Latest news with #WesternSydneyAirport
Condé Nast Traveler
a day ago
- Business
- Condé Nast Traveler
Sydney's New Airport Is a Stunning Ode to Australia's Natural Wonders
In 2026, Australia will open the doors to a newly built international airport for the first time in over 50 years—and it's so stunning you might actually want to spend hours in the terminal. Western Sydney International Airport (WSI), slated to debut next year, has just reached its most important milestone yet: Major construction on the terminal is now complete, and its designers have unveiled a first look at the airport's beautiful interior. WSI is located in Sydney's Badgerys Creek neighborhood, approximately a 35-minute drive west from Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), Australia's busiest air travel hub. Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects and COX Architecture and constructed by Woods Bagot, Multiplex, and Bechtel, the $5.3 billion project aims to pay homage to Australia's natural wonders while also providing an innovative passenger experience. 'The ambition was to create an airport that is not just a transit space but a destination in itself,' Neil Hill, Wood Bagot's principal design lead for WSI, said. "The terminal offers a constantly evolving visual experience and sense of joy as passengers move through the space and experience the intricate detail at a human scale—while elsewhere you might find yourself in a soaring triple-height void with uncluttered panoramic views.' The airport has one terminal that will be home to both international and domestic gates, allowing for easier connections. Brett Boardman When it opens, Western Sydney Airport will operate 24 hours a day. The single building will be home to airlines like Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and Air New Zealand, with both the international and domestic gates located in one terminal for easier connections. Airports are notoriously known as incubators of stress, but WSI hopes new technology will help eliminate major pain points. For example, travelers will be able to track their checked luggage with a dedicated app thanks to a cutting-edge baggage handling system. The terminal's designers also sought to create a visually soothing space by taking architectural cues from nature. Most noteworthy is the undulating sculptural ceiling made of wooden slats that filter light in a way that mimics sunlight shining through eucalyptus bark, a hallmark of the region's UNESCO-recognized Blue Mountains Area. 'The 'Great Australian Light' is one of the defining qualities of the Australian experience, and it has been central to our design thinking,' David Holm, principal and design lead at COX, said. 'The way light filters through the terminal shapes how people move, orient and feel—creating a sense of calm, clarity and connection. For many, this space marks their very first encounter with Australia, and we wanted that experience to feel unmistakably grounded in place.' References to the region's natural wonders can also be found in the terminal's sprawling horizontal form, which is meant to reflect the nearby Cumberland Plain. Designers also worked to bring the outdoors to the terminal's interior by incorporating natural materials from the region, like sandstone sourced from Australia's Central Coast. The undulating ceiling is made of wooden slats designed to mimic the 'Great Australian Light,' imbuing the terminal with a sense of place. Trevor Mein Additional design elements include triple-height ceilings and walls of windows offering panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, as well as details that highlight Australia's Aboriginal and First Nations cultures. In fact, the design was finalized in consultation with Western Sydney's Dharug Custodian Aboriginal Corporation. "People will love spending time in this terminal as they enjoy the iconic vistas of the surrounding Blue Mountains,' Simon Hickey, CEO of WSI Airport, said. "Visitors will be welcomed by the stories of Dharug country that will connect the world with more than 60,000 years of Aboriginal culture while also highlighting the vibrant communities of Western Sydney.' From a sustainability perspective, the terminal is outfitted with more than 6,000 solar panels on its roof that will provide renewable electricity to the facility, as well as a climate-responsive facade, natural ventilation, and water recycling. Although the major construction on the terminal is finished, work on interior areas such as the retail shops and airline lounges still needs to be completed. The new facility is on track to open to its first passengers in late 2026. 'This is a rare opportunity to define the next generation of airport design on a global stage,' Cristiano Ceccato, director and design lead for Zaha Hadid Architects, said. 'Together with COX, we created a design that meets the highest standards of architectural innovation, passenger experience, and operational efficiency.'
