COVID-19 is no longer a Communicable Disease Incident of National Significance (CDINS).
While COVID-19 remains a serious threat to the health of Australians, and requires ongoing vigilance by the public and governments, state and territory health systems are well placed to manage the virus alongside other infectious diseases.
A focus remains on vaccination, prevention, reducing transmission and management of serious illness, hospitalisations and death.
The removal of the CDINS declaration will not have any significant impact on the ongoing management of COVID-19 in Australia, given that most of the national coordination and response measures have already ended.
Targeted surveillance and monitoring of COVID-19 will be maintained through well-established national and sentinel surveillance programs. Data and reports on COVID-19 will continue to be published and updated regularly.
The Department of Health and Aged Care will continue to work closely with state and territory health agencies, to ensure a consistent and dedicated response to the virus.
This declaration has been supported by Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) members. A statement from the AHPPC can be found here.
City of Newcastle is moving forward with its commitment to reduce traffic congestion in the growing western corridor, seeking community feedback into plans to widen and upgrade Minmi Road.
The project is stage two of a large-scale infrastructure program that will significantly improve traffic flow along this key sub-arterial road. It follows recent community consultation into the proposed stage one upgrade along Longworth Avenue, Wallsend.
Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said this was an important project that would provide benefits for local residents and motorists from across the region.
“Widening and upgrading Minmi Road was the first commitment made by the current elected Council in recognition of the long-standing issues associated with traffic congestion along this critical link, which connects the growing suburbs of Wallsend, Maryland, Fletcher and Minmi to Newcastle and the wider region,” Cr Nelmes said.
“Once complete, this project will help reduce travel times, improve safety, cater for population growth and increased vehicle movements in the area, and ease the morning and afternoon commute.
“We are now inviting motorists and residents who regularly travel along this road to have their say on the concept designs, to help shape the future of this important link to the city.”
The upgrade will increase the width of Minmi Road to two lanes in each direction from Summerhill Road to Maryland Drive (east).
A central median and separated turning lanes at Anna Place, McNaughton Avenue and the Service Station are proposed to help remove bottlenecks and improve safety, in conjunction with restrictions on right hand turns in and out of Mount Street and Minmi Road properties.
Improved cycling and pedestrian connections will also be delivered as part of the project.
Community members can log on to www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/yoursay by 17 November to provide feedback on the proposed concept designs.
Community drop-in sessions will also be held at Wallsend Library on Saturday, 4 November from 11am to 1pm, and Fletcher Village Shopping Centre on Thursday, 9 November from 4pm to 6pm.
Feedback received will be used to better understand the level of support from the community on the proposed plans, before finalising the scope and design options that will be presented to Council later this year.
The 50th anniversary of the opening of the Sydney Opera House is a moment to celebrate a cultural landmark and recommit to its place as the ultimate stage for our young artists and creatives in NSW.
Since its opening on this day in 1973, the Opera House has hosted a roll call of the biggest international stars, many of who describe it as a “once in a lifetime” in their careers.
It is the same thrill for the 345,000 children and families a year who attend the House, creating lifelong memories and connection.
More than 12,000 school children from NSW participate annually in events ranging from instrumental and choir performances to graduations, eisteddfods and speech days. Three-quarters of those children will be from public schools, and most from Western Sydney.
On Saturday, the NSW Government will host an “open House” event in which 37,000 people from Sydney and across the state who entered a ticket ballot will get a look behind the scenes and back-of-house before normal service resumes.
Minister for Arts and Music John Graham said:
“The Sydney Opera House is a reminder that we take chances in NSW. Of course, there was intense debate over cost, project mismanagement, waste and government dithering but who can now imagine Sydney Harbour without these sails? It has repaid the debt 100-fold.
“This was a piece of cultural infrastructure that was given momentum by a Labor Premier and opened by a Liberal one, because, like the Opera House, culture in this state is broadly bipartisan and worth fighting for.
“This weekend we pay tribute to Danish designer Jorn Utzon for his genius while we honour how much his building means to millions of us in NSW and remember that we must always keep artistic endeavours relevant to a diverse community.
“We are committed to ensure there is affordable access to Sydney Opera House from our outer suburbs and regions into the future. Under the Minns Labor Government it will remain ‘The People’s House’.
The Minns Labor Government is investing in the future of the state’s firefighters with a 4.5% pay rise for more than 6800 Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) staff.
