Month: October 2024

Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park has today visited the site of what will become Australia’s first Aboriginal owned and midwifery-led free standing birth centre.

The Minns Labor Government has committed $45.5 million over seven years for Waminda’s Gudjaga Gunyahlamai Birth Centre and Community Hub in Nowra, which will support culturally safe holistic maternity care for Aboriginal women and their families in the South Coast region.

Birthing on Country supports Aboriginal women and babies by providing culturally safe continuity of midwifery care including antenatal, birthing and postnatal support.

Birthing on Country models have been shown to improve maternal and perinatal outcomes, including women attending more antenatal visits, being less likely to have a premature birth and being more likely to exclusively breastfeed on discharge from hospital.

Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD) has worked closely with the South Coast Women’s Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation (Waminda) to support the implementation of its Birthing on Country initiative.

Waminda launched the Minga Gudjaga Midwifery Practice with the support of ISLHD in May 2024. This is the first phase of Waminda’s Birthing on Country initiative where Waminda’s privately practising endorsed midwives provide labour and birth care to women at Shoalhaven Memorial District Hospital.

Minister for Regional Health, Ryan Park:

“The NSW Government is proud to work closely with Waminda to support the implementation of its Birthing on Country initiative.”

“Birthing on Country models have proven to significantly improve maternal and perinatal outcomes, and Waminda is leading the way for all Aboriginal women to have access to continuous, culturally safe midwifery care, which includes antenatal, birthing, and postnatal support.

“With this major $45.5 million commitment over seven years we can better meet the social, cultural, spiritual and clinical needs of the local community.”

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty David Harris:

“This major investment in the Waminda Birthing on Country program reflects the NSW Government’s commitment to closing the gap for better health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

“It is deeply concerning that Aboriginal women and babies continue to experience health inequalities compared to their non-Aboriginal counterparts.

“This support for Waminda gives the opportunity for the best start in life for Aboriginal babies and their families for generations to come.”

Member for South Coast, Liza Butler:

“I’m really pleased to be part of a government making a landmark investment in a world class facility for our region.

“I’m really proud our government and local health district is increasing access to culturally safe and respectful care for Aboriginal women and families on the South Coast.

WAMINDA’s Minga Gudjaga and Birthing on Country Manager Melanie Briggs:

“Waminda welcomes the Federal, State and Local Governments and their commitment to Birthing on Country to implement and improve the maternal and neonatal outcomes for Aboriginal families on the south coast of NSW.

“The life expectancy gap between Aboriginal and non Aboriginal people will be significantly improved through care that is culturally safe and respectful through Waminda’s Birthing on Country initiative.

“Waminda are honoured to continue our ancestors’ dreams for birthing that is woman centred, sacred and honours LORE and culture at its core.

“Waminda’s Birthing on Country initiative is a key milestone for increasing the First Nations workforce that will fundamentally enhance generational wealth and sustainability for our people.”

Rivers and streams across NSW are in prime condition for the opening of the State’s annual trout fishing season this long weekend (Saturday 5 October) with some 3.3 million trout and salmon stocked into NSW waterways over the past 18 months.

NSW boasts some of the best trout fishing locations in the country, including streams in the New England, the iconic Thredbo and Eucumbene rivers in the Snowy Mountains, and the Fish River near Bathurst in the Central West.

Assisted by volunteers, staff at the Government’s Dutton and Gaden hatcheries have stocked almost 3.3 million Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brook Trout, Atlantic Salmon and Tiger Trout into creeks, rivers and dams across the NSW trout fishery over the past season.

Following four-month spawning closure, keen fishers and their families will now be able to enjoy what is tipped to be a bumper trout fishing season.

It is important that all recreational fishers check they have a current and valid NSW Recreational Fishing Licence (unless exempt), before wetting a line.

Recreational fishers should also take the opportunity to remind themselves of the fishing rules, to ensure our trout fishery remains viable now and well into the future.

The 2024-25 trout season is open through to midnight 9 June 2025.

A summary of fishing rules and regulations is available via the FishSmart App or by accessing the NSW Recreational Freshwater Fishing Guide available at NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) offices, fishing fee agents or online.

The public is encouraged to report suspected illegal fishing activity to the Fishers Watch phone line on 1800 043 536 or via the online report form at https://fal.cn/3gJWh

NSW Fisheries Officers will be out patrolling trout streams, rivers and impoundments during the open season, so it’s important for fishers to do the right thing and report any suspected illegal fishing activity.

