The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will redevelop Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital on a new site, to deliver comprehensive healthcare for south-western Sydney, including the latest in emergency medicine, surgical services and critical care.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said this $1.3 billion investment was only possible because of the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.
“We have a strong track record when it comes to delivering health infrastructure, having already built or upgraded more than 100 hospitals and other health facilities across the State, with another 100 on the way,” Ms Berejiklian said.
The redeveloped hospital will include enhanced emergency, critical care, medical and surgical services. There will also be expanded and integrated ambulatory care services, including cancer treatment and community health services.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the redeveloped hospital would transform the delivery of healthcare in Bankstown and surrounding suburbs.
“We are committed to building new, and improving existing, hospitals and health facilities across the state. Since we were elected, the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has invested nearly $10 billion in health infrastructure with another $8 billion committed over the next four years,” Mr Hazzard said.
Planning for the project, along with early works construction, will commence during the next term of government.
Liberal candidate for East Hills Wendy Lindsay said the redeveloped hospital would increase capacity for local communities, ensuring people can get the care they need close to home.
“Only a NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will ensure the local community gets a world-class hospital to meet its needs,” Ms Lindsay said.
In the immediate term, a $25 million expansion of the existing Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital emergency department is due be completed next year, to ensure the community is well served while the hospital is redeveloped.
Month: March 2019
$780 MILLION TO REDEVELOP JOHN HUNTER HOSPITAL
The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government will deliver a major redevelopment of John Hunter Hospital, enhancing comprehensive healthcare in Newcastle, including the latest in emergency medicine, cancer care and surgical services on a new site.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the $780 million investment would bring total health infrastructure investment in the region to more than $1 billion, and was made possible by the strong economic management of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government.
“This investment by the NSW Liberals & Nationals will ensure people in the Hunter have the best available healthcare close to home, and that the Hunter can attract the best clinicians,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This redevelopment will deliver better surgical and critical care services, an expanded emergency department, better diagnostic and support facilities, and a jobs boom for the Hunter.
“The precinct will create more than 7800 jobs, attract associated businesses, industries and research, and offer students pathways to jobs.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said work on the planned redevelopment will commence in the next term of government, and is part of more than $8 billion dollars in health infrastructure being invested over the next years.
“Since coming to office, the NSW Liberals & Nationals have delivered more than 100 new and upgraded hospitals and health facilities, with more than half of those in regional areas,” Mr Hazzard said.
“We recently completed work at John Hunter Children’s Hospital paediatric and neonatal intensive care units, boosting the hospital’s ability to care for the sickest babies.
“Coupled with our $470 million investment at Maitland to build a new hospital 70 per cent larger than the current one, and our commitment to expand Manning Hospital, the Liberals & Nationals will invest more than $1 billion dollars in health infrastructure in the region,” Mr Hazzard said.
In addition to record infrastructure investment, the Government will add 8300 frontline staff, including 5000 nurses and midwives in a $2.8 billion workforce boost. This will include at least 979 staff in the Hunter New England Local Health District: 613 nurses and midwives, 113 doctors, 105 allied health staff and 148 hospital support workers.
Man dies – Pinny Beach
A man has died in a suspected drowning in the Lake Macquarie region.
Just after 10am today (Sunday 10 March 2019), emergency services were called to Pinny Beach after an 18-year-old man, who had been bodyboarding, was pulled from the water unconscious.
Despite efforts to revive him the man died at the scene.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District are speaking to witnesses and will prepare a report for the Coroner.
MAKING IVF MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR WOMEN
Women will have greater choice around IVF services with the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government providing up to a $500 rebate for pre-IVF fertility testing and greater access to lower cost treatments.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Health Brad Hazzard said the $42 million package was only possible because of the Government’s strong economic management.
“We will provide assistance with out-of-pocket medical expenses related to IVF pre-screening which is often an expensive and emotionally challenging experience for women,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Pre-screening tests can determine whether a woman is likely to experience a positive result through IVF.
“We will also make IVF an option for more women who previously may not have been able to afford it by expanding the number of NSW Government-supported IVF clinics,” Ms Berejiklian added.
