State Matters - 28 September 2026
WARNING: DOUBLE DEMERITS
MOTORISTS are on notice that Double Demerits will be in force for the Labour Day Public Holiday long weekend from this Friday morning, 2 October, until Monday night, 5 October.
NSW Police and Transport for NSW developed the road safety enforcement campaign to encourage safe behaviour by drivers and riders on our roads.
Double demerit points apply for speeding; illegal use of mobile phones; not wearing a seatbelt or incorrectly wearing a seatbelt; driving with a passenger not wearing a seatbelt or approved restraint, or with a passenger incorrectly wearing a seatbelt or restraint; and, riding without a helmet
Get caught and you will face double the points, not double the fine, so drivers and riders, you have the responsibility to stop it or cop it.
If you are travelling, plan your journey over the spring school holiday and the October long weekend using these resources, tips and tools, including mapping out your rest stops:
For traffic advice: www.livetraffic.com and to view emergency warnings and advice for fires, floods and tsunamis in NSW, check the Hazards Near Me NSW app: www.nsw.gov.au/emergency/hazards-near-me-app
ROADWORK AHEAD
MidCoast Council begins road rehabilitation work on Gloucester Tops Road near Bindera Road, Berrico this week, weather permitting.
For the majority of the project, this section of Gloucester Tops Road will remain open under traffic control, with the road reduced to one lane.
Some temporary road closures will be required to complete the work safely.
Gloucester Tops Road will be closed at Bindera Road between 8.30am and 3pm on Thursday 29 October with motorists detoured via Rawdon Vale Road, Scone Road and Thunderbolts Way, adding approximately one hour to travel times.
On Friday 30 October, Monday and Tuesday 2-3 November, motorists will be detoured via Bindera Road, Westleys Road, Barrington West Road and Faulkland Road, adding approximately 10 minutes to travel times.
Works are expected to be completed by mid-December, weather permitting.
Meantime, MidCoast Council has received approval for the preliminary design of the Tiri Bridge reconstruction project which is expected to go out to tender in early October.
For updates on road and bridge works across the MidCoast, visit Council’s Roads Hub: www.midcoast.nsw.gov.au/roads-hub
SCHOOL IS OUT!
The spring school holiday has now commenced and continues through until Friday 9 October.
Eight public schools in the Upper Hunter Electorate are participating in the Share Our Space program during the break between terms.
Booral, Broke, Dungog, Ellerston, Scone and Muswellbrook Public Schools open their playgrounds daily, 8am-5pm, until Sunday 11 October.
Gloucester and Stroud Public Schools share their space on weekends, 8am-5pm.
Before heading out, remember to check the conditions of entry to school grounds and to find the participating school near you, visit the Share Our Space website:
For the calendar, Term 4 school development day is Monday 12 October, with classes to resume on Tuesday 13 October and continue until Thursday 17 December.
OK, THIS WEEKEND!
Daylight Saving begins this Sunday, 4 October, at 2am when clocks move forward one hour to 3am.
Changing clocks can affect your sleep and daily routine, so to adjust make gradual bedtime changes this week to help your body transition more smoothly.
Adjust clocks before going to bed Saturday night to kickstart your day and to avoid any timing issues by setting your watch and household clocks that don't automatically update overnight to the new time.
If you wonder why NSW has daylight saving, it’s to make better use of daylight during the warmer months, provide more daylight for outdoor activities after work or school and reduce energy consumption in the evening.
Daylight saving ends on Sunday, 4 April 2027 at 3am, when clocks are moved back one hour to 2am.
EV CHARGER GRANTS
Hunter Joint Organisation (HJO) is one of 37 councils and 6 Organisation of Councils eligible to share in $16.5 million of state government grant funding for EV kerbside chargers and business fleet upgrades to electric vehicles.
The NSW Government is offering another $5 million to co-fund charge point operators to install additional kerbside chargers, to help EV drivers who cannot charge at home, including apartment residents.
Up to $6,000 in funding is available per AC charge port and $30,000 per DC fast charge port.
The chargers will be installed in car parks and on streets that have been identified as most needing additional kerbside charging infrastructure.
For the first time, locations in commercial car parks are eligible.
All charging sites must source 100 per cent renewable electricity for their electricity usage in perpetuity.
Since April 2023, funding has been delivered for nearly 3,300 new chargers at more than 1,200 sites across NSW.
The government is also offering $11.5 million to help businesses, non-government organisations and councils electrify their car fleets and install charging infrastructure.
Learn about the NSW EV Strategy, at: www.nsw.gov.au/driving-boating-and-transport/nsw-governments-electric-vehicle-strategy
BUCKETTS WAY UPDATE
I put the spotlight on the Bucketts Way during Parliament last week using my Private Members Statement to highlight the need for much needed road safety improvements.
Sadly, one motorist lost their life and another was seriously injured in a recent collision near Booral.
It is a tragedy and my heart goes out to the family and friends of all those involved.
I acknowledge the work of the emergency services first responders and the impact of these tragedies on them.
I also drew attention to the work by Stroud resident Leah Veksins on her petition that will bring renewed focus to the Bucketts Way and Medowie Road intersections with the M1.
The NSW and Australian Governments need to prioritise the connection to the east coast's main motorway and there also needs to be a long-term funding and maintenance plan for the Bucketts Way.
