Latest news with #PennySharpe
The Age
3 days ago
- Business
- The Age
This idea helped build the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Could it save NSW heritage?
The Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge wouldn't exist today except for popular public lotteries that sold millions of tickets to support their construction. Now experts say a lottery like the UK Heritage Fund, which has raised $19 billion over the past 30 years, could save NSW's heritage before it is too late. The fund provides grants of $20,000 to $20 million to projects ranging from oral histories to castles and outdoor pools. Thanks to the British public, a $10 million payout supported the restoration of Brighton's art deco Saltdean Lido to its previous grandeur. The outdoor pool was built in the same era and style as the North Sydney Pool and Newcastle Baths. Asked whether she supports the idea of a UK-style heritage lottery, NSW Heritage Minister Penny Sharpe replied: 'We are open to any idea that could help raise funding for our state's heritage.' Sharpe said the government was committed to better supporting communities to protect, commemorate and enhance heritage for the next generations. The NSW draft heritage strategy released in mid-May – open for public feedback until early July – said more funding for conservation and enforcement had been a top concern in consultations. It coincided with coverage of the decline in Katoomba of famous art deco properties, including its old cinema, the Paragon Cafe and Mount St Mary's College and Convent. Former premier Bob Carr, now chair of the Australian Heritage Council and the Museums of History NSW, said it was worth interrogating how the UK heritage lottery worked, though criticism was inevitable. As a form of gambling, a heritage lottery was 'a relatively benign one, compared with poker machines and casinos'.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
This idea helped build the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Could it save NSW heritage?
The Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge wouldn't exist today except for popular public lotteries that sold millions of tickets to support their construction. Now experts say a lottery like the UK Heritage Fund, which has raised $19 billion over the past 30 years, could save NSW's heritage before it is too late. The fund provides grants of $20,000 to $20 million to projects ranging from oral histories to castles and outdoor pools. Thanks to the British public, a $10 million payout supported the restoration of Brighton's art deco Saltdean Lido to its previous grandeur. The outdoor pool was built in the same era and style as the North Sydney Pool and Newcastle Baths. Asked whether she supports the idea of a UK-style heritage lottery, NSW Heritage Minister Penny Sharpe replied: 'We are open to any idea that could help raise funding for our state's heritage.' Sharpe said the government was committed to better supporting communities to protect, commemorate and enhance heritage for the next generations. The NSW draft heritage strategy released in mid-May – open for public feedback until early July – said more funding for conservation and enforcement had been a top concern in consultations. It coincided with coverage of the decline in Katoomba of famous art deco properties, including its old cinema, the Paragon Cafe and Mount St Mary's College and Convent. Former premier Bob Carr, now chair of the Australian Heritage Council and the Museums of History NSW, said it was worth interrogating how the UK heritage lottery worked, though criticism was inevitable. As a form of gambling, a heritage lottery was 'a relatively benign one, compared with poker machines and casinos'.
Sydney Morning Herald
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
Hundreds more kerbside EV chargers are bound for NSW. Here is where you'll find them
Hundreds of electric vehicle chargers that can power cars in less than half an hour will be installed in NSW under a state government plan to combat range anxiety and accelerate the take-up of EVs. The Minns government will contribute $16.1 million to a public-private partnership to put 246 fast and ultra-fast chargers in 38 locations. The public stations will be located in dozens of Sydney suburbs, from Ashfield, Balgowlah and Gymea to Kensington, Campsie and Parramatta. They will also be installed at Ourimbah and Tuggerah on the Central Coast; in regional areas including Mudgee, Bega, Dubbo, Singleton, Jindabyne and Macksville; and at Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan near Canberra. Climate Change and Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said the kerbside chargers across 38 locations would be powered by renewable energy and allow drivers to get back on the road faster than ever. 'Making charging faster and eliminating range anxiety are key to getting more EVs on the road in NSW,' Sharpe said. 'These charging stations will help reduce climate pollution while also making it easier to charge EVs away from home.' Access to chargers has been identified as a common barrier to people switching to battery vehicles; range anxiety refers to a driver's fear that their car will run out of power before they find a charging port. The government says the fast-chargers will have a minimum capacity of 350 kilowatts, enabling them to rapidly charge electric vehicle batteries from 10 to 80 per cent in 10 to 15 minutes.