The Advertiser
a day ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Schools, buses headline early budget promises
NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to purchase 50 new 'bendy' buses * $150 million of above funds to be used for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million EDUCATION: * $9 billion over four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused in growing suburban communities * Three new public primary schools in west and southwest Sydney with attached public preschools along with one new high school HEALTH: * $700 million towards construction of the new Bankstown Hospital and necessary relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, the $492 million investment includes an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens like Ebola and measles * $23 million to cover an extra 3500 surgeries in the next year LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, $50 million of which will go to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million over five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for additional solicitors HOUSING * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date * New guidelines to speed up construction of roads, schools and parks around developments ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces including the repair of Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct for $115.5 million which will house wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * The establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to purchase 50 new 'bendy' buses * $150 million of above funds to be used for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million EDUCATION: * $9 billion over four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused in growing suburban communities * Three new public primary schools in west and southwest Sydney with attached public preschools along with one new high school HEALTH: * $700 million towards construction of the new Bankstown Hospital and necessary relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, the $492 million investment includes an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens like Ebola and measles * $23 million to cover an extra 3500 surgeries in the next year LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, $50 million of which will go to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million over five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for additional solicitors HOUSING * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date * New guidelines to speed up construction of roads, schools and parks around developments ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces including the repair of Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct for $115.5 million which will house wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * The establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to purchase 50 new 'bendy' buses * $150 million of above funds to be used for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million EDUCATION: * $9 billion over four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused in growing suburban communities * Three new public primary schools in west and southwest Sydney with attached public preschools along with one new high school HEALTH: * $700 million towards construction of the new Bankstown Hospital and necessary relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, the $492 million investment includes an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens like Ebola and measles * $23 million to cover an extra 3500 surgeries in the next year LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, $50 million of which will go to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million over five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for additional solicitors HOUSING * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date * New guidelines to speed up construction of roads, schools and parks around developments ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces including the repair of Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct for $115.5 million which will house wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * The establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to purchase 50 new 'bendy' buses * $150 million of above funds to be used for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million EDUCATION: * $9 billion over four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused in growing suburban communities * Three new public primary schools in west and southwest Sydney with attached public preschools along with one new high school HEALTH: * $700 million towards construction of the new Bankstown Hospital and necessary relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, the $492 million investment includes an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens like Ebola and measles * $23 million to cover an extra 3500 surgeries in the next year LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, $50 million of which will go to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million over five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for additional solicitors HOUSING * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date * New guidelines to speed up construction of roads, schools and parks around developments ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces including the repair of Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct for $115.5 million which will house wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * The establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Schools, buses headline early budget promises
