A motorcyclist has died and two others were injured following a crash in Cessnock on the Hunter Expressway today.

Emergency services were called to a location just past Hart Road at Loxford, about 9.15am (Friday 23 February 2024), after reports three motorcyclists traveling northbound had crashed.

One of the riders died at the scene. He has not been formally identified.

Two other riders, also males, were injured and treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being transported by road to John Hunter Hospital.

Their injuries are not considered life-threatening.

A crime scene has been established to determine the circumstances behind the crash.

A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.

Traffic diversions are in place and motorists are urged to check www.livetraffic.com for the latest information.

The NSW Opposition is calling out yet another example of transport policy by press release by the Minns Government.
 
Following the release of the four-month late Bus Taskforce report, the Government has not committed any new funding to meet the recommendations of its own Taskforce.
 
This follows the announcement of first report of the Taskforce which also did not include any additional funding for bus services. 
 
The report specifically requests the NSW Government to fund over $5 billion worth of recurrent and capital spending in the short term, yet the in the Minister’s press release there is no mention of additional funding.
 
The only number the Government is proud of in this report is the 204 pages length. Considering the contracts taxpayers are paying for the Chair of the Taskforce are worth in excess of $700,000 for the report, this means taxpayers are spending $3,500 per page of what is essentially another Government press release.
    
Shadow Minister for Transport Natalie Ward commented “To improve Transport services you actually need to invest, not pay your mate to do a review and then ignore it.”
 
“This Taskforce has been running Since May last year, so far the Chair is getting paid a ransom, while commuters are still waiting at the bus stop.”  
 
“It is pretty embarrassing for a Government to commission a signature taskforce with obscene salaries, be delivered the report and then not allocate money to meet the recommendations.”

The cost of popular SUVs, utes and 4WDs will be forced up by thousands of dollars from next year to help the Albanese Government subsidise the price of individuals buying electric vehicles, according to car industry research released at the weekend.

Industry analysis of Energy Minister Chris Bowen’s proposed New Vehicle Efficiency Standard predicts the cost of some popular models such as the Toyota Landcruiser could rise as much as $25,000.

“During a cost-of-living crisis, the last thing people want to hear is that the price of a new family car or a new ute for a tradie is going to be forced up to subsidise EVs,” Senator McKenzie said.

“If you’re a tradie and you’re buying vehicles such as a BT-50 or a D-Max or a HiLux or a Ranger, the Albanese Government’s family car tax is going to drive up the cost of purchasing that vehicle.”

Australia’s top three best-selling vehicles in 2023 were utes, with each facing a carbon penalty of up to $17,950 for the Ford Ranger, $14,490 for the Toyota Hi-lux and $13,830 for the Isuzu D-Max respectively by 2029.

According to the analysis by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries many hybrid vehicles will exceed Labor’s carbon targets, and be forced to pay or offset penalties, including the popular Toyota RAV4 which will face up to $4,890 in penalties by 2029.

Senator McKenzie said the cars that the penalty would apply to are the most popular family cars seen during school pick-up and drop offs or at sporting events at the weekend.

“The proposed Vehicle Efficiency Standard is a direct hit on popular models that Australians love to drive,” Senator McKenzie said.

“Everyone wants to see cleaner, more efficient cars and utes as we do our bit toward reducing emissions by 2050, but the trajectory under Mr Bowen’s preferred plan will put so many cars out of reach of family budgets.”

Labor claims the new Vehicle Efficiency Standard will result in lower running costs for new cars – but not if families can’t afford to buy them.

“Families are already struggling under Labor’s cost of living crisis and the last thing they need is yet another expense on top of spiralling energy costs, increases to mortgages and skyrocketing grocery bills” said Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy Ted O’Brien.

“As for Chris Bowen claiming this tax is a cost-of-living measure, it’s yet another Labor lie.

“Slapping thousands of dollars on to the purchase price of the most popular family vehicles only makes life harder for middle Australia.

“Chris Bowen is the dodgiest car salesman in Australia. This is the same Minister who promised a $275 reduction in your power bills – which have now risen $1000 – and now he’s promising cheaper cars when the industry is forecasting price hikes of up to $25,000.

