Month: June 2022

Today we embark on the greatest transformation of early education in a generation.
 
A long-term policy commitment that will change lives.
 
It will mean that, in the next 10 years, every child in Victoria and NSW will experience the benefits of a full year of play-based learning before their first year of school.
 
A year dedicated to growing and learning, new friends and new experiences. A year devoted to helping our kids be the very best they can be. Giving them the skills they need for school, but just as importantly, the skills they need for life.
 
At the same time, it will benefit hundreds of thousands of working families.
 
Helping more mums and dads return to work on terms that work for them.
 
Building a system that works for women, not against them.
 
It means a brighter future for our kids – and their families too.
 
And two great states working together to deliver it.
 
This won’t be a short-term fix, or a temporary solution.
 
Instead, it will take years of collaborative, hard work to get it right.
 
Really, it’s an investment in children, some of whom are yet to be born.
 
We begin today by planting the seeds, knowing the benefits won’t be known for years to come. But knowing they’ll be shared by everyone.
 
An investment in our children’s tomorrow. An investment in ours too.
 
And a commitment co-authored, because simply: our kids deserve nothing less.

The NSW Government will implement a major regional health workforce incentive scheme in the largest shakeup of its kind ever undertaken in the state.
 
The scheme will be delivered alongside new training and recruitment pathways to build a pipeline of regionally based workers and futureproof healthcare in the bush.
 
Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole said $883 million will be spent over the next four years to attract and retain staff in rural and regional NSW by transforming the way health clinicians are incentivised in the bush.
 
“This package delivers on the NSW Government’s commitment to strengthen the regional health workforce, ensuring that more than three million people who live, work and play in rural and regional NSW continue to have access to high quality healthcare well into the future,” Mr Toole said.
 
“These incentive packages will be tailored to not only attract more clinicians to these services but help retain those hard working staff and encourage them to put down roots.”
 
The package will target critical and hard to fill roles to ensure the operation of regional health facilities, including nurses and midwives, paramedics, pathologists and scientific staff, pharmacists and allied health professionals, as well as support and ancillary staff.
 
Minister for Regional Health Bronnie Taylor said the package will be used to deliver innovative, bespoke incentives for staff so they move to or stay in regional NSW.  

“Hard-to-fill, critical roles in rural and remote locations can be incentivised by offering health workers recruitment and retention incentive packages worth up to $10,000 per year plus assistance with accommodation and relocation and some other non-financial incentives,” Mrs Taylor said.
 
Incentives can include a range of benefits, such as salary boost, sign on bonuses, retention payments, additional leave, assistance with childcare expenses, assistance with transport and housing support, and access to training and education.
In addition to the incentives package, a range of targeted measures are being funded which will support the NSW Government in building a pipeline of future nurses, doctors and other clinical staff who are based in the bush and have the skills, confidence and expertise needed to work in regional health care facilities.
 
Mrs Taylor said one of these measures is the expansion of training positions for nurse practitioner roles in rural locations that struggle to attract doctors.
 
“These are highly skilled nursing professionals that can operate autonomously in complex clinical settings. The expansion of these training positions will see people in rural NSW receiving the highest level of quality care and a brighter future in terms of health outcomes,” Mrs Taylor said.
 
The $883 million investment will include funding for:

• Tailored incentive programs for healthcare staff to take up and retain positions in regional, rural and remote NSW – which can include a tailored incentive package of up to $10,000 plus additional leave, relocation reimbursement, professional development and study assistance;
• Increased training positions for nursing graduates, nurse practitioners and medical interns;
• Expanding rural generalist and procedural training positions;
• Career development and secondment opportunities for healthcare workers based in regional, rural and remote NSW, including for those based in metropolitan areas to ‘try out’ working in regional NSW;
• Increased numbers of Aboriginal nurse cadetships, and
• HECS incentive package for allied health professionals.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the rural and regional workforce boost forms part of the NSW Government’s overall record $4.5 billion investment in more than 10,000 health staff.

“We believe that access to the best quality healthcare shouldn’t be a postcode lottery. That’s why we’re recruiting 10,148 full-time equivalent staff right across NSW over the four years in what is the nation’s largest-ever health workforce boost, and 3,800 of these positions will be in regional areas,” Mr Kean said.

NSW will launch one of the biggest education reforms in a generation, starting with the introduction of a universal pre-Kindergarten year of education. 

The 2022/23 NSW Budget will set aside more than $5.8 billion over 10 years to introduce universal pre-Kindergarten for all children in NSW by 2030.  

Premier Dominic Perrottet said the huge investment in families was on a scale never seen before in Australia.  

