Category: NSW News

Four million dollars in funding is available for councils to create inclusive playgrounds for their local communities thanks to the NSW Government.
Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said the funding, which councils match dollar for dollar, comes from the Government’s Everyone Can Play program.
“This government-led initiative is the first award-winning program in Australia dedicated to creating inclusive playgrounds where everyone can play, no matter their age or ability,” Mr Stokes said.
“There are more than 1.3 million people living with a disability in NSW and with an ageing population that is increasingly involved in the daily care of their grandchildren, and it’s important that we create spaces where everyone can play and relax.
“That’s why we’re helping local government to create more safe, accessible and well-designed places for friends and families to play, to exercise and to connect with each other.
“The program is proving to be incredibly popular with mums and dads, grandparents and carers, councils and the community, and most importantly, the kids.”
Wagga Wagga resident Leila Bright and mother of five-year-old Mia and three-year-old Andie said inclusive playspaces allow her eldest daughter a chance to be a kid.
“Other playgrounds are difficult for Mia to get around in with her prosthetic leg but inclusive playspaces like Livvi’s Place mean Mia can make new friends, improve her motor skills and build her confidence,” Ms Bright said.
“With the right design, it’s a place she can be on the same level as all of the other kids.”
This is program is helping the NSW Government deliver on its committment to ensure everyone lives near high quality open spaces.
Councils have until Wednesday, 11 December 2019 to apply for funding.

Sydney has won the rights to host WorldPride 2023, the marquee international LGBTQI pride event.
Minister for Arts Don Harwin said he was incredibly proud that Sydney was selected as the host city, the first destination in the Southern Hemisphere to win.
“I am absolutely delighted that Sydney has been chosen to host this incredible event, which coincides with the 45^th anniversary of the first Mardi Gras Parade and the 50^th Anniversary of the first Australian Gay Pride Week,” Mr Harwin said.
“This event will attract thousands of international visitors and put Sydney on the world map as a truly inclusive and united global city.”
“I would like to extend my thanks and congratulations to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras team for presenting the winning bid.”
Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres said WorldPride 2023 in Sydney will be an experience like no other.
“I am so excited Sydney will host WorldPride 2023, which according to Deloitte research is expected to attract one million visitors to our Harbour City and has the capacity to generate an economic footprint in excess of $664 million,” Mr Ayres said.
“Sydney is a truly cosmopolitan city with an amazing harbour, delicious food and beverage, world-class transport and a proud history of celebrating diversity. This global event undoubtedly belongs in Australia’s global city!”
Sydney was selected as the winner by members of InterPride, the international association of pride organisations, at the AGM in Athens overnight.
The inaugural WorldPride was held in Rome in 2000. Cities which have hosted WorldPride since 2000 include Jerusalem, London, Toronto and Madrid.
The NSW Government supported the bid with $192,000 in funding.

