16 News

Deniliquin High School students returned for Day 1, Term 1 2026 to a fully-equipped temporary campus, as the NSW Government works to swiftly address damage after a fire destroyed classrooms and the school library in late 2025.

Construction took place over the school holidays to ensure all students started the school year in the temporary facilities. The temporary campus includes 24 demountable classrooms, with fully equipped Technology and Applied Science workshops, science labs, a library and staff rooms. The buildings not affected by fire have been inspected and cleared for use.

Located on the school’s grounds, the temporary campus has been designed to maintain playground space and preserve existing basketball courts for student use. Minor onsite works including deck installations, ramps, covered walkways, and connection of services will continue throughout Term 1 2026.

The Department of Education will continue to keep the school and broader Deniliquin community up to date as planning for the permanent rebuild progresses.

Separately, construction is also underway on a brand-new public preschool at nearby Deniliquin South Public School. The public preschool will accommodate up to 80 children per week and will open early 2027. The preschool will offer playrooms, an outside play space, an administration area, amenities, staff kitchen, and storage spaces.

As the biggest expansion of public preschools in the state’s history, the Minns Labor Government’s rollout of 100 new public preschools will provide access to high quality early learning for up to 9,000 children across NSW by 2027.

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

“The temporary facilities at Deniliquin High School will ensure continuity of quality education as the dedicated rebuild gets underway.

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to supporting regional communities, and we will deliver a fit-for-purpose high school rebuild for local students.

“For far too long, families in Regional NSW had limited access to quality early childhood education. The new Deniliquin South Public Preschool will provide local families greater access to quality early learning close to home.”

Member for Murray Helen Dalton said:

“The fire at Deniliquin High School was a shock to our community, and parents and students were concerned that the incident would prove incredibly disruptive.

“But the fast action by the Minns Government to build temporary facilities means this disruption has been largely avoided.

“This is a great outcome, and the Minns Government should be commended for stepping up so quickly to support the people of Deniliquin, following the High School fire.”

Deniliquin High School Principal Glen Warren said:

“The past few months have been challenging for our whole school community, but the dedication and support we have received from the department, and the wider community is heartening.

“We are excited to welcome students back to a safe and well-equipped temporary campus.”

NSW public hospitals and health services will welcome more than 3,200 new graduate nurses and midwives this year, providing a boost to frontline healthcare across the state.

The new nurses and midwives will gain experience in a variety of clinical settings, including emergency departments, acute services, maternity, mental health, and a range of other specialities.

The graduates will work across NSW in multidisciplinary teams alongside experienced staff who will support them to gain the skills and knowledge required to care for NSW’s diverse communities.

The Minns Labor Government has introduced a broad suite of reforms to further strengthen and rebuild the state’s health workforce following 12 years of neglect by the Liberals and Nationals, including:

• Abolishing the wages cap and delivering the largest wage increase to healthcare workers in a decade;
• Implementing safe staffing levels in our emergency departments;
• Saving 1,112 nurses which the Liberal Government planned to sack; and
• Supporting our future health workforce by providing them with study subsidies

For more information on careers in nursing and midwifery in NSW, visit the NSW Health website.

Minister for Health Ryan Park

“I want to thank each and every one of these graduate nurses and midwives for choosing to work here in Australia’s largest health system, where they will have the opportunity to work with and learn from some of the very best.

“These new nurses and midwives will provide a welcome boost to the NSW Health workforce, delivering essential support to patients, their families and carers.

“The Minns Government is recruiting more nurses, doctors, paramedics, and allied health professionals, rebuilding the health workforce to deliver better patient outcomes.”

Jacqui Cross, Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer

“It is wonderful to be able to welcome so many new nurses and midwives starting their careers caring for the people of NSW.

“Careers in nursing and midwifery are very rewarding, supporting people and their families at some of their most critical moments in life.

“Graduates will work across multidisciplinary teams alongside our experienced staff, who will support them to gain skills and knowledge in one of the world’s best health systems.”

The Minns Labor Government is providing more than $112,000 in funding to support 70 veterans-related programs as part of the Veteran Community Grants Program (VCGP).

Funding will be provided to individuals, community groups, schools and ex-service organisations across the state, from Broken Hill in the far west, Bilambil Heights in the far north and the bordertown of Albury in the south.

Formerly known as the Anzac Community Grants Program, the 2025 round of the VCGP was the first delivered under a refreshed program design with more emphasis on funding projects that enhance veteran wellbeing, support recognition of the veteran community and events that acknowledge significant military anniversaries. 