“This is incredible reform that will change lives and deliver enormous educational benefits for children across the state, securing a brighter future for NSW families,” Mr Perrottet said. 

“We’re ensuring our youngest learners thrive by introducing a full year of preschool education before Kindergarten, as we know how important it is to have a strong educational foundation.” 

NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said that children who receive quality early childhood education are more likely to get better results at school and earn more across their lifetime.  

“This Budget is all about investing in a better future, and setting our kids up for success is priceless,” Mr Kean said. 

“This reform will deliver intergenerational results for our kids and our economy.”  

The NSW Government will consult with families, peak bodies and service providers to create the best model for the new, universal pre-Kindergarten year for all children in NSW.  

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the evidence is clear that providing the best education starts in the early years.

“Universal pre-Kindergarten will give every child in NSW access to a specialised year of play-based learning, smoothing their transition to school and solidifying their path to a brighter future,” Ms Mitchell said. 

“Universal pre-Kindergarten is something I have been working hard to bring to NSW for a number of years, having seen the benefits of it for children and families in countries like Canada. It is so exciting to know that in NSW we will soon be unleashing the power of universal pre-Kindergarten.” 

This transformational new year of preschool education will not just build on the other commitments of this budget but will also change and improve, with the help of parents, educators, services and stakeholders, how children enter and prepare for school. 

Employment in NSW grew by 61,900 full-time jobs in May and the participation rate increased to a record high of 66.2 per cent according to the latest data from the ABS.
 
Employment across the State is now 133,000 above the pre-COVID level and more than 90,000 above the pre-Delta peak.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said today’s results were very positive for the State with the participation rate jumping by 1 percentage point, now sitting 0.9 percentage points above pre-COVID levels (Feb 2020).
 
“Employment growth is booming in NSW and we’re seeing record participation rates, well above pre-pandemic levels, and this is no fluke. Our nation-leading response to the pandemic helped families and businesses across the State with more than $47 billion in support since March 2020,” Mr Kean said.
 
“Our record participation in the NSW workforce is being driven by the continuing rise in female participation which is now at record levels.”
 
The female participation rate hit a record 61.9 per cent, well above the pre-COVID level of 60.2 per cent. The male participation rate rose by a strong 1.2 percentage points to 70.7 per cent, also above the pre-COVID levels.
 
The number of hours worked rose by 2.2 per cent in May, despite continued Omicron-related illness and an uptick in flu cases. Hours worked is now 2.7 per cent above December 2021 levels.
 
The large jump in participation meant that the unemployment rate rose 0.5 percentage points to 4.0 per cent in May, up from last month’s record low.
 
“The unemployment rate in NSW remains low and the number of hours people are working has seen a strong increase as we continue to recover from the impacts of the pandemic,” Mr Kean said.
 
“Month-on-month we’re reaping the benefits of the NSW Government’s strong economic management throughout the challenges of the pandemic and our recovery.”

An ambition to triple the number of women working in the construction industry will be backed by a $20.2 million commitment in the NSW Government’s 2022-23 Budget.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the Government will lead the way with a goal of 15 per cent women in construction by 2030, with a view towards reaching a more gender-balanced industry into the future.
 
“The latest estimates show that skills shortages in the Australian construction industry could top 105,000 workers by 2023,” Mr Kean said.
 
“Increasing the number of women in the construction industry is essential to lower the gender pay gap and ensure we have the skilled workforce required to deliver the Government’s record $110.4 billion infrastructure pipeline.”
 
Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes said that women currently make up about 5% of the construction workforce and Infrastructure NSW would work closely with industry to reach the 2030 goal.
 
“Historic skills shortages coupled with the biggest infrastructure program our State has ever seen means there is no better time to support more women to pursue a career in the construction industry,” Mr Stokes said.
 
“This funding will go towards breaking down the cultural barriers that stop women from considering a career in construction and help them smash through the gyprock ceiling.”
 
Minister for Women’s Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Sexual Violence Natalie Ward said the Government will work towards its 15 per cent goal by shifting the culture in construction and leading by example on its own worksites.
 
“We have to ensure women on construction sites have access to adequate, clean amenities, necessary personal protective equipment, that worksites are free of offensive materials and there are opportunities for more flexibility in working hours,” Mrs Ward said.
 
“Women employed in male-dominated environments are at greater risk of sexual and gender harassment compared with the national average, but this plan can help improve the experience of women in construction.”
 
Infrastructure NSW will continue to engage with stakeholders, building on the work already done by industry associations and trade unions. Funding will be used to sponsor innovative industry-led initiatives, and increase existing participation targets, skills and training initiatives.
 
The initiative is part of the NSW Government’s commitment to growing the economy and building opportunity for all.