Month: October 2023

This World Mental Health Day the Minns Government is shining a light on the importance of workplace mental health and encouraging workplaces in NSW to minimise and prevent psychological harm at work.

A mentally healthy workplace is a great place to work, where a positive culture and engaged staff create an environment where there is better productivity and increased business and professional success.

SafeWork NSW is asking employers to explore the Workplace Wellbeing Assessment (WWA) digital tool, which can help businesses improve their understanding and management of workplace mental health.

The free tool allows businesses to confidentially survey their staff. Based on the results, the tool generates a detailed report with recommended actions on how the business can respond to risks and create a workplace where mental health thrives.

For business leaders who want to gauge how mentally healthy their workplace is without surveying their workforce, SafeWork NSW also has the Workplace Pulse Check. It is an 11 question survey which takes only 5 minutes. Users get practical actions to take to improve their score and make their workplace mentally healthier.

For more information on a mentally healthy workplace, visit the SafeWork Mental Health at Work website.

Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said:

“Many of us spend more than a third of our days at work and if the workplace environment has unmanaged risks including high workloads, exposure to trauma, stress or bullying, work can have a significant impact on what the rest of our lives look like.

“When a workplace addresses psychosocial risks and other factors affecting mental health, it makes it easier to attract and keep great workers and support businesses to thrive.

“I encourage businesses today to use SafeWork NSW’s resources to find out more about their own workplace, and what they can do to improve its effects on mental health.”

Minister for Mental Health Rose Jackson said:

“Our mental health and that of those around us at work, home and socially should always be a priority.

“When you’re not taking care of your mental wellbeing you cannot function at 100% in any aspect of your life so it’s important to prioritise moments of self-care.

“We’ve had a tough few years particularly for those working on the front lines, facing a pandemic, fires, floods and now an El Nino declaration. I encourage everyone to use World Mental Health day as a time to check in on themselves and how they are prioritising their mental wellbeing in all aspects of their life.”

The NSW Government will provide an extension to on-grass parking at Moore Park whilst supplementary parking solutions are being built, to ensure these public facilities are accessible to all residents, not just those nearby or those who have easy access to public transport.

The grass at Moore Park East has been used as a game day carpark for a century.

In 2022, the former government amended the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust Act to include deadlines for the final removal of all on-grass parking near Kippax Lake and at the south of Moore Park East opposite the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) and Hordern Pavilion.

Work is underway to develop a new carpark that will offset the removal of parking near Kippax Lake.

However, the expected carpark completion date is late 2025, 2 years after the current 31 December 2023 legislated deadline.

It means thousands of parking spots will disappear without alternative parking arrangements being in place to ensure no overall loss of parking in the precinct.

This significant shortage will disproportionately affect residents who, despite the public transport improvements in the area, will still need to drive to attend events at the SCG and Allianz Stadium.

This is particularly crucial for young families, the elderly, those with accessibility needs and those travelling from Western Sydney and Regional NSW who require parking options to get to Moore Park.

The NSW Government will bring legislative amendments that will extend the operation of Lower Kippax until the Venues NSW carpark is completed, and until a solution to offset the parking at the showground is established.

The financial impact of not having a viable parking solution is significant.

Venues NSW has estimated an $18 million dollar revenue loss, with the local visitor economy set to lose $30 million across 66 event days per year.

Transport for NSW has been directed to develop a transport plan for the Moore Park precinct.

The NSW Government remains committed to removing on-grass parking at Moore Park over time and continuing to transform the space into 22 hectares of high-quality, multi-purpose parkland for the community including community sport.

The existing closure of parking on the grass at Upper Kippax remains in place.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“Moore Park has been used for parking for decades. But it doesn’t make sense to shut off access to thousands of parking spaces before the new carpark is complete.

“This is about ensuring people who travel from Western Sydney or around the state for sports and entertainment at Moore Park have equal access to parking.

“These public facilities need to be accessible to all residents, not just those nearby or those who have easy access to public transport.”

NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“This is just another instance of the former government failing to properly plan for our city and its major attractions. We are committed to delivering a cohesive precinct.

“This is a common-sense approach, and a common-sense solution. We will continue to work with all stakeholders to ensure the timely delivery of both the parklands and parking alternatives.”

NSW Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“If you are a family from Menangle, an elderly sports fan or a person with a disability, public transport isn’t always an option. These fans need a viable alternative.

“The NSW Government is committed to delivering the parklands, but we need to ensure we have a viable parking alternative in place. We don’t want to see anyone miss out on attending the New Year’s Test or Paul McCartney this summer.”