NSW LABOR GOVERNMENT BUDGET PLEDGES TRANSPORT: * $452 million to increase bus services, including $56 million to purchase 50 new 'bendy' buses * $150 million of above funds to be used for more regular school bus services in outer Sydney and regional areas * Road upgrades and new signage around Western Sydney Airport precinct totalling $80 million EDUCATION: * $9 billion over four years for public school infrastructure, largely focused in growing suburban communities * Three new public primary schools in west and southwest Sydney with attached public preschools along with one new high school HEALTH: * $700 million towards construction of the new Bankstown Hospital and necessary relocation of Bankstown TAFE * A statewide pathology hub to be established at Westmead, the $492 million investment includes an upgrade to a high-security lab researching dangerous pathogens like Ebola and measles * $23 million to cover an extra 3500 surgeries in the next year LAW AND ORDER: * $125.8 million for cybersecurity upgrades to NSW Police, $50 million of which will go to upgrade outdated hardware * Victims' Support Service funding boosted by $227 million over five years to help victims of violent crime access counselling * Upgrade of Downing Centre to create 15 new physical and virtual courtrooms and $48.3 million to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for additional solicitors HOUSING * $30.4 million crisis intervention package for homelessness services * Extension of build-to-rent tax concessions beyond slated 2039 end date * New guidelines to speed up construction of roads, schools and parks around developments ENVIRONMENT AND PUBLIC SPACES: * $110 million to maintain public spaces including the repair of Pyrmont Bridge and maintenance of fire trails * Construction of the Newcastle Logistics Precinct for $115.5 million which will house wind turbines and electrical transformers used in renewable energy projects * Commonwealth Veteran Card holders will receive free vehicle entry to all NSW National Parks CULTURE: * The establishment of a $100 million fund to find a suitable location for a second major film studio in Sydney * $280 million to support the screen and digital games sector including rebates for NSW-based visual effects and digital games productions
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
What we already know about this year's NSW budget
When the Minns government hands down its third state budget on June 24, it's likely to follow the fiscal restraint of the first two. That's not least because the government failed to push through its controversial workers' compensation reforms this month, which Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has claimed would save the state billions of dollars. At his budget preview speech last month, Mookhey said his first budget had been about resetting priorities, his second about dealing with NSW's losses in the GST carve-up, while his third would '[bring] the pieces together'. When Mookhey provides the full breakdown of the state's finances next Tuesday, the focus is expected to be firmly on housing and essential services, and the treasurer has already spotlighted the housing crisis and his desire to remove obstructions to the 'need to build, build, build'. Here's everything we already know about what's in the 2025 NSW budget so far (list will be updated daily): Transport The government will spend $50 million on road upgrades across the western Sydney airport development region, including traffic signals at Elizabeth Drive and Luddenham Road, and a turning lane at Mamre Road and Kerrs Road. $39 million, including $12.5 million from the federal government, will be used to plan three key routes on Devonshire Road, Devonshire Link Road and Bradfield Metro Link Road. Incident response teams will be boosted with $29.6 million to deploy rapidly to accidents and traffic delays on key routes to and from the airport, and across the south-west Sydney road network. More than 1000 new road signs will be put up across Sydney directing to the Aerotropolis and Western Sydney Airport, at a cost of $30 million. Health $492 million will be used to build a state-of-the-art pathology service in western Sydney, including an upgraded high-security lab for dangerous infectious diseases to replace the one Westmead Hospital built half a century ago. The Kookaburra Centre will be built to provide urgent care for children with chronic and complex health conditions at Westmead Children's Hospital under a $40.1 million investment. An additional $700 million will go towards the construction of the planned new Bankstown Hospital, first promised in 2019, bringing the total investment under the Minns and former Coalition governments to $2 billion. The government will invest $23 million to reduce the number of planned surgeries waiting longer than clinically recommended, enabling an estimated 3500 to be completed over the next year. The Royal Flying Doctor Service will receive an additional $15 million to support the transport of clinicians and patients to and from remote areas. Education The government will increase its spend to more than $17,000 per public school student for this calendar year to bring its total 2025 investment to $13.1 billion, including funding carried over from the 2024-25 budget. This year's small group tutoring program will be boosted to $80 million, a $27 million increase on last year, to help lift literacy and numeracy outcomes for as many as 60,000 public school students. University teaching students will be supported to gain classroom experience as tutors under the program, in which students in groups of two to five can now receive up to 15 weeks of tutoring. $100 million will be used to relocate the TAFE NSW Bankstown campus to allow for the building of the new hospital. Environment and energy The state's biosecurity systems will receive a further $100 million to develop an improved detection, protection and response model. $41.2 million will be invested in research and development in NSW's primary industries, including digital infrastructure to promote research in AI-assisted farming, and a graduate program for young scientists in the agriculture industry. The government will spend $115.5 million on a new logistics precinct at the site of the former BHP steelworks in Newcastle, to support the delivery of renewable energy across the state, including storage for wind turbines and transformers. Housing and public spaces A new homelessness package will see $20 million allocated to expand crisis and transitional housing, and an additional $10.4 million over four years for support services through the Rev Bill Crews Foundation. A $59.8 million refurbishment of the Pyrmont Bridge will conserve the heritage-listed entry point to the Sydney CBD. The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan and Botanic Garden Mount Tomah will be renewed at a cost of $9 million. $10 million will be spent on maintaining infrastructure at Sydney Olympic Park's sporting and recreation precinct. The UNESCO-listed Parramatta Park will undergo a $1 million renewal across the 85-hectare site. $12.4 million will go towards maintaining and upgrading fire trails to provide safe access for firefighters to battle bushfires. The maintenance of public halls, sports facilities, walking trails and bridges and crown land will benefit from an additional $7.1 million. Crown land contaminated by agriculture, mining and other industries will be remediated and restored for use under an additional $6 million. The erosion-affected seawall shoreline at Warrawong Parklands at Lake Illawarra will be stabilised at a cost of $5 million. Penrith Beach, or 'Pondi', will return for two more summers thanks to a $5.2 million investment, while $4 million will go towards improvements to Sydney International Regatta Centre and Penrith Whitewater Stadium. Law and order Survivors of violent crime and their family members can access an additional $227 million of counselling and assistance over five years through the Victims' Support Service, including help with funeral and medical expenses, as well as a new $49.4 million hub to support them to participate in legal proceedings. Five new courtrooms will be created as part of a $34.5 million upgrade of Sydney Downing Centre and John Madison Tower, which includes audiovisual facilities for more virtual hearings. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will receive $48.3 million to fund extra solicitors. $12.8 million will support 15 staff to help reduce trauma for child victims and witnesses in sexual offence proceedings. An additional $100.5 million will be spent to address rising demand in the correctional system, including from record numbers of alleged offenders held on remand after changes to domestic violence bail laws. $9.3 million will be used to implement monitoring of offenders under Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders. $2.3 million will go towards ensuring eligible victims know about their right to sign up to registers to receive information about an offender. $11.2 million will be invested in long-term reform of family and domestic violence response systems, including early intervention and a $2 million standalone Aboriginal domestic, family and sexual violence plan. A new maritime protection and counter-terrorism vessel will replace the current 20-year-old Nemesis vessel at a cost of $46.3 million, as part of offshore efforts to combat crime and illegal drug importation. Emergency services An additional $17 million over two years will deliver at least 15 new firetrucks to replace ageing Fire and Rescue NSW vehicles. RFS aviation funding for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters will be increased to $34.4 million over four years as competition for resources increases as fire seasons extend around the world. The landline and mobile phone emergency alert system for floods and bushfires will receive an additional $6.4 million. $42.2 million will be invested to recruit 52 firefighters to staff the new Badgerys Creek Fire Station in south-west Sydney, set to become the region's largest. Culture and entertainment A $100 million capital fund is being established to begin the search for the location of a second Sydney film studio, to join Disney Studios at Moore Park. The NSW screen and digital games sector will receive a further $280 million through existing rebate programs and the Made in NSW fund, a five-year support program for the production of films and TV dramas. An overhaul of the regulatory framework for screen and games production will reduce the administrative burden on councils and productions, including tripling the time filming can occur on private land without a development approval. Integrity agencies The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will get a $42 million boost to migrate from an on-site information technology system to the cloud, improving performance and security of sensitive information. In preparation for the 2027 state election, the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) will receive $108 million in new funding to plan and deliver the poll. A $102 million investment in the NSWEC will also allow it to transition temporary staff roles to ongoing positions to stabilise the workforce across election events and strengthen integrity functions. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission will receive $13 million for additional resources amid a growing number of law enforcement-related complaints. Join us for live coverage as we bring you every detail of the NSW budget when it is handed down at noon on Tuesday, June 24.
The Age
4 days ago
- Business
- The Age
What we already know about this year's NSW budget
When the Minns government hands down its third state budget on June 24, it's likely to follow the fiscal restraint of the first two. That's not least because the government failed to push through its controversial workers' compensation reforms this month, which Treasurer Daniel Mookhey has claimed would save the state billions of dollars. At his budget preview speech last month, Mookhey said his first budget had been about resetting priorities, his second about dealing with NSW's losses in the GST carve-up, while his third would '[bring] the pieces together'. When Mookhey provides the full breakdown of the state's finances next Tuesday, the focus is expected to be firmly on housing and essential services, and the treasurer has already spotlighted the housing crisis and his desire to remove obstructions to the 'need to build, build, build'. Here's everything we already know about what's in the 2025 NSW budget so far (list will be updated daily): Transport The government will spend $50 million on road upgrades across the western Sydney airport development region, including traffic signals at Elizabeth Drive and Luddenham Road, and a turning lane at Mamre Road and Kerrs Road. $39 million, including $12.5 million from the federal government, will be used to plan three key routes on Devonshire Road, Devonshire Link Road and Bradfield Metro Link Road. Incident response teams will be boosted with $29.6 million to deploy rapidly to accidents and traffic delays on key routes to and from the airport, and across the south-west Sydney road network. More than 1000 new road signs will be put up across Sydney directing to the Aerotropolis and Western Sydney Airport, at a cost of $30 million. Health $492 million will be used to build a state-of-the-art pathology service in western Sydney, including an upgraded high-security lab for dangerous infectious diseases to replace the one Westmead Hospital built half a century ago. The Kookaburra Centre will be built to provide urgent care for children with chronic and complex health conditions at Westmead Children's Hospital under a $40.1 million investment. An additional $700 million will go towards the construction of the planned new Bankstown Hospital, first promised in 2019, bringing the total investment under the Minns and former Coalition governments to $2 billion. The government will invest $23 million to reduce the number of planned surgeries waiting longer than clinically recommended, enabling an estimated 3500 to be completed over the next year. The Royal Flying Doctor