“A cleaner and more efficient transport fleet is an important part of reducing emissions, but Labor’s proposal fails to get the balance right between price, consumer choice and emissions – and it will be everyday Aussie families wearing the costs” Mr O’Brien said.

By making new cars more expensive to buy, Labor will force many families to keep their current car for longer, or choose a second-hand car, resulting in an older and less efficient national fleet.

The Albanese Labor Government continues to shroud the future of the aged care sector in secrecy as more than two months have passed since the Government received their sustainability report.

Senate Estimates confirmed that the final report from their Aged Care Sustainability Taskforce was completed and provided to the Government before Christmas. However, despite being months behind on their deadline, Labor continues hiding the report from the Australian public.

The level of secrecy around the outcome of the Taskforce is astounding, with even the Government’s own acting Inspector General of Aged Care revealing that he has not received a briefing on the report despite requesting one.

Labor’s continued refusal to be transparent with the report has reaffirmed suspicions that it is concealing plans for financing the aged care sector until after the Dunkley by-election.

This deliberate delay creates additional stress for providers, who already have to grapple with serious financial pressures caused by an unaddressed workforce shortfall.

Over the last quarter, we have only seen an additional 44 nurses enter the aged care workforce, which means almost 6,000 additional nurses are needed before October 2024 to implement new mandated staffing requirements.

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston, said that the Coalition understands the pressures aged care provider face under Labor.

“Estimates revealed that 30% of aged care providers are already failing to meet current care requirements, and we are seriously concerned that this will only get worse from October as the Government continues to sit on their hands.

“The fact that Labor has not managed to reduce the staffing shortfall by even 1% shows critical failings in their approach to the current challenges.

“The last thing that aged care providers need when they are trying to care for our older Australians is for the Government to inflict even greater uncertainty on them regarding their future financing and sustainability,” Shadow Minister Ruston said.

The Coalition is calling on the Albanese Labor Government to be transparent about their plans for the aged care sector by releasing the Taskforce’s report. Otherwise, we are left to ask – What are they hiding?

A bold new blueprint that will deliver the biggest improvements to NSW bus services in a generation has been outlined in the Bus Industry Taskforce’s second report released today.

The Taskforce, established in May 2023 and chaired by John Lee, has handed down further recommendations to deliver better bus services, improving reliability and equity across the state.

The Second Report outlines a plan to fix the deterioration of bus services that carry 40 per cent of all public transport passengers but receive only 2 per cent of capital expenditure in transport.

This includes:

• Immediately addressing more than a decade of neglect of investment in school and local bus services and additional frequent and local services to areas with no or very poor service levels
• Providing a long-term vision for rapid bus services to be rolled out on key Sydney corridors.
• Calling out the continued challenges with bus drivers and operational staff to ensure the growth can be matched with appropriately trained and available workforce.
• A renewed focus within Transport for NSW on better asset management, risk management and safety outcomes, and,
• A practical plan for the roll out of electric and zero emission buses
  The report notes expected population growth has not been catered for in funding for new bus services, leaving growing communities disconnected from essential services.

The 204-page report calls for modern, fit for purpose bus contracts in the regions. The outdated contract model has meant bus services in rural and regional NSW have not been given the same degree of attention as services in Sydney.

Local Government also plays a critical role in how bus services are delivered which can be improved by identifying funding options and streamlining delegations to speed up decisions that improve local roads and footpaths for bus users, pedestrians, and cyclists.

The report makes clear more work needs to be done to better plan and manage essential transport infrastructure, including depots, facilities, bus stops and supporting technology.

The Taskforce has consulted extensively with the community and stakeholders in developing the report, with the Parliamentary Secretary hosting bus passenger forums around the state, forums with councils and industry and around 8,000 submissions received to date.

The NSW Government has asked Transport for NSW to put plans in place for how to best move forward with the recommendations, including:

• Transport for NSW is developing a proposal for a State-wide Medium Term Bus Plan, short-term improvements to local services to catch up to population growth.
• Exploring changes to the roll out of Zero Emissions Buses including looking at options for more ZEBs and supporting infrastructure in Western Sydney. Improvements to rural and regional contracting to be in place by 2026 with a detailed plan outlined in the Final Report.
• Working closer with councils and across government to look at strengthening the ability of Councils to enhance public transport infrastructure on local roads.
• Reviewing aspects of Bus Operator Accreditation Scheme and replace out of date guidelines with a risk-based approach for better safety outcomes.
• Work is already underway to address some of these issues and recommendations handed down in the First Report, including technology enhancements to help eliminate ‘ghost buses’ appearing on planning apps and more transparent service performance data provided to customers.

