NSW GOVERNMENT WEEKLY UPDATE - 7 FEBRUARY 2020

7 February 2020
NSW BUSHFIRE RELATED UPDATES
 
COUNCIL RATES RELIEF FOR BUSHFIRE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES
 
  • The NSW Government has announced six months of council rates relief to ease the burden for anyone who has lost their home or small business in the recent bush fires.
  • The NSW Government will cover the full cost of council rates for the third and fourth quarters of this financial year for residents and farmers who have lost their homes, and business owners whose properties have been destroyed beyond repair by bushfires.
  • Affected residents that have lost their homes and small businesses will soon be able to take their council rates notice to a Service NSW centre and the Government will cover the cost. Anyone who has already paid their rates will receive a refund.
 
NSW FIRE-AFFECTED BUSINESSES AND COUNCILS ENCOURAGED TO ACCESS FINANCIAL SUPPORT
 
  • Small businesses and councils affected by the bushfires can apply for a suite of financial assistance packages thanks to the NSW and Commonwealth Governments.
  • Grants of up to $50,000 are available for eligible small businesses and non-profit organisations with direct damage to their premises, equipment or stock from the bushfires and can help to pay for repairs, via Service NSW;
  • Payments up to $250,000 to Local Government Areas impacted by bushfire for small scale local activities that will kick-start the social and economic recovery of their communities; 
  • Loans of up to $500,000 specifically designed to provide an immediate injection of money to help return and continue business operations by covering salaries or wages, rent, lease and rates, as well as purchase of goods and services, via NSW Rural Assistance Authority.
 
TRAVEL SUBSIDIES FOR PATIENTS IN BUSHFIRE AREAS
 
  • The NSW Government will help regional and rural patients impacted by bushfires with their travel and accommodation costs when attending specialist medical treatments.
  • The criteria for the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) will be broadened so patients impacted by bushfires can access the subsidy to help cover out-of-pocket costs.
  • For more information about the IPTAAS scheme, call 1800 478 227 or go to: http://www.iptaas.health.nsw.gov.au/home.
 
BUSHFIRE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES TO BENEFIT FROM NEXT ROUND OF CLUBGRANTS
 
  • Bushfire affected communities will be encouraged to apply for funding in the next round of  Infrastructure Grants, with projects that focus on the repair, rebuild and repurposing of local community assets to be prioritised.
  • $12.5 million was available in 2019/20 for new or upgraded facilities across sport and recreation, arts and culture, disaster readiness and community infrastructure.
  • Applications will open on Monday 16 March and close Monday 6 April. The Government is giving communities advanced warning so they can consider projects that could benefit from funding.
  • Since 2013, the NSW Government has funded over 350 community projects worth $82 million under Infrastructure Grants.   
  • To find out more information please visit responsiblegambling.nsw.gov.au.
 
WILDLIFE AND CONSERVATION BUSHFIRE RECOVERY
 
  • Native animals and plants impacted by this season’s unprecedented bushfires will receive expedited help under the NSW Government’s 2019-2020 immediate response bushfire conservation plan.
  • The NSW Government’s immediate response includes:
    • Supplementary food for endangered species like the brush-tailed rock wallaby and mountain pygmy possums;
    • Drinking stations installed for native wildlife;
    • Extensive aerial and ground-based feral animal and weed control operation;
    • The rescue of six species already taken into captive protection;
    • $1 million in emergency funding set aside as part of a $6.5 million investment to support rescue and care of injured wildlife;
    • Taronga Conservation Society’s vet and wildlife experts providing front line support for injured animals; and
    • Fire severity and habitat mapping to guide rescue and recovery.
 
OTHER NSW GOVERNMENT UPDATES
 
MAJOR REFORM TO INDEPENDENT PLANNING COMMISSION FOLLOWING EXTENSIVE REVIEW
 
  • The State’s Independent Planning Commission will be overhauled, following an extensive review by the NSW Productivity Commission.
  • The NSW Government had accepted all of the review’s recommendations.
  • The key changes to the IPC will include:
    • Establishing the IPC as a separate and independent agency, with its chair accountable to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces and responsible for delivering on the Government’s agreed objectives and performance measures;
    • Clarifying roles - with the IPC to act as a decision-maker on the State’s most controversial projects rather than re-assessing the Department’s technical work; 
    • Eliminating bureaucratic double handling with the introduction of a single-stage public hearing process;
    • Ensuring only the most complex and contentious projects are referred to the IPC by raising the referral threshold to 50 unique community objections; and
    • Introducing accountability benchmarks for decision-making timeframes to ensure timely determinations.
 
PROJECT TEAM APPOINTED TO BUILD DAMS
 
  • The NSW Government has announced the project team responsible for delivering two key water infrastructure projects as part of the Critical Needs Water legislation introduced last year.
  • The new Dam Delivery Team, within WaterNSW, will be led by a senior WaterNSW Director with expertise in delivering critical water infrastructure across Australia.
  • The Dam Delivery Team is overseeing the planning and development of the new Dungowan and Wyangala Dam projects, with preliminary construction to begin late this year. 
  • Regular community information sessions will occur in coming months, with details advertised on the WaterNSW website and via local media outlets. WaterNSW is also fast tracking the expressions of interest process to engage a delivery.
 
WAR ON WEBSITES A WIN FOR NSW CUSTOMERS
 
  • More than 500 NSW Government websites will face the chopping block and be consolidated into a single nsw.gov.au website, in an effort to save customers time and money.
  • At least two thirds of the existing 750 websites across Government were outdated and could be consolidated into a single-use website.
  • The Department of Customer Service is collaborating closely across government to help agencies get ready to retire little-used sites or merge information to nsw.gov.au which will become the centralised online home of NSW Government.
  • The nsw.gov.au online home will make it easier for customers to find information and advice on government services and activities, and help them find answers to common questions such as school term dates.
  • A trial version of the refreshed nsw.gov.au website will go live at the end of the month, and will include information on drought relief, bushfire assistance, and births, deaths and marriages.
 
OUTDATED LIVE ENTERTAINMENT CONDITIONS AXED
 
  • More than 30 venues across NSW can now offer a wider range of live entertainment following the NSW Government’s decision to abolish outdated and unnecessary liquor licence conditions.
  • The changes mean some venues can now host gigs for the first time in many years, while others can offer a broader range of music styles.
  • Venues can apply to Liquor & Gaming NSW at any time to have live entertainment conditions removed. An exposure bill which proposes the removal of further restrictions on live music will be made available for consultation later this month.

Authorised by Chris Stone, Liberal Party of Australia, NSW Division, Level 2, 131 Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

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