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The Minns Labor Government is delivering a stronger, more reliable Rural Fire Service (RFS) fleet, with legislation to modernise the management of more than 6,000 firefighting and support vehicles passing NSW Parliament.

The passage of the Rural Fires Amendment (Fire Fighting Fleet) Bill 2026 will enable ownership of the RFS’s ‘red fleet’ to transfer from local councils to the RFS from 1 July 2027, aligning responsibility for the vehicles with the service that operates them.

The reform is backed by a $470 million investment over 10 years to improve fleet reliability, strengthen safety and ensure firefighters have the vehicles and equipment they need to respond to bushfires and other emergencies.

More than $29 million will be invested over two years to establish a network of up to eight regional maintenance hubs, supporting local jobs, apprenticeships and regional industry.

A further $106 million will be invested over four years in critical maintenance and safety upgrades across the state.

This reform has been supported by councils who have long advocated for this change. The transition will be managed in partnership with local government, recognising their longstanding contribution to the RFS and the important role they continue to play in bushfire prevention, hazard reduction and emergency management.

Minister for Emergency Services Jihad Dib said:

“Really proud to deliver this historic reform that will ensure our RFS fleet is safe, reliable and ready to go when communities need it.

“Our volunteer firefighters put themselves on the line to protect people, homes and communities. They need vehicles that are fit for purpose and properly maintained.

“We’re backing this reform with a $470 million investment that will strengthen our firefighting capability and support regional jobs.”

RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said:

“This is one of the most significant reforms to the RFS in recent years.

“Bringing fleet ownership and management together will support a more consistent approach to maintaining and replacing the vehicles our members rely on every day.

“It will strengthen our operational capability and help ensure communities across NSW continue to receive the highest level of emergency service.”

Local Government NSW President Darcy Byrne said:

“This is a great outcome for councils and communities across New South Wales after years of persistent advocacy by LGNSW and our individual councils. On behalf of councils particularly in rural, regional and outer metro areas with an RFS presence, I thank the NSW Government for listening to our sector and acting on this sensible reform.

“Councils strongly support the incredible work of the RFS and recognise it is a world leading firefighting service. We look forward to working with the Government over the next 12 months to ensure a successful transition, including appropriate consideration of maintenance contracts.”

Country Mayors Association Chairman Rick Firman said:

“The CMA NSW Board and our 89 member councils are very much looking forward to the removal of the RFS ‘red fleet’ from councils’ books. We’ve been advocating and lobbying for this for over 10 years now, and welcome this finally coming to a resolution.

“It is appropriate that the RFS who control the assets actually own them. CMA warmly thanks Minister Jihad Dib, Minister Ron Hoenig, Treasurer Daniel Mookhey and all others involved with making this happen.”

United Services Union General Secretary Graeme Kelly said:

“This is welcome news for councils who have long advocated for the NSW Rural Fire Service to take ownership of its firefighting fleet.

“Having the ‘red fleet’ off the balance sheets of local councils is a big win for local government and a welcome boost for their budgets.”

RFSA President Scott Campbell said:

“The RFSA welcomes the reform. We have advocated for a fair and consistent approach to maintenance.

“RFS appliances are in their communities dealing with incidents or preparing for the upcoming season on a daily basis. The transfer of the firefighting fleet from council to state government is a major reform that will ensure consistency across the state in relation to servicing, tyre replacement programs, and long term in lowering the age of the fleet.

“Our volunteers deserve a consistent, measurable approach to keeping the trucks on the road. We thank councils for their work to date and congratulate Minister Dib for collaborating with councils to ensure a smooth transition.”

I have today suspended Clarence Valley Council for three months and appointed Mr John Rayner PSM as interim administrator because I reasonably believe his appointment is necessary to restore the proper or effective functioning of the Council.

The Council itself unanimously resolved to seek an external investigation into an extensive range of matters concerning its governance, administration, operations and financial management. Those matters included governance and statutory compliance, workplace culture, recruitment, financial management and procurement, councillor access to information, complaints and Public Interest Disclosures, internal audit and risk management, and possible maladministration, waste and systemic governance failure.

Many of those matters concern fundamental responsibilities of the governing body itself.

I considered submissions and each of the prescribed suspension criteria before making my decision.

Mr Rayner is an experienced local government executive and will exercise the functions of the governing body during the suspension period.

More than a million people living along the T4, T8 and South Coast train lines will benefit from a significant increase in services and reliability when the new rail timetable comes into effect on 15 November.

