More than 1,200 people who were sleeping rough in NSW have been helped into temporary accommodation through the rapid expansion of assertive outreach to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said this presents an opportunity to help some of the community’s most vulnerable people break the cycle of disadvantage by assisting them into longer-term accommodation.
“Our intense work since the beginning of April has resulted in many people sleeping rough accepting the offer of temporary accommodation for the first time in their lives,” Mr Ward said.
“While this is a positive outcome, now that these people have a roof over their head and a safe place to stay, we want to work with them to plan for the future and, where we can, assist them to secure a safe and stable home.”
As part of the Government’s $10 million investment in charities, Neami National will receive an additional $3 million to extend support services for people in the Greater Sydney area living in temporary accommodation as part of the effort to find permanent housing solutions.
Neami National CEO Tom Dalton said the collective response during the pandemic builds on the existing networks within the community.
“These connections are critical in supporting people to move into longer-term housing. This commitment provides us with the opportunity to work with each person to understand their needs and help identify the right support for them,” Mr Dalton said.
“We can assist people to find longer term housing and the right services that provide support to improve health, wellbeing and independence.”
In addition, the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) is working intensively with Specialist Homelessness Services in regional and rural NSW to assist people in temporary accommodation into longer-term housing.
These initiatives align with the NSW Government’s commitment to halve street sleeping by 2025 as part of its Premier’s Priorities.
Statement on 2020 Newcastle 500
City of Newcastle acknowledges that the 2020 Newcastle 500 will not form part of the revised 2020 Supercars Australia Championship series following the impact of COVID-19.
“The Newcastle 500 is the largest event on the local calendar. The loss of this event in December 2020 and the tens of thousands of overnight bookings, is devastating for accommodation and hospitality providers, who are already under financial pressure from measures required to stop the spread of COVID 19,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“Hunter Research Foundation found the Newcastle 500 generates $30.1 million annually for the Newcastle economy alone. The $30.1 million benefit of the event would be far higher if the direct economic benefit in neighbouring areas including Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie, Maitland and Cessnock were included.
“As the finale of the Supercars Australia Championship series, the Newcastle 500 brings widespread exposure for our city. This 2019 event weekend recorded 344 media stories from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 November, reaching a combined domestic audience of more than 14 million people, with an estimated value of over $2 million.
“According to Supercars Australia the TV audience for Newcastle 500 peaked at more than 1.8 million viewers with an average of 1.3 million people viewing the three-day event.
“We look forward to the return of Supercars to Newcastle.”
Man charged after allegedly choking child near Maitland
A man will appear in court today after allegedly choking a child in a domestic-related incident in the state’s Hunter region.
About 2pm yesterday (Saturday 16 May 2020), a 27-year-old man was at a house in Rutherford, about 7km north-west of Maitland, when he allegedly became involved in an argument with a 44-year-old woman and became aggressive.
Police will allege in court that he turned and grabbed a five-year-old boy by the throat with both hands and lifted him off the ground, before letting him go onto a lounge.
The man left the house and the incident was reported to officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District, who commenced an investigation.
Following inquiries, officers from Sydney City Police Area Command arrested the man at a hotel on Castlereagh Street, Haymarket, about 9.45pm.
He was taken to Surry Hills Police Station and charged with intentionally choke person without consent (DV).
The man was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Bail Court today (Sunday 17 May 2020).
Pilot dies in light plane crash – Hunter Region
A man has died following a light plane crash in the state’s Hunter region today.
About 10.15am (Sunday 17 May 2020), emergency services were called to a property on Denton Close, Windella, after reports a light plane had crashed into a backyard.
The pilot and sole occupant of the aircraft was removed from the wreckage by witnesses and despite attempts to resuscitate him, he died at the scene.
He is yet to be formally identified but is believed to be a 44-year-old.
Officers from Port Stephens Hunter Police District established a crime scene and commenced inquiries.
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority have been notified.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.
Breakdown of latest Public Health Act charges and Penalty Infringement Notices (PINs)
In the past 24 hours, one person has been issued with a Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW) COVID-19.
Yesterday’s PINs:
- About 9.30pm yesterday (Friday 15 May 2020), Traffic and Highway Patrol officers were patrolling Emu Plains when they stopped and spoke to a 19-year-old man on Mitchell’s Pass. The man could not provide a reasonable excuse for leaving home and was issued a $1000 PIN.
