Month: February 2024

The NSW Government today officially opened the $80 million Institute of Applied Technology for Construction at TAFE NSW Nepean – Kingswood.

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education, Steve Whan joined industry and university partners of the Institute for a ribbon cutting and official unveiling of the facility.

The Institute of Applied Technology is a partnership between TAFE NSW, construction company CPB Contractors, and Western Sydney University.

The new facility features a civil construction sandpit, and large workshop spaces to accommodate the construction of full-scale buildings for use in carpentry, plumbing, and electrotechnology training.

In addition to traditional trades, the Institute also designs and delivers market-leading training that rapidly responds to industry needs.

The Institute of Applied Technology educational model brings together vocational education, universities, and industry to fast-track training solutions for sectors that are in a constant state of skills transformation.

The new 7500^m2 facility at TAFE NSW Kingswood achieved a 5 Star Green Star rating from the Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA). It features a solar system that generates more than 50 percent of its daily power usage, and electric vehicle charging stations for learners and staff.

Find out more about courses offered by the Institute of Applied Technology for Construction.

Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said:

“This new facility will provide specialist training in civil construction, carpentry, electrical and plumbing, helping to fill skills gaps in Western Sydney and across the state.

“The Institute is doing an amazing job by delivering online Micro skill and Micro credential programs in project management, contract administration, building information modelling, and digital skills in construction.

“I’m so pleased to see that learners across Australia have already enrolled in more than 10,000 micro-skills or micro-credentials delivered by The Institute of Applied Technology Construction.

“The Institute will help upskill the next generation of construction workers, who will be able to continue to build the much-needed homes this state needs.”

Institute of Applied Technology Construction course list

Micro credentials

• 2D CAD Drawings and 3D Models in Construction
• Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Construction
• Commercial & Contract Management in Construction
• Contract Administration Fundamentals
• Contract Administration in Construction
• Cost Management in Construction
• Emerging Leaders in Construction
• Excel in Construction
• Frontline Leaders in Construction
• Introduction to Building Information Modelling (BIM) in Construction
• Introduction to Project Scope Management in Construction
• Microsoft Office 365 Foundations in Construction
• Power BI Fundamentals in Construction
• Project Management Foundations in Construction
• Project Management Fundamentals in Construction
• Project Management Fundamentals in Construction
• Project Risk Management in Construction
• Schedule Management in Construction
• Stakeholder Engagement and Management in Construction

Micro credentials in development:

• Experienced Leaders in Construction
• Project Integration Management in Construction
• Quality Management in Construction
• Scheduling – MS Projects in Construction
• Power BI Data Visualisation in Construction
• Procurement and Commercial Management in Construction
• Construction Communication
• Contract Law/Dispute Resolution
• Introduction to Claims and Variations in Construction
• Reality Capture Technologies
• Integrating GIS and BIM in Construction

Micro skills

• Experienced Leaders in Construction
• Project Integration Management in Construction
• Quality Management in Construction
• Scheduling – MS Projects in Construction
• Power BI Data Visualisation in Construction
• Procurement and Commercial Management in Construction
• Construction Communication
• Contract Law/Dispute Resolution
• Introduction to Claims and Variations in Construction
• Reality Capture Technologies
• Integrating GIS and BIM in Construction

Two eye-catching pink buses will start driving passengers across Sydney in celebration of the 46th Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Festival 2024.

The wrapped buses will be on the road throughout the Mardi Gras season before taking part in the parade on Saturday 2 March. 

Rainbow Families will proudly take a seat in the decorated Transit Systems buses for the parade, joining the 200-float street parade as parts of Transport for NSW’s float as it rolls through Oxford Street, Flinders Street and Anzac Parade.

Bus Operator Transit Systems is showcasing its commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment, servicing public transport routes across Sydney.

The pink bus wraps align with the Mardi Gras Festival 2024 theme, “Our Future” as Transit Systems and Transport for NSW focus on attracting the next generation of workers and creating a welcoming environment across all of our transport networks.

During the Mardi Gras season, Sydneysiders will also spot rainbow buses in North Sydney and the Northern Beaches, a “Happy Mardi Gras” wrapped tram on the L2 & L3 and decorations across city train and light rail stations.

Transport Minister, Jo Haylen, said:

“The Sydney Mardi Gras is a celebration of diversity and inclusion, and I am thrilled to see our buses are part of the festivities.”

“With over 12,000 marchers for the Mardi Gras Parade, public transport will be playing a major role, in helping passengers get to where they need to go, but also in the parade itself.”

“Public transport should be a safe place for all and I thank Transit Systems for their work in celebrating diversity.”