Further information on the NSW DPIRD fish stocking program, please visit our website https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/recreational/resources/stocking 

Minister for Agriculture and Regional NSW Tara Moriarty said:

“The Minns Government is committed to building a recreational fishing sector that supports regional communities through quality recreational fishing opportunities.

“Keen trout fishers can expect yet another bumper season, with consistent rainfall over the past few years combining with our world-class stocking program to deliver great fishing for these highly popular freshwater sportfish.

“The NSW trout fishery is carefully managed to ensure sustainability while delivering socio-economic benefits to regional communities across the State.”

The NSW Government’s commitment to closing the gap with improved health outcomes for Aboriginal people takes a step forward today with the launch of a pioneering $5 million research program focused on improving cardiovascular health.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of the gap in death rates between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.

It is also the second leading cause of death in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Specialist researchers are encouraged to apply for the NSW Health Aboriginal Heart Health Grants to help address this gap by increasing the number of targeted Aboriginal cardiovascular disease research projects in NSW.

Funding for the Office for Health and Medical Research-administered program will support researchers working on projects in areas including coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, cardiovascular complications of diabetes and obesity, and congenital heart disease.

Funds can be used for research staff, equipment, consultations, training and reimbursement for research participants.

A consultation process was undertaken to assist with the development of the grant, with participants including Aboriginal representatives from NSW Health and other stakeholders, academic experts and previous recipients of NSW Health grants focused on Aboriginal health.

Applications for the grants are open until 13 December 2024. For information on how to apply go to: https://www.medicalresearch.nsw.gov.au/aboriginal-heart-health-grants

Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty and Minister for Medical Research David Harris said:

“Closing the gap in health outcomes and life expectancy is a top priority of the NSW Government.

“The NSW Health Aboriginal Heart Health Grants are the first of their kind in the state and provide an important opportunity to improve cardiovascular outcomes for Aboriginal people.

“I am proud to announce this new targeted call for research because we know that cardiovascular disease is more common among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people than non-Aboriginal Australians.

“We know that to close the gap, Aboriginal people must shape and drive outcomes, alongside government, and this grant is a wonderful example of this in action.”

The Minns Labor Government has taken another step towards the inclusion of the Performance & Wellbeing Framework in the NSW Budget with a consultation with key stakeholders.

More than 30 diverse community groups attended a roundtable at NSW Parliament House to help develop new measurements on the performance of NSW Government services against key quality of life and wellbeing indicators.

The consultation is running in parallel with a parliamentary inquiry chaired by chair of the Public Accounts Committee Jason Li MP.

The roundtable was focused on listening to key stakeholders to understand their agenda and priorities. Topics discussed included:

• How the NSW Wellbeing Themes, Outcomes and indicators reflect the current priorities of the community and the NSW Government,
• Ensuring that meaningful data is available to Government and the community
• Balancing comprehensive coverage of wellbeing with a clear set of priorities within the Framework.

Released for consultation in the 2024-25 NSW Budget, the Performance & Wellbeing Framework comprises eight wellbeing themes and 28 outcomes.

The themes are Healthy, Skilled, Prosperous, Housed, Secure, Community, Connected and Sustainable. Each theme is matched by outcomes, which cover key government activities and services.

Once implemented, the Framework will strengthen performance reporting in the Budget, better articulate how government policy choices influence outcomes and encourage cross-agency collaboration to deliver improved services.

Input gathered from the workshop will help to refine and improve the Framework, ensuring that it is relevant, robust, and responsive to the changing needs and expectations of the community.

The Framework is based on the principle that what gets measured, gets done.

As the Minns Labor Government works hard to build better services for families, households and businesses across the state, having access to relevant and timely data is important, ensuring the Government is better able to address the big challenges facing the state.

The NSW Government will look to other jurisdictions in the development of the Framework, and collaborate with the Australian Government’s ‘Measuring What Matters’ framework.

The Performance & Wellbeing Framework will replace the previous Liberal-National Government’s Outcomes Statement. With more than 250 outcomes and 700 different performance measures it was only a ‘polite fiction’ which was a nod towards accountability without actually providing it.

The community is also able to provide a submission on the Performance & Wellbeing Framework on the NSW Government’s ‘Have Your Say’ website before Friday 18 October https://www.haveyoursay.nsw.gov.au/performance-and-wellbeing.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey:

“The Performance and Wellbeing Framework is an important tool to drive public accountability and improve efficiency across government.

