Month: January 2022

Applications for land tax relief will be extended until 28 February to give eligible commercial and residential landowners more time to access the program.
Minister for Finance Damien Tudehope said the land tax relief was designed to make it easier for landowners who supported their tenants during a challenging year.
“Extending the deadline for landowners to access land tax relief will give people more time to get the necessary documents together and access any help they may need to complete an application,” Mr Tudehope said.
“Many renters, commercial and residential, had a financially tough 2021 with reduced turnover or work hours due to the COVID-19 restrictions.
“We heard from landowners that they wanted to help their tenants, but they also have bills to pay. Providing land tax relief enabled them to work with their tenants to offer rent reductions and to alleviate some of the cost-burden during restrictions.
“In response, the NSW Government is helping commercial or residential landowners who have reduced their tenants’ rent, between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2021.”
NSW landowners may be eligible to receive a reduction of up to 100 per cent of their land tax payable for the 2021 land tax year if they provided a reduction in rent to a tenant between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2021.
This package follows a similar program run for the 2020 land tax year, which saw more than 17,400 applications received and $218.8 million of relief provided.
Minister for Small Business and Fair Trading Eleni Petinos said the Government was always committed to assisting those in need.
“We know this program has previously helped to keep businesses in business, people in jobs, and roofs over heads,” Ms Petinos said.
“That’s why we are extending this package to ensure landlords can continue to provide relief to small businesses and residents while we get through this challenging period.”
To be eligible for land tax relief, a landowner must be leasing to a commercial tenant who has a turnover up to $50 million and has been deemed eligible for NSW Government COVID-19 support grants or a residential tenant who has lost 25 per cent or more of household income due to COVID-19.
The landowner must have reduced rent for the affected tenant for any period between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2021, without any requirement for it to be paid back.
Landlords can also access the Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund, which provides small commercial or retail landlords with a monthly grant up to the value of any rental relief provided, to a maximum of $3,000 per month per property. To be eligible, a landlord cannot claim land tax relief for rent reductions provided to tenants between 1 July 2021 and 31 December 2021. Applications for the Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund close 31 March 2022.
Applications for Land Tax Relief can be submitted at https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/apply-covid-19-land-tax-relief
For more information on rent relief visit: COVID-19 assistance for commercial and residential landlords | Service NSW.

The NSW Government will adopt nationally consistent principles for the definition of a close contact and isolation periods for COVID positive cases, and remove mandatory PCR testing requirements for international arrivals.
Following yesterday’s National Cabinet the NSW Government will immediately implement the below arrangements for COVID cases and contacts:

These contact and isolation arrangements apply to all people, regardless of vaccination status. NSW Health is developing guidelines to allow social contacts to assess their risk.
Effective immediately testing requirements for international travellers will also be revised. All fully vaccinated international travellers and flight crew arriving in NSW will be required to undertake a Rapid Antigen Test on days one and six after arrival.
Symptomatic arrivals will be required to get a PCR as soon as possible and isolate until negative result is received. If the PCR test is positive, the arrival must treat themselves as a positive case.
Under existing arrangements, all international travellers and flight crew are also required to produce a negative pre-departure test, within three days of boarding their flight. Unvaccinated arrivals will continue to be quarantined (capped at 210 per week) and require PCR testing.
Guidelines will be developed recommending international arrivals not attend at an aged care, health care, disability care or correctional facility for 7 days after arrival.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said this approach to dealing with COVID would provide certainty for people as we continue to chart a course out of the pandemic.
“Across the country we have done an incredible job in getting vaccinated to protect people and our health systems. High vaccination rates mean we can adapt our response to deal with the new challenges that come our way,” Mr Perrottet said.
“These changes will ensure our health system continues to work for people who need it most. We need everyone to keep playing their part and to only come forward to get tested if they have a medical need or are directed to do so.
“NSW has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world and it is vital we maintain that advantage and people book in for their booster shots as soon as they can to protect themselves, their families and the community.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said it was important our health system was reserved for people who needed it.
“Our frontline health workers have done an amazing job over the past two years and their efforts have helped keep countless people safe and we can’t thank them enough,” Mr Hazzard said.
“As we learn to live with COVID, people must make sure they only seek testing if they are feeling unwell, or are otherwise advised to get tested.”

