Perrottet Government Weekly Update - 22 October 2021

For the latest COVID-19 advice & information please visit www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19
 

$2.8 BILLION PACKAGE LAUNCHED TO TURBOCHARGE NSW RECOVERY FROM COVID-19 PANDEMIC
 

• Families, individuals and businesses across NSW will benefit from a targeted $2.8 billion package developed to accelerate recovery following the three month lockdown due to the Delta COVID-19 outbreak.
• The NSW Government’s Economic Recovery Strategy includes funding to stimulate economic activity in cities and regions with a strong focus on rebuilding and supporting businesses, helping the hip pocket and boosting jobs.
• The NSW Government’s Economic Recovery Strategy includes:
  • $500 million to restore consumer and business confidence, including the expansion of Dine & Discover and Stay & Rediscover accommodation vouchers; 
  • $250 million to support jobs and skills, including help for job seekers to retrain or upskill;
  • $212.2 million to boost vital sectors, including additional funding for the performing arts sector, an Alfresco Restart Package, and support to bring our cities back to life;
  • $200 million to boost regional NSW, including support for events, facilities and local infrastructure, and housing; and 
  • $75 million to boost communities across the state, including support for tourism, events, sport and recreation.  
• The strategy also assists those most impacted during lockdown including:
  • $739.3 million in household and social support, including housing support for vulnerable Aboriginal communities, expansion of solar rebates, support measures for victims of domestic and family violence, and vouchers to parents who have facilitated home learning for their children;        
  • $495 million in education support to address learning gaps for children in need and to help schools adapt to future possible learning disruptions; and
  • $130 million for a mental health recovery package to provide immediate access to help for anyone whose mental health has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The 24 Hour Economy Commissioner will take on the additional role of NSW COVID-19 Recovery Commissioner to oversee the implementation of the Economic Recovery Strategy. For more information and to view the full strategy visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/covid-19/economic-recovery-strategy

• Premier Dominic Perrottet has welcomed news up to 11,000 Qantas and Jetstar workers will be reinstated nationwide as international travel prepares for take-off. 
• The Premier joined Prime Minister Scott Morrison at Sydney Domestic Airport to welcome the announcement by Qantas CEO Alan Joyce after workers were stood down during the pandemic.
• Mr Perrottet said the announcement means our international tourism industry is set to soar back to life.
• The airline announced it would bring forward a number of international routes and expand its service to include a new direct route from Sydney to Delhi. 
• From November 1, and subject to Commonwealth border restrictions, fully-vaccinated travellers from overseas can enter New South Wales without having to quarantine. 
• Earlier this week, the NSW Government announced a $60 million Aviation Attraction Fund to incentivise international airlines to re-commence flights to Sydney.

• Thousands more women and children escaping domestic abuse will be supported with housing and specialist services following a landmark investment by the NSW Government. 
• The Government will invest an additional $484.3 million – the single biggest investment in tackling domestic and family violence (DFV) in the State’s history.
• The funding package includes: 
  • $426.6 million over four years to expand Core and Cluster to deliver and operate around 75 extra women’s refuges that support women and children escaping DFV. Under the Core and Cluster model, self-contained accommodation is located next to a ‘core’, which provides access to services including counselling, legal assistance, education, and employment support. The sites contain meeting rooms, audio-visual equipment for court appearances, communal kitchens, and playgrounds.
  • $52.5 million over four years towards the Community Housing Innovation Fund (CHIF) partnership with the community housing sector, to provide approximately 200 sustainable, social and affordable housing dwellings for women experiencing DFV.
  • $5.2 million over four years, for a trial in two districts to provide dedicated supports for accompanied children and young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with a focus on children and young people impacted by DFV.
• NSW Police respond to more than 140,000 DFV incidents annually and, tragically, on average, one woman is killed every nine days in Australia by a current or former partner.

• Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 12 students across Greater Sydney return to the classroom this week, with more than 148,000 students leading the first stage of the 800,000 public school students returning over the next week.
• To help students catch up on any learning loss experienced due to COVID-19 lockdowns and learning from home, the NSW Government has announced the extension of the COVID Intensive Learning Support Program into next year.
• Following the positive reception and uptake of the 2021 program, the NSW Government was committing an additional $383 million to continue to support students next year.
• The Department of Education will work with schools and key stakeholder groups during Term 4 to refine the program to ensure the greatest benefit is delivered for students who need it most.  
• More information will be provided by the Department to schools during Term 4.

• The NSW Government has committed to 103,000 additional free training places as part of a $100 million economic recovery package to turbocharge skills training and future-proof the workforce.
• The recovery package contains new funding to extend the successful JobTrainer program,  hundreds of fully-funded school-based apprenticeships and traineeships for Aboriginal students and funding for new ICT traineeships in the public sector.
• The $100 million investment will support a pipeline of skilled workers and spearhead the State’s recovery by providing businesses with a highly- trained workforce.
• The package includes additional Elsa Dixon Aboriginal Employment Grants and new ICT Traineeships, which will develop and support Aboriginal students and budding IT professionals across the State through the creation of training and employment opportunities in public sector agencies.

• Motorists in NSW are now closer than ever before to getting behind the wheel of their first electric vehicle (EV) with the NSW Government’s NSW EV Strategy legislation passing through the NSW Parliament.
• The NSW Government has committed $490 million towards EVs, helping to cut taxes, provide $3,000 rebates and install ultra-fast EV chargers right across the State. 
• Drivers who have registered a new, eligible EV after 1 September 2021 can apply for a refund of the stamp duty and one of the 25,000 rebates worth $3,000. Applications will open on 1 November 2021. 
• Also from 1 November, eligible electric vehicles will be able to use Transit T2 and T3 lanes until at least 31 October 2022, making travelling in an EV even easier
• For more information, visit: https://www.nsw.gov.au/electric-vehicle-reform.

• More than 50 tender opportunities for architects, engineers, project managers and builders are available as the NSW Government begins the next stage of its historic school building program.   
• The 44 new and upgraded school projects represent a $3.3 billion investment in NSW public schools and will create more than 16,000 jobs – helping businesses and people across the state begin to recover from the recent COVID-19 outbreak. These projects are in addition to the 85 schools currently being delivered.
• The NSW Government is investing $7.9 billion over the next four years, continuing its program to deliver 215 new and upgraded schools to support communities across NSW. This is the largest investment in public education infrastructure in the history of NSW.
• The 2021-22 Delivery Strategy is available here: https://www.schoolinfrastructure.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/infrastructure/general/documents/SINSW_2021-22DeliveryStrategy_Oct2021_DIGITAL.pdf.

• Hundreds of maintenance teams across NSW are finalising repairs and alterations to windows and ventilation systems ahead of the return to classrooms. 
• The NSW Government is investing $100 million in an air quality assurance program for schools as part of the economic recovery program. 
• The program has several components, including installing automatic fresh air ventilation systems in smaller learning spaces to allow schools to utilise the areas fully.
• Funding will also be directed towards replacing windows, ceiling and exhaust fans, and additional servicing of ventilation systems.
• In addition, air purifiers have been sourced and will be provided to schools when individual school circumstances require the department to respond to poor outdoor air quality.  .

• NSW is set to lead Australia with a first-of-its-kind pilot facility to develop mRNA and RNA drugs and vaccines to combat disease and save lives.
• The $96 million facility, to be established in partnership with all NSW universities, will include laboratories and pre-clinical trial spaces that will enable early-stage RNA-based drug development. 
• The facility will bridge the gap between NSW’s world-class RNA research and a viable commercial RNA industry.