All States & Territories Put Commonwealth To Shame Over International Students
Australian Greens Education spokesperson Senator Mehreen Faruqi has said that all states and territories have put the federal government to shame over its lack of support for international students.
Last night, New South Wales became the last state to release a package providing support to international students during COVID-19. The federal government continues to deny international students access to federal income support, and has not set up any financial assistance fund or program for students. Students across the country are going hungry and are at risk of homelessness.
Senator Faruqi said:
“This is nothing less than a complete failure of leadership and humanity from the Morrison government.
“It’s extraordinary that the federal government has completely abrogated its responsibility for higher education, and left it up to the states and territories to support the half a million international students currently studying in Australia.
“With NSW stepping up, all states and territories are now putting the Commonwealth to shame over its treatment of international students.
“There are hundreds of thousands of students who have lost work and would be eligible for the JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments were it not for their visa status. They are doing it incredibly tough.
“The state-level packages are welcome, but they won’t be enough to get international students through COVID-19. Packages also vary from state to state. We need a federal level commitment and national coordination to make sure that every single student gets the support they need to get through this crisis,” she said.
Update on Coronavirus Measures
The National Cabinet met today to further discuss Australia’s current COVID-19 response, easing restrictions in the coming months, helping Australians prepare to go back to work in a COVID-Safe environment and getting the economy moving again.
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, provided an update on the measures underway, the latest data and medical advice in relation to COVID-19.
There have been over 7,000 confirmed cases in Australia and sadly 98 people have died. There are now less than 1,000 active cases in Australia, and over the past week, daily infection rates have remained low. Testing remains high, with more than 950,000 tests undertaken in Australia.
We need to continue to have the right controls in place to test more people, trace those who test positive and respond to local outbreaks when they occur. These are precedent conditions to enable Australia to relax baseline restrictions and enable Australians to live and work in a COVID-19 safe economy.
National Cabinet again encouraged Australians to download the COVIDSafe app to ensure that we can protect Australians and continue to ease baseline restrictions.
More than 5.7 million Australians have already downloaded the COVIDSafe app. This is an enormous achievement but more is needed.
National Cabinet noted that the Governor-General extended the human biosecurity emergency period for three months from 17 June 2020 to 17 September 2020.
This will enable the Minister for Health to continue to exercise the emergency powers under the Commonwealth Biosecurity Act to prevent or control the spread of COVID-19.
The Chief Medical Officer, Professor Brendan Murphy, also provided an update on epidemiological modelling and the rare conditions – paediatric inflammatory multisystem syndrome (PMIS-TS) and Kawasaki disease. Professor Murphy advised that there were no cases of PMIS-TS or Kawasaki disease related to COVID-19 in Australia.
National Cabinet also received briefings from Treasury Secretary Steven Kennedy, Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority Chair Wayne Byers on the economic and financial situation.
National Cabinet will meet again on Friday 29 May 2020.
Mental Health
National Cabinet endorsed the Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Plan developed by the National Mental Health Commission, in conjunction with teams from New South Wales and Victoria.
The Plan acknowledges the significant impact that COVID-19 has had on the mental health and wellbeing of so many Australians, including mental health impacts from economic downturn through loss of income and job losses.
We have seen these impacts in increased calls for help to our crisis and support services, with Beyond Blue, Lifeline and Kids Helpline together receiving over 130,000 contacts in the last month, an increase of between 25 and 56 per cent for each service, compared with the same time last year.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Plan has three core objectives to:
- Meet the mental health and wellbeing needs of all Australians to reduce the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the short and long term;
- Outline seven key principles and 10 key priorities to inform the jurisdictions as they respond to the challenges of COVID-19 during the response and recovery from the pandemic; and
- Define governance, coordination and implementation requirements across jurisdictions to facilitate informed planning and decision making
National Cabinet noted that the Commonwealth will invest $48.1 million in the plan focused on:
- Improving data and research with more immediate monitoring and modelling of mental health impact of COVID-19, including boosting national capability in monitoring, anticipating and reacting to mental health impacts of the pandemic; expanding the national self-harm and suicide monitoring systems; and investment in the National Suicide Prevention Research Fund;
- Supporting vulnerable groups, by supporting services accessible in homes, workplaces, aged care, schools and other community sites – with a specific focus on vulnerable groups – aged care, carers and indigenous mental health support; and
- Better coordination and communications – more connectivity through improved service linkage and coordination, including a national mental health communication campaign to manage anxiety and encourage mental wellbeing and systems to guide the onward care of people contacting federal digital and telephone support services by connecting them to appropriate local services that provide outreach care in the home.
