Month: January 2024

Today the reality of the challenge facing the NSW Government in tackling the housing crisis has been laid bare, further highlighting the significant need for the once in a generation planning reforms that the government introduced in December last year.

While these reforms will take time to effect significant housing uplift, these changes will deliver hundreds of thousands of well-located, well-designed and well-built homes close to transport, jobs, services and amenity over the coming years.

All advice and industry feedback is that these reforms will have the major impact on housing uplift that our city and state so desperately needs.

The NSW Labor Government has been clear that while building 75,000 new homes off a base of only 48,000 completions in 2022 will be a big challenge, the goal is to meet the states 377,000 housing goal over the 5 years of the accord.

The NSW Government is determined to meet the state’s housing goals under the 5 year housing accord, and it’s the major announcements that the government made only weeks ago that will help get us there.

These reforms include: 

• Changes to low to mid rise housing – with the aim to increase capacity for an additional 110,000 homes in well-serviced areas by the end of 2029.
• Infrastructure contributions reforms – a program designed to ensure supporting infrastructure is aligned to housing delivery, so we don’t end up with suburbs having no schools or sewage systems to support growing communities.
• The Transport Oriented Development (TOD) program, the first of which will deliver state-led rezonings within 1,200 metres of 8 priority transport hubs. The second will deliver a new SEPP to increase the capacity for more mid-rise housing and mixed-use development within 400 metres of 31 other well-located transport hubs and town centres.
• More affordable housing – the introduction of a new bonus Floor Space Ratio (FSR) of up to 30 per cent and a height bonus of up to 30 per cent where a proposal includes a minimum of 15 per cent of the gross floor area (GFA) as affordable housing.
• Transparency – we’ve committed to publishing performance tables to identify best performing councils and to show the performance of government approval processes as well.

NSW is the best state, in the best country in the world but it’s getting harder for people to move here, to start a family, or start a business. Every step the NSW Government is taking is to help tackle this issue.

Minister for Planning Paul Scully said:

“We are reforming planning rules to support the delivery of thousands of new homes and a pipeline of housing supply into the future, and are determined to meet our housing goals.

“If there’s no supply, there’s no homes for the next generation. The NSW Government is not going to turn their back on housing, it’s a basic need.

“We’ve inherited a confused and confusing planning system from the previous Liberal Government that has delivered the housing crisis that NSW residents are experiencing today.

“I think most fair-minded people will recognise that our reforms are significant and need time to take effect.  I think they also recognise that there are many factors that influence housing like interest rates, and access to finance and materials.

“The NSW Government is starting from a long way back but has taken immediate action to turn around housing completions of the incredibly low base of only 48,000 homes delivered in 2022.”

The NSW Government is helping teachers and educators get ready for term 1 2024, with the new option to renew their mandatory Working with Children Check online in as little as 10 minutes.

The new renewal option saves busy workers up to 1 hour and allows people to complete the administrative task from the comfort of their own home or office.

Teachers, childcare workers, and volunteers are among the roughly 1.9 million people in NSW who hold a Working with Children Check, and those in regional areas will particularly benefit from the new online renewal option.

More than 3000 people have renewed their WWCC online since the option launched late last year, with 98% providing a ‘thumbs up’ in their feedback on the transaction.

The online verification for WWCC is a significant step in the NSW Government’s digital identity journey, removing the need to share copies of physical documents and cards to prove an identity.

The identity checks use advanced facial verification technology that can securely verify a person’s identity and detect their presence through a liveness check, to confirm authenticity.

Service NSW will confirm the identity of a person by matching their live facial scan with the reference image associated with them, such as the photo that was taken when a driver licence was issued.

To preserve privacy and safeguard against fraud, photographs used for verification are immediately and permanently destroyed after the real-time check is completed.

Renewing a WWCC using digital proof of identity is optional and people can still apply in-person at Service NSW.

