Month: February 2019

Sydney’s new underground CBD metro railway stations are taking shape about 25 metres under the centre of the city where new platform caverns and pedestrian tunnels are being excavated.
The gamechanging Sydney Metro City & Southwest project is the first new rail line through Sydney since the 1970s and will massively cut travel times for commuters across the whole system.
The Sydney Metro projects in the Northwest, City & Southwest have also created more than 20,000 jobs, while the NSW Government’s record infrastructure program has created more than 100,000 jobs.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance today met some of the Sydney Metro workers and had the first look at major construction work at the Martin Place Metro Station.
“It’s incredible to see the progress that’s been made by machines and workers underground with thousands of pedestrians moving aboveground,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Two roadheader tunnelling machines are working 24-7 to excavate the new Martin Place station, which stretches underground between Hunter Street and Martin Place.
“This project is really taking shape and when it opens, customers in the heart of Sydney’s CBD will be more connected than ever before.”
Mr Constance said the Martin Place metro platform caverns will be about 220 metres long, 16 metres high and 14 metres wide when fully lined with concrete.
“Roadheaders and about 95 workers have already excavated more than 166,620 tonnes of crushed rock at Martin Place – enough to fill about 26 Olympic swimming pools,” Mr Constance said.
“They are also digging underground pedestrian connections to the existing Eastern Suburbs Line, making it easier to get around our great city.
“This once again shows that only the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will deliver Metro rail across Sydney.
“When Labor was last in office they announced 12 rail projects. They did not deliver a single one in full and they are already promising to cancel the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro upgrade.”
Sydney Metro will deliver a turn-up-and-go train service up to every two minutes to the four train stations being built in the Sydney CBD – Martin Place, Pitt Street, Barangaroo and Central.
Sydney Metro Northwest is on track to open in the coming months and is at least half a billion dollars under budget. It includes 13 Metro stations and 4000 commuter car parking spaces.
Metro rail is being extended from the north west, into the CBD and beyond to Bankstown in 2024, delivering Sydney 31 metro stations and a 66km standalone metro railway line.

Ferry customers are set to receive new vessels, more frequent services and a trial of On Demand journeys after the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government today announced Transdev has been awarded the contract to continue the operation of Sydney Ferry services for the next nine years.
Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance said the significant improvements across the ferry network will also save the state’s taxpayers $40 million over the life of the contract.
“We know Sydneysiders and tourists love the ferries, they are a wonderful way to get around this city. This new contract is all about delivering better services to make travelling on the harbour and Parramatta River even more attractive,” Mr Constance said.
“Customers are really going to be the big winners. We are already delivering around 3,400 weekly services and there are now plans to create more than 400 additional weekly services across the network over the next two years.
“This includes almost 280 extra weekly trips on the growing F3 Parramatta River route. That’ll mean wharves like Sydney Olympic Park, Meadowbank and Cabarita receive a service every 10 minutes during the busiest peak hour and every 20 minutes during the day and on weekends.”
To service this route at least ten new Parramatta River Class ferries will be ordered to provide additional capacity.
“We’ll also order three more of the popular Emerald Class ferries to support the growing demand across the harbour,” Mr Constance said.
Other improvements will include:

• Improved frequency by merging the F2 Taronga and F6 Mosman routes for services every 20 minutes, compared to the current 30 minutes.
• Rose Bay and Watsons Bay will see more services in the evenings on weekends, as well as expanded service hours on weeknights and;
• Improved frequency in the off peak and on weekend nights for customers at McMahons Point and Milsons Point.

In great news for customers in the inner west, a trial of a new On Demand ferry in the Bays Precinct will start later this year using a new MiniCat vessel.
“The On Demand ferry trial will connect wharves like Rozelle Bay and Blackwattle Bay to larger transport interchanges like Pyrmont and Barangaroo where they can join either a main ferry route, or jump on to a bus,” Mr Constance.
The learnings from the On Demand ferry trial will then be used to refine the service and potentially introduce additional On Demand zones.
Transdev Sydney Ferries, formerly operating as Harbour City Ferries, was awarded the contract to continue operating Sydney ferry services following a competitive tender process.
“Since Transdev took over running Sydney Ferries in 2012, On Time Running and customer satisfaction are the highest they have ever been and I’m certain the popularity of ferries will only grow.”
Since 2011, the NSW Government has created almost 400 additional weekly services across the Sydney ferry network. The new contract commences on 28 July 2019.

The NSW Liberals investment in ICC Sydney has delivered a significant boost to the NSW economy and cemented the State’s reputation as a world class events destination, with new figures released today showing the venue has created more than 5000 jobs (directly and indirectly) since its opening in December 2016.
According to a Deloitte Access Economics study, visitors who attended events at the venue in 2018, generated $820 million in direct expenditure for the State, up from the $785 million generated in 2017. The venue also welcomed more than 1.3 million visitors across 700 events in 2018.
Minister for Finance, Services and Property Victor Dominello said the results demonstrated the remarkable success of the ICC Sydney since its opening a little over two years ago.
“The venue has enriched Darling Harbour, transforming it into an economic powerhouse, and put Sydney on the map as Australia’s number one destination for events and exhibitions,” Mr Dominello said.
“The figures speak for themselves – ICC Sydney is a big win for Sydney, providing visitors with world class events, and boosting the economy and creating jobs.”
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Adam Marshall said the 2018 results build on an impressive first year for the venue, with plenty more exciting events planned for 2019 and beyond.
“72 per cent of the generated expenditure in 2018 was derived from international and interstate visitors, resulting in over 1.57 million overnight stays in Sydney,” Mr Marshall said.
“The venue has already secured a further 1,300 leading major national and international events across sectors to 2030. This is great news and will create a huge economic stimulus for NSW into the future, with hotels, restaurants, cafes, shops, bars, tour and transport operators all set to benefit.”
The $1.5 billion development, which comprises an industry leading convention centre, exhibition centre and major entertainment theatre, is a key component of the NSW Government’s recent suite of infrastructure projects.
The ICC Sydney has been key to boosting international visitors to NSW. Since 2011 this boost in international visitors has helped NSW to add 611,300 jobs, more jobs than any other state. The NSW unemployment rate is now 3.9 per cent, the lowest rate since records began in 1978, and the lowest of any state. By comparison, the unemployment rate in the rest of Australia is 5.5 per cent.

