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Western Sydney communities are free of a notorious traffic bottleneck with the Albanese and Minns Labor Governments officially opening the upgraded Prospect Highway today.

The $280 million upgrade, funded jointly and delivered by the Australian and New Governments, has transformed the Highway from an undivided single lane road connection into a modern divided highway with up to six lanes.

Prospect Highway is a major roadway that connects Western Sydney motorists with the M4 Motorway, the Great Western Highway, Old Windsor Road and the M2 Motorway.

For the 35,000 vehicles and 5,000 trucks a day that use the route, the highway had become a slow-moving headache as the area’s traffic volume overtook the capacity of the road.

The 3.6 kilometre upgrade provides six lanes between St Martins Crescent and Blacktown Road and four lanes between Blacktown Road and Reservoir Road.

This has resulted in significant travel time savings with previous average travel time of 20 minutes along this section of Prospect Highway now reduced to five minutes.

Due to the increased safety of the divided, wider, smoother road, the speed limit has been raised from 60 km/h to 70 km/h between Reservoir Road and St Martins Crescent.

The upgrade also features:

• Two new bridges over the M4 and Great Western Highway
• New link road between Great Western Highway and Prospect Highway
• Kerb-side bus lane in each direction between Lancelot Street and north of St Martins Crescent
• Multiple upgraded and signalised intersections
• New kiss-and-ride facility at Shelley Public School to keep children safely away from the highway
• New pedestrian underpass
• Upgraded 3.7km shared user path on the western side

Western Sydney is NSW’s fastest growing region and Blacktown is expected to be home to 563,350 people by 2041. This road will make a significant difference to the motorists who use it everyday, supporting jobs and providing better access to opportunities for Sydney’s growing west.

Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said:

“Thanks to these major improvements, about 35,000 motorists and 5,000 heavy vehicles who use this road daily will benefit from reduced congestion, faster travel times and safer journeys.

“This project is a major example of both levels of government working in partnership for the benefit of people in Western Sydney.”

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“Prospect Highway is a vital north-south road in Western Sydney and for too long, it was an outdated two-lane traffic bottleneck.

“This upgrade gets drivers moving again on a safer road, and less time sitting in traffic means more time at home with family and friends.

“For truck drivers, time is money. This upgrade will improve traffic flow for the thousands of trucks that use it every day and boost Western Sydney’s reputation as a place to do business and for families to live.”

Federal Member for McMahon Chris Bowen said:

“Prospect Highway was a road from another era that has struggled to get drivers from this part of Western Sydney to where they need to be.

“This upgrade provides the much-needed lanes that will cut journey times and keep people moving.”

Federal Member for Greenway Michelle Rowland said:

“Prospect Highway is a crucial connector for our community and is used by tens of thousands of motorists each and every day to access both the M2 and the M4.

“Upgrading Prospect Highway was vital for motorists in this area but also a great improvement in safety for vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists through the road and shared path improvements it delivers.

“I’m extremely pleased to have advocated for the funding and delivery of this vital upgrade and look forward to the benefits it will deliver for our community.”

Member for Blacktown Stephen Bali said:

“Prospect Highway had been an essential arterial route since it was first developed out of local roads in the 1980s and the upgrade is much needed.

“It’s been exciting to watch as this project has progressed and I’m sure locals will be as thrilled as me with the improved travel times and reduced congestion now it is complete.”

Member for Prospect Hugh McDermott said:

“This project is about more than motoring – around 2000 jobs have been created across the lifecycle of the project, delivering employment as well as better access for local communities

“Public transport customers will benefit from new bus lanes between Lancelot Street and north of St Martins Crescent while pedestrians and cyclists will enjoy the upgraded shared path on the western side of the highway.”

“Aboriginal businesses including a workforce of 101 Aboriginal people from contractors and construction companies contributed to the success of the project.”

Families and businesses need high speed internet at an affordable price, and the Albanese Government will deliver that as we build Australia’s future.

The Albanese Government will fund the upgrade of Australia’s remaining national fibre-to-the node (FTTN) network through an equity injection of up to $3 billion, with NBN Co contributing more than $800 million to the project.

