Month: March 2019

More than 1.3 million households using gas could save hundreds of dollars off their energy bills with the NSW Government expanding its popular Energy Switch service.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Treasurer Dominic Perrottet today announced the Energy Switch program will be expanded to include household gas from May – just in time to slash winter energy bills.
“This is an opportunity for more than a million households across NSW to see if there is a better deal to be found on their gas bill and help ease the cost of living,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Energy Switch is already saving NSW households hundreds of dollars on their electricity bills and today’s announcement will help people save even more by finding the best deal for gas.”
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) inquiry into Retail Electricity Pricing found NSW has the lowest residential electricity charges of any mainland state, and Ms Berejiklian said driving energy prices lower still was a priority.
“The NSW Liberals and Nationals are committed to reducing the cost of living and delivering lower gas and power prices,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This will help create competition and I encourage people to make use of the Energy Switch program to get the best deal for their electricity and gas.”
Energy Switch is a free service launched in November 2018 which allows households to switch electricity providers in minutes online, via phone or in-person at Service NSW centres.
The program works by using a customer’s latest energy e-bill to scan every retailer in NSW and gives customers the cheapest three energy plans available. If a switch is requested, Service NSW will inform the energy provider.
“It’s a fast and easy process and Service NSW will do the heavy lifting for the customer by checking their gas usage, searching the market for available plans and if savings can be found, then we will make the switch for them,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The average Energy Switch saving so far has been more than $400 on annual electricity bills. I encourage people to see what they can save off their bills.
“While we are helping people cut the cost of living, Labor has promised more than $1 billion worth of new taxes and charges which will hit the hip pockets of people right across NSW.”
The expanded service for gas will be rolled out from May 2019 in all Service NSW centres and online through https://energyswitch.service.nsw.gov.au.
This new initiative, along with the NSW Liberals & Nationals’ plan to install solar energy and battery storage for 300,000 homes and provide a new $200 energy rebate for self-funded retirees, will help to further reduce the cost of living.
The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has saved households more than $200 million over the last year through a raft of cost of living measures, including cheaper Green Slips, $100 Active Kids and Creative Kids vouchers, Free Rego and the FuelCheck app.
The top 10 suburbs where the most electricity switches have been made through Service NSW’s free Energy Switch service are:

For the first time, passengers have boarded Australia’s first turn-up-and-go train service, which is due to officially open in May more than $1 billion under budget.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance today experienced a test trip on the world-class driverless train which will run services every four minutes.
“It will be an historic day in Australia when the first full passenger service of the Sydney Metro departs from Tallawong station in Rouse Hill,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We are thrilled this $8.3 billion project will be finished on time and $1 billion dollars under budget.
“The Northwest Metro rail line shows that when the NSW Liberals & Nationals make a promise, we deliver on it.”
Mr Constance said Sydney Metro’s launch will deliver a better experience for train customers.
“Customers between Rouse Hill and Chatswood will quickly fall in love with Sydney Metro and it is not hard to see why,” Mr Constance said.
“We delivered this service for the people of Sydney’s Northwest, but we are not done, with the Metro currently being extended from Chatswood, under the Harbour and onto Bankstown.
“You can trust the NSW Liberals & Nationals to deliver for the people of NSW, but you can’t trust Labor.
“When they were last in office Labor promised 12 rail lines and didn’t deliver a single one and now they want to cancel the Sydenham to Bankstown Metro upgrade, depriving Sydney’s South West of world class Metro services.”
The entire 22 train fleet has been delivered and more than 35,000km of train testing has taken place on the Metro system through all 13 stations along the railway.
Stage 2 of Sydney Metro, the City and Southwest line from Chatswood to Bankstown, is on track to have services running in 2024.

A Daley Labor Government will significantly increase government support for passionate volunteer wildlife carers who care for thousands of sick, injured or orphaned native animals every year.
Deputy Labor Leader and Shadow Environment Minister, Penny Sharpe, announced that Labor will provide dedicated annual funding to wildlife carers, replacing an ad-hoc and uncertain system that provides little assistance for the important work carried out by wildlife carers every day.

Labor will provide $10,000 to each licensed organisation, including each branch of WIRES, and $1,000 to each individual currently directly licensed to rehabilitate native animals (not registered with an organisation). This will boost annual government contributions from $32,500 to $600,000.

