Archives: Media Releases

$400,000 BOOST FOR CRONULLA COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Grants worth a total of $400,000 have been awarded to 11 community organisations in the Cronulla electorate through the NSW Government’s 2022 Community Building Partnership Program.

The grants will go towards better facilities for a range of organisations from schools to disability and social services.

I thank the hardworking groups for their enthusiasm in preparing applications for the program this year; we continue to have many great volunteers in the Shire who want to make a difference for the community. I look forward to seeing the benefits of the successful projects.

The following projects have received funding in the 2022 round:

  • Caringbah Public School P&C (extension and renovation of the school’s multi-purpose hall) $70,000
  • Woolooware High School P&C (installation of power saving LED production lighting in the school’s multi-purpose hall and stage area) $70,000
  • Kurnell Public School P&C (upgrade shaded playground area with a themed structure and a new soft fall surface) $54,000
  • Cronulla Public School P&C (construction of a new outdoor learning centre) $50,000
  • Burraneer Bay Public School P&C (upgrade of audio visual equipment in the school hall and adjoining covered outdoor learning area) $36,000
  • Civic Disability Services (purchase of a refrigerated van to expand kitchen and catering social enterprise) $30,000
  • Laguna Street Public School P&C (new large, mobile video display screens for covered outdoor learning area and hall) $28,000
  • Kingsway Community Church (modification and improvements to area for youth activities) $25,000
  • St Aloysius Church Cronulla (solar panel installation on church roof) $18,000
  • Grays Point Girl Guides (guide hall maintenance upgrade) $10,000
  • UCA New Beginnings Church Cronulla (refurbishment of food storage and distribution room for its Cronulla Community Café food service) $9,000

SUTHERLAND COURTHOUSE SOLAR POWERS ITS WAY INTO GREENER FUTURE

Sutherland Courthouse has undergone a $1.7 million transformation in sustainability and building upgrades including the installation of rooftop solar panels and an energy storage system.

The installation of the 100 kilowatt rooftop solar system will help reduce the building’s energy consumption by up to 40% which means less impact on the environment.

The new energy storage system will store solar energy from the panels, which can be used when the sun isn’t shining, further reducing the building’s carbon footprint.

The NSW Government’s investment in solar and battery storage will help generate significant savings to the local community as well as the environment with savings of up to $170,000 in running costs over the next five years and it will contribute towards reducing close to 114 tonnes of emissions per year. This is equivalent to planting 1,687 trees.

The completed works at Sutherland Courthouse also include major refurbishments to the entire roof of the courthouse spanning an area equivalent to 13 tennis courts, re-painting the courthouse’s 80s exterior and remediation of the sandstone façade.

More than 13,700 local court matters were finalised at Sutherland Local Court in 2021, making it the third busiest courthouse in the Sydney metropolitan area, following the Downing Centre and Parramatta Court.

CRONULLA ELECTORATE JPs HONOURED FOR 50 YEARS OF SERVICE

Lilli Pilli’s Colleen Dombkins and Caringbah South’s Reinhart Putral have been honoured for more than half of century of service to the community as Justices of the Peace (JPs).

Ms Dombkins and Mr Putral were part of JPs ‘Class of 71’ recognised for their service at a special golden jubilee ceremony I hosted at NSW Parliament, which was delayed from 2021 because of the pandemic.

JPs play an important role in the community by witnessing statutory declarations and affidavits and certifying copies of original documents. We all appreciate the assistance of JPs when we need documents witnessed for things such as passport applications, starting a new job, banking or superannuation or personal legal affairs. 

Volunteer service is fundamental to making our community what it is, and I thank Colleen and Reinhart for their dedication to serving New South Wales over more than 50 years.

There are approximately 72,000 registered JPs in NSW. For more information about volunteering as a JP visit www.jp.nsw.gov.au.

CARINGBAH’S AUSAIR RECEIVES $1 MILLION TO TACKLE MASK WASTE

Caringbah high tech mask company AusAir will receive up to $1 million in NSW Government funding to help develop products that will reduce waste from discarded surgical masks and respirators.

