Category Archives: New South Wales politics

Minns calls for NSW Labor to suspend CFMEU affiliation and stop donations after corruption allegations

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Premier says he has written to NSW Labor general secretary requesting immediate suspension of party’s affiliation to CFMEU’s construction and general division

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has asked for the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union’s (CFMEU) affiliation with the state Labor party to be immediately suspended and donations and fees to be stopped after further allegations against its leadership.

The Labor leader lashed the union early on Wednesday morning after Nine newspapers published a video allegedly capturing the NSW union boss Darren Greenfield being passed a $5000 cash bundle in a suspected kickback deal.

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NSW government says state’s biodiversity ‘in crisis’ as it pledges first steps to reverse decline

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Government will also overhaul state laws after Guardian Australia uncovered serious problems with biodiversity offsets scheme

The New South Wales government says the state’s biodiversity is in crisis and must be put on a path to recovery to reverse the decline of beloved species and ecosystems.

The environment minister, Penny Sharpe, has released the government’s “first steps” in responding to a major review of the state’s nature laws, saying: “We cannot ignore the truth: biodiversity in NSW is in crisis.”

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Introducing legislation next year to enshrine a new state nature strategy with conservation and restoration targets;

Amending laws this year to reform the state’s offsets scheme;

Developing maps that identify current and future areas of high biodiversity value to give “clear guidance” on where environmental impacts should be avoided;

Reviewing other pieces of legislation that affect biodiversity to improve outcomes for the environment.

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Anger over delay to end of no-grounds evictions in NSW as renters face ‘perfect storm’

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Premier Chris Minns says government is still ‘grappling’ with issue that has already been outlawed in most states

The New South Wales government has been accused of failing renters by delaying legislation to end no-grounds evictions as demand for legal aid spikes across Sydney.

Despite both major parties pledging to abolish no-grounds evictions in the 2023 election, the government is yet to introduce legislation to implement the much-anticipated reforms.

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NSW premier hosing down greyhound racing ban before inquiry a ‘mockery’, Animal Justice MP says

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Emma Hurst blasts ‘absurd turn of events’ and calls for public reassurance after damning allegations dog deaths are higher than thought

The greyhound racing industry in New South Wales will face a government inquiry but not a ban after the resignation of the industry body’s chief executive and the release of a scathing report alleging welfare issues for the dogs.

The chief executive of Greyhound Racing NSW (GRNSW), Robert Macaulay, resigned after the report’s release on Tuesday in a decision his board described as “an amicable one, and one he felt was best for the industry at this time”.

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NSW Coalition at risk of collapse after Nationals leader backs Wes Fang in spat with Liberals

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Dugald Saunders took issue with Liberal leader Mark Speakman who sacked Fang from the shadow ministry over comments about a Wagga Wagga trip

The sacking of a Nationals MP from the New South Wales shadow ministry after he accused the Liberals of “pretending” to care about the Riverina has threatened the state’s longstanding Coalition.

The NSW Liberal party room will meet on Tuesday to discuss the rupture, which is the greatest threat to the Coalition since the then deputy premier John Barilaro threatened to walk away from the agreement over the koala wars in 2020.

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NSW government accused by critics of using ‘fatally compromised’ emissions report

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Climate campaigners and scientists disturbed over claims about global warming found in document obtained through Gipa laws

The New South Wales government is facing criticism over a review of how to cut emissions from coalmines that claims the goal of limiting global heating to well below 2C will not be met – a position at odds with the state’s laws and policies.

Climate campaigners and scientists said the claim in the report, prepared for the planning department, is inconsistent with state legislation that commits to pursuing efforts to limit temperature increases to 1.5C.

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RBA governor says inflation still above target; Matt Kean to retire from politics – as it happened

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Liberals criticise treatment of journalist by Chinese officials at press conference

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham has condemned the treatment of journalist Cheng Lei at federal parliament yesterday.

This was an entirely counterproductive and inappropriate act by Chinese officials that should have been called out by our prime minister and government officials.

It is a reminder that we have two very different systems, the Chinese system and the Australian system, different systems of government, of course as a democracy, different respect when it comes to media, to freedom of speech, but this visit is taking place in Australia.

It is concerning, I think a lot of this comes from so many Australians genuinely doing a tough at the moment, having to make really tough decisions, from telling their kids that they can no longer play basketball or be part of the scouts group because they can’t afford the … 500 bucks a year that costs, to other Australians who are deciding between going to see the GP or fulfilling a script and putting food on the table.

People are doing it tough and so when they hear politicians talk about these targets in the future … I think Peter Dutton use this to whip up fear.

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Matt Kean, a sometimes lone Coalition voice on climate threat, announces shock retirement

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NSW Liberal MP rules out running for federal parliament as he exits state politics after 13 years

New South Wales Liberal MP Matt Kean has announced his resignation from politics after 13 years in state parliament.

Kean made the surprise announcement in a snap press conference at NSW parliament on Tuesday, hours after the Minns Labor government handed down its second budget.

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NSW budget 2024: the biggest winners and losers

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From bulk billing GPs and frontline workers to renters and the environment, here’s who won and lost in the Minns government’s state budget

The New South Wales government has unveiled a bold plan to ease costs for GP clinics in order to nudge doctors into bulk billing more patients, as part of a suite of budget measures it hopes will deliver cost-of-living relief to citizens.

However, in announcing a $3.6bn deficit, the Minns government’s budget of “must-haves not nice-to-haves” leaves a raft of key societal issues without new funding or a clear path to improvement.