Under the plan, the NSW Government will provide lower cost IVF treatments for around 6000 women through services at Royal Prince Alfred, The Royal Hospital for Women and Westmead hospitals.
Costs at Government-supported facilities are substantially less than many private facilities, which can charge up to $10,000 per cycle.
Mr Hazzard said thousands of women would benefit from greater access to lower-cost fertility services in NSW.
“Not knowing why you can’t fall pregnant is stressful enough without the added worry of how you are going to manage the ongoing cost of fertility treatment,” Mr Hazzard said.
“Needing to take time off work for treatment creates an even bigger financial burden for women trying to conceive, so our IVF package will offset some of those costs.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard also announced a partnership with UNSW for the first statewide fertility preservation service for young cancer patients at The Royal Hospital for Women.
“Using cutting edge research, technology and treatment, the service will help young cancer patients across the State have children in the future if their fertility is impacted by chemotherapy and radiotherapy,” Ms Berejiklian said.
Felicity McLaren, who has had two babies born through IVF at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital who are now three-years and nine-months-old, welcomed the announcement.
“Anything that can relieve some of the cost burden of going through IVF is wonderful – particularly in the early stages of testing when you don’t even know if you can have a baby,” Ms McLaren said.
Fertility experts say about one in every 25 Australian babies are born following some form of assisted reproduction support.
Women undergoing IVF fertility testing will be able to claim their rebate through Service NSW. Medicare and private health insurance rebates are also available to couples and singles to subsidise the cost of IVF procedures.
Disability community "waiting in hopeful anticipation" for news that the road to justice is sealed: Steele-John
With the announcement of a Royal Commission now all but confirmed, Australian Greens Disability Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has reiterated the need for broad terms of reference and at least one disabled commissioner to ensure that the lived experiences of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect of disabled people in institutional and residential settings is properly understood and investigated.
Senator Steele-John said he was glad to see the Government using the draft Terms of Reference he’d written and sent to the Prime Minister on Friday 15 February as the basis for consultation with stakeholders, particularly the inclusion of a focus on exploitation.
“Today, my community is waiting in hopeful anticipation for news that the road to justice is sealed,” he said.
“But, it seems like finally our calls for a broad Royal Commission to be led by by disabled people are being taken seriously.
“Let us never forget that disabled people are subjected to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect not only in institutions but in our homes, workplaces, where we learn and where we receive services and support, and that the perpetrators of these crimes are often known to survivors not simply paid to help or support them.
“After 5 years of immense pressure from the disability rights movements and from the Greens, we are finally seeing the beginning of an opportunity for justice.”
A copy of the letter sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Friday 15 February 2019, including the draft Terms of Reference, can be found on the Australian Greens website.
Attempted murder charge after alleged aggravated break-in – Windale
A man has been charged after another man was stabbed during an alleged aggravated break-in at Windale early yesterday.
About 1.40am (Friday 8 March 2019) a man allegedly forced entry to a home on Lowana Crescent while a 49-year-old man, a 37-year-old woman, and three children aged – six, 13 and 16 – were asleep.
The man, believed to be armed with a knife, entered the bedroom of the home and allegedly stabbed the man to the face and chest. He then fled the scene.
Officers from Lake Macquarie Police District attended and commenced investigations.
The injured man was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics, before being taken to John Hunter Hospital in a critical condition.
Police believe the incident was targeted.
Following inquiries, police arrested a 36-year-old man in Adamstown, about 8.20am yesterday (Friday 8 March 2019).
The man was taken to Belmont Police Station where he was charged with cause wounding grievous bodily harm with intent to murder and contravene apprehended violence order (personal) (x2).
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Bail Court today (Saturday 9 March 2019) where he was again refused bail to appear in Belmont Local Court on 13 March 2019.
STOPPING DRIVERS FROM FEELING THE PINCH
The highly successful pinch point removal program will be expanded under the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government to remove even more known bottlenecks and keep drivers moving on roads across the State.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Roads Melinda Pavey said the $450 million investment to remove 12 pinch points is only possible because of the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government’s strong economic management.
“We are making this investment to keep our roads moving so drivers can spend less time sitting in traffic and more time doing what they need to or what they enjoy,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to ease congestion, whether it is through proven methods such as eliminating pinch points or new technology such as drones.
