Month: November 2020

Up to 270,000 people are projected to be back in work by 2024 as the NSW Government turbocharges stimulus measures to combat unemployment and help NSW shake-off the economic shackles of COVID-19.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet will hand down the 2020-21 NSW Budget tomorrow with a focus squarely on creating jobs through tax cuts, stimulus and a boost to the State’s record infrastructure pipeline.
Among the measures to be announced by the Treasurer will be a payroll tax threshold increase from $1 million to $1.2 million, delivering a tax cut for thousands of businesses and further support for jobs in NSW.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the Government was determined to help as many people return to the workforce as possible.
“While we all wait for the COVID-19 vaccine to arrive, the NSW Government is determined to treat the economic symptoms of the pandemic by saving and creating as many jobs as possible,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Our targeted stimulus measures are aimed at returning the economy to a positive footing after the challenges of COVID-19.”
NSW Treasury predicts the State’s unemployment rate is forecast to drop from a peak of 7.5 per cent in the December quarter 2020 to around 5¼ per cent in June 2024.
“Our strong budget position has allowed us to weather the most severe economic storm in a generation, and we will continue to lead the way in job creation and supporting business through the 2020-21 Budget,” Mr Perrottet said.
The Treasurer said new initiatives, such as the $250 million Jobs Plus program to help create or support  jobs and encourage business to relocate to NSW, and an additional $300 million injected into the Regional Growth Fund announced last week, would help drive the State’s economy back into high gear.
Last week the NSW Government also released a detailed planning package for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis which will see up to 200,000 jobs over coming decades.
Infrastructure and maintenance projects which will receive additional or fast‑tracked funding in tomorrow’s Budget include:

• Metro projects such as the Sydney Metro West and the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport;
• New roads such as the Sydney Gateway and significant road upgrades including the Pacific and Princes Highways;
• Major investments in health, including the redevelopment of the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and expansion of Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick;
• New public schools in Googong, Murrumbateman and Edmondson Park, major upgrades at Picnic Point High School, Carlingford West and North Sydney Public Schools and  $240 million to partner with local regional and metropolitan schools to accelerate upgrades to school facilities and amenities;
• $104.5 million to an Arts and Maintenance Upgrade Fund to stimulate jobs and the economy through improving accessibility, sustainability and functionality of our cultural assets.

A major milestone in the NSW’s largest school building program was marked today in Tamworth with the delivery of the 50th school capital project for 2020, more than any other year.
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell and Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson joined the students and teachers of Tamworth Public School to open the $14.8 million upgraded school facilities.
Ms Mitchell said the 50th project completion for the year represents a $1.5 billion investment in our schools.
“I’m thrilled to join the students and staff of Tamworth Public School and proud that the 50th project for the State in 2020 is being delivered in regional NSW,” Ms Mitchell said.
“Our historic $6.7 billion investment in school infrastructure is changing the education landscape across the State, benefitting hundreds of communities, Tamworth being the latest.
The upgrade at Tamworth Public School delivered seven new learning spaces, a new hall, new staff facilities, three activities areas and the refurbishment of the former teacher’s cottage.
Member for Tamworth, Kevin Anderson said he was proud the NSW Government had delivered such a significant project for Tamworth.
“I’m pleased to be here today to be able to see the wonderful new facilities first hand,” Mr Anderson said.
“Tamworth continues to benefit from this Government’s record investment education.”
“This major upgrade will benefit the local community for generations to come.’’

Small businesses will have greater opportunities to provide their goods and services to the NSW Government with the 2020-21 Budget delivering $5 million to establish a tendering support service, which will create local jobs and support the economic recovery of NSW.
Minister for Finance and Small Business Damien Tudehope said the NSW Small Business Commission would deliver a four-year program to support small and local businesses to submit tenders and negotiate Government contracts.
“The NSW Government spends more than $40 billion each year on the procurement of goods, services and construction, with nearly half of that amount going to small and medium businesses,” Mr Tudehope said.
“However, many small businesses are not aware of the opportunities that exist or are unfamiliar with the NSW Government tendering processes. They will benefit from additional guidance and support.
“Small businesses make up 97.5 per cent of businesses in NSW and by generating more work for local and small businesses through existing Government spending, we will support jobs, families and local communities.”
Mr Tudehope said the program would also support smaller, regional suppliers to tender for and access government contracts.
“The new program aligns with the NSW Government Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) and Regional Procurement Policy, which requires Government agencies to first consider buying goods and services from an SME for all direct procurements up to $250,000.
“The policy’s Small Business Exemption allows Government departments to buy directly from small businesses for any purchases up to $50,000 even if there is a mandated whole-of-government contract in place.”
NSW Small Business Commissioner Chris Lamont said the Small Business Commission would develop targeted information and support to assist small business put their best proposals forward.
“For some small and medium enterprises it’s hard to know where to start, this measure will provide practical support and assistance,” Mr Lamont said.
Businesses can also access independent business advice to build their capability to supply goods and services to government, through the NSW Government’s Business Connect program. On top of the Government’s announcement in April of $9.8 million to continue Business Connect funding for 2020-21, the program will be extended for a further three years, representing a total $39.3 million, four-year commitment.
Businesses can register and search for existing opportunities to supply to the NSW Government at: https://suppliers.buy.nsw.gov.au/