Five state-of-the-art NSW Ambulance aircraft are set to take to the skies across the state, providing even better care for rural and regional areas.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said the new fleet would provide a major boost to NSW Ambulance’s fixed wing operations, improving patient transport speeds and reaching even more areas of the state.
“These aircraft are like hospitals in the sky, and they can get to some of the most remote regions of the state and land at both commercial airports and smaller runways,” Mr Toole said.
Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said the brand new fleet of Beechcraft King Air 350C planes would be operated and maintained by Pel-Air under a 10-year contract.
“This new fleet will be an absolute gamechanger, offering the technology, comfort and fuel efficiency never before seen in a NSW Ambulance aircraft,” Mrs Taylor said.
NSW Ambulance Commissioner Dr Dominic Morgan said the medical fit-out on-board was tailored to the clinician’s needs and could pick up more than 6000 patients every year.
“Our flight nurses, doctors and pilots are among the best in the country and they helped in the design of what is essentially their office. Their expertise and some of the best planes available means it is a perfect fit for everyone, especially our patients”, Dr Morgan said.
The aircraft will begin operation on 1 January 2022, and will replace the current fleet operated out of the Mascot airbase by the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS)
Executive Director of Aeromedical Operations Dr Sarah Coombes said NSW Ambulance was proud of what it had achieved together with RFDS.
“For 19 years, the RFDS has been there working with NSW Ambulance to provide the best for the community of NSW. We thank them for their remarkable and ongoing contribution to health in this state,” Dr Coombes said.
The NSW Government has invested more than $9 billion in NSW Ambulance since 2011, including $1.4 billion in the 2021/22 budget.

The NSW Government is taking precautionary steps to maintain its safe and measured approach as we continue to learn to live with COVID.
The following adjustments to the NSW Government’s pandemic settings will come into effect:
From 12.01am Friday, 24 December:

• Masks will be compulsory in all indoor non-residential settings, including for hospitality staff and in offices, unless eating or drinking.

From 12.01am Monday, 27 December 2021:

• QR code check-ins will be compulsory, including for hospitality and retail; and

• Hospitality venues, including pubs, clubs, restaurants and cafes will move to 1 person per 2 sqm rule indoors, with no density limit for outdoor settings.

All settings will remain in place until Wednesday, 27 January 2022.
Extending QR check-in requirements will remind people that if they receive a notification they should be tested if they feel unwell. They should also get tested if they are directed by NSW Health or if they have symptoms.
Further to these measures, the Government is asking people to reduce mingling where they can including when eating and drinking, work from home where possible and hold events outside.
The NSW Government will continue to monitor these settings.
The NSW Government will also procure Rapid-Antigen Test kits and make them available for free to people across the State, to give additional options to people and allow those who need to get a PCR test to do so.
Premier Dominic Perrottet said these measures would help take the pressure off our health system and keep the community safe until more people could get their booster shots.
“We said we would tailor our settings as the situation evolved and these steps will help take the pressure of our health system, so the people who need care can access it,” Mr Perrottet said.
“Our frontline health workers have done an enormous job keeping us safe over the past two years and we can’t thank them enough.
“Vaccination remains the key to keeping people safe and out of hospital. It is vital people continue to roll up their sleeves to get vaccinated and receive their boosters.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard thanked people for continuing to come forward in large numbers to get tested and urged everyone to follow the restrictions.
“We thank people for coming out in large numbers to get tested but we need to make sure that tests are available for people who really need it,” Mr Hazzard said.
“If you don’t have any symptoms, please don’t get a test just for the sake of it. The best thing people can do is follow the rules outlined today. The health and safety of the community continues to be the highest priority.
“I want to again thank NSW Health for the work they are doing in response to the pandemic.”