Rebuilding rail reliability and increasing services is a key focus of the Minns Labor Government after a decade of neglect under the former Liberal government. The new timetable builds on a record $2.1 billion investment in rail maintenance and incident response.

The most significant change to this part of Sydney and the Illawarra’s rail network in more than a decade will deliver more trains, additional capacity and improved performance.

To facilitate the new timetable T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line and the South Coast Line will no longer operate on the same track between Arncliffe and Central.

Each line will have their own dedicated express track which will reduce bottlenecks, improve reliability and increase capacity.

Changes on the T4 Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line include:

• Citybound services every four minutes at Sutherland and every three minutes at Hurstville in the AM peak, up from 5 minutes at Sutherland and 3.5 minutes at Hurstville.
• Trains every 7.5 minutes on average during peak periods at Kogarah, Allawah, Arncliffe, Banksia, Rockdale, Penshurst, Mortdale, Oatley, Kirrawee, Gymea, Miranda, Caringbah, Woolooware and Cronulla – representing up to a 33% increase in frequency.
• All T4 services will stop at Sydenham for direct connections to Sydney Metro.
• St Peters and Erskineville stations will join the T4 line, connecting them to the Eastern Suburbs.
• Services for passengers in Loftus, Engadine, Heathcote and Waterfall will now have direct access to Kogarah Station, allowing access to St George Hospital and TAFE.
• Two addition late-night services between the Sydney CBD and Cronulla.

Changes on the T8 SYD Airport & South West Line include:

• Services every four minutes on average during peak periods between Green Square and Wolli Creek, up from every 6.5 minutes. These turn-and-go metro-like services will benefit high density housing communities and aiport travellers.
• The T8 Airport & South Line will be renamed the T8 SYD Airport & South West Line, better reflecting the destinations and communities it serves.
• Under the new timetable, all T8 services will operate through the Airport Tunnel via International Airport, Domestic Airport and Green Square, providing a simpler and more consistent service.
• Passengers travelling from the South West will no longer have direct access to Sydenham, St Peters, Erskineville and Redfern stations during peak periods. These passengers will be required to interchange at Wolli Creek to access these stations.

Changes on the South Coast Line:

• Peak services between Wollongong and Sydney CBD will have four trains per hour up from three. This will mean services every 15 minutes, up from 20 minutes.
• Off-peak and weekend services between Wollongong and Sydney CBD will be doubled, running every 30 minutes on average, up from a service every 60 minutes.
• Over 200 additional weekly services will provide a more consistent timetable across the week.
• All South Coast services travelling to and from Sydney will stop at Sydenham, providing direct connections to Sydney Metro.
• Completing the introduction of the Mariyung trains on the South Coast Line, delivering improved comfort, accessibility and customer amenities.
• A shuttle every 15 minutes in the 8-9am peak hour from the northern suburbs to Wollongong.
• Additional local services will operate between Wollongong and Thirroul. Passengers at Thirroul, Bulli, Woonona, Bellambi, Corrimal, Towradgi, Fairy Meadow, North Wollongong and Wollongong will benefit from improved local connectivity.

Changes on the T2 Leppington & Inner West Line:

• Inter-peak services that currently terminate at Homebush will be extended to Parramatta, providing an all-stops T2 Leppington & Inner West Line service between the Sydney CBD and Parramatta every 15 minutes.
• Passengers at Flemington, Homebush, Lidcombe, Auburn, Clyde and Granville will benefit from improved local connectivity as well as improved access to Parramatta during inter-peak periods.

In 2027 the Minns Labor Government plans to reinstate Kogarah as an express stop, improving access to St George’s Hospital and TAFE, whilst improving services for the increasing number of residents in the area.

While some journeys under the new timetable may take slightly longer due to revised stopping patterns and additional services, the vast majority of passengers will benefit from increased service frequency, improved reliability and better connections across the network.

Transport for NSW is encouraging passengers to check the new timetable and plan their journey before travelling when the changes take effect on 15 November 2026.

For more information on updated timetables click here.

Minister for Transport John Graham said:

“If you rely on the T4, T8 and South Coast Lines this timetable change you will get you more trains, shorter wait times and a more reliable service.

“The former government neglected the heavy rail netowrk but we know a million passengers rely on it everyday. That’s why we’re spending a record $2.1 billion on maintenance and increasing services with this new timetable.

“People living along these lines haven’t seen a signicant service upgrade in over a decade. They deserve better and now they’ll get it.”

Minister for the Illawara and the South Coast Ryan Park said:

“These timetable changes go a long way to ensuring more reliable and more frequent services for the region, making it easier for people to get where they need to go.