Targeting hate crime, building community harmony and responding to threats of violent extremism are the focus of an additional $12.3 million investment through the NSW Government’s 2020-21 Budget.
Minister for Counter Terrorism Anthony Roberts said the funding will boost a number of successful programs.
“The NSW Government understands that there is no one path to violent extremism and the challenge is ever evolving,” Mr Roberts said
“This additional funding will work to limit the spread and influence of all forms of violent extremism and will also improve our response to threats fueled by grievances and fixations.”
Attorney General Mark Speakman said this funding will support a range of services across government and throughout the community to combat violence and hate.
“We are a strong and connected community. This has shone through in NSW’s response to the devastating bushfires and the COVID pandemic,” Mr Speakman said.
“But we cannot ignore the fact that a small number of individuals would like to divide us, incite fear and threaten our safety. This funding will limit the spread and influence of violent extremism and boost our response to threats fueled by hatred and prejudice.”
Minister for Police and Emergency Services said this package will include an injection of funding for the NSW Police Force’s Engagement and Hate Crime Unit.
“We will strengthen the NSW Police Force’s capability to address hate crime, by providing additional training for frontline officers and additional resources to assist in the investigation of these heinous crimes,” Mr Elliott said.
“Community safety is the NSW Government’s number one priority and this funding builds on our ongoing commitment to support the hardworking men and women of the NSW Police Force who protect us from those who seek to sow hatred and violence.”
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said countering violent extremism and hate crime has been a long-standing priority for the Force.
“The NSW Police Force remains committed to detecting, intervening, and most importantly, preventing bias-motivated and fixated person crimes,” the Commissioner said.
“The safety of the people of NSW always comes first, and we will continue to target and take swift action against anyone who seeks to do harm regardless of their motivation.”
Funding will also be allocated to:

• Deliver case management, counselling and support to identify at-risk individuals and divert them away from extremism
• Campaigns and projects targeted at countering hatred and building community cohesion, including the Community Partnership Action (COMPACT) grants program and the online Remove Hate from the Debate campaign

This funding builds on the four-year $47 million package announced in 2016 in response to the rise of violent extremism and accelerated after the terrorist attack in Parramatta, which tragically cost the life of NSW Police accountant Curtis Cheng.
These new measures have been developed in line with the outcomes of an evaluation of the 2016 package.

The NSW Government has earmarked $46.8 million over four years as part of the 2020-21 NSW Budget to deliver 100 new school-based nurses to support the health and wellbeing needs of students and their families.
The expansion of the successful Wellbeing and Health In-Reach Nurse (WHIN)  program will see the highly skilled nurses embedded in more schools to ensure students can easily access health and social support when they need it.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the new funding would mean thousands more students across the State would have access to a nurse at school.
“With the added stress of COVID-19 on our young people, the further expansion of this program will ensure children, young people and families don’t miss out on the support they need,” Mr Perrottet said.
“NSW Health will fund these positions, however the practitioners will work with the Department of Education, with data and evidence to be used to place the nurses in areas of most need.
“This commitment is an investment in the mental health of young people across the state and will build a more resilient post-pandemic NSW for the future.”
Minister for Mental Health Bronnie Taylor said an evaluation of the pilot sites found the wellbeing nurses had successfully supported vulnerable students for a range of health and mental wellbeing issues.
“With the pilot program, we saw that school children often go and see the nurse about general health issues and once they are there, open up about other problems they have been experiencing,” Mrs Taylor said.
“The nurses will be given mental health training but are also there to deliver general health care and advice at the right time.
“We are making sure we are delivering quality services for everyone, no matter their age or where they live.”
Minister for Education Sarah Mitchell said WHIN nurses are currently based in secondary and primary schools in Young, Tumut, Cooma, Deniliquin, Murwillumbah and Lithgow.
“These nurses are an important asset in our schools and as part of a combined approach with school counsellors and mental health training, our students will have every possible access to help when they need it,” Mrs Mitchell said.
The WHIN program is a joint initiative of NSW Health and the NSW Department of Education, which launched as a pilot in 2018 in Cooma, Tumut and Young and extended to three other regional communities in 2020.

