End-of-Year School Assemblies

It has been great to get along to end-of-year school assemblies and see so many fantastic young achievers. All of the school captains hosting assemblies have been a credit to their schools.

Congratulations to all the award winners and all students on their hard work in 2023. To those starting high school, best of luck on the exciting next step in your educational journey.

Marine Rescue Newcastle

Marine Rescue Newcastle has a new home.

With a $3 million base at Stockton, the priceless work of Marine Rescue now has the facilities to match.

The two-storey, state-of-the-art base has a radio room, dedicated training areas, vessel and command storage and can act as a command centre during major incidents.

It's part of a $73 million investment in Marine Rescue NSW by the Minns Labor Government, which I was proud to open with the Minister for Emergency Services, Jihad Dib.

The base and the Marine Rescue family make our waterways a safer place.

Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program

The Local Sport Defibrillator Grant Program provides grants up to $3,000 to eligible sporting organisations towards the purchase of automated external defibrillators.

The Program is available to sport and recreation clubs, associations and organisations as well as councils and service clubs in Swansea.

Applications close 24 February 2024, at 1:00PM. For further information on the Local Sports Defibrillator Program, visit.

Record Pay Rise for Paramedics

The Minns Labor Government will deliver a record pay increase for paramedics.

Almost 5,000 paramedics will receive an average wage increase of 25 per cent over four years – with increases ranging from 11 to 29 per cent.

It delivers professional recognition and remuneration to reflect the move towards university qualification of paramedics and registration requirements with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

This follows 12 years of wage suppression and a difficult fiscal position left over by the former Liberal National government. 

A decade of failure to invest in frontline workers cannot be fixed overnight.

However, due to the Minns Labor Government’s careful and responsible approach to repair the budget and reprioritise spending – which we have done without privatisation or imposing an unfair wage cap on our essential workers – we are able to provide this record pay increase to paramedics in NSW.

We are a government with a clear focus – managing our finances responsibly so we can provide support when you need it most and improve the essential services that we all rely on, now and into the future.

In delivering professional rates, our first priority is to retain our existing paramedics while still delivering critical increases in paramedic numbers where they are needed most.

Under the Coalition, paramedics were left to be the lowest paid in the country. Under Labor, they will now be among the highest paid.

Class 360 Attests

Welcome to the police family, Class 360.

It was an honour to join NSW’s newest Probationary Constables as they attested at the Goulburn Police Academy today and wish them all the best for a rich and rewarding career with the NSW Police Force.

Commissioner Karen Webb and myself also officially opened the new on-site accommodation facilities. They’re modern, comfortable and the result of a major $30 million upgrade. It’s just part of the $60 million upgrade the Academy is right now undergoing.

There has never been a better time to join the NSW Police Force. We'll pay you while you study, and we'll accommodate you in world-class facilities.

Belmont & District Residents' Action Group

The Belmont & District Residents' Action Group is a local community group that advocates on behalf of Belmont and surrounding suburbs on a range of local issues. The group engages with local, state and federal levels of government. The group is seeking new members and if you would like to join, please contact Robin Gordon on robingordon1942@gmail.com.

Belmont Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary

The Belmont Hospital Volunteer Auxiliary truly are a great help to hospital staff. Beginning 50 years ago with a trolley service to patients and staff, the Auxiliary now has a team of more than 30 volunteers who provide 3 services:

• Patient Care which does administration work for all the departments within the hospital. It also sells craft and personal items to assist our patients and visitors
• Meet & Greet work from the foyer and assist visitors navigate around our hospital
• Kiosk provides food and beverages to staff, visitors and patients

All services run 5 days per week. The Auxiliary are always looking for more volunteers to join their team. They work on a weekly or fortnightly roster (with the option to work full or half days). If you are keen to join this wonderful team call Fay Smith (President) on 0427 488 499.

Savings for Pensioners 

The rise in the cost of living has been hitting many people hard, especially pensioners. Here are 10 ways for NSW pensioners to save:

1. Council rate rebates: Pensioners are entitled to up to $250 a year off their council rates. For more information visit the Lake Macquarie City Council and Central Coast Council websites. 
2. Electricity rebate: The Low Income Household Rebate will shave up to $285 a year off your electricity bill for households with a retail provider.
3. Gas rebate: This rebate will give you a discount of up to $110 a year.
4. Water rates: Eligible pensioners can access a quarterly rebate, shaving hundreds of dollars a year off a typical household bill. 
5. Revenue NSW Unclaimed Money: Find “lost” money waiting to be claimed from inactive bank accounts, shares and investments, insurance policies, unpaid wages, unclaimed super and deceased estates.
6. Travel vouchers: Pensioners are entitled to four Pensioner Travel Vouchers each calendar year. They can be used for two return or four single trips, giving access to free or discounted travel in economy class on NSW TrainLink Regional services within regional NSW.
7. Free car rego: Pensioners in NSW don’t pay registration fees or motor vehicle tax on one of their cars. They also receive free driver’s licences, free driving tests and concessions on the cost of Mobility Parking Scheme permits.
8. Free glasses: You can get yourself one pair of single vision glasses or one pair of bifocal glasses in a two-year period under the NSW Spectacles Program.
9. Seniors Card: The NSW Seniors Card is packed with discounts for thousands of retailers and services across the state from groceries to tradespeople and insurance.

I encourage all seniors to apply for these savings if they haven't already.