The NSW Government has reached an agreement with the Fire Brigade Employees’ Union (FBEU) to finalise the pay increase for permanent and on-call firefighters.
It follows similar pay rises for other NSW frontline workers, including nurses and police, which are the highest in a decade.
The agreement has also given rise to a new non-station based allowance designed to incentivise more training opportunities and clearer promotional pathways, which will benefit community safety.
After 12 years, the NSW Government is committed to growing the FRNSW frontline and has set the target of appointing 600 new permanent firefighters over the next 8 years.
The total number of FRNSW staff has declined over the past decade despite the state growing by almost a million people.
The NSW Government’s investment in these personnel is long overdue and is recognition of the critical role they play in keeping the NSW community safe.
It comes on top of what the Minns Labor Government has already delivered:
the end of the former government’s unfair public sector wages cap, and
a 2-year salary freeze for senior executives and Members of Parliament which will save around $250 million over 4 years.
We are a government with a clear focus – managing our finances responsibly so we can provide support when you need it most and improve the essential services that we all rely on, now and into the future.
Minister for Industrial Relations Sophie Cotsis said:
“I welcome the agreement for better pay and conditions for NSW firefighters, it’s a win for the industry and I thank the firies for their advocacy, patience and support.
“It’s been 12 years since we saw meaningful negotiation for our firies.
“We appreciate their commitment and service to the people of NSW.”
Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:
“Whether it is responding to fires or accidents, FRNSW employees do a lot for the community, and a pay rise is an important way of recognising and rewarding this work.
“I am very pleased to have seen a negotiated agreement between FRNSW and the FBEU that, in addition to a significant pay rise, also heralds a renewed commitment to work together in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.
“This government is committed to supporting the state’s frontline workers who provide critical services to the people of NSW, and I am proud to be part of the government introducing the first significant pay rise for our incredible firefighters in more than a decade.”
From today, public transport passengers will enjoy savings when traveling on Fridays, with prices now matching the discounted weekend fares.
As part of the Opal changes that came into effect this week, Friday fares are now slashed by 30% on all metro, train, bus and light rail services across the entire network.
This means a Friday train ride from Parramatta to Central drops from $5.72 to $4.
The Friday travel cap will also be halved, meaning passengers can have unlimited travel on Friday for no more than $8.90, and $4.45 for child/youth and concession passengers. Seniors can still access their $2.50 maximum daily fare.
The new discount is being applauded by Sydney’s business community, with hopes it will encourage people to visit the CBD on Fridays for work, food and drink, shopping, and socialising.
The latest Opal data shows last month there was an average of 480,000 trips into Sydney’s CBD on Fridays across all modes, down 25% compared with September 2019.
Cheaper Fridays are available to all Opal passengers across the network. Daily fare caps will automatically be applied. Passengers using a contactless card or device to pay their fare are reminded to always tap on and tap off with the same card or device for each trip to ensure they unlock the $8.90 all-day travel cap as well as other Opal benefits like transfer discounts.
On Monday 16 October, the annual Opal fare update came into effect, with an average increase of 3.7%, which will see an out-of-pocket difference of around $1 per week.
“Fairer fare Fridays start today, meaning every weekend will be a long weekend for passengers on the Opal network.”
“Last month there was an average of half a million trips into Sydney’s CBD on Fridays, down 25% on pre-pandemic patronage. We want to see that number grow to enliven our city and deliver a bump to businesses that have been calling for help.
“This this will benefit the 1.9 million commuters who travel across our network on Fridays. With this discount, we hope to see even more passengers tapping into cheaper fares and making public transport their mode of choice.
“No matter where you’re coming from or going to, from Newcastle to the South Coast or Blue Mountains, your travel on the Opal network will be capped at $8.90.”
Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said:
“This is a great initiative which will provide a much-needed boost for businesses, by encouraging more people to work from the office and kick their weekend off in the CBD.
“We want to see Sydney at it’s vibrant best, and to do that we need to have the customer base to support our fantastic hospitality, retail and tourism businesses.”
Business Sydney Executive Director Paul Nicolaou said:
“Anything that encourages people to come into the city for work, entertainment and retail is a fantastic initiative.
“The many CBD businesses desperate for the return of foot traffic will be among the first to applaud the Friday fare savings. It will certainly help restore Sydney’s mojo.
“We have endured a situation where Sydney has become a 3 days a week city with Mondays and Fridays agonisingly quiet.