Minister for Customer Service and Digital Government Jihad Dib said:

“The new online option for renewing your Working with Children Check is a great example of how we are using technology to improve access to government services and helping people save valuable time.

“The state’s teachers, volunteers and childcare workers no longer need to travel to a Service NSW Service Centre to renew their Working with Children Check.

“The new process is streamlined, efficient and secure, cutting the transaction time from 70 minutes to 10 minutes on average and helping to pave the way for more uses of photo verification technology in the future.”

Executive Director Identity NSW Lenka Bradovkova said:

“Digital Working with Children Check renewals allow those who need to renew this important credential to do so without needing to present documents in person at a Service Centre to prove who they are.

“We hope this new option will become the go-to renewal method for essential workers looking to easily meet their compliance obligations and reclaim valuable time.”

Premier Chris Minns has failed his biggest test, admitting only two weeks into the New Year that the NSW Labor Government won’t meet its housing targets in 2024 and won’t even commit to meeting them in the following years..
 
Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said it was evident that from the outset that the Minns Labor Government wasn’t interested in working constructively with local councils or engaging with communities to engineer housing solutions that best meet local needs.
 
“This embarrassing acknowledgment that NSW won’t reach his targets, agreed to only last August, is a result of Chris Minns’ back-of-the-envelope approach to addressing the ongoing rental and housing affordability crisis that is affecting people right across NSW,” Mr Speakman said.
 
“Chris Minns and his Government rode roughshod over local communities, proposing rezonings with no consultation and next to no detail.”
 
“Now he admits that his approach isn’t working. It’s time for Chris Minns to accept our offer and discuss our proposal to work with the Federal Government on implementing a better targeted and more sustainable population strategy, and engage in good faith with local communities on planning reforms.”
 
Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and Housing Scott Farlow said Chris Minns’ backflip isn’t surprising given his failure to consult even with his own Planning Department before agreeing to Federal Labor’s housing targets.
 
“Chris Minns didn’t seek advice on how NSW could reach the target before signing on the dotted line, and has now backed down from what he said was his Government’s greatest challenge,” Mr Farlow said.
 
“His answer now is to play housing State of Origin with Victoria, which is meaningless for those who are suffering from increased rents and record house prices.”
 
“ABS data shows both planning approvals and housing completions are headed in the wrong direction under Chris Minns.”
 
Mr Speakman concluded by saying, “after breaking his word on housing so quickly, how can Chris Minns be trusted to solve our State’s housing problems?”

After woeful building approvals figures published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics last week, today’s building activity data shows that NSW is the worst performing State when it comes to building commencements in the last quarter. The Minns Labor Government’s planning reforms are failing to improve home approvals, meaning NSW is lagging behind our required housing targets.
 
Shadow Minister for Planning and Public Spaces, and Housing Scott Farlow says the latest ABS building commencement data shows that under Premier Chris Minns commencements have fallen in the September quarter by 35.83% and by 28.4% compared to the same time last year.
 
“Approvals are down and commencements are down, which shows that the Minns Labor Government is making matters worse for the building and construction sector,” Mr Farlow said.
 
“The latest figures from the ABS show that dwelling unit commencements in NSW have dropped more than any other State both on a quarterly and annual basis, with dwelling units commenced dropping by 35.83% compared to last quarter and 28.4% compared to last year.”
 

	Quarterly Change	Annual Change
New South Wales	-35.83%	-28.40%
Victoria	20.95%	-6.41%
Queensland	-13.57%	-10.72%
South Australia	29.34%	-5.06%
Western Australia	-1.71%	-1.88%
Tasmania	-16.62%	-8.94%

 
“Whether it’s families trying to get their foot in the housing market or young people trying to rent a property, we know that there’s no shortage of demand in the market. The difference in NSW is that Labor introduced a $12,000 tax on new homes, and it is having a big impact on the number of applications and commencements.”
 