“We take very seriously the emerging and developing thinking about how governments can make better decisions.

“The public should have a decent appreciation as to why we’re measuring what we’re measuring, and what we consider to be wellbeing.

“We want to be sure that what we say yes to is delivering the change it is intended to deliver.”

Minister for Finance Courtney Houssos:

“We know that what gets measured, gets done. This is another step forward in the development of our Performance & Wellbeing Framework which will do just that.

“Engaging with the community will be crucial as we finalise the Framework’s measures to help track government investments as we address the major challenges that NSW faces.

“In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and coming after a particularly disruptive period of the Covid-19 pandemic, bushfires and floods, we need to be sharply focused on measuring the impact of our programs for families and households.

“We want the Framework to be a tool for government, built on a shared vision for a more resilient and inclusive economy that delivers for all.”

List of stakeholders in attendance:

• Advocate for Children and Young People
• AIDS Council of NSW
• Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies
• Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA)
• Australian Hotels Association NSW
• Australian Medical Association (NSW)
• Business NSW
• Clubs NSW
• Committee for Sydney
• Council of Small Business Organisations Australia
• Country Women’s Association of NSW
• Disability Council NSW
• Equality Project
• Ethnic Communities’ Council of NSW
• Faith Council NSW
• Homelessness NSW
• Housing Industry Association Limited
• Local Government NSW
• Master Builders Association
• National Council of Women of NSW
• NSW Coalition of Aboriginal Peak Organisations
• NSW Council of the Ageing
• NSW Farmers
• Shelter NSW
• Sport NSW
• Total Environment Centre
• Unions NSW
• Urban Taskforce
• Western Sydney Community Forum
• Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue
• Youth Action NSW
• Youth off the Streets

The centrepiece of the first phase of the $830 million Liverpool Health and Academic Precinct (LHAP) redevelopment has been unveiled today, with construction of the new Integrated Services Building now complete.

The new five-storey building includes an expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), new birthing suites, and a new centralised Pathology Department.

The new Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) includes:

• 10 single rooms and increased accommodation for parents
• Four negative pressure rooms to isolate immunocompromised patients, protecting them and their families from contagious airborne diseases
• More space for parental involvement and kangaroo care (skin to skin contact)

There are 10 new, spacious birthing suites that have access to a private landscaped courtyard, helping to support a peaceful, relaxing environment for women and their families.

Heatlhcare staff are expected to move into the new building in the coming weeks, while a new Emergency Department (ED) entrance and drop-off zone will open in 2025 as part of the ongoing redevelopment of the ED.

By the early 2030s, more than 1.2 million people are expected to call the region home. South Western Sydney LHD will see population growth of 33% over the next 20 years – the second highest in the state, only behind Western Sydney LHD which will grow by 37%. The population growth underpins the needs for upgraded essential health services.

The Minns Labor Government invested an additional $40 million towards the Liverpool Hospital redevelopment as part of the $3.4 billion boost to upgrade hospitals and health facilities across the state in the 2024-25 NSW Budget, ensuring patients continue to receive high-quality care in their local community.

The redevelopment is estimated to support approximately 1,400 direct jobs with the potential for supporting many thousands of indirect jobs over the life of the project.

Phase 2 of the hospital’s redevelopment is expected to begin in early 2025 and includes new inpatient units, an integrated cancer centre including the Australian Cancer Research Foundation’s Oasis Wellness Centre, and expanded women’s and children’s ambulatory care.

The ED will also be progressively expanded, with Phase 2 construction expected to be completed in 2027.

The community is invited to a ‘Welcome All Cultures’ Open Day on Saturday 19 October 2024 from 9.00am to 1.00pm to preview the new building before it opens to the public.

During the event, the community can take part in tours of the new building, enjoy cultural performances and browse the health stalls. There will also be activities for children, including face painting.

For more information visit www.lhap.health.nsw.gov.au

Premier Chris Minns:

“We’re getting on with the job of delivering essential health services, focusing on the parts of the state that need it most.

“South West Sydney is home to a rapidly growing population and this facility will play an important role in supporting communities.

“In particular, the new birthing suites, neonatal unit and space for parents to stay overnight with their kids will help make, what can be a challenging time, that little bit easier.”

