State Matters - 21 September 2026

CHECK TRAVEL PLANS

RAIL commuters are advised to check travel plans this week with the Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) undertaking work on the Hunter Valley Rail corridor.

The line between Warabrook/Kooragang and Muswellbrook, Muswellbrook to Ulan and Muswellbrook to Narrabri is closed from 6.30am, Tuesday 22 September, to 6.30am, Friday 25 September, to deliver the ARTC works program.

Trains between Dungog, Maitland and Newcastle Interchange may run to a changed timetable.

From 4am Tuesday to 7.30am Friday, buses replace trains between Scone and Maitland.

Tuesday and Wednesday nights from 7.20pm to 4.20am, buses replace all trains between Scone, Dungog and Newcastle Interchange.

Buses also replace the 6.01pm Maitland-Dungog service.

Tuesday to Thursday, the Sydney-Armidale Xplorer and Armidale-Sydney Xplorer services are replaced by road coach for the entire journey.

Passengers are encouraged to go to Transport NSW info: https://transportnsw.info or call: 13 22 32, with information on road closures or diversions found at livetraffic.com: www.livetraffic.com

STAYSAFE REGIONAL REPORT

Staysafe, the NSW Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety, has tabled its report ‘Interventions to reduce road trauma in regional NSW caused by speeding, fatigue, drink and drug driving.’

The Committee resolved to hold the inquiry in response to Transport for NSW data that showed 2025 saw 241 crashes on regional roads, an increase of 22 from 2024.

A range of views about whether speed limits should be raised or lowered were raised with the Committee, including a consistent call for greater enforcement of speed limits.

Amongst the findings and recommendations is a call for, subject to the results of its trial, that Transport for NSW roll out average speed cameras for light vehicles across regional NSW.

The Committee also found that the NSW Government should identify funding shortfalls preventing local councils in regional NSW from maintaining their road networks and work with the Australian Government to address these shortfalls.

To review the Staysafe report, check: www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/parliamentary-business/committees/inquiry-details?committeeInquiryId=3102

FUEL THEFTS CONTINUE

NSW Police Rural Crime Prevention Team has renewed a warning about rural fuel thefts which are on the rise again.

Nearly 10,000 litres of fuel have been reported stolen in just over six weeks, impacting farming operations and rural businesses across multiple Police Districts.

Rural Crime detectives are urging landholders and rural businesses to again review the security of fuel stored on their properties.

Position fuel storage where suspicious activity can be seen from homes, sheds or public roads; install CCTV, lighting and alarm systems around fuel storage areas; and, maintain accurate records of fuel purchases, deliveries and usage.

Importantly, report suspicious vehicles, persons or activity to police immediately.

Anyone with information regarding fuel thefts or suspicious activity around rural properties is encouraged to contact their local police station or Crime Stoppers NSW on 1800 333 000 and report criminal activity information at: https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au

ADULT CRIME, ADULT TIME

A NSW Nationals and Liberals Government will introduce new Adult Crime, Adult Time laws within the first 100 days of Government, if elected in March next year.

Under the Coalition’s reforms, the list of serious children’s indictable offences would be expanded, meaning maximum adult sentences would apply to additional serious crimes.

The offences would be backed by guideline sentencing and new sentencing principles to ensure detention is not treated as a last resort, especially where that applies to multiple sentences, and greater weight given to victim impact rather than the age of the offender.

The Coalition will also double funding for the Community Safety Investment Fund to $10 million and fund expanded diversion, school suspension and post-detention rehabilitation programs to put young people back on the right track.

NSW Police do a great job keeping our communities safe, we need to back them with laws to ensure that serious youth offenders face proper consequences for violent crimes.

Families, business owners and older Australians in regional NSW have had enough of living with violent crime and kids running riot, so the NSW Nationals and Liberals will tackle serious youth crime through both prevention and consequences.

NOW ON TASK

AGL Energy’s Liddell Battery Energy Storage System has reached full commercial operations this month, storing and dispatching energy to power homes and businesses.