“Congestion costs Sydney around $6 billion each year and this is a critical long-term investment in our future, which can only be made because we have worked hard to repair our economy and the budget.”
Mrs Pavey said $25 million will also be invested in drone technology and virtual messaging so more of the road network can be monitored in real time and incidents can be reported and cleared faster.
“New traffic technologies will decrease congestion and provide more efficient trips for drivers across the existing road network,” Mrs Pavey said.
Pinch Points to be upgraded include:
- Pennant Hills Road / Carlingford Road, Carlingford;
- Pennant Hills Road, between M2 Motorway and Woodstock Avenue, Carlingford (Southbound);
- Traffic lights at Intersection of Baker Street and Pennant Hills Road, Carlingford;
- Forest Road and Stoney Creek Road, Beverly Hills;
- Forest Road at Boundary Road and Bonds Road, Peakhurst;
- The Horsley Drive / Polding Street, Fairfield;
- Henry Lawson Drive at Rabaul Road and Haig Avenue, Georges Hall;
- Linden Street, between River Road and The Grand Parade, Sutherland;
- Cumberland Highway at Horsley Drive, Smithfield;
- The Horsley Drive at Nelson Street, Fairfield;
- Princes Highway at Bates Road, Kareela; and
- Victoria Road, West Ryde at the rail bridge between West Parade and Hermitage Road.
ONLY THE NSW LIBERALS & NATIONALS WILL BUILD FOR THE FUTURE
The people of NSW have a clear choice at the election.
A NSW Liberals & Nationals Government that is committed to building the state’s future and providing opportunity for all, or a Labor Party that wants to cut, cancel and cripple NSW.
The Leader of the Opposition isn’t good at telling the truth, but the one thing he says which you can believe is that he will cut infrastructure projects and increase taxes, which will cripple the economy, cost jobs and take NSW backwards.
The choice is clear – world class schools, hospitals, public transport, roads, cultural and sporting facilities – or a Labor Party that says NSW doesn’t deserve the best.
I want the best schools, the best hospitals, the best roads, the best public transport system – and the best stadiums. The people of NSW deserve nothing less.
Unlike the Leader of the Opposition, I won’t settle for second best.
This is a return to type by the Labor Party – only Labor could be proud of going to an election with policies to cancel projects.
Labor wants to cancel the South West Metro, the F6 extension, Western Harbour Tunnel and we know they don’t support the M4 and M5 extensions.
The community will remember what NSW was like under Labor – NSW was last, the slowest economic growth, high unemployment and nothing being built.
This Government has worked hard to manage the budget and deliver a strong economy.
Good governments are able to do many things at once.
It has taken this Government to deliver metro rail to Sydney, extend the M4, duplicate the M5, build new schools and hospitals across the State in places like Campbelltown, Blacktown, Dubbo, Tamworth and Gosford.
When Labor was in government, they put them all in the too hard basket because they didn’t have the will or the funds. They don’t deserve another chance.
Of course Labor think it’s a choice between schools, hospitals or stadiums – because they were so incompetent they couldn’t manage the budget so they never had the opportunity to build like we have.
I’m proud to stand on our record of delivery for this state and a vision for making NSW the best it can be.
Gladys Berejiklian
Underworld mugshots on display at Museum
Haunting mugshots of Sydney’s bosses, plotters, bruisers and petty criminals of the 1920s – some with felonious links to Newcastle and the Hunter – will be on display at Newcastle Museum from today.
UNDERWORLD: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties investigates the life and times of Sydney’s seedy underworld during the 1920s – a time most remember for jazz, Art Deco, glitz and glamour.
Criminal Rose Engebritsen 14 November 1925. Credit: NSW Police Forensic Photography Archive,
Sydney Living Museums
But the age had a much more sinister undertone when gangs, guns and violence played a major role.
Criminal Rose Engebritsen, it’s understood, worked in Newcastle as a singer. Although ‘Deported from America’ is noted under a photograph of her kept by police, a woman with the same name was advertised as singing during a film screening in Newcastle.
