Latest news with #NSWgovernment
ABC News
2 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
NSW Government and rail union reach pay agreement
Skip to main content 7m ago 7 minutes ago Sat 31 May 2025 at 1:52am Rail unions have secured a 12 per cent pay rise over three years, plus back pay, in a deal with the NSW government.
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
NSW government has made a deal on a long-running pay dispute with train unions
The long-running pay dispute between the NSW government and train unions, that led to months of on-off chaos for commuters, appears to have been resolved. The government and unions on Friday agreed in the Fair Work Commission to a 12 per cent pay rise over three years. The Rail, Tram, and Bus Union and the Electrical Trades Union had been seeking a 32 per cent pay rise over four years, while the government offered a 9.5 per cent rise over three years. 'This agreement will bring relief to the disruption from protected industrial action that a million daily rail commuters have been forced to endure while just trying to get to work and get around,' Transport Minister John Graham said. The dispute led to a series of industrial action, that disrupted travel for millions since last September. The deal ends protected industrial action by the Combined Rail Unions and allows Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink to focus on improving reliability across the network, the government said in a statement. However, the ETU is expected to reject the deal. 'This afternoon, the Combined Rail Unions (CRU) reached an in-principle agreement with Sydney Trains and NSW Trains for a new enterprise agreement,' the CRU said. 'Unfortunately, the ETU is blocking a vote by members effectively withholding any pay rise or new conditions that our EA delegates have fought so hard for. 'The reason they are blocking a vote is due to a misconceived claim to create a 'new section' for their members, for a purpose nobody understands.' The proposed Enterprise Agreement, facilitated by the Fair Work Commission, delivers rail workers a 12 per cent pay rise over three years plus back pay. It will deliver agreement on a number of technology-based solutions to improve recovery times when incidents on the tracks bring the system to a halt. For example, train crews will support the introduction of a new digital disruption management system that will end the current practice that relies on a manual system of phone calls and paper-based instructions during recovery from an incident. The unions and government have also reached agreement to move to a streamlined process for consulting on new fleet, systems and infrastructure projects. Mr Graham said the bitter dispute had 'strained the patience of train passengers'. 'But in finalising this deal we have made a very important investment in reliability,' he said. 'This much-needed reset allows us to implement improvements for passengers with the full support of the rail workforce and unions. 'We said we would sign off on a fair and reasonable wage rise for our rail workers that protects taxpayer's money, and that is exactly what we have done. 'I want to thank the commuting public for their patience as we got this agreement done.'
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Entirely civil': ATC Chairman calls hostility claims ‘rubbish' after Rosehill vote
Australian Turf Club Chairman Peter McGauran has dismissed reports of hostility during the member meeting that rejected a $5 billion proposal to sell Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, calling such claims 'complete rubbish'. Speaking to Sky News Australia, Mr McGauran addressed speculation about unrest at the recent meeting held at Royal Randwick, where ATC members voted 56 per cent against the proposed sale to the NSW government. 'The meeting was entirely civil,' he told Sky News Australia. 'Look, it was robust. Everybody who stood up basically opposed the sale of Rosehill and put their points of view passionately, but the idea that there was any anger expressed, there were strong feelings.'
ABC News
5 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Chinese couple's assault in Sydney's Eastgardens sparks 27,000-strong petition for youth justice reform
More than 27,000 people have signed a petition calling for tougher youth crime laws, after a Chinese couple was violently assaulted in Sydney's east last week. The petition, which gained traction on Chinese social media platforms RedNote and WeChat, was launched after the woman and her husband were allegedly attacked by a group of teenagers outside their Eastgardens apartment complex. The woman sustained facial injuries, bruising to her back, and fractured fingers. Seven children have since been charged over the incident, sparking frustration within the Chinese-Australian community over what many see as inadequate protection and legal accountability. The petition — signed by mostly people from the Chinese-Australian community — urges the NSW government to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to 10 for serious offences and to deny bail to repeat youth offenders. "This was not an isolated incident. In the days before the assault, several other Asian individuals were reportedly harassed by the same or similar teens in nearby Green Square — including acts of spitting, mocking, and intimidation," the petition reads. "We call on the NSW government to urgently reform youth criminal justice laws." NSW Minister for Local Government Ron Hoenig said he was "deeply concerned" by the attacks and had contacted police to seek urgent updates on the investigation. "Every person has the right to feel safe on our streets, regardless of where they come from, or the language they speak," he said in a statement. NSW Labor MP Jason Yat-Sen Li also acknowledged the widespread fear and anger within the Chinese-Australian community, urging people to "protect ourselves lawfully". "I'm aware that recent incidents of youth violence in areas such as Eastgardens, Mascot, Zetland and Waterloo have caused deep anger and anxiety within the Chinese community," Mr Li said. In a statement, the Chinese Australian Forum strongly condemned the Eastgardens attack and warned that "racism against Chinese Australians is resurging". The group urged political leaders to