Category: NSW News

The Minns Labor Government is cutting red tape in the planning system today, announcing significant reform to fast-track the delivery of new and upgraded public schools and health facilities by up to eight months.

For too long, upgrades to essential public infrastructure have been hampered by the current planning process, which can take between 12 and 18 months.

Today, the Minns Labor Government has made changes to the Transport and Infrastructure State Environmental Planning Policy (T&I SEPP), which will allow the Department of Education (DOE) and the NSW Ministry of Health to streamline approvals for essential infrastructure works.

The changes allow NSW Health and the NSW Department of Education to deliver new Government infrastructure projects without needing to lodge a development application with the local council or Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure.

In some cases, this is expected to cut between six to eight months from a 12 to 18-month planning process, from preparation of the application to determination.

For health infrastructure, NSW Health will be able to assessalterations and additions to existing facilities, such as a new hospital wing or specialised care facility up to a gross floor area of 30,000m2.

The development of new public schools, including preschools, additions to existing public schools and buildings up to four storeys in height will be allowed without a development application.

It also removes the administrative burden placed on local councils associated with managing the lodgement, exhibition, collating of public submissions and assessment of large planning documents.  

Thorough assessments of the environmental impact of projects will still need to be conducted by the Department of Education and NSW Health, along with consultation with communities, councils and other stakeholders before construction can begin.

Non-government schools will be able to access the exempt and complying development pathways, which include additional provisions for the development of teaching facilities within existing or approved schools. For example, under the previous development permitted without consent provisions, non-government schools could only develop a library or classroom that is not more than 2 storeys.

Under the complying development pathway, non-government schools will be able to build such facilities up to a maximum height of 4 storeys, so long as the development complies with certain development standards.

The NSW Government has also made additional development permissible for non-government schools under the complying development pathway, including the development of pre-schools of 50 or more children, demolition of buildings that are not heritage listed and multi-storey car parks.

The reform will make it easier to deliver new schools and school upgrades up to four storeys, or in line with local planning controls, and new and upgraded health facilities. The Minns Labor Government will deliver this essential infrastructure where it is needed most, supporting more homes being delivered across the state.

This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s comprehensive plan to build a better NSW. Our Government is focused on delivering the essential services the people of our state need, to improve the lives of the people now and into the future, and we build a better NSW for all.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“All children deserve access to high-quality schools in their local area, and the Minns Labor Government is determined to deliver for the families of NSW.

“We are cutting red tape in the planning system so we can continue to deliver for the working families of NSW.

“After making a record investment in public education, we are focused on clearing a backlog of school infrastructure backlog works left after ten years of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals.”

Minister for Health and Regional Health Ryan Park said:

“These reforms go a long way to ensuring that growing communities receive the new health infrastructure that they need and deserve.

“If we can reduce the wait times on these critical projects, that is a great thing for patients and communities.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“These changes to the planning system will significantly speed up the delivery of essential school and health infrastructure in our state.

“As we ramp up the delivery of housing in the state, it’s key that we streamline the delivery of the schools and health facilities our communities rely on.

“Cutting red tape strangling our planning system can only help our community.”

The Minns Labor Government has passed legislation to extend the payroll tax rebate for GPs available under the $189 million Bulk-Billing Support Initiative to services billed to veterans with a Gold, White or Orange DVA card.

This means that clinics which specialise in the treatment of veterans are more likely to be able to access the rebate.  It will keep their costs down and allow them to continue to offer important primary care services to veterans.

The Bulk-Billing Support Initiative was introduced in the 2024-25 NSW Budget to protect bulk-billing for people needing a GP and reduce the strain on our emergency departments.

Under the initiative, the NSW Government waived $104m of historical payroll tax liabilities, which began accruing for contractor GPs under the previous Liberal-National Government. It also established an ongoing payroll tax rebate for GP clinics in metropolitan Sydney which bulk-bill at least 80% of their patient services (70% outside of metropolitan Sydney). 

The expansion of the Bulk-Billing Support Initiative means that services billed to veterans will count towards the threshold needed to benefit from the payroll tax rebate. It will apply retrospectively to 4 September 2024, when the initiative commenced.

The NSW Government consulted extensively with peak bodies, clinics and agents throughout the design and implementation process of the initiative.

