Month: February 2023

The NSW Budget remains on track to return to surplus in 2024-25, despite a challenging global economic landscape, unprecedented flooding across the State, high inflation and record cost of living.

Treasurer Matt Kean today released the 2022-23 Half Yearly Review, showing the State’s finances remain solid and economic growth has exceeded expectations, underpinning the Government’s continued investments to support families and build a brighter future.

The key updates include:

· The State remains on track to return to surplus in 2024-25

· Real Gross State Product (GSP), a measure of the State’s economic output, is expected to increase by 3¾ per cent in 2022-23

· The Government is continuing to support households by providing $7.2 billion  in cost-of-living relief in 2022-23

“The Budget remains on track to return to surplus, just as the Government first promised in November 2020, despite the Delta and Omicron outbreaks, the unprecedented flooding, high inflation and interest rate hikes our State has faced since then,” Mr Kean said.

“The fact that NSW remains the only Australian state with two triple-A credit ratings and leads the nation in business conditions speaks to this Government’s record of strong economic management.

“The strength of the NSW economy and budget underpins the Government’s plan to support households with cost-of-living relief and invest in economic reforms and infrastructure to boost productivity and crush inflation.”

The 2022-23 NSW Budget included $7.2 billion for cost-of-living support such as the Toll Relief Rebate Scheme, Back to School vouchers, Energy Bill Buster program and more than 70 rebates, vouchers and concessions to help households manage their budgets.

In the Half-Yearly Review, the State’s infrastructure program has increased to a record $116.6 billion over the four years to 2025-26, driven by investments in new and existing transport infrastructure and health facilities.

“Over the past 12 years the Government has delivered ground-breaking infrastructure projects that have transformed the lives of the NSW people, including 58 new and 155 upgraded schools and more than 180 new or upgraded health facilities,” Mr Kean said.

The Government is also continuing to invest in productivity enhancing reforms that will help grow the economy.

“Our $16.5 billion investment, over the next decade, to improve women’s economic opportunities and child development, is set to help unleash the aspirations of women across NSW, with the female workforce participation rate near record highs,” Mr Kean said.

“Our housing reforms are already clearing the barriers to home ownership, with 761 first home buyers opting into the First Home Buyer Choice in the fortnight after it launched on 16 January 2023.”

Read the Half Yearly Review here: https://www.budget.nsw.gov.au/2022-23/half-yearly-review

Improving women’s economic opportunities, providing affordable housing and seizing the investment opportunities of clean energy are key policy objectives being delivered by the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government.

Treasurer Matt Kean said the transformational 2022-23 NSW Budget is improving the lives of people and strengthening the NSW economy for the long term, with key reforms already becoming a reality.

“Since our June Budget, the Liberal and Nationals Government has created more opportunities for women to grow their own prosperity and power the economy, made it easier for people to get the keys to their first home, and we’ve accelerated our plan to reduce emissions and become a net zero superpower,” Mr Kean said.

Women’s Economic Opportunities – $16.5 billion over 10 years to level the playing field for women, with $4.9 billion committed over the four years to 2025-26.

• NSW Childcare and Economic Opportunity Fund Act 2022 – driving up to $5 billion of investment in high-quality childcare over 10 years and removing barriers for women to participate in the workforce.
• IVF assistance – women in NSW undergoing IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies can access a cash rebate of up to $2,000.
• Pre-school fee relief – up to $4,000 a year in fee relief for families with children attending preschool.
• Paid-parental leave – every mother and father in the NSW public sector is now entitled to 14 weeks of paid parental leave over two years.

Housing – $2.8 billion to improve housing affordability and help more people own their own home.

• First Home Buyer Choice – reduces the upfront cost of buying a first home by giving buyers the choice of an annual property fee instead of stamp duty for purchases up to $1.5 billion. In the fortnight since it began on 16 January 2023, first home buyers decided against paying $34.6 million in stamp duty, with 761 buyers indicating they will opt for an annual property fee instead.
• Shared Equity Home Buyer Helper – the NSW Government will contribute a proportion of the purchase price of a property for single parents and single people over 50 years of age on lower incomes, as well as eligible first home buyer key workers. Since commencing on 23 January 2023, 117 applications have been completed or are in progress and Bendigo Bank has received more than 5,600 enquiries.

The clean economy – NSW is on track to reduce its emissions by 70 per cent below 2005 levels by 2035.

• $1.2 billion Transmission Acceleration Facility will fast-track critical infrastructure that will secure cheaper, cleaner and more reliable electricity.
• Electric vehicle fast charger installation programs and fleet incentives have commenced under the $633 million Electric Vehicle Strategy.
• $360 million Net Zero Industry and Innovation Investment Plan announced to support and partner with manufacturing and industry sectors to reduce emissions and boost resilience.

