NEW INVESTMENT ARM TO ACCELERATE NSW ECONOMY AND JOBS
- The NSW Government will aggressively target international and local businesses through a new body – Investment NSW – designed to attract billions of dollars into the state and drive the economy to recovery.
- Investment NSW will take advantage of NSW’s successful handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and our position as a safe place to do business.
- The new body reflects the Government’s central focus on jobs, skills and investment, which forms part of the NSW Government’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan.
- It will also incorporate a new section, R&D NSW, following the launch of the NSW R&D Action Plan in January to boost the future pipeline of ideas and companies.
- Investment NSW will partner with key areas of the NSW Government to ensure the best possible investment outcomes for NSW.
NSW CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER AWARDED THE HIGHEST HONOUR IN THE 2021 WOMEN OF THE YEAR AWARDS
- NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant has been named NSW Premier’s Woman of the Year, the highest honour in the NSW Women of the Year Awards held in Sydney today.
- Dr Chant is a role model, especially for women, and has absolutely excelled in her chosen field to affect lasting change.
- The NSW Women of the Year Awards are a highlight of Women’s Week and congratulated all winners in 2021.
- For more information or biographies for winners and finalists, please visit www.women.nsw.gov.au.
NSW GOVERNMENT DELIVERS KOALA SEPP 2021
- Koala SEPP 2019 will be remade across NSW as Koala SEPP 2021. Core rural zones in rural areas will be decoupled from the SEPP as new codes that protect koala habitat under the Local Land Services Act are developed over the next month.
- This will vastly reduce red tape by removing the dual consent requirements facing farmers and foresters while immediately introducing enhanced protection for koala habitat in areas where more than 95 per cent of development activity occurs.
- A number of measures will be introduced to ensure that Koala habitat is protected, whilst limiting unnecessary regulation on rural land use.
CELEBRATING NSW WOMEN’S WEEK 2021
- Financial independence, more opportunities for rural and regional women and entrepreneurship are among the topics promoting gender equality during NSW Women’s Week, under the theme #ChooseToChallenge.
- Events during NSW Women’s Week include an intergenerational forum tackling work-family balance, an entrepreneurship panel on championing change and a networking event for rural and regional women.
- The $100,000 Women’s Week Grants also enable 27 organisations to host programs – many regionally – including a cultural craft group, university tax clinic and mountain bike club.
- The NSW Government is committed to supporting women’s economic opportunity and advancement; health and wellbeing; and participation and empowerment.
- For more information, visit https://www.women.nsw.gov.au/news-and-events/nsw-womens-week.
TIME RIPE TO PLANT MORE TREES IN GREATER SYDNEY
- Sydney is becoming greener with 500,000 trees planted, edging closer to the Premier’s Priority of planting one million trees by 2022 .
- The 500,000th tree was planted at Bungarribee Park, where the NSW Government announced the latest $10 million round of the Greening our City grant program for Sydney’s councils to plant trees.
- The program advances the Premier’s Priority of Greening Our City, announced in June 2019, to increase tree canopy and green cover by planting one million trees in Greater Sydney by 2022. The priority is part of the Five Million Trees Program, which aims to plant five million trees in Greater Sydney by 2030.
- Greater Sydney councils can submit grant applications until 14 April. The grant program is being administered by Local Government NSW on behalf of the Department. Successful applicants will be notified in May.
- Program details, and previous recipients, are available at: www.dpie.nsw.gov.au/premiers-priorities/greening-our-city/greening-our-city-grants.
NSW DAIRY INDUSTRY ONCE AGAIN CREAM OF THE CROP BACKED BY NEW $16 MILLION PLAN
- After a series of challenging seasons, the State’s world-class dairy industry has begun to navigate its way out of the impacts of drought and bushfires, with new figures from the NSW Government revealing an up-to three-fold increase in profitability for farmers.
- To further secure the promising upswing, NSW and Australian Government’s are providing a $6 million grant from the Stage One Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund – Sector Development Grants.
- The funding will contribute to a project total of $16 million, with significant co-contributions from Dairy Australia, the University of Sydney, the private sector, NSW dairy industry organisations and the broader national dairy industry.
MORE PEOPLE IN HOMES, FEWER ON THE STREET
- The number of people sleeping rough across the state has reduced by 14 per cent in the last year thanks to the NSW Government’s strong focus on empowering people to break the cycle of homelessness.
- The second annual state-wide street count of rough sleepers had recorded 1,131 people compared to 1,314 people last year.
- More than 150 local organisations partnered with the NSW Government to complete street counts in more than 280 towns and suburbs in 70 local government areas.
- The annual street count will provide NSW Government with valuable data as it pursues the Premier’s Priority of halving street sleeping across the state by 2025.
- More information about the 2021 street count results are available online.
ANOTHER SYDNEY METRO MILESTONE REACHED
- The NSW Government has approved a landmark building above the future Pitt Street Sydney Metro station in another milestone for Australia’s largest public transport project.
- The 39-storey Pitt Street North commercial office tower will be integrated with the station to creating a connected hub of offices, shops and world-class public transport.
- This approval means up to 620 construction jobs and 4,000 operational jobs once the building is complete which is great news for NSW as we continue to recover from the pandemic.
CHANGES TO ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN TO RUN FOR COUNCIL
- The NSW Government is set to scrap a number of outdated meeting practice policies as part of a plan to increase diversity including female representation in local government.
- Under new proposed changes councillors with carer and work responsibilities will be permitted to attend council meetings virtually as well as have carer costs covered.
- A consultation paper on the use of remote meetings has been released to assist councils and other interested organisations and individuals to make submissions by June 11.
- More information can be found on the Office of Local Government website website here.