“These are services that were neglected for more than a decade under the previous Government. Our communities deserve better than that, that’s why we’ve invested record amounts in rebuilding rail reliability and improving network capacity.

“With these timetable changes, passengers will also benefit from more Mariyung trains on the line, delivering a more comfortable and accessible travel experience for communities across the Illawarra and South Coast.”

Labor Candidate for Oatley Elaina Anzellotti said:

“The Minns Labor Government is delivering more frequent trains across Sydney, and I’m thrilled that Oatley, Mortdale and Penshurst are part of that.”

“For people catching the train to work, heading into the city or getting home to their families, shorter waits and more frequent services will make a real difference.”

“This is a fantastic result for our area, and I’ll keep making the case for the investment and services our community deserves.”

Wentworth Park is set for a major transformation, with the Minns Labor Government moving ahead with plans to turn the former greyhound racing site into community sporting fields and public open space as part of an expanded 14-hectare parkland.

The final greyhound race at Wentworth Park tonight, 16 October, will unlock the future redevelopment of the 3.3-hectare Wentworth Park Sporting Complex site in Glebe to create community sporting fields and public green space to support plans for up to 2,500 additional well-located homes nearby paving the way for an exciting new future for the site.

These new homes will complement approximately 4,800 homes already planned or approved across the broader precinct, including about 2,000 homes on the former Sydney Fish Market and adjoining sites.

Combined, these developments could deliver as many as 7,300 new homes across the Ultimo-Pyrmont area, helping address Sydney’s housing needs in an area well-served by jobs, public transport and community infrastructure.

Just 10 minutes from the Sydney CBD, the precinct is close to jobs and services and well connected by light rail, bus and active transport links, making it an ideal location for more homes alongside new and improved public open space.

The NSW Government will continue to work closely with the City of Sydney on plans to enable new homes, community facilities and open space around Wentworth Park.

Preliminary works, including early demolition to remove greyhound racing infrastructure, are expected to commence before Christmas, while detailed planning and approvals progress for the removal of the grandstand.

Once the racing infrastructure and grandstand are removed and the site restored, management of the former 3.9-hectare racing site will be transferred to the City of Sydney to deliver multipurpose sporting facilities and public open space as part of the expanded parkland.

The transformation will create more places for families, children, sporting clubs and visitors to play, connect and enjoy the outdoors, while helping meet the growing demand for recreation and open space across Ultimo and Pyrmont.

This once-in-a-generation opportunity will deliver lasting community benefits in an area experiencing significant growth, with thousands of new homes planned alongside improved transport connections and public amenities.

The project forms part of the Minns Labor Government’ s long-term vision for Ultimo and Pyrmont, ensuring the area’s growth is supported by the parks, sporting facilities and community infrastructure needed for a thriving inner Sydney.

The transformation follows an agreement between the Minns Labor Government and the Greyhound Breeders, Owners and Trainers Association (GBOTA) to accelerate the transition of racing operations to other venues from November 2026.

Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:

“The final race at Wentworth Park marks an important step in the transformation of the Ultimo-Pyrmont precinct creating a rare opportunity to deliver more open space, sporting facilities and community infrastructure in one of Sydney’s fastest-growing inner-city areas.

“The redevelopment of Wentworth Park will help make sure the public spaces and recreation facilities needed to support growth are available for local residents, workers and visitors for decades to come.”

Minister for Lands and Property and Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“The Minns Labor Government is turning a new page for Wentworth Park, delivering more sporting fields, open space and recreation facilities for a growing inner Sydney.

“We’re unlocking public land for public benefit, creating a vibrant community precinct that families, sporting clubs and future generations can enjoy for decades to come.”

Minister for Gaming and Racing David Harris said:

“Wentworth Park has been synonymous with greyhound racing in NSW for generations and the final race meeting – the Million Dollar Chase – is an opportunity to celebrate its remarkable contribution to the sport and the many people who helped make it an iconic venue.

“While racing concludes at this site, greyhound racing has a strong future across metropolitan and regional NSW, especially following this week’s announcement the Sydney Metropolitan Racing Precinct will be relocated to the Richmond Club.”

Labor Candidate for Balmain, Philippa Scott said:

“We need more homes in NSW and we need to deliver the community infrastructure to go with it.”

“Converting Wentworth Park to sporting fields and open space for the community is an important part of delivering on our plan.”

NSW Ambulance has today welcomed 18 paramedics from interstate and overseas, providing a further boost to frontline health services across metro and regional NSW.