Parliament's Staysafe committee has called on the State Government to identify funding shortfalls that prevent regional NSW councils from maintaining their road networks and to work with the Australian Government to address these shortfalls, including for the Bucketts Way.
NEREZ UPDATE
EnergyCo has given notice that a State significant infrastructure application for the New England Renewable Energy Zone (NEREZ) will be lodged with the Secretary of the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure.
The application is for network infrastructure project approval which proposes construction and operation of new 330kV and 500kV transmission lines, five energy hubs, associated infrastructure and ancillary works.
The project will connect NEREZ to the existing transmission network at Bayswater Power Station, near Muswellbrook.
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is due to be placed on public exhibition at the Department of Planning major projects portal in coming weeks.
BRIDGE PROPOSAL
Singleton Council has unveiled a suspension bridge for the town’s pedestrian and cycling network which has received state government funding.
The preferred design has been chosen to span the Hunter River between Combo Lane, Singleton and Col Fisher Park, Hunterview.
Council called for design and construct tenders for the project last year and chose a design that includes the 140m suspension bridge crossing the river, as well as a 30m steel bridge over a creek in Col Fisher Park joined by a concrete shared pathway.
The project brief includes more than 1km of footpath including a new footpath on Combo Lane, and connections between the bridge and the existing shared pathway on Wilkinson Boulevard, Hunterview with CCTV cameras installed on the bridge approach.
The project is co-funded by the NSW Government with a $5,855,016 grant under the Get NSW Active program and the remainder from Singleton Council.
RECYCLING CONSULTATION
The NSW Government wants input on Australia's first mandatory solar panel recycling scheme to ensure valuable solar panel materials are recovered, reused and recycled rather than sent to landfill.
Across the state there are more than 1.18 million rooftop solar systems are on homes, businesses, schools and community facilities.
As the systems age, increasing numbers of solar panels are ending up in landfill.
Around 14,000 tonnes of solar panel waste is generated in NSW each year and that is predicted to increase to 89,000 tonnes by 2045.
The proposed mandatory product stewardship scheme would require solar panel brand owners to take responsibility for the end-of-life management of their products, helping fund collection, recycling and resource recovery across NSW.
Submissions on the draft regulation and issues paper are now open, so have your say by Monday 16 November at: https://yoursay.epa.nsw.gov.au/solar.
TRANSGRID GRANTS
Muswellbrook and Singleton organisations are among the latest recipients of funding from Transgrid’s Community Partnerships Program (CPP).
Muswellbrook Child Care Centre, Novaskill, Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW Ltd (PCYC Singleton) and Singleton Hospital Auxiliary have secured recently awarded grants.
Round 2 applications for the program are now open with postcode eligibility covering Merriwa 2329, Muswellbrook 2333, Singleton 2330, Maitland 2320 and Cessnock 2325.
CPP offers grants of up to $5,000 for not-for-profit organisations local to Transgrid project areas to invest in essential equipment, upgraded facilities, training programs and vital services.
To assist organisations apply Transgrid is holding online drop-in sessions on Teams on 14, 15 and 16 October from 3-6pm to offer support and advice on applications.
Interested organisations can find more information and register now for the drop-in sessions at the CPP webpage: www.transgrid.com.au/community/community-partnerships-program
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
Applications are open to fill nine positions on the National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council for up to four years from 1 December this year.
The Council advises the Minister for the Environment and the Secretary of the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water on issues relating to the operation and management of national parks and reserves.
Expertise and experience required for the positions includes bush fire management, ecotourism or sustainable tourist use, peak recreational bodies, environmental education and community involvement in environmental education, rural and regional development and planning issues and Aboriginal cultural heritage conservation.
Two people with scientific qualifications in areas associated with the conservation of nature and one person with qualifications in cultural heritage research are also required.
It is expected that the Council will meet between four and six times per year, either face to face or online with sitting fees payable.
The Council consists of up to 19 members appointed by the Minister, each having experience or expertise in a range of backgrounds as listed in Schedule 7 of the Act.
Further details are available from: www.environment.nsw.gov.au/about-us/who-we-are/national-parks-and-wildlife-advisory-council
P&C FEDERATION AWARDS
Nominations are open for the 2026 Parents and Citizens Federation Awards to celebrate and recognise the incredible dedication, achievements and positive impact taking place in public school communities across NSW.
Whether it is the contribution of a particular individual in your school community, your school’s principal, or your P&C Association, the P&C Federation Awards are an opportunity to recognise these efforts and reward outstanding work.
There are three awards categories each with their own specific criteria including Association of the Year, Volunteer of the Year and Principal of the Year.
Submissions close Monday, 16 November, with full award criteria, eligibility requirements and nomination guidelines available at: www.pandc.org.au/awards/
MRAG SCHOOL HOLIDAY PROGRAM
School holiday workshops at Maitland Regional Art Gallery will have plenty of art making fun to keep children entertained over the break.
The program has hands-on workshops, family-friendly activities for school holidays, special programs for kids and teens as well lantern making workshops for Maitland’s Riverlights festival on Saturday 10 October.
Riverlights Lantern Workshops run Tuesday, 6 October, to Friday, 9 October, 10am - 1pm with the Riverlights Spin Poi Workshop on Wednesday, 7 October, 10.30-11.30am and 1.30-2.30pm.
The Riverlights Adult Lantern Making Workshop is on Friday, 9 October, 2-4pm.
Check for more information by going to: https://mrag.org.au/whats-on-mrag/calendar/
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
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