INCREASED MOBILITY ON NSW VIC BORDER
TREASURER CONFIRMS 2020-21 BUDGET DATE
‘MISSING’ MOTORWAY LINK HITS MAJOR MILESTONE
NSW ECONOMY HARD HIT BY COVID-19 BUT READY TO BOUNCE BACK
NEW WARATAH TRAIN DEBUTS IN SYDNEY
MAJOR CRIME CATEGORIES DOWN ACROSS THE STATE
STATE’S KOALAS FURTHER PROTECTED WITH HERITAGE LISTING OF SYDNEY ESTATE
PREVENTING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IN SCHOOLS
MORE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL STUDENTS
- Key changes will be made to ease restrictions on the NSW Victorian border to help residents and local businesses operate as Victoria continues to battle COVID-19.
- A single border region will be reinstated that extends to around 50 kilometres on either side of the border.
- The new border region and ‘border region resident’ permit will come into effect at 12:01am on Friday, 4 September.
- For more information go to nsw.gov.au/
- The NSW Government will work with the Commonwealth to allow greater movement of agriculture workers between States.
- The NSW Government will work with the Commonwealth, Victoria and South Australia on the implementation of the principles of the new code including:
- Ensuring the agriculture industry, ancillary services and activities is not unnecessarily impeded by border arrangements for the movement of workers.
- Applying health and safety practices in the agriculture industry, services and activities as appropriate to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission and support responsiveness where transmission occurs.
- Allowing movement across borders will provide for animal health and welfare and biosecurity to be maintained.
TREASURER CONFIRMS 2020-21 BUDGET DATE
- Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has announced the 2020-21 NSW Budget will be handed down on Tuesday, November 17, 2020.
- The Budget was deferred in March following a recommendation by the National Cabinet of Commonwealth, State and Territory leaders.
‘MISSING’ MOTORWAY LINK HITS MAJOR MILESTONE
- Half of the tunnelling on the critical M4-M5 Link Tunnels has now been completed, marking a major milestone on ‘the missing link’ in Sydney’s motorway network.
- Premier Gladys Berejiklian said work on the M4-M5 Link Tunnels is progressing well, and is on track for the project to open on schedule in 2023.
NSW ECONOMY HARD HIT BY COVID-19 BUT READY TO BOUNCE BACK
- New South Wales and Australia have fared better than many developed economies following the worst months of COVID-19, with the ABS releasing the June quarter national accounts.
- Data shows that Australia’s Gross Domestic Product contracted by 7.0 per cent in the June quarter, while NSW saw its State Final Demand decline by 8.6 per cent.
- Treasurer Dominic Perrottet said the results were consistent with NSW being the first, and initially hardest hit by COVID-19.
- In July alone, NSW’s employment rose by almost 57,000 of which about 65 per cent were women. This was made up of 23,300 full-time jobs and 33,600 part-time jobs.
- The NSW 2020 Budget is set for 17 November 2020.
NEW WARATAH TRAIN DEBUTS IN SYDNEY
- The first of 17 brand new Waratah Series 2 trains is entering service this week, three months ahead of schedule, thanks to the NSW Government’s $4.3 billion More Trains More Services program.
- Minister for Transport Andrew Constance said the new trains will support increasing patronage across the network, and will be more comfortable and reliable for customers.
- For more information, visit: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/sydney-growth-trains
- Drivers are being urged to take care on our roads, after the number of people dying while not wearing a seatbelt or speeding doubled compared to the same time last year.
- While speeding and seatbelt related deaths were up, fatigue related fatalities were down from 15% to 8%, and alcohol related crash deaths remained steady at 13%.
MAJOR CRIME CATEGORIES DOWN ACROSS THE STATE
- Major crime categories across the State have continued to remain stable or have fallen in the two years to June 2020, according to the latest Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) data published.
- Minister for Police and Emergency Services David Elliott welcomed the report, which showed that only one of the 17 major crime categories had increased during the 24-month period.
- To read BOCSAR’s full report published, visit www.bocsar.nsw.gov.au.
STATE’S KOALAS FURTHER PROTECTED WITH HERITAGE LISTING OF SYDNEY ESTATE
- In a further step to protect the state’s koala population, the NSW Government has listed Mount Gilead Estate with its sweeping landscape and historic homestead in Sydney’s south-west, as an item of state heritage significance to be protected in perpetuity.
- Situated in the Camden and Campbelltown region, the 150-hectare property showcases both the State’s colonial history, reflecting changes in agricultural pursuits and approaches to major estate planning, while containing significant archaeological evidence of the prior Aboriginal occupation and custodianship of the land.
PREVENTING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IN SCHOOLS
- Young people at risk of homelessness or disengagement from high school are being supported as part of a new program underway in Western Sydney.
- Minister for Families, Communities and Disability Services Gareth Ward said the Universal Screening and Supports program identifies students in need of additional help.
- The NSW Government is investing $4.7 million to deliver the Universal Screening and Supports program in Western Sydney and Albury under its Homelessness Strategy.
- New and prospective homeowners will have unprecedented protections against purchasing defective residential apartment buildings from tomorrow, when the NSW Government’s landmark Residential Apartment Buildings Act 2020 comes into effect.
- Minister for Better Regulation Kevin Anderson said the new laws work to prevent buildings with serious defects going on the market, and give clear recourse in the event of a defect.
MORE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR REGIONAL STUDENTS
- A fly-in fly-out psychology and telepsychology service of sixteen permanent senior psychologists will be introduced to support students in regional and remote parts of NSW with mental health.
- This is part of the NSW Government’s $88.4 million mental health spend that also includes a commitment to provide every public high school with one full-time counsellor or psychologist and one student support officer.
- If you or anyone you know is experiencing emotional distress and needs support please call Kids Help Line on 1800 55 1800 and Lifeline on 13 11 14.