Premier Gladys Berejiklian today announced the NSW Government is working with German powerhouse Siemens to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to bring advanced technologies and innovations in vocational education and training (VET) to the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
Founded in 1847, Siemens is the largest industrial manufacturing company in Europe.
Ms Berejiklian made the announcement ahead of a tour of a ‘Smart City’ to learn about Germany’s innovative approach to vocational education and training (VET) on the sixth and final day of her international trade mission.
The up to €600 million ‘Siemensstadt 2.0’ or Siemens City 2.0 innovation precinct is set to transform a 70 hectare industrial area in Berlin into a modern, urban district with offices, residences, laboratories and production plants in place by 2030.
“The NSW Government is committed to building a supply of skilled labour to meet the jobs needs of the future,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I’m excited to learn more about Germany’s dual system of on-the-job and classroom training and see how that works in practice for companies like Siemens.”
Germany’s VET system provides trainees with high-level technical skills and has been especially effective at responding to changes in technology and the employment needs of business, providing a reliable source of high-skilled labour for local companies and supporting the global competitiveness of small to medium enterprises.
Siemens is a major investor in VET, training around 8000 apprentices and students in Germany each year.
Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres said a strong VET system will be essential for ensuring the success of the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
“The key to ensuring that additional jobs created through the Aerotropolis are sustainable is to provide workers with the skills they need for future industries,” Mr Ayres said. “That’s why the NSW Government will establish a permanent VET facility in the Aerotropolis with a focus on advanced manufacturing, technology and engineering.”
The Premier is on a trade mission to the UK and Germany from August 11 to 16 with Mr Ayres, exploring innovative partnership options for NSW.
Police request phone vision of assault – Hamilton
Police investigating the assault of a man in Hamilton overnight have requested phone vision of the incident.
About 1.45am (Sunday 18 August 2019), police attended the intersection of Beaumont and Clearly Streets following reports of an assault.
Police found three injured men, one with a broken nose and a displaced tooth, one with a cut lip and the other with minor abrasions.
A 30-year-old Tighes Hill man was arrested at the scene and taken to Newcastle City Police Station. He was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, common assault and affray.
He was granted conditional bail and is expected to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 5 September 2019.
As police arrived at the scene a number of people were filming the incident and investigators are now appealing for those witnesses to contact Newcastle City police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
SPORTS CLUBS SAVING LIVES
Champion golfer Craig Parry has backed the NSW Government’s Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program, supporting the installation of more devices across the State, to keep saving lives.
Nearly 1,200 grants have been handed out to sporting clubs and councils across NSW since the launch of the program, to assist in the purchase of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) to respond to cardiac emergencies.
“I hope they’ll never have to be used, but if they are, they will be crucial to saving lives on the golf course and other sports arenas.” Mr Parry said.
Minister for Sport John Sidoti is encouraging sports clubs across the state to apply for grants for this potentially life-saving equipment.
“Early access to a defibrillator can mean the difference between life and death in the event of a cardiac arrest,” Mr Sidoti said.
“With more and more people of all ages participating in amateur sport, it is vital clubs and councils are equipped to respond to life-threating emergencies.”
Mr Sidoti launched the 2019/20 round of the program at Concord Golf Club which was awarded a grant to purchase four defibrillators in the last round of the program, bringing the club’s total to five.
General Manager, Glenn Phillips said due to the club’s demographic, it was vital there was access to this potentially life-saving equipment from anywhere on the course.
“The golf course spans 43 acres and due to the distance from the clubhouse to the furthest hole, we felt it was imperative that we install additional defibrillators,” Mr Phillips said.
“We now have defibrillators installed in purpose-built huts next to tee boxes around the course, providing quick access in the event of an emergency.”
The Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program is a four-year $4 million NSW Government program. For more information on the Local Sports Defibrillator Program, visit: https://sport.nsw.gov.au/clubs/grants/defibrillato
NSW HAS LOWEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATE OF ANY STATE
New South Wales remains the jobs capital of Australia with ABS figures released today showing we have the lowest unemployment rate of any state at just 4.4 per cent.
NSW added 12,963 jobs in July with the participation rate in NSW at 65.9 per cent, while the NSW unemployment rate fell 0.2 percentage points.
NSW remains well below the national unemployment rate of 5.2 per cent and is lower than our neighbour states of Victoria 4.8 per cent, Queensland 6.4 per cent, and South Australia 6.9 per cent.
Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the figures reflected the Government’s commitment to boosting employment and opportunity.
“The Government’s record $93 billion infrastructure program is doing the heavy lifting, with total public investment expected to contribute around ½ a percentage point to the State’s growth and support around 100,000 jobs in 2019-20 and 2020-21,” Mr Perrottet said.
“NSW has a strong economy and the latest jobs figures continue to reflect the benefits to our willingness to recycle assets and build the schools, hospitals, roads and new rail lines the state needs.”
Mr Perrottet said Reserve Bank Governor Philip Lowe had recently commented on the benefits to the economy of increased spending on infrastructure.