National Cabinet further noted Victoria’s investment of $19.5 million, announced today, to deliver mental health reforms and additional resources, staff and programs, as more people seek support as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All governments agreed the need for each jurisdiction to ensure Australians receive the mental health services and support they require at this time, and in the coming phases of recovery and rebuilding.
Strong mental health will be a foundation stone as we move ahead, not just to productivity and the economy, but to family wellbeing, social cohesion, community functioning and national resilience.
Elective Surgery
All governments have been monitoring public and private hospital activity, and have reviewed the current situation in light of the restoration of elective surgeries and found:
- The spread of the COVID-19 outbreak has slowed, with new cases decreasing nationally since the restoration of elective surgeries;
- There is currently still unused hospital capacity in all jurisdictions across both public and private sectors, and harm to patients can be reduced by taking further steps to restore elective surgery; and
- PPE supplies need to be carefully managed and while there is a need to continue to actively monitor this and manage availability, supply lines are firming.
Given the current situation and Australia’s response to COVID-19, it is now considered safe to reopen elective surgery activity in an incremental and cautious way, while maintaining necessary ICU capacity for any localised outbreaks of COVID-19.
National Cabinet agreed to reopen elective surgery, by removing restrictions and restoring hospital activity involving 3 stages.
It is a decision of each jurisdiction to determine which stage applies to its circumstances, the timeline for implementation and the level of normal surgical activity is safely restored in line with the agreed principles. The stages are:
Stage 1 – up to 50 per cent of normal surgical activity levels (including reportable and non-reportable);
Stage 2 – up to 75 per cent of normal surgical activity levels (including reportable and non-reportable);
Stage 3 – up to 100 per cent of normal surgical activity levels (including reportable and non-reportable) or as close to normal activity levels as is safely possible.
Private Hospitals should mirror their own state’s approach to surgical activity unless agreed otherwise with the relevant state.
The level of elective surgery will be reviewed monthly from May 2020 by the Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC), to ensure that it remains safe and sustainable, and in line with the agreed principles.
Remote Communities
National Cabinet agreed to a framework to inform decisions around lifting remote area travel restrictions as we move through the three-step plan for a COVIDSafe Australia.
This will help remote communities and governments manage risk and respond to cases early. It also recognises that the different circumstances across communities will require different approaches.
Our key concern is ensuring that appropriate arrangements are in place to minimise the risks of transmission and manage any cases or outbreaks that may occur. The restrictions in place in remote communities have followed requests from communities, organisations and leaders, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.
National Cabinet acknowledged the success with no reported cases of COVID-19 among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote communities.
Public spaces re-open but social distancing remains
City of Newcastle is encouraging residents to continue social distancing as parks, playgrounds, skateparks and beaches re-open in line with a relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions.
Under a new Public Health Order, from today outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people will be allowed across the state and leaving the home for leisure will be permitted.
“I’d like to thank and commend the Newcastle community for their co-operation and understanding in observing social distancing rules and stay-home orders over the past couple of months,” Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“From today we have removed restrictions on outdoor spaces and re-opened playgrounds, skateparks and outdoor equipment including basketball and netball courts.
“We ask the community to continue to respect the NSW Government health restrictions by maintaining social distancing and continuing to practise good hygiene to ensure everyone can enjoy our public spaces.
“It is everyone’s responsibility to adhere to the restrictions, so when there’s 10 people at a skatepark or basketball court, users are encouraged to respect everyone’s right to access the facility.”
Blackbutt Reserve’s open space areas will re-open to the public ahead of the Carnley and Richley Reserve playgrounds on Saturday following scheduled maintenance Friday. Animal encounters, wildlife exhibits and shows remain suspended under the current social distancing and public gathering restrictions.
The red-and-yellow flags are back up at Newcastle Ocean Baths, Merewether Ocean Baths; Nobbys, Bar and Merewether beaches in line with winter-season patrols, with lifeguards continuing to encourage social distancing while monitoring swimmers.