promote social cohesion and called out recent "unsubstantiated" remarks by Liberal senator Jane Hume, accusing Chinese Australian volunteers of being "spies". NSW Police had declined to confirm if the Eastgardens attack was racially targeting Chinese people, as their investigation was ongoing. The attack has come amid broader concerns about anti-Asian discrimination and a rise in racially-motivated incidents targeting Chinese Australians. A 2023 Lowy Institute report found that while verbal abuse against Chinese Australians had decreased since the height of COVID-19, many still report feeling unsafe and marginalised in public spaces. Ami, a 22-year-old Chinese international student at the University of Sydney, told the ABC she was attacked by a group of teenagers on George Street, Waterloo while delivering food on her bicycle earlier this month. "I was riding my bike and then the group of teenagers came out of nowhere, and the leader, a man with a buzz cut, kicked me off my bike and started kicking me in the head over and over again," Ami said. She said at least six others joined in. "Then a kid, who looked like he was in Year 6, squatted down in front of me and asked, 'Do you [have] money?'" she said. "I screamed very loudly and then they ran away." Ami reported the incident to police and went to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital's emergency room, where she was treated for a minor concussion and multiple skin injuries. "There have been a lot of these types of attacks and I believe that this group of teens are specifically targeting food delivery persons and Asians," she told the ABC. She said she hoped the increased public attention on youth crime would lead to real consequences. "If so many people are speaking out now, I hope those teenagers can be sent to juvenile detention, or at least face restrictions like a court order banning them from entering certain areas or being out at night," she said. "I also think police patrols need to be increased." Alex Zhang, a 25-year-old employee at a medical equipment company, also shared his recent experience on Anzac Parade in Kingsford. He said he was waiting at a bus stop in Kingsford on the evening of May 14 when two young men — who appeared to be teenagers — approached him. "One of them shouted, 'I'm a racist. Go back to China to study!'" Mr Zhang told the ABC. "At first, I didn't feel I was in danger because he didn't make a move, he just kept talking to me. Mr Zhang said a passer-by intervened and the pair fled, allegedly shouting, "But he is Asian!" He said if the offenders were found to be children, he hoped they would at least be formally charged and have a criminal record. "For repetitive offenders, especially those with a criminal history, they should be detained. "They're a serious danger to society. "I feel [like I have] PTSD at the moment, and I feel scared when I walk down the road," he said. NSW Police confirmed that both Ami and Alex's reports are under investigation by the South Sydney Police Area Command and the Eastern Beaches Police Area Command. Police have urged anyone with information or dashcam footage from either incident to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. After the spate of attacks, members of the Chinese community in NSW — particularly across Sydney's eastern suburbs — have organised local safety patrols to support residents who feel unsafe. Operating through WeChat groups, these volunteers — mostly men in their 20s to 40s — provide 24-hour assistance, including walking escorts, on-call emergency help, and liaising with police where needed. Other states including Victoria, Tasmania, and Queensland are also facing public pressure after similar reports. In Victoria, a man in his mid-30s from Taiwan said he was told "go back to China" and punched in the face last weekend. He was bleeding from facial injuries. Last year, a series of assaults targeting Chinese migrants in Tasmania raised similar questions about racial safety and youth violence. One Hobart resident told the ABC they no longer felt safe walking in their neighbourhood and was considering moving to a different country. In Queensland, the LNP government introduced the "Adult Crime, Adult Time" laws, which impose tougher penalties on juvenile offenders. While the violent brawl between rival youth gangs at Northland Shopping Centre in Preston on Sunday has been used as an example of a youth crime crisis in Australia, criminologists and official data paint a different picture. In fact, they suggest youth crime rates have significantly declined nationwide over the past decade. Experts argue that sensationalist media coverage and political rhetoric have exaggerated the issue, leading to calls for harsher penalties that are not supported by evidence. Instead, criminologists advocate for evidence-based approaches that address the underlying causes of youth offending, such as poverty, education, and family support. Sydney-based lawyer Shen Hanbing told the ABC he expected there would be limited consequences for children offenders. "The primary purpose of a children's court is to educate children, not to punish them," Mr Shen said. He explained that Australia's juvenile justice framework is shaped by its commitment to the 1990 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Mr Shen encouraged victims of youth violence to assert their legal rights and not remain silent. "You have the right to protect yourself and pursue justice through legal means," he said. "Don't ignore what has happened to you — report it and follow through." He expressed strong support for the petition and said public mobilisation could play a critical role in prompting legal reform. He said proposals to lower the age of criminal responsibility and tighten bail conditions would represent a major shift in Australia's youth justice approach. "If the number of signatures is sufficiently high, Australia's parliament will have to respond," he said. The ABC has approached the NSW Department of Communities and Justice for comment.
ABC News
6 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Plan to build new homes on Sydney racecourse land fails after no vote
Australian Turf Club members have voted not to sell Rosehill Racecourse to the NSW government. NSW Premier Chris Minns hoped to build new homes on the land.
