Category: NSW News

The NSW ICAC raid of ALP’s headquarters in Sydney shows political donations are a main source of corruption, yet the Government’s proposed Commonwealth Integrity Commission (CIC) wouldn’t even be able to investigate, Greens spokesperson for democracy Senator Larissa Waters said.
“The Government has intentionally designed a body that will ensure political parties can’t be investigated for the millions of dollars in corporate donations they take from industries like mining, banking and gambling,” Senator Waters said.
“The raid on Labor offices by NSW state ICAC shows the need for both donation reform and a federal anti-corruption body that can investigate the influence of big money on our politics.
“The millions of dollars in political donations corrupt our democracy, yet the Government is proposing a weak federal integrity commission that will not have the power to investigate donations.
“The Morrison Government’s proposed CIC lacks broad powers, teeth, sufficient funding, and the capacity to investigate allegations of corruption from public tip offs.
“The Greens have repeatedly moved for an end to corporate donations and a cap of $1000 on all donations yet hit the major party road block every time as they choose to stay in the pockets of the big corporate donors.”
“Up to $100,000 could be donated to a political party without the need for disclosure, if it is split across state and federal bodies and below the $13,800 threshold.
“It’s an absolute indictment on our democracy that anonymous donations can be made without any laws being broken. Corruption could be absolutely rife yet there is no ability for anybody to investigate.
“There must be urgent political donation reform to close this channel for corruption once and for all.”

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet today delivered the NSW Half-Yearly Budget Review which forecasts average surpluses of $1.3 billion across the next four years and a $2.5 billion increase in infrastructure investment to a record $89.7 billion.
Above average economic growth of 2¾ per cent is forecast for this financial year, with an unprecedented jobs boom powered by the infrastructure investment leading to the lowest unemployment rate in the nation of just 4.4 percent.
NSW has also recorded its fourth consecutive negative net debt position following the successful leasing of a 51 per cent share of Sydney Motorway Corporation (WestConnex) in August, forecast to be negative $7.7 billion at June 2019.
The $9.3 billion WestConnex transaction also means the value of the NSW Generations Fund has been increased to $10 billion and is forecast to top $25 billion in a decade.
“NSW is achieving the holy grail of financial management – solid surpluses and record low net debt while building more schools, hospitals, road and rail than ever before,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Despite headwinds from the drought and the softening of the housing market, the finances of NSW are rock solid and we are pleased to deliver another pipeline of surpluses across the next four years.
We are building more roads, train lines, schools and hospitals than ever before thanks to our record breaking $89.7 billion investment in infrastructure.
These projects are adding thousands of jobs.
Public investment in NSW boosted economic growth by half a percentage point in 2017-18 and is expected to do the same in 2018-19.”
Key highlights from the HYR include:

• The HYR projects a surplus of $1.1 billion in 2018-19 and average surpluses of  $1.3 billion over the forward estimates
• Growth in revenues such as GST, payroll tax from strong employment numbers and royalties of $5.4 billion has outstripped a reduction in transfer duty write-downs of $2.5 billion over the four years
• The NSW Generations Fund, established to manage debt at sustainable levels over the longer term while investing in community wellbeing today, has grown from  $3 billion to $10 billion thanks largely to the better than expected result of leasing 51 per cent of our stake in Sydney Motorway Corporation in August 2018.
• The increased infrastructure investment of $2.5 billion will be used to fund projects across NSW including upgrading hospitals, roads and schools.

Mr Perrottet said since this year’s State Budget, the NSW Government has committed to the largest single increase in the police force in more than three decades with 1,500 new police as part of a $583 million investment over four years.
The State has supported those affected by the drought by committing an additional $500 million to the Emergency Drought Relief Package while businesses will also benefit from a streamlined and modernised payroll tax system.
To ensure the principles of truly needs-based, sector-blind funding remains for all students across the State, the NSW Government has signed up to Gonski 2.0.
As part of this agreement, the State agreed to provide an additional $6.4 billion to 2027 for schools across the State from next year, bringing the State’s total investment to $148 billion for government and non-government schools.
The Government has also maintained its commitment to easing the cost of living through the following measures since the Budget:

• An expansion of the toll relief program for motorists with drivers who spend at least $15 a week on tolls will be eligible for a 50 per cent discount off their vehicle registration and continue to provide free registration for those that spend $25 a week.
• Providing a fairer deal on future property transactions by indexing transfer duty brackets annually to CPI from 1 July 2019. The current system has been largely unchanged since 1986.