The funding is being provided through the NSW Government’s Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) program, which aims to help small businesses and Government agencies work together to solve complex challenges.

Through the program AusAir will be able to develop its compostable surgical mask and respirator products ready for market.

The NSW Government is drawing on the expertise of local businesses to develop home grown solutions to problems such as waste from used surgical masks and respirators.

Masks and respirators are an essential part of life, particularly in health care, but once used they end up as waste in landfill.

Shire based business AusAir is working to address this problem with masks and respirators that use sustainable materials and meet global benchmarks for composting certification.

This would enable unsoiled masks and respirators that would normally end up as landfill being composted.

I am delighted that the NSW Government is backing small businesses like AusAir to develop their innovative products to the point that they can realise their commercial potential and help improve environmental and social outcomes.

Having already completed a Feasibility Study under Phase 1 of the SBIR, AusAir will develop a proof of concept for its surgical respirator and surgical mask models.

Following the proof-of-concept phase, NSW Government agencies will consider buying products from the successful projects.

CRONULLA HIGH SCHOOL UPGRADE REACHES FINAL STAGES OF PLANNING

Neighbours of Cronulla High School are being consulted as planning for a major upgrade of school facilities reaches its final stages.

The project will provide 10 new permanent learning spaces, a new canteen, new administration areas and upgraded student and staff amenities to meet growing demand for places at the school.

The project is edging closer to construction at the start of an exciting new chapter in Cronulla High’s 61 year history.

School staff, P&C and members of the community have all had the opportunity to provide input into the design process to help ensure the new facilities meet their needs well into the future.

The school’s neighbours now have another opportunity to comment on the proposal and their feedback will be considered as part of finalising the planning assessment process.

The upgrade will be delivered under a Review of Environmental Factors (REF). As part of the REF planning assessment, School Infrastructure NSW has provided 21 days notification to neighbours and relevant agencies with information about the proposed development and will take into consideration any comments from them.

A tender has been released to appoint a builder for construction, which is scheduled to start early next year.

More information is available by visiting edu.nsw.link/CronullaHS.

WALK THE WALLS STREET ART FESTIVAL RETURNS TO THE SHIRE

Sutherland Shire Council is one of seven local councils across the state being provided with NSW Government grants to address illegal graffiti in the local areas and revitalise public spaces.

Council has been awarded a Graffiti Management grant of $88,500 for a third round of the Walk the Walls street art festival.

The third round in Cronulla from 9 to 11 December follows hugely successful festivals in Caringbah in 2018 and Cronulla in 2019.

The Graffiti Management Program was set up to fund the removal of unwanted graffiti and the activation of areas with street art.

We know that revitalising unused spaces increases perceived public safety, creates community pride, and lowers the incidence of crime including graffiti. However, a ‘one-size fits all’ approach isn’t always the best response.

The NSW Government’s Graffiti Management Program draws on local knowledge and expertise to build tailored projects for local councils, with the aim of reducing incidents of graffiti.

Great street art is a legitimate way to beautify and revitalise public spaces. It can bring communities together, mark significant moments in time, inform, inspire, and lead people to think in new and different ways about a variety of subjects.

This isn’t just art for art’s sake. Projects like the Walk the Walls street art festival add to the local environment in a way that the community can enjoy, create opportunities to bring people together and even boost the local economy.

The objectives of the Graffiti Management Program include preventing and minimising graffiti vandalism and reducing the social, environmental, and economic impact of graffiti vandalism.

 

 

 

 

CONGESTION BUSTING CLEARWAYS BETWEEN KYEEMAGH AND SANS SOUCI

The NSW Government is inviting the community to have its say on plans to improve traffic flow, ease congestion and enhance places between Kyeemagh and Sans Souci along General Holmes Drive, The Grand Parade, Sandringham Street and the southern end of Rocky Point Road.

The proposal was developed by Transport for NSW to reduce congestion and improve traffic flow by extending existing weekday clearways and introducing new weekend clearways in both directions.