Rainbow Families, Bern Foley, said:

“We are thrilled to see public transport represented in the Mardi Gras Parade, and it has already started the sharing of transport stories about our experiences and challenges.”

“Having this amazing bus in our Rainbow Families entry has meant we can ensure accessibility, allowing for more of our community members to take part. Hopefully we can continue to improve the journey as we ensure a more inclusive future together.”

“We are proud to partner with Transit Systems in ensuring each and every passenger feels safe and respected.”

Transit Systems CEO, Michael McGee, said:

“Our support for the Mardi Gras reflects our commitment to celebrating diversity and promoting a positive, accepting culture within our organisation.”

“We are dedicated to fostering an inclusive workplace where individuals feel comfortable expressing their authentic selves. At Transit Systems, we envision a future where everyone is celebrated for their unique identities.”

Transport for NSW Secretary, Josh Murray. said:

“These bus wraps will serve as a moving billboard, promoting the values of inclusion and support throughout Sydney.”

“It is great to see our private operators investing in this important celebration and working hard to make all their passengers feel welcome on public transport.”

The NSW Government is continuing to take swift action to the threat of imported red fire ants with amendments to the Biosecurity (Fire Ants) Emergency Order.

These amendments will strengthen the requirements for Queensland turf suppliers and installers, as part of its hardline approach to stop fire ants from entering the state.

The movement of turf from Southeast Queensland remains a high-risk carrier material of fire ants and has been linked to the fire ant nest found in Murwillumbah in late November 2023.

Businesses, individuals and the turf industry are now being asked to get behind the fight against fire ants by ensuring their turf products are treated and fire ant free, to reduce the risk of fire ants spreading into NSW.

Turf sourced from the fire ant infested area of Queensland must now be treated at the point of lay in NSW. Installers must either treat turf immediately following lay, or store in preventative conditions until installation.

A Record of Movement Declaration must be completed by anyone who initiates the movement of turf from either a fire-ant-infested area in Queensland or movement control area in NSW.

Queensland-sourced turf must also include the upload of a plant health certificate, ensuring that the supplier has complied with all treatment, harvest and transport requirements in the order.

Chemicals used in the treatment of the turf must be approved by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and used in accordance with label directions and permit conditions.

For businesses ‘on-selling’ turf products, it is crucial that treatment requirements and necessary documentation are passed onto consumers.

This is the latest in the NSW Government’s comprehensive response to the threat of red fire ants, which has included:

• increasing NSW’s funding from $15 million to $95 million to combat the threat
• 300 heavy vehicles stopped and inspected at the NSW/Qld border to check compliance
• reached 200,000 users through the government’s social media fire ant information program. 

For more information about red imported fire ants and the Emergency Order, visit the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) website.

Minister for Agriculture Tara Moriarty said:

“The NSW Government takes biosecurity seriously and I am committed to doing what is needed to strengthen our controls in the fight against fire ants.

“Fire ants are commonly spread through human activity, such as the movement of materials used for landscaping, building and agriculture, such as soil and turf.

“Fire ants are not marching into NSW; they are being carried, and it’s this human behaviour we are addressing both through education and compliance measures.

“The Emergency Orders already identify and manage the movement of fire ant carrier materials that present high risks of carrying fire ants.

“Turf is a high-risk carrier, providing the perfect environment for ant settlement and movement.

“By applying this treatment and keeping fire ants out of NSW, the turf industry is contributing to protecting our environment and economy.

“The treatment chemical that is now required to be applied to turf products is low toxic, safe to be around humans and animals, low cost, readily available and approved by the APVMA.

“So far, the northern NSW community has played a crucial and proactive role, and we thank them for their cooperation.”

The Biosecurity (Fire Ants) Emergency Order explained:

• The Order places restrictions on the movement into NSW from the fire-ant-infested area of Queensland of fire ant carrier materials including organic mulch, compost, growing media, manure, soil and anything with soil on it, hay, straw, chaff, silage, potted plants, turf, agricultural equipment, earth moving equipment, sand, gravel, chitters, coal fines, coal stone, overburden and decomposed granite. It outlines the requirements for the movement of each carrier into NSW from the fire ant infested area in Qld.
• A person in breach of an emergency order is guilty under the Biosecurity Act 2015 of a category 2 offence, for which the maximum penalties are:
  • in the case of an individual $1,100,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, a further penalty of $137,500 for each day the offence continues
  • in the case of a corporation $2,200,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, a further penalty of $275,000 for each day the offence continues.
     

The NSW Government has delivered on another election commitment for small businesses across the state with the launch of the Charter for Small Business.