The NSW Government is expanding and strengthening drug diversion programs in NSW, that will save more lives and continue the fight against addiction.

Under the changes, NSW Police will be given the ability to issue up to two on the spot Criminal Infringement Notices (CINs), which are $400 fines, to adults for personal drug use and small quantity drug possession offences.

This will not apply to any serious drug offences like drug supply.

The scheme will encourage people who get a Criminal Infringement Notice to complete a tailored drug and alcohol intervention and, if they do complete it, then their fine will be treated as though it was paid.

If the health intervention is not completed, the penalty will be enforced by Revenue NSW.

NSW Police will retain their discretion in all cases to charge a person and proceed to court – this adds another tool to their kit. It is still an offence to possess and use illicit drugs.

It is anticipated that this scheme will divert thousands of people away from our court system each year, including hundreds of First Nations people.

The majority of low-level drug offenders who attend court receive a fine yet do not receive any incentive to take up health advice.

This is a commonsense, evidence-based approach that if you divert people early to health and education services, they are less likely to reoffend.

This is about preventing crime.

This change will bring NSW into line with all other Australian states and territories, which operate drug diversion programs for low level illicit drug offences.

This reform seeks to ease the burden on police and courts, allowing resources to be reprioritised to focus on the suppliers and manufacturers of illegal drugs in NSW.

This early intervention approach will help prevent long-term drug use, which may lead to further criminal offending.

It will also reduce contact with the criminal justice system for these first- and second-time drug possession offenders. Formal contact with the criminal justice system can increase the likelihood of reoffending.

The former government in 2022 tasked NSW Police and NSW Health with preparing a report detailing their implementation readiness ahead of final endorsement, following a recommendation from the ice inquiry.

The Commissioner of Police and Chief Health Officer supported the approach and have advised the government of their operational readiness to implement the scheme from next year.

The Government will this week introduce Justice Miscellaneous Provisions Bill to finalise this change.

The scheme will use the existing Criminal Infringement Notice framework already used by police.

The new drug diversion program will not apply to the following:

• Drug supply, dealing or trafficking; or
• Drug production or manufacture; or
• Previously convicted drug dealers; or
• People who have large quantities of drugs; or
• People who have already received two Criminal Infringement Notices for drug possession offences.

It is anticipated that the scheme will commence in early 2024.

Minister for Health Ryan Park said:

“Drug use and dependence are very much health issues and ones that are far better addressed through health support outside the courts and criminal justice systems.”

“This is an evidence-based approach in line with community expectations. It responds directly to expert evidence, and recommendations from the Special Commission of Inquiry into the drug ice.”

Minister for Police and Counter-terrorism Yasmin Catley said:

“The safety of the community is our top priority and this scheme provides better outcomes for low-level drug offending without compromising safety.

“It is not mandatory for the Police to issue an on-the-spot fine – this is another tool in their kit and police retain their discretion to deal with the matter as appropriate, including proceeding to court.

“Providing the police with more options to manage drug offences allows a proportionate response to the offending behaviour and health issues that officers are seeing in the community.

“It brings NSW in line with other Australian states and territories, which all currently operate drug diversion schemes for illicit drugs.”

NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“Formal contact with the criminal justice system only increases the likelihood of reoffending, and this has knock-on effects on people’s employment, their housing and their relationships.

“We want to see people receive the health supports they need rather than see them caught up in the criminal justice system.

“It is still an offence to possess and use illicit drugs and the NSW Government supports people, their families and communities impacted by illicit drugs.

“This approach to personal drug use and possession will also reduce pressures on the Local Court system and free up its resources to deal with more serious issues.”

The NSW Opposition has slammed the Minns Labor Government for permitting an anti-Semitic pro-Hamas protest to prevent a peaceful gathering of Sydney’s Jewish community at the illuminated Sydney Opera House to mourn the barbaric attacks on innocent civilians in Israel. 
 
“The Premier, Attorney General and Minister for Police have failed in their duty to ensure the safety and protection of Sydney’s Jewish community – instead telling the community “to stay home,” Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said. “The Premier is blaming the NSW Police, the Attorney General is unaware of the anti-Semitic protests and the Police Minister is once again missing in action”.
 
“Chris Minns as Premier must take responsibility for the ineptitude of his Ministers. He must immediately explain why his Attorney General and Minister for Police did nothing, or worse knew nothing, and failed to ensure the safety of people across Sydney.”
 
“For the Attorney General to tell people to ‘stay home if the streets aren’t safe’ is an astonishing admission that the government has given up controlling law and order in Sydney.”
 
At the time of this media release being issued, the Minister for Police has been totally silent on the decision to allow the protest to proceed and march on the Opera House.
 
