THE first 100 days milestone has been reached and the Minns Labor Government say they’ve hit the ground running to address the serious challenges facing NSW.
“We were elected with a clear mandate to scrap the wages cap and sit down for a genuine negotiation with our frontline workers including nurses, paramedics, teachers, firefighters and police,” Premier Chris Minns said.
“We were elected to rebuild health and education in NSW and reinvest in our essential workforce – to put people back at the heart of government.
“And from the moment our team was sworn in we have been working hard to make this happen.
“We’ve made good progress – with a lot more to do.
“We’ve smashed the wages cap and delivered the biggest pay rise to public sector workers in NSW in over a decade.”
The government has transferred thousands of temporary teachers and support staff in our schools to permanent contracts.
“We’ve begun the transition to safe staffing levels in our hospitals,” Mr Minns said.
“We’re making renting fairer while delivering more affordable housing.
“We’ve made serious progress in reforming planning in NSW to deliver more supply and quality homes.”
Mr Minns said the NSW Government has also enshrined the protection of publicly-owned assets including Sydney Water and Hunter Water in the constitution and taken significant steps to reduce the impact of energy price increases.
“We’ve had a productive first session of parliament, with 13 bills passed. But we’ve made clear the biggest challenge we face is the budget.
“Since forming government in March, we have been up front with the people of NSW about the economic challenges we have inherited from the former government.
“They handed over to us the largest debt in our state’s history, with the state on track for a record $187.5 billion in debt.
“Incoming briefs have also uncovered a $7 billion black hole of unfunded programs.
Mr Minns fended off questions from journalists about breaking any election pledges.
“I don’t believe we have,” he said.
Dputy Pemier Prue Car said the following is just some of what the NSW Labor Government has already delivered:
• Delivered the biggest pay increase for NSW public sector workers in more than a decade.
• Frozen politician and public sector senior executive pay increases.
• Transitioned 7,000 teachers and school support staff from temporary to permanent contracts.
• Cut admin work for teachers and increased numbers of school admin staff in schools.
• Began the transition to safe staffing levels in NSW hospitals.
• Established at Paediatric Heart Transplant service at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
• Shut down unused COVID PCR testing drive through centres.
• Prioritised English and Maths in updated curriculum rollout.
• Maintained Lismore flood relief support.
• Expanded stamp duty exemptions and concessions to more first home buyers.
• Reformed rental laws by introducing a rental commissioner and creating a portable bonds scheme.
• Introduced new planning rules to deliver further housing supply and more affordable housing.
• Abolished hidden speed cameras in NSW.
• Began a comprehensive toll review led by Professor Allan Fels.
• Introduced a demerit point return scheme to reward safe drivers, sooner.
• Secured UFC Match for Sydney.
• Started the process of increasing the concert cap at the SCG Precinct.
• Banned VIP Lounge signage from pubs and clubs.
• Introduced a bill to ban clubs and pubs with pokies from donating to NSW political parties.
• Legislating to double penalties for knife crimes.
• Successfully switched Walgett’s water supply to river water.
• Engaged interim Biosecurity Commissioner