The NSW Government is investing $6 million over three years as part of the 2020-21 NSW Budget to establish 12 Community Wellbeing Collaboratives in communities at high risk of suicide.
The collaboratives organise the response from all services in the local area in times of need bringing together doctors, nurses, police, ambulance, media, teachers, parents, carers, Aboriginal organisations and local councils.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the funds would be directed to organisations including headspace and Lifeline, which will lead the coordination.
“The NSW Government is investing in our people and our future, and we know this starts with providing quality services for everyone in NSW,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The unique innovative collaborative model will use data identified from schools and local services to develop this grassroots approach to suicide prevention.”
The Community Wellbeing Collaboratives will engage young people and adults, including people with a lived experience of mental illness and suicide.
In the event of a suicide cluster, the collaboratives will coordinate a rapid response from the ground up.
Minister for Mental Health, Regional Youth and Women Bronnie Taylor said the collaboratives would work with the community even when there wasn’t a crisis, to continually engage with local people and provide information to parents, teachers, carers and young people about mental health.
“We know the majority of mental health care is delivered in the community, which is why we’re embedding both proactive and reactive layers of support outside the hospital setting, in the places where people live their lives every day,” Mrs Taylor said.
“Evidence tells us that the best response to suicide comes from a local grass roots level. They know what works best for their communities and ultimately this program will allow us to better support young people and their families during the pandemic and beyond.”
This $6 million investment for the Community Wellbeing Collaboratives brings total funding committed to Towards Zero Suicides initiatives to $90 million.
If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide or experiencing a personal crisis or distress, please seek help immediately by calling 000 or one of these services:

• Lifeline 13 11 14
• Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467
• NSW Mental Health Line 1800 011 511

Health facilities across NSW will save on electricity bills and reduce their carbon footprint under a $20 million NSW Government initiative for energy saving projects.
Thirty-seven health facilities statewide are now fitted with solar panels under the $5.5 million NSW Health Solar Program, and a further eight hospitals and nine ambulance stations are set to reap savings and efficiencies through a $14.5 million expanded solar upgrade program.
Energy Minister Matt Kean said the NSW Government’s $20 million investment is fast-tracking sustainable, modern and affordable energy generation for health facilities in NSW.
“Installing solar on our hospitals and ambulance sites is a no brainer – the buildings have big rooftops that are perfect for solar installations,” Mr Kean said.
“Solar will help our hospitals to save money on their energy bills and lower their carbon footprint.”
Under the $5.5 million NSW Health Solar Program, solar panel installations have now been rolled out at hospitals, Multipurpose Services, ambulance stations and health facility carparks across the state. The project is expected to save more than $500,000 in energy bills.
The NSW Government’s investment of $14.5 million for energy saving projects and large-scale solar upgrades at eight hospitals across four Local Health Districts and nine ambulance stations is expected to save $2.6 million in energy bills and reduce emissions by around 9,445 tonnes CO2e per year.
Mr Hazzard said: “More than two thirds of the solar panels have been installed at rural and regional health facilities, including hospitals recently opened at Macksville and Mudgee – projects that were fast-tracked in response to COVID-19.
“Our world-leading healthcare system never sleeps, operating 24/7 right across the State, so this funding boost will help us substantially reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
“By making our health facilities more energy-efficient, these projects will also help keep costs down, and free up funds that can be invested back into our health system.”
The projects are expected to be completed by June 2021.
The NSW Government has invested $10 billion on health infrastructure since 2011, with $10.1 billion more committed over the four years from 2019-20, including more than $900 million for rural and regional areas in 2019-20.
Sites for the NSW Health Solar Program

Health facility	Local Health District/Health Entity
Artarmon NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Bankstown NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Barham MPS	Murrumbidgee LHD
Birmingham Gardens NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Blacktown NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Braidwood MPS	Southern NSW LHD
Bungendore NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Campbelltown Hospital Carpark	South Western Sydney LHD
Caringbah NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Cobar Hospital	Western NSW LHD
Coffs Harbour Hospital Carpark	Mid North Coast LHD
Cowra NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Culairn MPS	Murrumbidgee LHD
Goulburn NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Grenfell NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Griffith Hospital	Murrumbidgee LHD
Haberfield NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Hamlyn Terrace NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Holbrook Hospital	Murrumbidgee LHD
Kogarah NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Liverpool NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Macksville Hospital	Mid North Coast LHD
Mona-Vale Hospital	Northern Sydney LHD
Mudgee Hospital	Western NSW LHD
Murrumburrah-Harden Hospital	Murrumbidgee LHD
Murrurundi Hospital	Hunter New England LHD
Northmead NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Penrith NSW Ambulance Superstation	NSW Ambulance
Port Macquarie Hospital Carpark	Mid North Coast LHD
Pottsville NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Rutherford NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Tocumwal MPS	Murrumbidgee LHD
Toukley NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Tumbarumba Hospital	Murrumbidgee LHD
Wagga Wagga Hospital	Murrumbidgee LHD
Wauchope NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance
Yass NSW Ambulance Station	NSW Ambulance

