Category: NSW News

The NSW Liberals & Nationals in Government have today delivered on their election commitment to address attacks on farming families, such as those carried out by Aussie Farms, with the introduction of tougher penalties for activists who illegally enter farmers’ properties from next month.
Deputy Premier John Barilaro and Minister for Agriculture Adam Marshall today announced a major shakeup of the State’s Biosecuity Act.
A new offence has been created that will see illegal trespassers on farms, creating biosecurity risks, handed an immediate on-the-spot fine of $1,000 and further fines of up to $220,000 per person and $440,000 for corporations.
The new penalties will kick in from 1 August 2019 and are the first stage of a broader suite of measures being developed by the Liberals & Nationals in Government to protect NSW farmers’ right to farm.
“Vigilantes who are entering our farmers’ property illegally are nothing short of domestic terrorists – our farmers have had a gutful. They don’t deserve, nor have time, to be dealing with illegal trespass and vile harassment from a bunch of virtue-signalling thugs,” Mr Barilaro said.
“The NSW Liberals & Nationals in Government are putting in place the harshest penalties in the country and sending a strong warning to those who think it’s okay to illegally invade farms and harass our hard-working farmers.
“But we aren’t stopping there. We are also looking at ways we can further deter this kind of behaviour, including introducing legislation and potential gaol time for offenders.”
Mr Marshall said the government was determined to clamp down on illegal farm invasions and was working on additional changes with further penalties, including gaol time, for those committing criminal acts associated with farm trespass.
“Today we are putting these vigilantes and thugs on notice – your time threatening our primary producers by illegally trespassing and creating biosecurity risks is done,” Mr Marshall said.
“The agricultural industry and community have had a gutful of this vile behaviour. These thugs are not only harassing and traumatising hard-working farmers and their families, they’re also posing serious biosecurity risks by potentially bringing contaminants and diseases onto properties that could wipe out an entire farming operation.
“Today’s announcement complements the work the Commonwealth Government is doing in targeting the online incitement of farm trespass.”
Member for Albury Justin Clancy said: “I welcome today’s announcement and look forward to further work from the NSW Government to protect farmers’ right to farm in the Albury electorate.”
Under the changes to the Biosecurity Regulation 2017 it will become mandatory for site visitors to comply with a Biosecurity Management Plan.
Anyone who enters a designated biosecurity area without permission and without complying with the plan’s requirements may be guilty of an offence under the Biosecurity Act 2015, and subject to the new, harsher penalties.
To access the new offence, farmers will need to have a biosecurity plan in place and appropriate signage. Farmers are encouraged to contact the Department of Primary Industries or their Local Land Services office for more information.

A group of North West primary producers are a step closer to unlocking their full business potential by expanding into farm-based tourism, thanks to an innovative NSW Government pilot program.
NSW Minister for Small Business Damien Tudehope today joined 10 farmers at a property in Premer for the last of six workshops under the Agritourism pilot program, which has been underway in the Liverpool Plains Shire Council area since March.
“This program is all about mentoring and up-skilling farmers so they can innovate and diversify, with a particular focus on tourism expansion,” Mr Tudehope said.
“The farmers here today are in the final stage of developing their chosen venture, which includes everything from farm stays, Indigenous cultural tours, roadside stalls, on farm camping and wedding receptions.”
Mr Tudehope said farmers were doing it tough with the ongoing drought crippling the state, with those in the North West particularly hard hit.
“Initiatives such as the Agritourism pilot can help keep primary producers on the land while boosting regional jobs and economies. Agritourism is a growing sector. Between 2015 and 2018 an average of around four million tourists visited a farm in Australia each year – that’s an increase of more than 50 per cent in just over a decade.”
Minister for Jobs, Investment and Tourism Stuart Ayres said pilot programmes like these boost visitors and expenditure in regional communities when they need it most.
“Regional tourism in NSW directly employs more than 90,000 people, and we are committed to continuing to help grow opportunities for those who have helped generate record numbers of visitors to NSW this year.”
The Agritourism pilot – a joint partnership between the NSW Small Business Commission and Service NSW – will soon expand to include the Wollondilly Shire Council and Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Local Government Areas.

