Month: November 2020

A new Metro rail line, dam and motorway are among 10 major infrastructure projects which will be accelerated to keep people in jobs and the economy moving.
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes said the projects were part of the new Priority Assessment Program that followed the successful Planning System Acceleration Program, established in April in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our emergency response to the impacts of COVID-19 was swift, decisive and effective in supporting the economy and health of our people,” Mr Stokes said.
“We used the impetus of the pandemic to shape a more efficient planning system, accelerating decisions on 101 projects in 24 weeks and creating opportunities for more than 50,000 jobs – almost double our original target.
“We also facilitated $25 billion in investment and the creation of more than four million square metres of open space and environmental conservation land.”
A similar fast-tracked assessment program of shovel-ready projects set up in Victoria has only generated $7.5 billion worth of investment since March.
Mr Stokes said the new program will prioritise longer-term, public and private projects earlier in the planning system and included a Metro station in Western Sydney, a new dam at Dungowan near Tamworth, and a new M12 Motorway to connect the M7 with Western Sydney Airport.
“These projects will need to be strategically important to the State or a region and provide considerable investment and public benefit. They have a timeline of up to 18 months, as opposed to the six-month ‘shovel-ready’ projects that were fast-tracked in the initial response to the pandemic,” Mr Stokes said .
“The projects will be accelerated through the planning system, targeting construction commencement in late 2021 or early 2022.
“We must keep up the momentum and move beyond short-term stimulus with projects that will deliver growth and jobs in the medium term and this second acceleration phase does just that.”
The first 10  projects to be considered by the program are State Significant Infrastructure projects and include:

• A new transmission connection between the Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro and generation project to the existing high voltage transmission network;
• An airport Metro line to service Western Sydney International (Nancy-Bird Walton) Airport and the Western Sydney Aerotropolis;
• An M12 Motorway dual-carriageway to connect the M7 Motorway with the Western Sydney Airport and The Northern Road;
• Four Inland Rail construction projects – Illabo to Stockinbingal, Narrabri to North Star (Phase 2), North Star to Border, Narromine to Narrabri;
• A new dam at Dungowan and better delivery pipeline linking to the Callala Water Treatment Plant in the Peel Valley;
• Two EnergyConnect projects (NSW – Western and Eastern Sections) – new 330 kV transmission lines connecting the NSW and South Australia transmission networks.

The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment has begun assessing these projects.
To find out more about the program, visit https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Priority-Assessment-Program

Communities across New South Wales have made recycling a regular part of their routine, with more than 4.5 billion bottles and cans returned for recycling through the NSW Government’s Return and Earn Scheme.
Environment Minister Matt Kean said it was particularly exciting to reach this massive milestone during National Recycling Week.
“In the first six months of this year, three out of every four eligible bottles and cans supplied in the State were returned through the scheme for recycling,” Mr Kean said.
“These drink containers are now destined for use as a sustainable alternative, instead of littering our streets and contributing to landfill.”
Return and Earn has contributed to an average 40 per cent annual reduction in drink container litter in New South Wales, with more than 420,000 tonnes of materials recycled since it launched in December 2017.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment James Griffin said National Recycling Week is the prime time to celebrate the State’s suite of recycling initiatives.
“Waste Less Recycle More is Australia’s largest waste and recycling initiative, with more than 3.6 million tonnes of waste diverted from landfill in NSW since it was introduced in 2012,” Mr Griffin said.
“To date, we have invested more than $800 million in grants for councils, community groups, industry and charities to roll-out more than 2,685 programs and projects that support businesses and communities to improve recycling across the State.
“These results really demonstrate the role each and every one of us can play in protecting our environment and practicing recycling.”
For more information visit www.returnandearn.org.au

