Month: July 2024

Four new magistrates will bring a diversity of experience to the Local Court of NSW.

NSW Attorney General Michael Daley welcomed the expertise of the new appointees, Danielle Mansour, Jennifer Wong, Maryanne Higginson and Rachael Wong.

They bring more than eight decades of legal experience between them, with professional backgrounds spanning the Crown Solicitor’s Office, the NSW Police, the court registry, advocacy for victims and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Following the swearing in of the new magistrates, there are now 79 female and 75 male magistrates in the NSW Local Court.

NSW Attorney General Michael Daley said:

“These four remarkable women are excellent appointments for the NSW Local Court.

“We live in a diverse society in NSW and judicial officers need to reflect the community in which they serve.

“The new magistrates have an impressive range of experience across the justice system and will be a tremendous asset to the Local Court.”

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Magistrates’ biographies:

Danielle Mansour

Ms Mansour has two decades’ experience in criminal law, most recently as solicitor advocate with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. She commenced her career with the NSW Police, where her roles included work as a liaison officer with diverse communities and as a Police Prosecutor.

Jennifer Wong

Ms Wong has spent more than a decade at the Crown Solicitor’s Office, primarily with the Child Protection Practice Group. Admitted as a solicitor in 1999, her career spans Victims Services, Women’s Legal Services NSW and the Community Legal Service for Western NSW.

Maryanne Higginson

Ms Higginson has 35 years’ experience in NSW Local Courts and the administration of justice. She has held the position of Senior Manager and Hub Registrar, Illawarra South Region Hub, since 2021. Admitted as a solicitor in 1996, Ms Higginson’s career has covered senior management roles in the Children’s Court, the Sydney Civil Registry, the Downing Centre Local Court and policy officer roles.

Rachael Wong

Ms Wong has most recently been a solicitor at the Kingsford Legal Centre. Prior to this Ms Wong spent almost a decade with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, worked at the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) in Dubbo and with the NSW Crime Commission.

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The Minns Labor Government is continuing work to boost education outcomes across NSW, today unveiling a revamped primary school curriculum that is clear, evidence-based and carefully sequenced to ensure students receive the best education possible.

The revamped curriculum places greater focus on essential knowledge and provides more clarity for teachers on what all students need to learn, with more detailed and specific content.

With all NSW primary school syllabuses developed at the same time for the first time in 50 years, the new curriculum also improves connections across different subject areas so children can better apply their new knowledge and skills.

Today, syllabuses for Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE), Creative Arts, Human Society and its Environment (HSIE) and Science and Technology are being released to teachers, with updated Maths and English syllabuses already in classrooms from this year.

The new integrated approach to teaching and learning will ensure students learn new concepts, information and skills in the right order and have more opportunities to apply it. For example, when a student begins learning about graphs in mathematics, they will then start using graphs in geography and science.

These changes have been widely supported by teachers, parents and school sectors, and reflect feedback from submissions made through two rounds of public consultation.

Under the former government teachers were only given one year to plan and prepare for these new syllabuses.

Following feedback from teachers and advisory groups that the curriculum reform schedule was unworkable, the Minns Labor Government revised the Curriculum Reform timeline, and teachers will now have two years to familiarise themselves with the updated syllabus before it becomes mandatory in all NSW schools on day one, term one 2027.

Schools may choose to implement the revised curriculum ahead of this deadline.

Human Society and Its Environment (HSIE)

The new syllabus introduces Human Society and its Environment (HSIE). HSIE will replace the separate subjects of History and Geography, to create a subject which explores the key themes of both History and Geography at a local, national, and global level, in an interconnected way.

The new HSIE syllabus will also include:

• Compulsory Civics and Citizenship content, including lessons on democratic roles and responsibilities, including and the role and history of voting in a democracy. 
• A strengthened focus on ensuring children have the skills to use tools for geography, such as maps and globes.
• Australian history, including Aboriginal cultures and history as well as the arrival of the First Fleet and the events and people that led to Federation.
• Topics that provide a window to the wider world, including ancient global civilisations.

Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE)

The NSW Government is continuing work to support active lifestyles for young people across NSW, and encourage them to play outside, not on their phones.