“It was always going to take an incentive to encourage workers to come back to the office and the Friday Opal card saving is a great step in that direction.”
Aboriginal people living in the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) will be better supported to find a job or grow a business, under updated First Nations Guidelines announced today by the NSW Government.
The update streamlines the engagement process for renewable energy generators seeking to consult with First Nations stakeholders on NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap projects.
The Central-West Orana guidelines are the first of five region-specific guidelines for each REZ in NSW. They have been co-designed with a working group consisting of local Aboriginal community representatives to reflect the economic aspirations of the region. They provide detailed socio-demographic information about the REZ, outlines approaches to engaging with the local Aboriginal communities, and identify priority areas of employment and income opportunities.
They also inform procurement targets for project developers, aligned with targets in the NSW Government’s Aboriginal Procurement Policy. These requirements include opportunities for Aboriginal people and businesses to be involved in Roadmap projects, as well as funding for education and community projects.
The guidelines also outline EnergyCo’s new First Nations Outcome team, which will support the Central-West Orana First Nations Working Group to engage with project developers and set out aspirational employment and training goals.
The Central-West Orana guidelineslaunch will be shared with Aboriginal communities, landowners, industry, councils and government agencies and will be reviewed every two years.
Tim Stevenson, Chair of CWO First Nations Working Group said:
“The opportunity for local Aboriginal participation in the renewable energy zone projects has the potential to enhance skills and build capacity for local mob.
“The relationships established through the Aboriginal Participation Plans with project developers and Aboriginal community organisations will deliver great outcomes for First Nations people.”
Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said:
“I asked for these guidelines to be updated after receiving feedback from a Central West Orana workshop with local Aboriginal stakeholders in June.
“The overall framework and implementation have been strengthened to make the consultation process clearer and support jobs and economic opportunities.
“The NSW Government wants consultation with the Aboriginal community to be genuine, and for Aboriginal people to benefit from the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.”
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris said:
“Closing the Gap is a top priority for the NSW Labor Government.
“In NSW we have developed our own unique Closing the Gap priority focused on better employment, business growth and economic prosperity outcomes, which these new guidelines help deliver.
“Our government will continue to work in partnership, because we know that Aboriginal people having a say on issues that affect them, delivers better outcomes for all.”
Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe has today announced communities in the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone will receive $128 million over the next four years to deliver community projects and employment opportunities.
The funding is the first downpayment to bring forward community and employment benefits, to ensure benefits flow before construction of new transmission and renewable generation projects commences in late 2024.
Statewide, hundreds of millions of dollars of funding will become available over the next 30 years, leaving a lasting legacy for the communities hosting renewable energy projects in their area.
In the next six months the NSW Government will work closely with local councils, community and First Nations organisations, renewable energy companies and other stakeholders to identify and fund community priorities and long-term legacy programs in the region.
The types of projects that could be funded include:
public infrastructure upgrades
housing and accommodation
training and employment programs
health and education programs
support for energy efficiency and local rooftop solar, and
initiatives for First Nations people.
The Community and Employment benefit fund will be administered by NSW EnergyCo. Upfront funding will come from the Transmission Acceleration Fund, and after 2028 will be funded through access fees paid by renewable energy generators connecting to new transmission lines in the Central-West Orana REZ.
Over time, this program will be expanded to the other four REZs in NSW; New England, South West, Hunter-Central Coast and Illawarra.
The Central-West Orana REZ will become the renewable energy power plant of the future, delivering clean, affordable energy to NSW. The REZ is part of the NSW Government’s Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap to deliver 12GW of renewable energy generation and 2GW of storage.
Minister for Energy Penny Sharpe said:
“The transformation of our electricity system is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to foster long-term prosperity in our regional communities which are central to the Roadmap.
“This funding will ensure the communities hosting the Central-West Orana REZ start receiving benefits well before construction begins.
“The NSW Government will work with local communities and councils to ensure they have a say about how funding is allocated, so projects reflect community priorities.”
The NSW Government has delivered the mechanism to establish the new Regional Development Advisory Council, announced during the State Budget, which is a critical step to mobilising the new $350 million Regional Development Trust Fund investment program for regional communities.
The regulation enabling the establishment of the Advisory Council and its objectives was approved by the State’s Executive Council on Wednesday 18 October 2023.
Under the new regulation up to seven interim members will be appointed for an initial period of 12 months so that work can begin as soon as possible to provide the Trust’s independent evaluation process for funding projects.
