NSW GOVERNMENT WEEKLY UPDATE – 22 NOVEMBER 2019

22 November 2019

ASSISTANCE FOR BUSHFIRE DISASTER CLEANUP

The NSW Government is committing up to $25 million to facilitate the cleanup of homes and properties damaged and destroyed by the recent bushfires.
The funding will help pay for the cleanup of hazardous materials including the removal of asbestos-contaminated material released as a result of the fires, concrete slabs and all dangerous debris including destroyed homes and trees.
Waste levy fees for residents disposing of bushfire-generated waste will be waived, saving households thousands of dollars.
The NSW Government will be part of the disaster recovery for the long term and more support will be made available as the extent of the damage becomes clear.

LEVEL TWO WATER RESTRICTIONS FOR GREATER SYDNEY AND THE ILLAWARRA

Sydney, Blue Mountains, and the Illawarra will soon experience Level 2 Water restrictions from 10 December to continue to protect Greater Sydney’s water supply from drought conditions.
Dam levels are currently close to 46% and continue to drop every week.
Under the new restrictions, people will be required to use a bucket or watering can to water their gardens between approved times, cars can only be washed with a bucket or taken to a commercial car wash and topping up of pools and spas is limited to 15 minutes a day with a trigger nozzle.
Fines will apply for breaches of water restrictions - $220 for residential breaches and $550 for businesses.
For up-to-date information, visit lovewater.sydney/restrictions.

REPLACEMENT IDENTITY DOCUMENTS FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY BUSHFIRES

People who lose important identity documents in the bushfires can have them replaced for free to help them recover as quickly as possible.
Anyone who has lost paperwork such as a birth certificate or marriage certificate can apply to have them replaced at no cost as a priority.”
The NSW Registry of Births, Deaths & Marriages (BDM) can assist people who have lost documents in the fire to quickly re-establish their identity
Customers requiring a new driver’s licence will be issued with an interim licence on the spot allowing them to get back on the road immediately, with the new licence card being delivered 7 to 10 days after the transaction.

BLUEPRINT CHARTS TRILLION DOLLAR FUTURE FOR NSW

The NSW Government has released the NSW 2040 Economic Blueprint, a landmark document designed as a roadmap for continued success.
The Blueprint forecasts NSW will continue to power the nation, with our State economy tripling in size to be worth as much as two trillion dollars by around 2040.
The billions we are pouring in to infrastructure are helping drive the economy and create jobs now, but also positioning the State for ongoing growth.
For more information, visit treasury.nsw.gov.au/nsw-economy/nsw-2040-economic-blueprint.

AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE POWER FOR NSW

Households across NSW are expected to save $40 per year on their electricity bills and the State will have one of the highest reliability targets in the world under the NSW Electricity Strategy.
The Strategy will ensure reliable and affordable electricity supply for the people of NSW, particularly in peak summer periods.

23 METRO TRAINS ON THE WAY FOR SYDNEY’S SOUTHWEST

23 new metro trains will be ordered as part of a contract package to extend and operate Sydney’s first driverless Metro railway beyond Chatswood – into the city and on to Bankstown, delivering a 66 kilometre line by 2024.
Minister for Transport Andrew Constance announced the NSW Government has approved Sydney Metro exercising a pre-agreed extension to the existing Northwest Rapid Transit Public Private Partnership contract, which was awarded in 2014.

HISTORIC REFORMS FOR BETTER TRANSPORT

Customers and the community are set to benefit from historic reforms to the NSW Government’s transport agency, which will result in better planning, thinking, and delivery of services now and into the future.
Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) ceased to exist following the passage of the Transport Administration Amendment (RMS Dissolution) Bill 2019 through the NSW Parliament.
The RMS functions will now be transferred into a new, fully integrated Transport for NSW.
With $55.6 billion being invested in transport and roads infrastructure over the next four years, an integrated transport agency that meets the needs of the community is vital.
Changes enabled by the Bill’s passage will strengthen the NSW Government’s focus on delivering integrated transport solutions across the entire state.

PARAMEDIC SAFETY PROMPTS BODY CAMERA TRIAL

Paramedics will be fitted with high-tech body cameras as part of the NSW Government’s $48 million reform package to improve the safety of frontline health staff.
Paramedics from Liverpool, Sydney Ambulance Centre at Eveleigh, and Hamilton in suburban Newcastle will be part of a 12-month voluntary trial.
60 body cameras will be used in the trial by paramedics and if it is successful, more could be rolled out statewide.
The cameras will be another set of eyes for our paramedics and in addition to deterring abuse, there is scope to use them for training purposes further down the line.

REFORMS PROVIDE BETTER PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN

Offenders convicted of certain crimes against children who fail to comply with reporting obligations will be better held to account under reforms that passed NSW Parliament.
Offenders on the Child Protection Register who claim to have a ‘reasonable excuse’ for not complying with their reporting obligations will now have to prove that excuse in court.
The reforms will also improve legal procedures in certain cases for children under the age of 14 who are victims or alleged victims of sexual offences.
The amendments will enable a ‘suitable person’, like a parent or guardian, to consent to the child’s counselling records to become evidence in court.
In the past, these records would have been inadmissible because of sexual assault communications privilege, which protects the relationship between a counsellor and a victim of sexual assault.