The Liddell Battery is one of Australia’s largest grid-scale batteries and part of the four projects supported through Tender Round 2 of the NSW Electricity Infrastructure Roadmap.

The projects represent more than $1.8 billion of investment in NSW with additional support from the Australian Government, to bring forward private investment in the firming infrastructure the state needs to maintain reliability as coal-fired power stations retire.

AGL Chief Operations and Construction Officer, Matthew Currie, said the battery is the first major development at the former Liddell Power Station site and an important step in the company’s plans to transform Liddell as part of its future Hunter Energy Hub.

The new Liddell infrastructure is a 500-megawatt (MW) battery with storage capacity of 1,000 megawatt hours (MWh).

ADDITIONAL PROJECTS

Aberdeen and McCully Gap residents now have the opportunity to provide feedback to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure on proposed renewable energy projects.

The state significant development application for the Upper Hunter Battery Energy Storage System earmarked for Aberdeen is on public exhibition until Friday, 9 October.

Comment on the McCullys Gap Battery Energy Storage System state significant development application is open until 13 October.

The application, environmental impact statement and accompanying documents are available online at the On Exhibition tab: www.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/major-projects

To have your say on these projects, you must lodge a submission online through the NSW Planning Portal before the close of exhibition.

REPORT MISCONDUCT

NSW learner drivers now have stronger protections when taking driving lessons with new rules making it easier to report alleged driving instructor misconduct.

The Driving Instructors Regulation 2026 requires driving instructors and driving schools to clearly display information about how alleged misconduct by an instructor can be reported.

The new regulation also requires instructors and schools to complete lesson and vehicle hire records on the same day services are provided, helping ensure records are accurate, up to date and readily available if concerns are raised.

The regulation also removes outdated administrative provisions and unused fees, reducing the unnecessary burden on the driving instruction industry while maintaining strong licensing and safety standards.

PIPELINE PROPOSAL

Hunter Water is proposing a $150 million investment to replace a critical section of the Chichester Trunk Gravity Main (CTMG).

The project between Brookfield Tunnel and Burmi Creek involves replacing a 12-kilometre section of the CTGM, which is a critical piece of water infrastructure that supplies around 40 per cent of the Lower Hunter's drinking water.

The existing pipeline in the section was originally constructed in 1923 and is showing signs of deterioration.

As part of project planning, Hunter Water assessed multiple route options, including a route through Columbey National Park (the existing route) and an alternative alignment that diverts to the south-west after Woerdens Road and largely follows an existing powerline easement.

Following detailed environmental, technical and community assessments, the alternative alignment was selected as the preferred route due to its reduced impacts on native vegetation, threatened species habitat and environmentally sensitive areas.

The Concept Design Plans and Review of Environmental Factors are available for public review with Hunter Water encouraging the community to provide feedback during the exhibition period until 4 October.

Discover more by going to: www.hunterwater.com.au/about/community/projects-in-your-area/ctgm-replacement-brookfield-tunnel-to-burmi-creek

COMPANION ANIMAL GRANTS

Round Two of the NSW Government’s Companion Animal Welfare and Rehoming Grant Program is now open.

Animal rescue and rehoming organisations across the state can apply for a share of $1.5 million funding to help care for vulnerable cats and dogs and find them safe new homes.

Funding can be used for a range of purposes including desexing, microchipping and vaccinations, animal training and rehabilitation, facility upgrades and community education programs.

Designated rehoming organisations and registered animal welfare charities can apply for grants of between $5,000 and $50,000.

Applications close 9 October with information on how to apply available on the NSW Government grants and funding website: www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/companion-animal-welfare-and-rehoming-grant-round-2-fy26/27

SAVE ENERGY, SAVE MONEY!

A unique two-year citizen science project is offering participants a chance to gain personalised insights into their energy usage and identify options for reducing energy costs.