Minister for Health Ryan Park:

“By the early 2030s, more than 1.2 million people are expected to call south western Sydney home and we are committed to investing in our essential health services to support our growing and diverse community in Liverpool and south-western Sydney.

“In addition to the $830 million LHAP redevelopment, the historic investment in the south western Sydney Hospitals from the Minns Labor Government includes the $1.3 billion New Bankstown Hospital, the $550 million Fairfield Hospital redevelopment, the $55 million Stage 2 Bowral & District Hospital redevelopment and the recently completed $632 million Stage 2 redevelopment of Campbelltown Hospital.

“This investment in our hospitals is transforming the experience of our patients, staff and community through the network of care across the region.”

Charishma Kaliyanda, Member for Liverpool:

“Like many local residents, I have watched the redevelopment emerge from the ground up, and I am delighted our community will soon have access to some of the best healthcare facilities in the state.

“The redevelopment has already provided a significant economic boost with hundreds of jobs supported during the first stage of the project.

“The second phase of the project will continue to support local employment, with a large proportion of the construction workforce expected to come from western and south western Sydney, and the potential for more healthcare workers to access local opportunities.”

Sonia Marshall, Chief Executive, South Western Sydney Local Health District:

“The Liverpool Health and Academic Precinct redevelopment is creating a hub for innovation and medical research to provide a world-class working environment for our highly skilled clinicians, and staff.”

“It will capitalise on the expertise already here at Liverpool Hospital, and foster more integrated partnerships with other health, research and education organisations located within the greater Liverpool area and beyond.”

“There has never been a more exciting time to join the hospital as we work with our partners in government, business, education and the community to build the healthcare of the future.”

Scott McGrath, Acting General Manager, Liverpool Hospital:

“Phase 1 construction completion of the new building is a wonderful milestone for our staff, patients and community.”

“The redevelopment will meet the needs of the multicultural community through culturally appropriate care, a focus on health literacy and multicultural services.”

“Importantly, it celebrates the region’s culturally diverse community through arts and culture and connection to Country. I thank our community for helping to shape our new building, and particularly the representatives of our Aboriginal and multicultural communities for their contributions towards the stunning artworks. These will bring diversity and joy to everyone in the new building.’’

The NSW Opposition is calling on the Minns Labor Government to outlaw the display of symbols of proscribed terrorist groups if the federal Parliament does not swiftly act to remedy possible gaps in the Commonwealth Criminal Code.  Recent protests in Sydney and Melbourne saw the display flags of Hezbollah, an organisation officially recognised as a terrorist group by the Australian Government.
 
NSW Leader of the Opposition Mark Speakman said we can’t tolerate the glorification of violence and extremism on our streets.
 
“Tough legislation will ensure that NSW is no safe haven for those who support or sympathise with terrorist organisations. I urge the Minns Labor Government to show their commitment to public safety by being prepared to introduce such legislation,” Mr Speakman said.
 
Currently, the Commonwealth Criminal Code already makes it an offence to display the symbols of terrorist organisations in many circumstances, but not as a general offence; to prove an offence it is also necessary to prove another further matter, for example that the conduct involves dissemination of ideas based on racial hatred or intimidation. The NSW Opposition supports the call of federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton for the federal Parliament to fill any gaps and to prohibit the display of terrorist symbols more generally.
 
However, if the federal Parliament does not act to remedy gaps in Commonwealth Criminal Code, the NSW Opposition calls on the Premier to enact a ban. Such a ban should be modelled on section 93ZA of the Crimes Act 1900, enacted under the previous Liberals and Nationals Government and which prohibits the display of Nazi symbols. This would ensure that no terrorist organisation—be it Hezbollah, Hamas, or any other group—can promote their dangerous ideologies through symbols, such as flags and logos, in our communities.
 
Shadow Attorney General Alister Henskens said that there is no place in our multicultural society for the glorification of violent terrorist groups.
 
“The display in our streets of the symbols of terrorism is a threat to social harmony and an incitement to violence. Legislation should send a clear message that NSW will not allow any terrorist group to spread their repugnant ideology,” Mr Henskens said.
 
The recent protests have sparked widespread concern after Hezbollah flags were prominently displayed. 
 
The NSW Opposition calls on the NSW Government to work with the Opposition in a bipartisan manner to ban the public act of displaying these symbols if the federal Parliament does not close the current legal gaps, to reinforce the state’s commitment to combating terrorism.