum equity contribution of 40 per cent for a new home and 30 per cent for an established home, and
• The maximum value of the property that can be purchased under the scheme is $950,000 in Sydney and regional centres including the Central Coast, Illawarra, Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and the North Coast of NSW, and $600,000 in other parts of NSW.

The scheme is planned to begin in January 2023.

For more information visit https://nsw.gov.au/shared-equity-scheme

Women in small business will have access to free TAFE courses and professional advice thanks to $15 million over the next four years in the 2022-23 NSW Budget.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said more than 95 per cent of businesses in NSW were small businesses, however only a third of these businesses are run by women.
 
“Many people dream of owning their own business, however we know that cultural and structural barriers like access to professional networks and capital can hold women back from taking the leap,” Mr Kean said.
 
“The NSW Budget is focused on giving women more opportunities for their future. That’s why we’re investing $15 million to help women translate their business ideas into reality.”
 
The 2022-23 NSW Budget will invest in the following programs over four years:

• $3.5 million to provide fee-free TAFE NSW Women in Business courses
• $2.0 million in grants to industry associations and chambers of commerce to run professional networking programs for women in small business
• $5.0 million to expand the Business Connect program to provide dedicated services to women-led small business
• $4.5 million for the Service NSW for Business program to provide targeted support for women-led small businesses.
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  Minister for Women Bronnie Taylor said this investment is another fantastic example of the NSW Government supporting women-led small businesses.
   
  “From Ballina to Braidwood and everywhere in between, this package empowers women to start and grow their businesses, because we know when women succeed, NSW succeeds,” Mrs Taylor said.
   
  Minister for Skills and Training Alister Henskens said the fee-free TAFE courses will give women in small business access to a wide range of online learning topics and webinars, which can be studied anywhere, any time.
   
  “The Women in Business TAFE program will provide women in every corner of NSW with access to fee-free online training on how to start or build a business,” Mr Henskens said. 
   
  “More than 15,000 women have already benefited from the program, and this investment will help support a pipeline of female-led start-ups to boost their budget and grow the economy.”
   
  Minister for Small Business Eleni Petinos said the Business Connect program will be expanded to provide dedicated services to women-led small businesses.
   
  “Since 2017, Business Connect has already helped more than 44,000 small businesses by providing them with personalised and tailored support to help them to start, adapt and grow their operations,” Ms Petinos said.
   
  “We’re expanding this program by providing a further $5 million over the next four years to women-led small businesses to upskill these leaders with the tools they want, whether it be marketing, social media, business planning, and digital literacy.”
   
  Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Victor Dominello said the Service NSW for Business program will provide targeted support for women-led small businesses.
   
  “The Budget is expanding the Service for Business program to provide further funding to female-run small businesses to make their business journey easier. This includes access to our Business Concierges, Online Information Hub and Business Profile Digital Platform,” Mr Dominello said.

Balancing work and life for families will become easier thanks to a $37.9 million investment in before and after school care services announced in the 2022-23 NSW Budget.
 
The NSW Government is investing $16.2 million in transport grants to connect students to a service if one is not available nearby. The government will also ensure there are viable before and after school care options for families in areas with no current services through a $20.2 million package.
 
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said accessing before and after school care services in regional NSW was crucial for parents juggling work and family commitments.
 
“Gone are the days of the 9 to 5, so this funding will be crucial to ensure parents in regional communities have access to more flexible childcare services,” Mr Toole said.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said this funding will support both parents balance work and family.
 
“We know that working families are impacted by a lack of before and after school care services, and that this often has a flow-on impact to parents participating in the workplace,” Mr Kean said.
 
“That’s why investments like these are so important to give parents more flexibility in their day.”
 
Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said this investment will support the NSW Government’s commitment to ensure that all parents with public primary school students have access to before and after school care if they need it.
 
“Great before and after school care services deliver an essential service to communities and young children, providing a safe place to play and socialize,” Ms Mitchell said.
 
“This funding is in addition to the existing $235 million commitment to help support and grow the before and after school care sector to improve access and affordability for NSW families.”
 
The BASC package includes:

• More than $20 million to expand BASC provision in regional schools
• More than $16 million for grants to improve transport services to BASC services

A former NSW pharmacist has been sentenced to more than six years’ imprisonment for his role in conspiring to defraud taxpayers more than $19 million through falsely claiming benefits under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

The former pharmacist was sentenced before the Sydney Downing Centre District Court (17 June 2022) to six years and four months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of four years. In April 2021 a jury found the man guilty of conspiring to defraud the Commonwealth. He had been remanded in custody since that time.

The sentencing outcome shows the serious consequences of attempts by trusted health providers to defraud taxpayers.

This is the culmination of the strong collaboration between the Department of Health, the Australian Federal Police and the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, using information received via the Department’s tip-off hotline.

The Department of Health takes allegations of fraud and non-compliance by health providers very seriously.

We recognise that the overwhelming majority of health providers are aware of and comply with their obligations to claim benefits honestly and correctly.

The Department has a strong health provider compliance program that protects the integrity of Australia’s health payments system through the prevention, identification and treatment of incorrect claiming and fraud.

Anyone with information about suspected non-compliance or fraud of Government health payments by health providers can make a report via the “Reporting Fraud” page on the Department of Health’s website at www.health.gov.au/fraud-tip-offs or by calling the Provider Benefits Integrity Hotline on 1800 314 808.