Here’s what you need to know this morning.
Toll cash back for motorists
Half a million motorists will be eligible for quarterly rebates on their toll bill as the government tries to address the rising cost of living in New South Wales.
The scheme will be part of the Perrottet government’s June budget and will apply to drivers who spend at least $375 dollars on tolls a year.
Drivers can get up to $750 cash back, a move that is set to benefit Western Sydney drivers who are hardest hit by tolls.
The rebate program will take effect from July 1.
Italian organised crime in the spotlight
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is set to announce a new focus on targeting Italian organised crime and money-laundering syndicates.
The AFP says the syndicates are washing billions of dollars each year through the local economy.
It says the new focus has been prompted by intelligence gathered on the AN0M encrypted messaging app.
It comes a year after Operation Ironside, where more than 4,000 officers were involved in hundreds of arrests and the seizing of illegal weapons, drugs and cash.
The AFP said it was the biggest organised crime operation in its history.
Public servants to strike tomorrow
The Public Service Association New South Wales (PSA NSW) has rejected the state government’s offer of a 3 per cent pay rise for all public sector workers, with a planned strike set to go ahead tomorrow.
General Secretary Stewart Little confirmed that 30,000 workers were expected to walk off the job for 24-hours on Wednesday to call for a pay rise in line with inflation.
It comes despite the state government yesterday announcing it would lift the wage cap from 2.5 to 3 per cent this financial year.
An increase to 3.5 per cent could also be likely next year.
The PSA has described the increase as “insulting”, saying it would represent a significant pay cut to workers in real terms.
It says inflation, which is currently at 5.1 per cent, means workers’ wages are going backwards.
Company plans to refloat offshore gas proposal
BPH Energy is hoping to refloat plans to tap into offshore gas supplies between Newcastle and Sydney, after the proposal was sunk by former prime minister Scott Morrison.
The company told the ABC it had lodged paperwork with the Federal Court for a judicial review into the decision to reject its licence extension for two years.
In March, Mr Morrison made a final decision to reject the application, after fierce community opposition.
BPH Energy has questioned the process the joint state and federal authority used to make its decision.
The organisation appealed to the Federal Court asking for that process to be reviewed.
The court action comes at a time when the state is under threat of an energy crisis.
University staff strike over fair pay
Western Sydney University (WSU) staff will strike today for a fair pay rise and secure jobs.
The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has described a 2 per cent per annum increase offered by the university’s management as “pitiful”.
“Despite negotiating for nearly 12 months, university management has not shifted from a low-ball pay offer,” president of the NTEU WSU branch, Dr David Burchell, said.
“In the context of rising costs of living, this offer is clearly unacceptable.”
The union said management has also stalled on a program to convert casual work into secure academic jobs.
“We were on the cusp of an agreement that would deliver mass conversion of casual work into secure jobs, with good conditions,” NTEU NSW secretary Dr Damien Cahill said.
“But management now says if we want this, staff need to accept a pay rise well below inflation.”
Mr Cahill argued the university could afford a fair pay rise for staff, given it had recently posted a surplus of $143 million.