Mr Perrottet said the greatest threat to the strong financial position of NSW was Labor.
“It’s a week until Christmas and Michael Daley doesn’t have a sack full of presents, he has a hit list of projects to cancel and pledges with little detail on how they will be funded. Make no mistake he will plunge the budget into debt and despair.”

Netball NSW is happy to announce that the below athletes have been selected for the 2019 NSW Talent Squad.
Hundreds of netballers from all over New South Wales recently trailled for the 17/U and 19/U State Teams, which were announced yesterday.
In addition to naming the 12 players in each of the State Teams, selectors also identified 26 for next year’s NSW Talent Squad, which will keep the players engaged in the Netball NSW High Performance Pathway.
Each player selected in the Talent Squad – which includes athletes from regional and metro areas – impressed selectors with their potential to play for NSW in the future.
Also announced today is the Regional Talent Squad, a group which – unlike the main NSW Talent Squad – focuses solely on Regional athletes.
During the State Team trials there were a number of regional athletes which showed great potential. The Regional Talent encompasses athletes from the seven regional areas in NSW; Hunter, West/Central West, Far North Coast, South Coast, Northern Inland, North Coast, Riverina.
The aim of this program is to provide selected athletes with more opportunity to excel in netball. Many of these regional athletes may not have access to specialist coaching and Strength and Conditioning sessions, hence this second Talent Squad was formed.
Netball NSW would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all athletes selected.
2019 Talent Squad
Alysha Pearson Penrith District
Amelia Kirgan Bankstown City
Anastasia Afoa Liverpool City
Ashleigh Selwyn St George District
Beatrice Dignan Sutherland Shire
Brooklyn O’Mara Wyong District
Charlotte Smith Sutherland Shire
Courtney Castle Blacktown City
Dakota Thomas Northern Suburbs
Elecia Parrott Blacktown City
Emily Wise Manly Warringah
Erin O’Brien Hills District
Georgia Cottle Northern Suburbs
Hannah Cullen Newcastle
Hayley Biddulph Manly Warringah
Jemma Donoghue Northern Suburbs
Laura Cook Hills District
Madeline Melvelle Manly Warringah
Matilda Elliott Lismore & District
Olivia Coleman Eastwood Ryde
Olivia Johnston Penrith District
Rose Hughes Blacktown City
Sarah Okunbor Blacktown City
Stella Atkinson Ballina
Tegan Holland Sutherland Shire
Violet Wetsteyn Blacktown City
Regional Talent Squad
Amelia Wilcox Orange
Anna Atkinson Newcastle
Annalise Maier Orange
Charlise Cleary Queanbeyan
Clancy Best Bathurst
Eliza Perkins Tamworth
Elly Davidson Gosford
Emily Burton Glen Innes
Emily Williams Orange
Erin Asquith Newcastle
Freya Peacock Brunswick Byron
Gillian Leecroft Gosford
Grace Korovata Leeton
Isabella de Vivo Woy Woy Penninsula
Jessica Kelly Wyong District
Lucy Tonkin Newcastle
Maddison Mueller Lakeside
Melissa Winter Great Lakes
Milla Evans Wyong District
Natasha Flanagan Lismore & District
Ruby Sargent-Wilson Illawarra District
Samantha Chicken Manning Valley
Sarah Mcilveen Tamworth
Sharnee Behr Illawarra District
Sophie Brisbane Orange
Teagan Germech Bathurst
Teah Faimanu Wyong District
Zoe Peden Newcastle

