15 May 2011

Transport Minister Gladys Berejiklian announced a major tender has been called to help finalise design and operations options for the North West Rail Link. The successful tenderer for engineering, rail systems and architecture services will form an integral part of the North West Rail Link Project Team, providing ongoing technical expertise to ensure the end product meets the needs of commuters and the community. The OFarrell Government is pressing ahead with the North West Rail Link, and this is another step in the process of fast-tracking this vital piece of infrastructure, Ms Berejiklian said.

10 April 2011

Opposition Leader and Shadow Minister for Western Sydney, John Robertson has called on Premier O'Farrell to rule out cutting train services on the Western Line to make way for trains off the North West Rail Link. The Premier needs to give commuters in Western Sydney an ironclad guarantee today that he will not cut train services on the Western Line, he said. Mr Robertson and new Shadow Minister for Transport Penny Sharpe will visit the electorates of Smithfield, Granville and Parramatta today to listen to the community's concerns about transport in western Sydney. The O'Farrell Government has made a commitment to start work on the North West Rail Link right now and I intend to hold them to that But I will not accept cuts to train services in Western Sydney to make way for services from the North West, said Mr Robertson.

08 April 2011

Opposition Leader John Robertson announced his shadow cabinet today - putting forward a mix of new faces and experience. "My team is fresh, energetic and ready to work," said Mr Robertson. "I have selected smart, talented people - determined to win back the trust of the people of NSW. We are a smaller team but we will work twice as hard to hold the O'Farrell Government to account." Linda Burney will serve as Deputy Leader, Shadow Minister for Planning, Infrastructure and Heritage, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation, Shadow Minister for the Hunter and Shadow Minister for the Central Coast.

06 April 2011

Greens MP and transport spokesperson in NSW Cate Faehrmann says the Premier is right to advocate for high speed rail over a second Sydney airport. Good on the Premier for having the common sense to reject a second airport in favour of high speed rail, said Ms Faehrmann. Oil depletion is just around the corner, and the Melbourne-Sydney flight route is the 4th busiest in the world. We need to plan for alternative transport solutions and high speed rail is the answer.

06 April 2011

NSW Premier and Minister for Western Sydney Barry OFarrell and the Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian today unveiled the NSW Governments strategy to speed up planning and construction of the North West Rail Link. The fast tracking of the North West Rail Link is one of the NSW Governments priority election commitments - and it will be delivered, Mr OFarrell said. A project team has already been established to accelerate work on the line and a new community information centre will be established soon, he said. We expect geotechnical work to begin later this year - in line with our commitment to start on the project as soon as possible.

05 April 2011

Queensland can expect coastal erosion and permanent inundation of coastal land as a result of a predicted 0.8 metre sea level rise by 2100, according to a new scientific report released today by Environment and Resource Management Minister Kate Jones. Ms Jones released the new publication Queensland Coastal Processes and Climate Change at the Greenhouse 2011: the science of climate change conference in Cairns, where delegates from around the world have gathered to hear from leading scientists and climate change experts. The Minister said that with 85 per cent of Queenslanders living along our coastline it is crucial that local governments and planners have a clear understanding of the effect climate change will have on the coast, in order to minimise impacts on our communities.

04 April 2011

Premier Barry O'Farrell announced State Cabinet's first meeting decided to scrap Part3A of the planning laws with all new applications to be halted from today. Repealing Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act was one of my Governments key election pledges - and it will be implemented, Mr O'Farrell said. Mr O'Farrell explained as it requires legislation, the scrapping of Part 3A would be done in stages. From today, no new Part 3A applications for private residential, commercial, retail or coastal development will be accepted, he said. The time has come to give planning powers back to local communities.

03 April 2011

Special Gazette No.34 - NSW Government Members of the Executive Council and NSW Government Ministry - 3 April 2011.

02 April 2011

NSW Premier Barry OFarrell announced Landcom would begin the delivery of his key election commitment to release 10,000 new housing blocks over the next four years to help young families buy a home. During the election campaign, Mr OFarrell promised to boost new housing blocks from Landcom to improve housing affordability. Landcom have told me the policy is achievable and I am determined to deliver it. Families looking to buy a home deserve a break, Mr OFarrell said at the sale of Landcom land release at The Ponds in North West Sydney.