The new PDHPE syllabus will support this focus, with for the inclusion for the first time of content addressing the healthy use of digital devices. and the importance of balancing screen time with outdoor physical activity.

The updated curriculum will also make the teaching of fundamental movement skills explicit. This aligns with the latest research on the importance of developing essential movement skills in childhood to create a foundation for activity into adulthood.

Further, for the first time the syllabus includes content to support students with physical disabilities to develop movement skills. Previously there was no explicit support for students with a physical disability.

The new PDHPE syllabus also includes age-appropriate lessons on respectful relationships and consent. For example, students will learn how and when to seek, give or deny consent in age-appropriate scenarios such as sharing toys or joining a game, and accepting how others respond.  

Educating children on these issues from a young age is vital, but it is also paramount this work is done in an age-appropriate way that can be built upon in later years, which is what this new curriculum ensures.

Creative Arts

This will be the first update to the Primary Creative Arts syllabus in 24 years. Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts all fall under the umbrella of Creative Arts, with the updated syllabus to ensure students have an equal opportunity to develop their skills in each creative area.

Previously, there were no clear guidelines for how much time should be spent on each creative area, which meant for example, some students received ample opportunity to learn about visual arts, but minimal time exploring drama.

Science and Technology

Under the new Science and Technology syllabus, for the first time, students will develop an understanding of the human body, including, the skeletal, respiratory and circulatory systems.

The updated syllabus will also provide students with increased hands-on learning experiences including outdoor learning about animals, habitats and ecosystems.

Students will also learn about the earth and solar systems, climate, energy, food chains and electricity under the updated curriculum.

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

“This is a significant milestone in NSW Curriculum Reform that will reshape education in NSW for decades to come.

“For the first time, primary school teachers have a set of syllabuses that make sense together and will ensure students have a strong foundation upon which to build their knowledge.

“Teachers will have clarity on exactly what they need to teach, based on evidence – taking away the guesswork and streamlining workload.  

“I thank the teachers of NSW who were part of the syllabus writing process and who contributed their thoughts and expertise to consultation.

“The result is a NSW Primary School Curriculum that is evidence-based, supports teachers and will set students up for success.”

NSW Education Standards Authority CEO Paul Martin said:

“These are rigorous, world-class syllabuses that teachers will find exciting.

“They are sequenced, coherent, knowledge-rich, and infer a more explicit teaching practice.

“NSW teachers work with syllabuses every day, they deserve to be given the respect of clarity. I am pleased to be handing over syllabuses that do that.”

Eden will enjoy the benefits of bigger cruise ships and more frequent visits, thanks to the NSW Government granting planning approval for a modification to the existing Eden Breakwater Wharf Extension.

It comes off the back of Eden’s busiest summer cruise season on record, expected to pump an estimated $19 million into the local economy, based on previous data from the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

Eden is well equipped to handle cruise ship visits, and the approved planning modification will ensure the region is fit for future cruise growth by allowing greater capacity.

The changes will open Eden up to larger cruise ships from all over the world over the next decade and beyond.

The modification application approval to the Eden Cruise Wharf includes:

• Removing the current cruise ship visit cap of 60 visits per season, helping to grow the number of visits for the long-term future;
• Allowing vessels up to 370 metres to call at the berth (up from 325 metres);
• The opportunity for overnight berthing, increasing the opportunity for visitors to explore and experience the beautiful Sapphire Coast and beyond;
• Removing the 100m length limit on other vessel types to call at the berth including naval vessels, optimising the use of this world class facility.

Minor physical modifications with minimal construction will be required to the wharf, with Port Authority currently preparing the Operational Environmental Management Plan which is expected to be ready by the end of 2024.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen:

“Eden is already our state’s largest regional cruise port – and we’re making it even better, lifting the cap on visits and increasing NSW’s already booming market share of Australia’s cruising industry.

“Cruising is one of Eden’s biggest economic drivers, so allowing bigger international ships to sail will bring enormous benefits to the region for years to come.

“Investing in our regional ports is a no-brainer. We want people from all over the world to experience everything our stunning state has to offer and ensure we all reap the economic rewards.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully:

“Eden’s maritime history stretches back to its whaling days almost 200 years ago and has evolved to become the popular tourism destination it is today.

