Category: NSW News

The new M4 Tunnels have been officially opened and the first drivers will make their way through the 5.5 kilometre tunnels from Homebush to Haberfield early tomorrow morning.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack and Minister for Roads Andrew Constance have cut the ribbon on the $3.8 billion project, which will allow drivers to bypass the notoriously congested Parramatta Road.
“These twin tunnels give drivers the option to avoid 22 sets of traffic lights, slashing up to 20 minutes off a trip from Parramatta to the Sydney CBD,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This is a major step towards giving back more time to people, so they spend less time in traffic and more time with family and friends, as well as doing the things they love.
Mr McCormack said the opening of new M4 tunnels was another important step in the WestConnex project.
“These tunnels are a game changer for the people of western Sydney, doubling the capacity of the corridor between Homebush and Haberfield,” Mr McCormack said.
“We know congestion in our cities is a real problem and the Australian Government is doing everything it can to fix it through our record $100 billion pipeline of infrastructure projects over the next decade.”
Mr Constance said there will always be a toll free option for drivers and the new M4 Tunnels are expected to reduce the overall traffic volume on the existing Parramatta Road by more than 50 per cent.
“Within two years it is expected there will be about 67,000 trips a day through the tunnels, taking traffic off local streets,” Mr Constance said.
“The new M4 Tunnels are the first of four major WestConnex tunnels. When WestConnex is finished in 2023, drivers will save an estimated 40 minutes on a trip from Parramatta to Sydney Airport.”
The Eastbound tunnel is expected to open from 2am on Saturday, followed by the Westbound tunnel about an hour later.

The new M4 Tunnels will open from Saturday morning, slashing travel times for tens of thousands of Western Sydney drivers who currently sit in traffic on Parramatta Road every day.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new M4 Tunnels will bypass 22 sets of traffic lights from Homebush to Haberfield and cut up to 20 minutes off a trip from Parramatta to the Sydney CBD.
“We are now just days away from drivers benefiting from the first underground section of WestConnex,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This is yet another major project which will allow people to spend less time in traffic and more time doing what they want.”
Federal Minister for Population, Cities and Urban Infrastructure the Hon Alan Tudge said the M4 Tunnels are the first of four tunnel pieces in the WestConnex puzzle.
“This gamechanging project will help bust Sydney’s congestion, cutting travel times and return local streets to locals,” Mr Tudge said.
Minister for Roads Andrew Constance said within two years it is expected about 67,000 trips will be made through the new M4 Tunnels each day.
“WestConnex will take up to 10,000 trucks a day off Parramatta Road, which is welcome news for anyone who sits in bumper to bumper traffic on that notoriously congested corridor,” Mr Constance said.
“I would like to thank communities for their patience throughout construction over the past three years.”
The $3.8 billion 5.5 kilometre twin tunnels will be three lanes in each direction and extend the widened M4 from Homebush to Haberfield. It is expected to reduce the overall traffic volume on Parramatta Road by 53 per cent by 2021.
The WestConnex project also includes the New M5, the M4-M5 Link and the Rozelle Interchange, connecting Sydney’s west and southwest via more than 30km of continuous motorway.

The NSW Government has reaffirmed its commitment to halving rough sleeping across the state by 2025, injecting funds to help tackle the ambitious target.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward has announced the latest figures that show the Government’s record investment of $1 billion a year towards reducing homelessness is making a difference.
“Since March 2017, more than 450 people sleeping rough have been helped into long-term permanent accommodation,” Mr Ward said.
“We also know that 92 per cent of people previously sleeping rough in Sydney who were helped into housing in the two years to March 2019 have sustained their tenancies.”
“We have come a long way in breaking the cycle of rough sleeping across our state, but there is still much more to be done to meet the Premier’s priority.”
Mr Ward also announced a $300,000 investment, to help coordinate project delivery with the non-Government sector through the establishment of the End Street Sleeping Collaboration.
The Hon Graham West, who convenes the group of NGO’s and Government organisations under the landmark agreement signed last year, said it was a vital step forward.
“These funds lay the foundation for the Government’s pursuit of the ambitious targets that we have set in relation to homelessness,” Mr West said.
“It will help establish an office, board and working groups which will drive the collaboration of homelessness services and systems and help break the cycle of rough sleeping in NSW.”
The new body will also co-ordinate data on street sleeping and report on progress towards the Premier’s Priority.
The 2019-20 Budget delivered $1 billion towards a range of homelessness and social and affordable housing programs, which contribute to the Premier’s Priority to reduce rough sleeping across NSW by 50 per cent by 2025.