The Government will deliver this significant milestone while guaranteeing NBN Co will remain in public ownership.

Australians owning NBN Co is the best means of ensuring prices for high speed internet remain affordable for all Australians.

While the Albanese Government will complete the National Broadband Network (NBN) rollout, our political opponents want to strand Australians on ageing copper connections.

Given the opportunity, the Liberal and National parties will also privatise NBN Co. Peter Dutton made this clear when he instructed his Party to vote against Government legislation to keep the NBN Co in public hands in late 2024.

Fast, reliable, affordable internet is an essential building block of any modern economy. Connectivity boosts national productivity, enables innovation, and creates jobs.

Modelling by Accenture suggests the FTTN upgrade program will provide a $10.4 billion cumulative uplift in GDP over the next decade.

The modelling suggests individual households could save more than 100 hours and $2,580 per year in avoided travel time and costs from accessing faster broadband.

The new FTTN upgrades will deliver access to higher internet speeds for around 622,000 additional premises, with the upgrades delivered by 2030.

This landmark investment builds on the Albanese Government’s $2.4 billion outlay for FTTN upgrades.

The Government has provided access to faster and more reliable broadband for 1.5 million premises across Australia, including 660,000 in rural and regional communities.

The upgrades are being delivered on time and budget.

When the upgrade program is complete, more than 94% of premises on the fixed line network – over 11 million homes and businesses – will have access to connections enabling speeds of up to 1 Gbps.

A small proportion of more complex premises will need to undergo further design analysis and may be upgraded through other technology solutions, offering speeds up to 400Mbps.

the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese:

“Keeping Australians connected at an affordable price is a vital national project. Rolling out high speed internet builds Australia’s future.

“Labor built the NBN, just like we built Medicare and superannuation.

“Peter Dutton wants to dismantle it, just like he wants to undermine Medicare and other services Australians rely on.”

Minister for Finance, Katy Gallagher:

“The Albanese Government wants to ensure that every Australian, no matter where they live, has access to the tools and opportunities they need to succeed, including access to the highest quality broadband.

“This funding is necessary and unavoidable to address growing reliability and security issues caused by the opposition’s costly decision to build a sub-standard network reliant on rapidly degrading copper. Removing copper from the FTTN network means we are finally building the NBN that was originally planned.

“Rolling out faster and more reliable internet is a key priority of this government, it’s good for our economy, it’s better for business, and helps to deliver stronger, more connected communities.”

Minister for Communications, Michelle Rowland:

“Fast and reliable broadband is essential infrastructure now, in 2025, and in the long term.

“That’s why we’re committed to working with NBN Co to finish the job of upgrading the network to give thousands more Australians access to world-class broadband speeds.

“This investment will see the final fibre to the node premises reap the benefits of faster broadband coming to 622,000 homes and businesses.

“On top of our previous $2.4 billion investment to support NBN Co’s upgrade program and our promise to keep the NBN in public hands, this announcement shows our commitment to delivering a better NBN for Australians.”

The Minns Labor Government is encouraging students enrolled in healthcare degrees in NSW to apply for up to $12,000 in financial support to assist with their studies.

Minister for Health Ryan Park today announced the next round of applications for the Tertiary Health Study Subsidies Program will open on 14 January 2025.

This year support will be available for up to 850 nursing students, 400 medical students and 150 midwifery students.

The Program is designed to create a future pipeline of health workers by supporting students with fees, technology, travel, or other costs related to their degree.

Subsidies are also available for students of paramedicine, Aboriginal health, dentistry and oral health therapy, and various allied health professions including psychology, pharmacy, dietetics, and nuclear medicine.

Students successful in their application and beginning their degrees will receive subsidies of $4,000 per year over three years. Existing students will receive one-off payments of $8,000 after acceptance of employment for a position within NSW Health.

Students must be willing to make a five-year commitment to working in the NSW public health system. There are a limited number of subsidies available, and applications will remain open until all subsidies are awarded.

