Ryde Connector A Community Newsletter from Victor Dominello MP
December 2021
$479 million Ryde Hospital Forges Ahead As part of the 2019 state elections, I promised to rebuild Ryde Hospital. Regrettably, the arrival of COVID-19 caused major disruptions to our healthcare network immediately following this period. Macquarie University then put in an expression of interest eighteen months ago to host the new Ryde Hospital on its North Ryde campus. Extensive negotiations subsequently occurred between the NSW Government and Macquarie University in addition to considerable community consultation. Ultimately, it was decided that the current Ryde Hospital campus is the most suitable location for redevelopment. As such, I am excited to announce that the existing Ryde Hospital campus is now set to be transformed into a state-ofthe-art facility.
The NSW Government has pledged a staggering $479 million to the Ryde Hospital upgrade as part of a broader $10.8 billion investment in health infrastructure across the state. This announcement follows extensive consultation with hospital staff and our local community to determine whether the hospital should be redeveloped on the existing campus or relocated to the Macquarie University campus in North Ryde. We have listened to our doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and the community on both options. Overwhelmingly, they all wanted to remain in Ryde and we are confident that this is the best way forward. Importantly, the redevelopment will feature expanded and improved emergency, critical care, medicine and surgery, community and outpatient care. It will also preserve the historic Denistone House in addition to retaining the burns rehabilitation services at Graythwaite and making the best use of the current services already available at Ryde.
Artist’s impression of the future Ryde Hospital site
Health Infrastructure and the Northern Sydney Local Health District are now calling for community members to join a Consumer Reference Group to help shape the direction of the redevelopment. To register your interest please visit the redevelopment team’s website and complete the form by 5pm Friday 10 December 2021. Find out more at https://rydehospital redevelopment.health.nsw.gov.au/ With the site now chosen, the local community is set to receive a huge boost to health services and we can now move forward in bringing first-class health services to the area. Yours sincerely,
The Hon. Victor Dominello MP Member for Ryde
Denistone East Public School
New facility a community asset
The new pool at Denistone East Public School is engaging our communities of Ryde. The 25m heated, indoor facility is specifically designed to cater for learn to swim programs for children and adults. Programs are available across weekdays and weekends to cater for all age groups. In addition the facility contains two training rooms in which a range of vocational and community lifesaving programs will be offered including CPR (Resuscitation) and First Aid and will host Swim Teacher training programs for those interested in a career as a swim teacher. It is envisaged the pool will train in excess of 250 new swimming teachers this year who will be certified to work anywhere across Australia. In addition the pool will employ 50 swim teachers during its peak operational activity. The NSW Government’s Pre-school learn to swim vouchers is fantastic news! The pool at Denistone East Public School will be at the forefront of offering services for pre-schoolers utilising the new First Lap learn to swim voucher which can be accessed at https://www.service.nsw.gov.au/first-lap-swim-voucher.
Remembering Christopher Cassaniti
Iconic Bridge re-named The former Lachlan’s Line Bridge in Macquarie Park has been officially renamed in memory of Christopher Cassaniti, a local apprentice who was tragically killed in a 2019 workplace accident at a nearby site. The bridge is a striking blue double helix design that is one-of-a-kind, just like Christopher, and has now become a permanent memorial for him.
It is my hope that naming the bridge in his honour has brought some comfort to his parents Rob and Patrizia, his brothers Adriano and Michael and their extended family and friends, showing he hasn’t been forgotten. Christopher’s mother, Patrizia, has worked tirelessly to advocate and campaign for better workplace safety regulations and ensure her son isn’t
Rob and Patrizia Cassaniti attach the brass plaque to the bridge
forgotten. She’s done an amazing job promoting the importance of worksite safety to those in the construction industry. The Christopher Cassaniti Bridge will continue to provide safe access for residents to cross the busy M2 and Delhi Road motorways while promoting sustainable and healthy lifestyles. Thank you to the former Minister for Transport and Roads, The Hon. Andrew Constance, Transport for NSW, and Landcom for working with the local community to ensure Christopher’s name lives on.
My Role as Minister Minister for Customer Service Minister for Digital
Digital can help engage those who are students (for life) Education Wallet Over the course of a lifetime we are likely to accumulate a large number of educational and professional qualifications and credentials. The students of today in particular are moving into a world where microcredentials and on-the-job reskilling is becoming more prevalent. An education wallet would provide a digital record of a student’s achievements and accomplishments throughout their school journey, which can be shared with future employers, tertiary institutions and regulatory peak bodies. Having all your authenticated learnings in one place will help people to more easily navigate the job recruitment process and make it easier for them to move between jobs as the world continues to change; in economic terms it’s about improving labour market mobility. We are currently working with TAFE NSW to enable people to save and display their first aid certificate in the Service NSW app, with the pilot due to commence early next year. If successful, the education wallet will be expanded to capture a range of other qualifications.
