Author Archives: wendytuckerman

Member for Goulburn, Wendy Tuckerman, has condemned the NSW Labor Government over intended cuts to frontline police positions in the Hume Police District, and the relocation of administrative civilian staff at the Goulburn Police Academy to Western Sydney.

Mrs Tuckerman has been informed that four police positions are set to be removed from the Hume Police District – one each in Yass and Young, and two from the Southern Highlands – to another district.

Mrs Tuckerman said. “Everyone knows that crime is on the rise, yet the NSW Labor Government is choosing to pinch officers from the Hume District to plug holes elsewhere. It’s daylight robbery.”

“I worked extremely hard last term to secure 12 additional positions, the $25 million investment into the new Goulburn Police Station, as well as the $60 million investment into the Police Academy. Our Police are already stretched to the limit – they need resources and reinforcements, not reductions.

Shadow Minister for Police Paul Toole said “The loss of police jobs from the Hume Police District and Goulburn Police Academy is disgraceful and unacceptable. These cuts put community safety at risk and show a complete disregard for the needs of the region.

“Our officers deserve support — not cuts. The NSW Labor Government is stripping resources from frontline policing, ripping jobs out of the regions and the Minister for Police is once again nowhere to be seen.”

In a further blow to the region, Mrs Tuckerman also revealed the Labor Government is planning to cut 20 or more civilian administration jobs from the Goulburn Police Academy, as a result of the contract being changed from Charles Sturt to the University of Western Sydney.

“The civilian staff are still locals and entrenched in our community, their kids go to school here, their partners work here.

Mrs Tuckerman said these decisions formed part of a broader trend under the Labor Government: to hollow out regional services.

“Once the votes are counted and cameras are off the true nature of the Labor Party is revealed.

“This is just the latest chapter in Labor’s relentless rationalisation of public service jobs to Sydney and the reduction of services across the anywhere that’s not Sydney, Newcastle or Wollongong.

“Whether it’s Police, Ambulance, Local Land Services, Health or Service NSW, I keep hearing of positions being quietly dissolved – this Government is stripping away vital services from our community.

Mrs Tuckerman is calling on the Minns Labor Government to immediately reverse the planned Hume Police Position reallocations and Police Academy Job reductions.

The NSW Coalition will introduce a Bill in Parliament to crack down on criminals and make NSW the hardest place in Australia to sell illegal tobacco and vapes.

Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said while other states have cracked down on illegal tobacco, the Minns Labor Government has let NSW become the easiest place in the country for crooks to make money.

“Everyone knows what’s going on — these dodgy shops are all over our suburbs, run by criminals selling illegal tobacco and vapes like it’s completely normal. Chris Minns has done nothing while communities and small businesses wear the cost. If Labor won’t clean it up, we will,” Mr Speakman said.

“Our plan will shut these shops down, hit the criminals with million-dollar fines or jail, and make it crystal clear — if you’re dealing illegal tobacco in NSW, your days are numbered. No more soft touch. No more excuses.”

Shadow Attorney General Alister Henskens said the Minns Labor Government has allowed criminals to easily defy the law.

“Organised crime has had a free ride under this NSW government. These aren’t corner stores — they’re fronts for crime gangs. Chris Minns has let them pop up in plain sight and endanger our community with random violence,” Mr Henskens said.

“Our laws will disrupt their business model by shutting the doors, tearing up the leases, and putting the crooks behind bars. If you’re breaking the law, under the Coalition, there will be nowhere to hide.”

Shadow Health Minister Kellie Sloane said communities across NSW were crying out for real action on illicit tobacco.

“We are seeing high streets across NSW being taken over by dodgy tobacconists and organised crime gangs profiting from Chris Minn’s inaction,” Ms Sloane said.

“We can’t risk a new generation getting hooked on cheap cigarettes and destroying their health because the Minns Government failed to act on enforcement and tougher penalties.”

Shadow Regional Health Minister Gurmesh Singh said criminals now see NSW as a soft target given the state’s weak penalties and enforcement.

“Victoria, Queensland and South Australia have all stepped up with tougher penalties and strong enforcement. Chris Minns inaction has left NSW exposed to more criminals, more violence and more illicit tobacco,” Mr Singh said.

The Coalition’s Public Health (Tobacco) Amendment (Stopping Illicit Tobacco) Bill 2025 will:

• Further increase the penalties for the sale of illicit tobacco, including prison sentences of up to 7 years for serious offending or a $1.5 million fine.
• Provide NSW Health with the power to issue closure orders for businesses selling illicit tobacco and vapes for up to one month.
• Provide magistrates with the power to issue closure order for businesses selling illicit tobacco and vapes for up to 12 months.
• Give lessors the statutory right to terminate leases where a closure order has been issued.
• Create a new offence for lessors who knowingly permit their tenant to use the store for the sale of illegal tobacco or vapes.

The Minns Labor Government’s 2025-26 Budget is long on self-congratulation but short on relief for the families, workers, home buyers, renters and communities who are struggling to make ends meet across New South Wales.

This year’s Budget confirms what many households already know – their bills are going up, their pay packets are being stretched, and the Government is not keeping up with the rising cost of living.

Stamp duty, payroll tax and land tax revenues are forecast to soar. Motor vehicle charges are up. The public infrastructure  pipeline is drying up.

In exchange, households receive re-announcements, slogans, and government guarantees for developers.