The Minns Labor Government is investing $121.9 million over five years in the Tertiary Health Study Subsidy Program.

The full list of eligible workforce groups and locations are available on the NSW Health website.

The subsidies form part of a series of measures introduced by the Minns Labor Government to further strengthen the state’s health workforce, including:

• Implementing the Safe Staffing Levels initiative in our emergency departments
• Providing permanent funding for 1,112 FTE nurses and midwives on an ongoing basis
• Abolishing the wages cap and delivering the highest pay increase in more than a decade for nurses and other health workers
• Beginning to roll out 500 additional paramedics in regional, rural and remote communities.

the Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“More than 3,900 students across NSW have already benefitted from the NSW Government’s $120 million investment in tertiary health study subsidies.

“I am so pleased more students across NSW will continue to benefit from this important initiative, which is helping to ease the financial burden on those starting a career in health.

“Up to 4,000 subsidies are on offer this year for health degrees including nursing, midwifery, medicine, paramedicine, allied health and health science.

“This Program is one of many initiatives the Minns Labor Government is rolling out to boost capacity across the public health system and provide relief to our hardworking frontline healthcare staff.”

Medical Student and Tertiary Health Study Subsidies recipient Aimee Long:

“I already had a taste of healthcare while working as a pharmacist. Medicine felt like the next logical step for me.

“I grew up in country Victoria, so I saw the role the doctors and GP’s play there and how important it is to that community. So, I decided that is something that I wanted to do and give back to small and rural communities like that.

“Receiving the Tertiary Health Study Subsidy allowed me to become part of Australia’s largest health system. Being in medicine is quite an expensive undertaking so it helps me to afford lots of things such as resources, whether or not they’re specific to the uni or external.”

An intensive work program has repaired more than $13.5 million of landslip damage on Lawrence Hargrave Drive and Bulli Pass this year, with work wrapping up this week.

Landslip repairs took place at nine separate sites on the two critical south coast roads, as part of ongoing natural disaster recovery effort jointly funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Transport for NSW targeted five sites on Lawrence Hargrave Drive, including at Scarborough, Stanwell Park, Sea Cliff Bridge, and the M1 southbound off ramp at Helensburgh.

Work included a 12-week program to restore the road and footpath at Scarborough where a section of slope failed near the top of an 82-metre cliff. Work crews used a lightweight material as part of the new road base to reduce pressure on the slope.

Another six-month program on Bulli Pass repaired three landslip sites between the top of the pass and the hairpin bend, with crews operating from work platforms and ropes suspended 10 metres above the ground.

Repairs at a fourth site about one kilometre below the hairpin bend was completed this week.

Almost $30 million worth of landslip repairs have been completed on state roads in southern NSW this year, with Transport for NSW crews and specialist contractors carrying out more than 130,000 work hours across southern NSW.

The landslip damage was caused by a series of natural disaster events that brought record-breaking rainfall – up to six times the average rainfall totals, in some cases.

Transport will continue its focus on repairing damage caused by natural disaster events, with more work in planning stages and some sites due to start early in the new year.

Federal Member for Cunningham Alison Byrnes said:

“Over the past two years the Illawarra faced several severe weather events and record-breaking rainfall – up to six times the average.

“This caused havoc on our local roads and infrastructure, but the Minns and Albanese Labor Government’s Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements saw emergency funding flow to where it was needed to get things back on track.

“Landslip repairs at nine separate sites, on two of our busiest roads over twelve weeks was not an easy task, but absolutely necessary for our residents safety and our regions connectivity.

Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said:

“We understand natural disasters have had a significant impact on travel through these important mountain roads in our state’s transport network and we thank the communities impacted for their patience while these essential repairs were carried out.

“These projects take time, and crews have made significant progress to work through each area and restore the roads to their pre-disaster conditions.”

Member for Heathcote Maryanne Stuart said:

“Intense rainfall has had a devastating impact on these two roads and locals have been waiting along time for these repairs to be completed.

“These are complex sites with challenging working conditions, so I congratulate the crews who have dedicated thousands of hours to these repairs, improving safety for all motorists who drive through this beautiful part of NSW.