NSW is delighted to announce that the following players have been selected to represent New South Wales at the 2019 National Netball Championships in Brisbane.
After a long selection process, where selectors visited both regional and metro regions of NSW, two squads of 12 players have been chosen to represent the state’s 17/U and 19/U teams.
The National Netball Championships provide Australia’s best young netballers the chance to represent their respective state or territory – a fantastic pathway opportunity for athlete exposure and talent identification.
Down the years the Championships have proven to be a crucial stepping stone to both the Suncorp Super Netball and international stages of the game.
This year sees players selected from regional areas such as Orange, Wagga Wagga, Newcastle, Lismore and Gosford, as well as a host of metro areas.
Netball NSW Head of Netball Nikki Horton said she was delighted with the standard on show throughout the trial process and wished the squads, and their coaches, the best for 2019.
“I think the selection process is always a long and difficult one, mainly because there are so many great players hoping to wear the NSW dress,” she said.
“Our selectors have been hard at work in both regional and metro areas to find the best talent and I think they have done an amazing job.
“The Nationals is where many NSW Swifts and GIANTS start out, as well as Australian Diamonds, so making our 17/U and 19/U Teams is a huge achievement for every one of these athletes.
“I would like to wish both teams the best as they start the preparation process for the 2019 Nationals in Queensland, we’ll be there ready to cheer them on.”
The 2019 National Netball Championships take place from Wednesday to Tuesday, 10-16 April, at Brisbane’s Netball Centre.
2019 NSW 17/U Team
Alexandria Emerson Orange
Amy Sligar Camden & District
Annalise Chadrawy Illawarra District
Audrey Little Manly Warringah
Brooke Paterson Randwick
Chelsea Mann Manly Warringah
Jessica Conlan Barellan & District
Matisse Letherbarrow Baulkham Hills Shire
Millie Roach Ku-ring-gai
Natalie Sligar Camden & District
Selene Chadrawy Illawarra District
Sophie Fawns Wagga Wagga
Head Coach: Amber Cross (Wyong District),
Assistant Coach: Nardia MacDonald (Baulkham Hills Shire)
Apprentice Coach: Sally Cain (Hawkesbury City)
Manager: Jenny Gage-Traill (Northern Suburbs)
Physios: Alice Brown, Jessica Harrison.
2019 NSW 19/U Team
Annie Miller Manly Warringah
Clare Iongi Inner Western Suburbs
Jazmyn Rodwell Gosford
Latika Tombs Manly Warringah
Lauren Woods Blacktown City
Leilani Rohweder Lismore & District
Luana Aukafolau Eastwood Ryde
Maddy Eaton Sutherland Shire
Matilda McDonell St George District
Nakita Jackson Newcastle
Rhiannon Stokes Newcastle
Sophie Dwyer Eastwood Ryde
Head Coach: Nerida Stewart (Gosford)
Assistant Coach: Marjorie Parr (Illawarra District)
Apprentice Coach: Alison Tucker (Randwick)
Manager: Marianne Mccormick (Orange)
Physios: Adrian Tocchet, Melanie Tri.

More than 300,000 drivers will benefit from hip pocket relief as the NSW Government expands its successful Toll Relief program, with major winners expected in Sydney’s west and northwest.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian today announced that from July 1, 2019, drivers who spend $15 or more a week on tolls will be eligible for half-priced vehicle registration. Drivers who spend $25 or more a week on tolls will continue to receive Free Rego. This more than doubles the number of people who can access the scheme.
“We know meeting cost of living pressures are a big challenge for many households and we are committed to doing everything we can to ease those burdens,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“In this year alone, we have given back more than $200 million to people in NSW in cost of living relief and we are always looking for more opportunities to ease pressures for households.
“The NSW Liberals & Nationals’ responsible management of the budget and economy has allowed us to put money back into the pockets of hard working people.”
Currently, more than 140,000 motorists are eligible to receive Free Rego. Under today’s announcement, this will increase to a total of more than 300,000 drivers who will be eligible for either half-priced or free registration.
Eligibility will also change to allow multiple tags on the one account to count towards Toll Relief, making it a more generous scheme. For example, families with more than one vehicle registered to an account can pool their total spend to qualify for one half-price or free registration.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the NSW Government was delivering savings for all motorists while also building the road and rail lines to ensure people can get to and from work more quickly.
“Labor’s cynical program will only benefit drivers on one road and cost taxpayers more than $2.2 billion over 10 years,” Mr Perrottet said. “Our program offers relief to drivers across all toll roads, no matter where they live.”
Minister for Roads Melinda Pavey said the program would be backdated, so eligible motorists will be able to count their toll spend from from July 1, 2018.
“This is about putting money back into the pockets of hardworking motorists,” Mrs Pavey said. “We’re delivering real cost of living savings, unlike Labor and the Opposition Leader who increased the toll on the Harbour Bridge by 33 per cent when he was Roads Minister.”
The program is available for all standard privately registered cars, utes, 4 wheel-drives and motorcycles. Drivers who are not aware that they are eligible will not miss out, as they will be informed when they renew online.
Since Toll Relief took effect on July 1, more than 46,000 drivers have saved about $20 million in Free Rego. The top 10 suburbs are:

• Castle Hill
• Baulkham Hills
• Kellyville
• Blacktown
• Mosman
• Quakers Hill
• West Pennant Hills
• Glenwood
• Cherrybrook
• Glenmore Park

The NSW Government has given back more than $200 million to people in NSW this year alone through its various cost of living rebates and incentives. Highlights include:

• 400,000 people have downloaded the real-time FuelCheck app, which could save drivers $500 a year.
• 665,000 Active Kids vouchers have been issued this year.
• CTP reform is saving motorists around $120 per year on their Green Slips. The average premium is expected to drop to $500 from January 2019.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will invest an additional $100 million in school maintenance this year, taking its total investment to an unprecedented $847 million over four years.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced the extra funding today with Minister for Education Rob Stokes, ensuring that schools across NSW are maintained to the best standards.
The additional money is being allocated to schools with the highest maintenance needs and $260 million of the funding will be invested this financial year.