Vouchers
Seniors
Dine & Discover
First Lap
Digitising the Seniors Card
The NSW Government’s popular Dine & Discover program has been extended to 30 June 2022 with two additional $25 vouchers already being made available to eligible adults.
‘First Lap’ learn to swim program – $100 voucher
The NSW Seniors Card Program was launched in 1992.
Stay & Rediscover All NSW adults will soon receive a $50 ‘Stay and Rediscover’ accommodation voucher in their Service NSW app. The NSW government will pilot the vouchers in Sydney CBD this year, with a state rollout in early 2022. These vouchers are designed to boost the local tourism sector by providing an incentive for more hotel stays and regional holidays.
Under the ‘First Lap’ program, parents, carers and guardians of eligible children (3 to 6 years old) can access a $100 voucher for ‘learn to swim’ classes. Applications for the voucher opened on 1 December 2021. The original program has been expanded to include children starting Kindergarten next year, many of whom missed out on swimming lessons during the lockdown period. I encourage everyone to register for the relevant vouchers and spend your vouchers before the deadline. For more information please visit the Service NSW website, www.service.nsw.gov.au.
Today there are over 1.6 million seniors cardholders and the way we access goods and services has changed significantly. As we have done with the transport fares system, fuel prices and drivers’ licences, the time has come to modernise the Seniors Card program, and that includes providing customers with the choice of a digital experience via the Service NSW app. Work on a Digital Seniors Card, including an easy to use map and search function is well under way, with a prototype to be released early 2022.
Community safety
Six New Police Recruits to the Ryde Area I recently welcomed six new probationary-constables to our Ryde Police Area Command (PAC) on their induction day at Eastwood Station. I, along with Superintendent Peter Glynn, wished them well in their future careers and we are very pleased to welcome these Officers to our area. In addition to their tertiary studies, over the course of the next 12 months, these officers will complete on the ground training in all three of the stations at Ryde PAC (Eastwood, Gladesville and Ryde). At each of these stations they will be paired with more senior officers in the force and will be given the opportunity to experience different sections and aspects of policing over the entirety of Ryde. This is a great opportunity for young officers from the Academy in Goulburn to gain a first posting in an area as amazing as Ryde. I personally am extremely pleased to see new recruits in the area and know they will do an amazing job at keeping our community safe. These officers will be able to gain crucial experience under Superintendent Peter Glynn, one of the best officers I have ever met, who has spent many years keeping the community of Ryde safe.
Victor wit h the six new recruits and Super intendent Peter
CONTACT VICTOR: 5-9 Devlin Street, Ryde NSW 2112 P (02) 9808 3288 F (02) 9877 6222 ryde@parliament.nsw.gov.au Interpreter services can be organised if required. In order to assist our Korean constituents in addressing state issues, a bilingual Korean staff member will be available on Mondays. To assist our Mandarin speaking constituents a bilingual staff member is available on Fridays.
뉴사우스웨일즈 주정부 이슈와 관련한 한국계 지역구민들의 민원을 돕기 위해 매주 월요일 영어와 한국어를 구사하는 직원이 근무합니다. 如果有需要的话，我们可以安排口译服务。每周五，我们还有讲普通话的 员工为选民服务。
Glynn
Congratulations to our Year 12 Students
The Hon. Victor Dominell o MP Par liament of New Sou th Wales Member for Ryde
2 December 2021
2021 Year 12 Students Ryde Electorate
Dear Students This is not your typical politician’s lette r.
However, 2021 is not your typical year .
Of all the superheroes, my favourite is Batman. That said, 2021 belongs to Superman; the man of steel. The toughest steel is forged in the hott est fire. Completing your HSC in normal tim es is tough enough. In 2021, your stre ss has been compounded with the pandemic. The uncertainty. The disruption. The angst. The world is changing faster and more dramatically than ever before. Agility and fortitude will be your trus ted companions in the many chapter s beyond the HSC. I congratulate you on completing you
r years of schooling.
Each of you are young women and men The class of 2021 will be known as the
of steel.
class of steel.
Best wishes,
The Hon. Victor Dominello Member for Ryde Minister for Customer Service and Dig ital
Sunday 19th December
Rotary Carols Rotary Carols will be held at TG Milner Sportsfield, Marsfield (North Ryde RSL Sports Club) Sunday 19th December Gates Open at 4 pm for a 5.15 pm start. Get your tickets today: www. carolsonthecommon.org.au/ tickets
looking f or ward t o seeing you at t he car o ls
CONTACT VICTOR: 5-9 Devlin Street, Ryde NSW 2112 P (02) 9808 3288 F (02) 9877 6222 ryde@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Authorised by Victor Dominello MP. Printed by Impress Colour, 4-6 Straits Avenue, South Granville NSW 2142 using parliamentary entitlements.