Archives: Media Releases

NEW GRADUATE NURSES FOR SUTHERLAND HOSPITAL

45 graduate nurses will start work at Sutherland Hospital this year.

Sutherland Hospital will provide the graduates with a great learning environment for their first year in the health workforce with opportunities in a variety of clinical settings to ensure they gain a range of experience and consolidate skills and knowledge developed while at university.

Many of the graduates officially started work this week after contributing to the COVID-19 workforce response as students in our vaccination and testing clinics.

I welcome these graduates to Sutherland Hospital at a challenging time for our health system and thank them, and all of our nurses, for their hard work for the community.

The intake of new recruits at Sutherland Hospital is part of an injection of 2,800 graduate nurses and midwives who are starting work across 130 NSW public hospitals and health facilities this year in a big win for the NSW health system.

Between 2012 and 2021, the nursing workforce and midwifery workforce in NSW increased by 9,599 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff, or 23 per cent, to 51, 794 FTE.

The NSW Government is also investing a further 5,000 nurses and midwives from 2019-2022 under a record $2.8 billion boost to frontline staff.

CRONULLA SCHOOLS SET TO SHINE

Seven schools in the Cronulla electorate will benefit from more energy efficiency lighting.

The upgrade is part of Tranche 4 of the NSW Government’s $157.8 million LED Lighting Upgrade Program to replace old inefficient lights in public schools with smart LED lights.

Research has shown that improved lighting has a positive impact on students’ education, so the upgrade is good news for learning and it will also help reduce school power bills.

Cronulla schools benefiting from the LED Lighting Upgrade Program are: 

  • Caringbah High School
  • Woolooware High School
  • Kirrawee High School
  • Gymea Bay Public
  • Grays Point Public
  • Laguna Street Public
  • Cronulla High School.

 The program is providing a stimulus response to the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting more than 1,200 jobs across the State.

The installation work is being tendered using the Local Trades Scheme, allowing local businesses and tradespeople the opportunity to bid for the work in the Sutherland Shire.

The program targets small to medium sized contractors which is great for our local community and economy.

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.

SUTHERLAND COURTHOUSE TO RUN ON THE SUN

Solar panels will be installed on the roof of Sutherland Courthouse next year as part of a new program aimed at making the state’s judicial buildings energy efficient.

 

Sutherland will be one of the first courthouses in NSW to be upgraded as part of this statewide solar-energy program.

 

Sutherland Courthouse will also be fitted with energy-saving LED lighting and motion sensors to switch lights on in non-court areas and save electricity.

 

While the judicial process is taking place inside the building, solar panels on the roof will be hard at work as well, contributing to a cleaner environment and saving taxpayer money.

 

Stage 1 of the courthouse solar program involves an overall investment of $1.8 million to install more than 3000 photovoltaic solar panels on 23 courthouses in Sydney and regional NSW.

 

The projects will help propel the NSW Government toward its commitment to double NSW Government solar energy generation from 55,000 to 126,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) a year by 2024.

 

Courthouses in Stage 1 will generate an estimated 2,311 MWh of electricity per year and reduce carbon emissions by the equivalent of 360 average residential households.

SURF CLUB UPGRADE COMPLETE AT ELOUERA

Elouera Surf Life Saving Club is celebrating the completion of a $800,000 upgrade, with $320,000 contributed by the NSW Government.

$300,000 of the work was funded through the Surf Club Facility Program, which assists surf life saving clubs across NSW to upgrade, restore and construct facilities. $20,000 was made available through the Community Building Partnership program, which funds local community groups to improve their facilities.

I’m delighted to see the newly completed ground floor facilities at Elouera.

Our surf lifesaving volunteers are committed to protecting our community, and it’s important they have fit-for-purpose facilities.

I congratulate the Elouera Surf Life Saving Club board for its vision of providing excellent facilities that help its volunteers feel valued.

Club volunteers will benefit from improved amenities, training room, administration office, first aid room and gymnasium.