“This modern-day maritime project unlocks huge opportunities for the Sapphire Coast region to support the local economy and create ongoing local jobs.”

Member for Bega Dr Michael Holland MP:

“Cruise visitors bring a new energy to the local community, and locals – particularly our hard-working businesses – love seeing passengers step onto our shores.

“We’re pleased to grow our capacity and maximise the number of people who can spend time in our region, which is unparallelled in its natural beauty, hospitality, tours and charm.”

Port Authority CEO Captain Philip Holliday:

“We already have 26 cruise ship visits booked for upcoming summer cruise season in Eden and we look forward to welcoming the first ship, Disney Wonder, into the Port of Eden on 30 October.

“As the upcoming cruise seasons build momentum and more bookings are secured, we are likely to see a greater number of cruise ships add Eden to their itineraries, which could include first-time visits for Majestic Princess and Ovation of the Seas.

“As part of the planning modification approval, the next step is to ensure we have an updated Operational Environmental Management Plan in place for the start of the next season.”

The new toll-free, time-saving connection to Sydney Airport from the wider motorway network is on track to open to traffic on Sunday 1 September.

The NSW Government today released virtual drive-throughs showing the signage, lane configuration, and exits that drivers will need to know when Sydney Gateway opens.

The animated videos put motorists in the driver’s seat to see how Gateway connects the domestic and international terminals to the M8 and St Peters Interchange, and the wider motorway network.

Following the local traffic impacts that resulted from the opening of the Rozelle Interchange, motorists are urged to be as prepared as possible for how the new road works before Sunday 1 September.

For the first time on a big motorway project, signage and road markings on Gateway have been tested in advance with members of the public to ensure they are well understood. Feedback has led to 100 changes pre-opening.    

Sydney Gateway’s five kilometres of new roads will transform access to the airport precinct. Motorists will save an estimated 17 minutes between the airport and the St Peters Interchange which connects to the M8, and the main routes to Western Sydney – the M5 and M4.

It will provide an alternative route for around 10,000 trucks per day travelling to the airport and Port Botany, reducing the number of trucks on local streets in and around Mascot.

As with all major project openings, Transport for NSW is expecting a period of disruption while drivers get used to their new routes. Local routes via Gardeners Road and Euston Road will still be available, but drivers who use those approaches are nonetheless encouraged to familiarise themselves with how Sydney Gateway works.

Sydney Airport will have in place kerb-side management measures at the international and domestic terminals to manage traffic flow through the airport.  

Since November last year, the $2.6 billion Sydney Gateway has opened in stages to maximise construction efficiency and minimise disruption. This included the unveiling of the Deborah Lawrie Flyover into the airport’s domestic terminals, two stunning twin arch bridges close to the international terminal and a new and improved Airport Drive.

Testing and commissioning work, including integration of safety and IT systems with the broader road network, will continue before the final green light is given for the September 1 opening date.

Minister for Roads John Graham said: 

“Sydney Gateway will transform the way we drive to and from Sydney Airport, plugging the international and domestic terminals directly into the motorway network.

“For anyone who has sat in traffic around Mascot as the minutes to a flight tick down, this will be a welcome piece of toll-free motorway, while the local community will see fewer trucks on their streets.

“Transport for NSW is working closely with Sydney Airport for the smoothest start but I urge all Sydney drivers to take a moment to familiarise themselves with the animations we are issuing today.

“Sydney Gateway supported more than 8000 jobs during its construction and I want to thank each and every one of those workers for transforming the airport precinct and Sydney’s entire road network for the better.”

Transport for NSW Deputy Secretary Camilla Drover said: 

“We will be monitoring and adjusting the network when Sydney Gateway opens. A few weeks after opening will be school holidays, which we know is a particularly busy time for the airport, so we expect there will be an increase in road traffic over that period.”

“Construction work has progressed well throughout this major road infrastructure project, and it’s exciting we are in the home stretch towards opening to traffic.

“This is a transformative project for the airport precinct and Port Botany, and we will be working closely with our stakeholders on a smooth transition to opening.”