Coastal communities will benefit from more than $5 million to upgrade, restore and improve local surf clubs as part of the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s Surf Club Facility Program.

Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said 26 surf clubs would receive funding through the program to create more modern, accessible facilities and to ensure lifesavers have what they need to keep the community safe on our beaches.

“Surf clubs are at the heart of coastal communities and the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is investing in them to ensure they remain an integral part of towns across the State,” Mr Henskens said.

“This program will deliver a range of game-changing projects for surf clubs that will result in improved facilities, increased participation in sport and recreation activities and general uplifts in usage to ensure overall community benefit.”

The program provides grants of between $50,000 and $650,000 to develop facilities that will boost participation, increase usage and improve safety.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the surf club upgrades build on the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government’s investment in equipment and training to support volunteer lifesavers.

“Our 75,000 volunteer lifesavers patrol 129 every weekend and public holiday between October and April, so it’s vital that they have modern and fit-for-purpose facilities,” Ms Cooke said.

“Their work is quite literally life saving and I’m very grateful for the thousands of rescues they’ve undertaken this summer to protect locals and visitors to our coastline.”

Surf Life Saving NSW President George Shales OAM said ensuring surf clubs across NSW were maintained and upgraded is vitally important.

“Our volunteers deserve safe, accessible and secure facilities in order to train new lifesavers and support the community,” Mr Shales said.

“Many Surf Life Saving Clubs have been on the frontline in the last year, responding to incidents and emergencies including the recent flood disaster, and they need to be able to safely store and access vital rescue equipment at short notice.”

The full list of recipients and further details on the program are available online.

A second swimming spot at Barangaroo will be investigated following the enormous popularity of Marrinawi cove, opened earlier this month by the Liberals and Nationals Government.

Nawi Cove has been earmarked as the site for a second Barangaroo swimming spot, which will also be home to a new 1.85 hectare public space in Central Barangaroo.

Minister for Infrastructure, Cities and Active Transport Rob Stokes said Infrastructure NSW would complete appropriate studies as part of the scoping of the project, which is now underway.

“Thousands of people have embraced the new swimming enclosure at Marrinawi Cove in recent weeks and we want to offer more opportunities for everyone to enjoy swimming in the heart of the city and close to public transport,” Mr Stokes said.

“Some of the options under investigation for Barangaroo’s next swimming spot include more structured facilities, so instead of swimming in the harbour itself, we may look into a floating pool similar to the Spree River in Berlin or Islands Brygge Harbour Bath in Copenhagen.”

“Nawi Cove’s position metres away from the future Barangaroo metro station would make it an accessible and central place for all people to enjoy a swim on Sydney Harbour.”

The Liberals and Nationals Government has invested more than $16 million as part of the Places To Swim program, which will fund the upgrade and creation of 19 swimming spots across NSW, including the Inner West, Parramatta, Campbelltown, Hawkesbury, Liverpool and regional NSW.

Along with investigations for more swimming, the NSW Government’s plans for the new 1.85 hectare harbourside park at Central Barangaroo have progressed, with Expressions of Interest now open inviting design teams to make submissions for Sydney’s next great public space.

A new temporary recreation area within the future park site will open in March and include trees and shrubs, seating, a children’s play area, an outdoor gym and handball courts.

Minister for the Arts Ben Franklin said the new Harbour Park will offer artists a unique opportunity to contribute to the aspect and experience of one of Sydney’s most high-profile waterfront public spaces.

“Artists will be engaged at the early concept stages of planning and will work closely with landscape architects from the outset on design, development and delivery of the park and its public art,” Mr Franklin said.

“The world’s best cities are memorable, which is why $8 million of the Barangaroo Art Levy collected from developer contributions will go towards public art in the new harbour park.”

The NSW Government has established a jury chaired by former Prime Minister The Hon Paul Keating and comprising leading figures from the local and international design community including Australian landscape architect and urban designer Oi Choong as part of the Harbour Park design competition.

Formal Expressions of Interest for the Harbour Park design competition are now open with designers able to register and lodge a submission here, with shortlisted parties announced in March 2023. 

The NSW Liberal and Nationals Government has today launched a comprehensive plan to make every poker machine cashless by 31 December 2028, in response to the NSW Crime Commission’s report into money laundering in electronic gaming machines.

The landmark changes will see one of the biggest gambling reforms ever undertaken in Australia, stopping money laundering while protecting people, with the date to be locked in through legislation and introduced into Parliament this year.

