NSW BUDGET: PUBLIC TRANSPORT ACCESS UPGRADES SET TO REACH $2 BILLION
- At least 11 more train stations will now receive upgrades such as new lifts, ramps and footbridges under the Transport Access Program, taking the NSW Government’s total investment to over $2 billion since 2011 and making more than 90 per cent of customer journeys accessible.
- The NSW Budget includes a further $133 million in the next financial year for the Transport Access Program.
- The Transport Access Program is a NSW Government initiative to deliver safe, modern and accessible public transport infrastructure across the State.
- Service NSW Centres will soon become one-stop shops for NSW Government cost of living support.
- They will provide more people with access to hip pocket measures such as energy bill relief, free car registration, Active Kids vouchers and lower Green Slips.
- The new service will provide one point of contact for customers wanting to find out what savings they are eligible for and to also apply for those savings.
- Further information is available at www.service.nsw.gov.au/transaction/cost-living.
- The NSW Government’s short-term holiday letting plan will support the sharing economy and give consumers more choice while cracking down on bad behaviour.
- The estimated $31 billion annual contribution of online booking platforms like Airbnb and HomeAway (formerly Stayz) to the Australian economy, while stamping out party houses through a mandatory Code of Conduct.
- The mandatory Code of Conduct for online accommodation platforms, letting agents, hosts and guests would address impacts like noise levels, disruptive guests and effects on shared neighbourhood amenities.
- The Code will also include a new dispute resolution process to resolve complaints, and NSW Fair Trading will have powers to police online platforms and letting agents.
- More than 2,000 extra weekly bus services will be rolled out across NSW in the next 12 months, with customers living in the Northern Beaches, Wentworth Point, Penrith, Blacktown and Lane Cove among the biggest beneficiaries.
- NSW Budget 2018 includes a $15.6 million boost to the Growth Services Program which will provide the extra buses and services where people need them the most.
- Targeted improvements to outer metropolitan services will also be introduced to support new residential development at Cameron Park in the Lower Hunter and Wongawilli in the Illawarra.
- Inmates will be banned from possessing videos and images that promote terrorism or extremism under new legislation to combat radicalisation in the prison system.
- The NSW Government said the legislative changes to the Criminal procedure act 1986 will protect the accused person’s right to a fair trial.
- They will be able to provide instructions to their lawyer, and it will reduce the risk of radicalisation.
- A new city and fully integrated economic precinct to be built around Western Sydney Airport is a step closer with the NSW Government announcing it will fast-track infrastructure and planning while offering local and international businesses incentives to set-up shop at Badgerys Creek.
- State, Federal, and local Governments are investing an unprecedented $20 billion of public funding into transport, health and education infrastructure in the region around the airport and Aerotropolis.
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- The NSW Government will deliver a record $3.9 billion Budget for the NSW Police force in 2018-19.
- The most recent quarterly statistics show 16 of the 17 major crime categories were stable or falling in the 24 months to December 2017.
- There will also be a $12 million investment in facial matching services in NSW under the National Facial Biometric Matching Capability.
- Thousands of local cricketers are set to benefit from more than $6 million in grants now available through the NSW ICC World T20 Cricket Legacy Fund.
- The NSW Government has encouraged cricket clubs and councils across the state to apply for the 3-year program.
- Applications close Friday 13th July 2018. More information at https://sport.nsw.gov.au/clubs/grants/worldt20fund.
- Tough new laws cracking down on dodgy ticket scalpers officially kicked off.
- The reforms would stamp out dodgy price gouging practices by making it illegal to re-sell a ticket for more than 10 per cent above the original price.
- Any ticket sold in NSW from 1 June onwards is subject to the new laws.
- The new laws do not apply to tickets sold by the authorised seller prior to 1 June 2018, even if the event is held after that date.
- Maximum penalties for the offence of selling a ticket at more than 10 per cent above the original cost are $11,000 for an individual, and $22,000 for an organisation.
- A new, more transparent approach to Crown land management comes into effect on July 1.
- The new Crown Land Management Act 2016 will deliver a modern, streamlined and more consistent approach to the management of Crown Land in NSW.
- The NSW Government will provide $7 million to support local councils in their preparations of Plans of Management for Crown land they manage.
- A Crown Land Commissioner will be appointed to provide independent advice to the Government and the community on Crown land matters.
- Further information can be found at www.industr.nsw.gov.au and information for councils is available at www.olg.nsw.gov.au/crownland.
- Complaints against local councils have dropped by nearly half as the NSW Government continues to crack down on rogue councils and strengthen the integrity of local government across the State.