Sydney Airport CEO Scott Charlton said: 

“Sydney Gateway is more than just a new road; it’s a critical infrastructure project that will significantly enhance connectivity to Sydney Airport, especially from Western Sydney. Important population and logistics hubs like Blacktown, Parramatta, Liverpool, and Eastern Creek will have significantly reduced travel times and a traffic light-free journey to Domestic.  

“Gateway will also bring substantial benefits to our local community by diverting cars and trucks off local roads, thereby alleviating congestion, and reducing noise and pollution in the airport precinct.”

The Minns Labor Government is continuing to ensure fast-growing communities in Sydney’s South-West have the infrastructure they need as new, permanent facilities at Gregory Hills Public School officially open this week. 

The first sod was turned on this project by Premier Chris Minns, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car, and Member for Camden, Sally Quinnell in May 2023. This week, more than 400 students from Kindergarten to Year Six began learning in the suburb’s first permanent public school.

The multi-million-dollar Gregory Hills Public School includes 44 classrooms, four support classrooms, a new library, communal hall, as well as staff, sporting and recreational amenities.

Importantly, the new Gregory Hills Public School has the capacity to meet the area’s future enrolment growth demands, with the capacity to cater to more than 1,000 students.

Prior to the completion of the permanent school, students were in a purpose-built temporary facility. To meet the growing community’s need for a public high school in the short term, the temporary school site will now be repurposed to cater for students of the new Gledswood Hills High School from Day 1, Term 1 2025.

Planning and community consultation on the new, permanent, Gledswood Hills High School is currently underway, with results of local feedback to be made public over the coming months. 

The delivery of the new Gregory Hills Public School comes after an Enrolment Growth Audit undertaken by the Minns Labor Government found the former Coalition Government neglected the needs of young families in booming communities, failing to adequately plan for and build the schools they required. 

The Audit found Gregory Hills and Gledswood Hills recorded the seventh fastest student enrolment growth from 2018 to 2023, with a 145 per cent surge – or an increase from 805 to 1,969.

Committed to during the state election, the findings of the Audit are foundational to the Minns Labor Government’s work to build high-quality schools in NSW’s areas of greatest need.

Rebuilding the vital education infrastructure in communities of greatest need is a priority of the Minns Labor Government, with the 2024-25 state budget including a historic $3.6 billion investment to build and upgrade schools in Western Sydney.

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“For years this site was just a vacant block of land, as promises of a new school were left unfulfilled by the former government.

“One of my first visits when I became Labor Leader was to meet with parents in the Gregory Hills community and hear from them about the absolute necessity of this school. I was proud to return last year to turn the sod on this project, and I’m thrilled to be back to see the doors finally open for this community.

“Southwest Sydney is one of the fastest growing parts of Australia, and it is essential that we build the infrastructure to keep up with that growth.

“Congratulations to the families, teachers and community members who advocated tirelessly to ensure the students of Gregory Hills now have a quality, permanent, place to learn.”

Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:

“The opening of the new Gregory Hills Public School is a wonderful moment for this community, who have fought hard to have their educational needs met.

“This is one of the most rapidly growing parts of the state, and it is so important the Government invests in delivering high-quality public schools, so young families here can grow and thrive.

“I cannot wait to see what is accomplished at the new Gregory Hills Public School.”

Member for Camden Sally Quinnell said:

“Opening the new, permanent, public primary school for Gregory Hills is a fantastic day for our local community.

“The students of Gregory Hills and surrounds have waited so long to have their own public primary school, and I am so proud to be part of a Government that has delivered the essential public education infrastructure our community deserves.

“I want to thank everyone in the community who advocated for this school. Now that it has been delivered, the sky is the limit for our local students.”

Principal of Gregory Hills Public School, Alison Rourke said:

“Staff, students, and parents have been eagerly anticipating the grand opening of the new school.

“Teachers are thrilled about the contemporary classrooms and resources that will enhance their teaching and inspire their students. Students can’t wait to explore the new facilities and embark on their learning adventures.

“Parents are equally enthusiastic and confident that this new environment will provide their children with exceptional opportunities for growth and success.”