Here's what you need to know this morning.
South Sydney protest causes mass delays
A man has suspended himself from a pole as part of a larger protest causing major traffic delays this morning at Port Botany, in Sydney's south.
Police were called to the unauthorised demonstration at Bumborah Point Road near Friendship Road intersection just before 6:30am.
The man was arrested and put into the back of a police van at about 8am, before being taken to Maroubra Police Station, where he is assisting police with their inquiries.
Traffic is still heavy in the area and police warned motorists to expect delays.
Climate action protest group Blockade Australia have claimed responsibility for the demonstration, live streaming the chaos from their Facebook page.
They captioned the video: "Tom is blocking on the main entrances into Port Botany up a 9 metre monopole … he is taking action because the exploitative and extractive Australian system is driving ecosystem and social collapse."
They wrote about causing "mass disruption that can not be ignored", with another protest planned to block streets in the CBD in June.
Parramatta River rejuvenation underway
Parramatta River is undergoing a transformation, with construction on a new footbridge starting today, expected to create tens of thousands of new homes and jobs.
The Alfred St Bridge is just one of many improvements set to revitalise the river, as well as a bikeway, riverfront amphitheatre and upgrades to Charles Street.
The bridge will link the north and south side of Parramatta, making it easier for pedestrians and cyclists to get around the city.
With Parramatta one the of state's fastest-growing cities, with the population expected to grow by more than 200,000 in the next two decades, Planning and Homes Minister Anthony Roberts said an investment of $60 million would support infrastructure and transport networks.
"Investing in vital infrastructure now will pave the way for more than 72,000 homes to be built and at least 113,000 jobs created to cater for the demand,” Mr Roberts said.
"This has already started with the recent construction of almost 500 homes along Morton Street."
Toddler's COVID death unusual
The death of a Sydney toddler from COVID-19 has been described as "very rare" by an infectious diseases expert.
NSW Health authorities said the two-year-old Western Sydney boy was "previously well".
He died at the Children's Hospital at Westmead after being diagnosed with the disease, and was one of four people with COVID whose deaths were recorded in the state yesterday.
The others were aged from their 70s to their 90s.
Infectious diseases paediatrician Robert Booy said the most children under five who got COVID-19 had mild symptoms or none at all.
Professor Booy reassured parents that deaths in this cohort were uncommon.
"So this is the disease of older people, of people with chronic medical problems," he said.
"It's not a disease which often kills children. It's very rare."
Nurses to vote on strike action
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard says efforts are being made to resolve the issues raised by the nurses' union, which has threatened another strike next week.
It would be the second in as many months, with nurses to vote this week on whether to take the action next Thursday.
The union's Brett Holmes said little progress had been made since the last strike in February and there was no indication the government was listening.
The union is calling for better pay and conditions, and changes to understaffing levels.
However, a spokesperson for Mr Hazzard said he had been communicating with the union boss — including as recently as the weekend.
"Each of the areas raised by the Nurses and Midwives' Association has been discussed and work is continuing to try and resolve the issues," they said.
Rise in COVID cases a concern
The growing number of COVID-19 patients in New South Wales hospitals is concerning, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) says.
Yesterday there were 1,163 people in hospital, including 34 people in intensive care.
That compares to just over 1,000 people in the hospital system over a week ago.
NSW AMA's Michael Bonning said while intensive care numbers were staying low, the hospital system was under strain.
"Because of ongoing staff furloughs, some of these cases are within the family, so either the children or partners of healthcare workers, or healthcare workers themselves," he said.
"That — with increasing hospital numbers — does mean that we end up with stretch being placed on our hospital system."
School demountables in the spotlight
Concerns have been raised about the number of newly built public schools in New South Wales relying on demountable classrooms.
The state's Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations raised the issue in its submission to an upper house inquiry into school infrastructure.
It said new schools in Western Sydney as well as those in Armidale and Ballina were relying on demountables within years of opening.
It is calling for an urgent review into how the NSW Department of Education forecasts population changes.
The state's auditor-general has also lodged a submission, saying reviews into the planning and delivery of school infrastructure were done in 2017 and 2021.
The inquiry received more than 100 submissions with a final report expected in October.
'Missed opportunity' to reform social security
The federal government is being urged to overhaul the social security and private rental sectors to help tackle the national housing and rental crises.
The University of New South Wales (UNSW) and Australian Council of Social Services (ACOSS) have released a report showing regional rents have soared by 18 per cent during the pandemic, partly driven by people's desire for homes rather than apartments.
The report also blames government cash grants to build residential properties.
UNSW professor Hal Pawson said the withdrawal of extra income support had also played a major role.
"Just reverting to that after the pandemic, I think it's a missed opportunity politically," he said.
"Putting in place the coronavirus supplement, doubling JobSeeker payments for a period of time was a very insightful response.
"That's an overdue reform which a lot of economists would agree is something which Australia should be contemplating anyway."
He said Australia had one of the lowest rates of social security payments among OECD countries.