“NSW is the clear leader in Australia on building infrastructure, we are billions of dollars ahead of other states, and the benefits are clear when you look at how we are performing even in a time when there are economic challenges right across the world,” Mr Perrottet said.
“NSW has a reputation for being a world leader in asset recycling – we are ensuring the State’s balance sheet is working for the people of NSW in the most productive and beneficial ways possible.
“In contrast as we saw during both the NSW and Federal election campaigns earlier this year Labor’s only plan was to cancel projects and raise taxes.”
WESTERN SYDNEY TO BE 3D PRINTING CAPITAL
Western Sydney will be the centre of 3D printing in Australia thanks to a new joint initiative between the NSW Government and industry leader GE Additive.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian was in Munich today to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with GE Additive to develop industrial-scale 3D printing at the Western Sydney Aerotropolis.
“3D printing is on the cutting edge of manufacturing globally and this deal will help make Western Sydney the nation’s leader,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“Our partnership with GE Additive will create many hi-tech jobs across the aerospace, medical and automotive sectors.”
GE Additive is at the forefront of metal additive manufacturing, which is disrupting manufacturing industries and accelerating the way products are designed and made.
Ms Berejiklian visited the GE Additive Customer Experience Centre in Munich, which provides access to 3D printing experts and specialised training for companies of all sizes.
“We are extremely honoured to welcome Premier Berejiklian and the NSW delegation to Munich and equally so to be part of this wider vision for Western Sydney and especially the Aerotropolis precinct,” Jason Oliver, President and CEO of GE Additive, said.
“Adopting an ecosystem approach to additive manufacturing will drive the adoption of this new technology and the development of new businesses and skilled jobs,” Mr Oliver said.
“Given NSW’s rich seam of talent and ambition for the future, we are particularly excited at the impact our work together could have, not just in NSW, but nation-wide and more broadly across the APAC region.”
Ms Berejiklian said enhanced 3D printing capabilities will be a key component of a new space industry hub at the Aerotropolis.
“We are aiming to triple the size of Australia’s space sector to $12 billion by 2030, creating up to 20,000 new jobs in this industry alone,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“This agreement demonstrates our commitment to look globally to bring the best opportunities to NSW.”
Today’s announcement follows an agreement signed in December between the NSW Government and 18 NSW space companies, research and education institutions, as well as the CSIRO, to establish a new Space Industry Hub at the Aerotropolis.
Ms Berejiklian and Minister for Jobs, Investment, Tourism and Western Sydney Stuart Ayres are on a trade mission to the UK and Germany from August 11 to 16.
Woman charged with high-range PCA with child in car – Maitland
A woman has been charged with high-range drink driving while a child was in the car in the state’s Hunter region today.
About 11.55am (Thursday 15 August 2019), officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were conducting a stationary RBT operation on the New England Highway, Maitland when a red Ford Falcon was stopped.
The driver, a 34-year-old woman, underwent a roadside breath test and allegedly returned a positive result.
Upon inspection of her vehicle, police found a seven-year-old boy in the rear passenger seat.
The woman was arrested and taken to Maitland Police Station, where she underwent a breath analysis and returned an alleged reading of 0.227.
The young child was also taken to the station and cared for by police until a family member arrived.
The woman’s license was suspended immediately, and she was issued with a Field Court Attendance Notice for the offence of drive with high range prescribed concentration of alcohol.
She’s due to appear at Maitland Local Court on Wednesday 25 September 2019.
Port Stephens-Hunter Police District’s Acting Inspector Kristin Marshall said officers are continually dumbfounded by those who choose to drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs with children in the car.
“With Operation Merret and Operation Chrome both underway in the Northern Region, we are committed to having every road user reach their destination safely,” Insp Marshall said.
“It’s these kind of selfish decisions that could have fatal and harmful consequences. If you are too intoxicated to drive, you need to find alternative travel arrangements.
“We continue to implore the community to slow down, wear your seatbelt, avoid handling mobile phones and take regular breaks to avoid fatigue.”
House destroyed by fire – Pokolbin
A house was destroyed by fire in the state’s Hunter Valley today.
About 5.20pm (Thursday 15 August 2019), emergency services were called to Gillards Road, Pokolbin, following reports of a house fire.
Fire and Rescue NSW and NSW Rural Fire Service attended and found the home to be entirely engulfed. The fire was controlled, and emergency services continue to extinguish the fire completely.
Officers from Hunter Valley Police District attended and established a crime scene.
The occupants of the home, a 68-year-old man and a 69-year-old woman, escaped the blaze uninjured.
The premises and its contents appear to be completely destroyed and the structure has been deemed unstable.
Investigations continue however, it is believed the fire started in a circuit board in the laundry and it is not being treated as suspicious.