Successful applicants have been awarded up to $3,000 for projects that benefit both veterans and the wider community, including 24 educational institutions, 22 RSL sub-Branches and 9 other veteran organisations.

Grant recipients include the 2/30th Battalion A.I.F. Association who received $3,000 to assist with the commemoration of the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Gemas.

The North Sydney RSL sub-Branch also received $2,400 in funding to support a series of safeTALK suicide awareness training courses to raise awareness about suicide and equip people will skills on how to take action when they encounter someone at risk.

The full list of VCGP recipients and more information about the program can be viewed here: https://www.veterans.nsw.gov.au/vcgp2025 

Minister for Veterans David Harris said:

“The Minns Labor Government is committed to honouring and supporting veterans and their families.

“The newly refurbished Veteran Community Grants Program provides funding for a wide range of exceptional projects and initiatives that allow communities across the state to acknowledge Australia’s military service history along with educating future generations and enhancing the wellbeing of the veteran community.

“Applications were received for projects across 98 NSW suburbs, within 61 Local Government Areas and 66 State electorates and this funding awarded will make a real difference for many of these communities.”

Kerry Gilbert, President, 2/30^th Battalion A.I.F. Association said:

“Thank you to the NSW Government for this funding which will contribute to the 85th Anniversary of the Battle of Gemas commemoration in 2027.

“This funding will help us bring together the descendants, families and friends of the men who served in the 2/30th Battalion and honour their service and sacrifice on this significant military anniversary.”

Bronte Pollard, Volunteer Advocate, North Sydney RSL sub-Branch said:

“On behalf of the North Sydney RSL sub-Branch, thank you to the NSW Government for this funding which will allow us to hold several safeTALK suicide awareness training sessions for veterans and their families.

“With these courses, we hope to not only educate and provide basic tools to help a person experiencing thoughts of suicide but to also breakdown the stigma attached to having such thoughts.”

Commuters in Bankstown, Lakemba, Canterbury, Marrickville and surrounding suburbs are closer to enjoying the world class Southwest metro service with testing successfully simulating a fully loaded train.

To replicate the weight of 1,540 passengers, Sydney Metro has been testing a train loaded with 106 containers filled with 115,500 litres of water. Since the simulation commenced the train has successfully completed more than 500 kilometres of critical performance and safety testing on the new Southwest Metro line.

This trial tests the safe and reliable performance of the train under real-world operating conditions. The test train simulates the approximate 115,500-kilogram weight of a fully loaded passenger service to validate braking, acceleration and stopping distances, check interfaces between the train, track and platforms functions safely and ensure the power and signalling systems operate correctly under peak demand.

Since higher-speed testing began on 10 November 2025, more than 1,200 of the required 9,000 hours have been completed at speeds of up to 100 km/h, along with around 13,000 kilometres of the required 30,000 kilometres of testing.

A second train has also joined the testing on the Southwest Metro line. From March onwards up to six trains will be part of the testing fleet which will conduct multi train testing and system integration acceptance tests. Testing will be completed later this year before the trial running phase commences.    

Once complete, passengers will benefit from faster, more reliable and more frequent services, including:

• Marrickville to Gadigal: 12 minutes – saving 12 minutes
• Bankstown to Central: 28 minutes – saving six minutes
• Campsie to Macquarie University: 44 minutes – saving 17 minutes
• Lakemba to Victoria Cross: 37 minutes – saving 24 minutes

Work to upgrade 10 stations across Sydney’s southwest is also reaching its final stage, with 80% of overall construction of the Southwest Metro Conversion and Station Works now finished.

At stations, teams are focused on the installation of signage and the tiling of platforms. Testing and commissioning of the platform screen doors and mechanical gap fillers is ongoing and landscaping and streetscape work has commenced.

Customers planning metro travel, particularly on weekends, are encouraged to plan ahead by visiting transportnsw.info.    

Premier of New South Wales Chris Minns said:

“This is an important milestone for the completion of this project.

“When complete this connection between Southwest and Northwest Sydney will truly transform the city, connecting different suburbs in a way they’ve never been linked before.

“This is a complicated project and I want to thank the residents along the old T3 rail line for their patience while we carry out this conversion.”

Minister for Transport John Graham said:

“This vital part of the comprehensive testing program is ensuring the Southwest Metro line meets the highest standards of safety, reliability and performance.”