This included legislating a 12-month pause on payroll tax audits for GP practices in September 2023 to allow time for engagement with the sector, and the establishment of a Revenue NSW-led working group to create a practice note to assist clinics, their accountants and legal advisors.

While the issue of veterans’ services was never raised during the consultation, the Minns Labor Government has responded quickly to strengthen the initiative following consultation with RSL NSW.

Recent Medicare data showed that an additional 1.8 million GP visits in NSW were bulk-billed in the year to October 2024. This resulted in a 1.3-point increase of the overall bulk-billing rate in NSW to 81.9%, the highest in Australia.

Extending the Bulk-Billing Support Initiative and will boost its effectiveness to provide cost-of-living support for patients and certainty for GPs and clinics.

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“We know how difficult it can be to access a GP, and when people can’t afford one, they often end up in the emergency department, placing more pressure on our busy hospitals.

“By making GPs more affordable, we can save our busy EDs for emergencies.

“I am so pleased that we are expanding this crucial initiative to veterans.”

Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos:

“Having already legislated the removal of historical payroll tax liabilities, these changes will further strengthen the Bulk-Billing Support Initiative.

“This will reduce cost pressures on clinics which are providing important medical care to our service men and women and give veterans greater access to affordable healthcare.

“The Bulk-Billing Support Initiative is the first time the state government has made a strategic investment to support bulk-billing, highlighting the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to relieving cost-of-living pressures.”

Minister for Veterans David Harris:

“The Bulk-Billing Support Initiative is a win-win that makes medical care more affordable and accessible for our brave service men and women while easing cost-pressures on our medical care providers.

“In a time when people are really doing it tough making ends meet, I am proud to be part of a Minns Labor Government committed to helping those that serve our nation.”

Central Coast residents will have recently seen traffic surveys being carried out along the Pacific Highway and Manns Road corridor as part of planning work for the Gosford Bypass.

The NSW Government has invested $40 million towards planning and development of a proposed major upgrade on this corridor, which carries up to 30,000 vehicles each day from the Ourimbah Interchange through to the Central Coast Highway.

Work on the bypass route has been completed from Ourimbah to Parsons Road at Lisarow in the north, and in the south from the Central Coast Highway at West Gosford to Stockyard Place.

Transport for NSW is progressing the development of the remaining 7.2km of the corridor to deliver shorter-term improvements such as new and upgraded footpaths and shared pathways and access to bus stops, while also confirming a longer-term strategy for future major upgrades.

Delivery of any upgrades for the Gosford Bypass, including any property acquisition, will depend on gaining project and funding approvals.

To keep up to date with the project, visit
https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/gosford-bypass

Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said:

“The NSW Government is keen to get moving on this final section of the Gosford Bypass, which is why we allocated $40 million in the State Budget to cover planning and development.

“The people of the Central Coast have been waiting far too long for these improvements and I’m pleased the Minns Labor Government is now starting that work.”

Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch said:

“Gosford is the heart of the Central Coast and ensuring motorists can move smoothly in and around the area is a key part of the NSW Government’s vision for the region.

“Coasties deserve better than bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Pacific Highway each day and I’m looking forward to the NSW Government making this happen after the investigations and planning works are carried out.”

Member for The Entrance David Mehan said:

“The Gosford Bypass has been put on the back burner for too long and it’s great to see our election promise is being delivered.

“Residents can rest assured this project won’t get stuck in development for decades, as I’m determined to see better roads and smoother traffic all the way from West Gosford to Ourimbah.”

As part of the largest assisted relocation program in Australian history, the first of four buyback homes have been relocated to the Resilient Lands Program (RLP) site at Mount Pleasant Estate in Goonellabah this week.

The first four homes should be onsite by Christmas, providing a bridge between the $790 million Northern Rivers Resilient Homes Program (RHP) and $100 million Resilient Lands Program (RLP).

The NSW Government’s RLP program accelerates new land and housing options and gives participants in the RHP, which is jointly funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Government, more options to move off the floodplain and out of harm’s way.

The RA’s contractor will relocate the first two homes to Mount Pleasant over the next week. The other two homes are planned to be relocated in December with the first homeowners likely to be onsite in 2025.

One of the key objectives of the project is to demonstrate the relocation process and potential for these character homes and how they can fit within a new neighbourhood.

