The NSW Government has dropped plans for a new South Coast rail timetable after strong opposition from commuters, unions and community groups. Premier Chris Minns said he had not met anyone who supported the change and would rather reverse the policy than go ahead with it. The changes, due to start on 15 November, would have added more regular services but also extra stops for travellers heading to the airport or towards Bondi Junction. Local groups and unions welcomed the decision, while a rail expert said the plan lacked proper consultation with regular users.
Experts say gaps in Australia's health system may be linked to recent violent incidents. Health economist Luke Slawomirski says earlier and more consistent mental health care could prevent some crises. Internal NSW government documents revealed a shortfall of nearly $600 million for public mental health services. Australian Medical Association vice president Julian Rait says many medical graduates cannot find training positions, worsening shortages in rural and regional areas. Research by Redbridge found that healthcare is among the top concerns for One Nation voters, who are gaining support.
A revised train timetable for the South Coast Line will add hundreds of services each week, aimed at shortening waits for commuters. From 15 November, peak trains between Wollongong and Sydney CBD rise to four per hour, meaning a service every 15 minutes. Off-peak and weekend frequency will also double, with trains roughly every 30 minutes. Nineteen additional Mariyung trains will join the line, offering charging ports and space for luggage, prams and bicycles.
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A new South Coast rail timetable starts on Sunday, November 15, bringing more frequent peak, off-peak and weekend services between Wollongong and Sydney. Transport for NSW says the changes will untangle the South Coast and T4 lines between Arncliffe and Central. However, many commuters heading beyond Central, including those travelling to the airports, will need to change trains, adding around six minutes to each journey. Transport for NSW data for March 2026 shows about two-thirds of morning peak passengers from South Coast stations travel no further than Central, and will be affected. Local commuters have criticised the changes.
Transport for NSW has announced Sydney train timetable changes from 15 November 2026 that bring more services but add up to 14 minutes to some journeys. The changes affect the T4, T8, South Coast and T2 lines, along with St Peters and Erskineville stations. Trains on the T4 line will run more often at peak times, while South Coast trains will stop at Central instead of Bondi Junction. Minister for Transport John Graham said the changes are part of a $2.1 billion investment in the network.
More than half of the remaining stores of womenswear chain Cue and Veronika Maine will close from Thursday, as receivers look for a buyer. Twenty-six of the 46 stores in Australia and New Zealand will shut. The Sydney-based chain entered voluntary administration in September, citing overhead costs, after nearly 60 years in business. Receivers Kate Warwick and Vaughan Strawbridge of FTI Consulting said potential buyers were not interested in a common group of stores, so those will close. Timing will vary by store and depend largely on stock levels. Team members will be redeployed to continuing stores where possible.
Nick Politis has marked 33 years as chairman of the Sydney Roosters, a period that has brought five NRL premierships and nine grand final appearances. The club has reached the finals 24 times under his leadership, including the past ten seasons in a row. When he took over in 1993, the Roosters had missed the finals ten times in 11 seasons. Politis made bold signings, including Brad Fittler, who captained the club to the 2002 NRL Premiership.
South Coast commuters will gain more than 200 extra train services a week from November 15, but will lose their direct airport interchange at Wolli Creek. Peak services between Wollongong and Sydney will rise from three to four trains an hour, while off-peak and weekend services will double. South Coast trains will now terminate at Central instead of continuing to Bondi Junction. Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland said the changes will affect airport passengers, and recommended Central for elderly passengers or those with large luggage.
A jury has been told that former Sydney police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon visited a Bungonia farm before allegedly trying to sink the bodies of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies in a dam there. Lamarre-Condon, 31, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and is claiming self-defence. He is accused of shooting the pair with his police pistol at Baird's Paddington share house on February 19, 2024. The bodies were later found near a Bungonia monastery in surfboard bags. The three-month trial in the NSW Supreme Court continues on Thursday.
A man believed to be in his 40s has been taken to hospital in Sydney after falling 11 floors from a construction site. He fell from the 13th floor of a site on Oxford Street in Bondi Junction on Tuesday and was found on the second level. Paramedics arrived just before 11.15am and took him to Royal North Shore Hospital. He is believed to have suffered significant injuries.
Woollahra resident Julie Claridge opposes a NSW Government proposal to open Woollahra Station and rezone the precinct for 9,400 new dwellings. She argues the transport case is weak, as Edgecliff and Bondi Junction stations are only about 1.9 kilometres apart and already offer frequent CBD access. Claridge says Woollahra Council's analysis identifies capacity for up to 3,600 dwellings, and that the State proposal exceeds this by a little over 2.5 times. She warns the change could cause psychological distress for residents and calls for moderate uplift along Edgecliff Road and Ocean St instead.