The Age
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Age
Hundreds more kerbside EV chargers are bound for NSW. Here is where you'll find them
Hundreds of electric vehicle chargers that can power cars in less than half an hour will be installed in NSW under a state government plan to combat range anxiety and accelerate the take-up of EVs. The Minns government will contribute $16.1 million to a public-private partnership to put 246 fast and ultra-fast chargers in 38 locations. The public stations will be located in dozens of Sydney suburbs, from Ashfield, Balgowlah and Gymea to Kensington, Campsie and Parramatta. They will also be installed at Ourimbah and Tuggerah on the Central Coast; in regional areas including Mudgee, Bega, Dubbo, Singleton, Jindabyne and Macksville; and at Jerrabomberra and Queanbeyan near Canberra. Climate Change and Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said the kerbside chargers across 38 locations would be powered by renewable energy and allow drivers to get back on the road faster than ever. 'Making charging faster and eliminating range anxiety are key to getting more EVs on the road in NSW,' Sharpe said. 'These charging stations will help reduce climate pollution while also making it easier to charge EVs away from home.' Access to chargers has been identified as a common barrier to people switching to battery vehicles; range anxiety refers to a driver's fear that their car will run out of power before they find a charging port. The government says the fast-chargers will have a minimum capacity of 350 kilowatts, enabling them to rapidly charge electric vehicle batteries from 10 to 80 per cent in 10 to 15 minutes.
ABC News
23-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
lllawarra named as NSW's first urban renewable energy zone in push for local power solutions
The NSW government has launched a new approach to renewable energy in the Illawarra, pitching the region as the state's first "urban renewable energy zone". The model leans heavily on local solar, community batteries, and existing infrastructure rather than large-scale projects. Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said the plan marked a shift from traditional renewable energy zones (REZs) in places like the Orana and South West. "It's not about big generation and transmission," she said. "It's about how we support the infrastructure that's already here, how we prepare for green manufacturing, and how we make the most of the solar and storage potential across homes, businesses and communities." The announcement in Port Kembla at the BlueScope steel terminal — where renewable energy research is underway — included a memorandum of understanding with Endeavour Energy. It set the groundwork for trials of new grid technologies and incentives for solar uptake. Endeavour's Colin Crisafulli said the goal was to make the most of the infrastructure already in place. "We're looking at how we can store more energy, share it locally, and avoid rebuilding the grid where we don't need to," he said. At the University of Wollongong, energy researcher Ty Christopher said the consumer focus in the REZ could deliver 300 megawatts of local energy. "An urban REZ could certainly get it into the hundreds of megawatts of capacity," he said. "With more generation on homes and businesses, and in particular with the ability to store and time shift all of that clean energy so that it's available in the evening ." He said leaning into the local support for renewables with an urban REZ would "really play to the strengths of the region". Even with the local consumer energy contributions, the government is still a way off its commitment of 1 gigawatt of energy creation for the Illawarra zone. Professor Christopher said the local REZ would still require bigger solutions like offshore wind to power heavy industry like BlueScope. "You can't run a steelworks on rooftop solar," he said. "This needs to be part of a bigger mix, but this is something we can start now. "One of the big challenges from a political perspective with the Urban REZ concept is it's not going to create one big thing that you can string a ribbon in front of and just cut. The announcement came just days after the federal government lifted a pause on consultation for offshore wind off the Illawarra coast. The applicant, BlueFloat, told the ABC it was not discussing the Illawarra project but focused on its plans for the Gippsland offshore wind zone. Hi Neighbour founder Yael Stone, who earlier this year criticised the lack of visible progress since the Illawarra REZ was first announced, welcomed the urban REZ approach as a smart and community-led next step. "I'm thrilled at the announcement," she said. "It reflects what groups like Electrify 2515 and Hi Neighbour have been working toward — small-scale, local energy projects that create jobs and cut bills." She said Illawarra residents were already tuned in to the benefits of household solar, batteries and smarter grid interaction. Stone saw the urban REZ concept as a "companion piece" to the federal move to resume offshore wind planning and said her group had already helped install solar on local manufacturing rooftops, using the returns to fund training scholarships. "There's a kind of circularity that feeds itself — these projects create economic benefit and they enrich communities," she said.