Construction will soon begin on the Western Sydney Metro, with seven station locations confirmed today – a project that will slash travel times between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD down to around 20 minutes.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said construction work will begin next year, commencing at the Bays Precinct, to prepare the site for major tunnelling works.
“The Western Sydney Metro will fundamentally change how we get around our city for generations to come, connecting Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD with fast, safe and reliable metro rail,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We’ve successfully delivered the North West Metro Line early and $1 billion under budget, the next line from Chatswood to Sydnenham and Bankstown is on track to open in 2024, and now the next Metro project is underway.”
The first works in the Bays Precinct will include site surveys, investigations and early works such as road relocation.
The locations of seven proposed Metro stations have been confirmed at Westmead, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park, North Strathfield, Burwood North, Five Dock and the Bays Precinct.
The NSW Government will also fast-track work to investigate the feasibility of building a Metro station in Pyrmont, while also assessing a potential station at Rydalmere. Further work is also underway to determine the location of the new Metro station in the Sydney CBD.
The project team has today started informing affected property owners and tenants. The preference is always to reach a commercial agreement, with compulsory acquisition a last resort.
Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said the project team has been talking to communities along the alignment since 2016. Details of the exact station locations are now available on the Sydney Metro website.
“Western Sydney Metro will more than double the existing rail capacity between Greater Parramatta and the Sydney CBD and slash travel times between Parramatta and the Sydney CBD to around 20 minutes,” Mr Constance said.
With the T1 Western Line and the T9 Northern Line expected to reach capacity within the next decade, the NSW Government’s commitment to fund this project ensures that tomorrow’s Sydney has the infrastructure it needs to keep moving.
“In addition to becoming the easiest and fastest way to travel between these two cities, the project is also anticipated to create approximately 10,000 direct and 70,000 indirect jobs,” Mr Constance said.
At Parramatta, the new Metro station will serve the commercial core of the Parramatta CBD to the north of the existing train station.
Sydney Olympic Park, which is visited by more than 10 million people each year, will also get a second railway station within walking distance of ANZ Stadium in the heart of the growing town centre, reinforcing its status as Australia’s premier events, sporting and entertainment precinct.
The NSW Government has today also announced that it is kicking off a global search for suppliers capable of building more than 50 kilometres of new Metro railway tunnels connecting the two centres – the longest railway tunnels ever built in Australia, in what is expected to be the biggest tunnelling contract awarded in Australian history.
The community will have the opportunity to provide further feedback as part of the statutory planning assessment process, which will be administered by the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.
Suppliers wishing to express their interest in the procurement of the tunnelling contract for Western Sydney Metro will be able to register their interest on the eTendering website from tomorrow.
Further detail on station locations: www.sydneymetro.info/west

Drivers in parts of Sydney can now pay for parking and top up using their phones, with the launch of the NSW Government’s Park’nPay app.
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello was joined by Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance today at The Rocks to announce the new technology, which goes live today in The Rocks, Liverpool Council and parts of Darling Harbour and Pyrmont.
“This app is a game changer for drivers, eliminating the need to search for loose coins and walking to the nearest meter to pay for parking,” Mr Dominello said.
“The technology is hassle free and makes life easier for drivers by putting more power in their hands.”
Mr Constance said the app will help drivers avoid parking fines because they will be notified when their meter is running low or their park is about to turn into a no stopping zone.
“Park’nPay will reduce the stress and pressures of getting a ticket from parking inspectors as you can check your meter in real-time,” Mr Constance said.
“When a meter is about to expire, users simply top up their account through the app so they don’t have to stop what they are doing to rush back to their car.”
The app is free and available on iPhone and Android phones. Drivers simply download the Park’nPay app, create an account with their licence plate and payment details. Users have the option of paying with Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Parking inspectors will check to see if a meter has been paid by searching licence plate details using an app on their phone. Parking meters will continue to accept coins and credit cards.
Drivers have a 10 minute grace period for not getting fined after paying for at least one hour of parking.
The Government will work with local Councils over the coming months to come on board. For more information visit www.parknpay.nsw.gov.au

The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is providing more annual funding to schools, with $1.25 billion going to more than 2000 public schools across the State next year – a $60 million increase on 2019.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the funding today, which is provided on top of a school’s base allocation, and can be used for more teachers, literacy and numeracy programs, and teacher training.
“We are unashamedly for lifting standards in our schools and this additional funding is making a real difference in the outcomes of students at the local level,” Ms Berejiklian said
“Schools will consult with the local community to develop a plan for the funding to cater for the specific academic and wellbeing needs of their individual students.”
The funding method, known as the Resource Allocation Model (RAM), recognises the needs of schools across NSW differ and takes into account the socio-economic profile of students, Aboriginal student numbers, disability and English language proficiency.
Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the funding reports are being delivered earlier than in previous years to allow schools to better plan how the funds will be used, improving outcomes for the over 800,000 NSW public school students.
“We have listened to feedback from Principals – and are releasing the School Budget Allocation Reports ahead of schedule. This will allow schools more time to plan their funding allocations for 2020 – helping them make smarter decisions focused on student outcomes,” Ms Mitchell said.
“We know that Government has an obligation to current and future generations to fund access to a quality education for every child according to a transparent and consistent assessment of their educational needs. That is what the RAM is all about.”
“As part of the 2020 RAM allocations, schools will see the benefit of $433 million to support students through the equity loading for socio-economic background and $201 million through the per capita loading.”
The NSW Government is working towards creating Australia’s best education system and providing students with world-class education no matter where they live.

