Category Archives: New South Wales

‘Latte line’: poverty rises in parts of Sydney as gap hardens between city’s east and west

Posted on by

Exclusive: One in five renters are among 1 million living in poverty, according to New South Wales Council of Social Services

The “latte line” dividing Sydney’s western and eastern suburbs is hardening, with new research identifying deepening levels of poverty within already disadvantaged areas and groups.

A report commissioned by the New South Wales Council of Social Services (Ncoss) also found one in five renters are among more than 1 million people living in poverty in the state.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Water testing after the Menindee fish kill shows a ‘chronically sick’ river

Posted on by

New test results from the Darling-Baaka River show the system is ‘supercharged with nutrients’, expert says

Water testing results from Darling-Baaka River at Menindee indicate the river is “chronically sick” and raises concerns about the overall health of the Murray-Darling Basin, experts say.

The New South Wales Environment Protection Authority (EPA) released the second round of test results days after the state government declared it would treat the deaths of millions of fish at Menindee in far-west NSW as a “pollution incident”.

Sign up to receive Guardian Australia’s fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter

Continue reading...

Australia news live: student debt ‘avalanche’ a sign loan system is broken, Faruqi says; drowning death at Victoria beach

Posted on by

Follow live

The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, is this morning committing to $260m to Australia’s national parks to address problems after “a decade of neglect”.

Plibersek is telling ABC News some parks have become unsafe:

What we’ve seen in our national parks, feral animals, invasive weeds, despite the best efforts of our rangers and staff, they just haven’t been able to keep up with the demand in our parks.

They’ve actually become unsafe. One of the worst examples I heard was broken and missing crocodile signs in Kakadu national park.

Continue reading...

‘Reasonable doubt’ as to Kathleen Folbigg’s guilt over deaths of her children, inquiry told

Posted on by

Folbigg and her two daughters found to carry a rare genetic variation, which could cast doubt on her convictions, inquiry hears

Counsel assisting an inquiry into Kathleen Folbigg’s convictions have submitted there is reasonable doubt about her guilt over the deaths of her four children.

“On the whole of the body of evidence before this inquiry there is a reasonable doubt as to Ms Folbigg’s guilt,” Sophie Callan SC said, summarising her closing submissions on Wednesday.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Australia news live: defence strategic review ‘a cannibalisation of army mobility’, Hastie says; Victorian jockey dies after race fall

Posted on by

Review calls for ADF to develop ability to precisely strike targets at longer range and to develop stronger network. Follow the day’s news live

Plibersek v Joyce on Newspoll

In their regular spot on Sunrise, environment minister Tanya Plibersek and Coalition frontbencher Barnaby Joyce weighed in on those Newspoll results.

They’re very strong support numbers, and I tell you the reason is not based on polling but what people tell me when I’m out around the country.

People tell me that they’re pleased to see a government that is just getting on with the job, doing what we promised and they’re impressed that the prime minister is just sticking with what he said he’d do.

We don’t have an election tomorrow and that’s a good thing.

A lot of people are starting to focus now on issues such as the voice and saying, “I don’t feel comfortable with this.”

Continue reading...

NSW police search for mother after newborn baby abandoned in Sydney’s west

Posted on by

Police believe Blacktown location where baby was found was chosen at random and mother had no connection to the property

The discovery of a baby girl abandoned in Sydney’s west has sparked a search for her mother.

Emergency services were called to a home in Blacktown about 2.40pm on Friday, NSW police said.

Continue reading...

NSW’s most popular holiday spots divided over limits on Airbnb rentals

Posted on by

Not all councils agree on best way to tackle homelessness caused in part by popularity of short-term rentals such as Airbnb

Councils responsible for some of New South Wales’ most popular tourism destinations are urging the incoming Minns government to give them the power to further restrict short-term holiday rentals.