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) is entering 38 new conservation agreements with landholders in NSW to protect more than 9,300 hectares of environmentally significant land, including koala habitat.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said the BCT is setting aside $35.9 million to support landholders in the Northern Tablelands, North West Plains, Murray, South West Slopes, Lachlan River and Lismore-Ballina.
“These 38 new BCT agreements will help landowners protect new conservation areas, threatened species, and pristine landscapes,” Mr Kean said.
“These landholders will earn from $21 to $423 per hectare per year over the life of the agreements to manage parts of their property to help protect native and threatened species.”
Through the BCT, the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has committed more than $350 million over the next five years to help protect and conserve the environment, plants and animals.
In just over a year since being established, the BCT has now conserved more than 29,000 hectares of land through 133 private land conservation agreements.
Some of the landscapes being conserved include Grey Box Woodland, Sandhill Pine Woodland, Coolibah-Black Box Woodland, and Brigalow and Myall Woodland. In the Lismore-Ballina area, regionally important koala habitat is being protected.
“The response from landholders to these conservation tenders is overwhelmingly positive,” Mr Kean said.
“We have some of the most beautiful landscapes and pristine natural areas in the country. I want to make sure we are protecting our environment in NSW because I want to leave it in a better state than the one we inherited.”
Conservation tenders are just one way the BCT encourages landholders to protect parts of their land for biodiversity conservation.
For more information about the BCT, visit https://www.bct.nsw.gov.au/

The NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT) is entering 38 new conservation agreements with landholders in NSW to protect more than 9,300 hectares of environmentally significant land, including koala habitat.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said the BCT is setting aside $35.9 million to support landholders in the Northern Tablelands, North West Plains, Murray, South West Slopes, Lachlan River and Lismore-Ballina.
“These 38 new BCT agreements will help landowners protect new conservation areas, threatened species, and pristine landscapes,” Mr Kean said.
“These landholders will earn from $21 to $423 per hectare per year over the life of the agreements to manage parts of their property to help protect native and threatened species.”
Through the BCT, the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has committed more than $350 million over the next five years to help protect and conserve the environment, plants and animals.
In just over a year since being established, the BCT has now conserved more than 29,000 hectares of land through 133 private land conservation agreements.
Some of the landscapes being conserved include Grey Box Woodland, Sandhill Pine Woodland, Coolibah-Black Box Woodland, and Brigalow and Myall Woodland. In the Lismore-Ballina area, regionally important koala habitat is being protected.
“The response from landholders to these conservation tenders is overwhelmingly positive,” Mr Kean said.
“We have some of the most beautiful landscapes and pristine natural areas in the country. I want to make sure we are protecting our environment in NSW because I want to leave it in a better state than the one we inherited.”
Conservation tenders are just one way the BCT encourages landholders to protect parts of their land for biodiversity conservation.
For more information about the BCT, visit https://www.bct.nsw.gov.au/

The 2019 HART Junior State Titles concluded yesterday after three wonderful days of action at Baulkham Hills and Penrith District Netball Association.
More than 2,000 players, representing 232 teams from 85 Associations from all over New South Wales, took part in the event, formerly known as the Netball NSW State Age Championships.
Each age group – 12/U, 13/U and14/U – had a Championship Division, as well as Divisions 2, 3 and 4. The winner of each Championship Division was crowned State Champions of their respective age group.
And we are delighted to announce that the three sets of State Champions for 2019 have been crowned. For full results and standings please visit the MyNetball Fixtures & Results page, but for now here are the winners and runners up from each Division.
Netball NSW would also like to thank HART Sport, the naming rights partner of the Junior State Titles, and extend those thanks to the following official partners of the event: QBE, TAFE NSW, BBX and The Kids Cancer Project.
14/U Championships
Winners: Manly Warringah
Runners-up: Ku-ring-gai
14/U Division Two
Winners: Gosford
Runners-up: Inner Western Suburbs
14/U Division Three
Winners: Ballina
Runners-up: Manning Valley
14/U Division Four
Winners: Kiama
Runners-up: Kurri Kurri
13/U Championship
Winners: Penrith District
Runners-up: Manly Warringah
13/U Division Two
Winners: Maitland
Runners-up: Barellan & District
13/U Division Three
Winners: Westlakes District
Runners-up: Muswellbrook
13/U Division Four
Winners: Mudgee District
Runners-up: Kurri Kurri
12/U Championships
Winners: Penrith District
Runners-up: Wyong District
12/U Division Two
Winners: Inner Western Suburbs
Runners-up: Charlestown
12/U Division Three
Winners: Westlakes District
Runners-up: Mudgee District
12/U Division Four
Winners: Port Stephens
Runners-up: Leeton