The upgrade will help the club’s efforts to be inclusive for everyone, doubling the size of female amenities to provide more change room space for mums and children participating in the club’s programs.

There have also been improvements to accessible change rooms, which will make it easier for special needs nippers to participate.

The NSW Government has allocated $4 million for the next round of the Surf Club Facility Program, which is now open to applications from surf clubs.

More information about the Surf Club Facility Program is available at www.sport.nsw.gov.au/clubs/grants/SCFP

$400,000 FOR CRONULLA ELECTORATE COMMUNITY PROJECTS

12 local organisations in the Cronulla electorate have secured a total of $400,000 for projects through the NSW Government’s 2021 Community Building
Partnership Program.

The program funds infrastructure projects for improvements to facilities for hardworking local community groups.

I am delighted to announce the following projects have been successful for 2021:

  • Cronulla South Public School P&C (upgrade of classroom and outdoor learning space) $70,000
  • Wanda Surf Life Saving Club (upgrade to lift) $50,000
  • Yowie Bay Public School P&C (new nature adventure garden) $50,000
  • Laguna Street Public School P&C (upgraded outdoor seating area) $45,000
  • Cronulla High School P&C (motorised lighting winch system) $40,000
  • Cronulla Recreation and Bowling Club (updated sun protection shades) $34,000
  • Cronulla Public School P&C (water bottle refill stations) $30,000
  • Woolooware High School P&C (renovation of multi purpose hall floors) $30,000
  • Elouera Surf Life Saving Club (ground floor refurbishment) $20,000
  • Sunnyfield (renovation and upgrade of kitchen at Caringbah) $14,000
  • St Aloysius Church, Cronulla (refurbishment of audio visual system) $12,000
  • Cronulla Seagulls Football Club (outdoor shade and weather protection) $5,000.

I congratulate the local organisations that have been successful in their applications and look forward to seeing the difference these projects make to our
community.

UPGRADES FOR SCOUT FACILITIES

I’m pleased to announce that a number of Scout groups in the Cronulla electorate are set to benefit from a grant from the NSW Government:

  • Lilli Pilli Scout Hall ($44,000) – replacement of leaking roof
  • 1st Grays Point Scout Hall ($33,000) – repairs to 50 year old steel uprights, deteriorated due to saltwater environment
  • Cronulla Water Activities Scout Centre ($22,000) – replacement of decayed boat ramp and skid.

Scouts NSW is one of our state’s largest and most popular youth organisations.

This funding will deliver much-needed repairs and improvements to local Scout facilities, so that they’re in good shape for future generations.

$7.75 million has been allocated statewide for projects at Scouts facilities on Crown Land as part of the Government’s COVID-19 stimulus program.

SHIRE COMMUNITY SPORT RECEIVES OVER $1.4 MILLION IN NSW GOVERNMENT GRANTS

Community sport in the Sutherland Shire is set to receive a welcome boost from Round One of the NSW Government’s Greater Cities Sport Facility Fund.

I’m delighted that the Seagulls will receive $256,750 from the NSW Government to improve facilities for its fast-growing female membership base.

The funding will assist the club to add new female change rooms and to improve access to the clubhouse for people with disability.

I also congratulate Sutherland Shire Council and St John Bosco Youth Club, which will receive funding for projects in the Heathcote electorate.

Sutherland Shire Council will receive $1,000,000 to upgrade lighting at Heathcote Oval to Australian training and competition standards.

This includes one AFL field, two football (soccer) fields, one baseball field and eight netball courts.

The St John Bosco Youth Club – Football Club will be giving its 25-year-old clubhouse a makeover thanks to a grant of $179,091. It will expand the clubroom area to make it more functional and provide weather protection for the use of members, guests and the public.

The Greater Cities Sport Facility Fund project will stimulate local economies, boost employment and promote healthy lifestyles across greater Sydney by providing grants to councils, local sporting bodies, NSW state sporting organisations, state sporting organisations for people with disability, national sporting organisations and private enterprises.