The package will provide support for pubs and clubs to transition to cashless gaming, ensure continued support for community organisations, funding for diversification into new business areas, as well as dedicated extra support to ensure the ongoing viability of regional and small venues.

Cashless gaming will include a number of features to curb problem gambling, including mandatory self-imposed limits and cooling-off periods, breaks in play, prohibiting the transfer of funds from credit-cards and prohibiting automatic top-ups.

This will be complemented by other system-wide changes such as self-exclusions and third-party exclusions, prohibiting the use of VIP Lounge signage and prohibiting political donations from both pubs and clubs.

An independent Transition Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, will be established and include representatives from key government agencies, industry representatives and harm minimisation experts.

The Taskforce will operate from April 2023 throughout the duration of the transition, and will provide a roadmap to deliver state-wide cashless gaming by 2028, with the full rollout commencing in early 2024.

Cashless transition:

• Support all 8 recommendations of the NSW Crime Commissioner to eliminate money laundering at pubs and clubs;
• Introduce mandatory cashless gaming across all venues by 31 December 2028, through legislation;
• Protect the economic viability of venues across NSW, particularly in regional areas and border communities;
• Provide support for community organisations through grants;
• Legislate the strictest privacy protections for player data, with no government or industry access to personalised player data other than for law enforcement purposes (eg. AUSTRAC), with strict penalties for misuse;
• Require that all new machines purchased once the full rollout commences be cashless;
• Introduce an optional buy-back scheme targeted to acquire 2,000 machines from venues over 5 years;
• Ban political donations from both pubs and clubs.

Harm minimisation:

• Require players to set their own limits that cannot be increased for 7 days;
• Mandate breaks in play and the ability for players to self-exclude;
• Enable third party exclusion by a family member;
• Implement a state-wide self-exclusion register;
• Ban credit and automatic top-ups, with gaming funds only allowed to flow from a bank account;
• Prohibit the use of VIP lounge signage.

Other specific money laundering measures:

• Enable player identity verification linked to a single bank account;
• Require any new cash machine purchased after July 2023 have a load up (cash feed in) limit of $500.

Support for communities, organisations, pubs and clubs:

• Interest-free loans will be available to support the entire cost of transition for small and medium sized pubs and clubs.
• A community grant program for small and medium sized pubs and clubs will be available to cover the full cost of all non-tax deductible donations these organisations make to their communities, once they have confirmed an order for cashless technology and provided evidence of their transition plan to cashless gaming.
• This community grant program would support grass roots organisations such as junior sporting teams, that the clubs or pubs may sponsor.
• This grant will be paid every year until 2028 once a venue has confirmed its order of cashless technology and committed to a full transition plan, which will act as an incentive for earlier take-up.
• A one-off diversification grant of up to $50,000 be paid to small and medium sized pubs and clubs to support their pursuit of new revenue streams
• This diversification grant could support things such as live music, refurbishing a bowling green, installing an outdoor oven, installing a stage to encourage live music and entertainment.
• The diversification grant will be paid once a venue has confirmed its order and transition plan for cashless technologies, or it joins the buyback scheme.
• A regional fund of $40 million will support regional pubs and clubs transition to cashless technology, recognising the vital role they play in the bush.
• A small venue fund of $20 million will support small venues to transition to cashless gaming, given small venues have less resources than larger ones.

How the transition will work:

• A Transition Taskforce will be established in April 2023 including NSW Police, Liquor and Gaming NSW, NSW Treasury, the Department of Customer Service, the NSW. Privacy Commissioner, industry representatives and harm minimisation experts.
• The Taskforce will be chaired by the Secretary of the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet.
• The Taskforce will be supported by expert panels advising on:
  • System settings, including for gaming harm minimisation and anti-money laundering technology and system rollout;
  • Industry sustainability and jobs;
  • Regional transition management.
• The Taskforce will:
  • Protect the economic viability of venues across NSW, particularly in regional areas and border communities;
  • Expand the present technology testing arrangements from 500 to 2,000 machines in 2023;
  • By the end of 2023, set a Roadmap for delivery of cashless gaming across the entire State by 31 December 2028;
  • Monitor delivery against the Roadmap, and publish a status update every 6 months;
  • Make recommendations to address any barriers to the completion of the transition;
  • Advise on settings and eligibility criteria for the various industry loans and grant programs available to support the transition, and oversee their rollout.
• Monitor delivery against the Roadmap, and publish a status update every 6 months;
• The Taskforce will constantly monitor the rollout, including with a focus on industry viability and jobs and make recommendations where required
• The Taskforce will have scope to amend the deadline if:
  • It has received independent expert advice that cashless gaming technology is not available in the quantities required in the timeframe required; or
  • With respect to a regional pub or club, the Taskforce advises that meeting the deadline for the transition to cashless gaming would put that pub’s or club’s viability at risk

Quotes attributed to Premier Dominic Perrottet:

“Today we make a once in a lifetime change to create a better NSW.