The NSW Liberals & Nationals will deliver an additional 100,000 free TAFE and VET courses over the next four years and build a new $80 million state of the art TAFE campus for Western Sydney to train the next generation of tradies in carpentry, construction, electrical and plumbing.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the 100,000 additional places and new TAFE campus would help young job seekers launch careers and also benefit those looking to retrain, upskill or return to the workforce.
“There is an unprecedented demand for more skilled workers in NSW thanks to our booming economy, record low unemployment rate of 3.9 percent, and unprecedented $90 billion investment in new infrastructure,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This brings the total number of free TAFE and VET courses we are offering over the next four years to nearly 700,000 places.
“We know the costs associated with further education and training can be prohibitive, so these additional free courses will ensure people who wish to access training to start their career or secure another job have the best opportunity.”
The 100,000 additional courses will be made up of 70,000 new fee-free courses for young job-seekers taking on traineeships and 30,000 free TAFE places for matureaged workers seeking to retrain or re-enter the workforce.
The new Western Sydney TAFE will produce 700 new tradies each year and deliver specialised training in construction trades with key skills shortages, such as carpentry, construction, electrical and plumbing.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Skills John Barilaro said the new places were on top of the almost 150,000 free apprenticeship, TAFE and VET courses already offered each year.
“As a former tradie I know first-hand just how rewarding a career in a trade can be, and how important it is to give people a chance to get a start in life,” Mr Barilaro said.
“These courses will help the next generation of job seekers to join the workforce. “We are going to deliver around 700,000 free TAFE and VET courses over the next four years to people right across NSW with a focus on those who need it most.”
Minister responsible for TAFE NSW Adam Marshall said the new TAFE campus in Western Sydney would boost TAFE’s ability to train the State’s future tradies. “Already we’re seeing soaring demand for construction trade enrolments at TAFE thanks to our infrastructure boom and with these additional free courses you can be assured we’ll see even more demand,” Mr Marshall said.
“This commitment to TAFE and VET will ensure there is a pipeline of skilled workers to keep driving the NSW economy forward and get the job done.” Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said being able to invest in more fee-free training and better TAFE facilities was a direct result of a strong NSW economy with near record low unemployment.
“The NSW economy is booming, we have added more than 420,000 jobs in the past four years, and set an ambitious target of 250,000 new jobs,” Mr Perrottet said. “Many of those jobs will be working on projects which result directly from our infrastructure projects right across NSW.
“It’s only through our strong financial management that we are able to not only deliver free courses for hundreds of thousands of people, but ensure there are jobs for people when they complete their training.” The location of the new Western Sydney TAFE is yet to be determined.

Home-grown IT giant Atlassian is set to become an anchor tenant at Sydney’s Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct located at Central-Eveleigh with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian today announcing initiatives across four employment precincts.
Ms Berejiklian and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet joined Atlassian Co-CEO Scott Farquhar to announce Atlassian and the NSW Government have reached an agreement in principle for the tech leader to create a new home for their Sydney headquarters near Central Station.
“The Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct will become the digital destination for all of Australia with thousands of people working and learning, and I am delighted Atlassian will be part of this future,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We have a record low unemployment rate of 3.9 percent in NSW but we will not rest on our laurels. We will create 250,000 new jobs across the next four years, and these employment precincts will play an important role contributing to that total.”
Ms Berejiklian revealed key initiatives in three other precincts:

• A statement of intent has been signed with three universities to create the Liverpool Health and Innovation Precinct based around the $740 million redeveloped Liverpool Hospital. This precinct will be a partnership between the South Western Sydney Local Health District, University of New South Wales, University of Wollongong and Western Sydney University and the Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Science.
• $12.5 million in funding to develop a Nuclear Medicine and Technology Hub in partnership with the Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation in Lucas Heights in Sydney’s south which will create up to 5000 jobs.
• The creation of an integrated Central Coast Education and Employment Precinct around a revitalised Gosford CBD with increased education and job opportunities.

“These precincts will bring together universities, major hospitals, industry leaders and startups to deliver more job opportunities across Sydney and the Central Coast,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We want Western and South Western Sydney and the Central Coast to have the best jobs and the best education opportunities, and these new precincts will deliver that.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said creating the environment for innovation and entrepreneurship would provide opportunity for the next generation.
“It’s vital we take advantage of the strong economic position NSW is in to create opportunity for the future and keep growing NSW,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We have Australia’s most diverse economy, and one of the great strengths of NSW is our ability to innovate and develop new businesses both for today but also for the next generation.”
These four precincts are in addition to six other major precincts that the Government is delivering across NSW:

• Western Sydney Airport Aerospace and Defence Industries Precinct.
• Westmead Health and Education Precinct.
• Randwick Health and Education Precinct.
• Williamtown Defence Aerospace and Aviation Precinct.
• Parkes Special Activation Precinct.
• Wagga Wagga Special Activation Precinct.