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From social housing to $1.5m for a studio: minister hits out at ‘dud deal’ sale of Sydney’s Sirius building

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Exclusive: Rose Jackson says losing public housing in expensive central suburbs leaves society worse off, and this week’s state budget will address issue

A decade ago the only way to secure a bed in Sydney’s brutalist icon, the Sirius building, was a proven need and time on the social housing waitlist. Now the price of admission starts at $1.55m – for a studio apartment.

The last of the 76 apartments in the redeveloped complex in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge are on the market after the building was sold to a developer by the former Coalition state government for $150m in 2019.

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Housing to be at the centre of NSW budget, with more homes for those in need

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Treasurer Daniel Mookhey foreshadows more money for social and affordable housing while lamenting drop in state’s GST share

Housing will be the centrepiece of the New South Wales budget, with money for social and affordable homes, regional development and essential services to support growth across Sydney.

While the treasurer, Daniel Mookhey, acknowledged there was no quick fix for the crisis, he said he had been listening to experts who called for more homes to help those most in need and stem the brain drain from the state.

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NSW planning official referred to corruption watchdog Icac over house purchase allegation

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Liberal MP Alister Henskens used parliamentary privilege to accuse unnamed bureaucrat of using inside knowledge to purchase property for potential profit

The New South Wales government will refer claims of serious misconduct by a senior planning bureaucrat to the corruption watchdog Icac after concerns were raised by a former Coalition minister speaking under parliamentary privilege.

The Liberal MP for Wahroonga, Alister Henskens, on Thursday evening told parliament he had received “credible evidence” to suggest the planning department official had used insider information for personal gain through the government’s housing plan.

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‘Molly’s death was preventable’: premier says NSW must learn from mistakes after Ticehurst family speaks out

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Chris Minns says review of Molly Ticehurst’s interactions with government agencies will be provided to her family and the public

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has vowed the state will learn from “anything that has gone wrong” in the lead-up to Molly Ticehurst’s “preventable” death after her parents called for changes to a government program they said gave her “false hope” of home safety in the fortnight before she died.

Molly’s parents, Kate and Tony Ticehurst, would be provided with a report detailing the interactions their daughter had with NSW government agencies and service providers, Minns pledged, after they alleged she was promised security upgrades to her home that were not delivered before she died.

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In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org

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Mark Latham refused to pay Alex Greenwich $20,000 to avoid defamation lawsuit over graphic tweet

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Former NSW One Nation leader said he would ‘strenuously defend’ explicit tweet describing a sex act that MP claims was defamatory, court documents reveal

Political firebrand Mark Latham did not hand over $20,000 to avoid an independent MP’s lawsuit over an explicit tweet, instead saying he would strenuously defend any defamation claims against him.

Court documents reveal that in a settlement offer made in April 2023, Alex Greenwich said he would not resort to litigation if the then New South Wales One Nation leader paid the money and issued a public apology.

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‘Real concern’ over state of NSW social housing as history of gas leaks at Whalan complex revealed after deadly blast

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Investigation under way into cause of explosion at social housing complex in Sydney’s west that left one woman dead

The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, has indicated there could be more money on the way for social housing stock and repairs in this month’s budget after a woman died when a townhouse with a history of suspected gas leaks in Sydney’s west exploded.

Mhey Yumol Jasmin’s body was found in the rubble on Monday morning after two days of searching at the Whalan social housing complex, where two gas meters were found to be damaged in recent months.

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Origin Energy offered to sell Eraring power station to NSW government for $544m

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Exclusive: Documents reveal offer was made three years before Origin and government reached deal to keep Australia’s biggest coal-fired power station open

Origin Energy offered to sell its Eraring power station to the New South Wales government for more than half a billion dollars before announcing it would close the plant in August 2025, a document now made public reveals.

The energy company, which last week announced a pact with the government to keep the nation’s biggest coal-fired power station open for at least another two years, had offered to sell back the privatised facility for $544m during negotiations in 2021.

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NSW inquiry urges government to ditch big four firms for ‘in-house’ consultancy by public service

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Banning bureaucrats from taking related consulting jobs for six months post-public service among inquiry’s 28 recommendations

The New South Wales government has been urged to set up an “in-house” consulting service and ban bureaucrats from taking on relevant consulting jobs for six months after they leave the public service.

A NSW parliamentary inquiry into the use of private consulting services by government made the recommendations after it found the former Coalition government was too reliant on consultants and paid for work normally designed for the public service when it was in power.

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Claims for psychological injury at work surge in NSW at triple the rate of physical harm

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Exclusive: SafeWork NSW promises to crack down on big businesses who fail to protect the wellbeing of staff

Claims for psychological injury at work are increasing at a rate far outstripping physical injury claims in New South Wales, prompting a warning from the state’s safety watchdog for businesses to expect compliance checks and prosecution if practices don’t improve.

Physical injury claims rose 11% over the four years to mid-2023, while claims of psychological damage jumped 30% over the same period, according to the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (Sira).

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NSW premier sacks parliamentary secretary over criticism of police response to pro-Palestine protesters

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Chris Minns said Labor MP Anthony D’Adam’s comments in a speech to parliament were ‘absolutely reprehensible’

A Labor politician who criticised the actions of New South Wales police officers towards pro-Palestinian protesters has been sacked from his role as parliamentary secretary by the premier, Chris Minns.

Minns took aim at the comments made by the upper house MP Anthony D’Adam, saying that D’Adam had never raised his concerns about the police commissioner, Karen Webb, and officers before making his speech in parliament on Wednesday night.

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NSW to formally apologise for previously criminalising homosexuality

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Chris Minns says he hopes move will bring ‘some semblance of closure’ to those convicted

The New South Wales government will formally apologise to people convicted under laws criminalising homosexuality in a move the premier hopes will bring closure to those who have been affected.

Coinciding with the 40th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality, NSW will become the last Australian state to issue an apology after all five others did last decade.

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