More than 250,000 Creative Kids vouchers have been downloaded in just six months, saving thousands of NSW families $100 per child off the cost of creative and cultural learning activities.
Minister for Customer Service Victor Dominello joined Member for Parramatta Geoff Lee at Creator Academy in Carlingford today to announce the milestone.
“Parents simply love Creative Kids and have given it the thumbs up. This voucher helps parents plan for creative and cultural activities, which can really add to a household budget,” Mr Dominello said.
“This is a significant milestone to help ease the cost of living, representing more than $25 million of savings going back into the pockets of NSW families.
“This program complements the hugely popular Active Kids vouchers which were doubled to two vouchers per child from July 1. For a family with two children, Creative and Active Kids vouchers combined will save you $600 per year.”
Mr Lee said involvement in creative and cultural learning activities is critical to a child’s growth and development – but enrolment costs can be expensive.
“School holidays are almost over and parents will be enrolling children in activities. This voucher can help unlock a child’s creative talent,” Mr Lee said.
Creative Kids brings a range of creative and cultural activities under the one umbrella, from creative arts and speech to drama, languages, digital design, coding as well as music. There are over 2,800 approved Creative Kids providers across over 2,600 locations in NSW.
There are more than 70 NSW Government cost of living rebates and savings available, including Active Kids vouchers, Toll Relief, CTP refunds and Energy Switch. The average saving from Service NSW’s cost of living appointment service per customer is $550, with households eligible for up to $2000 in savings.
Over the last year, more than $800 million in savings has been delivered to people across NSW through the Cost of Living program. More than $1 billion in savings is expected to be given back to households across NSW over the next year.
The following table lists the Sydney suburbs (north, south, east, west) with the most downloads.

Region	Suburb	Downloads
North	Carlingford	1,890
South	Engadine	1,526
East	Clovelly	1,410
West	Baulkham Hills	2,774

For more information on the Creative Kids program visit www.service.nsw.gov.au/campaign/creative-kids

Police have established a secure perimeter inside a juvenile justice centre at Kariong following a disturbance, which has left seven detainees injured.
About 8.30pm (Sunday 21 July 2019), officers from Brisbane Water Police District were called to the facility following reports a number of detainees assaulted other juveniles.
An 18-year-old, who suffered stab wounds and facial injuries was transported by NSW Ambulance paramedics to Royal North Shore Hospital in a serious condition.
Another 18-year-old suffered stab wounds to his head and hands; a 20-year-old suffered facial and hand injuries; a 17-year-old had facial and head injuries; while another 20-year-old suffered injuries to his hand, leg, and arm.
Another 17-year-old dislocated his ankle after jumping off a roof.
They have all been taken to Gosford Hospital for treatment.
A seventh juvenile was later treated at the scene for a broken nose.
Additional resources have been deployed from neighbouring police districts, as well as the Public Order and Riot Squad, Operations Support Group, Dog Unit, PolAir, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, the Rescue and Bomb Disposal Unit, and other specialist resources.
Police have established a cordon, restricting the armed detainees to a building within the complex, as negotiations continue.
Investigations into the assaults are underway, with a number of crime scenes established within the centre.
All detainees have been accounted for, and the external security of the facility was not compromised.

The NSW Police Force has announced the establishment of a new unit to investigate and coordinate long-term missing persons cases.
In 2017, as part of re-engineering, NSW Police Commissioner Michael Fuller initiated a comprehensive review and analysis of the Missing Persons Unit (MPU) functions.
The review identified various areas for improvement and recommended significant structural and procedural changes to meet current and future demands.
Commissioner Fuller has announced Project Aletheia, a State Crime Command-led initiative, to dissolve the MPU and implement a new structure that will draw on the expertise of specialist detectives and analysts.
“It is clear that change is needed, and I have delegated responsibility to the State Crime Command to ensure we can do everything we can to put policies, procedures, and checkpoints in place to rectify past problems and create solutions for now and into the future,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“To have a loved one go missing has a devastating impact on the person’s family and friends and while police do an outstanding job in providing support for the families, we are committed to providing outcomes.
“It needs to be acknowledged that families of missing persons have not been given the answers they have been seeking, and this is not acceptable.
“We owe it to the people of NSW to deliver better outcomes for families of missing persons and vulnerable people who are most at risk of going missing – those living with a mental illness, young people, and older people with dementia or memory loss – to ensure every opportunity is explored to find loved ones – wherever they may be,” Commissioner Fuller said.
Project Aletheia will involve the formation of the Missing Persons Registry (MPR) within State Crime Command in a new state-of-the-art facility, which is currently under development.
A team of seven detectives and four analysts – including those with qualifications and expertise in psychology and data matching – will work to resolve current long-term missing person cases and provide assistance to frontline police to improve the initial response to missing persons reports.
State Crime Commander, Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith, said the MPR will utilise cutting edge technology and leverage techniques used in the investigations of serious and organised crime.
“Project Aletheia – meaning seeker of truth – is the largest missing persons data matching project in Australia and will revolutionise the way missing persons cases are managed and investigated,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
“The first process – which is expected to take months – is to digitise existing records and implement new systems.
“We are going to use every technological advancement available to us – whether that be ancestral mapping or biometric photos – that are capable of generating matches – to locate people and provide answers in cases which date back more than 60 years.
“With technology advancing every day, we will be innovative in the way we pursue investigations and continue to seek new developments in the future to solve cases,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
In recent months – and through the implementation of new systems under Project Aletheia – more than 30 cases have been resolved, with 13 people located offshore or interstate.
In addition, a joint-agency project between officers from the NSW Police Force and forensic and scientific experts from NSW Health Pathology, which was established in March 2018, will continue to progress the resolution of unidentified human remains cases.
“This is a complex project, which begins with the reconciliation of records – many of which are historic and in hard copy – followed by various forensic processes and inquiries to find a match,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
‘We are committed to ensuring the most effective and efficient allocation of resources in order the maximise our capability and provide answers to families of missing persons.”
The MPR will be a stand-alone investigative unit, reporting directly to the Director of Crime Operations, and will draw upon the expertise of specialist investigators across the NSW Police Force and law enforcement and intelligence partners both here and abroad.

