Good morning and welcome to the Morning Buzz for Monday, December 11. Get set for a sunny start to your working week. Temperatures are expected to hit 26 in the city and up to 33 in the west. Enjoy your day!
Transport Minister returns fire at Sydney Uni over train timetable changes
Transport Minister Andrew Constance has fired back at Sydney University for insisting that a shake up of the rail timetable will seriously impact thousands of students and staff, saying they will in fact benefit from a boost to "turn-up-and-go" train services.
In a letter to the university's vice-chancellor, Michael Spence, Mr Constance said students and staff would benefit from trains on the T2 Line between Strathfield and Redfern running every five minutes on average in peak periods of the day. "Contrary to your statement that 10,000 students and staff in Western Sydney will be disadvantaged, the 2017 timetable introduces an additional 1500 services across the network," he wrote to Dr Spence. Read more.
The most dangerous school zones in NSW
School zones in Kogarah, Ryde and Chester Hill are some of the most dangerous in the state, with more than 5000 traffic infringements issued in each in the 12 months to June.
The worst, which is along the Pacific Highway in Kogarah near Kogarah Public and Kogarah High schools, James Cook Boys High School, Moorefield Girls High School, St George Girls High School, St George Hospital School and St George School, recorded 6418 infringements in 2016-17. Read more.
Ministers clash over north-west Sydney development push
The push to build hundreds of thousands of apartments across Sydney in the next 20 years has ignited fresh tensions in state cabinet, with Planning Minister Anthony Roberts under fire from a colleague over a lack of vital connected infrastructure in his local area.
Disability Services Minister Ray Williams has accused Mr Roberts of approving plans to add more than 8000 apartments in his seat of Castle Hill without locking in extra schools and parks.
But Mr Roberts argues the dispute is about his desire for smaller, more affordable apartments in the area and fewer large units he described as "McMansions in the sky". Read more.
The plan that could kill late-night trading in Parramatta
Potential restrictions on late-night trading in central Parramatta have alarmed restaurateurs and publicans, who fear they could kill the city's nightlife just as it is starting to flourish.
The proposals, which would potentially curb trading to 11pm across sections of the city's eat-street and riverside areas, are an attempt to grapple with the fast-growing residential density of central Parramatta.
But they have received a strong reaction from hospitality interests in the area, who say they risk undermining investment and diminishing Parramatta's appeal as a place to go out. Read more.
Teen arrested for allegedly buying a stolen police gun
A teenager from Sydney's south-west has been charged over the alleged supply of a police-issued firearm which still remains missing.
The 17-year-old male was arrested at a home on Thursday morning after a two month long investigation into the theft of the police-issued equipment including a firearm in October.
Police alleged the teen had bought the firearm knowing it had been stolen. Read more.
Sydney FC disappointed not to have scored more against Wanderers
They sent their fans into raptures, they sunk their rivals into the depths of despair but Sydney FC players weren't rushing to pop open bottles of champagne after their clean sweep over Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night.
The Sky Blues inflicted a record A-League defeat of their rivals with a commanding 5-0 win at ANZ Stadium but while the players were pleased with the result, there was no hiding their disappointment at having not scored more.
It was the "ruthless" performance Graham Arnold called for in his pre-match talk as Sydney tore the Wanderers apart away from home, carving open chances with ease as they left Western Sydney's defence in tatters. Read more.
Kevin Pietersen slams England and suggests factions may be at play
England are imploding after the latest in a series of alcohol-related incidents but Kevin Pietersen has climbed into the tourists for other failings, accusing Alastair Cook of looking uninterested, batsmen of making out that the Australian attack "is the scariest bowling they've ever faced" and suggesting there may be a factional split in Joe Root's touring party.
At 2-0 down in the Ashes series and with England Lions squad member Ben Duckett having caused a new wave of controversy by throwing a beer over the head of James Anderson in a Perth bar, England are in proper eat-their-own mode. Read more.
Opening weekend of record audiences show Women's Big Bash has truly arrived
Women's Big Bash records fell on and off the field after a hugely successful opening weekend.
A total of 8726 fans piled into North Sydney Oval across Saturday and Sunday to watch the two double-headers, while viewer numbers on Channel Ten reached record levels. Read more.