Month: September 2022

The most ambitious rewilding project in Australia is achieving incredible results, with 10 locally extinct species now thriving after being reintroduced to three feral-free areas in NSW national parks.
 
Minister for Environment James Griffin said within three years of animals being reintroduced to their native habitats, NSW is already turning back the tide on extinctions.
 
“We set out a bold plan backed by science to create areas where we could eradicate feral predators and reintroduce locally extinct animals like the bilby and numbat, which have been extinct in the wild in NSW for more than 100 years,” Mr Griffin said.
 
“Feral cats and foxes are a huge threat to our native species and are a key driver of high extinction rates, with cats alone responsible for killing 1.5 billion native animals nationally every year.
 
“This is a world-leading program of rewilding, with a goal of returning the bush to how it was before feral animals were introduced 200 years ago.
 
“It’s incredible to see that in such a short period of time, we’re on track to remove at least 10 animals from the NSW extinct list – the first time this will have happened anywhere in the world.”
 
To help threatened species thrive into the future, the NSW Government is establishing seven feral-free rewilding sites in NSW.
 
Once they’re complete, 65,000 hectares of national parks will be free from feral predators, providing a significant conservation benefit for more than 50 species.
 
The three established sites so far are the Pilliga State Conservation Area, Mallee Cliffs National Park and Sturt National Park.
 
In partnership with NPWS,  Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) delivers the Mallee Cliffs and Pilliga rewilding programs, and University of NSW Wild Deserts delivers the Sturt National Park site program.
 
Regular monitoring has found that across the three feral predator-free sites, all species reintroduced into their native habitat are thriving and breeding successfully.
 
AWC Chief Executive Officer Tim Allard said the feral free areas in NSW are helping reverse the trend of biodiversity decline and extinctions of our most vulnerable species.
 
“Effective partnership between Government and conservation organisations is helping deliver the resources and expertise required to provide conservation at scale and this is critical to restoring our country’s unique biodiversity,” Mr Allard said.
 
UNSW Wild Deserts lead Professor Richard Kingsford said it is great to see the whole ecosystem recovering and showing that removal of feral pests can make a real difference.
 
“This is where we are really starting to see the results of not only the season but the benefits of good management and our collaborations, delivering conservation at scale,” Professor Kingsford said.
 
“It really does make a difference to actively manage these landscapes and remove feral animals.”  
 
To read more about the NSW Government’s seven rewilding sites, visit: https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/funding-and-support/nsw-environmental-trust/major-projects/turning-back-the-tide-of-extinction
 

An Australian-first Culture Standard will be piloted at NSW construction sites to improve facilities, working conditions and boost the number of women in construction.
 
New ways of working will be tested at the new Wentworth Point High School and Mulgoa Road upgrade stage 1 construction sites to address cultural issues that can lead to poor mental health, high rates of family breakdown and a lack of diversity in the industry.
 
NSW Treasurer Matt Kean said piloting the Culture Standard is an additional measure to the $20.2 million funding allocation in this years’ budget, to attract more women into the construction industry.
 
“With a record-breaking $112.7 billion infrastructure pipeline, it’s critical that we are doing everything we can to make our worksites work for everyone,” Mr Kean said.
 
“The NSW Government is committed to trialing new ways of doing things to boost productivity and secure brighter futures for the 369,500 construction workers across NSW.”
 
Minister for Infrastructure Rob Stokes said the pilot was focused on improving wellbeing and work-life balance, boosting construction efficiency and productivity all without impacting project timeframes. 
 
“Construction sites will be happier, healthier and more productive places to work when there is better work-life balance and diversity, and more access to wellbeing and mental health support,” Mr Stokes said.
 
“The industry has one of the worst gender pay gaps in the country at around 30 per cent so we’re going to trial the publication of that data so we can work towards women being fairly paid for their equal contribution.”
 
Minister for Metropolitan Roads Natalie Ward said this is the first of many initiatives aimed at boosting the number of women in construction to 15 per cent by 2030.
 
