Latest news with #ChrisMinns
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
‘Vital' act ahead of bushfire season
The next generation of firefighting vehicles will be put to the test when the bushfire danger period kicks off in NSW after years marred by devastating floods and bushfires. In a first for NSW, the Rural Fire Service has taken possession of six ultra-large Tatra trucks, which will be deployed when the northern danger period starts on August 1. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the firefighting trucks, which are being tested as part of the state government's next-generation fleet trials, were 'more than just vehicles'. 'They're vital tools protecting lives, supporting our firefighters and strengthening community safety across NSW,' Mr Minns said. 'We are providing our firefighters and the communities they protect with the best possible equipment and technology.' Mr Minns said it was vital that emergency volunteers had new equipment, with scores having come out in recent months to assist after flooding on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Five people were killed during the record-breaking floods that smashed areas such as Taree, coming just a few years after floods devastated parts of nearby Lismore. At the same time, the government is working to implement recommendations from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, which probed learnings from the 2019-20 season. The state government says 290 new and refurbished have been deployed to NSW RFS brigades across the state, in addition to the six new Tatra vehicles. Coming in at a whopping 26 tonnes, the Tatra trucks are made in Czechia and can carrying nearly 9000 litres, making them the largest trucks in the fleet. Boasting the ability for tyres to inflate and delate, the Tatra trucks are made by a military specialised manufacturer and come in 4x4 and 6x6 models. Final fit-outs on the Tatra trucks will be completed domestically, with the first of the vehicles to be tested during the upcoming bushfire season. NSW RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said the rollout of the Tatra trucks formed part of a long-term program to 'future-proof ' the fleet. 'These vehicles feature the latest in crew protection systems, improved safety design and communications equipment, helping our crews to operate in the toughest conditions,' he said. 'This work will help make sure our volunteers will come home safely after fighting bushfires across the state.' Several new vehicles, excluding Tatra trucks, were deployed during the recent flood crisis, with the RFS also preparing a major move of its home base to Marsden Park.
Perth Now
20 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
‘Vital' act ahead of bushfire season
The next generation of firefighting vehicles will be put to the test when the bushfire danger period kicks off in NSW after years marred by devastating floods and bushfires. In a first for NSW, the Rural Fire Service has taken possession of six ultra-large Tatra trucks, which will be deployed when the northern danger period starts on August 1. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the firefighting trucks, which are being tested as part of the state government's next-generation fleet trials, were 'more than just vehicles'. 'They're vital tools protecting lives, supporting our firefighters and strengthening community safety across NSW,' Mr Minns said. 'We are providing our firefighters and the communities they protect with the best possible equipment and technology.' Some 290 new and refurbished firefighting vehicles have been delivered to NSW RFS brigades across the state over the past year. Supplied Credit: NewsWire Mr Minns said it was vital that emergency volunteers had new equipment, with scores having come out in recent months to assist after flooding on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Five people were killed during the record-breaking floods that smashed areas such as Taree, coming just a few years after floods devastated parts of nearby Lismore. At the same time, the government is working to implement recommendations from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, which probed learnings from the 2019-20 season. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the new trucks were 'vital tools protecting lives'. NewsWire / Nikki Short Credit: News Corp Australia The state government says 290 new and refurbished have been deployed to NSW RFS brigades across the state, in addition to the six new Tatra vehicles. Coming in at a whopping 26 tonnes, the Tatra trucks are made in Czechia and can carrying nearly 9000 litres, making them the largest trucks in the fleet. Boasting the ability for tyres to inflate and delate, the Tatra trucks are made by a military specialised manufacturer and come in 4x4 and 6x6 models. Final fit-outs on the Tatra trucks will be completed domestically, with the first of the vehicles to be tested during the upcoming bushfire season. The first Tatra truck will be deployed as part of the next-generation trial this year. Supplied Credit: NewsWire NSW RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said the rollout of the Tatra trucks formed part of a long-term program to 'future-proof ' the fleet. 'These vehicles feature the latest in crew protection systems, improved safety design and communications equipment, helping our crews to operate in the toughest conditions,' he said. 'This work will help make sure our volunteers will come home safely after fighting bushfires across the state.' Several new vehicles, excluding Tatra trucks, were deployed during the recent flood crisis, with the RFS also preparing a major move of its home base to Marsden Park.