Service will receive an additional $15 million to support the transport of clinicians and patients to and from remote areas. Education The government will increase its spend to more than $17,000 per public school student for this calendar year to bring its total 2025 investment to $13.1 billion, including funding carried over from the 2024-25 budget. This year's small group tutoring program will be boosted to $80 million, a $27 million increase on last year, to help lift literacy and numeracy outcomes for as many as 60,000 public school students. University teaching students will be supported to gain classroom experience as tutors under the program, in which students in groups of two to five can now receive up to 15 weeks of tutoring. $100 million will be used to relocate the TAFE NSW Bankstown campus to allow for the building of the new hospital. Environment and energy The state's biosecurity systems will receive a further $100 million to develop an improved detection, protection and response model. $41.2 million will be invested in research and development in NSW's primary industries, including digital infrastructure to promote research in AI-assisted farming, and a graduate program for young scientists in the agriculture industry. The government will spend $115.5 million on a new logistics precinct at the site of the former BHP steelworks in Newcastle, to support the delivery of renewable energy across the state, including storage for wind turbines and transformers. Housing and public spaces A new homelessness package will see $20 million allocated to expand crisis and transitional housing, and an additional $10.4 million over four years for support services through the Rev Bill Crews Foundation. A $59.8 million refurbishment of the Pyrmont Bridge will conserve the heritage-listed entry point to the Sydney CBD. The Royal Botanic Gardens in Sydney, Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan and Botanic Garden Mount Tomah will be renewed at a cost of $9 million. $10 million will be spent on maintaining infrastructure at Sydney Olympic Park's sporting and recreation precinct. The UNESCO-listed Parramatta Park will undergo a $1 million renewal across the 85-hectare site. $12.4 million will go towards maintaining and upgrading fire trails to provide safe access for firefighters to battle bushfires. The maintenance of public halls, sports facilities, walking trails and bridges and crown land will benefit from an additional $7.1 million. Crown land contaminated by agriculture, mining and other industries will be remediated and restored for use under an additional $6 million. The erosion-affected seawall shoreline at Warrawong Parklands at Lake Illawarra will be stabilised at a cost of $5 million. Penrith Beach, or 'Pondi', will return for two more summers thanks to a $5.2 million investment, while $4 million will go towards improvements to Sydney International Regatta Centre and Penrith Whitewater Stadium. Law and order Survivors of violent crime and their family members can access an additional $227 million of counselling and assistance over five years through the Victims' Support Service, including help with funeral and medical expenses, as well as a new $49.4 million hub to support them to participate in legal proceedings. Five new courtrooms will be created as part of a $34.5 million upgrade of Sydney Downing Centre and John Madison Tower, which includes audiovisual facilities for more virtual hearings. The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions will receive $48.3 million to fund extra solicitors. $12.8 million will support 15 staff to help reduce trauma for child victims and witnesses in sexual offence proceedings. An additional $100.5 million will be spent to address rising demand in the correctional system, including from record numbers of alleged offenders held on remand after changes to domestic violence bail laws. $9.3 million will be used to implement monitoring of offenders under Serious Domestic Abuse Prevention Orders. $2.3 million will go towards ensuring eligible victims know about their right to sign up to registers to receive information about an offender. $11.2 million will be invested in long-term reform of family and domestic violence response systems, including early intervention and a $2 million standalone Aboriginal domestic, family and sexual violence plan. A new maritime protection and counter-terrorism vessel will replace the current 20-year-old Nemesis vessel at a cost of $46.3 million, as part of offshore efforts to combat crime and illegal drug importation. Emergency services An additional $17 million over two years will deliver at least 15 new firetrucks to replace ageing Fire and Rescue NSW vehicles. RFS aviation funding for fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters will be increased to $34.4 million over four years as competition for resources increases as fire seasons extend around the world. The landline and mobile phone emergency alert system for floods and bushfires will receive an additional $6.4 million. $42.2 million will be invested to recruit 52 firefighters to staff the new Badgerys Creek Fire Station in south-west Sydney, set to become the region's largest. Culture and entertainment A $100 million capital fund is being established to begin the search for the location of a second Sydney film studio, to join Disney Studios at Moore Park. The NSW screen and digital games sector will receive a further $280 million through existing rebate programs and the Made in NSW fund, a five-year support program for the production of films and TV dramas. An overhaul of the regulatory framework for screen and games production will reduce the administrative burden on councils and productions, including tripling the time filming can occur on private land without a development approval. Integrity agencies The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) will get a $42 million boost to migrate from an on-site information technology system to the cloud, improving performance and security of sensitive information. In preparation for the 2027 state election, the NSW Electoral Commission (NSWEC) will receive $108 million in new funding to plan and deliver the poll. A $102 million investment in the NSWEC will also allow it to transition temporary staff roles to ongoing positions to stabilise the workforce across election events and strengthen integrity functions. The Law Enforcement Conduct Commission will receive $13 million for additional resources amid a growing number of law enforcement-related complaints. Join us for live coverage as we bring you every detail of the NSW budget when it is handed down at noon on Tuesday, June 24.