“Thank you to the residents for their patience whilst all this essential infrastructure has been completed.”

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to invest in meaningful action to prevent domestic and family violence, today opening expressions of interest for community-led primary prevention initiatives.

Up to $4.25 million in grant funding is on offer to local organisations statewide, including regional and rural, for proposals that address the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence in our community.

Proposals that align with the Pathways to Prevention strategy will be given priority consideration, including gender-based violence prevention programs that:

• Focus on high-impact settings such as schools, workplaces and sporting clubs
• Engage men and boys in prevention initiatives
• Align with the ’Change the Story’ framework, including related frameworks ‘Changing the Picture’, ‘Changing the Landscape’ and ‘Pride in Prevention’
• Support LGBTQIA+ communities through inclusive programming
• Support migrant and refugee communities
• Explore innovative approaches, including the use of digital spaces such as social media.

Successful projects will run over a three-year period.

Following the EOI, eligible organisations will be invited to submit detailed proposals for funding consideration.

The full grant application process for the Primary Prevention Multi-Year Partnership Grants Program will be run in early 2025.

The NSW Government has committed $38 million over four years to roll out the state’s first dedicated primary prevention strategy, to partner with local organisations on addressing the drivers of domestic, family and sexual violence.

For more information and to apply, go to: https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/service-providers/grants/grants-open/nsw-primary-prevention-multi-year-partnerships-grant-program.html

Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison said:

“Violence against women and girls can and must be prevented.

“Our government’s first dedicated primary prevention strategy provides a roadmap of the work we need to do to address the drivers of violence against women and stop the violence before it starts.

“We want to partner with local organisations and the community on programs that disrupt the drivers of gendered violence, promote healthy and respectful relationships, and change attitudes towards women. That will be the key to ending violence against women and girls.”

Support:

If you or someone you know are in immediate danger, call the Police on Triple Zero / 000.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic and family violence, call the NSW Domestic Violence Line on 1800 65 64 63 for free counselling and referrals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

For confidential advice, support, and referrals, contact 1800 RESPECT or 13 YARN on 13 92 76.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and President of Nauru, His Excellency David Waiau Ranibok Adeang MP, today signed the Nauru-Australia Treaty in Canberra.

The Nauru-Australia Treaty builds on the deep foundations of Australia and Nauru’s bilateral relationship, and will help secure Nauru’s long-term economic resilience and security.

Through the treaty, Australia will ensure Nauruans have ongoing access to vital banking services and to the international financial system. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia will provide banking services in Nauru, including a physical presence, following the departure of Bendigo Bank next year.

As Nauru’s largest economic, security and development partner, Australia will also provide the Nauru Government with fiscal certainty to invest in its future. Australia will provide $100 million in budget support over five years, to support Nauru’s long-term investments for the well-being of its people.

Recognising that our security is best assured by working together, under the treaty, Nauru and Australia have committed to mutually agree to any engagement in Nauru’s security, banking and telecommunications sectors, and to consult on any engagement in other critical infrastructure. Nauru has also committed that third party engagement in critical infrastructure will not be used for security purposes.

In recognition of our shared responsibility for security in the Pacific, Australia will provide $40 million over five years to support Nauru’s policing and security, including through support for recruitment, training and infrastructure.

The Nauru-Australia Treaty will enter into force as soon as possible in 2025, following domestic treaty-making processes in both countries.

The Nauru-Australia Treaty and joint leaders’ statement is available on the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website.

Loopholes in federal legislation used by the states to deploy lethal shark nets would be closed and non-lethal shark control measures supercharged in a plan launched today by the Greens.

Greens spokesperson for healthy oceans, Senator Whish-Wilson:

“Shark nets are lethal fisheries devices masquerading as sensible protective barriers for humans, but the truth is they merely give a false sense of security to ocean-goers while indiscriminately killing marine wildlife.

“Decades of data reveals 63%  of all shark bites in NSW have occurred at netted beaches. Meanwhile most marine wildlife captured in our shark nets are threatened or protected species, including whales, dolphins, and turtles.