“The Premier is pointing the finger at NSW Police, yet neither he nor his Ministers prevented or even discouraged attendance and participation at a march that saw anti-Semitic slurs chanted and the Israeli flag burned,” Mr Speakman said.

“The buck stops with the Premier. He must get his government in order and instruct his Ministers to provide a full explanation as to how last night’s events were allowed to occur. If he or his Ministers failed to take action, it’s another example of a government out of its depth.”
 
“The Premier and his Ministers should apologise to the Jewish community and the people of NSW for failing them at this crucial time.”

One of the largest providers of affordable rental housing in NSW, Hume Community Housing, is responding to the housing crisis, today announcing they will expand their footprint to the Central Coast following a significant land purchase in Wyong.

Hume has purchased a 3,160m2 block on Jennings Road and will look to build up to 20 townhouses offering both Social and Affordable rental housing.  

The land purchase was made possible thanks to a partnership with the NSW Department of Communities and Justice, who have contributed a grant from the Community Housing Innovation Fund (CHIF). This grant scheme encourages community housing providers such as Hume to invest in delivering projects to increase affordable housing supply in key areas of need. 

Hume CEO Brad Braithwaite says the organisation is stepping up its role as a developer of affordable housing in the Greater Sydney and Hunter Regions.

“Hume has undergone extraordinary growth over the past five years, nearly doubling in size since 2019. Our recent growth has largely come through taking on the management of Government social housing in the Hunter Region. As a result, Hume now has a very large customer base in both Sydney and the Hunter, and we are keen to do what we can to support people on the Central Coast as well. Today’s announcement marks the beginning of a what we hope will be a significant pipeline of new developments between Sydney and the Hunter to support greater rental affordability.” 

The Wyong location geographically connects Hume’s Sydney metropolitan operations with their Maitland and Port Stephens regional offices. The prime site is centrally located close to amenities, and is walking distance to Wyong Station, supermarkets, a medical centre, and Wyong High School. 

Hume will demolish two existing cottages and seek Development Approval to build up to 20 townhouses, available under both Affordable and Social rental housing programs.

“The Central Coast, like many regional areas, is struggling with a severe under supply of affordable rental housing. This development aligns perfectly with our commitment to creating thriving communities through access to affordable quality housing,” Mr Braithwaite said.  

Official data reveals that the waiting list for public housing has grown by 30 per cent in some areas as the costs of private housing and rent skyrocket across the Coast. Department of Communities and Justice data has revealed the number of residents seeking public housing in the Wyong area has increased by 15 per cent with close to 2,000 people on the wait list with up to 10 years in wait time. This is coupled with significant spikes in the cost of housing and rent across the Coast last year, with house prices increasing by 39.3 per cent in Wyong and rents up by 8.9% last year. 

Minister for Housing, Rose Jackson, said the development will make a big difference to the lives of Wyong locals. 

“The NSW Government is determined to ease the housing crisis, especially for communities like those on the Central Coast where there is a high number of essential workers. People performing vital roles in aged care, hospitals and cleaning should be able to live in a reasonable proximity to their work and communities suffer when they priced out of the rental market. 

“Once complete, these townhouses will provide stable and modern housing for individuals and families in the Wyong area.” 

Hume will release more information regarding the scale of the development and expected start date in the coming months. 

SafeWork NSW has fined a food delivery company for not adequately training more than 1,000 food delivery riders in hazard and fatigue management, road safety, the use of PPE and work health and safety duties and obligations.

This comes as the NSW Government introduced a bill to parliament that, if passed, paves the way for increased penalties for non-compliance with Work Health and Safety regulations.

SafeWork NSW Inspectors recently met with representatives from Fantuan to discuss rider safety trends identified in recent compliance activities and assess Fantuan’s compliance with Part 4.11 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2017.

Under 4.11 of the WHS regulations, platforms must supply high-vis personal protective equipment to food delivery riders (FDR), provide food delivery induction training to FDRs and ensure FDRs have successfully completed training.

SafeWork NSW issued Fantuan with a number of improvement notices in relation to induction training provided not being adequate or completed, and failing to keep records of training in accordance with regulations. Fantuan were also issued with four penalty notices worth a total of $13,600.

Safework will be following up with the corporation on the matter and failure to comply with any future improvement notice can result in a penalty of up to $332,611 for the corporation.

There have been eight fatalities involving food delivery riders in NSW since January 2018. Two of those fatalities occurred in 2023.

Minister for Industrial Relations and Work Health and Safety, Sophie Cotsis said:

“We have put the onus on food delivery platforms to ensure the riders they engage are trained properly and have systems in place that ensure riders are trained and this is recorded”.