Drivers in parts of Sydney can now pay for parking and top up using their phones, with the launch of the NSW Government’s Park’nPay app.
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello was joined by Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance today at The Rocks to announce the new technology, which goes live today in The Rocks, Liverpool Council and parts of Darling Harbour and Pyrmont.
“This app is a game changer for drivers, eliminating the need to search for loose coins and walking to the nearest meter to pay for parking,” Mr Dominello said.
“The technology is hassle free and makes life easier for drivers by putting more power in their hands.”
Mr Constance said the app will help drivers avoid parking fines because they will be notified when their meter is running low or their park is about to turn into a no stopping zone.
“Park’nPay will reduce the stress and pressures of getting a ticket from parking inspectors as you can check your meter in real-time,” Mr Constance said.
“When a meter is about to expire, users simply top up their account through the app so they don’t have to stop what they are doing to rush back to their car.”
The app is free and available on iPhone and Android phones. Drivers simply download the Park’nPay app, create an account with their licence plate and payment details. Users have the option of paying with Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
Parking inspectors will check to see if a meter has been paid by searching licence plate details using an app on their phone. Parking meters will continue to accept coins and credit cards.
Drivers have a 10 minute grace period for not getting fined after paying for at least one hour of parking.
The Government will work with local Councils over the coming months to come on board. For more information visit www.parknpay.nsw.gov.au

Legislation to reinstate a festival safety system that was overturned by an alliance of Labor, Greens and Shooters’ MPs will be introduced to Parliament today.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the legislation would restore the requirement for high-risk music festivals to prepare a safety management plan.
“Labor, the Greens and the Shooters took away these regulations and left nothing in their place. This legislation will rectify that,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The situation is clear – music festivals identified as high risk under the former licensing system will continue to be high risk under this law.
“These laws provide absolute certainty for the festival industry. They impose the same requirements on high-risk music festivals that were in place under the regulations that were disallowed by Labor, the Greens and the Shooters.
“My position on illicit drugs is very well-known – I went to the election with this position and I won’t be changing it. There is no such thing as a safe illegal drug.”
The legislation will reinstate the requirement to develop safety management plans in consultation with NSW Health, NSW Police and the Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority. This applied to only 11 of more than 90 festivals in NSW.
“I now call on Labor, the Greens and the Shooters to do the right thing – put aside politics and work with the Government to safeguard the health of young people. The festival season is upon us, so urgent action is required,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello said some events present a higher risk than others, and this legislation imposes more stringent conditions on these events.
“Music festivals are an important part of NSW’s entertainment scene and economy, and we want them to thrive,” Mr Dominello said.
“The vast majority of festivals are managed responsibly and are safe, however the death and serious illnesses that have occurred compels the Government to act.”

The M12 Motorway is a step closer with the community invited to provide feedback on plans for the connection across Western Sydney.
Minister for Roads Andrew Constance said an Environmental Impact Statement for the new 16 kilometre motorway is on exhibition from today allowing locals to have their say on the project.
“The M12 will provide direct access to the new Western Sydney International Airport and connect to Sydney’s motorway network,” Mr Constance said.
“The M12 project will be delivered as part of both governments’ $4.1 billion Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan.”
Planning and Public Spaces Minister Rob Stokes said the project demonstrates the NSW Government’s commitment to creating well-connected communities.
“The new airport will boost investment and growth opportunities by better connecting Western Sydney to international businesses, students and tourists across the globe,” Mr Stokes said.
“We are working with the Federal Government to ensure that road and transport infrastructure is in place, to better connect the region to the rest of Sydney before the first plane takes off.”
The M12 will provide a new motorway between the M7 and The Northern Road with two lanes in each direction and three major interchanges. A new off-road shared user path will provide better safety and connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians.
A number of drop-in sessions will be held from Saturday 19 October until mid-November for the community to learn more about the proposed upgrades and provide feedback.