Appeal for information following reported assault and sexual touching of teenager near Maitland
Detectives are appealing to the community for information following reports a teenager was assaulted and sexually touched by a group of males near Maitland last month.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District were contacted after a 13-year-old girl disclosed she had been assaulted while she was walking on Thomas Coke Drive, Thornton, about 4.45pm on Thursday 4 July 2019.
Earlier this month, the matter was referred to detectives from the State Crime Command’s Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Squad for further investigation.
After speaking with the girl further, detectives were told she was followed by about six males and pushed to the ground near the intersection of Thomas Coke Drive and John Arthur Avenue.
The girl further disclosed one of the males sexually touched her, before she was able to run away.
Investigators are now appealing to the community for assistance to identify the six males, who may be able to assist with the investigation.
They are all described as being in their late teens, wearing baggy jeans and riding BMX push bikes.
Detectives are also urging anyone who was in the area at the time who may have seen the incident, specifically a man who was walking his dog near the Alan & Don Lawrence Oval, to come forward.
The man is described as having an olive complexion, aged between 40 and 50, with dark hair and a long well-kept beard. He was walking a brown Border Collie cross German Sheppard.
Library of the future planned for Newcastle West
Dedicated podcasting and virtual reality equipment, 3D holograms of planned developments and interactive wall-mounted screens featuring key City attractions will feature among a suite of new offerings within the ground floor of the City’s future Central Administration Centre (CAC).
The digital library concept, which will be co-located with the customer service centre and Council Chamber in the City’s new CAC, will be the region’s first ‘library of the future’.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the space would be one of the stand-out features of the 12 Stewart Avenue building, which is just months away from occupation.
“When complete, this concept will put the City at the forefront of bridging the digital divide and deliver an advanced digital library focussed on digital literacy and inclusive access for our community,” the Lord Mayor said.
“It will redefine the library experience for people of all ages and create opportunities to experience emerging technologies and spark future innovation across our services.
“As part of the City’s 2019-2029 Library Strategy, which promotes new ways of thinking when it comes to library and customer services, it will help meet Smart City and sustainability commitments to foster digital inclusion and education equality, and inform the roll-out of future technology across other branches.”
As part of the plans, the Digital Library will offer coding classes to tech-minded students, novices or industry professionals eager to upskill their digital knowledge.
A multipurpose meeting room will also be available to the community. The space will also double as a podcasting studio, with library staff conducting regular classes demonstrating how to podcast.
The Digital Library will feature elements of a more traditional library including books, magazines and newspapers, which can be borrowed or read on comfortable lounge chairs. eBook download kiosks and a digital PressReader newspaper and magazine table will also feature in the new library.
Other features of the digital library concept include:
- A digital ‘Magic Box’ that replicates pages from the City’s Rare Book collection. These can be read and navigated using the swipe of a finger from the outside of the glass;
- Programming activities for all ages focussed on science and technology, such as coding activities for a robot, which can improve digital literacy skills
- A focus on intergenerational digital inclusion activities to make it easier to access online information and services such as eGov services;
- Interactive story walls that tell stories of our heritage and display vision from key city attractions such as Blackbutt Reserve and the Bathers Way Coastal Walk;
- A cashless payment system which allows members to pay for printing, copying, fines and services online or in branches by using credit on their library cards.
While the library will initially operate within regular business hours, it is envisaged that in time an area on the ground floor complex will be configured to allow 24-hour opening hours for borrowing and computer access.
Libraries Manager Suzie Gately said the digital library project would take the best of traditional libraries and enhance the experience with modern technology.
“Libraries have, through history, been places for people to learn, relax and collaborate, and this project will take that experience to the next level by blending traditional book lending with curated digital content and a strong customer service focus,” she said.
NEWCASTLE GAS TERMINAL GIVEN CRITICAL STATUS
A Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) import terminal at Newcastle that could supply up to 80 per cent of NSW’s gas needs will today be declared Critical State Significant Infrastructure.
Acting Premier John Barilaro said the proposal for the new $589 million gas import terminal at Kooragang Island in the Port of Newcastle would include a connecting pipeline to the existing NSW gas supply network.
“The terminal could be operational by 2022-23 and provide supply for gas-fired power stations, helping to manage energy security during the period in which the Liddell power station is scheduled to close,” Mr Barilaro said.
“This LNG terminal would significantly address this risk and help secure a reliable and affordable future for NSW’s gas supply.”
The project will be declared critical by Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes who said the terminal, if approved, would significantly increase local gas supply, promote competition between suppliers and put downward pressure on the State’s gas prices.
“NSW currently relies on interstate sources for 95 per cent of our gas supply and experts predict a shortfall in supply from existing sources in the coming years,” Mr Stokes said.
The import terminal would expand the locally available gas supply in NSW by 110 petajoules.
Despite being declared ‘critical’, the terminal will still be subject to detailed community consultation and a full and thorough environmental assessment.
The proponent, Newcastle GasDock Company (NGDC), will now need to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the project, which will go on public exhibition for community feedback.
The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment will then assess the merits of the project, before making a recommendation to Minister Stokes for a final decision.