The Minns Labor Government’s headline housing policy is a $1 billion developer guarantee scheme that sees the Government purchase unsold apartments – without delivering any structural reform to lower the cost of housing or remove the barriers facing families trying to enter the housing market.

The 5,000 homes that the Government is proposing to underwrite with this initiative is just 1.3% of their housing target and is a concession that their taxes and charges are killing feasibility in the building sector.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said after two years in office, Labor’s Budget reads like a collection of band-aids.

“There is no cost-of-living plan. There is no tax reform. There is no visionary infrastructure like we saw under the Coalition. Families are paying more, but they are not getting more,” Mr Speakman said.

NSW Nationals Leader Dugald Saunders said it’s been a third brutal blow to the bush, especially for flood-impacted communities on the North coast, Mid-North and Hunter regions.

“Communities like Taree and Kempsey are literally on their knees right now pleading for help. It’s at the point where business owners and farmers are rallying in the streets, yet there was nothing set aside for the $75,000 category D grants they were promised by the Premier three weeks ago,” Mr Saunders said.

“It’s never been clearer than it is today how much the Minns Government disregards the regions, with no money to go towards the youth crime crisis, not a single new or upgraded school outside the city, and our primary industries left at risk after years of neglect in biosecurity funding.”

Shadow Treasurer Damien Tudehope said this budget makes life harder for working families.

“Tax collections are up, toll relief is ending, the infrastructure pipeline is drying up—while the Government signs blank cheques for developers.

“People are stretched thin, and Labor’s answer is to give them less for more. It’s a cash grab dressed up as a plan,” Mr Tudehope said.

The facts are:

• Capital expenditure, an investment in the future, is falling from 2.8% of GSP to 2.0% over four years.

• Transfer duty revenue is forecast to grow 22% in just four years.

• Payroll tax revenue and land tax revenue are each forecast to rise 24% in four years.

• Motor vehicle taxes are forecast to rise 26% in four years.

• Interest on government debt is rising at7.4% per year.

• There is no extension to toll relief for commuters.

• There is no new tangible cost of living relief.

• For a Budget claiming to deliver for NSW, the fine print tells a very different story.

I am deeply concerned and disappointed by Fire and Rescue NSW’s recent decision to remove the Yass-based CAFS tanker (CT511) without consultation or warning to local firefighters or zone management.

This brand-new, four-wheel-drive capable appliance was secured for the Yass community through strong local advocacy and represents a critical asset for emergency response in our region. The proposed replacement—an SEV pumper typically used as a stop-gap across the zone—falls drastically short of the capabilities and readiness required in a rural area like ours.

The consequences of this decision are serious and far-reaching. Removing CT511 would strip Yass Station 511 of its only 4WD firefighting appliance, significantly reducing our community’s capacity to respond to fires and rescues off sealed roads. It would also hinder vital support to neighbouring brigades under mutual aid agreements and compromise the station’s ability to respond to major incidents on the Hume and Barton Highways.

What is most troubling is the complete lack of consultation with the local brigade or zone leadership. The fact that this decision blindsided those on the front lines of community protection is simply unacceptable.

I strongly oppose the removal of CT511 and call on the Minister for Emergency Services and FRNSW leadership to immediately halt this reckless move. I will be making urgent representations to the Minister to ensure the safety of Yass and surrounding communities is not compromised.

Our first responders deserve proper resources and our communities deserve better.

The Gunning Showground Bushland Park will be officially opened on Sunday 22 June. Over the past two years, Gunning District Landcare and local volunteers have transformed this precious but underutilised bushland area into a public park that will provide year-round enjoyment for the community and offer an opportunity to connect with the natural environment.

Wendy Tuckerman MP, Member for Goulburn said: “This is a grassroots project in the best sense of the word – Landcare is a wonderful community-based organisation that is managing and protecting our local natural resources. l am excited to see how Landcare has transformed the land into a bushland park. In conserving our environment they are also building a cohesive community space”.

The Gunning Showground Bushland Park preserves a small remnant of Box Gum Grassy Woodland. Such woodlands are relatively rare – especially close to the centre of towns – and offer vital habitat to a number of unique Australian animals. Dr John Storey, Chair of Gunning District Landcare, said he was excited to see this piece of bushland become accessible to the public.

“Nature enthusiasts have recently observed two endangered species using the park – a Little Eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides) and a Key’s Matchstick Grasshopper (Keyacris scurra). We believe that there are many other rare and important species that call this area home.”

Covering an area of five acres, the new park is conveniently located in a corner of the showground, just a short walk from the centre of Gunning and only 200 metres from Gunning Public School. Features include an open space with a yarning circle, wheelchair-accessible seating, and a network of paths. Interpretive signs highlighting some of the local fauna and flora are dotted along the paths. To minimise the visual impact of the new paths and reduce ongoing maintenance, local decomposed granite has been laid over a Geohex grid. Continuing this theme, large sandstone blocks define the yarning circle. Seating is chosen to complement existing street furniture in Gunning, while providing easy disabled access at one end of each bench.

“This is a wonderful new facility for the Gunning community, for the environment and for the wildlife and fauna that make their home here”, said Upper Lachlan Shire Council Mayor, Paul Culhane. “We are very grateful to the NSW government for their support and to the local Gunning community for bringing this project to fruition.”

The creation of the park was made possible by a grant of almost $250,000 from the NSW government’s Stronger Country Communities Fund, with additional funding from the Gunning Lions Club, Acciona Energia, Transgrid, and federal government Queen’s Jubilee and Volunteer grants.