Howard Collins has already been appointed as the Coordinator General, reporting directly to the Secretary of Transport for NSW, centralising responsibility for bus operations within one area.

Safety of bus services remains a top priority of the Taskforce, with a multi-year campaign to promote seatbelt use on buses already underway.

Work is also continuing on options for safety improvements for standing passengers on buses, including consideration of whether an 80km/h rule for dedicated school bus services could be rolled out to all services.

Bus driver recruitment initiatives continue, with a recent recruitment campaign lifting Bus Driver Authority applications by nine per cent over two months, and free Opal cards for drivers set to be rolled out.

The Taskforce will provide the NSW Government with its Final Report and recommendations by 1 May 2024.

Read the Bus Taskforce Second Report

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said:

“The Second Bus Taskforce report will deliver the biggest improvement to bus services that NSW has seen in a generation.”

“For too long bus services have been the forgotten mode of Transport in NSW. They carry more than 40 per cent of passengers but are lucky to get more than 2 per cent of capital investment. This must change. Tens of thousands of passengers rely on the bus network and we need to do better.”

“Too many growing communities were neglected because the former government had no plan for what their future bus services would look like.  We now have plan to make sure those communities get the bus services they need.”

Transport for NSW Coordinator-General Howard Collins said:

“We know the community is calling for better bus services and I would like to thank the Bus Industry Taskforce for their work in producing this latest detailed report.”

“We recognise the important role of buses in our integrated transport system. Investing in buses means less traffic congestion on the road, less pollution in the air, greater accessibility for the community, and more jobs in the industry.”

“We are focused on delivering a medium-term bus plan that sets us up for success, and gives clear, equitable improvements to services across NSW communities.”

“Transport will continue to work with operators, drivers, unions and the wider community as key changes are implemented. We believe we can deliver immediate improvements then build on the findings of these reports for many years to come.”

Chair of the Bus Industry Taskforce John Lee said:

“The lack of investment in bus services or the forgotten mode of public transport is shameful.”

“Buses are the largest public transport mode in the State and it needs well thought through plans to be implemented to fix this neglect.”

“We have recommended a strong, detailed and scalable plan for the Government to consider.”

“That means more money for services, bus stops, road priority and smart people delivering the plan.”

A $32 million NSW Government project to build new overtaking lanes on the Mitchell Highway between Dubbo and Narromine has been completed.

The three new overtaking lanes along the 36-kilometre stretch of the Mitchell Highway will provide a safer journey and reduce travel times.

As part of the project, significant intersection upgrades have been made at Wynsley Lane and Lagoon Creek, allowing motorists to turn on and off the highway more safely.

The Government took the opportunity to support the Dubbo, Narromine and Gilgandra communities by:

• employing Transport for NSW crews and contractors who were predominately based in the region and by
• repurposing surplus construction materials for the Narromine-Dubbo Rifle Club for a new wheelchair-accessible shooter’s platform, shouting mounds and all-weather road for year-round club access.

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“The Mitchell Highway is an important freight and tourism route. It’s great to see the NSW Labor Government is investing in regions like Dubbo, Narromine and Gilgandra.

“On a recent visit to Narromine I could see why motorists are so excited about these new overtaking lanes that have slashed travel times, increased safety and allowed for a smoother journey. 

“The NSW Labor Government thanks all the workers and crews who spent two years making this project a reality for the more than 5000 motorists who use this road daily.”

Dubbo Duty MLC Stephen Lawrence said:

“Covid and 68 days of bad weather caused delays to this project but despite the challenges from the pandemic and mother nature, this project was completed on time and on budget.

“Congratulations to everyone involved and thank you for your commitment to better roads in regional NSW.”

A woman missing from Waratah has been located safe and well after police issued an SMS geo-targeting alert.

The 79-year-old was last seen at Waratah about 2pm today (Saturday 17 February 2024).