Snowy Cutmore, who had connections with horse racing at Cessnock, was a gunman, a sly-grog seller and housebreaker with multiple convictions for assault. His death at the hands of another gangster, Squizzy Taylor, were chronicled in The Cessnock Eagle and South Maitland Recorder in 1927.
These local examples of life in the ‘Roaring Twenties’, as they were known, were part and parcel of the brave new world many people were living in post-World War One.
John D ‘Snowy’ Cutmore, 5 July 1922. Credit: NSW Police Forensic Photography Archive, Sydney Living Museums
“These fascinating tales of real-life events occurred during an era of lax law enforcement and a rise in criminal activity,” Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird said.
“Each of the 130 candid and compelling mugshots taken by NSW Police between 1920 and 1930 offers its own poignant look at a period which saw criminals cash in on illegal markets thanks to advances in new technology.”
“The striking detail and expressions present on the faces of the photographed, the clothes they’re wearing and the locations they’re shot are so different to any mugshot taken today. It’s a fascinating exhibition and one the museum is very much looking forward to displaying.”
Augustine ‘Gus’ Gracey and Edgar ‘Eddie’ Dalton circa 1920. Credit: NSW Police Forensic Photography Archive,
Sydney Living Museums
Exhibition Curator Nerida Campbell said the exhibition explored the dark side of the Roaring Twenties where “you’ll meet the bosses, plotters, bruisers and petty crims who ruled Sydney’s mean streets.”
“The photography in this exhibition is amazing,” she said.
“The mugshots taken by Sydney police are unlike any you’ll see anywhere in the world; They’re candid, and compelling, and the stories behind the people in them are amazing.
“Stories of people struggling with bad choices, stories of people possibly in the wrong place at the wrong time and the dyed-in-the-wool criminals who wouldn’t change even if they could.”
Reproduced from glass plate negatives, the images retain a high-quality level of clarity almost a century after they were taken.
The exhibition will be on display from today until 30 June. For more information on the exhibition, visit the Newcastle Museum exhibition page at http://www.newcastlemuseum.com.au/Exhibitions/Exhibitions/UNDERWORLD
Disability community "waiting in hopeful anticipation" for news that the road to justice is sealed: Steele-John
With the announcement of a Royal Commission now all but confirmed, Australian Greens Disability Rights spokesperson Senator Jordon Steele-John has reiterated the need for broad terms of reference and at least one disabled commissioner to ensure that the lived experiences of violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect of disabled people in institutional and residential settings is properly understood and investigated.
Senator Steele-John said he was glad to see the Government using the draft Terms of Reference he’d written and sent to the Prime Minister on Friday 15 February as the basis for consultation with stakeholders, particularly the inclusion of a focus on exploitation.
“Today, my community is waiting in hopeful anticipation for news that the road to justice is sealed,” he said.
“But, it seems like finally our calls for a broad Royal Commission to be led by by disabled people are being taken seriously.
“Let us never forget that disabled people are subjected to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect not only in institutions but in our homes, workplaces, where we learn and where we receive services and support, and that the perpetrators of these crimes are often known to survivors not simply paid to help or support them.
“After 5 years of immense pressure from the disability rights movements and from the Greens, we are finally seeing the beginning of an opportunity for justice.”
A copy of the letter sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Friday 15 February 2019, including the draft Terms of Reference, can be found on the Australian Greens website.
Senator Steele-John said he was glad to see the Government using the draft Terms of Reference he’d written and sent to the Prime Minister on Friday 15 February as the basis for consultation with stakeholders, particularly the inclusion of a focus on exploitation.
“Today, my community is waiting in hopeful anticipation for news that the road to justice is sealed,” he said.
“But, it seems like finally our calls for a broad Royal Commission to be led by by disabled people are being taken seriously.
“Let us never forget that disabled people are subjected to violence, abuse, exploitation and neglect not only in institutions but in our homes, workplaces, where we learn and where we receive services and support, and that the perpetrators of these crimes are often known to survivors not simply paid to help or support them.
“After 5 years of immense pressure from the disability rights movements and from the Greens, we are finally seeing the beginning of an opportunity for justice.”
A copy of the letter sent to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten on Friday 15 February 2019, including the draft Terms of Reference, can be found on the Australian Greens website.