“We address the number one recommendation from the Crime Commission and we will end money laundering in pubs and clubs, while protecting jobs and supporting communities.

“We will also ensure people using poker machines receive more support, if they want it, to deal with problem gambling.

“Pubs and clubs are the lifeblood of so many communities across NSW and I want them to thrive, continue to grow and be a place for fun and enjoyment for everyone.

“My Government will walk with our pubs and clubs every step of the way on this transition.”

Quotes attributed to Deputy Premier Paul Toole:

“We’ve always said the path to cashless gaming should be a sensible one and recognise the difference between a big venue in the city and a small venue in the bush. This package delivers on that.

“It’s a comprehensive plan to tackle the issues identified by the Crime Commission and that provides industry the time, certainty and support to plan for the future.

“We’ve set a destination and this is a sensible road to get there.”

Quotes attributed Minister for Hospitality and Racing Kevin Anderson:

“These historic reforms are the most comprehensive in the country and through our Transition Taskforce we will work closely with the community and pubs and clubs throughout the rollout.”

New South Wales has scored an Australian-first with the State’s seven Sports High Schools officially becoming ‘Australian Olympic Pathway Schools’ from today.

Minister for Education and Early Learning Sarah Mitchell said the unique designation from the Australian Olympic Committee for these schools was fantastic news and would help boost the State’s efforts to create future generations of Olympians and Paralympians. 

“Our seven Sports High Schools in NSW are the only secondary schools in Australia to have this prestigious recognition. 

“This reflects the great strength of our sports high school network, and their excellent track record in fostering both sporting high performance and academic achievement. I can’t wait to see the next generation of medal-winning athletes coming from our public schools as we look to Brisbane 2032.”

The seven Sports High Schools in NSW receiving this recognition are Endeavour Sports High School, The Hills Sports High School, Hunter Sports High School, Illawarra Sports High School, Matraville Sports High School, Narrabeen Sports High School and Westfields Sports High School.

This news comes as the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government confirmed a $1.5 million boost to extend the successful “Olympics Unleashed” school program, aimed at supporting students through the power of sport, until 2026.

“The award-winning Olympics Unleashed program, which teaches our students important life skills in decision making, goal setting and overcoming adversity, has reached more than 75,000 Year 9 students over the last three years,” Ms Mitchell said.

“Continuing it for a further three years will mean thousands more young people, including primary school aged students for the first time, will benefit from the program delivered by Olympians and aspiring Olympians.

“Sporting heroes are made in our public schools and particularly our amazing sport high schools, so it is fitting and incredibly exciting to recognise their role in Australian sporting excellence by acknowledging them as ‘Australian Olympic Pathway Schools’.”

Minister for Sport Alister Henskens said the NSW Liberal and Nationals Government is committed to supporting the State’s seven sports high schools in their endeavour to develop future Australian Olympians.

“The students at our sports high schools today will be our heroes standing on the podium at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, and this partnership will strengthen their opportunity for international success,” Mr Henskens said.

“The first-of-its-kind in Australia, this initiative will encourage even more high school students to reach for the stars, as well as provide programs to help young people stay focused and motivated while they’re studying and trying to forge a pathway in their respective sports.”

Today’s announcement builds on the signing of an MOU between the sports high schools and the NSW Institute of Sport, which strengthened the pathway for talented athletes with a specific focus on Olympic sports.  

AOC Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll said the Australian Olympic Pathway Schools designation is an important endorsement of the value of the sports high schools network in NSW.

“The key to sporting excellence is to align participation, pathways and high performance. To have this alignment at high school level is powerful, particularly as we look to Brisbane 2032 and beyond. 

“We have seen Olympic Training Centres recognised around Australia and overseas, but never at the school level.

“The AOC is also thrilled by the extension of the Olympics Unleashed program. Our Olympic athletes can deliver these sessions across the state, including regional areas and Indigenous communities. We will reach 1,800 schools across the three years. 

“It’s important that our young people pursue a passion – we want people to get active but finding your passion may lie beyond sport.”

Since Sydney 2000, the state’s Sports High School have produced 36 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, including Brandon Starc (Track and Field), Caitlin Foord (Football) and Amanda Reid (Swimming and Cycling – Paralympics).