We’ve aimed to balance the needs of the local community, public transport customers and motorists in proposing these changes, with new public amenities and offset parking to be created across the corridor.

Community feedback can be provided by 17 October 2022 here. 

TENDERS OPEN FOR CRONULLA HIGH SCHOOL UPGRADE

Plans for a major upgrade of Cronulla High School have reached a key milestone with the call going out for construction tenders.

The project will see the construction of 10 modern new learning spaces, a new canteen, new administration areas and upgraded student and staff amenities.

I am delighted to see progress on this major upgrade of Cronulla High, which is essential to meet the needs of the growing school community.

Just over the school’s back fence are hundreds of new homes of local children and we are working to provide the capacity to help ensure Cronulla High continues to provide quality education for the area’s families.

This upgrade will provide Cronulla High staff and students with modern facilities and an inspiring learning space for the future.

Construction is due to start in 2023 following completion of the final designs. The Department of Education is interested to hear from the school and local community about what is important to them as the project enters the final design stages.

An online survey will open between Monday 5 September and Friday 16 September for people to have their say about how they currently use the Cronulla High School facilities, and to share what aspects of building design are most important. More information and the survey (when open) are available here.

I encourage the community to take the opportunity from 5 September to provide feedback to the project team so the final design best caters for the needs of staff and students.

 

NSW NATIONAL PARKS PARTNER WITH ABORIGINAL RANGERS AT KAMAY

For the first time in NSW, an Aboriginal ranger organisation has been officially appointed as honorary National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) rangers.

The Gamay Rangers now have the same operational authority as NPWS rangers and field officers in Kamay Botany Bay National Park and Towra Point Nature Reserve.

As honorary national park rangers, the Gamay crew will work alongside the NPWS team on park to share traditional knowledge and techniques, and be involved in the operations of the national parks on their Country.

NPWS will continue managing Kamay Botany Bay National Park and Towra Point Nature Reserve, and the Gamay Rangers will support NPWS with conservation and compliance work, including protection of marine mammals.

NPWS recently trained the Gamay rangers in how to safely attempt the dangerous and delicate job of rescuing whales entangled off the coast.

The La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council and the Gamay Rangers are passionate about sharing their knowledge and protecting the sea country around Botany Bay and this partnership is a natural step in managing the area.

It is fitting that the cultural knowledge, which has been held and safeguarded by Aboriginal people, will now be shared with park staff, the community and visitors.

I am delighted that Kamay and Towra Point will be the first places in NSW where honorary Aboriginal rangers are working alongside our dedicated parks staff.

The trainee rangers work for NPWS while studying for a tertiary degree, and once the program is finished, they receive a full-time ongoing ranger role within NPWS.

SUTHERLAND HOSPITAL’S NEW BUILDING REACHES ITS HIGHEST POINT

The redevelopment of Sutherland Hospital’s operating theatre complex has reached its highest point of construction, bringing the new building one step closer to completion.

The expanded operating theatre complex will increase the number of operating and procedures rooms from six to ten, and also provide a new surgical short stay unit, recovery spaces, more staff amenities, a Central Sterilising Services Department, and a new MRI suite.

The $88.5 million operating theatre complex project builds on and supports the earlier $62.9 million Sutherland Hospital Redevelopment Stage 1, which delivered a new and expanded emergency department, a larger intensive care unit, and additional general medical and surgical beds.

The new complex will provide Sutherland Hospital with extra capacity to meet the needs of the Shire community well into the future. The addition of MRI services on-site will be a great boost for health care in the area, with people able to access this vital service locally.

The project will not only be of great benefit to patients, but it also will provide our hardworking medical staff with modern theatre facilities to support the dedicated work they do for our community.

More than 50 consultation sessions involving patients, community members, clinicians and staff have helped shape the design for the new state-of-the-art facilities.

The new MRI facility open will be open to hospital patients in early 2023, with all construction, including refurbishment works, due to be completed in 2024.

The redevelopment at Sutherland Hospital is part of the NSW Government’s record $11.9 billion investment in health infrastructure over four years to 2025-26.