“The sad reality is that women on construction sites can be subject to sexist slurs, offensive graffiti and second-rate amenities that don’t accommodate their needs, including a lack of sanitary bins or private spaces,” Mrs Ward said.
 
“The Culture Standard sets out a basic roadmap to making sites more inclusive because when sites work better for women, they work better for everyone.
 
“We also know another key barrier is construction work is typically a six day, 50 plus hour a week job, which is why this program will seek to improve flexible working conditions for women who are juggling family commitments.”
 
The program is led by the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce – a collaboration between the NSW and Victorian governments, the Australian Constructors Association and industry leaders. The pilots will include measures such as:

• No offensive material on site
• Ensuring appropriate amenities are provided, including toilets for women, sanitary bins and safe changerooms
• Identifying and disclosing of gender pay gaps across roles, as well as implementing plans to reduce gender pay gaps
• Providing mental health first aiders on site
• Setting clear targets for the appointment of women
• A Monday to Friday working program, or when this is not viable ensure all workers are working a 5 in 7 program to give workers adequate rest and recovery time.

 
Outcomes of the pilot will bolster research and the contemporary evidence base of how to best generate cultural change on site and across the construction sector.
 
The NSW Government involvement in the program is being led by Infrastructure NSW and will support its ongoing collaboration with industry, construction firms, sub-contractors, and trade unions to make the construction sector a more inclusive workplace for everyone.
 
You can read the draft Culture Standard and the proposed elements here.

A new state-of-the-art Medium Storm Vehicle will be deployed on the Northern Beaches to bolster the NSW State Emergency Service’s (SES) response to the upcoming storm season.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery joined Member for Manly James Griffin and SES Deputy Commissioner Daniel Austin at the Manly SES Unit today to officially hand over the keys to the $245,000 purpose-built truck.

“This fully equipped vehicle has been delivered as part of the NSW Government’s $116 million investment in SES fleet replacement, giving our volunteers the vehicles they need to serve their communities to the best of their ability,” Ms Cooke said.

“The truck includes a ladder loader and ladder, power tools, front and rear anchor points and stowage for an Ark Angel rescue craft. It will help volunteers better respond to a range of incidents, including storm damage operations and flood rescues.”

Mr Griffin said the Medium Storm Vehicle is a welcome boost for the Manly SES Unit which has responded to more than 500 incidents in the past year.

“It’s been an incredibly busy period for our volunteers around Manly with the unprecedented rainfall Sydney has experienced this year,” Mr Griffin said.

“This new asset has arrived at the perfect time, allowing our 136 volunteers from the Manly SES Unit to better protect the community, with the official storm season fast approaching on 1 October.”

Deputy Commissioner Austin said the new vehicle will equip volunteers to carry out critical life-saving tasks.

“It is a significant boost for the area, offering greater response capability for land and in-water flood rescues, storm events and complex storm damage operations,” Deputy Commissioner Austin said.

NSW has recorded the strongest quarterly economic growth amongst all states with State Final Demand (SFD) rising by 1.9 per cent in the June quarter, according to the ABS National Accounts released today.   
 
On an annual basis, the quarterly national accounts showed NSW SFD, a measure of economic activity, rose 4.1 per cent over the year to June 2022.
 
This is much higher than the increase in Australia’s gross domestic product of 0.9 per cent in the June quarter and 3.6 per cent over the year to June 2022.
 
Treasurer Matt Kean said the figures demonstrated the State’s economy was continuing to rebound strongly despite economic challenges including supply chain issues, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war and China’s zero COVID policy.
 
“NSW recorded the strongest economic growth of all states in the June quarter showing the NSW economy is going from strength to strength following last year’s pandemic-related impacts,” Mr Kean said.
 
“Our government’s continued investment in NSW is propelling Australia’s strong economic performance.
 
“Today’s report showed household consumption rose 2.5 per cent in the June quarter, which drove the State’s increase in State Final Demand.
 
“Spending on hospitality, transport and recreation and culture have all increased as households spend more freely post-COVID restrictions.”
 
Business investment also grew by a strong 4.1 per cent in the quarter, with firms investing in machinery and equipment as demand increased.