State Matters – A Weekly Bulletin from Dave Layzell MP

Member for Upper Hunter – 16 February 2026

‘OUT OF STEP’ – AMENDMENTS have been successfully secured for businesses by the NSW Nationals and Liberals from a Minns Labor Government’s bill to grant unprecedented digital access powers to union officials.

The Work Health and Safety Amendment (Digital Work Systems) Bill 2025 clarifies duties of a person conducting a business or undertaking when using a digital work system.

A 48-hour notice period before a union official can gain access to a business’ digital systems is among the Coalition’s amendments, as well as ensuring the laws will not commence until relevant guidelines are published.

The NSW Nationals and Liberals will always support the right of workers to be safe and treated fairly, however, this Bill was not about safety, it was about expanding union influence and control over businesses in our state.

These laws place NSW out of step with the rest of Australia and have been brought outside of the nationally consistent approach to work health and safety law reform.

REZ INPUT – EnergyCo is calling applications for three community representatives to join the New England Renewable Energy Zone’s (REZ) southern community reference group (CRG). 

The South CRG represents communities between Muswellbrook and the REZ boundary near Tamworth. 

First South CRG meeting of 2026 is planned for Thursday 19 March in Muswellbrook, with applications to join the community reference group to close on 28 February. 

Download and complete the application form: energyco.nsw.gov.au/ne and email it to: nerez@energyco.nsw.gov.au or call 1800 061 114 to find out more. 

Meantime, EnergyCo expects to publish a 1km-wide corridor in the coming months for the New England REZ transmission corridor refinement between Bayswater Power Station near Muswellbrook and the central south hub near Walcha.

Landowners will be contacted directly before the 1km corridor is published, with the 250m-wide corridor to be confirmed for assessment in the environmental impact statement (EIS), expected to be lodged with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure later in 2026.

MERRIWA MOBILE UPGRADE – Telstra will be upgrading the mobile base station servicing Merriwa next week to improve the 4G/5G user experience.

Mobile connection in the area will be temporarily affected while the upgrade works are underway. 

The site will be switched off between Monday, 23 February and Wednesday, 25 February, for up to 10-hours, sector by sector, and for the entire period on Thursday and Friday, 26-27 February. 

Two 4-hour backup periods are slated for Saturday 28 February, if required. 

Landline services, NBN and satellite internet services, and mobile coverage from other providers will not be impacted.

Any calls to Triple Zero from a Telstra mobile when the site is off air will automatically connect to another mobile network, if available, for connection to emergency services.

Telstra customers can continue to make calls and send texts during the disruption to mobile services by switching on Wi-Fi Calling: www.telstra.com.au/support/mobiles-devices/telstra-wifi-calling 

Telstra encourages business owners to talk to their bank about connecting EFTPOS terminals to their NBN or Wi-Fi connection to prevent delays in processing transactions.

Keep up to date on the outage via: https://www.telstra.com.au/outages 

KNIFE OPERATION – Hunter Valley Police District officers have conducted a knife scanning operation at locations in Muswellbrook, Singleton, and Cessnock. 

During the operation conducted last week, police engaged with business owners and members of the community.

Despite no knives being found, four infringement notices were issued by officers for shoplifting offences, with inquiries continuing into a fifth incident. 

Hunter Valley PD will conduct similar operations in the future to ensure the safety of the community around shopping precincts and transport hubs. 

For more information on knife laws go to: www.police.nsw.gov.au/crime/knife_crime

POWERLINE PATROL – Transgrid will commence helicopter patrols from this week of its major electricity transmission lines through the Upper Hunter.

Transgrid routinely undertakes helicopter inspections to identify safety risks to the network and undertake any necessary maintenance to keep the network safe and reliable. 

From Monday, 16 February to Sunday 8 March, weather permitting, aerial imagery patrols will be undertaken to support physical assessments of the conditions of towers and lines. 

During this period, communities in the Singleton, Muswellbrook and Upper Hunter local government areas, north to Tamworth, may see our helicopters operating in or near their area.

Where Transgrid identifies any vegetation encroachments, it will take a proactive approach to manage any risk of bushfires on its network, with on-the-ground teams then managing the encroachments to maintain safety clearances. 

An interactive map detailing the patrols is available at: www.transgrid.com.au/community/network-inspections-and-maintenance-near-you/

SPOTLIGHT ON RIDERS – ‘Ride like everything’s out to get you’ is the opening focus for a major new motorcycle safety advertising blitz now underway. 

The campaign is designed to cut through with riders of all ages and experience levels, recognising that behaviour on the road remains a decisive factor in motorcycle safety outcomes. 

The first phase of the campaign focuses on the risks riders face when travelling through corners, particularly the danger of the unexpected, such as wildlife. 

The campaign will run for five months across television, radio, outdoor, print and digital platforms, including rider-specific and social media channels, to ensure statewide reach across metropolitan and regional NSW. 