Following in the footsteps of Suncorp Super Netball, the Netball NSW Premier League will be hosting its first-ever Indigenous Round this week, with all teams celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture across the eight games.
Round 6, taking place on Thursday 11 July, coincides with 2019 NAIDOC Week, with the theme being ‘Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let’s work together for a shared future.’
The theme for the evening will be Tiddas Together – Tiddas is a colloquial Aboriginal word that means sisters.
Ali Tucker-Munro, a former elite netballer with over 100 elite caps to her name, is currently the assistant coach of the UTS Sparks Opens Division team. She spearheaded the idea of introducing an Indigenous Round to Premier League.
“This wonderful game has enriched me on so many levels; physically, mentally, and culturally,” she said.
“Culturally this sport gives me a platform to fulfil what I believe is inherent to who I am as a proud Aboriginal woman – to never forget where I come from, and to always give back to my mob.
“As a proud Kamilaroi woman this round therefore means a great deal to me.
“It’s something that I’ve wanted in NSW for quite some time. So when I put the suggestion to Netball NSW that we should have a Premier League Indigenous round, I was delighted with their response and their commitment in making tonight happen.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the valuable contribution Aboriginal people make across our netball community.”
Each team will take the court wearing a bib featuring Indigenous artwork designed by Tarsha Hawley, an Indigenous player for the Central Coast Heart, who was in the Grand Final-winning Opens team last year.
“This painting for me represents personal success and the empowerment of other Indigenous women throughout my life, and from past achieving Indigenous women who have helped shaped me today,” describes Hawley, who is a Wongaibon woman.
“The concentric circles in the background represent our community, showing how we all come together and are connected as one. No journey being the same, all different but unique.
“To the side of the artwork are dotted lines that represent waves of voices. Voices of past and present Indigenous women who empower me to keep striving, no matter what the setback, no matter the outcome.
“It’s important to back yourself and have strength to keep pushing. It’s the voices from my biggest supporter’s in life that kept me on track to reaching my goals.
“The crow represents the main totem of the Wongaibon nation. It’s the main focal point because this is where life began for me and where I began to learn about my culture.
“The footprints and lines within the triangle represent a journey guided by our elders and ancestors. Each footprint steps forward into the future, showing where we come from and where we can go.
“The triangle symbolises a pathway. As individuals we all set goals and with strength, determination and guidance we can all come together as one.”
BarTV Sports will be live streaming Thursday’s action on three courts, showing both Opens and Under 23s games. The live streams will be shown across Netball NSW’s Facebook and Twitter channels.

Baulkham Hills and Penrith will be at the heart of the NSW netball community this weekend when they host the 2019 HART Junior State Titles from Saturday to Monday, 6-8 July.
Formerly known as the Netball NSW State Age Championships, the three-day event, which is one of the largest female sporting competitions in the southern hemisphere, will see teams play in three age-groups (12U, 13/U and 14/U) and across four divisions (1, 2, 3 & 4).
In order to accommodate the sheer size and scope of the State Age Championships, Netball NSW undertook a detailed review to find out how the organisation could make them run in the most efficient and sustainable manner.
After five decades of success it involved some shuffling, and a little rebranding, but in the new HART Junior State Titles the organisation has strengthened the event’s solid foundations as it looks to the next 50 years and beyond.
In 2019 Baulkham Hills Netball Association will play host to divisions 1 and 2 of the age-groups, while Penrith District Netball Association will welcome participants from divisions 3 and 4.
State Champions will be crowned on Monday with the Division 1 winners in each respective age-group taking the mantle of State Champions.
In total 2,347 players from 232 teams, representing 85 Associations, will hit the courts with almost 400 (395 to be exact) umpires officiating.
Netball NSW President Louise Sullivan said she was looking forward to one of the busiest, but best, weekends on the calendar.
“In terms of players alone, thousands will descend on both venues this weekend,” she said.
“Add onto that the hundreds of officials, coaches, team managers and thousands of supporters, and you have a pretty special gathering.
“Every one of our players should take a moment to acknowledge and be proud of their achievement to be here, and to thank all those in their life that made that success possible.
“At the elite level we currently have some of our NSW Swifts and Giants away with the Australian Diamonds for the Netball World Cup in England.
“Those players came through competitions such as the HART Junior State Titles. For those that aspire for that same journey, or to enjoy their netball in
other ways, I hope your dreams come true.”
She also paid tribute to netball’s volunteer workforce, who will be out in numbers this weekend.
“Of course, we are only ever as strong as our volunteer base and I want to make special mention of those who give up their spare time to instill a love of netball in the next generation. This weekend simply would not happen without you.”
As well as our volunteers and staff, Netball NSW would also like to thank HART Sport, the naming rights partner of the Junior State Titles, and extend those thanks to the following official partners of the event: QBE, TAFE NSW, BBX and The Kids Cancer Project.
 