More information will be known soon on organised sport as the City follows the national guidelines for the resumption of sport and recreation activities, and the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment https://ais.gov.au/health-wellbeing/covid-19
The NSW Office of Sport is working on the development of guidelines for each sport in line with the AIS Framework.
While continued restrictions on gatherings mean the City’s cultural facilities, such as libraries, Newcastle Museum, Civic Theatre and the Art Gallery, remain closed, a range of experiences are being offered online, from Art Gallery exhibitions to animal feeding at Blackbutt.
Civic Digest Café will resume table service for up to 10 patrons, in line with the easing of restrictions on hospitality businesses, and continue its takeaway service.
While the City’s face-to-face customer service desk remains closed, customers can instead access support between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, on (02) 4974 2000, on webchat or via our online Customer Request Form
NEW FLEET FOR NSW AMBULANCE FRONTLINE
A fleet of 89 new state-of-the-art ambulances will be rolled out to communities across NSW as part of a $17 million funding boost from the NSW Government.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the new fleet will bring provide additional capacity across the state and ensure the health system can deal with any potential surge in COVID-19 cases.
“This is another step we are taking to ensure our health system is prepared for any spike in COVID-19 cases, especially as we ease restrictions and head into winter,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“The manufacture of the 89 extra ambulances is well underway and we expect to have them on road within weeks, in regional and metropolitan communities across the state.”
Health Minister Brad Hazzard said the $17 million investment also delivers additional medical supplies including upgraded life-saving defibrillators.
“The package will provide extra defibrillators with features previously only available in acute care environments, as well as critical airway equipment such as Laryngoscopes used for the intubation of seriously ill patients,” Mr Hazzard said.
“This new fleet follows the graduation of 467 new paramedic recruits who will now join NSW Ambulance’s incredible frontline troops who come to our aid and save our lives when we need them the most.”
NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Dr Dominic Morgan said the new fleet and additional paramedics will go a long way to helping us meet the demands of the community during these extraordinary times.
“We are one of the largest ambulance services in the world and this boost to our workforce gives us new strength and support to our very valuable frontline workforce,” Dr Morgan said.
The allocation of new ambulances is currently being finalised, with priority being given to areas experiencing a higher demand for services.
The $17 million is part of the NSW Government’s $800 million investment to boost ICU capacity and purchase additional services and medical equipment
NEW VISION FOR ROYAL NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL
The NSW Government today announced plans to transform a portion of Royal North Shore Hospital (RNSH), known as the Herbert Street Precinct, into a thriving community with additional health-related services, public open space, key worker housing and a new educational facility.
Minister for Water, Property and Housing, Melinda Pavey, said the Government’s vision for the Herbert Street Precinct will improve social, health and economic outcomes.
“This is a unique opportunity to improve health services, provide more open space and deliver up to 500 apartments within the site focusing on accommodation for key health-related workers, allowing hard working hospital staff and essential services workers to live close to their work,” Mrs Pavey said.
Member for North Shore, Felicity Wilson said the proposed redevelopment supports the growth of Royal North Shore Hospital as one of the State’s most important health, research and training facilities.
“The development of the Herbert Street Precinct provides the opportunity to improve facilities for key workers, clinicians, patients and allied health services,” Ms Wilson said.
Key features of the transformation include:
- Affordable key worker accommodation (to support the Northern Sydney Local Health District) and ‘build to rent’ apartments
- New commercial office space to support the broader health and education precinct (including office space, retail and short stay accommodation)
- A new educational facility
- 6,000m2 additional public domain and open space
- Adaptive re-use of heritage buildings
- Improved connectivity and pedestrian access to public transport; and
- Additional car parking for commercial, retail and residential uses.
The Government will shortly undertake a detailed consultation program with the RNSH community, government agencies, Willoughby Council, local businesses and the general public. Details of the consultation activities and events will be made available shortly.
A planning submission for the rezoning of the Herbert Street Precinct and redevelopment proposal will follow this preliminary consultation period.
There will be no immediate change to the RNSH Campus and no disruption to clinicians, patients, staff or visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To view the Herbert Street Precinct transformation fly-through and images, visit: www.herbertstreetprecinct.com.au, https://virtualideas.sharefile.com/share/view/sc146ca066ba4e549