“This investment will ensure that every student, in every school, has an equal opportunity to achieve excellence,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“When the NSW Liberals & Nationals came to Government we inherited a large maintenance liability from Labor. Once again we are fixing the mess that Labor left for NSW.
“Boosting the school maintenance fund by another $100 million is only possible due to the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.”
Mr Stokes said that managing school maintenance is an ongoing challenge that the NSW Government is confronting head on.
“Just like any other buildings, schools need constant maintenance. We’re getting on with the job of ensuring our schools remain in tip-top condition because that is what our teachers and students deserve,” Mr Stokes said.
Ms Berejiklian and Mr Stokes made the announcement today on the NSW Central Coast.
Brian Perrem, Liberal Candidate for The Entrance added: “The additional funding announced today is a huge boost for the Central Coast. It will ensure that students and teachers can work in the best possible conditions. Only the NSW Liberals & Nationals can deliver this sort of major investment.”
Schools will take advantage of the long school summer break, with jobs such roof works to be completed at Bradbury Public School near Campbelltown.
Other examples of schools receiving roof repairs include Mayfield East and Woodland Road Public Schools, along with Singleton and Newcastle High Schools.
There will also be painting carried out at Glebe Public School, Binya Public School in Cootamundra and Seaforth Public School on the Northern Beaches.
Other jobs to be completed, among many others, include a new retaining wall at Austinmer Public School in Keira and new carpeting and flooring at Lindfield, Beecroft and Malabar Public Schools.
“Our public schools are some of the most important tools in building a bright future for NSW. We want communities to have pride in their schools, just like we have pride in their hard-working students and teachers,” Mr Stokes said.
In addition to prioritising maintenance in NSW schools, the Government has also announced the first 900 schools that will receive air conditioning under its record $500 million Cooler Classrooms program.
The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is also undertaking a record $6 billion school building program over the next four years, which will deliver more than 170 new and upgraded schools to support communities throughout NSW. This is the largest investment into public school infrastructure by any State government in Australian history.
An additional 900 full-time teachers will also be hired this financial year, building on the 5340 teachers that the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has added to the public school system since 2011.

The NSW Government’s B-Line bus service has carried more people in its first year of operation than the population of Greater Sydney.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance revealed more than 5.9 million passenger trips have been made on the ground-breaking turn-up-and-go service between the Northern Beaches and the Sydney CBD since it launched in November 2017.
“The B-Line has been a tremendous success since the first buses started travelling between Mona Vale and the Sydney CBD one year ago. Customer satisfaction is above 90 per cent – it’s certainly been a happy first birthday,” Mr Constance said.
B-Line services are turn-up-and-go, meaning customers travelling between Mona Vale and Wynyard have been able to throw away their timetable.
Member for Manly James Griffin said customers can catch a bus every five minutes during peak times in the peak direction, and every 10 minutes at other times of the day.
“The B-Line is the centrepiece of a rejuvenated Northern Beaches bus network which was designed to make it easier for customers to travel to-and-from the Sydney CBD, as well as around the local area,” Mr Griffin said.
State Transit CEO Steffen Faurby said patronage across the entire Northern Beaches has increased by around 11 per cent over the last 12 months.
“We’ve added around 4,200 extra weekly services to the network, including around 2,000 B-Line services and around 1,000 new weekly services to help customers get to the new Northern Beaches Hospital and growing Frenchs Forest area,” Mr Faurby said.
In another milestone for the project, the new commuter carpark at Manly Vale will open to the public later this month.
“Manly Vale is the last of six commuter carparks to be completed as part of this project. It will provide up to 150 spaces, bringing the total number of spaces available along the B-Line route to around 900,” Mr Constance said.
“The Manly Vale car park is also the first to feature the rotating ‘Breathing Wall’ technology developed by one of Australia’s leading living infrastructure specialists, Junglefy. This unique system incorporates around 9,000 plants which have been scientifically proven to remove harmful air pollutants and to provide a habitat for biodiversity and a beautiful looking façade.”
The B-Line project has included a number of road improvements in the Northern Beaches and Lower North Shore designed to ease traffic congestion and improve bus reliability.
“The road changes delivered by the B-Line team include new bus lanes, tidal flow systems and indented bus bays which have helped to reduce the journey time between Mona Vale and Wynyard by around nine minutes,” Mr Griffin said

The NSW Government will start work on a fast rail network in the next term of government, linking regional centres to each other and Sydney, significantly slashing travel times across the State.
Four potential routes have already been identified and High Speed Rail expert Professor Andrew McNaughton has now been appointed to confirm the most appropriate routes, train speeds and station locations.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said a fast rail network will give people greater choice about where they live and how they commute to work.