Officers attached to Newcastle City Police District were notified a short time later when she was unable to be located.

Police subsequently issued a public appeal for information as well as an SMS geo-targeting alert to the Waratah area.

About 4.50pm, the woman was located by a member of the public who received the alert and subsequently contacted police.

Police would like to thank the public and media for their assistance.

The RBA’s belated acknowledgement of corporate price gouging under the cover of inflation should prompt the Labor Government to introduce a super profits tax, the Greens say.

“We welcome Governor Michele Bullock’s recognition of what has been painfully clear to Australians for a long time now – corporations are gouging consumers,” Greens Economic Justice Spokesperson Senator Nick McKim said.

“For too long, corporations, particularly those with little or no competition, have used the excuse of inflation to jack up their prices and boost their own bottom lines.”

“This is disgraceful behaviour and it needs to stop.”

“Labor needs to stop running interference for its corporate mates, introduce a super profits tax and use the revenue  to pay for genuine cost of living relief like putting dental and mental health into Medicare.”

It is alarming to see the unemployment rate rise to 4.1 per cent today, the worst result in two years and an indication the Albanese Government needs to get serious about jobs.

The January Labour Force figures released today show there are 581,000 Australians without a job in the middle of a cost of living crisis. That’s 5200 more unemployed Australians than in the previous month.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said: “Australians are paying the price for a government that’s been asleep at the wheel when it comes to economic management.

“Jobs have been all that have kept people afloat during Labor’s cost of living crisis. And now, Labor’s policies to increase to the cost of everything is coming home to roost.

“This is a government that thinks it can spin and spend its way out of a cost of living crisis. But Australians have been left to pay the price.

“After spending $450 million on their failed referendum and adding $209 billion of extra spending, the government will now spend $40 million to try and justify their broken promise on stage three tax cuts.

“This is a consequence of a government without a proper economic plan.”

Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator Michaelia Cash said: “The problem we have is that the Albanese Government keeps making decisions that do nothing to help create jobs.”

“Business has been very clear in their view that Labor’s radical industrial relations agenda, the latest of which was rammed through the Parliament last week, will mean fewer jobs and higher costs for all Australians,’’ Senator Cash said.

“The latest industrial relations changes allow union officials to enter any workplace without notice, replace the current clear law on who is a casual with three pages and fifteen factors, and a range of other measures that will be detrimental to the economy, productivity and jobs,’’ she said.

“Labor has put industry and employers in an unworkable position. Rather than respond to stakeholder feedback, Labor has instead chosen to pursue nonsensical changes as part of a union agenda and alliance with the Greens,’’ Senator Cash said.

Labor’s latest legislation is estimated to see prices for food delivery or rideshare services increase by up to 35%

“This Government just keeps putting the job creators of this nation under pressure with their complex and costly workplace laws and will end up sending some small businesses to breaking point,’’ Senator Cash said.

NSW Health has established a new taskforce to inform and guide the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the public health system.

The taskforce, whose membership comprises of senior leaders and subject matter experts from across NSW Health, held its first meeting on Thursday. 

Several AI initiatives are already in place throughout NSW Health, including integrated electronic medical records, wound care management, data engineering for complex data analysis, coding automation support, and storeroom stocking and detailing.

The taskforce will play an important role in overseeing the creation of an AI Framework that ensures the safe and successful use of AI within NSW Health.

The framework will aim to embrace the potential of AI to have a significant impact on healthcare and drive transformative change in how we provide and manage healthcare and in further accelerating many aspects of clinical research.

It will also balance the opportunities and benefits presented by AI with consideration and management of potential risks around safety, ethics, privacy, security, and regulation.

The creation of the taskforce will build on the work of the Department of Customer Service, translating the whole of government approach into the healthcare context, as well as aligning with Australian Governments interim response to the Safe and Responsible AI consultation.

NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“NSW Health is demonstrating its innovative approach by establishing a taskforce to drive this change safely and effectively for patients and clinicians.

“Establishing a framework for NSW Health around AI is an important step towards meeting the future needs of our patients, community and workforce.

“The framework will enable us to look for more innovative ways to complement and support the capabilities of our highly skilled workforce, while addressing the risks and challenges that come with the use of AI in health.”