Register your interest to join the Living Lab, the energy research program run by Australia’s national science agency, the CSIRO, in partnership with the NSW Government.

It’s free for all NSW residents to participate, with households and small businesses learning how to potentially unlock lower power bills and obtain deeper insights into energy use.

Information will be used by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to improve consumer energy programs aimed at helping households and small businesses reduce energy bills, lower emissions and enhance grid reliability across the state.

The Living Lab project is part of CSIRO’s National Energy Analysis Centre (NEAC) and a key component under the NSW Consumer Energy Strategy: https://research.csiro.au/neac/

ASSIST THE OMBUDSMAN

The Telecommunication Industry Ombudsman (TIO) is currently taking feedback on its targeted review of the $1,500 limit on non-financial loss compensation.

The TIO can recommend or require compensation of up to $1,500 for non-financial loss where compensation is needed to restore fairness.

Non-financial loss means someone has experienced harm because of an action the telco took or failed to take.

The central question for the TIO is whether the $1,500 non-financial loss limit supports the TIO to deliver fair, reasonable, proportionate and efficient dispute resolution outcomes.

It is seeking feedback from the community, industry, advocates and government agencies on whether the limit is fit-for-purpose in today’s telco environment.

Consultation closes on 30 September, to provide your input, check:  www.tio.com.au/about-us/public-record/targeted-review-of-non-financial-loss-limits

EWON FEEDBACK

The latest Insights report from the Energy and Water Ombudsman of NSW (EWON) is building community knowledge about batteries and virtual power plants (VPPs).

During the April to June 2026 quarter, complaints to EWON relating to batteries, rooftop solar and EV charging increased by more than 70% compared with the same period last year.

While the growing uptake of the technologies is creating new opportunities for households, some consumers are reporting unexpected costs, confusion about how products work, and difficulties resolving problems.

VPPs are operated by energy retailers who use software to connect groups of consumer owned batteries across many homes to allow the excess stored power in that group of batteries to be sold back to the grid during times of peak demand.

VPP programs are generally offered as part of a market retail energy contract and the contract terms, operation of the VPP, and the billing of VPP rewards and charges may vary between energy offers.

Read EWON’s Insights report, by going to: www.ewon.com.au/page/publications-and-submissions/reports/EWON-Insights/ewon-insights-apr-jun-2026

FILTER SELF-RESCUER REVIEW

The use of filter self-rescuers in underground mines has been placed under the spotlight by NSW Resources.

Filter self-rescuers (FSRs) are a type of respirator used in underground mines to assist workers to escape during emergencies involving smoke and carbon monoxide.

NSW Resources is seeking feedback on whether FSRs remain an appropriate and sufficient self-rescue device for underground mining environments or alternative self-rescue options could provide improved safety outcomes.

A discussion paper looks at the limitations of FSRs including the fact they do not function in oxygen-deficient or toxic atmospheres.

Have your say by Monday 26 October by going to: www.nsw.gov.au/have-your-say/self-rescue-options-mining

LITERACY HELP

If you know an adult who would like to improve their reading, writing or basic maths skills, encourage them to call the Reading Writing Hotline

Managed by TAFE NSW, the Hotline is a free national service that helps adults find the training, advice and resources that will suit their learning needs best.

The Hotline was established in 1994 and is Australia’s national telephone referral service for adult literacy and numeracy funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

It gets calls from all kinds of people including adults who want to improve their reading and writing; friends or relatives of adults who want to improve their reading and writing; employers who want to help staff who are struggling with literacy or numeracy at work; and, community workers looking for help for their clients.

One phone call to 1300 655 506 could be the first step towards helping someone build confidence with everyday reading and maths, opportunities and independence, or you can check-in at: https://readingwritinghotline.edu.au

Contact: 

Email address: upperhunter@parliament.nsw.gov.au;

New Address: 94 John Street Singleton 2330 

Postal Address: PO Box 60 Singleton NSW 2330

Ph: 6543 1065