“With applications also falling it is unlikely that there will be any substantial rise in commencements when the next quarters figures are released, which makes you wonder how Labor will deliver on their promise to build 377,000 new homes over the next five years.” 

“Chris Minns needs to reassess his approach to housing in NSW, and take a more holistic approach that addresses both demand and supply factors in order to ease pressure on rents and reduce prices in the housing market,” Mr Farlow said.

The NSW Government is today announcing the lifting of the archaic SCG precinct concert cap from an average of 4 events a year to 20 events a year – putting an end to these restrictions that have stifled the NSW economy and its cultural lifeblood.

These additional 16 concerts are estimated to inject up to $120 million a year into the NSW visitor economy, which will mean billions of dollars secured for NSW over the lifetime of the stadium.

These restrictions were introduced over 20 years ago following a Rolling Stones concert at the SCG. But in a modern and global city like Sydney, these restrictions are no longer fit for purpose.

The concert cap changes have been subject to a rigorous 8-month community and stakeholder engagement process.

Of the 20 major events per year, 2 will be permitted to operate as 10-hour festivals, such as Wave Aid, between the hours of 10am and 11pm.

The new conditions have been imposed on the existing development approvals for the new stadium to manage and mitigate the impacts of noise, traffic and parking raised in consultation.

No other changes will be made to the normal 11pm concert curfew (with the exception of the Mardi Gras after-party event, should it be relocated in the future), sporting events, maximum venue capacity, or transport arrangements.

Since opening in 2022, Allianz Stadium has hosted Bruno Mars, Elton John, Paul McCartney and Robbie Williams concerts. American singer-songwriter Pink is also scheduled to perform 2 shows in February.

Sydney’s stadium network caters to artists of all sizes, which includes Sydney’s major event venue, Accor Stadium, which has a capacity up to 100,000 for concerts.

The venue will host 4 Taylor Swift concerts in February, as well as major sporting events including the Bledisloe Cup and State of Origin. 

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“NSW is well and truly open for business. This is a huge win for the NSW economy, and it’s great for live music.

“For too long NSW has missed out on world class acts because of an archaic restriction that killed fun in our city and hurt the economy.

“Sydney is Australia’s only global city and now it will finally be able to host more global acts on the world stage.”

Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

“After successive governments have tied up our visitor and night-time economy in onerous red tape, we are taking off the shackles, and making the most of our incredible venues.

“This is about securing more live music for Sydney and ensuring our spot as the premier destination of the Asia Pacific.

“This year alone, we have Pink, Taylor Swift, Coldplay, and The Kid Laroi performing in our stadiums in Sydney, following on from Foo Fighters, Ed Sheeran, Paul McCartney, Elton John, KISS and Harry Styles shows last year.”

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“We’ve listened to the feedback and lifted these restrictions on concert capacity, so that we can get the most from this venue, while including conditions on the approval that takes into account local issues like noise, traffic, parking and social impacts.

“We will continue to work with Venues NSW to get the best outcome for concert goers and the local community.”

Minister for Sport, Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said:

“We have the best stadium network in Australia and it’s time we start using our venues to their full potential.

“The red tape that has hampered our ability to host concerts at Allianz Stadium and the SCG has cost this state hundreds of millions of dollars. That red tape is officially gone and Sydney can now secure more live music than ever before.

“By unlocking the stadium, we are also unlocking millions of dollars of economic activity for our local visitor economy and surrounding businesses.”

Marine Rescue NSW has completed its busiest year on record with 4,786 search and rescue missions across the state in 2023, as favourable weather lures boaters onto waterways.

All six regions with Marine Rescue NSW units had a record number of rescues in 2023, including the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, Hunter/Central Coast, Greater Sydney, Illawarra and Monaro.

Surpassing last year’s record figure, the volunteer water rescue organisation safely returned 10,645 people to shore in an 18 per cent increase in rescue missions across the state’s coastal and inland waterways.