“Volunteer wildlife carers are truly unsung, selfless heroes in communities all around the state, who do the challenging and sometimes heartbreaking work of caring for sick or injured native animals, often in very difficult circumstances,” Ms Sharpe said.

“This crucial funding will assist organisations and volunteers who care for sick, injured or orphaned native animals to pay for critical items needed in the care of these animals, such as food, medication and treatment, transport costs, enclosures and bedding, rescue and safety equipment, and clothing.”

A recent government survey found that wildlife carers provide around $27 million in value of volunteer contributions each year (based on 17 per cent of the sector). The full value is likely to be well over $100 million.
More than one million native animals have been rescued by volunteers since the year 2000, with around 104,000 animals rescued each year over the last four years, across 800 species. Overall, the sector receives about 180,000 calls a year, with most providers offering a 24-hour, seven days a week service.
The survey found that wildlife carer volunteers gave an average of nearly seven times as much time in volunteering as an average volunteer in Australia, while personal expenditure by surveyed volunteers averaged at $3,123 per person with a median of $500 each year.
However, wildlife care organisations and licensed individuals currently have no guaranteed funding from the NSW Government, and in 2017-18 there were just 13 ad-hoc grants handed out for a total of $32,500. Providers rely almost entirely on donations and the goodwill of volunteer wildlife carers.
“I think most people would be shocked that wildlife carers receive almost no support from government when we rely so heavily on being able to reach out to their services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
“Labor is deeply committed to the care and protection of native species in NSW, and our wildlife carers deserve our support. The next time you meet a volunteer wildlife carer, please give them your thanks.”
While the Government recently produced a vague draft strategy for the sector using already-announced funding from the NSW Koala Strategy and funding for the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife – no additional funds were provided directly to the work of wildlife carers on the ground.

Regular Opal customers will pay no more than $50 a week under a NSW Liberals & Nationals Government plan to take the pressure off families.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government’s strong economic management means the Opal Weekly Travel cap will be slashed by about 20 per cent for all train, bus, ferry and light rail customers.
“Public transport is a significant cost for regular commuters and we want to make it more affordable,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We expect around 55,000 commuters will benefit from the lower cap, with thousands to save up to $686 a year.
“This is only possible because we have worked our guts out to repair the budget and now we are in a position to take the pressure off families and lower fares for customers.”
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Andrew Constance said reducing the cap from $63.20 from 1 July 2019 would encourage more people to leave their cars at home and catch a train, bus, ferry or tram.
“Only the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is committed to reducing the cost of public transport,” Mr Constance said.
“During Labor’s 16 long, dark years in office public transport fares went up by 60 per cent.”
All of the other Opal benefits already in place will remain, including the Weekly Travel Reward, the Opal Transfer Discount, the $2.50 Gold Opal cap and the $2.70 Sunday Cap.
The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government has saved households more than $200 million over the last year through a raft of cost of living measures, including cheaper Green Slips, $100 Active and Creative Kids vouchers and Free Rego.
Example of yearly savings for regular commuters:

The NSW Liberals & Nationals Government today announced a raft of green power initiatives to make it easier for apartments to go solar and keep power bills down.
Measures include driving forward the State’s renewable energy pipeline by working with the private sector, adding more renewable infrastructure and reducing landfill from solar and battery systems.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government is committed to clean, reliable and affordable energy solutions for everyone across the State.
“We are lowering the voting threshold from 75 to 50 per cent to more easily install solar panels, battery storage and electric vehicle charging points in strata buildings,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We want everyone to have access to renewable energy and lower energy bills.”
Minister for Energy Don Harwin said the NSW Liberals & Nationals Government would also commit an additional $20 million to the Emerging Energy Program, bringing the total investment to $75 million in the renewable technologies of the future.
“Our Emerging Energy Program will work with the private sector to co-fund around 400 megawatts of new large scale, on-demand renewable energy projects, like batteries, pumped hydro and hydrogen,” Mr Harwin said.
“These new projects will add to our pipeline of close to 19,000 megawatts of renewable projects worth more than $26 billion – a huge pipeline of potential jobs and investment.
“The NSW Liberals & Nationals believe in practical action on climate change and our environment in partnership with the private sector and communities across NSW to deliver our goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
Ms Berejiklian and Mr Harwin also announced $10 million for a new recycling fund for solar panels and battery systems.
“Solar panels have a life of about 30 years and across Australia, roughly 30,000 tonnes will enter landfill by 2030,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We want to recycle and re-use materials in solar panels and battery systems as NSW transitions towards cleaner energy.
“This new fund will help to build on the $800 million of waste and recycling initiatives currently being funded by the NSW Liberals & Nationals, including the Return & Earn Container Deposit Scheme.”
The NSW Liberals & Nationals already have a firm commitment to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and these new, practical initiatives will help to further that ambition.
The NSW Liberals & Nationals are already taking action by:

• Supercharging the roll-out of solar energy and battery storage for 300,000 homes
• Investing $1.4 billion under the Climate Change Fund to reduce emissions and help households and businesses save energy
• Progressing 24 pumped hydro projects with a total generation capacity of around 7,000 megawatts – three times the capacity of Snowy 2.0
• Approving one of Australia’s largest wind farms at Liverpool Plains, which will power nearly 500,000 homes and deliver 800 jobs
• Providing support for 51 renewable energy projects worth close to $10 billion in investment and 6,500 megawatts of capacity, since 2013
• Offsetting all emissions from the Sydney Metro Northwest through investing in the Beryl Solar Farm
• Planting 5 million trees in Greater Sydney by 2030

NSW Labor Leader, Michael Daley, has announced today that Labor will invest $100 million to install solar panels on hundreds of NSW schools.
Mr Daley said:

“The Labor Party knows that climate change is real and unlike the Liberals and Nationals, we’re committed to tackling it.”
“As we saw at rallies across the country on Friday, the next generation is demanding real action on climate change.”
“Putting solar panels on schools will help students further their knowledge about renewable energy, as well as bring down their school’s power bills and reduce emissions.”

Labor’s $100 million Solar Schools package will see solar panels installed on more than 350 schools, to drive down power costs, meaning funding can be directed to students’ learning needs.
The solar panels will also help offset the costs for air conditioning installed in every school as part of Labor’s $800 million Cool Schools policy.
Installing solar panels on schools is part of Labor’s commitment to renewable energy in NSW which includes delivering 100 per cent renewable energy for all State Government agencies by 2025 (it is currently only six per cent).
A Daley Labor Government will also introduce NSW’s first renewable energy target which will require NSW to generate:

• At least 50 per cent of our state’s energy from renewable sources by 2030; and
• Move to as close to as possible 100 per cent energy from renewable sources by 2050.

Labor’s Solar Homes policy will give 500,000 households across NSW the chance to add solar panels to their homes and enjoy cheaper, cleaner and greener energy through a rebate, to be capped at $2,200 per household.
Deputy Labor Leader and Shadow Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe:

Labor takes climate change very seriously unlike the Liberals and Nationals who have neglected the NSW Government’s responsibility to reduce emissions.

Shadow Minister for Climate Change Adam Searle said:

“Solar Schools is yet another aspect of Labor’s plan for cheaper and cleaner energy across NSW.”

NSW Labor will deliver six detoxification and rehabilitation clinics – with one to be established in Western Sydney and managed by the Noffs Foundation.
Labor has also indicated that Dubbo will be the site for one of the four regional sites.
In total, they will provide an additional 125 beds – costing a total of $100 million.
In addition, Labor re-committed to holding a drug summit patterned on the historic 1999 one to respond to illicit drug use in the community.
The summit will bring together experts, law enforcement, health professionals, family members and former users to consider evidence-based policy and to develop a way forward that protects lives. The historic 1999 Drug Summit gave rise to the medically supervised injecting room at Kings Cross.
NSW Labor leader Michael Daley made the announcement with Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord, Noffs foundation CEO, Matt Noffs at Liverpool.

The Noffs Foundation will manage a 16-bed facility built in Western Sydney with a final site to be determined.
The Western Sydney facility would be focused on supporting western Sydney youth, with clients generally between the ages of 13 and 18.
Overall, when fully operational the clinics will treat up to 1,300 ice affected patients a year and will be staffed by social workers and health professionals.
The Noffs Foundation facility in Western Sydney will deliver:

• Up to 16 beds;
• Detoxification and rehabilitation support for drug-affected children;
• Mixed gendered facilities with separated sleeping facilities;
• Support for children following juvenile detention or those with violent histories; and
• An alternative pathway for Judges to keep children out of juvenile detention; and
• Support to get children out of the criminal justice and health system and into meaningful employment.