A local architect has been commissioned to provide the RA with design options for alterations to make sure the homes contribute to the character of the Goonellabah community and surrounding environment.

Mount Pleasant was the second RLP site announced in 2024. The site will demonstrate a mix of small and standard lot sizes as well as detached and attached housing types with a range of price points for buyback participants.

Mount Pleasant is one of seven sites that have so far been identified under the Resilient Lands Program, the others are at East Lismore, North Lismore, Brunswick Heads, Ballina-Lennox Head, Summerland Estate near Casino and Junction Hill near Grafton.

It will also demonstrate housing types that could be rolled out at other RLP sites and builds on the community masterplanning work led by the RA in partnership with the Living Lab and Government Architect NSW.

The RA has held two community information sessions and BBQs at Mount Pleasant in May and September this year to keep the community updated on the proposed development. The masterplan is moving towards finalisation to accelerate the delivery of new homes on the site.

The site will be developed progressively over three stages, from the end of 2024 to 2026.

RHP participants who have accepted a buyback offer will have the first opportunity to purchase property delivered under the RLP. Following the offer to RHP participants, any remaining properties will be made available to the broader public.

To stay up to date and receive more information about this or any other RLP development, people can register their interest by emailing RLP@reconstruction.nsw.gov.au or phone 1800 844 085.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“Australia’s largest resilience adaptation program is underway in the Northern Rivers and the relocation of these buyback homes to Mount Pleasant is an important milestone.

“This really strengthens the link between the Resilient Homes Program and the Resilient Lands Program and gives people impacted by 2022 floods a way to get off the floodplain.

“The Mount Pleasant site will be an architecturally designed development that demonstrates the best use of mixed-housing types with the surrounding neighbourhood and natural features.”

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“We are providing homeowners hit by Australia’s worst ever flood disaster with a range of options to get them off the floodplain and out of harm’s way.”

“We have reached a major milestone as the first homes are relocated off the floodplain, retaining their unique character and working with the local community to provide a more resilient future.”

Parliamentary Secretary for Disaster Recovery Janelle Saffin said:

“There is a high level of interest in the community for relocating homes or purchasing relocated homes and Mount Pleasant will be a good demonstration of how that can be done.

“Preserving these historic homes and providing that link to the past is important for the community, but Mount Pleasant will also provide a diverse range of other housing options and different price points.”

Local infrastructure projects across NSW are set for a boost with the next round of the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership (CBP) grant program to open early next year.

Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations and local councils will be eligible to apply for grants of between $10,000 and $100,000.

Grants can be for building, refurbishing or repairing community infrastructure, or for buying freestanding equipment or vehicles.

Each state electorate receives a maximum of $450,000 in funding and applications are assessed against other proposed projects within the same electorate.

A total of $41,850,000 in grants will be available for local infrastructure projects through the CBP program.

Since 2009, the program has awarded more than $464 million to over 20,900 projects across the state.

The Program Guidelines will be available soon.

Applications will be accepted online from Tuesday 28 January 2025 and will close at 5pm AEDT, Friday 21 February 2025. Successful organisations will be announced later in 2025.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“The next round of the Community Building Partnership program is opening soon.

“These grants make an impact at a local level – a shade cloth at a childcare centre or a repair to local sports facilities are valuable ways this program makes a difference to communities.

“Applications open in January but we’re aware applications take time. I want to encourage eligible organisations to start thinking about the projects that are top of the ‘to do’ list for their communities.”

The NSW Government last night has passed legislation to deliver on a key election commitment to expand support for families who have lost loved ones in road crimes.

The Victims Rights and Support Amendment (Victims Support Counselling) Bill 2024 will make counselling available through the Victims Support Scheme to family members of a person killed in a motor vehicle crash where someone is charged in relation to the crash.

Under the changes, family members will also be eligible for counselling support if charges cannot be laid because the offender has died or cannot be located if there is sufficient evidence to establish that an offence has apparently occurred.

An eligible family member will be able to access 22 hours of approved counselling, with further hours available if approved by the Commissioner of Victims Rights.

Currently, most incidents involving motor vehicles are excluded from being ‘acts of violence’ under the Victims Rights and Support Act.