Lake Macquarie was the busiest area for rescue missions across NSW, while a quarter of the Botany Port Hacking unit’s 400 missions were emergency responses.

The Botany Port Hacking unit covers a challenging area including Botany Bay, Georges River, Port Hacking and 30 nautical miles offshore where a large volume of traffic and variable conditions can lead to boaters and paddlers needing assistance.

In its first Budget, the Minns Labor Government made a record $73 million commitment to support the vital work of Marine Rescue NSW and its 3,300 volunteers.

The significant four-year investment will bolster Marine Rescue NSW’s fleet, including new multi-purpose and rescue vessels and the refurbishment of other rescue vessels, as well as fund new bases at Stockton and Middle Harbour. 

More than 80,000 trips were logged with Marine Rescue NSW in 2023, almost 16,500 more than the previous year.

Marine Rescue NSW radio operators had a busy 2023, managing 258,742 radio calls – or a call every two minutes – with a large number managed by the 24/7 Marine Rescue NSW State Communications Centre at Belrose.

More than half the incidents in 2023 could potentially have been avoided with better boat maintenance, with 57 per cent of calls for mechanical, battery or fuel issues.

Boat users are urged to follow these steps to stay safe this boating season:

• Log On and Off with Marine Rescue via VHF Channel 16 or use the free Marine Rescue NSW app available for iOS and Android devices.
• Make sure everyone on board is wearing a lifejacket.
• Make sure your vessel’s engine and battery are working.
• Make sure you have enough fuel and some in reserve.
• Always check conditions and safety equipment.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“The dedicated volunteers across the 46 Marine Rescue units answer calls night and day to keep boaters safe on our waterways, and I commend them on everything they have done over the busiest year for Marine Rescue yet.”

“After boating seasons have been impacted by wet weather brought on by La Nina, as well as Covid lockdowns, more people are now taking the opportunity to get out on our beautiful waterways and enjoy the warmer weather.”

“I encourage people to enjoy our coastline and inland waterways safely, and by logging on and off with Marine Rescue our volunteers will be in a position to respond if things don’t go to plan.”

“It is pleasing to see that over the past 12 months there has been an increase of 16,500 boaters using Marine Rescue’s free Log On service with more than 80,000 trips logged last year.”

Marine Rescue NSW Deputy Commissioner Darren Schott said:

“Almost a third of incidents last year were emergencies such as capsized boats, missing people, groundings and fires on vessels.”

“Response times for these incidents is reduced dramatically if a boater is logged on with Marine Rescue NSW.”

“We ask all boaters to ensure that they check their vessel’s engine and battery every time they plan to head out on the water.”

“Mechanical and fuel issues can quickly become life-threatening emergencies on the water, so make sure you have enough fuel and some in reserve.”

Breakdown of rescues across regions:

• Northern Rivers – 353 search and rescue missions including 213 emergency responses with 733 people safely returned to shore. Locations of highest demand were Point Danger, Ballina and Iluka Yamba.
• Mid North Coast – 390 search and rescue missions including 213 emergency responses with 907 people safely returned to shore. Locations of highest demand were Forster/Tuncurry, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour.
• Hunter/Central Coast – 1,511 search and rescue missions including 341 emergency responses with 3,079 people safely returned to shore. Locations of highest demand were Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and the Central Coast.
• Greater Sydney – 1,774 search and rescue missions including 285 emergency responses with 4,262 people safely returned to shore (across all seven Greater Sydney units). Locations of highest demand were Sydney (State Communications Centre), Botany Port Hacking and Port Jackson.
• Illawarra – 481 search and rescue missions including 245 emergency responses with 1,091 people safely returned to shore. Locations of highest demand were Port Kembla, Jervis Bay and Shoalhaven.
• Monaro – 277 search and rescue missions including 180 emergency responses with 566 people safely returned to shore. Locations of highest demand were Batemans Bay, Eden and Narooma.