“Safework inspectors in NSW are meeting with other food delivery platforms and more fines and penalties will be coming for platforms who can’t demonstrate that they’ve met these requirements”.

“This is a message to other food delivery companies who don’t follow the rules, you are on notice”.

The new and improved Redfern Station has officially opened, providing major accessibility upgrades for one of Sydney’s oldest and busiest railway stations.

As part of the NSW Government’s Transport Access Program, the inner-city station has been transformed to improve safety and convenience for people with a disability or limited mobility, and passengers travelling with prams, luggage or bikes. 

The upgraded station features a new southern concourse with six new lifts and stair access to Platforms 1 to 10, as well as two additional entrances, drop-off areas, accessible toilets, and improved streetscaping.

The location of the pedestrian bridge provides easier access to arts and employment precincts like Carriageworks and South Eveleigh.

In response to a community campaign, the new concourse also provides barrier-free access so people can move freely between Little Eveleigh and Marian Streets.

Transport for NSW engaged heritage architects and Aboriginal community members to ensure the upgrade reflected the station and surrounding area’s unique and rich cultural heritage. 

This project was delivered under the Transport Access Program, which saw a funding boost of $300m in the most recent budget, ensuring more communities across NSW will soon have access to safe and accessible public transport options.

Chris Minns, Premier of NSW said:

“Given its close proximity to education, health, employment and cultural precincts, we know how important Redfern Station is for people accessing local services and attractions, so it’s great to see these accessibility upgrades completed.

“I am pleased to mark the completion of this project, which will benefit so many rail commuters and visitors travelling on our states rail network.

Jo Haylen, Minister for Transport, said:

“Redfern Train Station is the fifth busiest train station in the state, but for the 140 years it’s been serving passengers it hasn’t been accessible.

“That changes today as this much-needed upgrade opens, breathing new life into this beautiful old station and ensuring it has better capacity and accessibility into the future.

“The upgrade of this station was years in the making, with people advocating for this project for decades. I want to thank the more than four thousand workers who contributed to this project, as well as the community for their patience during construction.

“Now with an additional $300m in the budget for further station accessibility upgrades, I look forward to seeing even more communities across NSW making the most of these vital station upgrades.”
 
Kate Washington, Minister for Disability inclusion, said:

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to making our communities more inclusive and accessible for all.”

“These six brand new lifts at one of our State’s busiest train stations will open up new opportunities for people with disability, parents with prams, and anyone with mobility issues.”

“This vital upgrade at Redfern Train Station means more people can get around our city easily and safely.”

The memory of five volunteers who lost their lives in the past year has been honoured at the 23rd annual NSW Emergency Service Volunteers Memorial Service today.

The volunteers’ families and representatives of NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW State Emergency Service, Marine Rescue NSW, VRA Rescue NSW, and other emergency services gathered at Mrs Macquaries Point to honour the five volunteers.

Paul Norton, Randall Macarthur, Bruce Holz, Michael Holland and Tony Hardy all served their communities as NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) volunteers, and all died as a result of illnesses associated with their firefighting duties.

The men have been added to the Memorial’s Honour Roll, which now has the names of 115 volunteers who gave their time to help and protect communities across the state.

The Memorial was established in 1999 to honour fallen men and women from the State’s volunteer emergency services.

There are 90,000 volunteers in NSW who give their time to serve communities right across the State.

The ceremonial lead of the annual Memorial Service is rotated between the four volunteer emergency service agencies, NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW State Emergency Service, Marine Rescue NSW, VRA Rescue NSW. The 2023 Memorial Service was led by Marine Rescue NSW.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“Today is an important day to pause and honour the memory of the men and women whose names are inscribed on the Volunteers Memorial. Their service to this state will never be forgotten.”

“It is with great sadness that today we mark the loss of five volunteers, who had given a combined 183 years’ service to the RFS and to keeping our community safe.”

“We owe a great debt of gratitude to the thousands of volunteers who selflessly put service above self to help and protect our community in times of emergency, whether in bushfires, floods, storms, on the water or accidents on our roads.”

RFS Commissioner Rob Rogers said:

“Today was a day to mourn the loss of the five RFS volunteers lost over the past year and all those who had made the ultimate sacrifice while serving the community.”

“I also acknowledge their loved ones, who have paid a great price. It is important for us to thank the families of all our volunteers, whose support is so important.”

“While the annual Memorial service is a time for solemn reflection, it is also a time to take great pride in the fact that across NSW, members of the community still selflessly commit themselves to helping their neighbours.”