In December, the Byron shire council, which has the highest rate of homelessness in the state outside Sydney, voted in favour of introducing a 90-day cap on some short-term holiday rentals in an effort to generate more long-term rental supply.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Advice on voice a ‘cynical political tactic’ to confuse voters, Coalition claims – as it happened

Posted on by

This blog is now closed

Ed Husic says board appointments alone won’t guarantee RBA diversity

The ministry for industry, Ed Husic, says he believes new appointments to the RBA board alone isn’t enough to bring diversity to the central bank – he says there need to be “deeper structures” put in place.

As a government, I can give you this assurance. We do like to take into account people’s views from different vantage points. I do think it is important that where decisions have an impact – not just in terms of investors or industry but the people that work in them or the broader community – I think it’s a healthier decision …

Some people will fix on ‘well, someone should have a seat at the board’ for that to occur and I understand why they’ll make those arguments. I’m not necessarily convinced that that specifically guarantees that will occur, just having one person on the board. There need to be a lot deeper structures for people to have that sense that they’ve had a say and that they can have an ability to influence and inform decision making.

Continue reading...

Three strikes: NSW falls behind rest of nation as Queensland reforms drug possession laws

Posted on by

Queensland health minister says progressive changes will open up pathways for people to receive treatment

New South Wales will become the only state that doesn’t allow cautions for people possessing drugs after Queensland moved to mandate a three-strike system.

Doctors, police and drug reform advocates are welcoming reforms, passed on Thursday night, that will see Queensland take a more progressive approach to policing the personal consumption of illegal drugs.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Chris Minns leaves door open to renegotiate gaming tax rise as Star casino cuts jobs

Posted on by

NSW premier criticises former state government’s tax policy for casinos which he says lacked due diligence

The New South Wales government has left the door open to renegotiate a gaming tax forecast to raise $364m over three years, as the financial health of casino operator Star Entertainment deteriorates.

Star announced on Wednesday that it would eliminate 500 jobs and freeze salaries for non-unionised staff as it looked for $100m in annual savings.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Gambling group Star to cut 500 full-time jobs and conduct review of Sydney casino

Posted on by

Board says company is experiencing a ‘significant and rapid deterioration in operating conditions’

The Star will sack the equivalent of 500 full-time employees, freeze salaries and consider the fate of its flagship Sydney casino as regulatory and economic headwinds buffet the flailing gaming group.

The gambling company also announced on Wednesday that it was working with Barrenjoey Capital Partners to conduct a strategic review of The Star Sydney – Australia’s second largest casino – alongside the cost-cutting initiative.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

NSW courts put all remaining Covid infringement cases on hold after ruling on legality of fines

Posted on by

Exclusive: Urgent legal advice being sought by courts to clarify how decision could affect pending and finalised cases

A damning ruling about the legality of Covid fines has prompted New South Wales police to quietly withdraw some infringements from court and forced the judiciary to put all remaining Covid breach cases on hold, pending urgent legal advice.

Earlier this month, the status of tens of thousands of fines issued during Covid restrictions was cast into doubt by a NSW supreme court ruling, which found infringements that failed to properly spell out an alleged offence were invalid.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

NSW Labor will hold off on Hills Shire council inquiry ‘at request of Icac’

Posted on by

Premier says government will not proceed with public inquiry as it could affect investigation being conducted by commission

The New South Wales state parliament will hold off on conducting further public inquiries into alleged impropriety at Hills Shire council while the state’s anti-corruption commission conducts its own investigation.

A previous upper house inquiry, launched after allegations aired in parliament by NSW Liberal MP Ray Williams about senior members of his own party, became a focal point of the recent election campaign when it sparked a manhunt for one of former premier Dominic Perrottet’s brothers.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Two men charged over alleged Sydney kidnapping which left one victim with severed finger

Posted on by

The men have been charged with kidnapping offences after a couple was allegedly abducted in the Sydney suburb of Fairfield

Two men have been charged over the alleged kidnapping of a man and a woman in Sydney’s south-west, which police say left one of the victims with a severed finger.