News.com.au
20 minutes ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
NSW government to trial next-generation firefighting truck after floods, bushfires
The next generation of firefighting vehicles will be put to the test when the bushfire danger period kicks off in NSW after years marred by devastating floods and bushfires. In a first for NSW, the Rural Fire Service has taken possession of six ultra-large Tatra trucks, which will be deployed when the northern danger period starts on August 1. NSW Premier Chris Minns said the firefighting trucks, which are being tested as part of the state government's next-generation fleet trials, were 'more than just vehicles'. 'They're vital tools protecting lives, supporting our firefighters and strengthening community safety across NSW,' Mr Minns said. 'We are providing our firefighters and the communities they protect with the best possible equipment and technology.' Mr Minns said it was vital that emergency volunteers had new equipment, with scores having come out in recent months to assist after flooding on the NSW Mid-North Coast. Five people were killed during the record-breaking floods that smashed areas such as Taree, coming just a few years after floods devastated parts of nearby Lismore. At the same time, the government is working to implement recommendations from the NSW Bushfire Inquiry, which probed learnings from the 2019-20 season. The state government says 290 new and refurbished have been deployed to NSW RFS brigades across the state, in addition to the six new Tatra vehicles. Coming in at a whopping 26 tonnes, the Tatra trucks are made in Czechia and can carrying nearly 9000 litres, making them the largest trucks in the fleet. Boasting the ability for tyres to inflate and delate, the Tatra trucks are made by a military specialised manufacturer and come in 4x4 and 6x6 models. Final fit-outs on the Tatra trucks will be completed domestically, with the first of the vehicles to be tested during the upcoming bushfire season. NSW RFS Commissioner Trent Curtin said the rollout of the Tatra trucks formed part of a long-term program to 'future-proof ' the fleet. 'These vehicles feature the latest in crew protection systems, improved safety design and communications equipment, helping our crews to operate in the toughest conditions,' he said. 'This work will help make sure our volunteers will come home safely after fighting bushfires across the state.' Several new vehicles, excluding Tatra trucks, were deployed during the recent flood crisis, with the RFS also preparing a major move of its home base to Marsden Park.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
NSW Premier Chris Minns decries ‘enormous challenge' at Sydney hospital after 70yo sleeps on floor
NSW Premier Chris Minns has admitted the state's healthcare system 'needs to do better' after a 70-year-old man was photographed lying on the floor of a western Sydney hospital. The photo, posted to Facebook by the man's daughter Hayley Leatham, shows 70-year-old Raymond lying down behind a row of chairs at Blacktown Hospital with a bag under his head. 'This is the sad reality of our public health system and emergency waiting times and lack of beds,' Ms Leatham said. 'My dad is (a) 70-year-old man on the floor waiting for blood transfusions with extremely life-threatening low level haemoglobin levels. 'I have the most respect for our nurses and doctors, but this is truly heartbreaking to see.' Ms Leatham told 2GB's Ben Fordham on Tuesday morning that her father had been forced to wait more than 24 hours at the busy western Sydney hospital after experiencing severe diarrhoea. 'There were red flags because the 70-year-old has a history of diabetes and hypertension,' Fordham said. 'Despite his condition, Raymond went without a hospital bed for a period of 24 hours. 'He was in so much pain he had to lay on the emergency department floor.' Speaking later to Fordham, Mr Minns admitted the images were 'obviously distressing', noting stress to the family, but lay much of the blame at the former Coalition government. He accused the former Liberal-Nationals state government of underinvesting in western Sydney hospitals. 'When you go to an emergency department to get the best kind of health care possible, you don't want to be in a situation where you have to wait that amount of time,' Mr Minns said. 'The situation today is not where we need it to be, and we need to do better with the massive investment that we're putting into health.' Mr Minns admitted the state government did not 'deserve a gold star'. 'I recognise that we've got an enormous challenge in front of us, and I'm certainly not looking for a lap of honour,' he said. 'But, what I am saying to you is, it would be ruinous for the public health system in NSW to go back to the old model of privatisation, a wages cap, and an underinvestment in western Sydney.' Mr Minns said the number of patients being treated during clinically recommended times at Blacktown Hospital had increased from 30 to 40 per cent under the Labor state government. He also spruiked promises to install 60 new beds at Blacktown and Mt Druitt hospitals as well as funding for the much-delayed Rouse Hill and renovated Bankstown hospitals. Those pledges did little to temper criticism from opposition health spokeswoman Kellie Sloane, who told Fordham it was 'pretty shocking' to see the images out of Blacktown. 'This should not be happening in our hospitals,' she said. 'Patients at Blacktown sleeping on the floor because there simply aren't enough beds. 'I'm terribly sad for this gentleman and his family, decent people paying tax their entire lives, and when they're at the most vulnerable and sick, our system has let them down.' The Vaucluse MP said the situation was not a reflection on the staff and doctors at Blacktown Hospital, who she claimed had been 'ringing alarm bells' about long hospital delays. 'We need solutions at Blacktown,' she said. 'It is one of the poorest performing hospitals in the west of Sydney. 'It ranks 20th out of the 20 hospitals of its category in terms of dealing with people coming into the emergency department. 'We have to do something.'
Sydney Morning Herald
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
Commuters face at least another eight-month wait for new metro line opening
Sydney commuters will have to wait until at least April next year for the final stage of a $21.6 billion metro rail line to open, forcing tens of thousands to continue catching replacement buses or seeking alternative ways to travel. Converting the former T3 heavy rail line between Sydenham and Bankstown to one for driverless metro trains has been one of the most complex parts of the mega M1 project, leaving the Minns government reluctant to commit publicly to a date for its completion. Sydney Metro is halfway through low-speed testing – up to 25 km/h – of new single-deck trains on the line between Sydenham and Bankstown. High-speed testing is expected to start in September or October, subject to regulatory approval. Marrickville station is the most progressed of the 10 on the south-west section of the line, followed by Bankstown, Belmore and Punchbowl. Campsie and Canterbury stations require the most work to complete. Asked whether it would open in the first quarter of next year, Premier Chris Minns said he was not committing to it because of the government's bitter experience announcing opening dates and not meeting them. 'We've obviously got a target date and a completion date. But when you've got major infrastructure projects like the one that we're trying to pull off here, things can go wrong, and it's been, with some bitter experience that that's been the case,' he said. 'We want to make sure that when we announce that date, the public has got confidence that it will be completed. We believe it will be in 2026, but the date will be released as soon as possible.'