It is expected the average admission period would be around the three-month mark for most patients – however, there will be flexibility to take into account patients’ individual needs.
The Noffs facility will focus on providing services to youth addicted to ice and other drugs who are making efforts to avoid incarceration – or those who require additional rehabilitation post-incarceration.
Police and health professionals will be able to refer and take patients to the clinics where an accredited medical practitioner will assess the patient and issue a certificate to admit them.
Judges can also request the admission of patients and the requirements will be similar to the admission process for the current Involuntary Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program (IDAT).

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Mr Daley said that the Berejiklian Government’s “just say no to drugs” approach is not working; we need to tackle the scourge of drug use, abuse and addiction in NSW.
“We need to get people, particularly kids, off drugs and into meaningful employment, but they are unable to do this if they do not have access to the proper support services,” Mr Daley said.
“Labor’s rehabilitation policy will get kids clean, out of the criminal justice system and into jobs or further study.”
Existing service providers say that their waiting lists for treatment are longer than they have ever been as there has been no significant increase in bed capacity since the increased funding that resulted from the Carr Labor Government’s Drug Summit in 1999.
Shadow Minister for Health Walt Secord said that the changing face of drug use presents challenges and the just say no approach by the Berejiklian Government has failed.
“We have to face that we cannot arrest our way out of the problem.”
“Ice is ruining people’s lives. The Berejiklian Government has the wrong priorities. While they splurge $2.2 billion on stadiums Labor will deliver the front line treatment and rehabilitation services to get kids off illicit drugs,” Mr Secord said.

NSW Labor Leader, Michael Daley, announced a three-point plan for small country hospitals and multi-purpose services (MPSs) to improve health services in the State’s smallest rural communities, as part of Labor’s schools and hospitals before stadium plan.
Currently, there are more than 48 small community hospitals and 57 MPSs in NSW.
Many provide long-term aged care as well as acute health services. The MPSs often cater for communities with a population between 1,000 and 4,000.

The plan comprises:

• Investing $250 million in small country hospitals and multi-purpose services (MPSs) – including an extra $50 million for capital works and infrastructure – in the State’s smallest rural and remote hospitals.
• Beginning the formal process to consolidate a new minimum nurse staffing standard – of three nurses on every shift instead of two, at small country hospitals and MPSs – as the next instalment of its nurse to patient ratios plan; and
• A formal review into the direction, effectiveness and provision of health services by MPSs  – in the next term of government – to set the future direction of rural health care.

The first hospitals to have the new minimum nurse staffing level guaranteed will include Crookwell, Pambula, Yass, Tenterfield, Kyogle, Denman, Scott Memorial (Scone), Wilson Memorial (Murrurundi), Gilgandra, Dungog, Delegate, Warren, Blayney, Tomaree, Narrandera, Manilla, Bombala and Coonamble hospitals.
Mr Daley also reaffirmed Labor’s February commitments to deliver an extra $4.7 million for a maternity ward at Yass District Hospital and $3.5 million for emergency department improvements and an additional ED bed at Crookwell District Hospital.
The $250 million rural health facilities fund will be used for:

• Upgrades and improvements to existing hospitals, MPSs including provision of cancer care and kidney dialysis;
• Planning for new or expanded regional MPSs and hospitals; and
• Delivering additional equipment and medical technology for rural hospitals including improved tele-medicine.

“This is about providing the best quality care to patients in rural and regional areas.
“Unfortunately, under the Nationals, there is now a two-tier health and hospital system.
“This is also about providing safe staffing levels for our smallest health facilities; improving patient care, re-assuring family members and supporting hard working nurses and other hospital staff.
“We know that there is more to do in small country hospitals and MPSs.
“Sadly, when nurses are overworked mistakes can be made. That is why NSW Labor will review minimum nurse staffing in these hospitals to start to fix the inaction of the National Party,” Mr Daley said.
The terms of the formal process for nursing in small country hospitals and MPSs would be agreed and it would be conducted by the Ministry of Health and the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association.
Previously, during the election campaign, NSW Labor announced a new nurse to patient ratio system would apply to emergency; maternity; medical and surgical; paediatric wards; and mental health units to bring NSW standards up to those already in law in Victoria and Queensland.
“This policy is about improving patient care in our State’s smaller hospitals.”
“The Berejiklian Government have the wrong priorities – they would prefer to spend billions on Sydney stadiums rather than ensure our patients in our smallest hospitals receive the best quality care.”