The Charter gives small business owners a seat at the table and a genuine say in the way government supports businesses across the state. The Charter commits to a stronger partnership with small business and sets out the key principles and actions on the way which the NSW Government will work on with the sector.

The Charter for Small Business is the first of its kind in Australia and reflects the economic and social value that small businesses bring to NSW.

The NSW Government has undertaken extensive stakeholder engagement with peak industry bodies and community organisations to ensure the Charter for Small Business reflects the needs of businesses.

The Charter for Small Business includes 6 key principles and commitments to support its implementation and application in NSW:

• Clear and strong focal point to support small business to start, grow and thrive.
• Stronger engagement on new policy and regulation.
• Listen and respond to red-tape and other pain points.
• Boost government procurement from small businesses.
• Introduce and report on metrics and identify opportunities for supporting small business policy, regulatory and economic settings.
• Deliver key actions and commitments to timeline.

The Charter for Small Business closely follows on from the government’s launch of the Service NSW Business Bureau, which is a key source of advice and personalised support for small business. The Service NSW Business Bureau will oversee the Charter for Small Business, to ensure its commitments and actions benefit the sector.

There are more than 850,000 small businesses in NSW which make up 97% of all businesses in the state. NSW small businesses employ 1.7 million people, which is around 43% of the state’s private sector workforce.

Find out more information about the Charter for Small Business and the Action Plan.

Minister for Small Business Steve Kamper said:

“Having worked in the private sector for more than 30 years, I understand how important it is to work with business owners to make being in business easier.”

“The Charter for Small Business is a nation-leading agreement which reflects our commitment to work in lockstep with small businesses across NSW to inform our policies and programs.”

“We don’t want businesses getting stuck in the mud with government transactions, red tape and paperwork. Every delay costs time and money, 2 things small businesses can’t afford.”

“People in NSW can confidently count on the NSW Government to support our business environment and help small businesses to navigate compliance obligations.”

Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said:

“Business NSW continues to welcome the Minister’s support for small business and positive engagement with SMEs on initiatives like procurement reform, the Service NSW Business Bureau and now the Charter for Small Business.

“Our members often tell us that managing government permitting and form-filling is one of the most challenging tasks for their business.

“We want government to not just to listen but to respond to and address red-tape pain points. We believe the new Charter for Small Business will work towards addressing this issue.

“The aim should be to reduce businesses’ need to access concierge services to navigate processes because the processes themselves are becoming more straightforward.

“The Business Bureau – which Business NSW supported when it was launched in October last year – can build on the best-in-class products from Service NSW, which did so much for NSW during the tough times of Covid.”

NSW has started the new school year with a 20 per cent drop in the number of teacher vacancies as the NSW Government continues to tackle the teacher shortage crisis that has plagued the education sector for the past decade.

In a positive sign, the NSW education system began Term 1 2024 with 460 fewer teacher vacancies than the same time last year.

There were 1,782 teacher vacancies in the first week of this school year compared to 2,242 at the same time in 2023.

There has been a significant fall in vacancies in regional, rural and remote NSW, where schools have traditionally been harder to staff. Vacancies in these areas have dropped by almost 25 per cent, from 1,241 at the start of school last year in 2023, to 938 in 2024.

This comes as NSW teachers entered the new school year among the highest paid in the country after the NSW Government struck an historic pay deal in September.

The start of the 2024 school year saw 6,261 teachers appointed to their first permanent role with the Department of Education this term, a massive increase of 4,575 on the same time last year.

The NSW Government is also continuing to deliver on its commitment to make more temporary teachers and support staff permanent and reducing the excessive administrative workload on schools.

Measures the NSW Government has taken to address the teacher shortage include:

• Scrapping the former government’s public sector wage cap and delivering NSW public school teachers the biggest pay rise in a generation
• Improving job security by delivering our commitment to transition 16,000 teachers and support staff on temporary contracts into permanent roles
• Reducing the admin workload by introducing more admin support staff, removing unnecessary tasks, streamlining accreditation requirements, and cutting the volume of policy documents
• Recruitment measures including re-engaging teachers who recently resigned or retired from the profession to return, and expanding the Grow Your Own program
• Improving the classroom environment by banning mobile phones restoring authority to teachers and principals to manage student behaviour
• Developing a teacher housing strategy, priority recruitment support and wellbeing measures as part of our Rural, Regional and Remote Education action plan to attract and retain staff in the bush

Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“To see vacancies trending in the right direction – downward – is encouraging after record vacancies under the Liberals and Nationals. We still have a lot of work to do to turn around the shortage, and addressing teacher vacancies remains a key priority for the Minns Government.

“These figures affirm our decision to deliver a once-in-a-generation wage rise to NSW public school teachers, along with our focus on easing teacher workload and improving student behaviour.