Since March 2023, around 150 qualified paramedics have joined NSW Ambulance from other states, territories and countries.

The latest intake includes paramedics from the United Kingdom and New Zealand, as well as interstate recruits from across Australia.

After completing a comprehensive induction program at the NSW Ambulance Education Centre, the 18 experienced paramedics will begin their operational familiarisation from tomorrow.

Among this cohort is Mitchell Pani, who was most recently employed with the London Ambulance Service and has also worked as a paramedic in Mexico.

Minister for Health, Ryan Park:

“We are rebuilding our essential health services by recruiting more workers, including paramedics.

“Attracting skilled and experienced paramedics to NSW strengthens our frontline workforce and brings valuable skills and perspectives to our health system.

“We are lucky to have world-class emergency health service like NSW Ambulance in our state, which is attracting paramedics from across the globe.”

NSW Ambulance Chief Executive Clare Beech:

“I warmly welcome this latest cohort of interstate and overseas paramedics, who bring with them valuable experience and skills that will benefit communities across NSW.

“Our door is open for the best paramedics available; your career can thrive in NSW.

“Bringing in qualified paramedics from overseas or interstate is not just about growing our numbers, it is about enriching our workforce with global clinical perspectives.”

credential paramedic graduate Mitchell Pani:

“I was first inspired by paramedicine after a friend had a serious diving accident and I witnessed first-hand the skills of paramedics.

“I am excited to be continuing my career in NSW and working closer to home and my family, especially as my partner and I will be having our first child early next year.”

The Minns Labor Government has delivered its fourth tranche of nation-leading legislative changes for the 1.2 million people living in apartments and duplexes across the state.

Passed by NSW Parliament last night, the Strata Schemes Legislation Amendment (Miscellaneous Bill) 2025 reduces red tape for owners, modernises the industry, improves fairness for lot owners, strengthens compliance with strata laws, and provides clarity on rules and procedures.

Under the new laws, unnecessary red tape will be removed for two-lot schemes such as duplexes, which make up more than 30 per cent of strata schemes, so they no longer need to form committees, hold meetings and submit annual reports to NSW Fair Trading.

There will be fair limits on when an owners corporation can charge strata residents a bond or fee. For example, bonds for access keys or swipe cards that are exorbitantly higher than the replacement cost will no longer be allowed.

Owners now also have the right to install electric vehicle charging on their own lot without fear of unreasonable objection from their strata committee.

NSW Fair Trading will have increased powers to publish compliance action taken against owners corporations so prospective buyers can know if there are any issues with repairs and maintenance in the building.

The reforms also empower the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal to order termination of a building management agreement if they breach their duties, including if a building manager fails to reveal they receive commissions.

This Bill complements three earlier tranches of strata reforms, including:

• Requiring payment plans to be offered to owners in financial hardship before debt recovery action can be taken and prohibiting blanket rules to refuse payment plan requests.
• Protections for owners from bill shock by requiring developers to have initial levy estimates in new strata buildings to be independently certified, including increased penalties for non-compliance.
• Introducing itemised insurance quotes so owners know exactly how much is going to agents and brokers in commissions and fees.
• Making it easier for owners to do minor renovations.
• Removing barriers to the uptake of sustainability measures such as solar panels and electric vehicle charging by prohibiting bylaws that block the infrastructure due to external appearance.
• Ensuring goods and services are obtained at competitive prices, by requiring owners corporations to get a second quote when the bill for work will be over $30,000.
• Banning strata managing agents from taking a commission on insurance products when they don’t play a role in finding the best deal for owners.
• Increased penalties for strata managing agents who don’t disclose conflicts of interest or kickbacks to owners.
• Allowing NSW Fair Trading to issue compliance notices and enter enforceable undertakings with owners corporations that do not meet their duties to maintain and repair common property. This will ensure serious maintenance issues and defects can be fixed without expensive and time-consuming litigation through the courts or tribunal.

For more information on recent strata law changes, please visit: Changes to strata laws | NSW Government

Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong said:

“More people will be living in higher-density development as we build the homes our community needs across NSW. That’s why the Minns Labor Government has overhauled strata laws over the past three years to help build confidence in apartment living.

“Owners and residents want clearer rules, greater transparency and stronger protections, and this legislation delivers through stronger oversight, better consumer protections and greater support for those experiencing financial hardship.

“The Minns Labor Government is changing how strata communities operate and modernising the way NSW Fair Trading regulates both the professional standards of the industry and the rights of people living in apartments.”