Members will be recommended to the Minister based on relevant skills and experience in a range of areas such as: regional and rural economics, regional service delivery, climate adaptation and resilience, finance and public administration, and natural resource management.
The Council will always include at least one Aboriginal representative with knowledge and experience in economic development for Aboriginal communities.
Minister Moriarty has also written to her federal counterpart, Minister McBain seeking a nominee from the Commonwealth to foster a coordinated approach to regional investment between New South Wales and the Commonwealth.
The Regional Development Advisory Council will provide a fresh approach for regional grants decision making by providing independent advice to the Minister for Regional NSW to ensure valid projects and rural communities are at the centre of government decision making.
Minister for Regional NSW and Western NSW Tara Moriarty said:
“After a decade of waste and poor decision making by the former Government, the establishment of the Regional Development Advisory Council is an important step towards the provision of independent and expert advice on what projects and programs should be funded.
“Our intention is to ensure rural, remote and regional communities receive their fair share and money is spent on projects that are actually needed and will be delivered.
“This reform process ensures a transparent allocation of investment across regional NSW as communities face the challenges of workforce attraction, modernising facilities and drought.
“The establishment of the Regional Development Advisory Council ensures that future investment in regional communities is guided by local knowledge and expertise.”
Trade leaders from all States and Territories gathered in Sydney today to discuss pressing issues and deepen Australia’s collaborative approach to trade and investment priorities locally and internationally.
NSW Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong welcomed Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism and co-host Don Farrell to NSW parliament for the second meeting of the Ministerial Council on Trade and Investment (MCTI).
Minister Chanthivong said hosting the meeting provided the state the unique opportunity to showcase its strengths and capabilities to Commonwealth, State and Territory representatives.
“It was an honour to host the second meeting of the Ministerial Council in NSW and welcome my esteemed colleagues to Sydney,” Mr Chanthivong said.
“NSW continues to be a leading advocate for improving national effectiveness in attracting quality foreign investment and growing Australia’s international trade through government collaboration.
“We welcomed the opportunity to step forward and play our role, and I commend the Australian Government for its commitment to seeking collective solutions on common challenges.”
Minister Farrell said the focus of today’s meeting was on national collaboration and action across priority areas, including the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2024, the clean energy transition to net zero and First Nations economic uplift.
“I was delighted to co-host Australia’s council of trade and investment ministers here in Sydney, to develop a common plan to boost Australia’s standing as a trusted, reliable trading nation,” Minister Farrell said.
“This meeting of trade ministers is an important opportunity to collectively advance Australia’s trade and investment diversification priorities,”
Following the official meeting, the delegation were given a tour of the University of Sydney’s Southeast Asia Centre, experiencing firsthand the active approach by Sydney University to lead ASEAN research initiatives.
Trade leaders from all States and Territories gathered in Sydney today to discuss pressing issues and deepen Australia’s collaborative approach to trade and investment priorities locally and internationally.
NSW Minister for Industry and Trade Anoulack Chanthivong welcomed Australian Minister for Trade and Tourism and co-host Don Farrell to NSW parliament for the second meeting of the Ministerial Council on Trade and Investment (MCTI).
Minister Chanthivong said hosting the meeting provided the state the unique opportunity to showcase its strengths and capabilities to Commonwealth, State and Territory representatives.
“It was an honour to host the second meeting of the Ministerial Council in NSW and welcome my esteemed colleagues to Sydney,” Mr Chanthivong said.
“NSW continues to be a leading advocate for improving national effectiveness in attracting quality foreign investment and growing Australia’s international trade through government collaboration.
“We welcomed the opportunity to step forward and play our role, and I commend the Australian Government for its commitment to seeking collective solutions on common challenges.”
Minister Farrell said the focus of today’s meeting was on national collaboration and action across priority areas, including the Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2024, the clean energy transition to net zero and First Nations economic uplift.
“I was delighted to co-host Australia’s council of trade and investment ministers here in Sydney, to develop a common plan to boost Australia’s standing as a trusted, reliable trading nation,” Minister Farrell said.
“This meeting of trade ministers is an important opportunity to collectively advance Australia’s trade and investment diversification priorities,”
Following the official meeting, the delegation were given a tour of the University of Sydney’s Southeast Asia Centre, experiencing firsthand the active approach by Sydney University to lead ASEAN research initiatives.
