Matt Kean MP

The NSW Government has released an awareness campaign to remind DIY enthusiasts to plan, prepare and check for asbestos if they are renovating an old home.

Renovation works may disturb asbestos, particularly in houses and sheds built before 1990, and the tagline Asbestos lurks in more places than you think, reminds DIY renovators and tradies to check for asbestos before renovating or building.

Environment Minister Matt Kean said this long weekend provides an ideal opportunity to tackle a DIY project but only if it is done safely and carefully.

More than half a million homes and businesses in Sydney’s inner suburbs will have more reliable power, with TransGrid’s $285 million Powering Sydney’s Future project getting the green light today from the NSW Government. 

Energy Minister Matt Kean said the upgraded infrastructure will provide additional security of supply during peak demand periods.

“Parts of Sydney’s transmission and distribution networks are reaching their end of life, so this project will play a crucial role in ensuring a continuous and reliable energy supply for our communities,” Mr Kean said. 

The entire colony of Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies in Kangaroo Valley survived the 2019-20 bushfires which devastated the region, with the support of emergency food drops, announced Environment Minister Matt Kean today.

“Since the Currowan fire burnt endangered Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby habitat near Kangaroo Valley in early January, National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) rangers trekked into the region every week to provide food for the hungry wallabies and ensure their survival,” Mr Kean said.

Landcare NSW will receive $1.3 million from the NSW Government, in a partnership for a series of regional biodiversity conservation projects across NSW.

Minister for Environment Matt Kean said the funding will be administered by the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT), the NSW government body that delivers private land conservation agreements across NSW.

Kids in Hornsby will be able to redeem the NSW Government’s $100 Creative Kids vouchers and stay connected to creative learning activities during social distancing restrictions thanks to an expansion of the program’s eligible activities and $1 million in funding to help program providers make the digital transition.

Energy businesses, workers and consumer groups are being encouraged to help shape the design of the new Energy Security Safeguard, to ensure it will drive down power prices and improve the reliability of the NSW grid.

Energy Minister Matt Kean today called on interested stakeholders to respond to the Energy Security Safeguard consultation paper, which is an important next step to implement the State’s Electricity Strategy to lower power prices and improve the reliability and sustainability of the electricity system.

Electricity consumers are set to benefit from more affordable and reliable electricity, following the NSW and Commonwealth Governments’ support to speed up the upgrade to the NSW-QLD interconnector (QNI).

Energy Minister Matt Kean said the Australian Energy Regulator’s final approval of the QNI upgrade is great news for the households and businesses of NSW, providing an additional 190 megawatts of low-cost electricity for NSW and supporting over 150 jobs.

What will term 2 look like?
Term 2 will begin as it finished in Term 1. The majority of NSW students will be learning from home.
From week three of Term 2, we will begin a staged return to school. This will start with at least one day of face to face learning a week, with the aim of having around 25% of students on campus.

Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) is now better equipped to respond to emergencies and calls for assistance from the community following the rollout of a fleet of new next generation response vehicles.

As part of a $28 million aerial replacement program funded by the NSW Government, fire stations like Hornsby Fire Station will put to good use one of 13 new Bronto Skylift Ladder Platforms and the EGI Klubb Aerial Pumpers.