The Morrison and Berejiklian Governments are continuing to invest in cyber security, with the launch of a new hub to drive innovation and economic growth in the sector.
The NSW Cyber Security Innovation Node joins five other state and territory nodes created in partnership with AustCyber.
Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said the new node was another important step in developing an industry that would boost Australia’s economy and create jobs.
“This new node in Sydney, backed by AustCyber and the NSW Government, will bring together startups, corporations, universities, researchers and government agencies to share expertise and create new ideas,” Minister Andrews said.
“The Morrison Government is determined to reap the rewards of the rapidly growing global cyber security market which is expected to be worth US$250 billion by 2026.
“We want to generate more investment and more jobs for Australians.”
NSW Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said NSW was Australia’s leading user of cyber security products and services and home to the nation’s largest fintech industry.
“A cyber security network without NSW would not truly be a national network.
“Together with our launch of the NSW Cyber Security Industry Development Strategy last year, the establishment of the node is a further important step taken by the NSW Government towards strengthening our cyber capabilities,” Mr Tudehope said.
The NSW Cyber Security Innovation Node will be co-located with and complement the Joint Cyber Security Centre in Sydney, which has a focus on threat information sharing.
It joins a network of nodes backed by AustCyber and state/territory governments already established in Victoria, the ACT, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.
Growing the cyber security sector is part of the Morrison Government’s broader plan to grow the economy and create 1.25 million new jobs over the next five years.

Two new giant gangways have arrived at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
The custom-built walkways have been designed to better support visits from larger cruise ships, some which carry over 5,000 passengers.
Arriving fully assembled, the gangways were unloaded by crane and installed on the wharf over two days.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the two new gangways will improve the terminal’s efficiency.
“These new passenger bridges will move over 1,200 people every 30 minutes. The great thing is they increase capacity and speed up boarding and disembarking, making it a much more enjoyable experience for the hundreds of thousands of passengers welcomed at the Overseas Passenger Terminal every year,” Mr Constance said.
Following a period of testing and commissioning, the new gangways will be operational in time for the 2019/20 cruise season.
The installation of the new gangways builds on the NSW Government’s significant investments in Sydney’s cruise terminal facilities to ensure the city is the leading cruise tourism destination in Australia.
Over 1.6 million cruise passengers transit through Sydney’s two cruise terminals: the Overseas Passenger Terminal and White Bay Cruise Terminal, making New South Wales the home of cruise in Australia.
The 300-plus cruise ships visiting New South Wales each year generate $2.75 billion for the state’s economy, support almost 10,000 jobs and generate $800 million in wages.

Two new giant gangways have arrived at the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
The custom-built walkways have been designed to better support visits from larger cruise ships, some which carry over 5,000 passengers.
Arriving fully assembled, the gangways were unloaded by crane and installed on the wharf over two days.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance said the two new gangways will improve the terminal’s efficiency.
“These new passenger bridges will move over 1,200 people every 30 minutes. The great thing is they increase capacity and speed up boarding and disembarking, making it a much more enjoyable experience for the hundreds of thousands of passengers welcomed at the Overseas Passenger Terminal every year,” Mr Constance said.
Following a period of testing and commissioning, the new gangways will be operational in time for the 2019/20 cruise season.
The installation of the new gangways builds on the NSW Government’s significant investments in Sydney’s cruise terminal facilities to ensure the city is the leading cruise tourism destination in Australia.
Over 1.6 million cruise passengers transit through Sydney’s two cruise terminals: the Overseas Passenger Terminal and White Bay Cruise Terminal, making New South Wales the home of cruise in Australia.
The 300-plus cruise ships visiting New South Wales each year generate $2.75 billion for the state’s economy, support almost 10,000 jobs and generate $800 million in wages.