Blue Mountains National Park has retained its top spot as the most visited national park in NSW. 

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 2022 Park Visitor Survey shows 6.4 million domestic visits were made to the World Heritage-listed national park, which is home to 260,000 hectares of bushland, including the Three Sisters, Meehni, Wilmah and Gunnedoo.

The second most visited national park in NSW is the world’s second-oldest national park, Royal National Park on Sydney’s southern coast. 5 million visits were reported.

Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park in Sydney’s north sits third on the list, with 4.4 million visits to its winding creeks, rainforest, rocky cliffs, mangroves and Aboriginal sites.

Number four is Lane Cove National Park which has bushland reaching to East Ryde, Pennant Hills, Wahroonga and West Chatswood, and in fifth place is the alpine wonderland Kosciuszko National Park.

The top 10 most-visited national parks in 2022:

1. Blue Mountains National Park, 6.40 million visits
2. Royal National Park, 5.05 million visits
3. Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, 4.40 million visits
4. Lane Cove National Park, 2.61 million visits
5. Kosciuszko National Park, 2.48 million visits
6. Sydney Harbour National Park, 1.93 million visits
7. Eurobodalla National Park, 1.41 million visits
8. Garigal National Park, 1.18 million visits
9. Cape Byron National Park, 1.03 million visits
10. Brisbane Water National Park, 929,000 visits

Across the state, there were more than 53 million domestic visits to national parks in 2022. That’s an increase of 49% in the past ten years. In addition to these domestic visitors, many international travellers also enjoyed our parks.

A record 12.5 million of the visits were made by children. Research has shown that building a meaningful connection with nature at an early age delivers far higher levels of connection and advocacy. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service focuses on younger visitors through dedicated education programs and by fostering fun experiences.

The Greater Sydney region set a record with more than 20 million visits to its 49 National Park reserves. Five of the top ten parks are in Greater Sydney.

Around 1.8 million nights were spent in a campground, cottage, cabin or lighthouse within national parks.

The 895 reserves in the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service system conserve around 10 per cent of the state, protecting unique ecosystems across deserts, Alpine regions, World Heritage Gondwanaland rainforest and Ramsar-listed wetlands.

The Park Visitor Survey started in 2008 and is undertaken every two years to better understand visitor use patterns and enable the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to plan for the future.

The survey reports on the total number of visits, rather than the number of people who visited parks. It considers people who live in Australia.

Minister for the Environment Penny Sharpe said:

“National parks are one of NSW’s greatest public assets, which are loved by people from within our state, across Australia and internationally.

“In a post-Covid world it is clear that visits to national parks are growing.

“Across the state there are 895 national parks, nature reserves, state conservation areas and regional parks. These are places to be in nature, to swim, to seek adventure, to understand Aboriginal and other heritage and to appreciate the beauty of our natural environment.

“The NSW Government is investing $74 million to upgrade visitor infrastructure in NSW national parks so people can enjoy unforgettable experiences, from camping trips in the bush to coastal getaways and alpine adventures.”

The NSW Government is committed to the fight against pests and weeds, and supporting work to minimise their impacts to primary industries.

Current estimates suggest the annual costs of damage by these invasive species is approximately $25 billion nationwide, with the cost to NSW agriculture $2 billion every year.

That’s why the NSW Government has engaged the Natural Resources Commission (NRC) to consult on the impacts and risks of invasive species with stakeholders and the public encouraged to have their say online.

This review will enable the government to set a baseline for the extent and impact of invasive species and measure progress in combating pests and weeds. This will inform work with farmers and the community in undertaking coordinated and cost-effective action to manage pests and weeds.

The information and data provided by this review will be critical in supporting ongoing efforts to address the impacts of pests and weeds in NSW. Members of the public are invited to submit their feedback to the Have Your Say page on the subject. Consultation will run until Tuesday 31 October 2023.

Future stages of the review will:

• Identify future risks from invasive species
• Consider how existing programs could better contribute to improved management outcomes
• Audit state and regional invasive species management plans
• Provide advice to the Independent Biosecurity Commissioner on areas of further investigation regarding potential barriers to effective management. 

The review is part of a package of programs being delivered by the NSW Government relating to invasive species management.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“We know that there is an increasing risk to agricultural productivity by invasive pest animals and weeds.

“This government is delivering on our election commitments to take the fight to invasive pests and weeds – including undertaking this review, establishing an Independent Biosecurity Commissioner and directing $10 million towards a Good Neighbour Program to tackle pest and weeds.

“We are committed to ensuring that this government is doing everything we can to support our farmers and communities in managing infestations.”