Family victims of road crime experience the same trauma as any other family who has lost a loved one because of a criminal act. This legislation will ensure they receive counselling as they navigate their loss.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“This legislation delivers on our election commitment to offer grieving families the counselling support that they deserve.

“Family victims of road crimes will be able to access critical mental health support through the Victims Support Scheme.

“We have listened to the community and delivered legislation that will make a real difference.”

Wentworth Point families are set for a major education boost as the Minns Labor Government marks the beginning of a major expansion to Wentworth Point Public School, while construction nears completion at the new Wentworth Point High School.

Major upgrades to Wentworth Public School will see the delivery of 26 new classrooms, seven new multipurpose spaces, three new support classrooms and an internal renovation to the school’s library. The upgrade will allow for the removal of all 16 demountables and lift the capacity of the school from 400 to 1,000 when works are completed in mid-2026.

The beginning of upgrade works on the public school come as works near completion at the neighbouring new multimillion-dollar Wentworth Point High School. Students are set to begin classes at the new public high school from Day 1, Term 1 2025.

The new high school will cater for Year 7 students from Wentworth Point, Sydney Olympic Park, Newington, Silverwater and Rhodes in 2025, with an additional year of schooling added each year.

Stage 2 of the high school is now in planning, with construction set to begin in early 2025, which will deliver a new multipurpose hall for sports and performance, new outdoor spaces, games courts, canteen facilities and a sports field which will be open to the community outside of school hours.

Improvements to Wenworth Point education infrastructure is long overdue, following the former Liberal National Government failing to deliver on promised upgrades, and instead leaving school communities to rely on temporary demountables filling the school playgrounds.

This is part of the Minns Labor Government’s plan to rebuild public education, which includes a record $3.6 billion to upgrade and build new schools in Western Sydney, addressing a school infrastructure backlog left after more than a decade of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“I am pleased to see upgrade works begin at Wentworth Point Public School today.

“While the population in this area grew significantly over the last decade, the Liberals and Nationals failed to plan for the schools needed in the Wentworth Point community.

“Our major investments in Wentworth Point mean families will now have certainty that their children can attend a world-class public school in their local area.”

Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said:

“It is fantastic to see upgrade works starting at Wentworth Point Public School.

“We had to fight hard for our new high school, this major public school upgrade and the long-awaited Peninsula Park, which are all now underway.

“I am proud to be part of the Minns Labor Government that is delivering for our community.”

Principal of Wentworth Point Public School Jayne Muir said:

“I am excited about the upgrades and the prospect of developing an educational precinct on the Wentworth Point Peninsula.

“When our school first opened in 2018, we started with just 152 students, with a designed capacity of 419. Fast forward to 2024, and Wentworth Point Public School is in its seventh year of operation.

“We are now projecting an enrolment of over 740 students by the beginning of 2025. This rapid increase underscores the pressing need for expanded facilities to continue to provide a high-quality learning environment.”

Principal of Wentworth Point High School Melissa Johnston said:

“I am delighted to be building the foundations of a new school community, commencing with Year 7 in 2025.

“The modern six storey facility located along the beautiful Parramatta River provides flexible learning spaces for mainstream and support unit students and offers high quality specialist facilities to support diverse learning pathways and post school options,” Ms Johnston said.

“We will maximise the flexible learning spaces through student transition programs and staff inductions with explicit expectations regarding optimal teaching and learning.”

One of Australia’s leading clinician scientists and founder of national genomic cancer medicine centre, Omico, Professor David Thomas, received the state’s highest accolade for cancer research at the NSW Premier’s Awards for Outstanding Cancer Research tonight.

Professor Thomas, who was crowned Outstanding Cancer Researcher of the Year, is a leader in the development of precision oncology in Australia, which has extended the lives of thousands of incurable cancer patients through the use of genomics.

Professor Thomas founded Omico, a not-for-profit genomics organisation that accelerates access to precision oncology using technology to detect unique genetic and molecular variations in a person’s cancer to identify new targeted treatments.

Professor Thomas has also led the development of sarcoma research in Australia for the past 20 years, having founded the Australasian Sarcoma Study Group. His work changed the global clinical practice for giant cell tumour of bone, and effective early detection strategies for patients with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, a rare hereditary disorder that increases a person’s risk of cancer.