“Getting permanent, well paid teachers into our classrooms will pay dividends down the line when it comes to academic outcomes for our students.

“While these are positive numbers, the experience of teachers on the ground is critical. That’s why, unlike the former Liberal National Government, I will continue to listen to our teachers and their real concerns about staff shortages.

“These initiatives are underpinned by a desire to restore respect for the teaching profession and let our school staff know we value the work they do every day in educating our children.”

Construction is set to begin later this month to repair significant landslip damage on Bulli Pass caused by record-breaking rainfall in 2022 in an $8 million dollar project funded by the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.

Transport for NSW (Transport) is committing multiple crews to work side-by-side so the complex repairs starting on Tuesday 27 February 2024 can be completed as quickly as possible, but the work will still require several months of changed traffic conditions on Bulli Pass.

Three landslip sites are located at the top section of Bulli Pass between the M1 Princes Motorway and hairpin bend, with another about one kilometre downhill from the hairpin bend.

The total work area required to repair the four landslip sites is about the size of two Olympic swimming pools.

These landslips occurred when the Illawarra escarpment received almost five times the average monthly rainfall in March 2022, and then eight and a half times the June average.

The road must be closed in both directions overnight for five nights per week for a period of five months while the work is carried out at the sites on the top section of road.

Transport has planned these repairs to be carried out when traffic volumes are lightest – from 7.30pm to 4.30am, Sundays to Thursdays – to minimise the impact on motorists.

Detours will be in place during the road closures either via Lawrence Hargrave Drive or the M1 Princes Motorway and Memorial Drive adding up to 20 minutes to journeys.

Transport has made significant progress on its natural disaster recovery work across the Illawarra and South Coast, having completed more than half of the 100 landslip damage sites on state roads following the severe weather events in 2022.

Minister for the Illawarra and the South Coast Ryan Park said:

“This critical work will help make the slopes on Bulli Pass more resilient to future severe weather events.

“Transport for NSW will be installing more than 500 long steel rods, called soil nails, that will add strength to the mountain slope and then applying over 1600 square metres of spray-on concrete, known as shotcrete, to prevent further erosion.

“The crews will also install new drains, repair damaged road pavement and replace guardrails, as needed and help protect this important corridor for the Illawarra.” 

Member for Heathcote Maryanne Stuart said:

“The landslip-damaged sections of road on Bulli Pass are steep and narrow, making the repairs very challenging, and Transport has engaged contractors with specialist skills and equipment to complete the work.

“The steep sites will involve use of large machinery, such as long-reach excavators, and workers abseiling on the slope to carry out some of the repairs.

“The conditions of the road and work involved create a unique set of risks and to keep motorists and workers safe, there needs to be a combination of full road closures and partial lane closures while the work is carried out.”

The NSW Government is taking steps to ensure the protection of NSW’s State Fish, the Blue Groper, with new changes to prohibit fishing a Blue Groper by any method.

Whilst the Blue Groper has been protected from spearfishing since 1969 and commercial fishing since 1980, these new changes will protect it from other forms of fishing including line fishing.

These changes will initially be implemented for a 12-month trial period during which time the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), will consult with stakeholders and the broader community on longer term changes to Blue Groper fishing rules.

Given the cultural significance of the species to many Aboriginal people the new changes will not apply to Aboriginal cultural fishing.

These changes follow recent spearfishing incidents involving Blue Gropers in Sydney and Jervis Bay.

Under the new rules, a person found contravening the closure and taking Blue Groper in NSW by any method may face a $500 penalty infringement notice and/or a maximum court-imposed fines of $22,000 or imprisonment for 6 months (or both) for a first offence.

For a second or subsequent offence a perpetrator may receive a $44,000 fine or imprisonment for 12 months (or both).

To Support the changes, DPI Fisheries will undertake education activities, including social media reminders, to increase awareness of responsible fishing practices.

Blue Gropers were made the state fish of New South Wales in 1998 and can be found in shallow coastal waters.

Minister for Agriculture, Tara Moriarty said:

“We have heard the community concerns, and these new rules will make it clear to all water users that these fish should be admired but not targeted.”

“With their bright blue colour, alongside their placid and curious nature, there is little wonder why these beautiful big fish are so well loved by our coastal communities.”

“While most fishers complied with the previous rules for targeting Blue Groper, prohibiting line fishing will improve compliance by creating the same rules for all recreational fishers and enhance the protection of this iconic fish.”

“Education is key in protecting this iconic species, with DPI Fisheries commencing a statewide advisory campaign to ensure all fishers are aware of these new rules.”