BATE BAY SURF CLUBS RECEIVE NSW GOVERNMENT GRANTS FOR UPGRADES

Three Bate Bay surf life saving clubs will share almost $700,000 in grants for upgrades in the NSW Government’s 2020-21 Surf Club Facility Program.

Our local surf clubs are among the most important community groups in the Shire.

Surf club volunteers play a vital role in keeping our beaches safe. In any typical season, our four Bate Bay clubs collectively provide over 40,000 hours of active duty, scores of rescues and many thousands of preventative actions, as well as first aid.

This year’s grants are:

  • Elouera Surf Life Saving Club – ground floor refurbishment – $302,500.
  • Wanda Surf Life Saving Club – replacement of clubhouse roof, solar panel system and mechanical components on the roof – $236,466.
  • North Cronulla Surf Life Saving Club – fit out of equipment and gear storage facilities – $150,000.

Previous years’ Surf Club Facility Program grants include $500,000 to Cronulla (new clubhouse), $350,000 to North Cronulla (new clubhouse) and $91,000 to Wanda (male toilets and change rooms).

MAJOR CONTRACT AWARDED FOR M6 STAGE 1

The design and construction contract has been awarded for the M6 Stage 1, which will connect President Avenue at Kogarah with the WestConnex M8 at Arncliffe via four kilometre twin tunnels.

Transport for NSW awarded the $2.52 billion contract to CIMIC Group’s CPB Contractors and UGL, in a joint venture with Ghella, which was one of three finalists for the tender. 

The M6 Stage 1 project will create more than 5,000 jobs, with construction expected to start in early 2022.

Drivers will be able to bypass up to 23 sets of traffic lights on the Princes Highway. Traffic on General Holmes Drive is expected to be reduced by 10,000 vehicles every day.

The M6 Stage 1 is expected to see a 40 per cent reduction in trucks on the Princes Highway north of President Avenue, which will be great news for the local community and local commuters.

The NSW Government will deliver a new intersection at President Avenue and an upgrade of the busy President Avenue and Princes Highway intersection to improve capacity and network integration.

Work is already underway on a $28 million investment in local recreational facilities. Around 200 jobs have been created through these upgrades which are creating great local spots for our local communities.

The NSW Government is continuing to look to the future of the M6, with investigation and planning work well under way on a future Stage 2.

Expected travel time savings (when used with other motorway connections):

  • Kogarah to ANZAC Bridge – up to 15 minutes.
  • Miranda to Macquarie Park – up to 15 minutes.
  • Kogarah to south Sydney – up to 13 minutes.
  • Taren Point to Mascot – up to 12 minutes.
  • Kogarah to Sydney CBD – up to 8 minutes.

Around five kilometres of shared cycling and pedestrian pathways, connecting Bestic Street at Brighton Le Sands to O’Connell Street at Kogarah (including a new bridge over President Avenue) are also part of the project.

The M6 Stage 1 is expected to open to traffic in 2025.

FIRST ELECTRIC BUS FOR THE SUTHERLAND SHIRE

Today I helped to launch the first electric bus to operate in the Sutherland Shire.

The NSW Government has made a commitment to transition its fleet of 8,000 diesel and gas buses across the state to zero emission technology.

This new electric bus will operate out of Transdev’s Kingsgrove depot and run on route 970 from Miranda to Hurstville, and route 971 from Cronulla to Hurstville via Burraneer Bay Road, Miranda and Port Hacking Road.

Electric vehicles present a number of long-term benefits for the community.

In addition to being much better for the environment than their diesel counterparts, these vehicles deliver a much quieter ride for customers and less noise pollution on local streets.

The introduction of the new zero emission bus will help Transdev to understand how the vehicle performs in the Shire. This will help guide Transdev’s decision making when it comes time to roll out electric buses in the Shire on a permanent basis.

More than 50 electric buses will roll out across greater Sydney over the course of this year. 

Electric buses are already operating in Sydney’s north, inner west and south west.