“The successful completion of over 500kms of water loaded testing shows the delivery of this city shaping transport infrastructure is tracking extremely well.

“We appreciate that the closure of the line has been a massive inconvenience for people living along the former T3 rail line, but the immense benefits will last for generations when the Southwest Metro opens later this year.

“In the coming months, there will be significant weekend disruption to services on the M1 Line as critical work is completed to integrate the Southwest Metro line. This is vital work, but we acknowledge the inconvenience for metro passengers during this time.”

Member for Canterbury Sophie Cotsis said:

“The Southwest Metro is a transformational project that when complete will better cater for the transportation needs of inner southwest Sydney and deliver more job opportunities for the people of Canterbury.

“I would like to extend my deepest thanks to the local community for their flexibility in arranging alternative transport as this important project reaches another major milestone.

“I would also like to extend to the community my sincere thanks for their patience and understanding during this work.”

Member for Bankstown Jihad Dib said:

“Testing is one of the last phases of the Metro construction and I’m very excited for our community as we near the finish line of this incredible piece of transport infrastructure.

“Again, I thank our community for their patience and I reaffirm, it will be worth the wait.”

Member for Summer Hill Jo Haylen said:

“This testing is a major milestone for Southwest Metro and shows that we are getting closer to getting passengers on board what will be a totally transformational public transport service for our community.

“It will mean better, more frequent, and faster journeys for everyone. Thank you to everyone for their patience during the disruptive construction. The wait will be worth it because everyone wins when more people can choose public transport more often.”

The latest BHI data has revealed that one in 10 emergency patients are waiting more than 24 hours for a hospital bed in NSW, while half of all admitted patients are waiting at least nine hours for an emergency bed, as the Minns Labor Government fails to come close to their promised hospital access targets. 
 
Only 30 per cent of NSW patients needing a hospital bed spent fewer than six hours in emergency, falling well short of Labor’s 80% target.
 
Western Sydney Hospitals are among the state’s worst with Blacktown reaching only 12.8%, Westmead at 13.9%, Fairfield at 20.8%, Liverpool at 22.8%, and Bankstown-Lidcombe with 28.3%.
 
Shadow Minister for Health Sarah Mitchell said three years of Labor at a state and federal level has left our health system in this condition.
 
“Chris Minns based his entire election campaign on improving health services so he could get into government – well he has failed miserably, and that’s especially clear in Western Sydney,” Mrs Mitchell said.
 
“While the NSW Opposition has proposed sensible solutions like hospital hotels to help address the worsening ED crisis across Western Sydney, the Minns Labor Government continues to blame their federal Labor colleagues.
 
“Instead of addressing the record-low number of patients receiving timely treatment in the Blacktown emergency department, Chris Minns is orchestrating a photoshoot around the corner by re-opening a mental health centre in February 2026, that was already opened in April 2025.”
 
Shadow Minister for Western Sydney Monica Tudehope said this data confirms what Western Sydney residents already knew – that they are being left behind when it comes to emergency services.
 
“The people and families of Western Sydney don’t want excuses, they just want to see a doctor,” Ms Tudehope said. 
 
“After three years in government, Chris Minns has delivered none of the 600 additional hospital beds he promised for Western Sydney.”

The Premier’s failure to restrain his own Labor MPs who have defiantly declared their intention to participate in today’s planned protest undermines the Premier’s calls for calm, respect and for NSW residents to avoid the Sydney CBD.
 
Shadow Attorney General, Damien Tudehope, has called on the Premier to pull his MPs into line and follow the same standards he has set for the rest of the community.
 
“The Premier has called for calm and respect during President Herzog’s visit, urging the people of NSW to avoid the CBD on Monday afternoon unless it is absolutely essential,” Mr Tudehope said.
 
“How can he expect his calls to be taken seriously when he has taken no action against Labor MPs Stephen Lawrence, Dr Sarah Kaine, and Cameron Murphy who have defiantly declared that they will attend the Monday afternoon’s planned protest, and have personally attacked the character of President Herzog?”[1]
 
Mr Lawrence and Dr Kaine each enjoy an extra $22,328 top up to their salary because the Minns Labor Government has nominated them as the respective Chairs of the powerful Privileges Committee and the Social Issues Committee.
 
Mr Murphy also enjoys an extra $23,220 in salary as Deputy Government Whip.
 
“Those three MPs should not remain in these privileged positions while undermining the Premier’s efforts to preserve social cohesion and assure the Jewish community of safety and support after the horrors of the Bondi massacre.”