“We know a fast rail network will transform NSW unlike any other project and we will make it a reality,” Ms Berejiklian said.

“We need to make it easier for people to consider moving to regional NSW and there is no better way to do that than building a fast rail network.”
The four routes identified by the Government are within 300 kilometres from Sydney:

• Northern Route including the Central Coast and Newcastle.
• Southern Inland Route including Goulburn and Canberra.
• Western Route including Lithgow, Bathurst and Orange / Parkes.
• Southern Coastal Route including Wollongong and Nowra.

“The expert will provide advice to Government on what is possible and what would be involved,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The delivery of fast rail on those routes has the potential to slash travel times by up to 75 per cent. Approximate travel times could be:

Journey	Current Rail Time	Faster Rail <200km/h	High Speed Rail >250km/h
Sydney to Canberra	4:07	3:00	1:00
Sydney to Goulburn	2:31	1:45	0:30
Sydney to Newcastle	2:35	2:00	0:45
Sydney to Gosford	1:19	1:00	0:30
Sydney to Wollongong	1:25	1:00	0:30
Sydney to Nowra	2:39	2:00	0:45

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro said a $4.6 million allocation from Snowy Hydro Fund to develop fast rail will further boost confidence in regional NSW.
“We need to do the work to gauge what is possible and when,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Making regional travel faster, safer and easier brings huge economic potential to NSW regional towns and cities by making it easier to invest, do business, build a lifestyle and visit our regional towns.
“We are delivering better water security, digital connectivity and freight connections from the Snowy Hydro fund and now developing game changing infrastructure to access regional NSW.”
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said the NSW Government has a proven track record of delivering infrastructure.
“We are delivering rail to North West Sydney, a second Sydney Harbour Rail Crossing, completing the M4 and finishing the duplication of the Pacific Highway – all projects the previous Labor Government promised, but failed to deliver,” Mr Constance said.
“A fast rail network is another project which will only happen under the NSW Liberals & Nationals.”
The advice from Professor McNaughton will pave the way for the NSW Government to take a new approach to the delivery of fast rail by identifying immediate improvements to existing rail corridors, while undertaking long-term visionary planning.
This approach allows for significant improvements in travel times for customers in the coming years, while at the same time delivering the building blocks for a high speed dedicated rail network.
“In the immediate future, faster rail would see upgrades along existing rail alignments and provide services of at least 200km/h, slashing travel times by one third,” Mr Constance said.
“Ultimately, in the long term, high speed rail would see the development of new alignments and lines, providing speeds of over 250km/h, with examples overseas travelling up to 350km/h and higher – giving the potential to cut travel times by up to 75 per cent.”
For more information visit: www.nsw.gov.au/fastrail

A woman will be charged after allegedly leaving her children in a hot vehicle for over an hour in Sydney’s south west today.
About 12.45pm (Saturday 8 December 2018), a 36-year-old woman parked a Toyota Kluger in direct sunlight in a carpark on Viscount Place, Liverpool.
The woman left two boys, aged eight and five, inside the car while she went shopping.
About an hour later, the children were discovered by passers-by, who contacted police.
About 1.50pm, police from Liverpool Police Area Command attended as the woman returned to the vehicle.
The children were found to be dehydrated and were provided water. Ambulance Paramedics attended to assess the children.
The woman was spoken to at the scene and will be issued a Future Court Attendance Notice for leave child/young person in motor vehicle.
Her court date is yet to be determined.

The NSW Police Force will welcome 257 new probationary constables to its ranks at the Police Academy in Goulburn on Friday (7 December 2018).
‘Class 335’ includes 168 policemen and 89 policewomen who will complete 12 months on-the-job training and study of the Associate Degree in Policing Practice by distance education with Charles Sturt University before being confirmed to the rank of constable.
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller APM will be joined by the Governor of NSW, His Excellency General, The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret’d) and Minister for Police and Emergency Services, The Honourable Troy Grant MP, to inspect the new recruits on the parade ground. Member for Goulburn, The Honourable Pru Goward MP, and will also be in attendance.
The ceremony will also see retiring officers Detective Superintendent Arthur Katsogiannis APM, Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Hoffman, Chief Inspector Trent Le-Merton and Detective Senior Sergeant Stephen Horn, farewelled after 161 years combined service with the NSW Police Force.