Patients across the Mid North Coast will soon have faster access to emergency care at Port Macquarie Base Hospital, via a new $10 million helipad on its rooftop.
Health Minister Brad Hazzard and Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams today announced $10 million will be included in the 2020-21 NSW Budget to commence construction of a new helipad on the roof of the hospital’s emergency department to improve aeromedical services for local patients.
Mr Hazzard said the $10 million boost was another example of the NSW Government delivering on its promise to provide improved local health services in rural and regional areas, including the Mid North Coast.
“The new helipad will provide patients with the most direct route to the hospital’s emergency department and operating theatres when they need it most,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The $104 million expansion of Port Macquarie Base Hospital included foundations for a future rooftop helipad directly above the emergency department and this is now becoming a reality for the community.”
The state-of-the-art helipad is expected to receive between 50 and 60 retrievals a year.
Mrs Williams said the existing helipad had undergone improvements over the years to meet changing aircraft requirements, but the new helipad will be a vast improvement that will serve the community well, right into the future.
“This new helipad will give the people across the Mid North Coast region direct access to expert medical care,” Mrs Williams said.
“As an extra bonus, the site of the existing helipad will be transformed into additional hospital car parking for staff, patients and their families.”
During their visit to Port Macquarie Base Hospital today, Mr Hazzard and Mrs Williams met with local health staff and thanked them for their efforts during a challenging year.
Port Macquarie Base Hospital is a major referral hospital for the Hastings Macleay Clinical Network which provides specialist services to people in the Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kempsey local government areas.

The Lake Cathie community will have a new purpose-built ambulance station thanks to a NSW Government boost of $100 million to ambulance infrastructure in rural NSW.
Minister for Health Brad Hazzard said the initial $122 million Rural Ambulance Infrastructure Reconfiguration (RAIR) program had proved such a success the NSW Government will invest an additional $100 million in Stage 2.
“This funding boost will help NSW Ambulance deliver the most contemporary, efficient new ambulance stations to support our paramedics as they continue to deliver high quality emergency medical care to rural and regional communities,” Mr Hazzard said.
“The new ambulance station for Lake Cathie will be tailored to best meet the needs of the region, and will provide local paramedics with the optimal base to work from as they continue their vital job of helping community members in their hour of need.”
NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan said the extra boost to regional services was a welcome announcement for staff and local communities.
“It means our committed paramedics will be better equipped and positioned to do what they do best, help the people of NSW with top quality care when they need it most,” Dr Morgan said.
Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams said the new ambulance station will be a welcome addition to the community of Lake Cathie.
“The NSW Government’s commitment to ambulance infrastructure will support the key growth areas of Lake Cathie and Bonny Hills,” Mrs Williams said.
The initial RAIR program received $122 million, the single largest investment in regional NSW Ambulance’s 125-year history, with 24 communities across the state benefitting from an upgraded, rebuilt or entirely new ambulance station.
“This program has already proved an enormous success and NSW Ambulance will continue its promise to deliver the most up to date equipment and facilities to keep our communities and ambulance staff as safe as possible,” Mr Hazzard said.
The 2019-20 Budget for NSW Ambulance was more than $1 billion which included $27.1 million to employ an additional 221 paramedics and control centre staff to improve response times, reduce paramedic fatigue and support safety.

The Government will accelerate upgrade funding for five train stations under the Transport Access Program (TAP), taking the NSW Government’s total investment to more than $2.2 billion since 2011.
Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance today announced an additional $112 million as part of the 2020-21 NSW Budget for the upgrades and a further $80 million to progress future upgrades. This adds to the existing $885 million that was committed over four years in last year’s Budget.
“The projects funded include upgrades at Doonside, Turrella, Killara, Junee and Cootamundra which will create around 400 jobs. On top of that, Moss Vale and Tuggerah stations will also see planning commence,” Mr Constance said.
“The NSW Government is making public transport accessible for every single commuter in this state.
“Through TAP we’ve now delivered or begun work on more than 470 improvements to train stations, ferry wharves, car parks, interchanges and bike sheds.”
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said every dollar spent on upgrading the transport network would deliver better outcomes for commuters while also creating jobs.
“Investing in job-creating infrastructure projects like station upgrades will be a key focus in this year’s Budget,” Mr Perrottet said.
“We are continuing to invest record amounts in our public transport system because we know it makes a real difference in people’s everyday lives while crucially boosting jobs when we need it most.”
More than 70 stations have been upgraded through the Transport Access program since it began in 2011. Almost 90 per cent of customer journeys now begin from accessible locations.
“The funding not only means more commuters will benefit from lifts, ramps, footbridges and increased safety, but hundreds of people will be employed across engineering, construction and administration roles to bring the planned upgrades to life,” Mr Constance said.
“We won’t stop until every single station across NSW, both in metropolitan and regional areas, is accessible for everyone.”
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Paul Toole said the NSW Government is committed to delivering safe, modern and accessible transport infrastructure across the state.
“We need to ensure everyone, including commuters in our regions, has the option to use public transport.
“These upgrades will make public transport available to some of our more vulnerable community members and can make the world of difference to their quality of life.”