- Auburn Council recorded a massive 225 complaints in 2015-16 which contributed to the NSW Government decision to hold a public inquiry into its performance.
- The council was suspended and finally dissolved when Cumberland Council was created in 2016. Cumberland Council recorded just 10 complaints in 2016-17.
- Ratepayers have a right to expect their local council will be serving their best interests and these complaint statistics help identify areas in need of improvement.
- Efforts to reduce that number of Australians dying from heart disease will be significantly boosted by a $150 million investment over the next decade.
- The landmark funding in the NSW Budget 2018 would start with a $60 million rollout to researchers over the next four years.
- Heart disease kills one person every 12 minutes.
- With this initiative, we will be able to rapidly convert ground-breaking discoveries into better treatments for patients with heart disease.
- NSW retail sales growth was stronger than the rest of Australia, as retail sales shot up 3.6% through the year to April, compared to 2.2% for the rest of Australia.
- Retail spend across NSW made up one-third of the nation’s total $26.6 billion, the latest Australian Bureau of statistics (ABS) data showed.
- Food retail was the strongest contributor to growth, followed by cafes, restaurants and takeaway and household goods.
- The jobs boom has been especially strong for women with female participation hitting an all-time high of 59.7%, according to ABS data released several weeks ago.
- A boost to the FACS frontline will see 100 new workers for the child protection system and more investment in Australia’s most successful open adoption program.
- An additional $59 million over four years will help protect vulnerable children and young people.
- NSW leads the nation in adoptions from out-of-home care, with a record 129 adoptions in 2016-17.
- There has been a reduction in the number of children entering care by almost 24% in 2016-17.
- The NSW Government announced $32,000 funding for 17 festivals and events that celebrate cultural diversity.
- Multicultural NSW Celebration Grants provide funding of up to $5,000 to support multicultural festivals and events held all over NSW.
- The Liverpool Women’s Health Centre received a Celebration Grant to hold an open day to introduce their newly refurbished premises to the Liverpool community.
- For more information about the Multicultural NSW Grants Program, visit: http://multicultural.nsw.gov.au.
- Individuals who incite or threaten violence against people based on their race, religion or sexuality will risk a three-year jail sentence under new laws to be introduced into NSW Parliament.
- People who incite violence are a threat to community safety. If passed, these laws will help protect individuals and groups from being targeted by cowards who seek to cause physical harm to innocent people.
- The legislation will create a new offence in the Crimes Act of publicly threatening or inciting violence against people on the grounds of race, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex or HIV/AIDS status, including a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment and a fine of $11,000.
- The Bill will abolish offences in the Anti-Discrimination Act that presently carry a maximum sentence of six months in prison.
- The NSW Government will introduce stronger support for victims of offences committed by people with cognitive and mental health impairments, as part of an overhaul of the forensic mental health system.
- The reforms focus on improving outcomes for victims while maintaining the fair treatment of people with cognitive and mental health impairments.
- Victims will now have the opportunity to make victim impact statements, to be considered by the court and by the Mental Health Review Tribunal when forensic patients are being considered for leave or release.
- The review can be found at www.health.nsw.gov.au/patients/mhrt and http://www.justice.nsw.gov.au/Pages/Reforms/reform.aspx.
- The NSW Government is urging organisations across NSW to apply for a share of $1.5 million to support projects that improve youth participation in the community.
- Applications are now open.
- Since the program was launched in 2012, Youth Opportunities has provided $9 million in funding to 177 projects across NSW.
- Applications for grants under this year’s program close on Monday 16th July 2018.
- To apply or to find further information about the program, visit: http://youth.nsw.gov.au/youth-opportunities/
- Targeted powers to help police combat terrorism will remain in place with new safeguards to ensure the extraordinary measures to continue to be used appropriately.
- Police must have the legal authority to act swiftly and effectively to protect the community when a terrorism threat emerges or an attack occurs.
- The Act sets out when police can hold a terror suspect in detention or carry out covert searches.
- A bill implementing the review’s recommendations will be introduced to the NSW Parliament later this year.
- Australia’s National Terrorism Threat Level is currently set at ‘probable’. The review is available at: http://www.justice.nsw.gov.au/justicepolicy/Documents/statutory-review-of-the-tppa.pdf.
- In the lead up to the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, the NSW Government is urging everyone to take extra care on the state’s roads.
- With higher traffic volumes, poor weather, and people driving in unfamiliar environments, there is an increased risk on our roads.
- NSW Police will be cracking down on dangerous drivers this long weekend in a state-wide high visibility enforcement operation called Operation Stay Alert.
- Double demerits will be enforced by NSW Police from Friday, 8th June until Monday, 11th June.