Light Rail Vehicle testing is ramping up along George Street, with the vehicles expected to reach Circular Quay by August and the line to open to customers before the end of the year.
Premier Gladys Berejikilian and Minister for Transport Andrew Constance today inspected a new Light Rail Vehicle parked outside Town Hall during the day for the first time.
“It is great to see light rail back on George Street and the progress which is being made on this gamechanging project,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We can expect to see a lot more light rail vehicles making their way through the CBD from now on.
“Day testing is underway between Randwick and Central. It will be extended to Town Hall soon and the vehicles will reach Circular Quay within months.
“When it opens the line will deliver high capacity services from the heart of the city to Moore Park, Randwick Racecourse and the University of NSW.”
Mr Constance said with testing becoming more frequent the NSW Government has today launched the new “Heads Up, Play it Safe around Light Rail” safety campaign.
“We remind the community to be aware of the changed environment and keep their “Heads Up” around the light rail,” Mr Constance said.
“Trams are quieter than people expect and cannot stop easily or quickly.
“We need pedestrians to look up from their phones and for cyclists and drivers to be aware and remember that tracks are for trams.”
The campaign features former and current rugby league legends as part of Transport for NSW’s road safety partnership with the NSW Rugby League and is aimed at raising awareness about being safe around light rail.
New trams hold up to up to 450 passengers, equivalent of up to nine standard buses.  This means the new light rail network will have the initial capacity to move up to 13,500 commuters per hour during peak times (7am – 7pm).

NSW will be a safer State with 450 additional police to be assigned to local stations and specialist areas over the next 12 months to protect communities and fight crime.
The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is investing $583 million to provide 1500 additional police over the next four years, the single biggest investment for the NSW Police Force in more than 30 years.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Government was delivering record investment to frontline services for schools and hospitals, as well as police and emergency services.
“Our frontline police officers put their lives on the line to protect the community. These additional police officers will be sent to stations where they are needed the most to ensure the safety and security of the local community,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“In addition to more local police, the NSW Police Force will boost the ranks of high-visibility teams, as well as specialist crime fighters devoted to strategic intelligence and cyber crime.”
Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott said NSW has some of the lowest crime rates in 20 years, and the changing nature of crime meant it was vital more police were introduced into the ranks.
“This a major boost to ensure police have the resources they need to protect the community. These officers include specialist police to deal with aged crime prevention, where an elderly person is the victim of a crime, and to monitor offenders on the Child Protection Register. Every police area or district in NSW will receive these additional officers across four years,” Mr Elliott said.
NSW Police Force Commissioner Mick Fuller said new positions will be created in the areas most in need.
“These fully funded positions are the resource boost we need to continue to drive down crime and protect the community,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“Positions are being placed in the areas most in need across the state. We will see more officers in police area commands and police districts as well as in specialist commands, such as our Strategic Intelligence, Rural Crime and Cyber Crime Squads.
“By 2023, we will have a child protection register coordinator and aged crime prevention officer at each police area command and police district across the state.
“We know we will face emerging threats in the future. With the structure in place and our strong position, we’ll be able to allocate resources where they’ll make the greatest difference.”
Areas of NSW receiving police in the first batch during 2019-20 include:

• Nepean PAC and Hunter Valley PD (11 each)
• Mid North Coast PD (10 each)
• Monaro PD and South Coast PD (nine each)
• Coffs-Clarence PD and Richmond PD (eight each)
• Central West PD, Mt Druitt PAC (seven each)
• Camden PAC, Cumberland PAC, Newcastle City PD, Orana Mid Western PD, Riverina PD (six each), and
• Chifley PD, Hume PD, Lake Illawarra PD, Lake Macquarie PD, New England PD, Oxley PD, Port Stephens-Hunter PD, The Hills PAC and Tuggerah Lakes PD (five each).

An additional 38 police will go to high visibility policing, with 20 for Central Metro, eight for North West Metro, six for Northern, eight for South West Metro and six for Southern.
Other highlights include 10 new police to be allocated to cybercrime, nine in surveillance, and six each in strategic intelligence and rural crime.
Future allocations of positions will be determined based on resource requirements and how best to prevent, disrupt and respond to emerging crime issues.