More than 500 local jobs will be created when Disney-owned visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) sets up a new studio in Sydney, establishing NSW as a global destination for post, digital and visual effects (PDV).
Premier Gladys Berejiklian joined Executive Creative Director and Head of ILM Rob Bredow and ILM Executive Luke Hetherington at Fox Studios Australia today to make the announcement.
Ms Berejiklian said ILM’s decision to choose NSW as its Australian base is a big win for the State.
“ILM is responsible for the visual effects of more than 350 feature films, including Star Wars, Aladdin, Pirates of the Caribbean and The Avengers,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Having the world’s leading visual effects company now agreeing to set up here permanently and commit to teaching invaluable skills to hundreds of people in NSW is a big coup for our State. This is only the third studio ILM has opened outside of North America.
“The digital skills taught by the best in the world will also benefit many other industries in NSW, including software development, robotics, engineering and defence.”
Mr Bredow and Mr Hetherington confirmed that recruitment will begin immediately to complete post, digital and visual effects for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Mr Bredow said Sydney is an ideal location for ILM’s fifth studio.
“There is abundant artistic and technical talent in the region which are both keys to ILM’s culture of innovation. It’s particularly exciting that the first film our new studio will contribute to will be Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” Mr Bredow said.
The announcement follows the NSW Government’s recent move to offer a 10 per cent tax incentive for PDV firms investing over $500,000 in NSW. This is on top of Federal incentives, making NSW an even more attractive location for film production.
The new incentive brings NSW in line with global locations such as the US, UK and Canada, in addition to competing States.
As part of today’s announcement, the NSW Government will also provide a $6 million contribution which will be matched by ILM to establish training programs to build specialised PDV skills for local workers.
Minister for Jobs and Investment Stuart Ayres said PDV is a $15 billion global industry and one that offers highly skilled jobs for NSW.
“We have a shortage of skilled PDV workers in NSW and today’s announcement will help us attract crew who have relocated, as well as drive new teams that will go through ILM’s exciting JEDI Academy program amongst other learning opportunities,” Mr Ayres said.
Minister for the Arts Don Harwin welcomed ILM to Sydney and said he was excited about all of the opportunities that this will open up for NSW.
“Securing ILM’s setup in Sydney will deliver an estimated $333 million in post-production business in the first five years and an expected $100 million each year after,” Mr Harwin said. “We are thrilled to be the home of their new studio.”
Mr Hetherington will see his role expand to include the new ILM studio, which will set up initially at Fox Studios Australia as the company researches options for their permanent Sydney studio.

With the new M4 tunnels open to traffic for barely 36 hours, the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is not wasting any time in continuing to build Sydney’s motorway network, with expressions of interest now open for the Sydney Gateway project.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Sydney Gateway, the next piece of city-shaping infrastructure, would make access to Sydney Airport and Port Botany quicker and easier –together with WestConnex, saving up to 40 minutes from Parramatta to the airport.
“The delivery of the toll-free Sydney Gateway will be a massive improvement to the way motorists travel to Sydney Airport, and take around 10,000 heavy vehicles off local streets in Mascot every day as they travel to Port Botany,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Minister for Roads Andrew Constance said Sydney Gateway would provide a new alternative route to the domestic and international airport terminals from the Sydney motorway network at St Peters interchange.
“Sydney Gateway will include a dedicated flyover to the front door of the domestic airport terminal and improve connections towards Port Botany,” Mr Constance said.
“There will be further time savings from Parramatta, Dee Why, Moorebank and Campbelltown, and provide relief to Southern Cross Drive, King Georges Road and the M5 East tunnel.”
Mr Constance said the successful private sector bidder chosen through the expressions of interest process would construct Sydney Gateway, but it would be toll-free.
Sydney Gateway will save up to 40 minutes on a trip from Parramatta to the domestic terminal, 30 minutes from Haberfield, 22 minutes from Bankstown or Campbelltown, and 19 minutes from Rozelle.
It will save up to 36 minutes on a trip from Eastern Creek to Port Botany, 30 minutes from Silverwater, and 20 minutes from Moorebank or Wetherill Park.