# Australia daily digest — 22 Oct 2026

New South Wales led the day, with Premier Chris Minns and Transport Minister John Graham confirming Sydney's Southwest Metro opens on 30 October and Parliament passing plastics and microplastics reforms. In Victoria, the government committed $139.5 million to IBAC and other integrity bodies and appointed Hamton and Hostplus to deliver more than 5,400 homes and a new secondary school at Arden. Queensland's Unlocking Water Project recommended making more than 132,000 megalitres available across three regions.

Source-local date: Thursday 22 October 2026 (Australia/Sydney). 5 release(s). Canonical: https://mediarelease.co/digests/au/2026-10-22/

## Releases

### [Unlocking Water Project identifies over 132,000 ML of water across three Queensland regions](https://mediarelease.co/au/mr02212-unlocking-water-project-identifies-over-132-000-ml-of-water-across-22102026.html)

Issued by: Ann Leahy, Minister for Local Government and Water and Minister for Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers · Original source: https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/106277

Queensland’s Unlocking Water Project has completed studies of the Cape York, Burdekin Basin and Pioneer Valley water plan areas, recommending more than 132,000 megalitres be made available for agriculture and industry, Water Minister Ann Leahy said. The recommendations include releasing 130,000 ML in the Burdekin’s Belyando-Suttor sub-catchment and 2,000 ML around Lakeland in Cape York, while the Pioneer Valley focus is better use of existing water and trading. Ten of the state’s 23 water plans have now been studied, with all due by 2028.

### [More Money And More Power To Fight Corruption](https://mediarelease.co/au/mr02211-more-money-and-more-power-to-fight-corruption-22102026.html)

Issued by: Ingrid Stitt, Special Minister of State · Original source: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/more-money-and-more-power-fight-corruption

The Victorian Government will provide $139.5 million to IBAC, the Victorian Ombudsman and Integrity Oversight Victoria to implement integrity laws passed by state Parliament last month. The laws lower the threshold of conduct IBAC can investigate, extend corrupt conduct to serious disciplinary matters including those by ministers, MPs and councillors, and give IBAC follow-the-money powers over private subcontractors on government projects. They also ease the test for public hearings and require IBAC budget requests and the Ministerial Code of Conduct to be published.

### [More Than 5,400 Homes And A New School For Arden](https://mediarelease.co/au/mr02210-more-than-5-400-homes-and-a-new-school-for-arden-22102026.html)

Issued by: Nick Staikos, Minister for Building, Housing and Precincts · Original source: https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/more-5400-homes-and-new-school-arden

The Victorian Government has appointed Hamton and Hostplus to deliver Arden Central, a 12-hectare precinct next to Arden Station on the Metro Tunnel line, with more than 5,400 homes, up from an original target of 3,500. At least 10 per cent will be affordable housing and over 4,000 homes are designated for first home buyers. Land has been secured for a new public secondary school, the first government secondary school built in the City of Melbourne since 1910. Works are expected to begin in 2027.

### [Practical reforms to reduce plastics and microplastics](https://mediarelease.co/au/mr02209-practical-reforms-to-reduce-plastics-and-microplastics-22102026.html)

Issued by: Penny Sharpe, Minister for Environment and Heritage · Original source: https://www.nsw.gov.au/ministerial-releases/practical-reforms-to-reduce-plastics-and-microplastics

NSW Parliament has passed plastics reforms under the NSW Plastics Plan 2.0, phasing out items such as plastic bread tags, balloon sticks, microbeads and lollipop sticks. From 2028 single-use takeaway coffee cups must be recyclable and cafes must offer a mug or glass for dine-in customers and accept clean keep cups, while fruit and vegetable stickers must be compostable by 2030. The intentional release of helium balloons is banned immediately. More than 800,000 tonnes of plastic waste goes to NSW landfill each year.

### [Southwest Metro to open Friday 30 October 2026](https://mediarelease.co/au/mr02208-southwest-metro-to-open-friday-30-october-2026-22102026.html)

Issued by: Chris Minns, Premier; John Graham, Minister for Transport · Original source: https://www.nsw.gov.au/ministerial-releases/southwest-metro-to-open-friday-30-october-2026

Passenger services on Sydney’s Southwest Metro will start at 4:31am on Friday 30 October, after the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator gave final safety approval, Premier Chris Minns and Transport Minister John Graham said. The converted line runs from Bankstown through the CBD to the northwest as one 66-kilometre Metro line, replacing the T3 Bankstown Line with 50 per cent more capacity. Trains will run every four minutes in weekday peaks, with Bankstown to Central taking 28 minutes.

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