The alleged victims, a 26-year-old man and a 24-year-old woman, were walking towards a car park at Fairfield in Sydney’s south-west on 18 January when they were grabbed by two men wearing balaclavas, New South Wales police said.

Continue reading...

Dozens of climate activists arrested after shovelling coal from train bound for Newcastle

Posted on by

Police charged about 50 protesters after coal train was brought to a standstill for four hours

Dozens of people have been arrested after protesters scaled a train bound for the Port of Newcastle and began shovelling coal out of its wagons.

The train was brought to a standstill a few kilometres from the port while passing Sandgate, near the Pacific Highway, about 10am on Sunday.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Man charged with foreign interference to remain behind bars until Monday – as it happened

Posted on by

The 55-year-old businessman appeared via video link at Parramatta magistrates court. This blog is now closed

‘Really disturbing footage’: David Pocock responds to gas seep video

Senator David Pocock has called the video showing large methane gas bubbles active on the surface of Queensland’s Condamine River “really disturbing footage”.

Continue reading...

Time is a traveller: the Tenterfield Saddler is up for sale

Posted on by

Building which inspired Peter Allen’s 1972 hit is up for sale, amid calls for the government to step in and preserve it as a cultural destination

The Tenterfield Saddler, immortalised by Peter Allen, is up for sale, and fans of the Australian songwriter are calling for government intervention to preserve its history.

This modest, two-room building was raised in hand-cut local blue granite, timber and tin on the high street of the northern New South Wales town in 1870. Word was that bush poet AB ‘Banjo’ Paterson was a regular customer.

Sign up to receive Guardian Australia’s fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter

Continue reading...

NSW police breached body-worn camera policies during shooting death of Indigenous man, coroner finds

Posted on by

Inquest into death of Gomeroi man Stanley Russell urges changes to how officers handle people with an intellectual disability

A coroner delivering findings into the police shooting death of Indigenous man Stanley Russell said officers seriously breached their own policies on body-worn cameras during the incident.

The New South Wales deputy state coroner Carmel Forbes also recommended policy changes on how police handle people with intellectual disabilities, and urged them to clarify rules on when officers need to wear body cameras.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Paramedic who died in stabbing at McDonald’s in Sydney’s south-west was a young father

Posted on by

Police arrested 21-year-old man allegedly armed with a knife at the scene in Campbelltown, who is now in custody

A New South Wales paramedic had stopped at McDonald’s during an early morning shift break before he was fatally stabbed outside the fast-food restaurant in Sydney’s south-west on Friday morning.

Police say the 29-year-old father was grabbing a bite to eat with a colleague after finishing a job nearby when he was stabbed at the Campbelltown restaurant. His colleague then called for help just before 5.30am.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup

Continue reading...

Australia news live: Dutton says PM should ‘make sure’ federal police are sent to to Alice Springs; recount ordered for Sydney seat

Posted on by

Opposition leader says locals are leaving town and tourism numbers are down due to lack of safety. Follow all the day’s news

If the NDIS is improved for people, it will be better for budget, Shorten says

Shorten is being asked about his other portfolio, minister for NDIS. The Grattan Institute yesterday made several recommendations to help rein in the budget, saying the government need to take a hard look at the NDIS.

If we run the scheme better for the person, the participant, the person with severe and profound disabilities. I also think that some of the other anxieties which are about money being wasted, will be dealt with.

We’ve been reforming individual features of the scheme already like getting people who are medically discharged from hospital on the NDIS, not languishing in hospital for months and months. We’ve been reducing some of the legacy cases.

So the budget will no doubt have measures which will be about improving the NDIS for participants but the budget isn’t an end in itself. So we’re doing work right now. There’ll be more work being done, and there’ll be work also finally announced when the review happens.

The bigger piece first of all, is that when the government thinks that someone owes a debt to the government, we’ve got to have a much more methodical transparent process to establish the accuracy of the debt.

The best thing you can do is not make a mistake to begin with – and I mean the government not make a mistake.

Continue reading...