From next January, south-west train customers will benefit from a new direct morning peak service from Leppington to Schofields via Parramatta, boosting capacity and making journeys more comfortable on the popular T5 Cumberland Line.
Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said demand for T5 Cumberland Line services has surged, with 30 per cent more south-west customers catching trains towards Parramatta this year.
“By boosting capacity on an increasingly busy part of the network, customers across the south-west region including Glenfield, Liverpool and Cabramatta will enjoy a more comfortable and convenient morning commute,” Mr Constance said.
“Customers from the T8 South Line between Macarthur and Macquarie Fields will also benefit from the new service as it provides an extra connection at Glenfield to T5 services headed towards Parramatta and further west.”
The T5 Cumberland Line has become more popular since it was extended to start at Leppington in November 2017.
“With modern air-conditioned trains, direct links from Leppington to Parramatta and Blacktown, as well as late night and weekend services, demand on this part of the network continues to grow. That’s why we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to do everything we can to improve your daily commute.”
The new direct all-stops morning peak service departs Leppington at 7.07am, arriving at key stations such as Parramatta at 7.49am, Blacktown at 8.07am and Schofields at 8.17am.
The existing 7.21am all stops Leppington to Schofields service will instead depart at 7.37am, arriving at key stations such as Parramatta at 8.19am, Blacktown at 8.37am and Schofields at 8.47am.
“By giving customers an extra direct morning peak train and adjusting other services, the gap between trains will reduce to every 30 minutes during the peak period, and in some cases, the wait will be just 16 minutes,” Mr Constance said.
These improvements will take effect from Monday 6 January.

The NSW Government is providing stronger protection for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in police custody by implementing reforms following the inquest into the tragic death of Rebecca Maher.
Attorney General Mark Speakman and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Don Harwin said the Government has moved swiftly to expand the Custody Notification Service (CNS), an initiative run by the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited (ALS) to provide 24-hour legal advice and an R U OK phone line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people taken into police custody.
“NSW Police are obliged to notify the ALS after taking an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person into custody in connection with an offence to ensure they get appropriate support. This reform expands the CNS, so police must now also call the service if an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person is taken into protective custody for intoxication,” Mr Speakman said.
“The NSW Government is grateful for the ALS’s ongoing delivery of the CNS and to the Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Ken Wyatt for providing the necessary funding to support this important expansion.”
Mr Wyatt said the Morrison Government was proud to support this critical service.
“We are investing $1 million to support the delivery of the CNS in 2019-20 – almost twice as much funding compared with 2018-19 levels,” Mr Wyatt said.
Mr Harwin said this is a necessary reform in response to the findings of State Coroner Magistrate Teresa O’Sullivan in July this year.
“The 2016 death of Aboriginal woman Rebecca Maher at Maitland Police Station is a terrible tragedy. We don’t want to see these horrific circumstances repeated, which is why we are acting to provide better protection for First Nations people,” Mr Harwin said.
The CNS was formally established in 2000 in response to recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Ms Maher was the first Aboriginal death in a NSW police cell since the introduction of the CNS. Under the system, trained lawyers carefully respond to welfare concerns including threats of self-harm, access to medication, notification of injuries and ensuring police provide a duty of care.
CEO of the ALS Karly Warner said the CNS provides a critical health and legal lifeline for more than 18 000 Aboriginal people every year.
“Aboriginal men, women and children in custody trust the ALS because they know our lawyers will advocate strongly for their legal, health and family welfare. We welcome the NSW Government’s reforms in this area, and the Federal Government’s support to expand the CNS.” Ms Warner said.