Future phases of the campaign will address additional high-risk scenarios for riders, including intersections and overtaking. 

For more on Safety on and around two wheels, check-in at: www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/motorcyclists

ROAD UPDATES – A new High Pedestrian Activity Area (HPAA) is now operating in Belmore Road, Lorn with a 40km/hr speed limit also taking effect. 

Maitland City Council has installed new signage, kerb extensions and a raised crossing in the area to improve pedestrian safety from The Avenue to north of Allan Street. 

For more on the project which is supported by Transport for NSW, check: https://engage.maitland.nsw.gov.au/speed-changes-hhpa

And, MidCoast Council will restore the road connection at Tiri, north-east of Gloucester, with a temporary bridge while investigations into a permanent replacement continue. 

Tiri Bridge was washed away during last year’s May floods and there has been no functional crossing in that vicinity since.

Construction of the temporary bridge is expected to start in late-March and finish in June, weather permitting, with a load limit restriction to apply equivalent to a large SUV with a box trailer.

YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS – Tertiary students living in social housing are encouraged to apply for the NSW Government’s Youth Development Scholarship. 

Now in its tenth year, the program offers students $1000 grants to help cover education expenses.

The grants are available to TAFE NSW or university students, as well as those completing an apprenticeship or traineeship, with the grants to fund study-related expenses such as laptops.

To be eligible, applicants must be either receiving a private rental subsidy from the Department of Communities and Justice; living in community housing/Aboriginal community housing; supported crisis or temporary accommodation and statutory, supported, or voluntary out-of-home care.

Applications for tertiary students close on Friday, 6 March with more information on how to apply available at: https://dcjnsw.info/scholarships

ANZAC STUDY TOUR – Applications can now be submitted for the Premier’s Anzac Memorial Scholarship (PAMS). 

Up to 18 NSW students have the opportunity for selection to participate in the study tour visiting historic sites in Greece and Crete relating to Australia’s military service during the Second World War.

This year’s tour will take place during the Term 3 school holidays departing Saturday, 26 September and returning to Sydney on Thursday, 8 October.

The PAMS tour is highly recommended for History and Modern History students in Year 10 and Year 11.

An important change to the application process this year, requires eligible students to submit a five-minute multimedia presentation as part of their online application, along with a letter of recommendation from their school and a parent consent form.

Applications close on Monday, 9 March, so visit: https://www.veterans.nsw.gov.au/education/premiers-anzac-memorial-scholarship/

REZ ROADWORK – Construction as part of the Port to Renewable Energy Zones (REZ) project commences this week at the intersection of Golden Highway and Blackstump Way, Leadville. 

Work will include asphalting the north-east corner of the Golden Highway and Black Stump Way junction, installing a new vegetated open drain, pruning or removing vegetation, and tightening electricity conductors between poles and replacing poles and conductors.

Work will take place over a 10-days on, four-days off roster, from 7am to 6pm.

Each fortnight from 17 February, work will start on a Tuesday and finish every second Thursday with work to occur every second Saturday and Sunday during the 10-day roster.

No construction activity will happen every second Friday through to Monday.

For more information, call 1800 807 561, email: Port2REZCommunity@BMD.com.au or go to: www.energyco.nsw.gov.au/our-projects/enabling-projects/port-to-rez

HOT LESSON! – If you missed the opportunity to participate in this month’s Hunter Learner Night Drive – please, put your name on the waitlist.

The event organised by Hunter Valley Highway Patrol, Hunter Valley Police District, Transport for NSW and Upper Hunter Shire Council, is designed to give learner drivers practical exposure to real-life driving scenarios involving police interaction, all within a safe and controlled environment.

Participants will witness a rescue situation, experience truck blind spots, and drive around the track to participate in both stationary and mobile breath testing, with advice and guidance on how to navigate these situations safely and correctly.

Join the waitlist: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1532677 

NSW Police Force Traffic and Highway Patrol Command has also resumed NightDrive for Learners at Sydney Motorsport Park. 

For more information about the free night and booking information visit: www.drivingsolutions.com.au/driver-training/night-drive-for-learners

TOCAL OPPORTUNITY – Hunter Local Land Services (LLS) has opened expressions of interest to join its Community Marquee at this year’s Tocal Field Days.

Not-for-profit community groups are inviting to join Hunter LLS fee-free in the Community Marquee from Friday 1 May through until Sunday 3 May.

The spaces available are 4m x 3m and a fantastic opportunity from the NSW Government to showcase your group and connect with the community.

If your group is involved in sustainable agriculture or natural resource management, then complete an EOI before 16 March via: www.facebook.com/HunterLLS

For more information or assistance, contact Hunter LLS Volunteer Coordinator, Lauren Bullard, at: lauren.bullard@lls.nsw.gov.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

www.davelayzell.com.au/news/categories/state-matters