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Sydney news: Three residents of south-western Sydney escape 'targeted' shooting unharmed

A man was shot in the leg at the same home last year. (ABC News)

Here's what you need to know this morning.

Three people avoid injuries after 'targeted' shooting

A police officer takes a picture of the bullets fired at the Leppington home. 

Two men and a woman have avoided injury after a suspected "targeted shooting" at a home in south-western Sydney last night.

It comes just days after a task force was formed to coordinate investigations into a string of recent gangland killings. 

Police have confirmed a man was shot in the leg at the same Leppington house in December last year.

Emergency services arrived at the Carnelian St home shortly after 9:45pm to find the front of the house and a Mitsubishi Lancer damaged by bullet holes. 

Police say those inside the house were uninjured.

Initial inquiries have led investigators to believe the incident was targeted and not a random shooting. 

Witnesses have told police a white van was seen driving nearby in a southerly direction. 

Investigators last night scoured the road with torches, searching the road for evidence. 

Specialist police are examining the home today for evidence as investigations continue. 

Government decision 'bizarre', but good news says Mayor 

An artist's impression of the Balmain Leagues Club redevelopment. (Balmain Leagues Club)

Inner-West mayor Darcy Byrne has described the state government's decision to suddenly scrap plans to use the former Balmain Leagues Club site during construction of the Western Harbour Tunnel as "bizarre" but good news for locals.

Transport authorities said the site was no longer needed and would be returned to its owner. 

"Transport understands the impact major projects have on communities and is always looking for ways to mitigate these impacts and deliver positive outcomes," a spokesperson said.

Developer Heworth expressed relief and said it wanted to push ahead with already approved plans to build a new Wests Tigers Leagues Club, alongside apartments, shops and a town square on the Rozelle site, where there was a blaze earlier this month. 

Mr Byrne said there can be no further delays in making the site safe.

Upper house to debate voluntary assisted dying 

Independent MP Alex Greenwich pleads with upper house MPs not to deliberately block the bill.  (AAP: Dan Himbrechts )

More than 100 amendments are expected to be listed for discussion as the NSW upper house begins the third and final reading of the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill.

The legislative council has set aside until midnight tonight to debate and vote on the proposed legislation.

Independent MP Alex Greenwich has pleaded with MPs not to deliberately delay the bill.

"I hope members of the upper house respect the mandate the lower house has provided them with and respect the will of the people of NSW to pass this bill and I hope that time is not wasted," Mr Greenwich said.

An Anglicare Sydney spokesman said leaders should respect the rights of practitioners who do not want to facilitate assisted dying.

"Faith-based aged care homes offer a clear choice for those who want to be cared for in an environment that will never offer assisted dying," the spokesman said. 

"If voluntary assisted dying is to be voluntary for the public, then any scheme should be voluntary for clinical staff and medical officers and for the organisations that they work for."

The bill was passed by the lower house in November last year by 52 votes to 32.

Key election issues in Western Sydney 

Voters in Western Sydney polled on key issues ahead of Saturday's federal election. (ABC News: Mridula Amin )

Focus groups conducted across Western Sydney found that mental health, affordable housing, employment and COVID-19 recovery were some of the top priorities for voters ahead of the federal election on Saturday.

The research was conducted across the suburbs of Fairfield, Liverpool and Canterbury-Bankstown by the Western Sydney Migrant Resource Centre.

"It's very much been 'the West and the rest' and we've seen that divide through policies. However, moving forward, it is about trust rather than policies," board director Feng Guo said. 

"Something that's very important to people is seeing candidates being visible, engaging with the community, being there on the ground.

"That will really help to bridge the gap that there is definitely right now." 

New police powers 'dangerously broad'

Greg Barns from the Australian Lawyers Alliance said the new laws were unnecessary and lacked proper oversight.  (7.30 Report)

The Australian Lawyers Alliance has criticised new powers given to NSW police to search stop and search anyone convicted of a serious drug offence in the past 10 years without a warrant.

Police would also be able to search their home or car at any time.

The scheme will initially roll out across Bankstown, Dubbo, the Hunter Valley and Coffs Harbour.

National criminal justice spokesperson for the Australian Lawyers Alliance, Greg Barns, said the new powers were "too broad" and lacked appropriate oversight.

"This is dangerous legislation because the threshold for exercising these powers is so low," said Mr Barns.

"These laws could be used to harass individuals, particularly Indigenous people and other vulnerable and marginalised members of the community."

He said adequate powers already existed to search and seize items related to drug activity.

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