Sites for the $14.5 million energy emission and solar upgrade projects

Local Health District/ Health entity	Description
Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District	Installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and lighting upgrades at Nepean, Blue Mountains and Lithgow Hospitals.
Ambulance NSW	Installation of  solar photovoltaic (PV) systems across nine sites across the state.
Hunter New England Local Health District	Large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) generation systems at Armidale, Belmont, Tamworth and Wallsend Hospitals.
Central Coast Local Health District	Installation of a 1.166 MWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Gosford Hospital.
Western NSW Local Health District	Installation of a 395 kWp solar photovoltaic (PV) system at Parkes Hospital.

The 2020-21 NSW Budget will invest $2.5 million into developing a business case for a TAFE NSW Residential Aged Care Centre of Excellence training facility to put innovation and industry engagement front and centre of the sector.
The business case will assess the establishment of a residential aged care training facility on a TAFE campus to deliver skills training needed to help meet national demand for up to an additional one million aged care workers by 2050.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the centre could be located in either a metropolitan or regional area, depending on opportunities across the State in aged care.
“Today’s announcement is about investigating the options around developing a new specialty aged care facility to deliver quality training to people who want to pursue this rewarding career. The funding committed to this business case will develop the best options on how to deliver such a training centre,” he said.
Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education Geoff Lee said the TAFE NSW Centres of Excellence are game-changers for education and training in NSW.
“These innovative Centres of Excellence will transform the established approach to education by breaking down sectoral divides between VET, higher education and industry to create seamless education pathways, and meet the skills needs of NSW,” Mr Lee said.
“The business case will investigate the development of a Centre of Excellence that will provide training in a range of aged care services, from clinical care to food preparation and wellbeing activities as well as build skills in areas highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including infection control, improved management and leadership skills.”
This investment will allow TAFE NSW to fast-track this initiative and kick off next steps including site selection and industry partnership processes.
The NSW Government will commit further support to aged care by delivering training places to skill people for opportunities in the industry, as part of the 2020-21 NSW Budget.
“An aging population brings work opportunities in the residential aged care sector with TAFE and private providers offering the intensive training needed to set people up for a rewarding career,” Mr Lee said.

The NSW Government today announced a feasibility study into the construction of a new continuous shared pathway, stretching from the Parramatta River to the Sydney Opera House.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet announced $500,000 would be funded in the 2020-21 NSW Budget to explore the best options for establishing an 80km shared cycle and pedestrian path along the foreshore of the Parramatta River and the inner harbour.
“A pathway along Sydney’s foreshore would link the two centres of Sydney allowing more people to enjoy these jewels of our city and everything in between,” Mr Perrottet said.
“The pandemic has demonstrated the importance of having easy access to the great outdoors, providing quality spaces for people to enjoy and this is an opportunity to revitalise one of our city’s great waterways.
“The study will explore how the shared pathway can link Sydney’s two CBDs while also enabling people to use the pathway to take shorter trips on foot or by bike to shops and services, schools, parks and public transport to create a walking and cycling spine for local communities.”
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said if this vision is realised, it would reshape the way millions of Sydneysiders travel along the foreshore.
“The recent Public Spaces Ideas Competition showed there’s a huge public appetite for linear parks that showcase the best of our city,” Mr Stokes said.
“We have a vision to connect Sydney’s stunning harbour and river foreshores and create the types of public spaces and active transport options that this city truly deserves.”
A proposed plan for a shared pathway route along Sydney’s waterfront linking the Opera House and Parramatta’s CBD was presented to the NSW Government by the McKell Institute, an independent public policy institute, last month.
Transport for NSW will investigate:

• A foreshore loop in the Blackwattle and Rozelle Bay and repairing and reopening the Glebe Island Bridge to become a key walking and cycling link to Sydney CBD;
• A 10km foreshore loop around Canada Bay;
• A new Connecting Canada Bay to the Homebush Bay Circuit;
• Identifying missing links along the foreshore between Parramatta and Sydney.

The McKell Institute’s report estimates the project could generate between 1645 and 3145 jobs.
The NSW Government will invest around $710 million in walking and cycling infrastructure over the next four years bringing the total investment to almost $1.1 billion – the largest in the State’s history.