NSW Premier Chris Minns, Minister for Health Ryan Park and Minister for Medical Research David Harris also presented seven other prestigious awards, celebrating the individuals and teams working to improve cancer outcomes in NSW, at the event in the NSW Parliament.

• Outstanding Mid-Career Researcher –Associate Professor Nicolas Hart,National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Research Fellow in Cancer Survivorship at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), for enhancing patient safety and quality of care for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in cancer care.
• Outstanding Early Career Researcher – Dr Ashfaq Chauhan, a postdoctoral research fellow and coordinator of the Healthcare Engagement and Equity Research stream within the Centre for Health Systems and Safety Research at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University, for enhancing patient safety and quality of care for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds in cancer care.
• Rising Star PhD Candidate – Dr Robert Rawson,Tissue Pathology Staff Specialist at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital for his innovative research focused on assessing the pathological response to neoadjuvant therapy in melanoma.
• Outstanding Cancer Clinical Trials Unit – The Clinical Trials Unit at Melanoma Institute Australia, for its investigator-led trials, and leading the way in advancing melanoma and non-melanoma research, enrolling around 400 patients annually in diverse clinical trials.
• Cancer Control Innovation –The Zero Childhood Cancer Program team, for demonstrating unprecedented collaboration, bringing together clinicians from child cancer treatment centres across the country and leading national research partners to deliver Australia’s first precision medicine program for children with cancer.
• Improving Equitable Outcomes – Associate Professor Mei Ling Yap, radiation oncologist and clinician researcher at South Western Sydney Local Health District, The George Institute for Global Health and the Ingham Institute at UNSW, for her dedication to achieving equity in cancer control both locally and globally through increasing access to radiation therapy.
• Consumer Engagement in Cancer Research –awarded toLucy Jones, CEO Neuroblastoma Australia and consumer advocate passionate about advancing neuroblastoma research, for working tirelessly to raise awareness of the disease and fund research aimed at creating more targeted, effective, and less toxic treatments.

Each winner also received funding towards their research as part of their prize.

The NSW Government, through the Cancer Institute NSW, has awarded more than $324 million in cancer research over the last decade.

For more detailed information on award recipients, visit https://www.cancer.nsw.gov.au/what-we-do/events/nsw-premier-s-awards-for-outstanding-cancer-resear/2024

Chris Minns, Premier of New South Wales said:

“NSW is a global leader in cancer research.

”We’re committed to continuing to invest in research to improve our understanding of a disease which devastates communities across our state.

“On behalf of the people of NSW, I’d like to thank the award winners and our incredible cancer research community, for working together to better understand and treat this insidious disease.”

Ryan Park, Minister for Health said:

“With one person in NSW diagnosed with cancer around every 10 minutes, almost all of us will feel the impact of this disease during our lifetime.

“Better understanding and treatment of cancer would be impossible without people like Professor Thomas and I’d like to thank him and everyone working across NSW who help reduce the impact of cancer.”

David Harris, Minister for Medical Research said:

“For people with cancer, research and clinical trials provide options and hope.

“NSW has some of the best cancer survival rates in the world and our well established research pipeline and overall excellence in cancer research is a key reason for these outcomes.”

Professor Tracey O’Brien, NSW Chief Cancer Officer and CEO of Cancer Institute NSW said:

“Cancer is a global health challenge and while significant progress has been made in our understanding of cancer, it remains the leading cause of death in NSW, with sadly one in two people set to be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime.

“Research and innovation is key to unlocking the answers we are all searching for and I’d like to congratulate and thank the incredibly passionate, talented and collaborative research teams in NSW who are working tirelessly to save lives and keep families and communities safe and supported.”

Professor David Thomas, said:

“It’s a great honour to be recognised for the work our teams have been leading, which is transforming cancer care. Genomics is a fundamental technology that provides answers to the two most common questions patients ask ‘why did this happen to me?’ and ‘what can you do about it?’

“After screening more than 15,000 incurable cancer patients, there’s no question that precision oncology can significantly extend life for one in three cancer patients. I am proud to see the growth of Omico’s national clinical trial network from eight cancer centres at conception in 2018, to 61 centres across Australia and New Zealand today.”

The Minns Labor Government has put stronger sanctions in place for irresponsible and disruptive activities that block the passage of trains, endangering the safety of rail workers and disrupting passengers.