“The federal government has a legal responsibility to protect endangered marine species, including those killed in shark nets – but shark nets won’t be removed until increased investment is made to keep ocean-goers safe. It’s time the federal government stopped palming this responsibility off to the states.

“That’s why the Greens are pushing the federal government to remove existing exemptions to state-controlled lethal shark net programs that risk federally protected species, and roll out modern-day alternatives to shark nets across Australia that better protect ocean-goers and the environment. These include shark shield personal deterrent devices, shark spotter programs, eco-shark barriers, and increased public education.

“The states can’t be left to roll these out alone when it’s the federal government that has the legal responsibility of protecting endangered marine wildlife.

“It’s possible to protect sharks and other marine wildlife in Australia, and protect the people who share the ocean with them. It’s time to end the culture war on sharks. Safety in our oceans and the protection of vulnerable species aren’t binary options; both are possible and
can be done much more effectively.”

The Greens will:

• Fund $50 million over ten years to supercharge research and development of non-lethal shark control measures that can replace nets and drum lines;
• Fund $5m to establish a National Sharks Working Group across all states that will look at multiple ways to make ocean goers safer.
•  Fund $5m to establish a publicly accessible national database of interactions with shark control measures, critical for research and education/awareness programs.
• End Federal exemptions used by the states for lethal shark control measures
• Have the ACCC investigate all existing shark mitigation technologies for efficacy and establish national advertising and product promotion standards;

More fatbergs have been discovered on Sydney beaches, this time at Kurnell, with no signs that the Environment Protection Authority is any closer to discovering the source of the human waste that is contaminating Botany Bay. The EPA has ruled out the Bondi and Malabar wastewater treatment plants as potential sources for the sewerage leaks, raising concerns that an unknown source of human waste is leaking continuously into the environment in a location with high use by the human population.

Greens MP and spokesperson for the Environment Sue Higginson said “At this stage, the EPA can’t explain the source of the human waste causing the fatbergs, and it can’t assure the public that Sydney’s beaches are safe to use because of it. If our waste system is leaking sewage into the environment and onto our beaches, this should be a priority issue to resolve,”

“A few years ago, Sydney was losing close to 10% of its water supplies to the aged and cracked pipes that deliver the water around our city. This spate of human waste being washed up on beaches seems to be a red flag that we could be losing significant quantities of waste water too, and we don’t even know about it,”

“As the Summer holidays approach and families prepare to be at the beaches, we need to know if human waste is leaking into our waterways and the EPA is responsible for communicating that clearly to the public,”

“It is not clear to me that the EPA has acted with clarity around this issue. From the initial reports that this sewage byproduct was tarballs, and now having no clearer advice to the public than ‘watch out and report’, what is clear is that the EPA and Government are clearly not in control of environmental pollution and regulation in this State,” Ms Higginson said.

An agreement between the Australian and NSW governments will see $160 million flow to NSW communities in the Murray-Darling Basin to create jobs and boost local economies.

NSW is the first state to access the Australian Government’s record $300 million Sustainable Communities Program, helping the NSW Government work directly with Basin communities affected by voluntary water purchase.

The NSW Government will coordinate the $160 million in funding with local communities across the state.

Investments aim to retain and create new jobs, establish new industries, support existing industry to diversify, and stimulate economic development that is informed by, and supported by, local communities.

The NSW Government will continue consulting widely with Basin communities to understand their priorities and the investments needed to strengthen the economies exposed to water recovery measures.

The first phase of targeted funding for projects across nine eligible Local Government Areas (LGAs) is expected to start by June 2025.

Priority will be given to shovel-ready projects and broadly supported investments that will provide economic development and diversification.

Under the agreement, the NSW Government will also receive an additional $16 million to support consultation with communities to deliver the program.

The Australian Government is working to recover 450 gigalitres of water to the Basin including through voluntary water purchase and $494 million worth of water saving infrastructure projects.

In NSW, the $62 million Murrumbidgee Irrigation Urban Channel Pipelines Project has already received full approval and negotiations to fund three other projects are underway.

Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek:

“The Albanese Labor Government is delivering the Murray-Darling Basin Plan in full in a way that supports the environment, communities and jobs – including in NSW.

“We’re providing a record $300 million package to mitigate any water recovery impacts and invest in Basin communities for the long-term.

“NSW is the first state to sign on to deliver the program that puts communities at the heart of deciding their own future.

“I commend Minister Moriarty for getting on with the job and putting her communities’ interests first.

“The NSW Government is rolling out this important program promptly, allowing early and comprehensive consultation, with any quick-win projects able to start delivering outcomes for communities on the ground.

“Our Government continues to explore and prioritise all viable water recovery options to lessen the impact on communities and the irrigation sector.”

Minister for Regional NSW, Tara Moriarty:

“This agreement allows the NSW Government to invest in economic development to mitigate some of the socioeconomic impacts of the Federal Government’s Murray-Darling Basin water buybacks.

“While our Government does not support water buybacks, we will not miss an opportunity to invest in regional communities and better their economic wellbeing.

“The NSW Government has been clear that the Murray-Darling Basin Plan delivery must be done in a way that has limited impact on local jobs and households and allows regional communities to prosper.

“We know that a one-size fits all approach will not work for distributing funding. Investments will be targeted and outcome focused to meet the unique circumstances and needs of individual Basin communities.”

Nine eligible Southern Murray-Darling Basic LGAs

Carrathool, Murrumbidgee, Balranald, Hay, Griffith, Leeton, Berrigan, Murray River, Edward River.

The remediation of the former BHP land in Kooragang Island has been completed, creating a stunning new environmental and economic asset for Newcastle and the Hunter Region.

Over more than a decade, the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation (HCCDC) and its partners have transformed the 65-hectare former industrial landfill site into safe and usable land with enormous potential.

Plans are underway to create a clean energy precinct on the site that would position Newcastle as a leader in producing, storing and exporting clean energy materials such as hydrogen and green ammonia.

The site is also delivering major ecological benefits, including restoring an internationally significant wetland ecosystem that provides an ideal habitat for the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog.

This milestone marks the final stage of HCCDC’s broader remediation project which has covered 217 ha of former BHP lands, including the nearby Mayfield Steelworks site.

Responsibility of the Kooragang Island site has now been handed to Port of Newcastle.

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe:

“This fragile ecosystem and its threatened wildlife habitats were considered at every stage of the remediation, and the Hunter and Central Coast Development Corporation went above and beyond to not just protect the environment but improve and safeguard it for the future.

“Protecting the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog is a great example of going the extra mile. The Corporation worked with University of Newcastle to create a protective exclusion fence and a series of refuge ponds to keep the frogs safe around the project perimeter.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“This is a major milestone in the continuing evolution of Newcastle’s modern, diverse and vibrant regional economy.

“Remediating the Kooragang Island site has not only mitigated an environmental hazard, but it has transformed once unusable lands into valuable assets ready to deliver economic revitalisation and community development.

“I can’t overstate the scale of this project; when combined with the Mayfield site, HCCDC has remediated contaminated space the size of 290 football fields.”

Minister for the Hunter Yasmin Catley:

“The Hunter boasts a proud and unparalleled industrial legacy – we’ve powered our state for decades and it’s a tradition the Labor Government is committed to upholding.

“We aren’t going to sit back and watch on as the land goes unused; we’re stepping in to turn it into something that will create good jobs for the community.

“After long and considered discussions, today’s milestone is an important step forward for our region and one I’m excited to be involved in.”

HCCDC Chief Executive Valentina Misevska said:

“Remediating the former BHP lands at Kooragang Island and Mayfield was an enormous undertaking and is testament to HCCDC’s leadership and commitment to sustainable development.

“Finishing work at Kooragang Island marks the final stage of a larger project that we have been involved with for 20 years.

“The team, along with a dedicated group of local and national experts, demonstrated adaptability and innovation throughout the project, such as constructing the world’s deepest underground barrier wall at the Mayfield site to turn these contaminated sites into economic assets.”