Month: February 2020

The production of fresh food in climate controlled greenhouses in the Western Sydney Aerotropolis Agribusiness Precinct has the potential to transform food production in Australia and take produce from Western Sydney to the world.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said a new report has found the Agribusiness Precinct, announced by the NSW Government in March last year, could enable producers to deliver locally grown fresh produce at prices competitive on a global scale.
“The Agribusiness Precinct provides Western Sydney growers with the unique opportunity to export produce from their farms and have it on a plate on the other side of the globe in just 36 hours,” Mr Ayres said.
“With more than 50 per cent of the world’s population within a 12 hour flight from the Western Parkland City, the Agribusiness Precinct will create endless opportunities for families and businesses in Western Sydney.”
The report, commissioned by the Western City & Aerotropolis Authority, compared the cost of producing tomatoes in a greenhouse in Australia to the global market leader, the Netherlands.
The analysis shows it currently costs 52 per cent more to produce a kilogram of greenhouse tomatoes in Australia, but the creation of a large scale precinct for intensive integrated fresh food production in the Western Parkland City would reduce the difference to just eight per cent.
Australia’s proximity to Asia provides an additional benefit due to lower transport costs when compared to European producers.
“We have had a look at how the best greenhouse producers in the world operate and with the creation of the Agribusiness Precinct on the doorstep of a new international airport we have the chance to compete on an international stage,” Mr Ayres said.
“Western Sydney can be the next global leader in high-tech farming and smart climate controlled glasshouses, providing jobs for Western Sydney and fresh and value-added food for both domestic and international markets.”
Large scale greenhouse production, or an Integrated Intensive Production Hub, over 500 hectares has the potential to create 2,500 direct jobs, 12,000 indirect jobs and the capacity to produce 96,000 tonnes of fresh food. This could generate $2.8 billion in additional revenue over a 10 year period.
Planning of the Agribusiness Precinct is underway, with the first businesses expected to be operating ahead of the opening of the Western Sydney Airport.

More than 1,100 students at Arthur Phillip High School are settling into their new innovative and state of the art school in Parramatta following its official opening.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell and Member for Parramatta Geoff Lee visited students today at the modern and progressive school.
Ms Berejiklian said that this school is unique and a benchmark globally for schools in dense urban areas.
“Arthur Phillip High School is an example of NSW’s world class education system, and I’m pleased it will serve the community for many generations,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This is not a traditional high school, it is at the forefront of education delivering outstanding learning spaces, and specialist Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics levels to ensure all students receive the best education.”
The school has a capacity for 2,000 students and is connected with nearby educational facilities such as Western Sydney University.
Ms Mitchell said she was thrilled to be with the students to see the new Arthur Phillip High School.
“This is a truly unique school building the NSW Government has delivered in the heart of the Parramatta CBD,” Ms Mitchell said.
“The school has been cleverly designed to deliver extraordinary indoor and outdoor landscaped spaces.”
Dr Lee said Parramatta is steeped in history and during construction over 13,000 Aboriginal and European artefacts were discovered and will be incorporated into the school curriculum in history and science.
“I’m proud that the NSW Government has delivered this landmark project for the Parramatta community,” Dr Lee said.
The NSW Government is investing $6.7 billion over four years to deliver more than 190 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW. In addition, a record $1.3 billion is being spent on school maintenance over five years, along with a record $500 million for the sustainable Cooler Classrooms program to provide air conditioning to schools. This is the largest investment in public education infrastructure in the history of NSW.

NSW will be at the forefront of the rapidly growing billion-dollar space industry under a new Space Strategy announced today.
The NSW Space Industry Development Strategy will maximise opportunities for NSW businesses to take advantage of the growing demand for space technologies estimated to be worth $420 billion globally.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said industries from the cities and regions would have the support of the NSW Government to ensure the state leads the innovative sector.
“Nearly every industry is looking to increase its output and improve its efficiency through space-enabled technologies,” Mr Ayres said.
“Space is not just about what’s up there, it’s also about what’s down here. These technologies are used in robotics, agriculture, energy, communications, transportation, aviation, advanced manufacturing, information technology and construction. They are in the technology we all use in our daily lives.”
The $5 million Space Strategy will include the delivery of a National Space Industry Hub, located in the Sydney Innovation and Technology Precinct, with expressions of interest (EOI) to run the Hub now open.
The EOI process will also include searching for a delivery partner to facilitate access to space for start-ups and researchers looking to commercialise their technologies through a space qualification mission.
The strategy will also support the NSW Government’s commitment to develop a space manufacturing and testing facility at the Aerotropolis. The Western Sydney Aerotropolis will include world-class space, aviation, defence and advanced manufacturing industries and training and research institutions.
NSW currently accounts for 41 per cent of all Australian space businesses and 35 per cent of Australia’s university space research and development.
To download the full NSW space industry development strategy, click here. To submit an EOI for the National Space Hub or space qualification mission, go to the NSW Government eTendering website. Submissions close 22 March 2020.

Frontline officers working in Corrective Services NSW are being rolled out with new cutting-edge body-worn camera technology to improve officer safety and operational transparency.
Minister for Counter Terrorism and Corrections Anthony Roberts said Immediate Action Teams across the State have begun to use the cameras.
“Our Corrections Officers do a great job under challenging circumstances so it’s vital we provide them with the latest technology to enable them to do that job safely and effectively,” Mr Roberts said.
“Our Immediate Action Teams are the first responders to critical incidents in the correctional environment. This technology will allow them to respond to situations quickly and confidently.”
Officers will primarily use the technology to gather audio and visual evidence in the event of an officer assault, use of force or contraband raid.
The camera is attached to the front of an officer’s uniform in stand-by mode until the officer activates the camera’s record function. Once activated, the camera retains the 30 seconds of video prior to activation and continues recording.
Corrective Services NSW Commissioner Peter Severin said the use of body-worn cameras can help de-escalate incidents and resolve investigations more swiftly.
“These body-worn cameras enable our officers to record high-quality digital video evidence of a contraband raid or use of force with the press of a button,” Mr Severin said.
“Offenders will be on notice. If they try to assault, intimidate or threaten harm to an officer with a body-worn camera, it will be recorded. Our aim is to not only ensure the appropriate documentation of uses of force, but to provide greater protection and assurance to staff.”
The roll-out follows a nine-month trial of body-worn camera technology at several maximum-security centres.