Legislation passed by the NSW Parliament last night put in place a maximum fine of $22,000 for the offence of “obstructing a railway”. Previously, the offence provision under the Crimes Act 1900 does not specify a fine.

The penalties for blocking the passage of trains now align with changes to laws, passed by the NSW Parliament in 2022, making it an offence to block or obstruct major roads, bridges and tunnels and major facilities like ports and railway stations.

Many of the protesters causing mayhem in the Hunter Valley earlier this year were charged with obstructing a railway. This provision also covers people found to have assisted those who directly commit the offence.

Strengthening the penalty aims to deter extremely dangerous conduct that puts train driver, rail worker and passenger safety at risk.

Blocking railway tracks disrupts commuters and commerce and diverts the precious resources of NSW Police.

Hardworking train drivers should not have to work in fear, worrying about whether they will need to apply an emergency brake to avoid striking a trespasser. Everyone across our state should be able to use our rail network safely.

It is critical that we deter people from engaging in this behaviour, which could also see them killed on the tracks.

While recent rail line protest activity has centred on the Hunter region, this change will apply to every railway line in the state. The provision also covers blocking the passage of light rail vehicles.

While the Government respects the right of people to lawfully protest, illegal protests on railway tracks or on major facilities, which could cost lives, will not be tolerated.

Those found guilty of obstructing a railway, or damaging or disrupting major facilities, will now all face up to two years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $22,000 (200 penalty units), or both.

By aligning the penalties for these offences, the NSW Government is sending a message about how seriously it views this kind of illegal conduct.

Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“This is about preventing dangerous and disruptive conduct.

“This conduct is already illegal, and we are sending a clear message with these stronger penalties.”

NSW parliament rises for the last time this week, marking 20 months since the Labor government came to power in NSW, aided by the state’s union movement. In March 2023, Chris Minns and his team promised the world simultaneously to voters and to the unions who carried them to election victory. The euphoria that accompanied the Labor win has long lost its lustre and Chris Minns and his Labor ministers are now facing the reality of what is required to govern – and the consequences of being beholden to the union movement.
 
We have unions holding the government hostage – paralysing our public transport network and stranding commuters one week, elective and planned surgeries cancelled the next, while for nearly a year ongoing action from the Electrical Trades Union has delayed critical electrical connections, impacting everything from thousands of homes to billions of dollars of state-significant infrastructure.
 
What’s clear is that the unions which got Labor elected, which control Labor preselections, man booths on polling day and make donations to the ALP, are now running this state. The Labor Party that promised great reform has instead delivered paralysis.
 
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, NSW has lost nearly 26,000 “working days” to industrial action since the Minns government came to power, up-ending the lives of people. NSW has gone from being the “Premier State” to the “Strike State”.
 
Meanwhile, under the Minns Labor government, Sydney’s cost of living is spiralling. The overall cost of living in Sydney is 22% higher than Melbourne, 25% higher than Perth, 49% higher than Adelaide, and 41% higher than Darwin. Rent in Sydney is 36% more expensive than Melbourne, 45% higher than Perth, and 49% higher than Adelaide.
 
Sydney families pay $1000 more in rent each month than in Melbourne. That’s $12,000 a year more that Sydney families could be spending on their children, grocery bills, or saving for their future. Housing approvals and commencements in NSW have collapsed to their lowest levels in 12 years, rents have skyrocketed, and families are being priced out of their communities. Hospitals are going backwards, and cost-of-living pressures continue to get worse.
 
Labor has delivered at least 52 announcements of taskforces, inquiries and reviews, but no meaningful outcomes for the people of NSW. Instead, we have a weak Labor Premier and a small target government which hides behind empty promises.
 
We’ve seen this before. Between 1998 and 2011, NSW Labor promised at least five major rail projects – and none of them were delivered. Chris Minns is Bob Carr 2.0 – big talk, no action, and endless disappointment.
 
He is happy to cut the ribbons for projects delivered by the previous Coalition government, but he can’t lead when required.
 
The constant industrial chaos is a sobering reminder of a Labor government too weak to lead, too afraid to make decisions, and too paralysed to act. After nearly two years of the Minns Labor government, families aren’t better off – they’re worse off.