Darling River – Environmental Flush Event

/by

The NSW Minister for Water has today announced that a flush of water from the Menindee Lakes through to the Lower Darling River will commence to address the persistent Blue Green Algae.

The Darling River has been at Red Alert for Blue Green Algae since February, with landholders requested not to consume or bath in the water unless appropriately treated.

Thanks to the dedicated advocacy efforts by the Lower Darling Community assisted by the Wentworth Shire Council, the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) will release up to 45-50 GL from a fresh flow arriving into Menindee Lakes.

The environmental flush will cover a 500km stretch of the Lower Darling System.

Community assistance required

In addition to river water quality monitoring, DCCEEW are requesting daily images from landowners along the Darling River over the next three week period to assist with confirming the effectiveness of the flush trial and aid in the reporting of daily water quality testing.

Council encourages community members residing or with ready access to the Darling River to photograph the state of the river and algal blooms.  Photographers will need to ensure that images are taken at the same location at approximately the same time each day. Images with details of the photographer and exact location along the Darling River can be sent via email to water.enquiries@dpie.nsw.gov.au

For more information, view the media release and community update below or visit Northern to southern Basin environmental flow protection trial

240529-RELEASE-JACKSON-ENVIROMENTAL-FLUSH-TO-TACKLE-ALGAE-IN-THE-LOWER-DARLING-BAAKADownload
Community-update-_29-May-2024_finalDownload

Survey now open: ‘Your Voice, Our Future’

/by

A major new survey has been launched by the NSW Government in partnership with the Office for Regional Youth and the NSW Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP) to engage with young people on issues that matter most to them.

The ‘Your Voice, Our Future’ survey is an opportunity for young people aged 14 to 24 to raise their voices, knowing that decision-makers will listen.

The survey will be used to inform decisions around the design of a new permanent voice for young people within the NSW Government.

The survey can be found at https://bit.ly/YourVoiceOurFuture-NSW

Machine Learning Cameras

/by

Transport for NSW is installing a number of machine learning traffic counting and classifying cameras across the state.

The Machine Learning project was developed to understand if machine learning and artificial intelligence could be adapted to extract heavy vehicle information from roadside cameras. This new heavy vehicle traffic data will be used to improve Transport for NSW’s understanding of heavy vehicle and freight movement.

View the fact sheet for further information or visit: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/operations/freight-hub/machine-learning-cameras

Machine-Learning-cameras-factsheet_0Download

Privacy Awareness Week 2024

/by

Privacy Awareness Week is a global campaign that involves both public sector agencies and citizens and aims to improve understanding and awareness of NSW privacy legislation, and to raise awareness of a person’s privacy rights and agency obligations.

Privacy Awareness Week NSW takes place from 6 – 12 May 2024 and this year’s theme is Privacy and technology: Improving transparency, accountability, and security.

Council is a proud Champion of Privacy Awareness Week NSW 2024 and is committed to protecting the privacy of NSW citizens.

In NSW, your privacy is protected by the:

  • Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIP Act) which outlines how NSW public sector agencies, including government agencies, local councils and universities, manage and protect personal information
  • Health Records Information Privacy Act 2002 (HRIP Act) which promotes fair and responsible handling of health information. The HRIP Act applies to an organisation in NSW that is a health service provider or that collects, holds or uses health information. This includes both public and private sector organisations.

This Privacy Awareness Week, consider the following recommendations to improve your privacy:

  • Maintain settings: Ensure your information is shared with your permission and oversight.
  • Protect yourself: Avoid using unsecured wi-fi networks for secure transactions, like banking or online shopping.
  • Be aware: The Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 (PPIP Act) and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2022 (HRIP Act) should be your source of truth in NSW regarding your privacy rights.
  • Keep protected: There are many ways to protect yourself online, including using a secure password or passphrase, adjusting your privacy settings, and keeping your devices secure.
  • Stay proactive: Check for signs that your personal information has been compromised and if you notice something is wrong you can lodge an application for an internal review with the relevant agency or report it to the NSW Privacy Commissioner.

As a citizen of NSW, you have a right to have your personal information protected. If you are concerned about the breach of your privacy by Council, you can request us to conduct an internal privacy review. Learn more here Privacy Information

The Information and Privacy Commission (IPC) can also help you understand privacy laws in NSW and give you information on how to protect your personal information and assert your rights. Learn more by visiting the Privacy Awareness Week webpage www.ipc.nsw.gov.au/PAW2024